It was around 11:00 pm and PC and I were on our way home with Beau and Bet after spending a wonderful evening with George (aka Roadrunner) and Vera.  
 
George and Vera had just completed their beautiful new home here in Las Vegas and had invited the four of us over for cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. George is one of the best dice setters and rhythm rollers in the country and a little known fact is that he is also a gourmet cook.  
 
In addition to drinks and some gourmet hors d’oeuvres we had spent time in George's craps room, a room separated from the house called a "Casita" I believe. Everyone had a great time and as we headed home I remarked, "Sometimes I just Have To Pinch Myself!"  
 
"Why's that Pablo?", Beau asked. "Well," I said, "We all had fun tonight, had some drinks, ate some of George's gourmet food, shot some craps, played some pool and had good time just visiting!" "OK", Beau said, "So?" "Well, it's only Tuesday night!" to which we all laughed!  
 
And that's the way life goes in Las Vegas. Every night can be Saturday night in Las Vegas if that's what you want. However, it doesn't have to be, it can be whatever you want, and you can be as busy as you want to be.  
 
Many of you have expressed an interest in moving to Las Vegas so we thought you might like a "light-hearted" look at living in Las Vegas from a newcomers stand point. PC and I should qualify as newcomers as we have been here only a little over a year although I must say I think we have crammed in 2-3 years of living during that time. So, here goes.  
 
Living in Las Vegas means you can spend as much time, or as little time, as you like in the casinos playing whatever games you choose. The casinos do everything they can to get you IN their casino. Once they get your name and address you are now on their mailing list and you will get numerous offers in the mail. This is true for most of the local casinos but not true for all casinos. The Station casinos as a group are the most aggressive in their mail out offers.  
 
I have played at a lot of the strip casinos and have used my players card and most of them I never hear from. However, there is one that PC and I have been to 4 times this year, all FREE 3-night stays!  
 
Let me give you an example of some of the offers we get in the mail. In October PC has 9 days where she is simply invited to one of the Station casinos to pick up Mystery Cash (twice), a Pewter Picture Frame, bonus Extra Play Cash, a cookie jar, a Mystery Garage Sale item, a 29 piece container set, a large candy bowl, and a logo shirt.  
 
In addition, I have four (one for each week) $20 play tickets at Texas Station, four $15 play tickets at Boulder Station, four $5 Play tickets at Palace Station, and four $15 play tickets at Santa Fe Station. I also have six "Get your FREE Promotional Gaming Chip at Texas Station." These chips are $5, $25 or $100 chips. Sometimes I get gifts also. Last Friday I picked up my "Free" 16 piece dinner set.  
 
We get tee shirts, polo shirts, sweat shirts, sport shirts, long sleeve t-shirts, fleece vests, fleece pullover's, caps, jackets, hanging sweater organizers, hanging closet organizers, hanging shoe organizers, Red Cross Safety Kits, folding chairs, planting pots,  
rolling suit cases, overnight bags, garden tools, garden bags, picture frames, etc. etc.  
 
We get cash each week from our local casino, the Cannery, just for stopping by. It can be $5, $10, $15, $20, etc, based on your play. The Cannery also gives each of us a FREE buffet for 2 each month and 2 for the price of 1 meals in any of their restaurants. We have eaten out more in the last year than we did in the previous 10 years! I have finally decided that when I go to a buffet rather than sample everything in sight I will decide  
what "ethnic type" of food I would enjoy at that moment and just stick to that.  
 
With the casinos it is all about getting YOU into the casino. Sometimes you can pick up a gift a certain day, sometimes it's between a certain time frame, and with the money play tickets it is usually over a 4 day period. However, they never have a free gift during the days you can use your free play ticket. The casinos publish a monthly calendar  
just so you know when the gift days are, the 3 times, 4 times, etc. point (slot) days are!  
 
Since our move here we have been invited to 3 major blackjack tournaments, 4 slot tournaments and 1 craps tournament. We have spent 18 nights at casinos, all comped. We call these our in-town vacations.  
 
Our monthly calendars are jammed!  
 
Now add to this football season. Every casino has a deal for football season. For example, the Stardust has a FREE $10,000 weekly tournament. It is a mixture of college and pro teams, no points, and costs you nothing to enter. Once you have registered you simply stop by and submit your picks. Again, it's all about getting you IN the casino.  
 
The Station casinos are all linked together for their football tournament. Again, once you have registered and purchased a tournament entry card ($25) you can be part of their football tournament. If you purchase 2 entries, ($50) you get a third entry free and $30 in slot value play. PC turned her slot play into $20 and I turned mine into $25 reducing the cost of our 3 entries to $30 and $25 respectively.  
 
The Stations tournament is for pro games only and pays $10,000 each week to 1st Place Most Winners and $5,000 each week to 1st Place Most Losers. The year end prize is $100,000 to Most Winners, $50,000 to Most Losers and $200,000 to the "Fiddle in the Middle." The calendar keeps filling up!  
 
We used to plan our vacations around places that had casinos. Now we go where there are NO casinos, except for our in-town vacations.  
 
Actually one of the best parts about living in Las Vegas are the friends we have made. Beau and Beth top the list and just being part of DiceCoach.Com has allowed us to meet many of you who come for the classes, functions or just to visit. We always enjoy getting together with you for a shoot, dinner or a few drinks, provided our calendar is not full.  
 
We play in a blackjack tournament twice a week at our local casino and we know almost everyone who plays. In addition, all of the dealers and pit crew know us by our first names and are always glad to see us. If either of us is gone for the day everyone asks where we are. It's like one big family and it's fun.  
 
It's a crazy life here full of fun and surprises. The other day Beau asked me what I did yesterday and without thinking I replied, "I had to take some time off to work!"  
 
Sometimes I just Have To Pinch Myself!  

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