Guest FourAces Posted October 9, 2010 Posted October 9, 2010 I mentioned in a few posts that I am about to leave the world of professional cash game poker player. This will happen just before the end of the month. Since 2004 I have made a comfortable living playing poker, traveled to cities I never would have thought to visit, met some awesome escorts in various towns and for much of the time really enjoyed what i was doing. I dabbled in tournaments but I am not a tournament player. Its a different type of game some are good at it, others like myself are not so good. It no longer is fun to play poker. Its really become a grind. Also, I am tired of traveling so much and living out of a suitcase and being alone so often. It gets old sitting in casinos or poker rooms for hours each day / night. No exercise, terrible eating habits and just a unhealthy situation. Lastly the win - loss swings are not for the faint of heart .. and as I get older I do not want to faint or have heart issues Also, there are no employer benefits i.e. medical, dental, vision, matching 401k and so on. When I began playing poker it was recreation for me. That feeling is long gone and I miss it. So I have decided to do a past mid-life career change. At first I was heading back to the consumer finance industry that I know well. However, during the past 5 or 6 years that industry has changed dramatically. As I get older stability is important to me. I was recently offered a reasonable job from a wireless carrier. The benefits are awesome the hours aren't too terrible and the stability is there. What my plans are is to accept that offer do some sub prime auto loan broker on the side and get back to playing poker for the fun of it .. to win and not to be so stressed on those bad swing nights. Any of you guys gone through like changes in your lifetime? Quote
Members Lucky Posted October 9, 2010 Members Posted October 9, 2010 Aces, after 5 or 6 years of making licence plates, I'd be happy to do something else as well. Have you talked to you probation officer to see if you could take some sort of aptitude test? These aren't moments to waste in life. Perhaps you could become a philanthropist, tossing meer pittances at the poor? A little B&B up near Everett WA could be fun. Whatever you do, don;t come to Palm Springs. it's just a collection of old folk sitting around awaiting to die, very depressing! Quote
Guest RyanCade Posted October 9, 2010 Posted October 9, 2010 FourAces, The life of a traveling escort is very much like that as well. The pressure to stay on top financially with travel expenses and the cost of living. The living out of a suitcase ect. Though it can be Fun and exciting, like your card game, the lifestyle has it's drawbacks. I too am working toward a more stable, structured life, so I can relax and enjoy escorting on the side the way I used to. I wish you the best and much peace. It sounds like an excellent move. Quote
Guest FourAces Posted October 10, 2010 Posted October 10, 2010 Ryan I thank you for the nice words and wish you the same. I know of a popular escort who did what you are trying to do ... he escorted full time, did a fair amount of traveling and was unhappy. So he was able to find a reasonable job that gave him enough time to escort on the side. Between the stability and benefits of the traditional job and the additional income he made from escorting he was comfortable and much happier. In fact I don't even think he escorts at all anymore as he moved up a few notches at the traditional job the last I heard from him .. wow about a year ago now. So it can be done. You just have to know that the transition can be a little bumpy but if you plan ahead it should not be too bad. At least that i what I am finding out. Again best of luck to you as well. Quote
Guest FourAces Posted October 10, 2010 Posted October 10, 2010 Aces, after 5 or 6 years of making licence plates, I'd be happy to do something else as well. Have you talked to you probation officer to see if you could take some sort of aptitude test? These aren't moments to waste in life. Perhaps you could become a philanthropist, tossing meer pittances at the poor? A little B&B up near Everett WA could be fun. Whatever you do, don;t come to Palm Springs. it's just a collection of old folk sitting around awaiting to die, very depressing! (Innocuous comment removed that when combined with other comments might produce an unintentional breach of privacy. At least that is the theory. Erring on the conservative side. TY) Somehow I don't think you, Charlie and others are sitting around waiting to die ... now get back to lifting your weights before you really become an old man or worse wanting to borrow shirts from me Quote
Members MsGuy Posted October 10, 2010 Members Posted October 10, 2010 Guys, it occurs to me that ... (comment deleted to remove a recipe for potentially determining private information. Erring on the conservative side here. TY) I hate being a prissy old maid about this but still... Quote
TotallyOz Posted October 10, 2010 Posted October 10, 2010 I also wish you great luck and much success. It is apparent you are a successful man. Now you need to find a way to make success and happiness jel together. It can be done! Quote
Members lookin Posted October 10, 2010 Members Posted October 10, 2010 I hate being a prissy old maid about this but still... Any time ya wanna change your luck, Foggy, I'll be waitin' fer ya in the henhouse! Quote
Guest Conway Posted October 10, 2010 Posted October 10, 2010 Interesting, Four Aces. I'm currently pondering leaving my career corporate suit finance position for something (I'm not yet sure what) with far less structure. I've been thinking of everything from buying a boat and running fishing charters in Central or South America to just becoming a beach bum and doing much of nothing with my life from here on out. The corporate game isn't what it used to be. It seems a labor with no value to me anymore. Perhaps we should trade places. Quote
