My typical day
 

My background: last worked in 2002 as a programmer. left to take care of new baby. Start playing poker April, 2004.

Here is my typical day:

Get up around 9am. Get kid ready for daycare. Back home 10:30am and start playing 5/10-10/20. Stop playing around 3:30. Have lunch. Doing housing work...
Pickup kid around 5:30. After 9:00pm play some more poker till 12:00. Sometimes no poker at night.


My husband started around the same time as I. We had $1000 as our starting bankroll. Now we have worked it up to $40,000. Whenever I have a losing streak I want to start looking for a job , but I never really tried very hard.

I sometimes feel guity spending all my time playing cards instead of doing some real work. But if I had a regular job I don't think I will have any time playing. Tough decision.
Also I only earned 20K in more than a year. Not much compared to my old job.Good thing is I only "work" 4 - 5 hours a day.

Am I wasting my life here?

Re: My typical day
 

Why the daycare if you're home all day?

Re: My typical day
 

not that it's any of my business, but why would you take the kid to day care if the two of you are home all day? I would think having the kid at home is one of the perks.

my suggestion: take out one or two 3-6 month contracts, get yourself to some office every day, remind yourself how bad work sucks.

Re: My typical day
 

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Why the daycare if you're home all day?

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"Hey sis look. All mommy does is gamble on that computer all day. I wish our mommy played with us."

Re: My typical day
 

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Why the daycare if you're home all day?

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"Hey sis look. All mommy does is gamble on that computer all day. I wish our mommy played with us."

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how is mommy playing with them if they're at daycare?

Re: My typical day
 

I took care of my kid full time until he is 2. I think it's better he spend some time with other kids. My husband is a college teacher which means he has some days he doesn't have to go to office. but he is busy overall.

Re: My typical day
 

Clearly you believe that spending this much time on this activity is a waste.

When I start to feel that way I simply play less and/or do more of the other stuff on the internet while I'm playing.

It appears you can make adjustments for the short term but you should be planning a major reduction in internet poker play in the future.

I accept poker as a career providing a service for other players to compete against but that's a stretch that took me 15 years to achieve. It's also easier to accept after having a few other careers.

Re: My typical day
 

I would assume people on this board won't consider poker as gambling?

Re: My typical day
 

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I would assume people on this board won't consider poker as gambling?

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Ed Miller says it is gambling.

Re: My typical day
 

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I accept poker as a career providing a service for other players to compete against but that's a stretch that took me 15 years to achieve.

[/ QUOTE ]That is SUCH a stretch, to the point that maybe it should count as a lie. I think you have to face the fact that you don't construct or provide anything in your line of work. That's ok; there are lots of jobs that earn money but don't necessarily add to society. But don't pretend you're "providing a service".
-Sam

Re: My typical day
 

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I would assume people on this board won't consider poker as gambling?

[/ QUOTE ]Ed Miller says it is gambling.

[/ QUOTE ]Duh. It's putting money at risk with the potential to win more. I think the compulsion, knowledge, and EV of the situation are largely what differentiates "Gambling for a living" and "Having a gambling problem".

I don't think using tylenol shows a drug problem, but it's still a drug.
-Sam

Re: My typical day
 

I believe this is what the population refers to as "sarcasm".

Re: My typical day
 

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Am I wasting my life here?

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If you really like poker and love what you're doing, the answer is no.

But given that you've looked for a "real" job before and given that you're posting about it on a message board, I'm thinking the answer is yes.

(On a somewhat related note, I don't know how much programmers earn, but I'm guessing that anybody with the intelligence and discipline to consistently beat 10/20 could earn more than $20k per year in some other line of work.)

Re: My typical day
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I accept poker as a career providing a service for other players to compete against but that's a stretch that took me 15 years to achieve.

[/ QUOTE ]That is SUCH a stretch, to the point that maybe it should count as a lie. I think you have to face the fact that you don't construct or provide anything in your line of work. That's ok; there are lots of jobs that earn money but don't necessarily add to society. But don't pretend you're "providing a service".
-Sam

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We provide the same service that Casinos do: entertainment. That's why people play blackjack, and that's why they play poker. They play for fun.

Re: My typical day
 

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We provide the same service that Casinos do: entertainment. That's why people play blackjack, and that's why they play poker. They play for fun.

