- been to a casino before, and I'm not convinced I ever need to go back, because I really would rather just throw my money into the river and be done with it, because there's much less caked-on smoke and nasty carpeting on the river.
A list of things on which the $15 I lost would have been better spent:
groceries to make dinner for 6 friends
flowers
a new book
the children's museum donation box
two pounds of coffee
a round of drinks (that's "beverages," John)
dog toys for Leroy
a fancy-pants candle that would help cover up the smoke residue on my clothes
However, I wouldn't trade the trip for anything, because you just have to try new things sometimes. Especially to find out what exactly your parents were reproofing. Or in the name of anthropology and ethnography. And the people-watching - well, what's really to be said about that, other than it was choice. And I developed a 10-minute crush on a dealer named Elvis with jet-black pompadour-esque hair. I'm intimidated by the games involving actual live people so I never even sidled up to his table. Opportunity, like $15, wasted.
It is of note that neither the semi with "Lucky" painted on the side we passed on I-74 nor the s'more slot machine - about which we were quite excited, after having taken s'more fixin's in the car as snacks - were, in fact, good signs for me. John, Mark, and Luci all left ahead, so our group definitely walked out of there a winner.
- had a floor installed. It's really loud - I wasn't expecting that. Lots of banging and some kind of pressurized air hammer thing, I think.
- been referred to as "y'all" in the Midwest.
- noticed quite how noisy those swishy parachute/track pants can be.
