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Lessons I Learned on Vacation
Jun. 14th, 2005 07:56 am1. Casinos are creepy. Aside from changes in decor, the inside 'pit' of each casino in Atlantic City was identical to the next: the constant glissando and jingling of slot machines, the same little old man with a huge cigar, the same disorientation and glitter. I felt...destabilized.
2. To make any money off a slot machine, one must deny hope. That is, when you've made a little, you have to say to yourself, "This is the best I will ever do" and cash out. None of the 'try, try again' mentality.
3. I still spent about $40-50 on slots and two rounds of roulette.
4. I can't fathom spending more. All the games that require a modicum of skill (blackjack, poker, etc) have $10 or more minimum bets. I just can't see myself plunking down $100 for ten hands of blackjack. (Maximum. With the way I bet, it'd be more like two hands.)
5. I suck at chess, but I'm getting better. Plus it's cool to play with oversized pieces by a pool. I liked having a queen two feet high.
6. "Baby has to be clean if she wants to touch Mommy!"
7. Sarcasm is a sign of love and acceptance. (Yes, you'd think I would know this by now.)
8. The thrill of a roller coaster is the mingling of safety and fear. This thrill can be easily turned to nervousness by being stopped on the ride, twice.
9. Getting out of a roller coaster car that's at a 45 degree angle is not a simple maneuver.
10. I still love roller coasters. But I hate lines. especially in the sun.
11. One of the sillier perks of vacation is staying up late to watch Adult Swim on Cartoon Network, because I won't have to wake up at a reasonable hour.
12. I can roast a mean set of ribs.
13. Crab cakes--not bad!
14. I will never be able to afford the Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa that was across from our rooms, and frankly, 90% of their services seemed silly. (Cucumber milk restoring bath? Mint face plaster? Lobster sticks to magnet? What?)
15. Golfers don't seem to use sunblock. They almost all looked well-grilled.
16. My sunblock is not waterproof. And I need to remember to apply it everywhere; a three-inch strip by one bra strap is kind of pink.
17. Vacation means food. Vacation always means food.
Lessons I Learned upon Returning From Vacation
1. They didn't explode the office, but they didn't catch all the problems, either.
2. I need to write my job description this week, so we can start looking NOW.
3. I sent as many emails yesterday as I had received in the previous week.
4. I don't want to eat my salad. (See #17 above for why I should eat the salad.)
And how are all of you?
2. To make any money off a slot machine, one must deny hope. That is, when you've made a little, you have to say to yourself, "This is the best I will ever do" and cash out. None of the 'try, try again' mentality.
3. I still spent about $40-50 on slots and two rounds of roulette.
4. I can't fathom spending more. All the games that require a modicum of skill (blackjack, poker, etc) have $10 or more minimum bets. I just can't see myself plunking down $100 for ten hands of blackjack. (Maximum. With the way I bet, it'd be more like two hands.)
5. I suck at chess, but I'm getting better. Plus it's cool to play with oversized pieces by a pool. I liked having a queen two feet high.
6. "Baby has to be clean if she wants to touch Mommy!"
7. Sarcasm is a sign of love and acceptance. (Yes, you'd think I would know this by now.)
8. The thrill of a roller coaster is the mingling of safety and fear. This thrill can be easily turned to nervousness by being stopped on the ride, twice.
9. Getting out of a roller coaster car that's at a 45 degree angle is not a simple maneuver.
10. I still love roller coasters. But I hate lines. especially in the sun.
11. One of the sillier perks of vacation is staying up late to watch Adult Swim on Cartoon Network, because I won't have to wake up at a reasonable hour.
12. I can roast a mean set of ribs.
13. Crab cakes--not bad!
14. I will never be able to afford the Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa that was across from our rooms, and frankly, 90% of their services seemed silly. (Cucumber milk restoring bath? Mint face plaster? Lobster sticks to magnet? What?)
15. Golfers don't seem to use sunblock. They almost all looked well-grilled.
16. My sunblock is not waterproof. And I need to remember to apply it everywhere; a three-inch strip by one bra strap is kind of pink.
17. Vacation means food. Vacation always means food.
Lessons I Learned upon Returning From Vacation
1. They didn't explode the office, but they didn't catch all the problems, either.
2. I need to write my job description this week, so we can start looking NOW.
3. I sent as many emails yesterday as I had received in the previous week.
4. I don't want to eat my salad. (See #17 above for why I should eat the salad.)
And how are all of you?