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Sure, and they can play for fun against other people who are playing for fun, or they can play for fun against people who are constantly studying to improve at taking their money. This "we provide a service" line is pretty amusing to me. Remove all the 2+2ers from Party Poker and you'll certainly have more enjoyable and less costly games for the fish. Expert players ruin the experience just enough to make money, but not enough to scare the fish away entirely, and they use variance as a smoke screen. Let's not kid ourselves.

Re: My typical day
 

what is wasting life?

Re: My typical day
 

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what is wasting life?

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Not enjoying it?

Re: My typical day
 

"Am I wasting my life here? "

You're wasting your kid's lives. Get them out of daycare. You should be ashamed.

Re: My typical day
 

Let me get this straight

1.You husband is a professor and therefore makes a very good income - enough to support you and your kids comfortably.

2. You gamble all day while your kids are in daycare which is likely costing you $500+ a month after tax.

That's pathetic

Re: My typical day
 

"What you call wasting, I call living...I'm living my life!"

[/Seinfeld quoting]

Re: My typical day
 

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I took care of my kid full time until he is 2. I think it's better he spend some time with other kids. My husband is a college teacher which means he has some days he doesn't have to go to office. but he is busy overall.

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Are you SERIOUS??? You honestly think it's better that he spend all day with other kids and a daycare provider than with his Mommy? Get a grip lady!! Have you ever thought of starting a play group? I am bothered by the fact that you pawn your kid of to a day care center so you can play poker. This is so wrong it should be illegal.

But hey, think of all the great things he will learn from those other kids - espacially the older ones. Believe me, he will get enough interaction with other kids from K-12 and you can play poker all day for 13 years. He's what, 3?? Yeah, you're making a BAD decision!

Re: My typical day
 

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I sometimes feel guity spending all my time playing cards instead of doing some real work. But if I had a regular job I don't think I will have any time playing. Tough decision.

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Yeah, I'm still ranting on. She feels guilty that she's not doing real work and concerned that a real job would interfere with poker time. Hmmmm - poker or a real job. What about your CHILD? Don't you feel guity that you play poker instead of mother?? Does anyone else with kids have a problem with this??

Re: My typical day
 

I wouldnt say that somebody who plays poker profesionally "gambles all day". If you play profesionally it becomes like any job. Just because her husband makes money she should not be forced to not have a career of her own. If she was a teacher or waitress or whatever and sent her kid to daycare during the days, how would this be different ? It woudlnt.

Re: My typical day
 

This is my whole point, playing poker is not like having a job. If I said I put kid in daycare for a job, no problem. Playing poker, oh my god. Even ppl on this board feel this way.

Re: My typical day
 

Part of the reason I don't want to go working is now I can send him to daycare after he gets up, any time. I often puts him there 11am. And pick him up before 5 and have dinner ready for him. How can I do it if I work 9-5?
Also professors don't always make good money. We live in a small apartment and don't have much to spare.

Re: My typical day
 

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I sometimes feel guity spending all my time playing cards instead of doing some real work. But if I had a regular job I don't think I will have any time playing. Tough decision.

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Yeah, I'm still ranting on. She feels guilty that she's not doing real work and concerned that a real job would interfere with poker time. Hmmmm - poker or a real job. What about your CHILD? Don't you feel guity that you play poker instead of mother?? Does anyone else with kids have a problem with this??

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I was planning to post something a bit softer, but yes, I agree 100% that if you are taking your kid to day care so you can come home and play poker 5 hours a day then there is an issue. If you "need" to play poker for income (doesn't sound like it, but we don't have all the pieces here) then play AFTER Jr. goes to bed.

My day:
up at 6:30am. Work 7:30 - 5:00pm.
5-9:30pm, hang out with my daughter and my wife.
9:30 - 1am : multitable 3/6

my wife's day
up around 7am
7:30am - 5pm : take care of our daughter * (wife works part time from home - has 2 meetings a week that she brings our daughter to then squeezes in an hour whenever our daughter naps, she also works a full day on Sunday).
5pm - 7pm : RELAX while I hang out with daughter.
7pm - 9:30pm : hang out with me (dinner/talk/tv/etc)

I clear just enough every month to cover the gap between what my wife used to make (before she was a mommy) and what she makes now.

If you're going to leave your kid at day care then get a real job and make enough to put $$$ away for her college tuition/car/other stuff.

