Our New Forum: BIOGRAPHY

[Steve]

Being we have so many members, it might be very interesting to find out a little bit about some of them. So Hunter and I created the BIOGRAPHY Forum.

So tell us a little bit about yourself. Where you're from, what you do, family stuff, why you enjoy Las Vegas.....just about anything your feel comfortable in posting.

You can post anything you like within our Forum guidelines. The only favor I ask is that if you have something in common with another member such as the same line of work or live in the same area, please either send a Private Email from the Forums or email them directly. Don't post that info at the Forums as it is not what the topic is for.

I think this might be a lot of fun.:)

Steve

[iam4nd]

We live in northern Indiana and are nearing retirement age trying to decide what we want to do in our "golden" years and where we want to do it. We have two sons---one a West Point graduate and the other a Notre Dame graduate---hence our byline at the bottom. We try to get to Las Vegas a couple times a year and enjoy slots, video poker, entertainment, and dining in the best place to find them all together. Other than our three beautiful grandchildren there can be very little that we enjoy more than hopping on an airplane and heading to LV. We do also enjoy both contributing and receiving information on this forum. A big hello to all.:)

[tryon4]

Great idea about members
We are from a small town in New Hampshire, 20 miles north of Concord.We are in the Lakes Region of our beautiful state. There is absoluetly nothing better or more scenic than NH in the fall. We have 4 seasons Almost winter, Winter, Just after Winter and black fly season :) Seriously we enjoy 4 seasons.
We have 3 kids and 4 cats. All our kids are over 21. The oldest lives in Michagin. Our eldest daughter just graduated from College and works for the Army Corps of Engineers as she pursues her Master's degree. She is also head volleyball coach for our local high school. Our youngest is a junior in college and a business major.
My wife is an executive administrator for the local VNA.
I am the substance abuse coordinator for our school district and work with "at risk" kids.
Neither smoke nor drink.
We are not beach people or cruise people so Vegas is ourperfect getaway. We try to go at least twice a year but with 2 weddings coming upin thenext year, we might be limited to one this year (unless our eldest decides to marry in Vegas which he is talking about).
We love planning our trips as much as going and this forum is a touch of Vegas daily.
We always stay at Excalibur and rent a car. We usually go for 9-10 days each trip. We like buffets, people watching. We go to 3 shows each trip and I think our all time favorite has been Gordie Brown but we did like the Scinta's too. My wife would argue that her favorite was, hands down, Barry Manilow.
We always go to The Comedy Stop.
We always spend one day away from Vegas at some other location.
We return May 18th
:)

[joannek1]

Early in the 70's, at the end of a California vacation, my sister and I spent our first few nights in Vegas. I can still remember the first time I walked into a casino and experienced the lights, noise and excitement.

Every since we've been back at least once (sometimes twice) a year and it's still exciting. We're mostly slot players but over the years have learned to play blackjack, craps, pai gow and roulette, with varying levels of success.

Along the way we started "our system" of giving 10% of our winnings of
$25 or more to the church. We keep a record of our 10% pots and it's interesting to see our luck going up and down.

We've since converted our "younger" sister and she now joins us. We're all
on Medicare and are slowed down by stiff knees and sore backs -- but still
planning yearly visits.

We've definitely seen a lot of changes in our favorite "home away from
home".

We live a little over an hour drive from Atlantic City and go there
monthly just to keep up with new games and make sure the handle pulling
muscles are working.

JoanneK

[irishmick]

We have been visiting "Las Vegas" possibly longer than many of our members here have lived? We did make three to four trips a year; first on the Strip and now Downtown (which we like) as it fits our style!
I am retired for a number of years from Architecture and my wife no longer works as a bartender and Social worker (which go hand in hand).
We live just south of Portland, Oregon after moving closer to the city from our home in the country around five years ago. I collect rare books, Music boxes, and Las Vegas memories. We have traveled quite a lot and also love the city of "New Orleans" which my wife lived in for several years......:cool:

[Lori R]

I was born and raised on Long Island, Roslyn to be exact. After college in upstate NY, I started working in advertising and came to San Diego for my first official vacation. Three weeks later, I lived here. That was back in 1978--everything I owned fit into the back seat and trunk of my car. We have the best weather in the country! In one day, you can be in the mountains the desert and the beach...and casinos in 20 minutes.

Over the years, I have worked in interior design, hotels (still do), shopping center management, the computer industry and, currently, the electronic manufacturing industry. I am an office manager by day (they don't offer health insurance) and a hotel reservationist nights and weekends (there's my health insurance).

I discovered Las Vegas in 1983 and it's my favorite vacation destination, especially since it's so close and I can go on a moment's notice. Also, no husband and no children (hence my youthful appearance) so it's always a free-spirited few days.

I read many of the posts on this site and I am honored to find myself in such illustrious company. You guys rock!

Best regards,

Lori R.

[LINDABO]

I am from Upstate New York and started going to Vegas in 1969. I was going there every couple of years until the late 80's and now every year. I have been retired from a major manufacturing plant for 3 years where I had 37 years service. I was fortunate to be able to travel like I did. I usually go to Hawaii every couple of years too, but I keep my Las Vegas trips separate from Hawaii. I want to spend as much time in both places as I can. I always stay in Vegas for a week and that doesn't seem like enough time anymore. There is so much to see. I have stayed in many places on the strip but never downtown. Sometimes I don't like to see the places imploded because it is taking away from the old Las Vegas. I'm just glad I got to see Las Vegas as it was in the "old days".

[ND Murff]

We live in Northwest Indiana, about 30 minutes from downtown Chicago. We go to Vegas at least twice a year and sometimes three times a year. We were married in Vegas 5 years ago by Elvis at the Viva Las Vegas Chapel. We go to Vegas for the best vacation value around. Excellent shows, fantastic people watching, gambling and fine dining keep us coming back time and time again. I have three grandchildren and my wife is waiting for her first.
We stay at the Orleans almost exclusively. We had stayed at the Rio all the time until the Harrahs takeover when things were not the same. Two favorite shows are Gordie Brown and Zumanity. Favorite restaurant is Ricardos,previously located in MGM and now on Flamingo about a mile west of the strip.
Go Sox.....GO IRISH

[RLambert]

I live in beautiful South Carolina and enjoy the climate, although it does get hot in the middle of summer. I married my high school sweetheart and we have two grown daughters. I am also retired from the Military (Army), having spent 20 years on active duty. I am employed as a chemical addiction therapist, which I enjoy very much. I work with alcohol and drug addicted patients and their families.

I enjoy going to the casino and would even enjoy it more, once I figure out how to get the slots to pay off. :). Not a whole lot to say about me. I do enjoy reading everyone's postings, especially the ones on how to go home with winnings.

I also go to Harrah's in Cherokee, NC. WOW. Talk about some tight slots.

Wont bore you with anything else. Good luck to everyone as you seek that ever elusive jackpot.

[fungirl]

I'm a stay at home mom from Southern California who loves Vegas and all it stands for.....EXCESS!!! LOL! I have 3 boys whose ages range from 6 to 11. My husband owns a plumbing contracting company. We go to Vegas on average 3 to 4 times a year. But like I said in the TOTW Thread, I become a different person in Vegas!! ;)

[Marla Chi-to-Houston]

My name kind of tells it all. From Chicago, (south suburbs) near Indiana border, recently relocated to Houston suburbs. Three daughters, one a junior at Michigan State, saw her tonight on t.v. (cheerleader) they lost. Two in high school, one an awesome volleyball player, another one of the best basketball players in the area. Michigan alum, myself. Retired from teaching kindergarten for 25 years, last year. Threw a dart at a map, and landed on Houston. Really tried for Vegas, but I'd be homeless by now!

I go 1-2 times a year with my girlfriends, or by myself. I'm pretty free spirited, just got my first tatoo two days ago! I love being 50, and enjoying life!

Currently working on second novel, and working on trip with friends from college to take our daughters to Vegas to celebrate their 21st birthdays in July.

[sailor53]

Ok, I'll take a shot.

I'm originally from Fall River, Massachusetts. Joined the navy in 1971 and retired in 2003. Working now as a navy contractor.

We first explored Vegas in 2000, and didn't go back for quite awhile, partly because of my work schedule, and mostly because of my wife's hatred of flying.

She's starting to get over that, and we've revisted Vegas in Dec 2005, and are going back in May.

We love the Stardust. Unfortunately, thats going to be a short lived love. But we are following our host there to the Orleans, and have access now to all the Boyd properties like Barbary Coast, and all the other Coast properties.

We want to hit Vegas as often as the budget allows and try to meet good folks like you there when we can.

