Yeah...see, I already addressed her legitimate concerns. And she understands my points. She just has some sort of "irrational" feeling that she doesn't like it.

The thing is...I'd give up the game for her. (If that's what it came to.)

Go for it - sounds like the girl for you.

This is my personal preference and feelings only:

Nobody should be worth giving up something that you love. I'm not saying that there aren't people who are worth it, but I'm saying that if they really are that amazing, they wouldn't want you to stop doing something that you really love and that makes you happy. I mean, I'm not saying that if you smoke 8lbs of weed a month, that you shouldn't give up or cut back, becuase it'll kill you. I think that for something like poker, if you love it, she should accept that as part of who you are and shouldn't ask you to change. If it's something like "my dad was shot in the back becuase he couldn't get his seat facing the door during a poker game" or something very rational like that, then maybe it'd have some more merit.

I'm just under the impression that when you have enough amazing things to offer someone, they have to accept certain things about you that they might not have listed on their list of qualities for their ideal partner. I've had enough long term relationships by now that I know that I have enough good things to offer someone that they're going to have to accept the things that I do even if they're not exactly what they might want because I'm going to accept certain things about them that might not be my 1st choice either. We're just people. Nobody is perfect. I'm gonna do a ton of awesome things for someone and I'm gonna make mistakes too. Playing a game is not one of those mistakes. Playing poker is not doing drugs or robbing banks or kicking puppies. It's not a character flaw and when done properly, it doesn't harm people. I think if I found a girl that I thought was that amazing and she felt likewise about me, then she should accept that I like playing poker.

WHAT!?!?! uh oh

Believe it or not, but I thought of you as I wrote that.

Is it bad that i have a free house tonight and as yet there isn't a raging drunken house party in progress?

awwww

I actually am stopping smoking after today, at least until I get back in shape. But we will look back at it after I have lost 50 pounds.

It's going to be tough to find a girl conservative enough to meet your other requirements with no reservations about poker.

I don't have any wise advice. Just, I wish you good luck.

She's 18... women don't start showing any semblance of logic till at least 27, and a lot of them don't after that.

Would you really give up doing something you enjoy for her and not hold any resentment over it?

quick "show up" at a party, then a little poker at the local card room, and cashing in on a promised blow job to cap off the night



Don't take anything the "one date" chick says seriously. Especially since she's 18.
Congrats. (on both the 18 yo and the MTT).



Obv. you fall too far too fast too hard. (not being critical, just saying you have that personality trait). I'm not saying that it's wrong for you to have this feeling eventually. It's just too early.



On future dates, steer the conversation away from her feelings about your playing poker, and just mention factually that you do.




I was thinking both these things.



FYP a little.

As we go forward in relationships, we all find things we'd like to change or fix in the people we love. We all make demands. We all give things up. That's the "sacrifice" part of the relationship, and if we don't do that, we don't really have a relationship. However, it's up to us as part of the relationship to make the conscious decision to NOT resent things about the person we've chosen nor to resent the things we gave up to keep them. It's actually very diffiicult. JMHO

happy relationship>>>>>poker

But I do agree with other people that relationships work best when people just accept their partner for who they are/what they do, rather trying to change them or stop them from things they enjoy.

I doubt she is already actively trying to get you to give the game up at this point, and there is a good change maybe she is just embarrassed to have to tell her parents about it.

In the future, I would try to avoid discussing the monetary swings of the game (both wins and loses) and if it does come up, just talk about how you enjoy the game play.

gl

Yay for staying in on New Years Eve!

qft

Do I want to give up playing poker? No, of course not. I'll always want to play it because of the mental aspects and the competition*. Do I want to make a career out of it for the rest of my life? Fuck no, I hate the idea of that right now. I don't need, or want, a woman telling me what activities I can and cannot enjoy in my life. If it comes to that, well, sorry, but you're outta here.

I also understand about accepting a person as they are - like Acid said, there's a lot worse things than poker. The problem with poker is that it still has a negative stigma surrounding it - the fear that someone will "gamble away their house", they'll gamble with whatever money they have, etc. We know it's not like that, but traditional social values and norms will have more influence on a person's opinion than the occasional exception (ie Daniel) - for every winning player, there's 100 who are broke. The general public doesn't notice the winning player, they notice the 100 losing degenerates.


*I'm not an athlete, I never was, and I know I never can/will be. I walk on two different feet. My left foot has no motion whatsoever because of a rare bone condition (it resulted in the bones of the feet fusing together); my right foot had it too (which is even rarer), but that got operated on because it was always in pain. It flared up once in my left foot, I had a cast put on it, and my left foot hasn't bothered me in 10 years.




loooooooooooool, me too obv.

it's just not worth it. back in the day everyone would just party and crash somewhere. not the case these days and I dont fell like kriving drunk.

I am just heading out now because I can't tear myself away from my computer? does this mean I have a problem?


Happy New Years guys!

happy new years all!


