Sitka or Bust: Commute The World

I’ve never been much of a gambler. Even Pokemon Pinball seems to get under my skin and I itch to win at all times. I get overly excited and make stupid bets, wagering what I don’t have. These are all reasons why I tend to avoid the art of gambling. But up here, once you get that big tip of the month you really have nothing else to spend it on. I’ve made it a point to avoid all shops and stores where items may be purchased, unless I have a dire need. But unfortunately, not having a local bank account results in a collection of cold hard cash that has to be blown somewhere.

I know my limits. Don’t get me wrong, I make small bets and don’t go over my head. I’m a “smart”gambler, if that’s even possible. The guys and I spend the evenings in the Boar’s Nest rolling dice or playing blackjack. I don’t have many card shark skills, but I do know blackjack pretty well. I mean really, if you can count to 21 you should do alright. Dice takes no skill whatsoever. Well, I suppose keeping the three dice on the table revolves around skill. If even one falls, your roll is forfeited and you will generally lose.

Three dice are rolled, if you get doubles the outside die is recorded and your score is high or low based on the spots. A pair of twos and a three will beat a pair of sixes with a one. The outside die is the defining factor. Doubles are beaten by triples, with the highest taking the pot. If you roll a one, two, three that is an automatic lose. I’ve never earned one, but they often result in a series of boos and shouts of “fail.” If you roll a four, five, six that is the best roll of all, automatically winning you the pot and bragging rights. I’ve gotten a few of those in my days as a gambler.

Not to brag, but for the first three nights I played, I broke even every night. Then, the guys started to regard me as a player and stopped taking it easy on me. Now, I have to battle it out and pay through the nose if I lose. But hey, don’t write a check with your mouth that your ass can’t cash. If I’m learning anything, its how greed can let you down and that you shouldn’t bank on money that isn’t in your hands yet. Who says you stop learning once you graduate college? I’m learning more in the real world than I would’ve staying in the nest. Not to mention, I’m learning how to take the licks life gives you. I may be cruising toward an early death due to ulcer or panic attack, but I’m gonna experience as much as I can while I’ve still got the time.

Besides, gambling keeps my brain working on basic math. And, I suppose it keeps me from doing stupid stuff out of boredom. See the above picture for reference. Vacuum sealing adults in heavy duty garbage bags is probably a step closer to becoming a serial killer than I’d hoped, but skills are skills.