Captain R once told me that the key to happiness in life is to prioritize every single thing you do above work. That's the opposite of how most people do it, but most people are horrible at everything, so I'm starting to think he could be on to something. I suppose another way to look at it would be to find a job you don't consider work, which is sort of what I've been trying to do all along.

^this^

My schedule is based solely on when the games are running. If there is a game 200/400+ running, I try to get to the casino as fast as possible. Otherwise I'm not playing. Among other things, this means I have a very unusual and messed up sleep schedule and I'm constantly calling casinos. It also means I play a lot more hours during the WSOP and LAPC and the slow months I don't play much at all.

If online poker were to come back id probably just play that instead, i think its way better money than live poker.

I am a serious semi-pro IMO.

I manage about 12 hours a week. I usually get one evening of about 4 hours in after work (Tues Wed or Thurs). For my week, I have a very strict ending time that I always stop at, because in the past I found that I usually only stayed longer when stuck, so now that is out of the equation. I then usually spend a full day on the weekend, something like 8/9-5/6 on either Sat or Sun.

"Out to get us" has more sinister connotations than is warranted for non-pros. I am "out to get you" in only the most nominal of senses. I think it'd be different if we played 200/400 with a 10-person player pool.

As for honesty about wanting to pwn your soul, I agree that's very refreshing.

OP- my advice would be for you to make poker fit your life than for you to make your life fit poker... just simply make it work for you not the other way around

you will be way happier and more fulfilled that way

Well said.

trite but true expression love what you do and you'll never work a day in your life
i am blessed i love what i do and i like poker alot too