Read the following article written by Cheryl Solimini in my Harrah's World publication. Thought some of you who haven't already read it,might also enjoy it as much as I did.

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DEEP THOUGHTS or, everything I know about life, I learned at the slots. by Cheryl Solimini

Some see the world in a grain of sand, others find truth in a blade of grass. But for me, many of life's most important lessons have been revealed in the pull of a slot machine. Here, some of the universal truths I've gleaned while gaming:

MONEY DOESN'T BUY HAPPINESS. THE GAME OF LIFE machine gave me a choice of careers--accountant, doctor, computer geek. But then I saw belly dancer! The salary turned out to be pretty good, and my next spin catapulted me into Early Retirement. If you travel a less lucrative but more fun path, it can pay off in more ways than one.

ALWAYS CHEER ANOTHER'S GOOD FORTUNE. Once I abandoned a slot that wasn't meeting my immediate needs. I returned later to find someone else collecting my jackpot. Though I felt disgruntled, I congratulated the woman, moved to another slot--and scored my biggest win of the day. Now I know that just as with a pizza pie, there are always enough slices to go around. So be generous.

WHEN YOU FIND A WINNING COMBINATION, STICK WITH IT. Two coins on five lines? A machine on the aisle? If you know in your heart what's right for you, have faith, even in hard times. You're likely to come out ahead, even if you don't win every time.

JUST WHEN YOU THINK YOU'RE DOWN AND OUT, LIFE HANDS YOU A BONUS ROUND. Time--and gaming--has taught me that good and bad luck come in cycles. But if you work hard, stay positive and learn from your mistakes, you'll get another chance.

QUIT WHILE YOU'RE AHEAD...OR BEHIND. I was down to my last nickel by my scheduled departure time. Flush enough to play one one line for one coin, I let it rip, and my jackpot came pouring out. Then I went home, as planned. It's better to make decisions, then stick to them without second guessing yourself. You can't take regrets to the bank.

SAMPLE LIFE'S BOUNTY. When I belly up to the buffet after a long day of gaming, I could be like the guy I saw eating his body weight in steamed crab legs. But I prefer to sample a little of every choice. Try everything life has to offer, and when you find something you really enjoy, go back for seconds.

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Thanks for sharing this, Beth. There are some interesting ideas here.

I'm usually pretty good about congratulating others on their wins. Early on in my gaming "career" I hit a nice jackpot and the guy next to me called me an "SOB" because he had been playing that machine for hours, blah, blah, blah. I was really offended and told myself I'd never to that to anyone else.

Deep down I'm always hoping that if I'm nice to others who win a lot, the Gambling Gods will smile down upon me!!