A Message from Cleopatra

Cleopatra keeps nagging me.

She was a slot machine in Vegas.

My hotel room came with a complimentary beverage and a few free bucks at a slot machine.

I drank the wine....and then registered to use my Vegas bucks.

Only a few slot machines would accept these particular Vegas bucks......so I wandered around the casino trying to pick up a good luck vibe.....felt nothing.....and plunked myself down in front of Cleopatra.

After all, this wasn't serious gambling....but a few free minutes of fun.

Hub joined me and I could hear his Mensa neurons snapping because he couldn't figure out the strange patterns which equaled a win.

Cleopatra seemed to defy logic.

So I started to play my nickels....you could play between 1-10 nickels at a spin.

The more nickels you risked.....the more your chances ....but of course the more you would lose each play.

I played my nickels very Gina-like......I wouldn't bet 1 or 2 nickels.....and I certainly wouldn't bet 9-10.....I would hit the 6-7 range.... then go wild with a single 8 nickel spin even a rare 10 nickel spin.... then return to my above average yet comfortable risk zone.

A zig zag light suddenly flashed on the screen.....and I earned a couple complimentary spins and viola..... I won ...$20.00

Respectable.......not spectacular......but enough of an enticement to keep me pressing the nickel at button on the machine.....at least until my Vegas bucks were used up.

Because I wasn't sure what I was doing....or how the lines were paying off.....I did something odd for me.......even though I consciously knew I would lose more and my bucks might be used up quickly....I started betting 9-10 nickels.

It was uncomfortable....I wanted to return to at least my 7 range...but I kept, for some reason, pushing myself....pressing the 10 button....risking it all.....50 cents a spin!!!

And just like before .....some mysterious zig zag..... earned a couple complimentary spins.

But the catch was......

your winnings on the complimentary spin were determined by the amount you were betting......so at 6 nickels a spin....you might win 20.00 dollars.....

but at 9-10 nickels a spin......the winnings skyrocketed....

I took my complimentary spin and won $100.00.

I was shocked....not just because I won something...but because I realized (on this small level) big risks can pay off.

If I had stayed the Gina-course I would have won 20.00.....but by pushing myself....I quadrupled my rewards.

This is nutty....

but I keep thinking I stumbled upon a life lesson here.....one of those inadvertent things...

So is the way to win big in life....based upon how much a leap....a risk you are willing to take?

if you do things very conservatively.....you win....solidly...

if you take above average risk.......you win....sufficiently....

but if you make yourself uncomfortable....if you go beyond what you normally would do.....

is that when life lets you cash in?

Is that when you find the great job.....or adventure....or the relationship of a lifetime?

If you go beyond your comfort zone....force yourself into a new place....is that when you find something spectacular?

If you bet 2 nickels....you would never get there.....if you bet 7 nickels...you could on occasion get there.....but if you bet 10....you could hit the jackpot more often.....

I can't stop thinking about it.....

I'm wondering if I've lived a 6-7 nickel life?????




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Giant half-naked women on trucks and Girlie Cards....More things I learned about on my Vacation

I was sitting in our rental car wondering where our hotel was located on the "Strip."

Stalled in bumper to bumper traffic, we weren't moving anywhere in this part of Vegas.

I bent over to grab my cell phone and noticed the half naked woman on rear door of the truck in front of us.

HOT BABES

THEY REALLY WANT TO MEET YOU.

702-555 5555


I stretched from one side to the other and saw that each side of the truck had a large picture of a blond-haired woman clad in black lacy lingerie .

She was reclining in the classic men's magazine pose: lips parted and tugging at her bikini bottom....the ...I-must-pull-these-off-RIGHT-NOW!...look.

This was not a small truck....consequently.....this woman was HUGE.

"Huh. Do you see the woman on the truck in front of us?"

Hub was staring straight ahead and probably had been for a long time....he was being a very attentive driver....and probably had been oggling her for miles.

Since I like words...I couldn't help but focus on the short one liner under her body......They really want to meet you.

So interesting....because ...by inserting the word "really"......it implies that these women are guaranteed to like you.... a man doesn't have to fear rejection.

