Now, that question has been kicked around for decades in self-help seminars, motivational books, and workshops that your company sends you to right before they shitcan your ass. Let me offer up my thoughts on the matter.
First of all, longtime readers and those close to me know that I very much enjoy what I do for a living. But would I do it if I didn't have to? Of course not. I love dealing poker, but I enjoy playing poker much more. And there are aspects of the job that I don't like at all. Like getting up and going in at 6:00 am every day and sitting on my ass doing nothing for two hours waiting for the old guys to shuffle in. I hate that.
I also don't like the fact that working in a locals off-strip joint is a completely different world than working in a tourist joint. Our players have been conditioned that if they complain about the slightest issue, they'll get *something* free if they cry long enough. If money were no object, I'd tell a couple of the worst offenders to STFU. Also, I'm not a big fan of long sleeve polyester shirts that make me look like a flamboyant genie, nor do I enjoy wearing a nametag every day, especially when half of the adult population in this world seems to be functionally illiterate.
It's not Mickey. It's Mikey. Get it right. And saying "He likes it!" isn't original or funny, either. It just makes you sound like a dumbass.
But those are minor quibbles. The worst thing, I think, is how the casino treats employees. I now realize that I am a very expendable piece of meat, nothing else. There is a line of a hundred people outside the door that want my job, so if I f*ck up in the slightest, I'm fully aware of the consequences. I may be very good at what I do, but it's only a semi-skilled occupation, and the supply of poker dealers in this town far outstrips demand. And that's a tough gun to be under if you're one who is inclined to think about it too much. Luckily, I'm not.
On the other hand, the good far outweighs the bad. Overall, I enjoy the group of co-workers I spend my time with--for the most part, they are all nice, friendly, helpful, easy to work with, and incredibly patient with the noobie. The money is good. The work isn't very stressful. It's an interesting way to spend the day. There is no
But let's just say that I won the Powerball drawing for $50 million or so... The first phone call I'd make, after the money showed up in my bank account, would be to the poker room, telling them to find somebody else to come in the next morning at 6:00 am.
But then what?
If I never had to work again, what would I do with my time?
Of course, every time I buy a lottery ticket or think about playing in the Mother of All Poker Tournaments, I ask myself the same question, so I've had plenty of time to think it through. And truthfully, I'm not sure exactly what I would do, but I've got a couple of alternatives to work with.
The first impulse is to sell all my shiat on Ebay and Craigslist, grab my laptop and passport, and head for the Caribbean, spending the rest of my days pickling my liver and lying in a hammock, and working at least five minutes a day writing that Great American Novel.
On the other hand, if money were no object, I'd probably like to spend a year or two seeing if I had the chops to be a real-live poker pro. I'm afraid, however, that after awhile it would start to feel too much like work. It's interesting to think about, but I dunno. I think I'd get tired of it sooner than most people would expect.
But here's the rub... I'm one of the few people out here that actually likes living in Vegas. You'd be amazed at how many people I know that hate it here. I don't get it. It's a great place to live. So on one hand, I'd kinda like to stay here for awhile. Especially while I'm still single.
But on the other hand, if I had money in the bank, and nothing to do with my time, I'd partner up with Eddie B and spend my days daytrading. I miss the financial world--I was very good at that, and really enjoyed it a lot, and would certainly love to get back into it if I didn't have to answer to a boss or have to go get lectured by the HR department every time I yelled F*CK! at my monitor. If money were truly no object, I'd love to lease an office, put four huge L-shaped desks in the middle of the room, equip the place with the latest technology, and have me, Eddie B, Ed W, and Derek work together as a partnership, trading equities and options all day, bouncing ideas off of each other. That would be ideal.
Eventually, however, I'd answer the call of the sea, and head off on a sailboat and spend ten years or so exploring the Caribbean, the Sea of Cortez, and the South Pacific. But before that happens, I gotta find me a gal that will not only put up with my shiat, but would be into living on a sailboat for years at a time. Oh, and being a good cook would help too...
I dunno. Maybe I am a misanthrope. I joke about it all the time, but I read these people's websites and they all say that they'd spend their time doing volunteer work or helping the disabled or become a teacher. I say god bless 'em--they are obviously better people than I am. But if you want an honest answer from me, I just can't see myself doing that. I think my lack of patience with people would bite me directly on the ass and I'd give up before accomplishing anything. I'm just not wired that way.
So if money were no object, would I still work? If you consider starting a business with my buddies work, then yeah, I would do that. But I'd sure as hell be taking a lot of vacation time. And that's about the only work I'd do besides writing about my travel adventures.
Mikey
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