Sona is one of the funniest people I know when it comes to swearing. She looks so nice and then a stream of obscenities come out of her mouth.
In the break room today, she was relating a story about one of the players she was dealing to in the high limit room. "He's such an ass. I gave him $30,000 and he gave me a quarter and he's so mean and rude. You gave me a quarter, you son-of-a-bitch. I show you, you mother fucker. I'll fuck you up. I'll fucking change my shuffle, you fuck." She smiles showing the face that she gives to the player. "Instead of stripping 5 times. I stripped 14 times. I showed him, the ass. He said, 'What happened? You got so hot all of a sudden.'" She showed us her smile again, "I don't know what happened. That's too bad." Her smile fades, "We're such good actors. Such a business we're in."
She shares the same Vegas pet peeves as I do. Everyone in Vegas has two conversations. One is the changing house market. "I bought my house for $90,000 and now it is worth $225,000." You hear that an awful lot here. Since both Sona and I rent, we don't care. One time, she called over someone and asked how much he bought his house for. He responded with the typical answer that included how much it was worth now. Her response, "I don't fucking care how much it is worth. Get the fuck out of here." The other conversation is about how much Vegas has grown. "I remember when Rainbow Blvd. was the edge of town and now it just keeps going." Then the conversations go on and on about where different stores were, etc. Her response no matter where they are talking about, "I don't fucking care what was on the corner of Rainbow and Flamingo in 1978. Shut the fuck up." Which is exactly how I feel, too.
Tuesday, August 31, 2004
Monday, August 30, 2004
The Da Vinci Code
I'm dumber for having read The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown.
I guess that is not what most people would expect me to say about it. Actually, when I started reading it, I was fascinated. Then, it started to become philosophy fiction. Philosophy fiction is my way of describing large amounts of philosophy (or theology) disguised as fiction. In other words, philosophy made more palatable by making you think you are reading a story. Such other examples of philosophy fiction are Sophie's World (not horrible) and the crap-fest known as Ishmael: An Adventure of the Mind and Spirit, a story about a talking gorilla that teaches a naive human. Usually, such books have extensive dialogue where the knowledgeable teacher instructs the eager and fascinated "student". The writer wants you to identify with the student. It's a lesson made easy through dialogue. My biggest problem with philosophy fiction is that there are better ways to get the point across. Dialogue is the easy way out. A good author can construct a fascinating story to make similar points and not make it be a lecture.
Dan Brown tries to put too much information in the book. A couple points are fine. I really don't think it was necessary to find symbols everywhere. He says that it is no mere coincidence that the "Little Mermaid" has flowing red hair. You know what, I think it is a coincidence. Not everything is about the "sacred feminine". I don't want to hear that phrase anymore. Not because I think it is a bad idea, but because he says it a million times to the point where I thought he was replacing the pronouns, "she" and "her". For example, it felt like this: He kissed the sacred feminine. The sacred feminine's cheeks blushed as the sacred feminine dropped the sacred feminine purse. Argh.
Some stuff he says is true and some stuff is not. That doesn't really bother me, but he presents both in the same way, through a lecture. Christians are up in arms about this book, why? To me, it is like arguing how many angels fit on the head of a pin. In the end, it basically just making the point that women should be included in religion as equals and not villains. Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene? Who cares? Does it really change your religious beliefs? It really never says that Christianity is not the way. It criticizes the Opus Dei, but who doesn't? It criticizes earlier religious organizations, ie. the inquisition. Again, that's not new news, they were evil, how else were we to have the dark ages?
The stupidest thing though was the female character's reaction to finding her Grandfather having an orgy. 3/4 of the book is leading up to what happened, why did she disown him? You don't find out until, the male character (the teacher) asks if it was a sex ritual. She can barely bring herself to say "yes". The women were in white robes wearing white masks and the men were in black robes wearing black masks. The "teacher" explains that is was a sex ritual to better see god and then everything is OK. Oh well, if it was a sex ritual, then everything is OK with the woman, she was wrong to disown her grandfather. How stupid is she if she didn't recognize that as a sex ritual? And if it is sex to see god, then that makes it OK? On top of this, she is french. A french person that disowns someone for having sex, truly that's fiction.