In other words....no worries....unlike women in the real world....these women will always welcome your presence.

Another truck with a similar billboard passed by. I felt a pang of ......discomfort.

Yes...it's Vegas....but ....geeez 12 foot high girlie ads are just so .....obvious.

Turning my attention to the sidewalk crowds.....I noticed groups of men in bright hunter orange t-shirts in clumps every couple blocks. The shirts were stiff...new and cheap....and worn over dingy clothes.

GO GO GO GIRLS

They were handing out something.

"I wonder what they're giving out?" I said to hub.

"Trading Cards."

"What?"

"Girlie Trading cards. There are some on the back seat."

"What?? Where?"

I twisted around and searched the back seat until I found 4 trading cards. Cody. Hope. Suri. Stacey.

"Where did you get these?"

"They were handing them out at the gas station where we picked up the sodas."

"How come you didn't show them to me????"

Hub was silent. It was a dangerous moment for him.

Was I miffed he picked them up or kept them??? or was I miffed because he hadn't share this interesting little treasure????

Sensing his distress....I let him off the hook.

"These are so...interesting. Girlie trading cards. Look at the little credit card logos. Hmmmm...why is Hope running a special for $37....why would a woman be on sale?????? I mean if she's a prostitute isn't she on sale already???? What do you think you get for $47?? Do you think it's just the price to get to the door????? How much do they do?????

My hub is a diplomatic and cautious man who has lived with me a long time. If he knew the answers....he probably figured it was best not to tell me ...... and if he didn't know the answers...he was content to listen to my ever growing wave of questions.

I tucked the trading cards into my purse...since we finally saw the sign for our hotel.

During our entire stay in Vegas, a steady stream of giant almost-naked women cruised back and forth along the Strip..... and every few blocks a sad cluster of men ( I say sad...only because all the men were very short dark Hispanic men who appeared not to understand or speak much English...and looked uncomfortable) in orange shirts handed out more cards.

Just before leaving Vegas, I decided to hold out my hand as we passed one of them.....to get a few more cards. The man ....looked shocked....he was obviously programmed to offer cards to any man passing by....but not a woman.

He reluctantly gave me a few cards.

Hub rolled his eyes. I imagine it's not easy living with a curious woman.

"Look here.......right on top.....a Gina card!!!.....and she's special .....only 47.00....Do you think we should call her...and just see what they say?? I mean...don't you wonder how they talk to a client....what they say ...what they offer to do??"

My hub suggested a gellato...which in hub-speak means......spare me from the inquisition.

So.... I pouted...and ordered a hazelnut concoction.....and became quiet and pensive ....thinking of men and women and sex and fun and using people as toys....I mean.... is it okay to use people as toys if there is mutual consent to be toys to each other???? what if one person sees the other person as real and one person sees the other as a toy??

Fortunately my gellato dripped all over my pants..... which in real-life means....can it.

"Hey....Let's go buy some t-shirts for the kids."

I tucked Gina in my purse for the trip home.

This weekend...I'm going to give her a call and find out what they say and what they do. I mean ...I have caller-ID block....and don't you really want to know at least if they say ...."Hello I'm Gina???? And what would they say to a woman?? How do they sound???

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It's Vegas Baby.....lol

I can't remember of if said....Yippee....or Yeee ha......when I walked into our hotel room....but I'm actually glad to be here because:

1) The hotel is stationary....i.e. it does not go up and down and bob in the water.

2) It's huge......(size matters....) my hotel bathroom is bigger than the cruise cabin I lived in for the last 5 days.

3) It's a surprise.....I went online just before we got on the boat....looked at hotels deals and just went ennneeee meeeene minnnneeee mo.... and the winner was The Venetian......lots of stars....special price...huge suites.

4) Oh ho....Vegas seems a bit fun....I've been here 2 or 3 times....and never left feeling that way....but perhaps there's enough great restaurants....and spas and shops and other stuff to do besides gambling now......or I'm just being seduced by the ultra thick embroided bath robe.

Our little suite.......

Hard to believe but the swimming pool is located on the 4th floor....or one of the roofs....only in Vegas...hey?