Today I’m heading out for the original poker treat, the feel of the green felt, the sound of chips being shuffled, watching the dealer’s personality as I watch the players go through their routine, and staring at the same tickets that I’ve stared at a million times over the years. The Palms poker room will be poker stop after I meet Marie, Gordon, and Carole for lunch at Macaroni Grill.

Marie and I are going to hang out, play some cards, talk the talk, forget the walk, and hopefully Wayne will deal to us, but if he doesn’t make our table, we will say HI and visit for a bit.

After two or three hours of the original poker treat, I’m sure I’ll be ready to head for home. One of the biggest downsides for going into a casino for me – yeah, you got it – is the pollution that hits your senses when you open the door, the machine sounds, people noise, light attractions, body movement, hustle bustle, and the stench of cigarette smoke that overrides everything is the real brain/nose buster for me.

The upside is hanging out with good friends, taking a front row seat to the greatest show on Earth, and rejuvenating my spiritual energy with extreme gratitude that I no longer have to sit in the dealer’s box and go through emotional stress of everyone else just to make a living and all of the downside listed above.

Thank you, God! Thank you for giving me the skills and opportunity to have been there all these years. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to walk away from it and survive financially, and thank you for allowing me to step back in at my choosing and make a clean exit knowing that I don’t have to go back if I don’t want to. Life is good here in the desert.