THE RICH GET RICHER

Wow... I can't believe I finally have time to do some catch-up blogging. I have started several entries, but man... talk about time flying when having fun. I began writing plenty of times but then boom. Next thing you know, I was pulled away for one reason or another and by the time I got to complete an actual entry, almost a month has now gone by!   

Besides... get this.. I'M SERIOUSLY OLD NOW. Bingo... 65th birthday celebrations are down the hatch and I sorta do have to admit... I don't really feel ALL that much older. Well...other than next week when I have to have a colonoscopy. EEKS. But it's not the first time I've had one and it certainly won't be the last. 

Okay... so with that said...

I did something last weekend I haven't done in at least 25 years. Probably more. Get this... I not only went to Cherokee NC, which I love btw, but also... I actually went to Harrah's Casino to... OMG... gamble!! Which is kinda crazy since I absolutely hate losing money for no good reason at all. I mean really... how people want to simply throw money away is completely beyond me. Granted if I were filthy rich perhaps I'd feel way better about the whole gaming concept but as it happens, I am neither filthy nor rich.

On the other hand, I had a really good time. The ride there was simply beautiful. And the weather was fantastic which basically means it was a gorgeous day to actually be OUTside in the nice fresh air. But instead... I walked into this big, smoky crazy ass casino which knocked my socks off, right off the bat, since where ELSE can one go in this day and age... and smoke away to their heart's content inside a public building?? I was shocked.  

When first I walked in I must say I was like SO visually confused. It was crazy. There were all SORTS of lights, sounds, people, machines, and if that wasn't enough, the lay out of the huge place was nuts. A total maze. There were ZILLIONS of things to take in, not the least of which... all the card tables where folks were betting chips up the kazoo. Seriously.... I bet it took me a good half hour just to acclimate myself to the place. I felt like I was Ziggy Stardust in Fantasyland or something. My senior citizen senses were pretty much trying to take it all in as if I were in psychedelic heaven. Not that I haven't tried psilocybin mushrooms way back in the day. But whatever.

In the meantime, when I first got settled down, I set my betting limit at no more than a total of $200.00. But as I got more into the scene itself, I decided: TIME OUT. AM I NUTS?? I WILL JUST THROW 200 BUCKS RIGHT OUT THE DAMN WINDOW FOR NO GOOD REASON WHATSOEVER?? Which is when I then decided the best casino game for ME to play was the $1.00 slot machines. That was WAY more up my alley. Although it did take me another half hour just to figure out how to PLAY the slots! THERE WERE ZILLIONS OF MACHINES, ALL OF WHICH WERE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT IN RULES. Naturally, I had no clue what the hell I was doing. But...

Soon enough, I caught on. And soon enough I became a one armed bandit although nowadays you don't even have to pull the lever. Instead, you just push a button which makes your chances of losing hordes of money go even faster. It took me no time at ALL btw, to see just how addictive this game can be!! I was totally happy sitting there pushing the button over and over and over and over. Until that is, I saw that I was $45 up from the original 20 I put in. It was at that point that I basically said to myself:

HMMM... I CAN EITHER WALK AWAY NOW WITH A SAFE $45 OR I CAN STAY HERE AND LOSE $75. I took the former.

I know... I'm such a wuss. Exactly the kind of player gambling casinos never want in their establishments. My friend Max on the other hand, played hours of Three Card Poker and then walked away $500 richer! Which supposedly is sorta a slow day compared to lots of other days. Hence why I say... talk about the rich getting richer. Go figure. I totally wished it were MY mantra but no such luck. Anyway... 

The bottom line is this: I would definitely go back to Harrah's, maybe even be willing to lose a couple of bucks. But... when I do return... I am SO checking out Downtown Cherokee where for SURE you can dump money in all the crappy touristy trap shops that I totally love. It was one of my favorite parts about going to camp in Western NC for six years, actually. 


Besides... since when is an authentic pair of white leather Cherokee Indian moccasins with beautiful beading a complete waste of money? Oh man... I so have to get another pair one of these days.