[hockeymom26]

Hockeydad and Hockeymom are from a small town in Alberta, Canada. Our first trip to LV was in 1992. Stayed at the Hacienda ( anyone remember that place?) Since then we have averaged 1 to 5 trips a year. We have 3 daughters 24,21,19 and a son 17. The 2 youngest girls and our son all played hockey ( son still does) , hence the names. We have 3 grandchildren and a son in law. We own an oilfield service company, and we both love LV. Hockeydad loves nascar. Hockeymom loves Vegas ! Thank God there is a Nascar race in LV, gives us another excuse to go there. We play mostly slots and roulette.
Love this forum ! Thanks Steve !

[crisndeefromde]

We are from the tiny state of Delaware. We have "racinos" here....casinos at the horse tracks. No table games but plenty of slot machines with our closest venue being Dover Downs which also hosts Nascar racing twice a year. We own several weeks at the Jockey Club and always use those weeks and also stay several days at one of the resorts. Our other home is usually the Barbary Coast but this last trip, we hooked up at the IP. We are semi retired and have three kids between us. The oldest loved his 21st birthday in Vegas and has been with us several times since attending the CES with us. Next year will be another birthay party in Vegas again for our college gal and then we have a break for a few years for the youngest. We have fallen in love with the surrounding area and want to find our winter home as the winters suck here. I would rather be in Vegas in the summer than here as well with the humidity but the hubby doesn't like the hair dryer effect. I never saw the point in Vegas and didn't ever want to go but went kicking and screaming back in 97 when our best friends daughter was going to get married at the Mirage. Needless to say, the daughter called off the wedding, ended up eloping, but we still had rooms and airplane tickets....and I am still going and loving every minute. Our thanks to everyone on the board who through your writings we sit each evening unwinding and reading and making lists to check out on the next trip through all of the great advice. Cris

[Eveepee]

We "found" Las Vegas back in 1995 when we were touring from Los Angeles to San Francisco and loved the three days we spent there, even though it was really, really hot (August). We've returned every year since then ; sometimes twice a year and, as we drive down The Strip for the first time each trip, I comment that it's like coming home :).

We have stayed at various hotel's each trip. (On reflection we could have been building up comps had we stuck to just one or two but have only just realised that!). Just one of the many things we have realised since reading this very helpful forum. We have made quite a few American friends on our visits and are always made to feel very welcome. We love America !

We (Husband Dave,plus long time friends Vic and Jacquie) all live in a small village in Kent, South East England which is 15 miles from Central London. (The road systems are so bad it can take more than an hour to get there!). We are all accountants (strange :D ), but we all get along fine and even play poker (very low stakes) each Saturday night at Vic and Jacquie's daughter's house. We have a laugh and try to get in some practice for the real thing !

We are all looking forward to our next trip (12th April- 4 days in Laughlin and 11 days in Vegas). This trip my daughters and their partners are coming with us so it should be a Hoot ; they're sure to include us "oldies" in their plans !! (Eldest daughter (30) is an Intensive Care Nurse and youngest (27) a Mortgage Advisor). We are all getting very excited and I have been taking notes from the forum for the trip, so thanks to everyone for your very useful comments.

[checksplay]

My husband and I live in Central NY, just south of Syracuse. He is a Vice President of a small corporation in Ithaca NY where they make printers for, among other things, gaming terminals! I first traveled to Vegas with him on a business trip back in the late 80's and now I join him at least once or twice a year. I work as an office manager for a physical therapy office. We have three grown children. Our oldest son, Sean, lives in Brooklyn and is getting married this summer on Long Island. Our daughter, Kelly, is studying at the Univ. of Buffalo, for a degree in Physical Therapy. Our youngest son, Steve, graduated from RIT with an engineering degree last May. He worked some odd jobs and then traveled to Europe for 6 weeks. After being unable to find a job in Philadelphia, he has now decided to go back to school for his MBA. My husband can't wait to retire...we, too, are trying to figure out where we want to relocate. It will definitely be someplace with a better climate!! In the meantime, we usually travel to the Caribbean in the spring just to help us make it through the winter. We are going to Antigua next month! We also have a trip planned to Vegas for the fall!!

[Steve]

Eileen and I live 60 miles North of NYC. I met Eileen, the love of my life on the computer on
October 6th, 1997 when Eileen was doing a member search for someone else that had VEGAS in their screename. We were married in NY on October 6th, 2001. We were remarried in Las Vegas 3 days later!

I have two sons Jason who will be turning 30 soon and recently got engaged. Elliot who is 28 got married last July in Oregon. Eileen has a daughter Ashley who will be 16 in May and a son Matthew who will be 13 in July.

I am the third generation owner of a reconditioning and disposal business. We sell and properly dispose of steel. plastic and cardboard barrels.

I have been to Las Vegas over 50 times. My writing endeavors started with posting news articles on the AOL Las Vegas Boards. From there it lead to writing a few articles for GAMING TODAY Magazine but my writing highlight (aside from the newsletter) came when I was contacted by Casino Player Magazine. I was given my own column "Steve's Las Vegas Bit's and Blurbs" that I wrote for almost a year under the Name Steve Schrette.

I started the newsletter in 1998 with just under 800 members. Before switching over to the current website format, I had over 70,000 known members. That number didn't include any forwarding of my newsletter to members families or friends. I spend a lot of time doing the newsletter but it has led to many opportunities for me that I never thought were possible. I have met some wonderful performers, executives, celebrities and get the most joy out of meeting my newsletter members. The newsletter has been a wonderful ride.

I have a wonderful family and a wonderful extended family with all my newsletter and forum members. I hope I get to meet a lot of you in Las Vegas.

Steve

[AnnPedi614]

Hi I live in Southwest Florida but am originally from Mass. I have lived in Williamsburg, VA Orlando FL and Vero Beach FL since I left Mass in 1993. I will be celebrating the 7th anniversary of my 29th birthday this year and I am hoping I will be in Vegas for it. I was there with friends last year on my birtday and in 2000 10 of us went to Celebrate our 1st anniversary of our 29th!! We had a blast, but in all honesty I enjoy Vegas more with my husband. We usually travel with friends or family, we are hoping to make a trip out there by ourselves one of these days. Our vacation time is limited because of his work schedule, it is really hard to get away in season.

I have worked in restaurants most of my life ending up in my last job as a dining room manager at a private club, but recently switched careers and I now sell Real Estate. My husband is the General Manager of a Private Club on a little island 20 minutes from our home. We met in 1993 and took our first trip to Las Vegas in 95. We didn't go back until 1997 and have gone atleast once a year, but in the last 5 years it has been twice a year. We got married at the Little Church of the West on November 10,1999. We had a great time, 20 friends and family members joined us to celebrate over a few days. It was wonderful. Hope this wasn't too boring for you all!!!

[cindyinnj]

Hi everyone! My name is Cindy. My husband is David. We've been married for 17 yrs now. I have two daughters, 16 and 14. Of course, we go through the usual "teen" stuff with them...:eek: We live in New Jersey, 15 miles west of New York City. We are both in our late 40's. We have a ten yr. old Golden Retriever, a 9 yr old cat, a floppy earred bunny, a red bearded dragon and a leopard gecko! (kind of like wild kingdom in our house..:rolleyes: ) I'm a stay at home mom, but do part-time clerical work for my hubby's business, commercial refrigeration.

We started going to Vegas about 10 years ago, and we just can't seem to get enough of it! I'll probably come to Vegas at least once a year, somehow, someway for the rest of my life :D ! We go to Atlantic City a few times a year, but believe me, there's no comparison whatsoever! Not much else to say. Looking forward to reading more bio's, and see you all in the forums!

Cindy

[Tufster]

Hi there my name is Mike and my wifes name is Tammy.
We have 2 boys ages 9 and 6.
We live in a small town in Ontario Canada.
I work for an autoparts manufacturer and run a line that produces parts for Dodge trucks.
My wife works at a pharmacy.
We are returning to Vegas for the first time in 10 years to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary.
We were married 10 years ago March 30 at the Little Chapel of Flowers in Vegas.
We love to camp and hike.
I love working on cars and enjoy Nascar racing.
My wife enjoys crafts and collects Barbies.
Thanks for letting us be a part of this site.
It is GREAT.
Mike and Tammy:)

[Jacqui, Duskette8]

Hi everyone! I was born and brought up in Scotland but I lived in Germany for a few years before coming back to Scotland to go to Law School. I am now a lawyer for the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission where we review potential miscarriages of justice but I am now considering moving from criminal law to private practice dealing with executries. I'm only 5feet 2inches tall and 101 pounds so I'm not really equipped to deal with criminals and don't ask my opinion on our justice system!

I love soccer - Glasgow Rangers football club to be exact! I have a season ticket and never miss a game!

I have a 1 year old kitten called Nacho who is Burmese and is absolutely gorgeous. Other than my kitten, I have no ties so there is nothing to stop me going to Vegas!

If I could, I would move to Vegas in a second - I love America. My father was born on American Independence Day, died on American Thanksgiving and his name was Henry (the American National Anthem was penned in Fort O'Henry)!!! These are only some of the uncanny connections I have to the good ole' US of A so I believe that I should be an honourary American!!!!

