[andyfox]

To a certain extent, your parents are correct. Nothing in life is easy, it all requires hard work, whether you're an investment banker, poker player, or shepherd.

Having said that, though, you shouldn't be doing something you hate. You should make sure, though, that it really is the work you hate, rather than the idea of working, before you opt out. I have some investment banker friends and they've all done extraordinarily well.

There's an argument to be made for "Do what you love, and the rest will follow." There's also a counter-argument. After all, I love boozing, gambling, and womanizing--what will follow from that will surely be prison or death (or both). [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

Please don't be offended by the following: you're immature. When you say, "I just want enough for food and booze and videogames," that shows me that you’re still a little boy to some extent. You’ve obviously got brains. I could tell that from your political posts; your educational and professional achievements confirm it. But I’d be wary of making decisions that can have long-term consequences, such as quitting my job to play poker, while I was still just interested in food, booze, and video games.

You can be a semipro player. With your talent and education couldn’t you find a job similar to the one you now have that could be closer to 40 hours? Why not see a career professional who could help give you some ideas or contacts or get you in touch with other people. You could then use the “extra” time to be a semi-pro player and see if a full-time poker career is something that suits you and that you’re suited for.