I lost a couple hundred bucks playing cards at the beginning of June.  I was arguing with troll-wife during the tourney.  That's all the distraction I needed.  Troll-wife and I, by order of court injunction, are splitting up discretionary income.  Last week, after bills, we ended up with about $200 each.  Troll-wife joined a new tanning salon.  I bought a cigar sampler package for $20:

I also bought entry into a poker tourney yesterday.  It was a cheapo buy in, only $40, but 50 people showed up to play.  I ended up winning the tourney.  I made about $600 on a $40 buy in.  Not bad.  Now I've got a little matress money stashed in case I get some time to play some real poker.  Since I stopped playing altogether last December to start working on my marriage (with no success), I've totally depleted my separate bank account that I used for poker money.  I'm having to start all over.  To play at the cheap tables here in Vegas ($1-$2 blind no-limit games) you need about $200.  When I quit playing poker, I was playing the more aggressive $2-$5 blind no-limit games where buy ins run around $750-$1,000.  I'm going to have to grind it out at the lesser games until I build up an account again.  I won't play the high game without a few grand in poker cash.

I'm spending so much time with my kids, that I don't see having six hours in a row to play cards.  I'm also dating a lot, so that's using up all my childcare resources too.  I ought to be playing cards though.  Sure, I lose sometimes, but over the long term, it's like a second income for me.  As long as people who suck at doing math in their heads insist on playing poker, I ought to be there.