I just read Bev's blog about Las Vegas.  I enjoyed her description of the city as I have never been there.  Like her, I have never thought that I would like it.  But, Bev liked it more than she thought she would and I have heard from other friends that they too enjoyed their visits to the gambling capital of America.  So, perhaps I would like it too!

Of course Bev did not mention gambling.  Gambling!  Isn't that the main feature of Las Vegas? Perhaps that is the reason that I don't relish the thought of visiting Las Vegas.  Not because I hate gambling. Quite the contrary.  I love gambling!  It seems to me that the world is divided between those who abhor slot machines and blackjack tables and those folks, like me, that thoroughly enjoy it.

When I visited my family in Santa Fe, New Mexico this summer I visited the casino three times (in 10 days!).  Ten years ago there were no casinos circling Santa Fe.  Today there are many; they dot the desert landscape like giant boulders rising from the sand. Almost every Indian Reservation has a casino on their property.  The two closest to Santa Fe are Buffalo Thunder and City of Gold.  I had been to City of Gold before, but Buffalo Thunder is a new, much larger casino attached to a very large hotel built next to the highway in the middle of nowhere. 

I  played blackjack in St. Martin and Martinique when I was much younger.  But, these days I only play the slot machines.  No dumber activity can probably be found; throw your money into the machine, push the lever down, wait for the scrolling screen to stop and listen to the kerplunk of quarters. Of course, this is no longer how it really it works.  You now slide a bill ($10, $20, $100) into the slot and push the button to make the machine scroll.  When you win or quit in disgust,you push another button that triggers the machine to spit out a ticket that you can turn in for cash.  No quarters, no lever.  It's like virtual gambling.

So, one might ask, why do I like it?  Hard to explain.  I like the feeling of hope as I watch the cherries or  flames roll around.  And, I like the adrenaline rush when I win.   

Do I win? Sometimes, but not often. On my first foray this summer to Buffalo Thunder I was there for a short visit with my sister who wanted to see the new casino, but doesn't like to gamble.  I played the quarter slots as usual and went down $77.00.  I pleaded with my sister to stay a little longer so that I could make my money back (never a sure thing!) and I did.

Then I surreptitiously traveled out to the City of Gold by myself one afternoon so I could gamble in peace.  I stayed for two hours playing the quarter slots and although I was down $400, I won the top prize - a progression - of $410.  So, again, I broke even.

My third and final trip to the casino was with my best friend, Karen,  We went together to try our luck at Buffalo Thunder.  She loves to gamble too and prides herself on her luck so she was a great companion.  We stayed a couple of hours and I lost $150. 

So, now it's out of my system for awhile.  I may not gamble again for one, two or three years.  I know it's dumb and easy to lose a lot of money in these "palaces".  I realize that half the world thinks I'm an idiot for throwing away good money down a machine owned by wiser and richer people than I.  But, I am a very controlled gambler, never lose the mortgage money and rationalize the waste of time and money as the price of entertainment.  Other people spend $150 on Paul McCartney tickets or dining at expensive restaurants.  For me, gambling is fun.

But, perhaps I have resisted a visit to Las Vegas because there can be too much of a good thing - especially when the mortgage is due!!!!