I love being part of this board, speaking to all the fantastic people on the site and hearing all of their stories. Keep them coming! Hope I haven't bored you all :D

[bevierose]

Hi Vegas Groupies,
I live in Palm Beach Gardens, FL but am from NJ. I go to Vegas at least 4X per year. I absolutely love the anonymity and energy of Vegas. I used to meet my mother there as she lived in San Diego. It was a great time always down on Fremont St. or on the Strip. I go there now with my cousins or friends and stay at a different hotel every time just for the new experience. I usually play slots---poker slots, $1 ones and also black jack.

I have 2 grown sons who are an attorney and a CFO of a PR firm. I have 6 grandchildren...new twins (boy & a girl)and 2 more boys and 2 girls, just adorable.

I do media packages for anyone and everyone who needs them. I used to work at an ad agency for many years, and I also taught adjunct remedial writing in college. I thought I could almost retire down here in FL, but the expenses are much higher than anticipated when I moved here in '98. I am well into yoga, 5 years with the same class and regional dancing such as belly dancing, Hawaiian, Israeli, Country Western and more. When I am in Vegas, I always go dancing and whoop it up. No matter what walk of life or what age you are, you can put on those dancin' shoes and dance like no one's watching! That's the beauty of being in LV. No one judges you, and no one tells you what to do. I always drink, eat, shop and dance too much while there. I come home pleasantly exhausted with the anticipation of my next trip to Vegas.

I am so happy that Steve got us together to share our stories. The greatest need of anyone is to be known.

Bevierose

[marmirdc]

Hello Vegas Buddies:
We are a couple in our mid 40's from a small town in Nebraska(about an hr west of Omaha). I own the local funeral home, while my wife is a teachers aide at the local private school. We have two children, ages 11 and 14, and we both LOVE Vegas for very different reasons. My wife loves to go and sit at the pools and use the spas, while I like to gamble, drink and eat. As you may surmise, I have to be VERY low key and "respectable" while I am around home and so I can really let loose when we hit Vegas.
We also used to be family-teachers at the world famous Boys Town, where we raised a household of 8 teenage boys!:eek: We travel to Vegas at least twice a year(usually 3), where I am an avid video Keno fan and my wife does enjoy the 100 play poker or a good nickel machine. We do enjoy reading, cooking, traveling, gambling, biking, and people watching. My wife was formerly a nanny and just loves kids....but NOT in Vegas.....so we avoid the "family" places while we are there and enjoy the adult atmosphere. We usually go with a group of friends who are as just as crazy about Vegas as we are and we are fortunate to have riverboat casinos just a little over an hour away, so if we get the itch, it can be scratched fairly easy.
One of our specialities is having a Vegas party shortly before we leave. We decorate the house in dice, cards, pictures of resorts, etc. and have a full drink menu with Vegas names: ie...High Roller is champagne; pair of sevens: is a 7 & 7, etc..you get the picture..then we also send out trivia questions to the guests, which they have to look up and answer and bring with, and the person with the most correct answers wins a prize(usually a mini game of blackjack or craps). We have Vegas vacation on the TV or casino games on the computer. We just make an afternoon of it, all to get ready for our next Vegas trip.
Its great to hear about all of you and we look forward to reading other bios!

Mr and Mrs Keno

[BIG1ED]

Hi all,
Let me start by explaining my screen name.... I was a computer contractor for many years, mostly working at Big Blue ( IBM )....Anyways, I always went by BIGED, since I am 6-6......Well, IBM insisted on a number mixed in with letters to form a email address, hence the name BIG1ED ( no, I am not a porn star lol...) ..... I am retired now, although I am in my early 50's, with twin teen daughters and a lovely wife...... Vegas and Disney World are my two outlets in life ( 5 times to the former, 50 to the latter )..... We live in southern NY state, just above the city.... That's it, for now.....THanks for listening....

[gina]

:D HI, I LIVE IN LONDON ENGLAND.I CAME TO VEGAS FOR THE FIRST TIME LAST YEAR WITH MY 2 SISTERS.WE HAD SUCH A BLAST OF A TIME,BUT DIDNT DO AS MUCH AS WE EXPECTED TO DO.SO I AM GOING BACK AGAIN IN JUNE.WE STAYED AT THE IP HOTEL AND WERE STAYING THERE AGAIN.I LIVE IN LONDON WITH MY 2 DAUGHTERS AND MY 3 YEAR OLD GRANDSON CHARLIE.I ALSO HAVE ANOTHER 5 GRANDCHILDREN.BENN,CALLUM.DOMINNIC,CHELSEA AND DAYNTON.THEY KEEP ME VERY BUZY.:eek:AS SOON AS I GOT ONTO THE STRIP IN THE CAB FROM THE AIRPORT ALL THE LIGHTS JUST BLEW ME AWAY IT WAS A FANTASTIC SIGHT.I KNEW I WAS GOING TO HAVE THE BEST TIME THERE.I CANT WAIT TO GO BACK AGAIN.AND GET ALL MY GRANDCHILDREN LOTS OF NICE PRESENTS.:cool: ONLY 13 WEEKS TO GO. I TOOK LOTS OF NICE PHOTOS LAST YEAR SO IT WOULD BE GOOD TO SHARE THEM ON HERE WITH EVERY-ONE.I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEIR PHOTOS OF VEGAS TOO.;)

[wiley]

Harvey and I have been married 43 years. I work in the Admissions Office at Nassau Community College, and he sells furniture at Macy's. Our son and daughter-in-law are both psychologists. Happily, they live near us so we see our three-and-a-half year old grandson and two year old granddaughter often. Our daughter lives in Queens, and is a Creative Production Manager (Marketing) in the corporate office of Morgans Hotel Group, which is involved with Boyd in the redevelopment of the Stardust property. Delano and Mondrian will be their hotels.

We only get to Las Vegas once a year (looking forward to our next trip in October), but usually get to AC a few times a year as well. We like to see Broadway shows, try new restaurants, and root for our NY Mets!

I'm a slots player, shopper, and sight-seer, and Harvey bets on thoroughbred racing and joins me at the slots in the evenings.

Hope to meet some of you at Foxwoods on May 6th, and others in Vegas some day!

[Hockey53]

Good read so far on where everyone lives and how often
everyone goes to Vegas. My wife and I live in So.Ca. about
15-20 minutes south of downtown Los Angeles. I am a stay
at home dad while my wife (who graduated from chiropractic
school in Dec. 2002) has her own chiropractic office in Lomita,
Ca. for almost three years now. I was born in W. Reading,Pa.and
moved out here to Ca, in 1971. My wife and I are L.A. Kings Hockey
fans and go to Vegas in Sept. every year to watch the Kings play a
preseason game at the MGM Garden Arena.
Our daughter just turned 18 on Sept.11th and takes 24/7 care,hence
one of the reasons I'm Mr. mom. :cool: and enjoy every minute being
able to take our daughter back and forth to school. Take care everyone
and looking forward to reading what everyone else has to ssay on their
biography.
Dave L.

[whobeme]

We live in Bucks County, just north of Philadelphia, hubby and I work in property management. We have lived and worked at this property for over 24 years. We have two grown children and two grandsons ages 4 and 6. When you live where you work, you really really need a place you can just let go. Our first Vegas trip was 1996 we stayed at Excalibur and thought we died and went to heaven, since then we go for 7 nights every year. Have stayed at a few different places, but since it opened we have made Paris our home away from home. We hit A/C about once a month and stay at Showboat/Harrahs which just bought Paris so our October trip for 7 nights is now fully comped. I start planning our Vegas trip about the week after we get home.

[Becker]

My name is Robin and I am from Bloomington, Minnesota. I am a 51 year old woman and my husband and I have 2 grown sons. My husband and I Love Vegas. We don't get to go as much as we would like to, but try to make it every couple of years. We were in Vegas a year ago to celebrate my 50th Birthday and we had a great time. Our 30th wedding anniversary is coming up next April and we are planning on spending it in Vegas. The first few times we were in Vegas we stayed on the strip and really enjoyed it, but now we enjoy staying downtown at the Fitz. We really enjoy the Fremont Street Experience and it just seems a little more relaxed and a little more friendly downtown. We love that the casino's are closer together and you don't have to spend a lot of time getting to one from another.
I do child home daycare and have for the past 23 years and my husband is in the enginerring field in sales. We would love to move out to Vegas when he retires, maybe year round or just in the winter. Minnesota winters are COLD! I would love to hear from anyone what the summers are like in Vegas and just how HOT it does get and what is it like to live in Vegas, the suburbs, and what do the locals do for enjoyment besides the gambling. What other things are there to do and just what is it like to live there.

[Bevhill1]

My name is Lorraine and I live on the southside of Chicago.I'm an office assistant with the Chicago Police Department and I'm 37 years old. I'm single and try to make it to Vegas at least three times a year:o . I usually travel alone but I have so much fun meeting new people. I've been travelling with my parents since I was nine years old and we have driven to vegas from Chicago a few times. Since I have no kids I just indulge myself by traveling the country and soon international.Vegas is the only place where I can travel alone and not really be alone or nervous.:D. I hope to meet new friends on the board.

