Had a buddy (actually the guy who taught me how to play poker for real) who was making about 60k a year playing online. What I did was called bonus whoring. Essentially while poker was booming these sites would constantly have bonuses to attract new players. So a site might give you 200 dollar bonus if you deposited 100 and then played “x” amount of hands. Can’t remember how many hands it was usually it varied but it was never a ton. So I’d open up 5 tables and play micro stakes (like nickel dime blinds). I’d buy in each table about ten bucks each. Essentially if I just played break even poker I would have made 200 dollars. Usually I could make a bit off skill but this was essentially no risk. Play till you get the bonus, cash out the 300 or whatever and do the same thing somewhere else. Eventually I got better and played higher stakes than that but it was still very low risk and essentially free money. Probably paid a full year of rent one year. Towards the end I was probably making close to a grand a month again with almost zero possible risk the way I did it. Then those two republican assholes ruined it all.
I still play in casinos from time to time but the glory days were over. Now most of the games live or online are much higher as that killed the poker boom and the fish disappeared.
Good for you man. I pretty much had a normal as possible first 18 years no health issues of anytime and then apparently became manic not even knowing what it was or my family. Got to where I couldn’t sleep ever and became super paranoid (no sleep literally makes you nuts) and hospitalized. They told my parents I was schizophrenic. Got put on meds, came to my senses, had a reaction to the meds and got put back in. Met a psychiatrist outpatient that my parents found and she got me on different meds and I was able to sleep and I’ve been fine ever since. Been taking the same shit for 18 years. Only other issue I’ve had that was significant was a deep depression two years ago but I’m good again.
I feel for the people who it effects on a daily basis but I’ve been super fortunate for that not to be the case. Now when I tell people that’s my diagnosis they don’t believe me. Most people don’t have a clue about mental illness and how different it can be from person to person. Taking care of my physical health which helps my mental health is always my first priority.
We’ve come a long way…but still have a long way to go in destigmatizing mental illness.
(Let’s get back to 2020! We can easily go off the rails discussing gambling and mental illness for sure…but again…thank you for your openness and honesty).
That’s quite a story! I am happy that you had the courage to address the issue rather than ignore it like too many others do.
I have a cousin who is batshit crazy. I mean really nuts. And he won’t admit he’s got many loose screws and won’t take his meds. Meantime he’s killing my aunt a slow painful death. He will end up in prison its just a matter of time.
Not that I think you were any where near that bad, just that ignoring it hurts many, many people.
The stigma and social pressure is so powerful, he would rather make everybody miserable, than easily control it.
Meds won’t help him completely but it will calm him down.
I say good for you and I wish you the best going forward.
You didn’t just help yourself you helped all your loved ones too.
My most difficult times have been when I was younger and thought I was cured and didn’t take meds for a bit because I didn’t want to pay for them while I was young and poor. That didn’t last long thankfully and I haven’t fucked with them sense.
Back on topic. I think DEMs have not rejected Warren specifically because of sexism, but the desire to win. A question I have is: is it sexist to pick a male candidate because they have a better shot of winning? I’m not saying this is the only reason Biden has a better shot of winning.
Of course most every dem did not reject Warren because of her sex. The claim absurd on its face. She torpedoed her own campaign because she adopted positions very few people could support.
Its hard to over state how important the way you approached it and took care of it. I hope you get to share your story. There is no telling how many people it could help. I applaud you sir…
Warren did not blame sexism. Pat, as usual because he is a low information person, just repeated what he read in some clickbait headline. In the actual interview Warren did not blame sexism and Maddow was not blaming it either. Maddow was playing Devil’s Advocate when she asked if it could appear that sexism played a role and how that might affect women.
That’s a brilliant plan. I remember reading a book about the first video poker millionaire, and he did something similar from the casino bonuses…can’t rememtthe name of the book now.
My buddy likes live poker as well, but the online scene was ruined for sure. If they’re “free” qualifiers you get a bunch of bullshit you’d need see played in a real stakes game, or they’re the wrong cost.
It is amazing what physical health can do (and how badly it can screw you up if not taken seriously).
I feel for you but I’m glad you are set now. I’ve got a cousin that deals with very significant depression/anxiety and we haven’t found the exact right meds. It’s really rough for people. I’ve known several bipolar folks, and it’s just crazy how it takes your mind away
One thing that really infuriated me recently was an article in the NYT that was titled “I am burning with fury and grief over Elizabeth Warren”
Seriously, what?? Ok, sexism is in fact a thing and should not be a thing. But what the f***?? She wasn’t, and isn’t, the best Dem candidate. And the game is measured by winning. So quit being butthurt.
I’ve called Sanders a Communist before, perhaps unfairly. I’d never call someone who honeymooned at Berchtesgaden a Nazi. They’re both just simple tourists.
As good as Sanders’ ideas are, campaigning is a young mans game. Biden has shown a lot of resilience, even when he goes a little off-message.