This deserves a friggin gold medal post. I can relate, not in volume of money, but in attitude toward the money I did/do have and everything you talked about is spot on Shifter. It takes a big person to look at themselves and realize what you wrote and those of us reading it to see some of the same tendencies in ourselves even if they are not so far out of line to be really detrimental to oneself, but enough to make a change in who we really are.

 

This is a line of wisdom that an older man told me decades ago................

A Dying man doesn't ask for more MONEY,,,,,,, A Dying man asks for more TIME.....!!

 

Yeah, this is an amazing post, BS. Well-done. Really glad you were able to share. I've totally been the 1-marshmallow kid. And in Vegas? The whole city is rigged up to MAKE you want to be the 1-marshmallow kid. It's all put in front of you, ripe for the taking ... the aura of the city, the mystique is all about having what you want, when you want it. To take it and run.

But as shifter smartly said, you can create luck with discipline and being prepared. It's hard to control yourself in Vegas. But, at the tables in particular, if you show that control? You can stave off bad outcomes.

I was the 1-marshmallow kid at the tables two weeks ago. It was undisciplined, and I'm usually disciplined. But it was 5:30 a.m., and I had a 7 a.m. tee time. More on that in my forthcoming recap. I swear it's really coming. With pics.

 

I went to The Emerald City to see the Wizard of Oz and he said that many adults reach analytical-emotional-and common sense maturity at different ages and stages in their lives.

He said that 90% maturity is reached sometimes in our 30's, but for many in our 50's and 60's.... And some never see this realization. He said to look in the mirror often and when you can be 90% at peace with what you see in the mirror you have contentment. Contentment brings true inner joy....

 

I imagine bringing the wife may have some effect on the worst Vegas excesses. I wouldn't do half the stuff I do there if mine was with me.

 

@B S From a gambling standpoint, do you think it messes with you a bit to hang out with folks that bet so much larger? It would make it tough for me to keep it all in perspective while hanging w/ folks betting $5k+ per hand. I become numb to the numbers even reading some of these reports, i can't imagine if i was sitting at a table with them while trying to stay disciplined.

 

It has made me rethink things in the past, but not anymore. Now playing with these guys and realizing they want me to do well eases the thoughts. $100+ a hand is no paltry bet, but as you mentioned when they are playing $1k-$50k it could potentially alter your play, but only if you let it. I think the biggest hand of the weekend I won a $200 bet and the hand that lost on the same table, while playing with me, was HUNDREDS of times larger. There are two ways to look at it though. Let's say I win $100 and X player loses $5k then I lose $200 and X player wins $10k... Back to back hands I am -$100 and he is +$5k. It is up to that player to decide how he sees it, not me. I play the proper strategy and that avoids any mess for me. I do not worry about what they have in the circle, nor should I. If anyone ever were to make a comment about "your small bet" this or that I would not play with that person again, simple as that.

This weekend I remember getting a fist bump while winning a $300 BJ (Net $450) from the biggest player at the table.

I do not flinch when someone wins or loses $20k anymore, but I do when it is $50k+.