[sybgal]

Hi Everyone!
We are a couple in our late 50's from southern Indiana & only get to visit Meccca once a year. We are reading about & planning the rest of the year & can't get enough - we really enjoy the info other posters provide. Last year our trip was very special, 2 of our 4 daughters & their hubby's & 2 other couples went together. I was sooooo much fun. One daughter is a Navy wife & lives in Texas so we don't get to see them that often - so made the trip especially nice. She happens to be my partner in our 1st LV trip - just to see the sites, ya know! Well, once you go - it is all over - you must go back and back, etc. We usually stay at the Paris since we get great offers & our local riverboat casino, Caesars Indiana provides us with great comps to save up during the year. We are hopeful it will continue with the buy-out by Harrah's. Thanks for all the info everyone - hope you all are big winners every trip!

syb :)

[parrotheadmaine]

Hello Everyone, My name is Gary and I live in the great state of Maine, Portland to be exact. I am 28 years old and recently got engaged to a wonderful person name Celeste. She is a 6th Grade School Teacher and I am a Geographical Specialist. Before this job I worked for SmithBarney, while at that job I came to vegas about 5 times a year for conventions. I have fallen in love with the place, being from Maine we do not have alot of "action" around here so to get away to a place so lively is a great thing. I am a BJ player and Celeste is a slots player. She has been to Vegas one time before. We plan on doing the Vegas trek about 1 or 2 times a year. Hopefully I will get to see alot of you this April, if not sometime in the future.

[Ayeloroz]

Hi everyone,
First let me say that this is quickly becoming my favorite Vegas forum.
Hubby and I are in our mid 50's and have been married for 35 years. We have a daughter who is 32 and a son who is 29. We live in the great state of Texas. (Did that sound just like a Texan or what?) Hubby is in the oil and gas field and I sell insurance. Our days are pretty 9-5 dreary until we go on vacation. We try to get to Vegas 3-4 times per year. We both love to play vider poker and last year we each got our first ROYAL FLUSH!!! Can't get better than that! :)
We have stayed in 11 different casio hotels and 1 timeshare on our trips to Las Vegas over the last 10 years. Hubby likes the Strip and I prefer Downtown. We take cabs, ride the busses and shuttles and walk miles and miles, as we drink a little more than safe driving would allow. We haven't seen all of the shows we want to see yet (so we have to go back, right?), but we are working on that. My advice is that if there is something you want to do or see, then you better do it when you have the chance because Vegas changes everytime we are there. We missed seeing Sigfried and Roy because we always said "we'll catch that next time"!
I agree with GINA who wrote that she would like to see everyone's Vegas pictures. I am posting a link to a collection of photos I have taken over the last few years and I hope everyone will enjoy them and do the same. http://groups.msn.com/Ayeloroz/shoebox.msnw
Thanks for reading this post and we may see some of you in Vegas soon. Our next trip is only 2 weeks away! Viva Las Vegas:cool:

[FL Mary]

I was born in Japan to a Japanese mother and an American Air Force father. I currently live on the beautiful beaches of the Gulf Coast of Florida (Destin/Ft Walton Beach). I've been here since the 70s as this was my father's last Air Force assignment and he retired here. I will soon be 50 years old and have been going to Las Vegas for 5 years. I am single and have a grown son. I am the Chief Financial Officer for a Department of Defense organization. I try to go to Las Vegas at least twice a year. My 75-year old mother is usually my companion, or one of my sisters who also live here. I only play slots and love the entertainment opportunities in Las Vegas. I always see a couple of shows on each trip. My next trip is in May!

[Boston_Bill]

Hi all,
Grew up in Long Island NY until I was 13 and my parents moved us here to Walpole, Mass.
Been going to Las Vegas for the last 9 years and fell in love with the place. As some may know I was close to moving out there 6 years ago but chickened out at the last minute.
I'm 46 and single and for the most part really enjoy traveling by myself.
Been loyal to the Golden Nugget the last two trips but enjoy experiencing different hotels.
Mirage is still my favorite.
Like slots, roulette and blackjack.
Love the Red Sox and Patriots.
Good luck to everyone.

[Janine926]

My name is Janine and my husband and I live in the Cincinnati area. We have two small children, a boy 6 and girl 4.
We try to get to Vegas at least once per year and have alone time together. We can never wait to go back.
My husband is Brian and he is 37, I just turned 40:eek:.
Our last trip was in January and we are planning to go next summer but we always end up back in Vegas before we plan, lol. I don't know if we can wait that long.
Our 10 year anniversary is coming up in October so ya never know. It sure would be nice to spend it there. :D

[IndyBlkJkLuvr]

Hi all, I am Kevin from Greenfield, Indiana(a few miles east of Indianapolis). I am 33 years old and employed as an Accountant for a mail order clothing company in Indy. I started going to Vegas about five years ago. I try to go about two times per year(more if money allowed) and normally stay at Imperial Palace or Excalibur. I have one younger sister who is married and have one niece. Some of my interests include: poker, traveling, volunteering, outdoor activies, casinos(of course) and spending time with family and friends. I really love the forum/newsletter and enjoy meeting new people.

[vtgambler]

My name if Andrew and I recently turned 34. I grew up in the Burlington, VT area, moved to Boston for about 8 years and then back to Burlington for the last 8 years or so. I went Vegas for the first time in 1998 and fell in love with the place like everyone else here. I generally get out there 1-3 times a year. It's long trip when coming from a small airport in the east with no direct flights but it's worth it!

I've stayed at a dozen or so hotels on the strip and like trying different places. CP, Mirage and Wynn are the ones I've missed that I really want to try. I spend most of my time in the poker rooms and the sportsbooks but I also enjoy the pools, restaurants and shows. My next trip is for a bachelor party with about 20 thirty something guys in May. I also recently got engaged and Vegas is a possibility for our wedding next year! :)

[Hart'sinVegas]

I was born in 58, pre-me, and a genius (everyone starts out as a genius). With the help of my parents and society I’m now your average babbling idiot. Make my home in the Great Northwest, work as an office manager and love the Seahawks, like the Mariners, and have a lukewarm liking for the Sonics. Married once, divorced once (Bush neglected to add Marriage to the Axis of Evil with it’s Weapons of Mental Destruction). Single parented two children 1B/1G, and visit Vegas a couple of times a year.

[caper]

We are a retired couple, George and Verna, in our early 60's and we live on the east coast of Canada, Nova Scotia. We have been to Las Vegas 3 times and will be going for our third consecutive year in early April. We usually stay on the strip, but are going to split our stay this time between the MGM and Southcoast. We always rent a car and combine with a trip to other places. Last year, we drove to Palm Springs and San Diego. This year the Arizona side. Mostly play slots, but love to watch the card players. We have three grown kids and 5 grandchildren, under 6, all live in this area and we are kept busy. Won't bother you with any more details, good luck all.

[Amf1122jr]

Hi, everyone, my name is Adam and I am a kosher chef from New York City. I am in the process of buying a kosher restaurant in Las Vegas and I am really looking forward to coming out there for good around September time. I have been there a number of times and love the city and everything about it. If there are any tourists out there that eat kosher, please let me know where you usually stay when you visit L.V., I would love to know which hotels to aim my catering servies towards...Thanks so much, Adam :)

[emtcater]

I'll try to keep this short LOL.

I first came to town on vacation almost 5 years ago (ironically, I booked my trip 9/10/01. Talk about bad timing) I knew from the first time I set foot in this town I'd be back.. I was like a kid in a candy store.

Flash forward to the fall/winter of 2003. I was living in my hometown of Euclid, Ohio (a suburb of 52K people, on the east side of Cleveland) and hating every minute of it.. the weather, the job market, the weather, the economy, and did I mention the weather? So I started a job search out west. Vegas was at the top of the list, which included Tucson, Phoenix, and Albuquerque. I was going to head where I got hte first good job offer. Obviously, it was here in Vegas. I arrived in town 6/9/04, and haven't looked back. I spent the first 11 months working armed security at one of the housing authority projects, and since May 2005, have been working for Coast Casino's.

I still root for my two favorite teams.. The Browns and The Indians, even though neither one makes it easy to be a fan.

In my spare time, I enjoy reading, cooking, listening to music, spending time in the great outdoors, and spending time with friends.

[PoohRN1962]

Vicki, here. Born and raised in Southern Connecticut, and I live here still. DH (Tony) and I have been married for 22+ years, and are both 43. We have two lovely children, a 21 year old son and an 18 year old daughter.

I am a labor and delivery nurse, and I have a love/hate relationship with my job.

Our first trip to Las Vegas was for our 20th wedding anniversary, and we are trying to keep that our tradition.

This has become my favorite website.

