Four score and seven weeks ago...
I last updated my journal with any real thoughts. Well, some time has passed, and I've gathered a few new thoughts. Not to mention having taken a trip down to Malibu for Anna's sister's graduation from Pepperdine University. Talk about a gorgeous campus, and view, no less. Cruised the Pacific Coast Highway, ate lunch off 3rd Street Prominade (sp?), got tanned on the Santa Monica beaches, took a road trip down to San Diego to visit an old buddy from high school... Good times. California: the land of beautiful people and terrible drivers. Granted, every state has it's share of roadrage shitheads, but CA takes the gold in this event. And the traffic?... Might as well get out of your car and walk down I-5.
Recently went to the Muckleshoot for some drinks and fun with a few of Anna's co-workers. I really enjoy the atmosphere inside casinos. It's like a whole other world... an amusement park for adults. I do miss the sound of coins in the slot machines though. Everything has gone to paper now. You purchase a ticket to play the machines, and when you cash out, it prints you a new ticket which can be redeemed for paper money at the cashier booth. How lame is that? The whole fun of playing slots is hearing the 'ching ching ching ching ching!!' At least in Vegas you can still use dollar bills in the machines. And what's with the blackjack tables having nothing lower than a $5 minimum bet? Why can't I play a buck a hand? They're going to get all of my money eventually anyways, at least let it last a little longer! We had a few drinks, played a few slots, I played two hands of blackjack, and we headed home. $10 dollars down and stinking of cigarette smoke, I exited the casino. Ever notice how many ATM's are inside casinos? I must say, though... I love that machine! I win EVERY time!
I once saw a stand up comedian do a bit about Vegas, and it left a lasting impression on me. He described Vegas like this...
"It's like walking through a desert and being surrounded by plum sized rocks laying all over the ground. You think to yourself 'hmmm,... I wonder....' as you pick up a rock. It's scalding hot from sitting in the sun and burns your hand a bit, but nonetheless, you jam it up your ass. 'Ouch!!!', as you pull the rock back out and drop it on the ground. 'That hurt!' ... 'Hmmm, I wonder about this one', as you pick up another identical looking rock. 'Ouch!!!'... and so on...
Anyways, naturally it's not near as funny as when the comedian performed it, but you get the idea. And it's so true. 'Wait! Maybe this is the lucky machine. Wait, maybe one more hand will turn it all around!' Whatever... casino gaming is designed to have an advantage over the player. The only game that is beatable is blackjack. Odds and probability. Counting cards is not illegal, but a casino can throw you out for doing it if you're stupid and being obvious. And now I'm rambling...
My new job in Tacoma is going quite well. It's so nice to sit in a cubicle and be able to concentrate on work, and not patients. Within the comfortable safety of my cubicle walls, I can curse the doctors who make my job stressful, gossip with my co-workers about people who file grievences with the Union and steal other people's jobs away, and just bitch about life in general. The newest, and very awesome addition to our 'group' worked her last day today. She's being reassigned because someone complained about a personal friend not getting the position that this individual was hired for, and now we'll all suffer for it. Just what we need... TWO Lyndas. Tiffany, we will miss you. We'll have to get together sometime.. smoke a few bowls and have a movie fest.
In even more unrelated news, I recently beat Max Payne on X-Box. It's been ages since I've played a game from beginning to end. Can we say Super NES? I've started playing Starsky and Hutch, but I'm not too far into that yet. I also started messing around with Prisoner of War, which is actually pretty fuckin cool for a $9.99 Fred Meyer special. A bit difficult though. I've had to look up a walk-thru already. Fun game, but frustrating at the same time. "Baby steps"
I'm looking forward to a fun and relaxing 3 day weekend. Yay for holidays.
The tribe has spoken.
Recently went to the Muckleshoot for some drinks and fun with a few of Anna's co-workers. I really enjoy the atmosphere inside casinos. It's like a whole other world... an amusement park for adults. I do miss the sound of coins in the slot machines though. Everything has gone to paper now. You purchase a ticket to play the machines, and when you cash out, it prints you a new ticket which can be redeemed for paper money at the cashier booth. How lame is that? The whole fun of playing slots is hearing the 'ching ching ching ching ching!!' At least in Vegas you can still use dollar bills in the machines. And what's with the blackjack tables having nothing lower than a $5 minimum bet? Why can't I play a buck a hand? They're going to get all of my money eventually anyways, at least let it last a little longer! We had a few drinks, played a few slots, I played two hands of blackjack, and we headed home. $10 dollars down and stinking of cigarette smoke, I exited the casino. Ever notice how many ATM's are inside casinos? I must say, though... I love that machine! I win EVERY time!
I once saw a stand up comedian do a bit about Vegas, and it left a lasting impression on me. He described Vegas like this...
"It's like walking through a desert and being surrounded by plum sized rocks laying all over the ground. You think to yourself 'hmmm,... I wonder....' as you pick up a rock. It's scalding hot from sitting in the sun and burns your hand a bit, but nonetheless, you jam it up your ass. 'Ouch!!!', as you pull the rock back out and drop it on the ground. 'That hurt!' ... 'Hmmm, I wonder about this one', as you pick up another identical looking rock. 'Ouch!!!'... and so on...
Anyways, naturally it's not near as funny as when the comedian performed it, but you get the idea. And it's so true. 'Wait! Maybe this is the lucky machine. Wait, maybe one more hand will turn it all around!' Whatever... casino gaming is designed to have an advantage over the player. The only game that is beatable is blackjack. Odds and probability. Counting cards is not illegal, but a casino can throw you out for doing it if you're stupid and being obvious. And now I'm rambling...
My new job in Tacoma is going quite well. It's so nice to sit in a cubicle and be able to concentrate on work, and not patients. Within the comfortable safety of my cubicle walls, I can curse the doctors who make my job stressful, gossip with my co-workers about people who file grievences with the Union and steal other people's jobs away, and just bitch about life in general. The newest, and very awesome addition to our 'group' worked her last day today. She's being reassigned because someone complained about a personal friend not getting the position that this individual was hired for, and now we'll all suffer for it. Just what we need... TWO Lyndas. Tiffany, we will miss you. We'll have to get together sometime.. smoke a few bowls and have a movie fest.
In even more unrelated news, I recently beat Max Payne on X-Box. It's been ages since I've played a game from beginning to end. Can we say Super NES? I've started playing Starsky and Hutch, but I'm not too far into that yet. I also started messing around with Prisoner of War, which is actually pretty fuckin cool for a $9.99 Fred Meyer special. A bit difficult though. I've had to look up a walk-thru already. Fun game, but frustrating at the same time. "Baby steps"
I'm looking forward to a fun and relaxing 3 day weekend. Yay for holidays.
The tribe has spoken.