What a strange time to live through – I’m sure you all agree. If these aren’t days to contemplate and re-asses I don’t know what are? I’m sure we’re all enveloped in a shared feeling of determination to live a future around what’s ‘really’ important – of treasuring those who are really ‘all in’ with us, and of casting off the fare-weather types. Of living in the moment and appreciating all that is around us in a truly authentic way that may have bypassed us previously.
If you like, maybe what I’m saying it that previously we were going through the motions – perhaps in part due to the now disrupted hamster wheel style nature of our daily life. Perhaps now that can change, or at least its within us to make it. This nightmare has gone on long enough that it will no doubt leave its mark (in the negative sense) but is probably the biggest opportunity we’ll ever to to take away what really matters in life.
Just prior to the first lockdown, when there was a sense of foreboding in the air, we took a family break down the coast. My brothers, our cousins, it’s a tradition of sorts. I sensed then that we might not be having a repeat of it for a while, and really did enjoy our little holiday. We headed to the casino, as we always do, and our cousins went ‘all in’ on three card poker until the earlier hours, while my brothers and I have a more measured time on the roulette wheel. Perhaps we’re a bit too careful when we play really, but it’s good to have a set approach.
Returning is out of the question right now, illegal in fact. I can’t wait to go back though, and for a little peace of normality. And humanity. Not long now hopefully.
I know what you’re thinking, ‘since you run a casino themed blog, you clearly have the luck of the devil!‘. I wish – I’m as cursed or blessed as the next casino goer, and work my way through the exact same emotions. Who among us hasn’t felt the thrill of being on a winning run and telling yourself it will never end? I’ve certainly had this experience at the roulette wheel where every number I pick for a period of time appears to be blessed by the Gods, and I quietly convince myself that this is how every moment of my casino life will now pan out. Unfortunately I’ve also had the opposite.
There have been times where I’m so out of sync with lady luck that with each spin of the wheel I practically feel the finger of God flipping the ball out of any number of colour I’ve opted for. An ‘I’m doomed’ mindset suddenly descends, the mirror image of that of the ‘I can’t lose times’, and I just know as advance that every chip I shuffle across the table will not be reporting.
The same applies to slots. When my luck is in I feel like I’m a Vegas high flyer, but when it’s not my day it feels like the machine is practically eating my chips (without salt and vinegar) and the reels bring me absolutely nothing. Of course inevitably when I finally call it and day and step away from the machine, someone chances their arm with a couple of pounds and the Jackpot comes rolling in. Sod’s Law! In any case this isn’t a rant, and every casino goer knows that there are good and bad days alike. It’s just important sometimes not to present it’s all roses!