No Neck, check your PMs d00d

Happy New Years fellas.

got to the bar at 12:02. that was odd.

FYMFP.

Find a girl who accepts it. End of discussion. Especially for those of you who do, or have plans/aspirations of playing professionally.

Find a girl who supports your goals, hopes, dreams, whether or not they have anything to do with poker. That's absolutely required in a relationship, imho.

I'm lucky. I found a girl who was crazy enough about me (I don't know why) to support me during the tough times, when I needed to borrow money, etc, and she'd help out with the bills when she had money and all that. Now that I've got more money, and not really in any danger of going broke, or not having money for the bills, etc, I'm returning the favor, since she's now working a part time job, trying to grind out her degree, which is obviously not a cheap proposition.

You need to find a girl who understands that there'll be up times and down times, a girl who knows to just stay out of your way when/if you are tilting, and so on. I assume it's very rare, but I was lucky enough.

That's all I got.

(2008 is cool. On pace for $990,000. [+$500 in the first 4.xx hours.])

holy crap I am ill.

And I just got dealt KK 3 times in a row on a single table.... that must be a good sign for the year!

www.pokerroad.com has a bucket load of blogs that include jeff madsen, Kevin Saul, Joe Sebok, Steve Sung, Barry Greenstein (audio), Anna Wroblewski, Paul Wasicka

http://alwaysbluff.com/poker/blogs/ has blogs of the following people

* Antonio Esfandiari
* Antonio Salorio
* Beanie
* Blair Rodman
* Boosted J
* Brandon Adams
* Grapsfan
* Jennicide
* Jeremy from PAW
* Mr. X
* Phil Laak
* Poker Dynasty
* TheWacoKidd
* WillisNYC



Also here is a list of blogs of different people that I stole from pokerbay.com

Phil Hellmuth : http://www.philhellmuth.com/phil-hellmuth-poker-blog.html

Gus Hansen: http://www.gushansenpoker.com/gus-hansen-blog.php?language=

Patrik Antonius - http://patrik-antonius.blogspot.com/

Brian Townsend: http://www.cardrunners.com/members/index.p...ser&id=1617

KaiBuxxe/RealAndyBeal: http://www.pokerdschungel.at/

Tony G : http://tonyg.pokerworks.com/

johnny lodden: http://www.johnnylodden.com

Jimmy "Gangbanggobbo" Fricke : http://gobboblog.blogspot.com/
His new blog:http://www.wisehandpoker.com/blog/index.php/jfricke

Bel0wab0ve: http://www.bel0wab0ve.blogspot.com/

Team Pokerstars: http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/

Kenna James: http://taralink.com/Client_Sites//Updates.php

Paul phillips: http://extempore.livejournal.com/

Josh Arieh: http://www.josharieh.com/poker-blog.php

Dutch Boyd: http://www.dutchboyd.com/blog/blog.html

Hoyt Corkin: http://www.hoytcorkins.blogspot.com/ (LOL, a cowboy with a blog,hasn't been updated)

T.J. Cloutier: http://news.pokerpages.com/index.php?optio...&Itemid=153

Joe Sebok: (and more pros blogs on the left column)
http://news.pokerpages.com/index.php?optio...6&Itemid=73

Richard "Quiet Lion" Brodie: http://www.brodietech.com/liontales/blog.htm

Ed Miller: http://www.notedpokerauthority.com/

Barry Tanenbaum: http://www.barrytanenbaum.com/

This site posts following pros' blogs on their site
http://pokerplayerblog.com/

* Daniel Negreanu (134)
* Dutch Boyd (33)
* Gavin Smith (84)
* Hoyt Corkins (30)
* Isabelle Mercier (5)
* Jennifer Harman (8)
* Joe Sebok (72)
* Josh Arieh (17)
* Justin Bonomo (101)
* Lou Krieger (215)
* Matt Matros (199)
* Nicolas Fradet (13)
* Simon Trumper (54)
* Thomas Keller (19)

to bad I was donking around playing limited holdem

Wow, thanks. Tons on there.

I think of why Matt won't go out in Vegas when watching this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JMOh-cul6M...feature=related

That's amazingly accurate.

There's a lot to quote from all of you, but this closely represents my feelings on the issue.

I'll speak generally to address everyone.

I've known this girl for several weeks now, and I really think she's my intellectual peer beyond any girl I've ever met. I certainly did get too emotionally invested too quickly as a result of that. We talked like 20 hours in the first 5 days...so it was difficult to not be attached. That said, I've backed off a good bit over the holiday break. We're currently just friends, but I do think there's physical and intellectual attraction. At this point, it's a matter of the emotional attachment that comes over time (she takes a long time to "bond"). So, I've fallen back into "single" mindset, and I'm really just glad to have met her, but I certainly wouldn't mind if she was interested in a future relationship either.

