Ok guys. Admit it. Poker is NOT cool.

[SNOWBALL138]

I went to 7/11 lastnight at 2am, and I met this cute girl that I vaguely recognized from school. We talked for a minute, and she asked if I wanted to exchange numbers. So, I say sure, and I end up hanging out with her and her friends until about 7am over at my place. We played cards, drank beer, talked, and had a pretty cool time.

So, at one point in the night, one of them asked me what I do. I tried to give a cover answer. "I do small scale, short term, low risk, high return investment." Anyway, they wanted details, and bugged me about it for a little while, until I finally folded, and told them exactly what I "invest" in.

They're all young like me (22ish) so they were nice about it. I explained that I don't like to tell people what I do because they judge me for it, and it seemed ok. However, I can never be sure if I'm being judged or not.

Here's my theory. I think poker is like the mafia. Certain people think its cool, and they are totally oblivious to the fact that most people think the exact opposite. Also, just like the mafia, no one that doesn't play poker has any idea what its like to do it for a living. On the other hand, everyone THINKS they know what its like because of the stupid things they've heard from people they know or because of the portrayals or it in movies.

So, whereas everyone knows what you mean when you say "I am a lawyer", no one even knows what you are talking about when you say "I play cards". When you say "I play cards" to person A they hear "I am a sicko gambler". When you say it to person B, they hear "I am a filthy criminal", or person C hears "I am a dirty lowlife unable to work a real job" or person D hears "I am a millionaire" or person E hears "I am a math genius, but also an amoral hustler."

I honestly think its more precise to say my cover story than to say I play cards. What do you guys do?

[Goodnews]

first of all, don't give a bunch of vague details because it only peaks their curiosity. and if that is your goal, tell them you are in investing for a bank, and its confidentail and that you are not allowed to talk about it.

but the truth is though, your mouths shouldnt be used for talking if you are drinking with a cute girl and her friends from 2am to 7am. get my drift?

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...your mouths shouldnt be used for talking if you are drinking with a cute girl and her friends from 2am to 7am.

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Clearly the mouth is used for sticking your foot into.

On a more serious note, stick with the cover story. I agree with Goodnews about not giving them a tease. My suggestion? Say you're an independent software developer. Nobody ever asks questions.

[Dave H.]

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My suggestion? Say you're an independent software developer. Nobody ever asks questions.

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Or even better: Say you are an independent tester of software...kind of like a Quality Assurance individual...just don't tell them what kind of software you test!

[jason_t]

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peaks their curiosity

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piques their curuosity

[Klepton]

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peaks their curiosity

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piques their curuosity

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now who's the sicko

[poker-penguin]

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peaks their curiosity

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piques their curuosity

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Yep. I wish morans wouldn't use words they can't spell. [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[Maddenboy]

that's funny.

I was gonna jump on that one, but I thought "lemme just read one more post to see if anyone else does it, and to give me time to change my mind."

[rgschackelford]

Uh buh buh buh buh buh buh. Cool it with the criticism. The grammar forum is three IPs down the street, to your left. It's got all the English teachers and prep nerds hanging out on it. You can't miss it!

Rusty

P.S. I assume it wasn't a spelling error, just misuse of a word. Eye try not too let it happen two often, I fined it effects me in a negative weigh. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[LetYouDown]

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peaks their curiosity

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piques their curuosity

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If you're going to correct someone's grammar, at least learn to spell/type.