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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 98 to 122 of 226. Go back in thread:
Posted by Phillipa on November 8, 2010, at 20:08:15
In reply to Re: Poll of the day: at the airport » Phillipa, posted by Dinah on November 7, 2010, at 21:21:11
Good point sure hope it doesn't come to that Phillipa
Posted by Dr. Bob on November 12, 2010, at 1:01:49
In reply to Re: Poll of the day: at the airport, posted by Dr. Bob on November 5, 2010, at 19:05:43
Do you visit casinos often? Why or why not?
Posted by Free on November 12, 2010, at 3:20:39
In reply to Re: Poll of the day: casinos, posted by Dr. Bob on November 12, 2010, at 1:01:49
> Do you visit casinos often?
No. I've only gone once.
> Why or why not?I have a fear of gambling addiction. I witnessed my dad's friend lose his successful career and wife to gambling addiction.
He would often call our home from Vegas to beg my dad for money because he was completely broke from gambling.
Some-days, he would call from morning to night, in frantic desperation, and I would have to repeatedly tell this sad man
that my dad's not home.I might have other addictions, but gambling's not going to be one of them. Thank goodness.
Posted by Dinah on November 12, 2010, at 6:30:36
In reply to Re: Poll of the day: casinos, posted by Dr. Bob on November 12, 2010, at 1:01:49
No.
I too have family members who became addicted to gambling.
But that's not the reason. I just don't find it very interesting. Even at the racetrack, which I do love and have been attending since I was a child, I generally bet imaginary money. Even with imaginary money I don't bet extravagantly.
I find a hard time having fun when I'm worried about losing money. Giving away money for the expectation of winning like amounts does not appeal. Not when I can spend it and get a sure return with a purchase.
On the other hand, the booths with the spinning wheel at the parish fair when I was little could hold me enthralled. For only a quarter I had the chance of winning the magical loot behind the counter. Those were some pretty expensive toys in the end. :) That never felt so much like gambling. It was paying a small amount in exchange for a dream. For a good cause too, though I'm unlikely to have thought about that.
The lottery or prize drawings are like the spinning wheel. You don't pay in the expectation of winning. But one or two dollars a week seems a small price for a dream.
Posted by PartlyCloudy on November 12, 2010, at 6:33:37
In reply to Re: Poll of the day: casinos, posted by Dr. Bob on November 12, 2010, at 1:01:49
> Do you visit casinos often? Why or why not?
Never. I do have family members who are addicted to gambling but that is not what keeps me away. I don't care for the distraction of the ringing bells or smell of smoke; and particularly I don't care for the odds. The house always wins!
pc
Posted by Dinah on November 12, 2010, at 8:22:41
In reply to Re: Poll of the day: casinos, posted by PartlyCloudy on November 12, 2010, at 6:33:37
You're right. The smoke is awful.
On the other hand, the casino resorts on the water can be nice for a weekend getaway. No need to actually go to the casinos.
Posted by PartlyCloudy on November 12, 2010, at 10:31:51
In reply to Re: Poll of the day: casinos » PartlyCloudy, posted by Dinah on November 12, 2010, at 8:22:41
> You're right. The smoke is awful.
>
> On the other hand, the casino resorts on the water can be nice for a weekend getaway. No need to actually go to the casinos.That's very true :-)
Also, I just returned from a vacation in the southwest, where we stayed at a very large casino resort - sprawling. It was so very huge that it was easy to avoid the casino area of the place. Still, it was unnerving to see the busloads of people arrive to spend an entire *day* at the slots. (Boggled my little mind, at least.)pc
Posted by Deneb on November 13, 2010, at 1:06:28
In reply to Re: Poll of the day: casinos, posted by Dr. Bob on November 12, 2010, at 1:01:49
No I don't visit casinos often. I visited some casinos as a child when my family went on a tour of California and the surrounding states (Vegas). Obviously I didn't gamble. LOL
I've visited a casino once as a adult and I gambled 5 dollars. I was not going to spend more than 5 dollars. I didn't really go to gamble. I was just curious about the inside of that casino.
The odds of making a profit at a casino are slim because the odds are in the casino's favour, always.
I also know the odds of winning the lottery and I've decided that my odds of winning the lottery without having purchased a ticket are not that much worse than my odds with a ticket so I don't buy lottery tickets LOL. A couple of dollars a week playing the lottery adds up to over $100 in a year. That's money down the drain.
Posted by ed_uk2010 on November 13, 2010, at 15:26:42
In reply to Re: Poll of the day: casinos, posted by Dr. Bob on November 12, 2010, at 1:01:49
> Do you visit casinos often? Why or why not?
Nope, I have no desire to gamble.
Posted by Free on November 13, 2010, at 15:46:03
In reply to Re: Poll of the day: casinos, posted by ed_uk2010 on November 13, 2010, at 15:26:42
> Nope, I have no desire to gamble.