I guess that is not what most people would expect me to say about it. Actually, when I started reading it, I was fascinated. Then, it started to become philosophy fiction. Philosophy fiction is my way of describing large amounts of philosophy (or theology) disguised as fiction. In other words, philosophy made more palatable by making you think you are reading a story. Such other examples of philosophy fiction are Sophie's World (not horrible) and the crap-fest known as Ishmael: An Adventure of the Mind and Spirit, a story about a talking gorilla that teaches a naive human. Usually, such books have extensive dialogue where the knowledgeable teacher instructs the eager and fascinated "student". The writer wants you to identify with the student. It's a lesson made easy through dialogue. My biggest problem with philosophy fiction is that there are better ways to get the point across. Dialogue is the easy way out. A good author can construct a fascinating story to make similar points and not make it be a lecture.
Dan Brown tries to put too much information in the book. A couple points are fine. I really don't think it was necessary to find symbols everywhere. He says that it is no mere coincidence that the "Little Mermaid" has flowing red hair. You know what, I think it is a coincidence. Not everything is about the "sacred feminine". I don't want to hear that phrase anymore. Not because I think it is a bad idea, but because he says it a million times to the point where I thought he was replacing the pronouns, "she" and "her". For example, it felt like this: He kissed the sacred feminine. The sacred feminine's cheeks blushed as the sacred feminine dropped the sacred feminine purse. Argh.
Some stuff he says is true and some stuff is not. That doesn't really bother me, but he presents both in the same way, through a lecture. Christians are up in arms about this book, why? To me, it is like arguing how many angels fit on the head of a pin. In the end, it basically just making the point that women should be included in religion as equals and not villains. Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene? Who cares? Does it really change your religious beliefs? It really never says that Christianity is not the way. It criticizes the Opus Dei, but who doesn't? It criticizes earlier religious organizations, ie. the inquisition. Again, that's not new news, they were evil, how else were we to have the dark ages?
The stupidest thing though was the female character's reaction to finding her Grandfather having an orgy. 3/4 of the book is leading up to what happened, why did she disown him? You don't find out until, the male character (the teacher) asks if it was a sex ritual. She can barely bring herself to say "yes". The women were in white robes wearing white masks and the men were in black robes wearing black masks. The "teacher" explains that is was a sex ritual to better see god and then everything is OK. Oh well, if it was a sex ritual, then everything is OK with the woman, she was wrong to disown her grandfather. How stupid is she if she didn't recognize that as a sex ritual? And if it is sex to see god, then that makes it OK? On top of this, she is french. A french person that disowns someone for having sex, truly that's fiction.
(2 comments) - (Post a new comment)
 | Unlike everyone else in the damn world, I've never read a word of Dan Brown. I figure I'd better read some Castaneda or some Plato even Zen and the Fucking Art of Motorcycle Maintenance first. I did read Jonathan Livingston Seagull, though. That was one smart seagull. He was questing. I really felt for him. You know who's good for putting philosophical discourse into fiction? Robert Anton Wilson. Of course, it's all hippie Eris-worship Discordian bullshit philosophical bullshit ... but it's interesting, anyway. M (Reply to this) (Thread) |
| I'm over philosophy for the time being. I read Jonathan Living Seagull, too. For the life of me, I don't remember a thing about it. Doesn't he get caught and choked by plastic from a six-pack? Yeah, I don't remember. Obviously, it really changed my life. What we are looking at is McPhilosophy. Easy to swallow and digest. In the case of Dan Brown, McTheology (same diff really). |
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=1){kind=small}
Official News
It's official. I didn't make it into the show, "The Casino". The last horrible show aired Sunday night. I didn't see it, but I don't think it had me in it. I was just in the background anyway, but I wanted to see the dealer that dealt to him. She turned white as a ghost when the player came in with a stack of $20,000 in cash and the cameras followed. We gave her such a hard time about it.
I'm also not going to be in the high limit pit as much. They are cutting the high limit staff in half during the week to save money. "It will save $250,000 a year". The irony of this was that it was said as someone had just lost $225,000. Everyone thinks that this is a bad business decision, but I'm excited to get out the high limit pit. No longer having to stand dead waiting for jerks to show up.
