BEAT: Work

[melioris]

this is awesome, I love shit like this, windows into people's lives. Thanks for the post.

You are around 25, single- in that you are not engaged, and have a BA in something irrelevant, right? Work sucks, but it is steady and offers some future intangibles (learning a business, exposure to people and random professional opportunities, opportunity to meet random women, etc). I don't see why would you want to change anything right now. Playing poker for real (I don't mean stakes but as your primary or only source of income) has got to physiologically HUGE and if there isn't a very compelling reason why put that much stress on yourself?

What are your future goals? I suggest making a list and prioritizing. Don't do it here, as my voyeur tendencies only run so deep before it gets yucky, but if you are thinking about making the leap do it for yourself. As a working stiff who moonlights as a card shark, you pretty much are as close as possible to getting your cake and eating it. Sure you aren't making the salary you would like, but really who the hell is? And ultimately, the cliches got it right about money and happiness.

I guess I don't really see the problem with your current setup. Giving up one or the other seems like you are unnecessarily limiting yourself at this point. Although you are working 40-50 hrs a week, the sad truth is that comparatively your job is not a killer and your compensation isn't terrible.

[Talking Poker]

Would it be possible for you to cut your hours down to 20-30 per week? If so, you could take say half of that time (10-15) and use that for poker. I know you like playing live, but I am SURE you could and would be a long term winner online if you played there more. I suspect you would win muc more per hour online that you do live, but who knows, so ignore that for now.

Anyway, by doing something like that, you'd still have some amount of guaranteed pay to fall back on and cover your monthly bills, but you'd be giving yourself a chance to take poker more seriously... AND you'd have 10-15 more hours of FREE TIME every week too.

Maybe it's not possible for you to work part time at your job... If it's all or nothing, I'd have to recommend sticking to the job. But that would surprise me... I would think you should be able to work out a part time deal, assuming your company doesn't want to completely lose you.

[Zybomb]

No this would not be possible. The restaurant is a privately owned restaurant that employs a total of 4 kitchen employees (2 line cooks, salad/dessert cook and a dishwasher) 2 bus boys, 5 servers, 1 bartender and 2 hostesses (and myself -- 1 floor manager/banquet manager/ maitre'd)

At one time we have 1-2 servers and 1 bus boy during the week, and 2-4 severs and 2 busboys on weekends, 1 hostess each day and 1 bartender thurs fri sat (i fill in during the rest of the week as needed). All kitchen employees work all 6 days and do I and Nick. Nick is generally in the back cooking (or downstairs on the cpu) and I am supervising the floor.

There is a total of 20 tables in the restaurant, during the week we rarely exceed 10 at one time (during the slowest days we may only have 6 or 7 tables all day), and on the weekends we may or may not go on a wait. Catering parties are the thing that is really keep us alive as we've become a spot for bday parties, bridal and baby showers, communions, confirmations and graduation parties.

With a restaurant this small, unfortunately there is no one to take my place and until we blow up some more and another "me" is needed, time off is difficult. I had a wedding to go to in Ohio in August so a few months prior I had the bartender request the week off from the steakhouse (his other job) and fill in for me -- he has 20+ years of experience in restaurants so he was a good fill in.... but the point is that until another me is required less hours seems unlikely

[Zybomb]

In an ironic (and freakishly coincidental) turn of events, due to a difference of opinions in the restaurants performance thus far and future direction, my last day is going to be this sunday (owners decision not mine)

What my immediate plans are following this are unknown, but I think it is likely I may exclusively play for a few months and reevaluate

Ill start another thread with all the details some other time

[Reel Deal]

Wow.

Best of luck Zy.

[melioris]

seconded. Good Luck with this Zy

[Talking Poker]

Thirded.

Didn't see that coming, but hopefully it will end up being for the best...

[Zybomb]

The specifics are correct, 25 years old, BA in Psychology and single (not engaged no current girlfriend)

Another piece of information left out was that although the work is 40-50 hours, while it is time consuming (i.e i have to be there) its not really work. I get in around 3:30, do random things for the day like liquor orders, payroll, specials, bills and what not which usually takes 20 minutes. Then from 4:00-4:30 I dick off on the cpu or watch TV upstairs, at 4:30 we eat and then get ready for opening at 5:00.; During the week when things are slow I just kind of hang out, watch the game, go on the cpu if the owner isnt on it etc -- and when Im actually working, unless its very busy Im generally just assisting with any server problems and going around talking to the regulars and approaching other tables to make sure everything is being taken care of. I'll also sometimes help with general sever duties if no ones around and book future parties when interested people come in to inquire. Pretty much its just a figurehead type of position which most of the time doesnt need to do too much unless a problem or mistake arises

Thanks for the post!