A Gambler I am NOT!

In the Zimmermann family, we were taught to gamble at a very young age. Very young. I'm talking really young. Grandma and grandpa Preli would come over on Sunday afternoons. Grandma would give each of us 25 pennies to play "fan tan"---a pretty easy game that even 4 year olds could grasp. At grandma Zimmermann's house in the country, we learned how to play "blitz" with nickels or liars poker. The point is that we've been gambling in our family since we were tots and cut our teeth on pennies. I've always prided myself on my poker playing ability. But, when it comes right down to it and you start talking "big" money---like Vegas (and I'm not even talking that "big", but "big" for me---like $5.00 bets), I'm just not so good at it.

This week, when the family went to Vegas, I presented my sibs with a challenge (Matt wasn't able to go, but the rest of us---6---were there). I gave everyone an envelope with $100 in it. I took $110 for each one of us out of the estate account (sent Matt his money separately---just to keep it even). The extra $10 went into another envelope to become the prize money. I laid down a few basic rules---each person was to gamble "mom's" money to see who could win the most. (Mom loved Vegas---she saved her coupon money to use for gambling). It was an honor system with the winner being declared at dinner on Wednesday. The race was "on." It didn't take long for Ronnie and Jennifer to lose their money the first night. The rest of us held off. Then of course, as soon as anyone won anything, the mantra became "mom's money?" To which everyone had to say "no" for the first couple days.

I too lost the first night---but it wasn't "mom's money" I was risking---instead, it was my own allowance. I'm not even going to say how much that was. Let's just say I could have bought myself a new Coach or Kate Spade purse! That's what I get for trying to keep up with the twins. Janice and Jennifer throw those 100 dollar bills around like they're nothing---but the difference is they are pretty lucky too---like mom. I think she came back from Vegas a winner just about every time.

On the second day, Jennifer and I were playing the nickel slot machines. Within about an hour, I walked away with $60.00. Unfortunately, it wasn't "mom's money." I was so excited---I thought I had figured out how to beat the system. Later that day, we arrived at the Flamingo Hotel (to see Donnie and Marie---absolutely fabulous---and we had the best seats, about 5 feet from the stage---they were right there! So darn cute and Marie is tiny---11 costume changes---each cuter than the last---matching high heels---also very cute and really cool jewelry). We had an hour before the show. I decided I would dip into "mom's money" for the first time. I put a $20.00 bill into a 1 cent, 2 cent, 5 cent, 10 cent slot machine. After my earlier "win", I went for the 10 cent category---feeling pretty confident in my slot machine prowess, pushed the button and immediately lost---$18.00!!!! What the .....!!! Somehow, I didn't know what I was doing and bet 10 cents for like umpteen chances to win. Again, what the....??? So just like that, I lost 20 bucks. I immediately quit. That took less than a minute!

Later that night, I went back to my nickel machines that I won at earlier---$20 more dollars of "mom's money" gone. The next morning, I went back to the same machines---5:45 a.m.---sure that they would "hit" for me again and fed them the last $60.00 I was up, down, up down, downer and downest---and played for 3 hours before finally losing it all. At least with nickels, you get to play a long time. That was pretty much it for me. I didn't spend any more money gambling---although I was tempted. I do believe I could be one of those persons that would lose their house---thinking the very next bet would be the big winner. Butch showed much more restraint. He only ended up playing once for a couple hours before losing at Texas Hold 'em.

Back to the contest. By Wednesday, Jeanne, Janice and Joyce hadn't bet mom's money yet. When I reminded them that they were running out of time, they panicked. Jeanne decided she wasn't just going to gamble it to be gambling it---so she withdrew from the contest. That left Janice and Joyce. I'm not really sure what Janice did, but Joyce was declared the winner when she showed us $125 winnings from Black Jack.

After the Criss Angel Cirque de Soleil show (very mediocre---leaning towards bad---which it would have been if our seats weren't so darn good---up close and personal with Criss---we couldn't really figure out the Cirque connection---there were no acrobatics going on anywhere), we headed back to our hotel, The Golden Nugget, to gamble a little more---not me, I watched.

One thing is for sure, it's no fun being in Vegas if you've lost all your gambling money. Then it's just smoky and smelly. I was glad to come home. If I never get back there, it will be too soon. Darn, I wish I'd bought the purse.