With that said, poker actually didn't get brought up until just the other night (when I was winning that tournament). It's really fallen onto the backburner somewhat. I think I played less than 40 hours in December. I've just gotten occupied in other realms and don't depend on the game for a living. When we were discussing the topic and I brought up that I'd give it up if I had a compelling reason, she very quickly said that she wasn't asking me to give it up and certainly understood the mental competition that it represented. She also noted that she doesn't mind friends sitting around and playing for $10. It just bothers her when it's for "real". She also noted that it's an illogical stance.

Would it be ridiculous to give up a game that I enjoy for a girl? I don't think so. It's just a game. It's not like the girl would want me to give up friends or books. Certainly, it'd be great if she just accepted that aspect, and I don't think it's out of the question that she might be swayed in that regard in the future. That said, relationships are full of sacrifices. If that had to be one, so be it.

With final regard to her age...if I saw her walking down the street, I'd say, "Too young." The difficulty is that she's exceptionally smart and mature. She may not have a lot of experiences yet, but I don't view that as a bad thing.

That's just painful. Painful.

That's how every place in the world is when you go out. Stupid roid raging douchebags are standard.

Yes, but Vegas is like the Mecca for those assholes

I thought it was Atlantic City/Jersey Shore :shrug:

1st full work day of the new year.

Venti vanilla latte, 2 extra shots.

I'm awake.

Ugh. Two weeks off. Now back. I have 1500 emails.

Thank god it's Wednesday. I only have to survive three days. It feels like months since I've worked a full week.

i'm still off. last day though.

I DONT HAVE A JOB.

GO ME!

I hate logical monday

*Sigh*

Guys who think they can change to be with somebody are fooling themselves.

The only reason to give up poker would be for yourself, because *you* felt the need to. Not because you think you love somebody or the pink is tight and moist.

Think about it, would you give up the game if your parents forbid it?

The "(if that's what it came to)" is the clencher.

today is my first day for the new year and I'm exhausted cause I only got an hour of sleep cause my gf snores like a wild boar...totally awesome.

I think I'm going home in a few, I can barely stay awake @ my desk

Krup quit your job and go pro... come on you know you want to.

Eh. That's the part that tells me he doesn't want to give it up.

W/E tho, it's just words from a degenerate gambling pothead... not exactly the greatest source nattaimean?

Actually... this almost happened to me today. When I went into work on Monday I found my contract was "expired"... but my boss wasn't in so I didn't know if I'd have work or not... I come in today and find I'm extended by 6 months... that's a short extension... so i'm preparin to.

Hold out as long as you can.

This wouldn't be changing my personality. This would be changing an unnecessary pasttime. I lived without poker for 20 years...it's not essential that I play it.

If I lived with my parents or if they asked me for some compelling reason, yes.

I depended on the game for a living...it served a good purpose in paying my tuition. It's also led me to meet all of you cool people and form a bunch of friendships.

I'm not saying that it's wrong that y'all are passionate and wouldn't give up the game. I guess my priorities are just different. I mean, if someone you loved and made a committment to had a parent involved in a tragic chess accident, you'd agree to avoid the game to avoid stressing them, right?

Also, "if that's what it came to" does imply that I don't want to give it up. I enjoy it. I just know that it's on my possible sacrifice list. I mean, I hope that's not what it comes to. Outside of a relationship, it's definitely not coming to that, and I have hopes that she can become more comfortable with the idea.

That's always fun. Not that my parents forbid it they just don't really understand the difference between poker and slot machines.

One time I mentioned to my mom that I was up a couple thousand, her first response was "but how much have you lost?"

*Double sigh*


See that word sacrifice? It shouldn't be used when describing relationships IMO. If someone doesn't like you as you are, do they really like you?

I'm fully aware this might not be your greatest passion, or even be able to be called a passion... but making absolutes like "I won't play this again bc my lovey dovey would be mad," is -EV in terms of life quality... because it happens in one place, then another, then another, until she has a hold of you completely by the nuts.

I've dated girls who hated that I played poker... I've dated girls who hated I play playstation... play rap music... etc. Will I tone it down when around them? Absolutely. Will I give up my lifestyle in it's entirety? Not even if I had both Olsen twins at age 16 blessed with eternal youth and struck with chronic masturbation syndrome as mine forever.


Soooo..... Compromise = good. Sacrifice = bad


Now teach me to play poker and I'll teach you to poke her.

When you're in a healthy relationship, viewing it as a "sacrifice" probably isn't ideal, but I think the willingness is essential. They take time and money...which can be viewed as sacrifices...but they don't have to be viewed that way.

The Olsen twins line is pretty hilarious.

As for the compromise business, she's shown some openness by saying that she doesn't mind $10 home games.

Poker's a game of patience and gradual growth. Read every book you can get ahold of. Post and discuss lots of hands. Find small tools/plays and start putting them into your game. Ask questions. =)

(Oh, and the goal here is not really to 'poke her'.)

Doesn't matter, you know you still wanna

Just be careful of the

I read that line and I'm thinking "do you know who you're talking to here?"