Vicki

[Marla Chi-to-Houston]

This has been so interesting hearing all the life stories about people you just know by an e-mail name. I love this forum, keep it going!

[Jacqui, Duskette8]

Hey Gregrio, you are the only name that I recognise that seems to be missing from this thread! :p

[mbjts]

After almost a half-century living in New York City, I am now officially an Omahan (and loving it!).:)

Have been to Vegas only 4 times, but relive those good times through the stories on boards like these (thanks, Steve!).

Had many trips to Atlantic City, so I kept my gambling interest going throughout the years (slots, mostly; occasionally roulette or let it ride). The nearby Iowa casinos satisfy the gambling "itch". Hope my man and I get to Vegas, possibly when we actually get married!

Things have changed so much there, and it's still exciting to see and hear about the Vegas happenings. Have relatives in Arizona who take several trips there each year, so I keep up-to-date on what's happening there.

Wanted to say a special "hello" to our Nebraska neighbors ("hi marmirdc"!):), plus thank Ayeloroz for allowing us to share those great photos! (I had never witnessed a royal flush before!):eek:

Good luck to all of you, and thanks for making this a fun site to visit.

[polar]

Hi Everyone; I live in beautiful Niagara Falls with my husband Iain,our son Adam, who is 14, and our Westie,Polar(hence,my screen name) My real life name is Andrea.My husband is a hydraulic and pneumatic sales rep.and I work in a casino as a server.I love my job and cannot imagine working anywhere else!Most people can't believe that when we go on holiday(without our son)that it's always Las Vegas.But I know that all you other Vegas lovers know why! My first trip was about 25 years ago,that city just seemed to get under my skin and into my blood!! We get to go 1-2 times per year,we also have a summer road trip(10 days) with Adam.The road trips are very special and we all have a great time,but,my love affair is with Vegas! I really enjoy reading everyone's posts and getting to know you a little better! LOL,Polar

[JimC]

Me - Jim - just turned 50 last month - Operator at a nuclear power plant. I got my start by riding submarines during the cold war and operating reactors for the Navy.

Wife - Sharon - Word Processing Specialist

Married 12 years on March 26

I have been going to LV since 1990. We have settled into Sharon's favorite place (Mirage) to stay. Previously I / we had stayed at Vegas World (Now the Strat), Sahara, Stardust, San Remo and Trop. We generally go once a year in September for a week.

[ChicChas]

I'm a native of Kansas (the black and white side of the rainbow). After living in 15 cities/towns in 8 states over a period of five years, I finally landed in Chicago where I've been for nearly 22 years. I'm employed as an office services manager for a large insurance company for the past 19 years. My primary hobby has been singing with a prominent choral group for 20 years. Las Vegas has become a new focal point for me. I've made two trips so far (August 2005 and February 2006) and am currently planning a third trip for the end of April.

[GREGRIO]

Greg here...I'm 56, been divorced for years, no kids, grew up in Eastern
Washington State, and have been here in the Bay Area (Oakland) for over 30
years now. I drive a Red 1997 Dodge Dakota Sports Pick Up Truck with a
HARD ROCK HOTEL/CASINO, Nevada plate, and hope it's the last vehicle I
ever own...or at least until I can buy a totally Earth friendly one that can fly!

You guys know I like my Shows...I've always been involved in the Arts and
Entertainmet area, graduated from the California College of Arts and Crafts,
sold my ceramic ware and sculputre and craft fairs, been in lots of bands and
theatre productions, ran a recording studio for the Northern Calif. Song Writers Association for years, and discovered Las Vegas 10 years ago and
visit there every 3d month. (I'm close and SOUTHWEST is cheap!)
I like Video Poker (Double Bonus, JOB, Bonus and some Slots)
I go to Vegas for the Shows and Entertainment first, gaming second.

I've never owned a home...I have a great little cottage here in the trees
at the foot of the Oakland Hills, great landlady and rent for the last 25 years,
no debt to speak of which allows me go to Vegas as often as I do.
I always go solo and love it that way!

The RIO is my home away from home. They usually offer me a couple free nights,
a decent casino rate, and their rooms are great. The friendships I've made there with
many of the employees are fantastic and make up for the RIO's poor gaming...LOL! We
always have lots of fun together!

I've worked for MATSON Navigation Company for 33 years, no plan to retire,
I'm a ILWU Longshorman, work in an office on the Oakland Waterfront in
Freight Opperations and am in charge of all refrigerated goods being shipped
to Hawaii...it's a great gig with seven weeks vacation a year and you know
where I like to spend it.
Alooooha!

[Vegasfan]

Betty & Clyde here. We live in East/Central Illinois and we've been here for 28 years. We went to high school together in the Chicago suburbs and we've been married for 33 years. We went to Vegas last year and renewed our wedding vows with the help of "The Best Elvis in Vegas" Eddie Powers. It was lots of fun, and my brother, his wife, her sister, and my son and his wife were there to help us celebrate.
We try to make it to Vegas at least once a year usually in September for our wedding anniversary.
I'm retired from the Post Office but I got bored after a year or so and now I do contract work for them on as needed basis. This is where my gambling money comes from. I play Roulette, Blackjack, and slots and my wife is a diehard slot player.
We go to the local riverboats from time to time but it's just not the same as being in Vegas.

[dscs007]

Hi everybody. My name is David and I live in Bton Rouge, Louisiana. My wife and I have been married 28 yearsand we have 2 kids, 1 boy soon to be 27 and a girl soon to be 19. I really love Vegas and hope to go back real soon.We have been there about 9 or 10 times since we first went in 97. I am retired and live on a fixed income so any trip soon is unlikely.

I really enjoy this forum and the newsletter as it lets me keep up with a fun and wild town like Vegas. As others have said, when we get the "itch" we have two riverboats here in town and Harrah's in New Orleans reopened last month. Plus, there are a couple of indian casinos in south La., but it's not the same.

Well, this has gotten long enough, so hope to see you in Vegas, whenever we get there.

David

[SICUNurseJen]

We started going to Vegas a few years ago, and now we go out about 2 times a year. The 1st trip out, I hated it but know hoe much my husband likes and tried it again, and now I am hooked. The 1st time I played slots and no cards, and the 2nd visit I played Let it Ride and I love that game. I'm a tight wad, so the idea of being allowed to pull back 2 of my bets rocks-LOL!!! :D

We are from Southern OH on the WV border, and I am a RN in a local Trauma/Surgical ICU and my husband is a service manager for a local RV dealership. I have a daughter and we have no children between us. We do have 3 miniature pinschers though and they are like our babies. I am also currently attending graduate school, and boy I look forward to our Vegas trips to get away from it all.

Jenny

[marmirdc]

After almost a half-century living in New York City, I am now officially an Omahan (and loving it!).:)

Have been to Vegas only 4 times, but relive those good times through the stories on boards like these (thanks, Steve!).

Had many trips to Atlantic City, so I kept my gambling interest going throughout the years (slots, mostly; occasionally roulette or let it ride). The nearby Iowa casinos satisfy the gambling "itch". Hope my man and I get to Vegas, possibly when we actually get married!

Things have changed so much there, and it's still exciting to see and hear about the Vegas happenings. Have relatives in Arizona who take several trips there each year, so I keep up-to-date on what's happening there.

Wanted to say a special "hello" to our Nebraska neighbors ("hi marmirdc"!):), plus thank Ayeloroz for allowing us to share those great photos! (I had never witnessed a royal flush before!):eek:

Good luck to all of you, and thanks for making this a fun site to visit.

Hello to you mbjts !!...we are only about an hr away from each other!...great to have other Nebraska Vegas fans!!!...Viva las Vegas

Marmirdc!(aka Mr. Keno)

[Kaystr1]

We are from NE Ohio and our first trip to Vegas was in 2002. Have been hooked since I got off the plane that first time. We go twice a year, now, in the spring and the fall. Have not been there in the summer. Our first trip this year will be May 23-27, staying at NYNY this time. We always stay at MGM properties, get great comps. We are strictly slot players and never pay for a room or food. One of these days I may try the tables.

One of these days we'd love to move closer to Vegas. Sick of the cold, NE Ohio winters.

[Kaystr1]

We are from NE Ohio and our first trip to Vegas was in 2002. Have been hooked since I got off the plane that first time. We go twice a year, now, in the spring and the fall. Have not been there in the summer. Our first trip this year will be May 23-27, staying at NYNY this time. We always stay at MGM properties, get great comps. We are strictly slot players and never pay for a room or food. One of these days I may try the tables.

One of these days we'd love to move closer to Vegas. Sick of the cold, NE Ohio winters.