Members lookin Posted October 11, 2010 Members Posted October 11, 2010 I changed careers twice, and discovered that a nice long break in the middle worked well for me. The first break was a year. I thought it would be shorter, but I loved the time off. It let me really clear my head and figure out what I wanted to do next. The second break was only a month. I thought it would be longer, and later wished it had been. All this to say that, if you get a chance to take a few months to empty your head of what's there now, it might be worth considering. Something may occur to you during a dreamy day in the woods that wouldn't otherwise. Very best wishes to you both, whatever path you take! Quote
BiBottomBoy Posted October 11, 2010 Posted October 11, 2010 I was a journalist in America until I turned 30, took a buy out, moved to France and became a freelance writer. Quote
Members seattlebottom Posted October 11, 2010 Members Posted October 11, 2010 I'm fortunate enough to actually like the job I'm doing. I'll never be rich nor will I retire to Monaco, but the benefits and stability far outweigh monetary riches. Quote
Guest FourAces Posted October 12, 2010 Posted October 12, 2010 I'm fortunate enough to actually like the job I'm doing. I'll never be rich nor will I retire to Monaco, but the benefits and stability far outweigh monetary riches. I've found over the years that some times its best to go for the happiness and basic comforts instead of the cash, unhappiness and depression. But if I could have all the cash and happiness I'm in Quote
Members marcanthony Posted October 12, 2010 Members Posted October 12, 2010 I've found over the years that some times its best to go for the happiness and basic comforts instead of the cash, unhappiness and depression. But if I could have all the cash and happiness I'm in food, shelter, recreation, and a boy to love and cuddle = happiness Quote
BiBottomBoy Posted October 12, 2010 Posted October 12, 2010 food, shelter, recreation, and a boy to love and cuddle = happiness I'd also like to have enough money to own slaves I could keep chained in the basement when they are not at my beck and call. Quote
caeron Posted October 12, 2010 Posted October 12, 2010 Four Aces, Sounds like a great plan to me. I'm bored out of my mind at my job, but hard to walk away from ~$200k a year with no plan to replace it. I'm envious of those who find better options. Quote
TotallyOz Posted October 12, 2010 Posted October 12, 2010 Maya Angelou was the first woman to read at a presidential inauguration. At the inauguration of President Bill Clinton in 1993, she read from her poem "On the Pulse of Morning." Below is an excerpt from the poem: "History, despite its wrenching pain, Cannot be unlived, and if faced with courage, Need not be lived again. Lift up your eyes upon The day breaking for you. Give birth again To the dream. Women, children, men ... Lift up your hearts. Each new hour holds new chances" As each hour holds new chances for each of us and new opportunities, I hope that FourAces and others who are making changes in their lives seize upon each moment and move toward a happiness they have been dreaming of. Quote
Guest FourAces Posted October 12, 2010 Posted October 12, 2010 OZ I love that poem - thanks for posting it. Quote
Guest FourAces Posted October 12, 2010 Posted October 12, 2010 Four Aces, Sounds like a great plan to me. I'm bored out of my mind at my job, but hard to walk away from ~$200k a year with no plan to replace it. I'm envious of those who find better options. I know what you mean. Since my current income is so unpredictable even though I will be making a bit less the stability and happiness I am looking for will make up for that. But again I can understand its hard to find something you would enjoy doing for the same amount of income. It comes down to what is more important to you happiness or money .. and that answer is very different for each of us. Quote
Members Lucky Posted October 13, 2010 Members Posted October 13, 2010 I didn't want to intrude on the intent of your thread, but now that it is resting, so to say, I did wonder about your subtitle. How is it too honest? After posting about 12000 times at one now defunct site, and over 1000 times here, and meeting about 80 of the people who post, I am trying to think what I could post that would surprise anyone. I guess there are topics either too boring, too mundane, too personal, but a job change? Don't people do that all the time? I do wonder how exciting poker can be when you go in for the 300th time of the year, sitting there for hours, but isn't a bit like shopping for a guy? You can look and look and look, but when you finally see just the right one, jackpot! And it was worth all that time, wasn't it? So that's my surprise info about me- I never get tired of looking for hot guys. Quote
Members lookin Posted October 13, 2010 Members Posted October 13, 2010 So that's my surprise info about me- I never get tired of looking for hot guys. And just when I thought I'd heard everything! Quote
Guest zipperzone Posted October 13, 2010 Posted October 13, 2010 I guess there are topics either too boring, too mundane, too personal, but a job change? Don't people do that all the time? Lucky: I think there is a big difference between a job change and a career change. It can be a scary situation. Especially when your present job is basically classified as self-employed. Quote
Members Lucky Posted October 13, 2010 Members Posted October 13, 2010 Lucky: I think there is a big difference between a job change and a career change. It can be a scary situation. Especially when your present job is basically classified as self-employed. Good point. I hadn't thought about that. Quote