There is also a contest at work right now to rename the zodiac progressive slots. I could win a free dinner at Zax. Any ideas? They say keep it vintage and Vegas. I think they are getting rid of the zodiac theme entirely, but I can't tell. Vintage, Vegas, and Zodiac is way too much to come up with, so I'm sure they are kicking out Zodiac.
I'm also not going to be in the high limit pit as much. They are cutting the high limit staff in half during the week to save money. "It will save $250,000 a year". The irony of this was that it was said as someone had just lost $225,000. Everyone thinks that this is a bad business decision, but I'm excited to get out the high limit pit. No longer having to stand dead waiting for jerks to show up.
There is also a contest at work right now to rename the zodiac progressive slots. I could win a free dinner at Zax. Any ideas? They say keep it vintage and Vegas. I think they are getting rid of the zodiac theme entirely, but I can't tell. Vintage, Vegas, and Zodiac is way too much to come up with, so I'm sure they are kicking out Zodiac.
(5 comments) - (Post a new comment)
| Hmmm I am trying to think of a name for the Zodiac progressive, alas I can not think of anything. I suppose that is ok though, would you really want to go have dinner at your work on one of your days off? I am also sorry that you have been banished back to the riff-raff room, with the sleazy less than gazillionaires. Oh'well I guess you have never really been a salon snob anyway. I won't see you today so have fun. love, "little" Greg (Reply to this) (Thread) |
| I wouldn't mind going to Zax for dinner. I hear customers say how great it is all the time. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread) |
| hehe did you really have to tell me this in the journal..ahhh you know where I live, don't you? (Reply to this) (Parent) |
| Seagal Slots? How bout Bugsys Bouillon oo oo oo no how about Mafia Millions Vintage enough? (Reply to this) (Thread) |
| Maybe too vintage. Why don't we just name it "Buried out in the Desert"? or "Bomb under Car". They are trying to get away from the mafia image. |
Saturday, August 28, 2004
Free Stuff
Today was rather uneventful being that it is my "Sunday". I made another trip to my local "Texas Station" Casino. "But why Patrick? You went yesterday and wrote a scathing report on their buffet?" That is a good question. I'm glad you asked it.
Every Friday (again that would be my "Sunday"), they have a special for their slot club members. Sometimes, it is free money. "Free money? You must be joking! This Vegas truly is a paradise." Yes, Casinos care deeply about people and show it by having members put a hand in a barrel to reveal their prize. The two times that I have gone, I have gotten $3 both times!!!! The joke is on them though. I got my money and left, Ha! Apparently, you can draw a card that let's you spin the "Wheel of Cash". On the "Wheel of Cash", there are prizes ranging from $10 to $1,000. Someday, I'll get it. In the meantime, I will collect my $3 and run, Ha!
Today, however, was not a free money day. Among the choices today, I could get a paper-thin beach towel that says "Station Casinos" on it. The lady behind the counter said, "It folds up, kind of, with a string." ...A folding towel??? Sounded too complicated to me. I passed on that, hoping for something simple.
They had "Station Casino" sandals. They were the height of fashion in black rubber. "They come in size 8 and size 10". I glanced around at the people behind me. Oddly enough, I think that everyone there was of two uniform sizes. Women wore 8's and men wore 10's. I felt like the giant fool that stumbled into the isolated land of the pygmies. In any case, I could not use a pair of pygmy sandals.
There was a metal "Station Casinos" coffee cup. I don't think that metal is the best material for holding a hot beverage. High quality sauce pans avoid metal handles for a reason. Drinking from a metal coffee cup is asking for multiple burns on your lips. Sure metal coffee cups make a statement, but I don't want the statement to be "the person drinking is a stupid fool".