>Yup, why would I want to visit a casino to gamble anyway?
My life feels like a casino. I already gamble everyday.
It's a risky venture.
Posted by obsidian on November 13, 2010, at 21:07:12
In reply to Re: Poll of the day: at the airport, posted by Dr. Bob on November 5, 2010, at 19:05:43
> Have you ever picked up friends or family at the airport? Do you do it often? How does it feel?
yeah, but not very often
it's nice to have them back!
Posted by obsidian on November 13, 2010, at 21:13:33
In reply to Re: Poll of the day: casinos, posted by Dr. Bob on November 12, 2010, at 1:01:49
> Do you visit casinos often? Why or why not?
god no, I hate those places
even when I was in vegas I avoided them :-)
sincerely though, I did kind of
I saw enough to know I don't like them
and I never even looked inside the one on the cruise I took
they are loud places, with too much stuff in general going on inside of them, and they are often maze like, without windows so you don't see the daylight or perhaps realize the time
they feel like desperation and emptiness and anxiety all shined up like it's a new happy day
yuck
and you know what....I generally hate the rugs in them (if there is a rug)I also just don't enjoy gambling
Posted by sigismund on November 14, 2010, at 14:13:34
In reply to Re: Poll of the day: casinos, posted by obsidian on November 13, 2010, at 21:13:33
>even when I was in vegas I avoided them :-)
My son tells me they give out free drinks.
I saw some of his films of Vegas. Terrible carpets.
Should I buy real estate there?
Posted by sigismund on November 14, 2010, at 14:19:05
In reply to Re: Poll of the day: casinos, posted by sigismund on November 14, 2010, at 14:13:34
>My son tells me they give out free drinks.
I wonder if that includes Irish whisky?
Posted by sigismund on November 14, 2010, at 15:27:02
In reply to Re: Poll of the day: casinos, posted by sigismund on November 14, 2010, at 14:19:05
I wanted to find Cowboy Junkies version of Ooh Las Vegas by Gram Parsons, but it's not on youtube.
It's easily the best version I know of.
It contains the wonderful verse.........
'Spent all night at the dealers
Trying to get ahead
Spent all day at the Holiday Inn
Trying to get out of bed.'
Posted by Free on November 14, 2010, at 15:33:30
In reply to Re: Poll of the day: casinos, posted by sigismund on November 14, 2010, at 14:19:05
> >My son tells me they give out free drinks.
>
> I wonder if that includes Irish whisky?
>Probably. My Bloody Mary was free.
The one time I was at a casino in Vegas, I didn't know the drinks were free.
I had to go looking for my waitress who never came back with the change for my $20. After wandering the casino for 15 min., I found her in the lobby. When I asked her for my change, she literally threw the $20 at me and angrily said the drinks were on the house. Ouch.
That experience left me with a bad taste in my mouth and added to my repulsion towards casinos. I felt punished for not having known their rules. Very odd.
Posted by sigismund on November 15, 2010, at 1:42:57
In reply to Re: Poll of the day: casinos, posted by Free on November 14, 2010, at 15:33:30
>I felt punished for not having known their rules
I thought of saying
My name is Sigismund. I have come from Australia to gamble in your wonderful casino. However I am very tired. You don't have an Irish Whisky I could drink while I try to understand how all this works? Unfortunately I have none of your currency. Do you like my accent?
With a winning smile, that might do it?
Posted by sigismund on November 15, 2010, at 1:45:01
In reply to Re: Poll of the day: casinos » Free, posted by sigismund on November 15, 2010, at 1:42:57
>Unfortunately I have none of your currency.
I wouldn't be saying that. Please ignore.
Posted by Free on November 15, 2010, at 21:15:47
In reply to Re: Poll of the day: casinos » Free, posted by sigismund on November 15, 2010, at 1:42:57
> >I felt punished for not having known their rules
>
> I thought of saying
>
> My name is Sigismund. I have come from Australia to gamble in your wonderful casino. However I am very tired. You don't have an Irish Whisky I could drink while I try to understand how all this works? Unfortunately I have none of your currency. Do you like my accent?
>
> With a winning smile, that might do it?
>Yes, I think that might have done it.
A good accent and a winning smile is a kind of currency. I've learned over the years that its street value is high.
I was a very naive twenty year old in that casino. I didn't have an accent, but I did have a winning smile, and I was full of hope.
But I was too young to understand this and many other things.
What do they say about youth being wasted on the young? I'm starting to understand that this is a sad knowledge to have firsthand.
Posted by sigismund on November 16, 2010, at 2:04:50
In reply to Re: Poll of the day: casinos » sigismund, posted by Free on November 15, 2010, at 21:15:47
>I didn't have an accent, but I did have a winning smile, and I was full of hope.
It doesn't matter to everyone.
