Why I'm Not All That Fond of Gambling

Mom got to go to Vegas again!  I’d like to go sometime!  I’m no gambler, but I love sight-seeing, and there are plenty of sights of see in Vegas.  Mom spends most of her time either playing the slots or walking from place to place to play the slots.  Meals for her are probably just a diversion, or “pit-stops” to gain sustenance to play more slots, and you can even play Keno while you eat!

     Personally, I don’t like gambling.  At the risk of sounding like Spock, I like things that are more logical and sure, and more entertaining.  Gambling is rather unsure and adversarial.  I’d much rather spend my time with loved ones watching the pirate battle at Treasure Island or going to the Star Trek Experience, or even watching those two swishy, Swedish guys with the big cats than being stuck trying to outguess the mechanical slots or risk my money at the blackjack table alongside serious gamblers who don’t like inexperienced newcomers.  Although the games themselves can be entertaining, once you add the other joy-sucking players, and add the element of gambling, staking your hard earned money on chance, I start to dislike it.  For one thing, there are just too many variables.  How much should I bet?  How long should I stay at this game or this slot if I’m winning?  How long should I stay if I’m losing?  Should I increase or decrease my bets, and if so, why, and by how much?  Should I try a new slot or game, or have I stayed at this one long enough to determine that I’m not going to win?  What if I make the wrong choice?  What is the right choice?  It’s just too unscientific and irresolute of a thing!

     The frustrating part, for me, is that there are no logical answers to these questions that will allow me to win – there’s no assurities, and that’s the very nature of gambling.  You could play the slots in exactly the same way on two separate days, and have completely different outcomes.  I just don’t like that element of pure chance… and with my money on the line… and I don’t like the gambling games or the whole experience enough just by themselves to write off losing a bunch of money by saying that I at least enjoyed the playing of the games, and had fun even though I lost.  There are so many other things I’d rather do with my time and my money than to spend days or nights playing cards or the slots.

- From my journal, March 2000