I'm glad to have been back from my brief sojourn in Reno, Nevada,(more about Reno) to which city I'll be back every now and then, as my finances will allow this. This city is considered to be secondary to Las Vegas as the "world's gambling capital" (which can also be claimed by some other cities anywhere in the world). I've been glad to have been given more opportunities to enjoy all the other offerings that Reno has during my stay there. The results of which can be seen on the short videos I made from the pictures I took while enjoying my walks along the Truckee River, being able to be around Reno's Hot Air Balloon celebrations in the University of Nevada-Reno (UNR), being able to attend Presidential candidate Sen. Obama's speech and shake his hand (also at UNR), and being around during one of those "Street Vibrations" crazy nights where you'd see over a thousand motorcycles moving around the city, among other diversions (as Reno is far, far different from Las Vegas).
Of course, I got myself engrossed in doing some gambling. Being in Reno, apparently, exposes one, including myself to the delights and sorrows of gambling. This visit, actually is my 3rd time around being in the city. I've been previously to Las Vegas, one time, but Reno is different, in that it's got more small-town appeal, and I see a lot of regular people who look different from the place where I've lived most times here in the US (in a much, much bigger and international city, NYC).
The point of this write-up is to relate the value of the lessons I've collected from my gambling experiences, which I inadvertently gained, among others during this visit in Reno, Nevada. The circumstances of the interesting times when I was recently in Reno were that the Wall Street momentous downfall was taking place, one shock after another, while I was staying in Reno. Such mind-boggling contrasts have come into mind, as I realize I've done gambling, which to some really large extent is the kind of "gambling" done by those businessmen and investors engaged in the so-called "toxic derivatives and swaps" that have tried to bet, to wager on the monetized securities (whether they'd go up and down, and will subsequently bring in winnings and loses) backed-up by money lent by banks in the form of sub-prime housing mortgages to unknowing and less sophisticated clients (most of which, thought, would make a killing if they buy their houses now and hopefully earn big when they sell when the real estate market is going good). These failures on the stock market affect the credit grip that paralyzes those in business. Now, that's a lot of business finance concepts to gulp at this time, which are designed to be exclusive and confusing to outsiders, and MBA graduates like myself have to diligently learn and explain in our own layman's terms when we graduate. Yet, this is also to some extent, very, very similar to the kind of gambling that happens in casinos, including those wonderful looking casinos I've visited and gambled in during my stay in Reno. Some just say that in business, we are "investing," whereas in gambling, we are "losing."
I've learned to become very fascinated and attracted to these slot-machines found in these casinos, that are designed to bring out the "gambling" character in anyone, or everyone who has been into casinos. Of course, not everyone gets fascinated by casinos, and all their fancy accoutrements. I've promised myself that I'd spend up to this much amount. But I've persisted, as I was actually winning, every time I get to visit the casino. I was thinking I'd be invulnerable to the forces out there (they'd be the "house" or the casino itself, or those well meaning people around me, who'd be advising me to "take it easy.") I've also seen that my friend who'd be with me when I go to the casinos in Reno, would also be winning. But the winning stopped, and I lost as much as I have won. I was instantly back to my very same status as I started my gambling. Take note, I've used up some amount of money on slot machines, some of which I tested my intuition on, to determine if they would play my direction (but they didn't, eventually). My friend was playing poker, which was looking to be interesting to me, such that I even ventured to start learning the game, and be able to gamble some other, given opportunities.
Some psychologists and other analysts have ventured out theories why people would gamble, lose, and still would persist on gambling. Have you seen the movie "Leaving Las Vegas"?(read about the movie)
I've some emotional affiliation with the movie, even before I've gone to gambling myself. My late Father was himself an inveterate gambler (he's love to bet on horses, jai alai, etc), and he drunk a lot himself, and he smoked a lot (that have caused him lung cancer, & may God always bless his soul!), and I feel an emotional connection with him, among other things, because of this "gambling" character trait he's got, to which I've always understood I've inherited (if there is such a thing, as I'm actually a huge risk taker myself on a lot of wide range of interests, to which some close friends who know me better, have always known but may have somehow refuse of acknowledge). I've learned a lot in the process. There are really no winnings, unless one takes a risk, plus the more sober idea that goes along this way: "the higher the risks, the bigger the earnings." I think I have better analysis and more lessons to offer about the character trait than most therapists out there, or those who'd like to venture their ideas, without themselves getting into gambling themselves.
My friend and I would exchange ideas about our respective gambling experiences. The gambling experiences in Reno are designed to actually entice ordinary folks and other enthusiasts to have fun while doing gambling (which may be true as well in other gambling places). It's supposed to be a healthy diversion, just to help you focus on winning, and not in losing. I know for a fact that the Philippine national hero, Jose Rizal (more about Rizal on this site!), even himself engaged in some form of small time gambling (I recall he loved to play some exotic card games that were not officially sanctioned by the Spanish authorities then, unlike what they did to "cockfighting"). There are actually professional gamblers out there. It's that inner desire to win, to make a killing, that would make you win, more than anything else. You're actually left on your own, as you are responsible for your own actions, decisions. But the great and loving God will as always help you, one way or another. Winning does indeed take place. Losing eventually happens. And one wins, one loses. And one does not stop from just being in a losing position, as one stands up from where he/she has lost, failed upon. I saw some signs actually inside the huge and wonderful looking Peppermill's (more about the hotel on this site!) ground floor casino that tells about a contact number (or could it be a name?) to call, in case you feel you'd becoming addicted to gambling. There's always help out there, apparently. But when really do we seek out help? I'm afraid I won't, until I don't see the "fear" leaving the eyes of those good-intentioned fellows, or the words being admonished towards my directions, when I talk about these gambling-related learnings and experiences. Fear apparently is a bad motivator, to some people.
I recall seeing a number of fellows who have badly lost that much amount of money as they live and work in Reno. I remember someone who was filing a bankruptcy petition, and who I was told used to own such big businesses less than a year ago, and who's now ready to go back to the state where he grew up. I saw him and his family pass by where I was seated while playing one of the slot machines in one big casino in the Grand Sierra (more about the hotel on this site!) , and I was sure they'd be hitting the games in the casino that night. And I remember one woman who's a licensed nurse, and could not get herself employed on a regular basis. I've learned she has been winning on the Keno games, and have lost badly as well, in risking her all in gambling. And I know somehow, why.
