SCMC, I'm not sure how to take your response. I mean, it was funny, but how intentionally? Also, you got 86'd from that one joint in Cowlick or wherever, right? What did you learn from that?
Jeff, care to share what went wrong in your backoffs? 20 minutes is... pretty damn awesome. I've only managed to cut it down to 40 minutes so far, and that was when I was moving my lips while counting.
Anyway, if
I was going to turn pro, I'd want to a) get a lot better at my skills, and b) have $20-$25000 bankroll. Of course, I'm older and kind of risk-averse, and I wouldn't want to share a $500 apartment (if Vegas prices are anything like CA prices, that would be a crackhouse).
But hey, $15000, working car, and willingness to live like an ascetic monk, are probably the minumum to give it a shot. Parents to back you up is a good idea.
Since risk of ruin would take a more literal meaning with this endeavor, you really want to have a firmer idea of what you're running into, and have a known gameplan in advance. Especially know your betting limits before you go into a store, and stick to them in a disciplined fashion. Sure, you can adapt after each session, but every time I go into a casino planning on "winging it", I do something stupid that costs me money.