FishNChips

Re: My typical day
 

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This is my whole point, playing poker is not like having a job. If I said I put kid in daycare for a job, no problem. Playing poker, oh my god. Even ppl on this board feel this way.

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Look, its your life, do it how you want. I don't think that playing poker all day is a waste of your life, but you asked for opinions and I think it stinks that you drop your kid off at day care so you can play poker. See my other post for more on this, but one of the great things about on-line poker is that the game is ALWAYS there. Hang out with your kid during the day, play poker at night. Your husband can deal with limited time together for a cuple years until Jr. is in school, but these first few years are so huge in your kids development that if you CAN its better to spend the time with the kid.

There are plenty of people that would KILL to be able to stay home with their kid but can't. If you are a winning poker player and can make enough to bridge the gap then do it at night.

Again, its your choice. But don't ask for opinions if you don't really want them.

FishNChips

Re: My typical day
 

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I wouldnt say that somebody who plays poker profesionally "gambles all day". If you play profesionally it becomes like any job. Just because her husband makes money she should not be forced to not have a career of her own. If she was a teacher or waitress or whatever and sent her kid to daycare during the days, how would this be different ? It woudlnt.

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She made a whopping $20K in a year (actually more than a year). After taxes closer to $15K. Daycare is $100 - $150 per week so call it $5,000 per year. So she clears $10K - peanuts, really.

BUT the reason she quit her programming jod was to stay home with the kid. And the reason she give for daycare is so he can spend time with other kids - and so she can play poker. Sounds like she's selfish to me...She can't wait onother year and a half and play when the kid is in school?

When you have little kids, they should be your first priority, your second priority and your third priority.

You also must feel guilty that you hawk your kids off to a stranger with a questionable backround every day. Ask someone that used to work in a daycare center what the quality of care is really like and you will quit your job tomorrow. My wife worked in a daycare center for a week while in college and quit because of how the children were treated.

Re: My typical day
 

I don't have kids...but intend to in the semi-near future.

If I'm still playing poker from home then I would consider this to be an advantage.

Maybe I don't undderstand the full realities of it all...but I would think that you can take care of the kid just a little bit while clicking-away online.
And my sig-other can pursue her career all she likes while i'm the stay-at-home-dad-who-is-still-making-money.


I don't think the OP is nearly as bad as others are making her out to be.
I might be inclined to take my kid to day-care every once in awhile just as much for the social-interaction as anything. But this wouldn't be a regular thing if I didn't have to do it of course.

Re: My typical day
 

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So she clears $10K - peanuts, really.

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Oh come on. That "peanuts" is about the annual income of a full-time, year-round worker on minimum wage. I'd love to be in a place where $10k is peanuts. You may not think it's worth the trade-off, but let's not pretend that the income she's forgoeing by quitting poker isn't very significant to many families.

Re: My typical day
 

I guess its different if you play poker for the thrills and leave your kids away than if you are pursuing a poker career and making money, so i kinda see your point. Somehow whether or not a pokerplayer gets recognition depends on how much money he makes. I guess this wouldnt be an issue if she made 150 000 a year

Re: My typical day
 

[ QUOTE ]
I don't have kids...but intend to in the semi-near future.

If I'm still playing poker from home then I would consider this to be an advantage.

Maybe I don't undderstand the full realities of it all...but I would think that you can take care of the kid just a little bit while clicking-away online.
And my sig-other can pursue her career all she likes while i'm the stay-at-home-dad-who-is-still-making-money.


I don't think the OP is nearly as bad as others are making her out to be.
I might be inclined to take my kid to day-care every once in awhile just as much for the social-interaction as anything. But this wouldn't be a regular thing if I didn't have to do it of course.

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Sir:

I think that you'll find that taking care of the kid and playing won't mix. I think that there may be a few kids out there that this would work with, but in general, babies/toddlers need way too much attention to make playing at the same time an option.

My main issue with OP is:
1 - she could adjust her playing schedule and keep the kid at home
2 - her husband is around sometimes, he could take care of the kid when he's around
3 - it seems like she's choosing to play to make a little extra cash and is using that as an excuse to pawn her kid off (I realize that this may be an inaccurate conclusion, but given the facts as presented this is what I'm coming to). The math was done above, she's just not making that much for the 6-8hrs a day that her child is in day care.

