Poker used to be a fun challenge where I usually made a little money. Somewhere along the line it became a shortcut for life, and once that happened I don't think I ever really had a chance.

Poker on a resume

As I've pursued gainful employment the last few months, I've mostly used a resume that includes poker as work experience. As far as I'm concerned I was running an internet small business out of my home. I had to make instant high-pressure strategic decisions, perform in-depth statistical analysis, and make capital allocation decisions based on trending and forecasting. These are experiences and skills that I think a smart employer should value.

However according to a recruiter specializing in Montgomery county finance positions, a gaping hole in my resume is much better than mentioning poker. Poker, he claims, evokes images of "gambling, cocaine, and tattoos. Maryland is still in the Bible Belt you know." The Bible fucks me yet again.

The job search process has taught me that appearances are more important than honesty, so I'll be downplaying my poker career in all proceedings henceforth.

Misc pokery

I haven't played any online poker for a while, but I did manage to lose an astonishing $90 in a $5 buy-in drunken home game last weekend. Lots of fun in spite of the impressively poor result.

I'm also still watching the 2nd season of High Stakes Poker, which continues to be the greatest poker show ever. I've been consistently impressed with the play of Antonio Esfandiari. I never thought much of him before this show. It is also fascinating to see a player like Corey Zeidman, who is presumably an excellent high limit player, join this game against the absolute best in the world and look like an amateur.