Busted bankroll - seeking advice

[mrpotto]

I'm sure this is a familiar story to some. Today I lost my bankroll and I'm at an on-line poker crossroads. I'm relatively new to hold em' - about a year under my belt playing low stakes hold em' NL mini tourneys with my buddies and over the last four months online at party poker. To date, I've lost about $1,000. General strategy is to load in about $100 and play $1/$2 6 player ring games with some $11 and $22 single table sit n' gos mixed in. I recently had my BR up to $500 but the last week or so has not been kind and once again I'm busted. I know that my initial bankroll isn't sufficient to be toiling in the $1/$2 games but I tend to find I couldn't stand the lower limits because absolutely noone folds (alot better at $1/$2) and I was constanting getting big hands broken.

The other piece of it is the time I'm spending playing pp. I read that to some on-line poker is a lot like being addicted to crack and that's where I'm at. I find myself daydreaming about how I played hands (good and bad) in work meetings, at home, etc. I also find myself wanting to leave a social situation so I can get back to my pc to play poker. My wife and kids have been pretty tolerable but its been noticable to all of us.

So I've decided to (try) to take some time off and regroup. Any advice on dealing with the addictive nature of on-line poker would be appreciated.

Also, I'd like to hear from the regulars on what games they find to be most beatable. It sounds like there are a lot of NL cash game players here. Has anyone been able to tear up the lower limit short-handed ring games? If so, what strategies have you employed. I tend to do better in the sit and go's but like the action of the cash games (crack again).

On strategy- Generally I use the short-handed strategy that is described in Phil Helmuth's play poker like the pros. Basically starting hands are "black jack" hands (i.e k,10), any pocket pair and A,x. I realize this is probably much too loose for someone playing with not enough bankroll. Would I be better suited playing any top ten hands and folding the rest?

Also on fishing. Is it recommended that you hang in there when you have two suited cards and you flop two more? Same with open ended straights. Remember I said I play 6 player games so small flushes tend to hold up.

How about when you have a gut shot straight possibility? Sometimes I'll call the first bet when its only $1 to see 4th street. If I hit great, if not fold. Although if its a big pot sometimes I'll hang in there hoping to hit a big pot (pot odds).

I know I have rambled here but would appreciate any responses. I'm trying to read as many books as I can and watching some DVDs to try to get better. I realize BR building can be grind.

Thanks, Chris