In my first session I asked the group if they have already decided on a college and they basically all said yes. So I asked which schools. Johns Hopkins, NYU, Harvard, Penn, Columbia, Stanford, and Berkley. Hmmmm. So where are my Long Beach State candidates? Or UC Riversiiiiiiiide? Nope, just a bunch are really smart Asian teenagers majoring in Art History, Engineering, and Math. So why are you needing me again? Oh because my rise in the insurance industry was so exciting? Or is it because you need an example of what not to do during high school and college. I truly felt like Michael Scott.
With one of the sessions I somehow got sidetracked and went on a rant about the trickle down effect on how government involvement hampers the growth of successful companies as it prevents acquisitions and how it applies to Farmers and what is going on with AIG. I got quiet the stare down from the teacher after that.
So in honor of my high school visit, I'll try and transition over to a Top 20 "I remember" blog about Vegas. On 12 days left....
- I remember how nice I thought the Monte was when we stayed there the year that it opened.
- I remember having a $100 a day budget.
- I remember actually driving out to the Hover Dam and doing touristy things.
- I remember how terrible the "Lazy River" was.
- I don't remember why we didn't sue to Monte for the glass in the Lazy River.
- I remember never betting the come and only using single odds in craps since I was strapped for cash.
- I remember that Billy Nogle was pretty damn funny but pretty damn poor.
- I remember doubling down on 12....ALL THE TIME.
- I remember when the Terps were good and going to Vegas was more about watching them than gambling at times.
- I remember going out to Vegas with non gamblers and how aggravated I was.
- I remember driving out to Vegas with Sooz and her sister and getting pulled over and spilling a beer in the car as the officer knocked on the window.
- I remember when I used to do back to back long weekend trips with Eric's friends and then my friends.
- I remember Jay and I pulling our traditional 24 hours of drinking and gambling at the Monte.
- I remember when Robbie and I played 24 straight hours of poker and having to be carried away from the table when it was over.
- I will always remember the side bar at the Monte where we watched two of the more amazing basketball games in my life; Butler county game and the Drew Nicholas game.
- I remember picking up a Monte BJ dealer, but not being able to close the deal.
- I remember bumping into Scotty Nguyen in the horseshoe bathroom and feeling cool that I knew who he was before poker got big.
- I remember midnight runs at the NewYork NewYork.
- I remember how nervous I used to get walking into a casino. No more though.
- I remember how bad my hangover is after I return from Vegas.
4 comments:
I remember the first casino I entered. Hello, Paradice Casino in Peoria, IL.
I remember one warm day in February a buddy and I entered the boat, quickly went up $40 at the $5 craps table, looked at each other and jump off before the “cruise” started. A whopping 15 minutes in the casino. That covered golf, lunch, dinner and gas. How times have changed.
I remember my first trip to Vegas. I stayed at the Travelodge next to Circus Circus. Don’t ask.
I remember my first trip with this group. I think my retinas are still scared from the lights at the Monte.
I remember going down to the Mirage to meet Wiz and Leland (same trip) and thinking, wow, these guys must be high rollers. This place is sweet and well above my risk level.
I remember getting DESTROYED at credit card roulette, and those were the best odds I received all weekend.
I remember getting blasted for suggesting we eat at MESA grill instead of S&W.
I remember being vindicated.
I remember when you couldn't find a hold em table, because all the poker tables were Stud.
I remember when Billy Noggle spilled his drink all over a craps table...in the middle of the afternoon.
I remember when we would go to the liquor store to buy fifths of alchohol because the drink girls weren't coming around fast enough.
I remember when people would get pissed because we would abuse someone's hotel room dialing out to connect to the internet (thus racking up a bunch of fees).
I remember when the woman who ran the poker room commented how we "took over the room" and someone "from your crew was in here the whole weekend".
I remember when betting on "chop chop" was a good idea.
I remember when you didn't need an invite for this trip - you just went.
I remember when we would cancel dinners every night.
I remember when midget craps was a good time.
I remember when we would wake up a certain someone's "other" back home with 7:00AM EST drunk phone calls.
I remember laurad playing Pai Gow tiles and getting looks from "the natives" like Chris Tucker got in Rush Hour.
Wow....let's see....
I remember being extremely nervous sitting down at my first black jack table.
I remember being intimated by craps.
I remember plopping $20 at a $3 BJ at the Oneida casino in Green Bay - and having it last 1 1/2 hours.
I remember thinking that I was fully loaded with $30 at a $5 craps table.
I remember my first comp - heaven! -a dinner at the Frontier.
Like Jay, I remember when all the poker tables were 7 card stud.
I remember my first trip with this group in 2003 - and I was worried if I could keep up with Layup, Laura, Jay, and others.
I remember running out of money too early on that trip.
I remember when I only played the pass line and come bets - never the place bets.
I remember my sphinter tightening when I had $55 on an NCAA game. $55!!!!
I remember being the bank at Pai Gow - which pissed Steve off so much he didn't talk to me for 3 hours.
I remember walking up to an Ultmate Texas Hold'em Table for the first time (at the Mirage). I won the first 3 hands, and was hooked.
I remember my first foray into the Monte Poker Room - and sitting down and playing. My hands were shaking.
I, too, remember hearing about Leland and Wiz and thinking they were some sort of high rollers.
I remember walking down the hallways of the plant in Iowa City on cold, cold February mornings in 2004 and 2005* - and thinking "only 30 odd days until Vegas...."
I remember walking the dogs in the snow in Iowa going over my craps strategy.
I remember the giddy trips to the airport on Wednesday - trips to airports like Cedar Rapids, Dayton, Des Moines and Columbus...
and I remember 2 of the 3 longest drives of my life....the drive coming back from the red eye after landing in Des Moines (2004) and Columbus (2006).**
* - and 2007, and 2008...
** - The third of the longest drives of my life? Drving home to Cincinnati from Game 5 of the 2007 ALCS in Cleveland on a Thursday night.
I remember when playing 5 hours of poker every day to pay for our room was a good idea.
I remember when $10 BJ was out of my budget and $25 BJ was just insane.
I remember spending a whole day drinking, smoking, and playing quarter slots trying to win a harley.
I also remember not knowing that I needed to play maximum coins in order to win said harley.
I remember when craps was just too intimidating.
I remember Ghettor singing the “Chong Song” to some dealer named Chong. (let me see that Chooooooooong….)
I remember when there was no wait list for a hold’em table.
I remember my trip to Cheetas.
I remember when there were just as many girls on this trip as guys and nobody thought anything of it.
I remember when Robbie stole the Houdini display from the Plaza.
I remember drink clickers and single deck BJ at Binions.
I remember accidentally wandering drunk into the high roller slots area and getting pissed off that my quarter kept falling through the $25 slots machine.
I remember the Sahara’s motto: “where drink girls go to die”.
I remember seeing Annie Duke, Johnny Chan, Phil Ivey, and Phil Gordon, and getting my picture taken with Phil Helmuth at the Bellagio WPT event.
I remember the Prince and the Revolution cover band at the Boardwalk and the all Japanese Elvis cover band at the Plaza.
I remember when my total budget was $800 for a 4 day trip-including food and taxis.
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