MK & Steve

[Darlene]

Hello, my name is Darlene and I am a Califonia transplant to Las Vegas almost 4 years ago and loving it. I work as a social worker in a kidney dialysis clinic and it has been difficult to meet people for socializing so it is wonderful to hear some of you are actually MOVING here! There is lots to do and some of the most beautiful scenery in the world just outside the city and of course TONS to do IN the city! In my work I met up with a real Las Vegas PIONEER who had some pretty amazing stories of old Las Vegas and I convinced him to write a book about his life. VEGAS, The MOB and the dead pig on the dance floor... became reality about 4 months ago and in helping him to market it I have met with some amazing people who tell some amazing stories about SIN CITY. I am now a sucker for anyone with some history to share and the "old timers" DO "tell it like it was"! If I hear of any gatherings where some king size storytelling is going on I'll be sure and let everyone know! If a meeting of this group materializes like I read from Mr. Vegas...count me in!

[Sherry]

;) Enjoying all the bio.

My husband, John and myself, Sherry have been married for 27 years and live in Battle Creek, MI home of Kellogg Corn Flakes. We both are retired, me from the Dept. of Motor Vehicles and John as a supervisor from a factory assembling pumps of all shapes and sizes. We first visited Vegas in 1990 at which time we purchased a time share at the Jockey Club and have been back to Vegas every year since. We do; however, like the old Vegas much better. We will be there again this October. We each have 2 children and 9 grandchildren together, also parents to 4 inside cats that were all strays, 5 domestic geese and 1 Canadian goose with angel wings, had her since 1992. In 1991 we purchased our old Victorian home from a auction and spent a good year restoring this "ole house" we love it and all the kind comments made over the years. We just might see ya in Vegas. Sherry

[Coaltownannie]

Hi, my name is Ann and I live in a very small borough in the coal regions of Pennsylvania for the last 33 years. I am originally from Lynn, Mass. I am married with four children and one grandchild, who was born on Sept. 11, 2001. I work for a real estate company and my husband is due to retire from a state correctional facility. I have been going to Las Vegas for the last 11 years and have yet to see everything. I usually go with my Mom, but due to finances, she will not be able to go this year so I am making the trip with a co-worker. I really love Las Vegas, but am getting very discouraged with the rise of hotel rooms, shows, and food. I love the sites of Las Vegas and still am fascinated with all the casinos. I play strictly the slots, but have tried roulette. I do visit Atlantic City on occasion, but there is nothing like "Vegas Baby".

[Nevada]

HI my name is Jim I,m from North Wales Pa. a small town north of Philadelphia Pa. I visit Atlantic City about every other month. Harrahs is my main casino followed by Ceasers. I have three children and have been married for thirty three years.I am in the trucking business the last three years driving .Have not worked last eleven months due to back injury. I have been visiting Vegas last eight years this years trip is on hold due to daughter getting married in Sept.and trying to recover from back injury. Hopefully will be able to make it next year. Las vegas is really the thing I miss not able to do. Atlantic City is only a tease wants that you go to vegas you can,t wait to return:D

[carolebeenc]

First, I love this forum! I belong to several others but this is my favorite. (no-one answers a simple question with 3 pages of math formulas). My husband, Bob, and I have been going to Las Vegas since 2000. We ended up at Caesars as the last two nights of a bus tour through the canyonlands. We've been hooked on Vegas ever since and usually go twice a year. I would go every other month if plane fare were not so expensive. Actually, I would move there is I could talk Bob into it. We generally drive from our home on the coast of NC to Atlantic City about every 2 or 3 months -- but as I've heard many say -- It's not the same, it just whets your appetite for the real place.

I play mostly video poker - JOB, DB and occasionally Super times pay. That is fun but also dangerously addictive. Bob plays Texas Hold'em although on our last trip to LV, we went out to Fiesta Rancho where he hit his first Royal followed almost immediately by 4 Aces. Talk about excitement and a way to get hooked.

We will be back in Vegas on May 9 to spend a week. For the first time we are staying all 7 nights at Harrahs. Usually we stay 2 or 3 nights at several different places (wherever our comps are) but we both recently became Diamond players at Harrahs and got the 7 nights between us. It will be nice not to live out of our rolling suitcases this trip.

We are both retired and in our early 60's. We have two grown daughters, 4 grandchildren and one very special dog named Pookie (he thinks he's a people).

Hope to meet some of you in LV

carole b

[Cynthia]

JOKE!! But in keeping with the biography theme.........

We live in the Boston, MA area and love Vegas. As one of the other posters mentioned above, we have 4 seasons-winter, almost winter, almost spring, but really winter, mosquito season (no blackflies) and then pre-winter, so Vegas is a great place to go. Hawaii is our other favorite and I would move there in a heartbeat if I ever hit it big in Vegas. That said, we do not go to Vegas on a regular basis, I think we have been there 4 times, and are going back in November--my husband will be retiring this year and in November, I am having a big birthday--lots of my friends were born the same year and we have all decided it would be cool to commiserate with each other somewhere fun! Bob Cohen at the IP has set me up with a great deal, now comes the hard part--getting all those people who, over margaritas or after a few margaritas--said yes, include me, yes, I want to go, yes, count me in to actually confirm!!

Our first ever trip to Vegas was in '72 so we have seen lots and lots of changes since then. I loved it then and still thoroughly enjoy it. Can't wait for my next trip.

If anyone has any great ideas of a restaurant for all of us to get together in for one night (I think the trip is going to be from November 23-Nov. 28) - probably Saturday night the 25th of November, I would love to hear about it--or if you have ever had a group of people go together, tell me some of the things you might have planned to do as a group. For the most part anyone who goes will dotheir own thing, but I thought it would be fun to offer some options too.

Love the forums here, love reading about Vegas. Steve, you do an awesome job and thank you again for putting me in touch with Bob Cohen at the Imperial Palace.

[sageblue]

I grew up north of Seattle, but came out east for graduate school at the University of Delaware. My partner of eight years and I now live in Collegeville, PA (NW of Philly), where I teach English and work in the administration at Ursinus College (http://www.ursinus.edu) (the "college" of Collegeville).

We are upping our frequency of visiting Vegas and AC, which is probably not a good sign. Oh well. I think we are still betting with our heads, as the ads say. We are hitting Vegas in May and August this year, and tomorrow will be our third overnight visit to AC this year. I just really have a great time gambling and flitting about, from game to game, place to place.

Our last trip to Vegas had some firsts: renting a car, staying off strip (Green Valley Ranch), completing the rides on the Stratosphere, Ellis, and using the ACG coupons (probably shouldn't have done all the drink coupons downtown in the same afternoon). Look forward to more new experiences next time.

[ArtNYC]

Hi, as a matter of fact I just came back form Vegas last evening, 3/24, after 1 short week there...:)
I was imported from Singapore almost 20 years ago into Manhattan, NYC and after all these years still love living here. Have a partner for over 12 years and sometimes we go to Vegas together (I converted him into a Vegas fan) but every year I go to Vegas once on my own o do my own thing on my own time - yes, it's me time!
Last week was there with a family friend - I still have me time trip for the year! :)
With every trip I love Vegas more, so is my loss but still, I had fun!

[Gail]

Hi everyone!

My name is Gail and I'm from the southern part of New Hampshire on the Massachusettes border, about 30 miles from Boston. I desperately want to sell the house and move out of here, like to Nevada maybe ?!! :p I hate the snow and cold. The only thing I'd miss is my BOSTON RED SOX!! I'm a huge fan and if i can't watch the game, I'll tape it. I'm one of those weird people who don't want to know the final score until I watch the game myself.

I love playing the slots and frequently go to Foxwoods or the Mohegan Sun in Conneticut, it's about a two hour drive. I've been to Vegas 3
times, but my visits are spaced pretty widely apart, so it's so different every time we go. This June will be our 4th trip and we can't wait! My daughter just turned 21 this year, so it'll be a lot more fun hanging out with her!

I love this forum and the information and experiences that have been posted have been interesting and invaluable to me!! Thanks everyone!

[baileyb]

Hi Everyone; I live in beautiful Niagara Falls with my husband Iain,our son Adam, who is 14, and our Westie,Polar(hence,my screen name) My real life name is Andrea.My husband is a hydraulic and pneumatic sales rep.and I work in a casino as a server.I love my job and cannot imagine working anywhere else!Most people can't believe that when we go on holiday(without our son)that it's always Las Vegas.But I know that all you other Vegas lovers know why! My first trip was about 25 years ago,that city just seemed to get under my skin and into my blood!! We get to go 1-2 times per year,we also have a summer road trip(10 days) with Adam.The road trips are very special and we all have a great time,but,my love affair is with Vegas! I really enjoy reading everyone's posts and getting to know you a little better! LOL,Polar


I live about 8 or 9 hours north of you. I have a love affair with Vegas too! My first trip was in 1997, two years after my husband passed away. My two sisters talked me into going. I never thought I would like Vegas because I had never really gambled before.

Can you believe I've been there every year since? It is the only place I go and there are no kids, no pets, and no tenants. We love the shows, and pretty much everything else about Vegas. We always go in late October, kind of gives us a boost before the long winter sets in. Of course the days just fly by. We never stop. Talk about lunch baf let down when we leave the sun and greenery to land in the north.

