The Pampered Keno Fool

I'll start with today and work my way back a few days.

When I arrived at work today I was told that I would be on "first break". It's not often that I need a break before I even start work, but today I really didn't mind. It was my Monday and I was content to ease into the work week. Near the end of my 30 minute break, I was informed that I would also be on "second break". WTF?? This is beyond ridiculous, but what could I do except take another break. When I finally got into the box after being at work for an hour, things seems to go smoothly. I dealt tables 7-8-9. Near the end of my down on table 8, Tom asked me if I wanted to take his place in the line-up so that he could go home early. I would be headed back to table 7-8-9. Bingo! Typically the games on tables 7-10 are the best to deal from a financial standpoint. Things were looking up even though it meant dealing 3 straight hours. When I finished those three hours, guess what? The break on on table 9 was pulled. This would have meant that I would be dealing 5 straight hours. Trust me when I tell you that dealing a 10Ball is not my idea of amusement. By now it is 5PM and ironically, the 5:00 dealer has been told that he would be on first break. ?? Start someone on a break so that I can deal 5 hours at a stretch? Whatever. I did talk the 5:00 dealer into dealing a few hands so that I could grab a soda and a smoke. I returned 10 minutes later and dealt another 2hrs and 50 minutes. My apologies to the muscles in my back and shoulders. I promise to make it up to you.

After work I visited the friendly neighborhood keno machines. The machine took pity on my weary body and coughed up an 8/9. It wasn't the ideal 8/9, but it will do.

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Yesterday, my Sunday, I headed to the Palms with intentions of playing poker. Amazingly, there was a keno machine between the door and the poker room Hello keno machine. I got WAY stuck before hitting and escaped that session a couple of bills to the good. I then jumped on the list for a $4-8 game. The disasters of the last two poker sessions was hanging over me like some dark, ominous cloud. (those two sessions totaling about 4.5 hours resulted in me stacking exactly 1/3 of ONE pot) The curse was lifted and I immediately got into the black, and stayed there for the entire session. Score one for the good guy.

After booking a win I headed to the Gold Coast with some friends for the Thursday night Seafood Buffet. It was all good until I looked down at some Oriental/Asian/Whatever noodles and spotted a tentacle of some sort. Octopus. No thank you very much. Clean plate and on to some king crab legs. Nothing can compare to Chesapeake Blue Crab, but living a continent away, king crab legs will have to do.

After dinner I decided that I would stick a SINLGE $100 bill into a keno machine and see what happened. About three hours, and a handfull of bills later I was cussing myself. Stuckaroo. Bingo! Again. I got within $20 of my "buy-in", thanked my lucky stars, cashed out and went home.

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Wednesday (My Saturday) I headed away from home with no particular destination in mind. As I neared NYNY I remembered that I had some free play there. Almost immediately I went up several hundred. I vow to use the proceeds to get a massage. The legitimate kind. Inertia took over and I continued to play away the profits. Another hit, another vow. Repeat a few times until I finally convinced myself that I needed some pampering.

I headed to the players club desk to inquire about a possible comp to the spa. I asked what kind of comps I had available. The last time I was there the players' club rep asked me if I wanted to eat at Gallagher's and if I wanted to take a few freinds, so I knew that I had a fairly susbstantial comp balance. This time, however, all the lady would say was that I had "some" comps available. How much, I asked. More than $50 she said. Well several hundred IS more than $50 I suppose. She then tells me that they couldn't write a spa comp unless I talked to a host. What a pain in the ass. I tell her I'll be back. I then headed to the spa to see if they had any openings. Nope. Foiled again.

I then headed to the Luxor to check out the availability at the spa. Sidetracked again by some free play. I turned the free play into a few hundred and headed to the spa. It was now around 4:00PM. They had a 50 minute appointment for 7PM. I'll bet I could spend every cent of the day's profit in a few hours waiting on appointment time. Being the pessimist that I am, I paid for the massage up-front and headed back to the machine wars. I was pleasantly surprised and was able to maintain the win. Around 6PM I headed to the spa for some jacuzzi/steam/dry sauna pre-massage. The hour quickly passed and Randy appeared. I told him NOT to be afraid of hurting me, pointed out the problem areas and lost myself in 50 minutes of deep tissue massage. I made a committment that I would do this at least once a month for the forseeable future.

When I paid for the massage, I didn't even think to check available comps, I just paid cash. Afterwards it occurred to me that I should see what I had available. As it turns out, the next THREE massages will be courtesty of the Luxor/Mandalay Resorts. Comped massages. What could be better?

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Tomorrow night after work I will be meeting the "Travelling Card Party" group at Tuscany. I have not yet played poker there, so it should be interesting. The best part of this Saturday night ritual has less to do with the cards and more about just being out and about among friends.

A toast to friends........