Weekend Wonders

Dice. Craps. Betting Strategies. Big wins. Heartbreaking losses. The glory of days gone by – and days to come. Some of us live this stuff 24/7. But do you really have to live and breathe craps to be successful at it?

I sat down to write this article, initially thinking that I’d talk about the difference in weekend players and weekday players. And yes, I think there is a difference. Savvy players avoid the CASINOS on weekends when drunks and randies populate the tables. Smart players hit the CASINO during off hours through the week when the tables are uncrowded and there are more shooting opportunities. That’s the route I started out on. But the more I thought about it – the more I realized just how important weekends can be to DI’s.

Most of us are not fortunate enough to live a life of leisure year round. We plod along at our 9 to 5 Monday through Friday jobs – manufacturing, selling, servicing, consulting, harvesting – whatever that job entails. And when weekends roll around we’re ready for down-time. For many of us that means a trip to the CASINO for a little recreational action. And that’s fine – as long as you realize that these weekend trips are just that – recreational. Serious players work the casinos like you and I work a job – Monday through Friday – with regular work hours. That work may include live play from 5AM – 10AM, a couple of hours to read the forums or catch up on reading the latest gaming books, and a couple of hours practice time on your table or rig. If you’re a serious gambler you might expand into THE STOCK MARKET, a little real estate speculation, or a small start up. All of those are risk-intense “jobs” as well. But weekends are for something else.

If you have kids then weekends should be spent at soccer games, karate tournaments, the zoo, the lake, birthday parties, pizza parlors, or just camping out in the back yard. You don’t go into the office. You don’t check our office e-mail. You might catch up on a little reading at bedtime and you definitely romance your spouse or partner. Weekends are when you rejuvenate yourself, and should include combination of family activities with their kids and spouse, errands, and creative activities to exercise the right side of their brain.

Okay, I admit that I don’t do everything on this list. I’m hopeless when it comes to things like exercise and eating right. But here’s my list of things to do on the weekend OTHER than stand at the craps table and lose your money.

Make time for friends and family – The family you ignore now is the same one who will look after you when you’re too old and infirm to take care of yourself.

* Do something you are passionate about that gives back to the community – I can’t begin to tell you how much my wife and I gained from foster parenting through the years – including a daughter.

* Get away from work with a mini-vacation – our “ghost adventure” in Jefferson, Texas’ haunted hotel a couple of weeks back was one of the best get-aways we’ve had in years – and it was less than 90 minutes from my front door.

* Avoid chores – free time is too valuable to waste on it. Need the grass mowed? Hire the kid from down the street.

*Socialize with friends or make new ones * Humans are social animals by nature.

* Find a hobby you love – This is your chance to spend a couple of hours working on a toss tweak or new set or grip on the practice rigs, folks. But keep it in perspective – and keep it out of the casino. Instead, do something artistic. Paint, sculpt, visit a museum, go to the theater – or better still, audition for a little theater part.

* Meditate – and I’ll throw prayer into this category as well. Whether you find your God within or without, it’s important to spend time seeking spiritual input and inner peace. It is also one of the best ways to recharge your batteries for the week to come.

* Exercise and Eat Right – yeah, I put it last on my list and it should probably be first. Do all of the above and odds are you’ll get your exercise – especially if you’re chasing kids at the zoo or swimming at the lake. As for food – hey, just cut back on unhealthy fats and sugar. And remember, BBQ should be a fundamental part of everyone’s weekend meals.

Casino craps is a great game that offers us significant opportunities to add to our bottom line. But if you’re not a full time player then you should keep it all in perspective. Take time to refresh, recharge, and enjoy the things you’ve worked for in life. At the end of your days you’ll have something to look back on besides endless hours staring at green felt and red cubes. You’ll have a life.