Lucky you going twice a year!

bileyb

[Bama]

Hi Everyone. I've enjoyed reading these short bios and might as well join in. My wife, Paula, and I are both 44 and live on a farm in NE Alabama. This is a rural, DRY (no alcohol sales) county but we're only 1.5 hours away from Atlanta or Birmingham.
Paula is a University Librarian and I teach Political Science, as an adjunct, at Jacksonville State University. I also manage the farm (cotton and soybeans), a hunting club (deer and quail) and take care of several rental properties. As for hobbies we both love to read, listen to music, and travel. Paula is an avid knitter and I follow my beloved University of Alabama Crimson Tide, being a season ticket holder to all football games.
Paula and I have been together nearly 12 years now and we both enjoy going to casinos, esp LV, as an "escape" from our otherwise quite lives. We love the Flamingo and the center strip action and try to get there at least every couple of years. In addition to Sin City we try to hit either Biloxi or Tunica once or twice a year as we can drive to either in around 5 hours. We just got back from a week visit to LV and can't wait till our next one!

[Grif]

My wife Helen and I live in Northport, Alabama, a town of 20,000 or so in the west-central part of the state. We have two grown children, Deborah and Greg, and one grandson (Zac). I'm a retired Army officer, having served 21 years as a lawyer in the Army JAG Corps. I now work as a staff attorney in the federal court system, and am looking forward to my second retirement (this time for keeps) 65 days from now (May 31st). I'm 62 and Helen is 58. Helen has a masters' degree in counselling and is a certified hypno-therapist, but isn't working at the present time.
During my time in the Army we were stationed primarily in the Washington, D. C. area (almost 14 years), and greatly enjoyed assignments in Greece and Belgium.
We spend about three weeks a year in Las Vegas and have stayed at more than 20 different hotels there. We go to several shows each trip, and have seen just about every permanent show there. We also like to try out-of-town things, with our favorites being unusual places like Oatman, Arizona (an old mining town that now has wild burros roaming the streets), and the Extraterrestrial Highway to Rachel, NV (and the dirt road off the highway that leads to the infamous Area 51 site).

Grif

[Shadow]

Hi Everyone! I'm 48 years old, and live in central Minnesota. I work in Inventory and Purchasing for a Plastics Manufacturer. I've been married for 28 years and have a 17 year old son. I've been going to Vegas since 1996. Went with my best friend from high school, and got hooked. My husband really doesn't like to gamble, so I usually make a yearly "girls vacation" to my favorite city. We love to see the sites during the day, but prefer downtown at night. We always stay downtown. It's so convenient to get from one casino to another. My husband and I both drive motorcycles, and we love to camp, so we take two family summer vacations each year. One week we go camping with friends, and one week a group of us take a week on the bikes. Last year we drove around Lake Superior. My husband did go with me to Vegas for our 25th wedding anniversary, and although he didn't gamble much, he had a great time. We went there for the NASCAR race. He once raced locally, so I surprised him with the Richard Petty Driving Experience. He got to drive a NASCAR on the Vegas track. He had a blast. He said he'll go with me to Vegas again someday, and my son wants to go there for his 21st birthday.

What a great way to get to know everyone. Especially since we all have the same love for Vegas. I just wish I lived closer so I could go more then once a year!

[angel Darline]

What a Great idea This is!I call home Cleveland,Ohio!I recently lost my husband,Loving partner, My best friend and My traveling to Vegas buddy(Heart attack at young age of 48!So, I am recently widowed(Aug,2005)We went to Las Vegas 2 times a year since 1990!We stayed at Excalibur grand opening,Lady Luck(downtown)the hotel that is now Hooters, and our Favorite IMPERIAL PALACE!!I am a Breast cancer survivor 3 years,but now battling terminal Bone Cancer ...This diagnosis came 1 week after Ken,s Death !!!I love Life and have 5 great adult children and 6 beautiful Grands under 9 and I am only 50!!!It,s been a great life so far!I worked for Disney :) for 14 years till newest bout of cancer!I am going back to Las Vegas in May/June,as Doctors agree,I need a BREAK....I know it will be really wierd without Ken,but I am looking forward to making my own memories!New Ones:cool: !!!This is my favorite place in the world and I will never stop going till the End!!!;)

[Hbaseballfan]

Hi,
My name is Howard and my wife's name is Harriet. I am in sales and marketing for a cable tv company and my wife works for a company that manages 401k plans. I grew up in Elmont NY ( Got my gambling education at Belmont Park) but have lived in Houston Texas for 26 years. We have two children although one has moved back in with our beautiful grandaughter. My son is a student at UNLV, so any excuse to see our son is a good one. We usally go 3- 4 times a year. We are celebrating our 25th in June and will renew our vows in Vegas.
We have stayed on the strip many times TI, Harrah's, The Falmingo,Bally's, The Rio and the IP, and Downtown at the Fitz, Freemont, and Main Street station. Our choice has been for the last 3 years is The Orleans.
We enjoy the food, some shows but not the $100.00 and up shows and sightseeing in Vegas.
We are both kicking ourselves for not moving to vegas before we got priced out of the market

[mrstrusty.com]

Steve, this is a great idea! My husband Richie and I moved here 4 years ago from Roslyn, NY and just love everything that Las Vegas has to offer. Before we moved here, we vacationed here twice a year and always knew we would retire here. We moved to the Southern Highlands area of Las Vegas which is growing rapidly. When I moved here, we didn't even have a supermarket! Blue Diamond was only a two lane highway....soon it will expand to 9 lanes! We now have 2 casinos within 5 miles of us, in a couple of years, we will have 5 casinos! I love the penny machines and I can spend hours with a $10 investment! The local casinos do comp us a lot for meals so I really never have to cook! I'm never homesick since I have company from back East every winter. The only time we are by ourselves is in the summer, hmmmmmmm:p

[Lola]

My husband and I live on Rock Creek Lake a few miles east of Kellogg, IA, which is about 60 miles east of Des Moines, the capital city. We have been retired since 1991, and started going to Vegas in the early 80's.

Hubby had been in the printing business since he was 16 years old, started out sweeping floors, then after 3 moves from New Jersey to North Dakota to Iowa, he became Printing manager for the local newspaper. I worked at various jobs until I became a Deputy Sheriff for Jasper County, IA. I retired after 22 years of service.

He is now 78 years old, I'm 73, and we're into the 35th year of a second marriage for both of us. He has 4 children by his first marriage, I have one. We have 9 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

I keep busy doing genealogy on both of our families and flower gardening. And, it's almost time for me to start planning my beds.

Husband has Essential Tremor, so we don't travel anymore, but we had some great times in our favorite vacation place. We usually went twice a year, in April and October. It's been 4 years since we've been there, and by reading the posts here, I still feel the connection. Thanks to you all for keeping me updated on the changes out there.

Lola Angell:p

[SandyA]

Hubby (Ray) and I live in beautiful Litchfield County in CT. Our first trip to Vegas was in 1972 and have been going back since then. Ray got bored with Vegas (I know, hard to believe anyone could<g>) sometime in the mid 90s so I've been going back with friends and other members of my family. I retired last year from my position as Assistant Finance Director for a nearby municipality and now I have more time than ever to devote to travels to Vegas! When I was working, it was pretty much just an annual trip, once in awhile I would manage to sneak an extra one in. Since I've retired I've been able to make a quarterly visit to my favorite city. I also spend a lot of time in Florida as most of my family lives down there. Stay busy with a lot of different things - genealogy has been eating up a lot of my time, love reading during those cold winter months, and enjoying our yard in the nice weather. Of course, I have to read this forum every day so I know what everyone else is up to:)

[medrano69]

My name is Antonia and I am a 36 year old married mom of a 2 year old baby boy. I must have gone to Vegas for the first time in 1996 or 1997 with my parents, who by the way cannot stand the fact that I love to gamble and go to casinos every chance I get. Since I grew up in Brooklyn, I was able to go to Atlantic City since the age of 21 whenever I visited my family in NYC. I have been to Las Vegas a total of 4 times: once with my parents, once with my husband, once alone, and once with a coworker. This July I will be going by myself once again. My husband and other family members are really not that into gambling or it appears into having FUN:D I have just gotten into playing poker live and entered a ladies tournament a couple of weeks ago in Atlantic City. I had the regular doubters, but out of 235 women I ended up at the final table and got knocked out at # 10. I plan to play in the WSOP ladies event and that's my reason for going to Vegas this year! :cool: I no longer have any complaints from my husband and I hope that I can keep living this dream. My goal was merely to play in tournaments whether I got knocked out early or not. I needed to at least try it and not think back when I get older " what if" "I should have" " I could have" . So to you all I say live your dreams, big or small!! I'll get away from the podium now! Thanks for listening.;)

[mamurn]

Hi All,
I love this site! It is really helpful. I live in Michigan. I try to visit Vegas at least 2 times a year. I have a friend who lives out there so it gives me a good excuse to visit as often as I can.

