My story

[Nelson]

I agree - insightful and well-written posts Blarg.

[MicroBob]

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Anyway, it's my contention that working a 40 hour week or more at a job, which is what most people do, is unnatural to the human spirit. And that's even if you like or profess in public to like your job. Cramming your soul into an office or cubicle or uniform for the best part of your life isn't soul-enhancing, and it naturally produces all sorts of toxic byproducts and disfunctions. It's what most of the world is stuck with, though, so it's more palatable either to not think about it or talk about it, or pretend you think it's just great, and everyone else should too.

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Sounds very similar to some points Aldous Huxley made in Point Counter Point. I'll try to look it up when I get the chance.

Agree fully.

[Saint_D]

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A long sentence isn't the same as a run-on sentence.


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Frankly, I am not qualified to critique gramar and/or spelling. I don't know know what possessed me to do so.

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Anyway, it's my contention that working a 40 hour week or more at a job, which is what most people do, is unnatural to the human spirit.

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Agreed. Also unatural to our biology. Sick sad world man.

[smartalecc5]

nice job [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

[wheelz]

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One aspect I forgot to touch on was my parents/family and how they've reacted.

When I made my first 1500 in december, my mom told me I should cash out and quit while ahead. I got to 2800 and she wanted me to cash out like 2000+. Thought it was just a hot streak and it would fall apart (she was right to an extent...but with work could be a long term winner). I think they know I got down to that 700, but I'm not positive. I've always been very open with them about it and it makes them nervous...but I hate running around hiding everything.

We had quite a few arguments. They thought I would fail out of school and just want to play poker and that I was still likely just getting lucky. I remember coming home last spring, saying I was just going to play poker during the summer for money instead of getting a part time job. They would have no part of this. We got in a big fight and decided I would work at that inner city day camp (pretty much volunteer work). I was living at home and they wanted me on a relatively regular sleep schedule was part of their reasoning. Eh, it was probably good for me to do again anyhow...and working 1230-430 isn't exactly hard and doesn't keep you from doing much fun stuff.

We would fight when I would come home at 6-7am though when getting back from canterbury. They never liked that.

Bout the middle of this year (1.5 years after starting playing) they finally came around more or less. My mom said "If it's what you're going to be doing...and you have every right to decide that...then I need to embrace it..." She said now when people ask what I'm going to be doing, she tells them the truth and doesn't feel bad about it.

For a long time she was set on me getting computer science work out of school. Came to grips with the fact I wasn't about a month and a half ago.

Now it's all good and she's very supportive.

My dad doesn't like gambling at all(although realizes for me it's not really gambling...understands the bankroll stuff) and has handled everything better than my mom, although my mom insists he's always nervous but wont say anything to me about it. He's always been very interested in math and game theory. He bought me a chess book a few years ago. He's asked to read the theory of poker. He doesn't want to play, though. Just wants to understand it from a more theoretical perspective. He also said if he did end up in a situation with some guys at work playin he'd like to be able to hold his own.

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It's so scary how similar this is to what happened with me and my parents. "If it's what you're going to be doing...and you have every right to decide that...then I need to embrace it..." is pretty much the exact line my mom gave to me.

[Petomane]

Great post. I remember playing with bicyclekick at 1/2 & 2/4.

I was introduced to poker by a B&M player in Vegas years ago & didn't like it. Then 2 1/2 years ago I discovered online & 2+2 & thought this is the way to go. I've been doing well, but I've not moved up as quickly as bicyclekick.

In retrospect I realize my friend the B&M player was playing crappy weak-tight mediocre poker (and he still is) & it took a while to shift gears from that mentality - Ed Miller's book really turned it around for me. It's possible to play weak-tight in the B&M & eke out a few dollars an hour, because the tourists are so bad. All those mediocre Vegas locals, however, are getting crushed online. Bicyclekick has their money. And they sit around the B&M, those smug farty old locals, chuckling how online is fixed.

I think it's important to move up in limits fearlessly - if you hang around too long at one limit, you get cautious & comfortable.

I've noticed that all the great poker players on TV seem to have mentors - someone good taught them. If you don't know a great poker player, 2+2 is a good substitute.

I live in Vegas & haven't been to a cardroom ever since I discovered online - isn't that the ultimate irony?

[Schneids]

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In retrospect I realize my friend the B&M player was playing crappy weak-tight mediocre poker (and he still is) & it took a while to shift gears from that mentality - Ed Miller's book really turned it around for me. It's possible to play weak-tight in the B&M & eke out a few dollars an hour, because the tourists are so bad. All those mediocre Vegas locals, however, are getting crushed online. Bicyclekick has their money. And they sit around the B&M, those smug farty old locals, chuckling how online is fixed.

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So the last time I was at Canterbury, a few nights ago, a friend of mine was playing in a 15 game while I was in a 30. My friend overheard one of the weak tight regulars talking with another 30 player who was in the 15.

They were talking about me (for whatever reason), specifically.

The weak tight middle aged regular was overheard saying stuff such as "I bet that Schneids kid is one of those kids who scraps together some cash, comes out here, wins a little for awhile, thinks he's playing well then keeps coming out here till he loses it all then goes bust, and repeats the cycle over and over. I bet that's why we don't see him out here that often. I heard from someone he plays 8 tables at once online but I don't believe that, he plays way too aggressively. I bet he has almost no money." Basically, like that and so on and so forth.

So my friend, who has overheard this whole speech, turns to the man and says, "hey, if that kid ever goes bust, I will personally suck your dick."

For me the amusing part of this conversation is I've played at the same table as this guy like twice in all my visits to canterbury and I cannot remember playing with him for months. I think I'm gonna try to get on one of his tables soon and ask him if he has anything he wants to say to my face. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[billyjex]

sounds like you should challenge him to a HU match

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Those who find this story interesting should go read about bruiser in the NL forum. Very similar story. Bruiser pretty much sucked and got really lucky while taking way underbankrolled shots, but while getting lucky he was also working very hard on his game and has turned into a very solid NL player.

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Jesus dude. Did you just like grow a vagina specifically for this post or something?

I don't read El Diablo posts so that I can be inspired and get in touch with my feminine side. I read them so that I will at least have some idea as to what it is like to be a real man. Please be more considerate of your readership in the future.

[Yeti]

POTD.