They had a spice shaker. This was by far the most hideous spice shaker I have ever seen. It is what I ended up getting though. It is made from a light-weight ceramic. It has a handle and is poorly painted. The body of the shaker is painted in three horizontal stripes. The bottom color is a pale yellow. The middle color is green with brown polka dots. The top stripe is the most hideous of all consisting of vertical stripes and "x"s painted sloppily in clashing green, ocre, brown and orange. The shaker also came with a plate to rest on. After all, everyone knows that a shaker must have a plate. That's what makes it so fancy. The plate is of a similar design, but in the center of the plate is a hot pepper. Why did I get this? Well, everyone needs a spice shaker with a fancy plate, I guess. I should have gotten the "kind of" folding towel.
Every Friday (again that would be my "Sunday"), they have a special for their slot club members. Sometimes, it is free money. "Free money? You must be joking! This Vegas truly is a paradise." Yes, Casinos care deeply about people and show it by having members put a hand in a barrel to reveal their prize. The two times that I have gone, I have gotten $3 both times!!!! The joke is on them though. I got my money and left, Ha! Apparently, you can draw a card that let's you spin the "Wheel of Cash". On the "Wheel of Cash", there are prizes ranging from $10 to $1,000. Someday, I'll get it. In the meantime, I will collect my $3 and run, Ha!
Today, however, was not a free money day. Among the choices today, I could get a paper-thin beach towel that says "Station Casinos" on it. The lady behind the counter said, "It folds up, kind of, with a string." ...A folding towel??? Sounded too complicated to me. I passed on that, hoping for something simple.
They had "Station Casino" sandals. They were the height of fashion in black rubber. "They come in size 8 and size 10". I glanced around at the people behind me. Oddly enough, I think that everyone there was of two uniform sizes. Women wore 8's and men wore 10's. I felt like the giant fool that stumbled into the isolated land of the pygmies. In any case, I could not use a pair of pygmy sandals.
There was a metal "Station Casinos" coffee cup. I don't think that metal is the best material for holding a hot beverage. High quality sauce pans avoid metal handles for a reason. Drinking from a metal coffee cup is asking for multiple burns on your lips. Sure metal coffee cups make a statement, but I don't want the statement to be "the person drinking is a stupid fool".
They had a spice shaker. This was by far the most hideous spice shaker I have ever seen. It is what I ended up getting though. It is made from a light-weight ceramic. It has a handle and is poorly painted. The body of the shaker is painted in three horizontal stripes. The bottom color is a pale yellow. The middle color is green with brown polka dots. The top stripe is the most hideous of all consisting of vertical stripes and "x"s painted sloppily in clashing green, ocre, brown and orange. The shaker also came with a plate to rest on. After all, everyone knows that a shaker must have a plate. That's what makes it so fancy. The plate is of a similar design, but in the center of the plate is a hot pepper. Why did I get this? Well, everyone needs a spice shaker with a fancy plate, I guess. I should have gotten the "kind of" folding towel.
(3 comments) - (Post a new comment)
| OK, this all begs the question ... are you a *slot* player? Isn't that, like, the worst odds you can get in a casino? And do you ever play in Slot Tournaments, because I find the concept of a slot tournament amazingly ridiculous. "Let's all pull the handles really FAST!" In my gambling news, I won $30 in an online Hold Em tournament last night and $25 in an online Hold 'Em tournament this morning. Now I'm going to play the "Lucky Dollar" tournament, in which you are given the opportunity to buy in for one slim dollar and get the chance to win many exciting prizes. I was also really thinking of a road trip next week after my "last day." Burning Man was calling my name. But I'd have to win a lot more tournaments to afford that. Do you know tickets are like $350????? Also my car is a broken down wreck. I know this post is rambling and disjointed, but I had a grilled tuna and cheese sandwich for breakfast, and that's just how it goes. M (Reply to this) (Thread) |
| Really, I don't gamble at all. When I do, I mostly play slots. Yes, the odds are horrible, but when you are paying pennies, who cares? Yep, I play penny slots. As for table games, I play Paigow Poker, because it goes sooooo slow. You know, Vegas is a little known vacation spot and we have an extra room. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread) |
| Well, I *have* been thinking about a vision quest, and what better place to see visions than Las Vegas? My mom has offered to take the Daughter, and the Husband could keep himself happily amused with his computer. The only question is ... would the car make it? We'll see how footloose and fancy free I'm feeling on Friday. M |
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2004-08-31 09:31 am (local) (link)