>But I was too young to understand this and many other things.
Yes
>What do they say about youth being wasted on the young? I'm starting to understand that this is a sad knowledge to have firsthand.
Now you're talking.
Well yes, it is sad and the best reason for any of us to use what we have left wisely.
It is (you know) unutterably tragic and absolutely common.
Posted by Free on November 16, 2010, at 17:48:53
In reply to Re: Poll of the day: casinos, posted by sigismund on November 16, 2010, at 2:04:50
> >I didn't have an accent, but I did have a winning smile, and I was full of hope.
>
> It doesn't matter to everyone.
>But it did matter to most everyone I've met at the casino.
And it matters more than it should when you feel you have very little else.> >But I was too young to understand this and many other things.
>
> Yes
>And it seems, the more you know the less you want to know.
> >What do they say about youth being wasted on the young? I'm starting to understand that this is a sad knowledge to have firsthand.
>
> Now you're talking.
> Well yes, it is sad and the best reason for any of us to use what we have left wisely.
> It is (you know) unutterably tragic and absolutely common.
>You are right. It is common. And knowing that the process of walking through this unavoidable fire is merely a common tragedy, is like a salt over a wound. I guess I want my wounds to have more meaning than that.
What do they say about going through this process gracefully? The rebel in me says to put up a fight and skid in sideways to the end of my journey...with what's left of my winning smile and whatever else intact.
Maybe I will feel differently if I happen on some wisdom while I skid towards the end. Or maybe not.
Posted by sigismund on November 16, 2010, at 20:33:36
In reply to Re: Poll of the day: casinos » sigismund, posted by Free on November 16, 2010, at 17:48:53
Hey, this medium is rife with the potential for misunderstanding. (Which may or may not have happened!)
What I meant about it not mattering to everyone is that not everyone has a strong feeling about the painfulness of the ruin of innocence.
But maybe I can't understand something? At any rate, I think it should matter a great deal.
> And knowing that the process of walking through this unavoidable fire is merely a common tragedy, is like a salt over a wound.
You *could* see this as the qualification for humanity and empathy. This is what we all share. It's part of our journey.
I don't mean to be trite (one of life's reliable pleasures if you can get away with it), but I think we don't need to be special because we already are.
And we can gain a lot from knowing our pain from inside. (Buddhism 101, what would I do without you?)When I was younger time stretched away in front of me forever. Now I am older I am so much more struck by the beauty of people and the ruin of hope.
Probably that's why youth is wasted on the young. But what would the young do if they knew their lives were going to end tomorrow? Maybe what everybody does? Speak to their loved ones and make amends?
Although it has to be said that when a good proportion of older people talk about this they must have love and sex in mind. As in, with a body like that and a mind like I have now, I wouldn't waste nearly as much time as I did.
There, I've said it: your mind gets better with age. I do believe that. I'd just prefer never to put it like that. There must be lots of evidence to the contrary.
Posted by Free on November 17, 2010, at 2:42:03
In reply to Re: Poll of the day: casinos » Free, posted by sigismund on November 16, 2010, at 20:33:36
> Hey, this medium is rife with the potential for misunderstanding. (Which may or may not have happened!)
>
> What I meant about it not mattering to everyone is that not everyone has a strong feeling about the painfulness of the ruin of innocence.
>
> But maybe I can't understand something? At any rate, I think it should matter a great deal.
>
No, you understand a lot...a lot of pearls. I was talking superficially and not being clear.I guess tormenting myself with what ifs about a twenty something year old therapist that I had to say goodbye to has me feeling, well, not so youthful. He was very kind and full of hope. And he made me feel like that twenty year old girl with the winning smile again. That's why it matters so much so soon.
But I'm processing all of this with my current therapist. She understands and accepts me like no other, and we're doing really good work together. Letting the pain surface, and understanding its origin and progression. And it is painful, but I've never felt more real. I've got a long, long way to go though, but I've just begun this new journey.
Sorry I wasn't being clear. :)
Posted by Free on November 17, 2010, at 10:16:16
In reply to Re: Poll of the day: casinos » Free, posted by sigismund on November 16, 2010, at 20:33:36
> Although it has to be said that when a good proportion of older people talk about this they must have love and sex in mind. As in, with a body like that and a mind like I have now, I wouldn't waste nearly as much time as I did.
>
> There, I've said it: your mind gets better with age. I do believe that. I'd just prefer never to put it like that. There must be lots of evidence to the contrary.
>:) You're funny. I guess at least I have a better mind to look forward to.
Posted by Dr. Bob on November 21, 2010, at 12:39:19
In reply to Re: Poll of the day: casinos, posted by Dr. Bob on November 12, 2010, at 1:01:49
Have you heard Willow Smith's hit song entitled "Whip My Hair"? If so, what do you think of it? (She is the daughter of Will Smith and ten years old!)
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