Ka-Ching

The Borgata...... it is a beautiful hotel, but the shining gold building is a bit removed from the rest of the properties in AC. With reason. It is definitely a major step up from them. It is very elegant with beautiful touches throughout. I was a little reticent about spending $20 for lunch - (afterall it takes away from my slot fund), but after walking into the restaurant..... the doubt disappeared. What a fantastic display of gourmet delights. Of course, I was immediately drawn to the dessert section. The treats were magnificent in presentation and taste.

By the end of the day, like a lot of people we were tired and our wallets were somewhat lighter than when we arrived. After a very long day, I wanted to make a quick stop into Showboat - I used to like their casino. We scoped the room for a while looking for a specific type of machine.. we found them, but ran into too many rude crazy ladies and left - so instead of just leaving to go home, we went next door to the Taj for a final fling. We found the machine we were looking for - and two together! We sat down, put in our bills and played for a few minutes - winning a losing little bits at a time. And then...... ka-ching. I looked up and thought I had won 60 quarters ($15) which would have been nice.... I seemed to have missed the extra zero. I won 600 quarters :-) ($150). NICE! All in all between the gas, tolls, snacks and lunch - I came out about $80 ahead..... Not a bad day out! I made some money and spent a lovely day with a wonderful friend.

Saturday Spotlight - Under The Boardwalk

Atlantic City!

Which is where I will be today!
My slot machine addiction will be fed
as will my tummy at the Borgata buffet!

Heath Care Is Making Me Sick

I am probably going to have to leave the job this summer.
It literally is breaking my heart. They raised our health
premiums to almost $400/mo with a $35/45 copay and
$20-50 prescrip. It's insane and something needs to be
done. Being single and my own sole means of support,
I simply cannot afford it. We only get a minimal cost of
living raise... no merit ones ever for anyone. I felt so
wimpy... I started getting very teary as I was telling
one of my friends there about it (my yoga instructor -
she is wonderful).

So... when school is officially over next week and I have
all the quiet time I need, I have to start looking. It sucks.
Well... at least until I have something else, I have the security
of the job I have and won't have financial issues for a while.

It's been a tough week and a half, but last Saturday was
definitely THE bright spot. So much fun!

Great friends and much rejoicing :-)

Definitely Disney

Just a few of my favorites from the trip - I took 500, so this is a drop in the bucket:

Newark On $25.50 A Day

This morning I had to go to Newark for a very stressful meeting. Now, the city is only about 15 miles from where I live but getting there alive by not taking "the back roads" costs money. Ten bucks for gas, 3.50 for tolls, and 12 for parking. I spent all of an hour at this meeting. This annoyed me.

Some perspective, - Manhattan is also about 15 miles for me to travel to Midtown. I can get there for 6.00, free parking (because I have "that cosmic parking thing") and a lot less stress!

I Am No Longer A Virgin

It was magical - I finally did it. I went to the parks at Disneyworld. Before this trip I never really "got" why people flip out about this place. I do now.

More than a few things impressed me. The food was incredible, the resort was lovely, the astounding attention to detail and the entire operation as a whole. The people there were wonderful and accommodating. We didn't want for anything. It was a fantastic and well deserved vacation.

My next real adventure requires a passport which I do not have yet. I will be submitting the papers next week. Just thinking about this next trip makes me more than happy - it is one that I have dreamt about. All the arrangements for the trip are in place ... I just have to wait until.... January. Time will not pass quick enough!

BackTo Basics

It seems like it has been so long since I've been able to write. Life has been particularly busy and wonderful. Since my last entry, I've seen a bunch of shows, taken an almost week long vacation in the most "magical" of places, visited with friends about the City, celebrated my parent's 50th (!) anniversary, etc.... Life is very good.

I realize that at this point in time, everything is sort of "in place" - and it's a very peaceful feeling. Having the right people in (and in some cases out) of your life at the right time makes for a very pleasing existence.

I have some phenomenal friends that I have made at work. They are creative, intelligent and caring people. In July one of the most fantastic of the bunch is getting married. I cannot wait for this event. It is a 1920's theme wedding in an old mansion. I will be living the good parts of "The Great Gatsby" for one evening. What an event this will be! The dress I have is spectacular and I can't wait to wear it!

A few friend's birthdays are also coming up (one of which I missed last year), so more good times to be had :-)

Inadvertant Eavesdropping

While walking the streets of NYC you are bound to hear things that will either make you stop and giggle or shake your head with confusion and/or wonderment. Here are a few from the past few days :

1) Dude! Now she's making me eat lettuce... WTF?
My thought: Dude! She's "grooming" you for the future... be aware.

2) Man in front of the Marriott Marquis: Yeah, they moved the TKTS booth from Times Square to here.

Woman with him: What do you mean? How could they move Times Square?

3) Visiting Man with first time visitor to NYC pointing to the Port Authority: "See that building? That's where buses come from NJ and Connecticut to Manhattan.

Me feeling friendly: It is amazing that buses come from all over the country and it is so coordinated.

Man: Rolling his eyes and looking at me like I'm an alien says... "pffft - from all over the country - yeah right"

Saturday Spotlight

Yesterday while I was at Walgreens, I saw a couple of teenage guys standing around the empty checkout counter - pointing and giggling. Like apes drawn to a monolith, a couple of their friends joined them and the the laughter got louder. My curiosity got the best of me and I had to see what they were so totally enthralled with. It was this.... I have to admit - it made me laugh also. While I know that it is designed for babies and diaper rash - my first thought was two cheeks stuck together.

SIMply Gay

Yes, I discovered last night that my favorite SIM, Aida is a lesbian. It started out innocently enough... she met some guys over the past week that she wasn't interested in - and all of a sudden her thought bubbles started showing pictures of Tricia. So after a few visits by Tricia, both their thought bubbles started showing hearts and lips.... and so it began. The courting, the first kiss and finally last night... woo hoo (in SIM-speak).

Now the true social butterfly that Aida is, her wants are showing that she wants 2 lovers at once... not literally at once, but just "dating" 2 at once. There is no provision (that I know of) for 3 SIMS to woo hoo together. Now that would be a sight!

I blame Eric for this development - he knows why :-)