Again, its her choice. She can do whatever she wants, but she asked for opinions and now she's getting them.

FishNChips

Re: My typical day
 

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Maybe I don't undderstand the full realities of it all...but I would think that you can take care of the kid just a little bit while clicking-away online.

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Actually, it's almost impossible. Kids are pretty demanding and when your holding pocket aces HU with a 50% VP$IP player, something will happen and you will have to leave the computer immediately...

If I'm home with my kids I try to clear a casino bonus and save the poker for after bed time.

Re: My typical day
 

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So she clears $10K - peanuts, really.

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Oh come on. That "peanuts" is about the annual income of a full-time, year-round worker on minimum wage. I'd love to be in a place where $10k is peanuts. You may not think it's worth the trade-off, but let's not pretend that the income she's forgoeing by quitting poker isn't very significant to many families.

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this is a fair point. If they live in a small apt in a low cost of living area this might cover 80% of the rent every month and that is significant.

My issue is with the schedule. As another poster stated, your kids have to be priority 1/2/3...n. You're a parent now, thats how it is. She can play at night after her husband gets home or after her kid goes to bed. I've also not seen her say that she "needs" the $$$. She has stated that there isn't much to spare if they rely on her husbands salary.

Priorities!
FishNChips

Re: My typical day
 

Ok I made 10K after tax after deducting daycare cost. But my husband's 20K won't be there if my kid is at home all day.

And last year I started by playing 25c/50c with 500 dollar bankroll . The first 1k took me 4 months to earn. So my 20K per year is not an flat average.
We hope to use poker money to help pay for a house later, considering how costly house are, we can't afford it by my husband's teacher salary.

Re: My typical day
 

if you have a $40,000 bankroll why are you only making $20k a year.

Re: My typical day
 

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Ok I made 10K after tax after deducting daycare cost. But my husband's 20K won't be there if my kid is at home all day.

And last year I started by playing 25c/50c with 500 dollar bankroll . The first 1k took me 4 months to earn. So my 20K per year is not an flat average.
We hope to use poker money to help pay for a house later, considering how costly house are, we can't afford it by my husband's teacher salary.

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clearly we're giving you feedback on about 1/100th of the truly available information so how about I do this:

1 - is it a "waste" to spend your day playing poker : ABSOLUTELY NOT! Plenty of folks on this site do it for a living and I do not have any issue with that. Its not a waste if you understand the risks and its not an addiction / life destroying activity.

HOWEVER

2 - your situation is a bit different because you have a kid involved. In My Opinion, your child needs to be your #1 priority and that means that if you CAN you should have the little one at home with you during the day. Your choices should reflect what is in the best interest of your child, not what is easiest/most convenient/nicest/funnest/coolest for you. You're a parent now, the days of "what I want" are over and "what is best for my child" should be the driving force behind your decisions. If dropping your child off at day care and spending 5 - 8hrs/day playing poker is truly what is best for your child then go for it.

3 - don't justify dropping your child off at day care with "the social interaction is good for him." If I need to dig up the cites for the studies I'll do it, but its better for the kids to be at home with mom and/or dad during their early years. They'll get plenty of interaction when they reach school age.

Again . what you do is up to you, but you asked, its been answered, and you might not like it.

FishNChips

Re: My typical day
 

Each of us has 20K bankroll.

Re: My typical day
 

Thanks for your suggestion. I understand your point, and respect your and your wife's schedule. I see you sleep less than 6 hours a day. I really can't do that and function right. I am almost 35 now and no longer have the energy of a 25 year old. I find myself too tired taking care of a toddler all day to do any serious poker playing afterwards.

Once again let me say I respect your way of taking care your baby.

Re: My typical day
 

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if you have a $40,000 bankroll why are you only making $20k a year.

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I think it's because her husband also plays and he made $20K last year as well.

So it sounds like you need the money so you can buy a house. Why don't you limit your play to times when your child is in bed either at night or morning or both. Let your husband keep his schedule so he still makes his $20k. You will save $5k in daycare (how much ARE you paying?) and can probably make $6k playing mornings, nights and weekends ($500 a month should not be a problem).

So you save $5k, make $6k that becomes $4500 after taxes for a total of almost $10k. You're in the EXACT same position , your son is no longer in daycare and you are only playing half the hours you were playing before - and you don't need to take a job...