Being Told "you have a problem"

[mce86]

Background...
1 year ago, I decided to play poker as a PT job.
Today, still doing it, and doing well..
Playing about 4 hours per night.
Talked to some family members about how I was earning XX per hour playing poker...
They told me I had a problem because I play too much...my one cousing, who works two part time jobs and goes to school, said.."you have a problem, but thats great!" Anyone else get this?
Maybe I should keep it to myself and my girlfriend.

[Oki-Oki]

when u never see the sun you have somewhat of a problem, also dont talk to numbers to ppl oustide poker. They just dont get it.

[beanie]

you should definitely keep it to yourself unless you want to have a bunch of conversations about how "all gamblers lose in the end".

Most people put gambling in a box. I will lose it at, close the box. It is sort of like religion in that way, once you believe it, for a lot of people, you really can't get them to change. Even with overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

In my blog I try and keep particulars out so my family can read. 20k and 30k swings is not comforting. Forget the fact that my house is paid for and all of the things they see to the contrary. To admit that something is possible is to admit you may be wrong about a lot of things and that is something that most people don't want to do.

[NickyC]

You do have a problem and that is caring one bit about what other people think of you. Screw them.

[Johnny Hughes]

[ QUOTE ]
when u never see the sun you have somewhat of a problem, also dont talk to numbers to ppl oustide poker. They just dont get it.

[/ QUOTE ]
Amen! Big-time. You can't explain it to a non-gambler. If you tell them you won, they say you were just lucky this time. If you tell them you lost, they think you are a constant sucker. When asked, I give a brief answer, "I hold my own." Same with the stock market. I have never owned a bond or a CD or savings much. It is all in two mutual funds and I am up 21%, at least, this year. Folks who have to work warn me year after year than I am going broke. Could happen. Not. Don't tell them.

[fraac]

tell them a little story
of a man named lucky jim
who lives under the stair in his mother's house
and has soupstains down his chin

[TheDoubleA]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
when u never see the sun you have somewhat of a problem, also dont talk to numbers to ppl oustide poker. They just dont get it.

[/ QUOTE ]
Amen! Big-time. You can't explain it to a non-gambler. If you tell them you won, they say you were just lucky this time. If you tell them you lost, they think you are a constant sucker. When asked, I give a brief answer, "I hold my own." Same with the stock market. I have never owned a bond or a CD or savings much. It is all in two mutual funds and I am up 21%, at least, this year. Folks who have to work warn me year after year than I am going broke. Could happen. Not. Don't tell them.

[/ QUOTE ]

I thought that was hilarious.

I agree with you though, I keep a majority of my money in riskier investments. (mutual funds and currency transactions) I quit telling people about it because I got tired of people telling me about how bad of an idea that was, even though they knew absolutly nothing about it at all. So I started to follow this:

[ QUOTE ]
You do have a problem and that is caring one bit about what other people think of you. Screw them.

[/ QUOTE ]

That being said, it is hard when those people are you parents, or people who you really respect.

[mce86]

I guess I also want them to know it is working too. Im going to take the "I hold my own" and keep the details to myself. I just couldnt believe they thought 4 hours was alot...what part time job isnt at least a 4 hour shift?

[Quanah Parker]

Develop a heroin addiction.
Then you can show them what a real problem is.

[Brad1970]

Just keep it to yourself. Outside of my wife, I don't publish my results to the world. But, I do sometimes get the inevitable 'but how much did you lose' line.

When they see you buying cars/homes/jewelry/etc with cash, they might understand what poker really is about.

Just beware of the freeloaders that come around with their hand held out.