[Chiefsscott]

My name is Scott, 34 YOA, and I live in Missouri. I am a police officer and my wife is a teacher. We have a five year old son. I really enjoy this site. I love Las Vegas because I like to gamble and tour casinos/hotels. We have the gambling boats here in Missouri but they are nothing like what you find in Vegas. I just finished my eighth trip to sin city! When I get a chance I will post my trip report. ;)

[vegasjules]

I am an Air Force brat who has settled in rural Georgia to raise my family. We live in a one-blinking-light town where everyone knows everyone. I have 4 sons ages 16 - 8. I know what you're thinking ... FOUR BOYS, but they are great guys. It looks like my nephew is also going to be moving down to live with us soon. I don't mind at all. I tell anyone who questions my sanity, "I'm the queen of the house, and I don't have to share space with any princesses." My husband and I are both school teachers, and we go to Vegas once a year to get away from kids. We make it a point to take a couple of vacations alone each year, so we can just focus on each other. I can retire in about 10 years, and we plan to move to Nevada then. I'm hoping to teach there at least 5 more years and retire for good. Our first trip to Vegas was 9 years ago. We love the climate (yes, we have been in July), the size, and the excitement of the place. I mostly play slots and roulette. My husband plays slots and craps.

[mturner]

Love this site and visit it daily.

I am a recent retiree from a small town 55 miles west of Chicago and i highly recommend retirement!

I first visited Vegas in 89 with a group from my co.-- didn't gamble a lick that trip. I went out the next year with my best friend to visit a friend who had recently moved there and have been going back 2or 3 times a year since.
Like many.. I become a different person when i am there. i LOVE the freedom i feel and by that i mean not living with a clock telling me what to do etd. Also love the climate.

I have a son who is a fireman who has blessed me with a now 15 yr. old granddaughter and 13 year old grandson. I also have a daughter who is an ICU nurse specializing in open heart.

When i am not in vegas.. i am normally at whatever ballgame the kids are playing in. life is great.

i also have a companion named Scruffy and even tho his ears are long and his tail is short .. he is the love of my life!

[ksucidlo]

I first went to Las Vegas at the age of 10 when my sister and her husband got stationed at Nellis AFB. I spent summers with them and learned to love all that was Las Vegas and Nevada. I watched the strip and Wayne Newton grow up. Freemont Street was the first place I saw people cross a street diagonally. There were only a handful of hotels on the strip, and lots of desert in between them. My favorite memory is going to dinner at the Aku Aku restaurant in the brand new Stardust Casino. Started bringing my husband in the early 70s, and we've gone back together every year since. We will celebrate our 40th anniversary there next year with our 4 kids and their families. It has been great hearing about all of you and gettign to know more about the folks on this forum. k:D

[batteryman]

The wife and I live about 30 miles north of Pittsburgh. We've owned a battery company for 29 years which I started when I was 22. We have two boys and a girl the youngest of which is 24 and he will be taking over the business when I'm ready to let go. We too love Vegas and go at least twice a year. We mostly play slots and V P and have stayed at just about every hotel on the strip over the last 16 years.

[jferrett]

Hi, my favorite site on the net, thanks Steve, am orginally from Ark, but moved to Mich, lived there for many years, met my hubby on line, moved to NY and introduced him to Vegas in 2002, he loves it as much as I do. Have been going to Vegas since 1977 and only missed a couple of years not going :mad: Just returned from a great trip in March and already counting days till the next trip. Started staying on the strip but discovered downtown and love it. Great to read trip reports from other readers and think this is a great ideal, Great job Steve!!!

[jo45an]

My Hubby and I started going to Vegas in 1996, and when we returned home, I
found Steve's Board on AOL. I thought,"These are my kind of people" and have
followed this Vegas site ever since. We go every year. I am retired from the
phone company, while my husband still works there. I enjoy traveling, reading,
antiques, and archaeology. I was somewhat concerned when they started the
"what happen in Vegas,etc." advertising, since we are a happily married couple with 4 grown kids. But, I realize that there is something for everyone to see and
do, and I don't really miss the "family friendly" strollers that seemed to be all over the place when we first started going!! I am hoping to be able to attend
one of the meets in the near future, and I am grateful for all the interesting and
entertaining posts that can always be found here.

Joan and Bill :)

[Buz]

We are from NW Indiana. Really enjoy Vegas twice a year, spring and fall. I play alot of poker and Janell plays penny and nickle slots. We have 5 children 33 to 15. Actually they are mine, hers, and 1 we raised together.
I am getting close to retirement and would love to move to Southern Nevada, not Vegas. We hate the weather here and could handle the hot summers in Nevada.

[YSinAppleton]

I live in a small town near Green Bay, Wisconsin (go Packers). My job is the business manager for a county birth to three program. I am a widow with five children ranging in age from 19 to 33 years. Only have one married yet and two grandsons ages 12 and 3. My youngest son is a freshman in college. My husband passed away from a massive coronary at 49 years of age a few years ago. We go to Vegas twice a year - once in April with my daughters and once in October with my new significant other. Met him on the internet and it was the best day of my life. I love traveling, reading, and doing sudoku puzzles. I love this site and even though have been to Vegas many times; still find much appreciated information and opinions. Love sharing my love of Vegas with everyone here. I think my favorite is the trip reports, read every one of them. Favorite place to stay is the MC, although we try to stay at a different hotel once a year during our trip in April.

[nswanzy]

First let me say I love this site!
I'm Nancy, my husband is Chris...we live in central Texas and go to Vegas 2 to 3 times a year, usually for 4 night stays.
I am A NICU nurse at a large, top 100 hospital. Hubby is a Q.A. Supervisor for Wal Mart Distribution. We have been married for 10 years as of March 8, and had so hoped to have Elvis renew our vows this past March, but just couldn't get there.
I have 1 son (24) who is a Commercial Glazer(glass man) and shop foreman at a local glass company. He has 1 little boy. Hubby has 3 grown kids, (spread all over) and 7 grands.
Travel is our favorite hobby, and Vegas our favorite destination. We see at least one "big" show each trip, and try to catch several smaller ones. We love slots, casino hopping, and bargain food finds.(Sounds cheesy I know, no pun intended)
We're looking forward to a trip in September, taking my parents back to Vegas for the first time in nearly10 years....it'll be a whole new world compared to their last time out! (They were there the night they emploded the Sands!)

[Sherry]

Soooo very sorry that you lost your husband and you are now suffering from the effects of chemo. Cancer is a terrible thing. I lost both parents to cancer and in order for me to continue on I decided the best I could do was to volunteer in our local Outpatient Oncology clinic. It has done wonders. I am blessed each day that my family stays free of the disease. May God bless you and have a ball in Vegas. Sherry

[lynb452]

Hi, I'm Lyn, just turned 54, born and raised in southern CT. I finally made my first trip to Vegas in February and can't wait to go back. I love this site - it's giving me lots of tips and ideas for my next trip(s)!

I'm divorced, with two kids - my daughter is 16 and in high school; my son is 24 and moved to Las Vegas almost a year ago (hence the very good reason to finally make my first trip out to visit him!) He's a musician, and of course the opportunities are much greater there than here. He's made some good connections and things are starting to happen for him.

I love music, theater, movies - being close to New York I get in to see shows or concerts a few times a year - actually did the Times Square New Year's Eve thing for the first time this past year! I also visit Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun since I'm only about 90 minutes away. But now that I've been to Vegas....!:D

I'm so glad I found this site - thanks Steve! and everyone for your entertaining and informative posts!

[SunRunnerKelly]

Hi Everyone,

I'm a newbie here and I really enjoy this site! Hubby and I live in the 'burbs between Houston and Galveston. We work for a major aerospace corporation (I'm a systems engineer, he's a contracts and pricing manager). We usually make 3-4 trips to Vegas each year. Most of the year my favorite games are Blackjack and VP, but during our annual March Madness trip I live to bet on basketball!

[Podie1956]

I'm Celeste (hey Parrotheadmaine, yes there IS another Celeste in the world!) and Podie was my nickname growing up. I was born on 1/9/56 so that's where my screen name comes from. Yup, I turned the big 5-0 this year, and it hurts a little less each time I say it or write it. But you're only as old as you feel - and I still feel 17!!!

Luckily, however, I'm old enough to gamble. I'm the Postmaster of a small town about 35 miles north of Gainesville, FL, and after 18 years in Orlando I really love the slower pace of life and the beauty of this area. I spent ten years in the Army and Army Reserves and then switched to the Navy Reserve where I did 16 more years - all as a Journalist.

I was thrilled when my son joined the Army in 2003 at 19, less than thrilled during the long year he spent in Iraq, and angered when the Army put him out last December rather than deal with his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Alcoholism. That doesn't really have a place on this board, I guess, but right now it's a main topic in my mind, so it's worth mentioning.

My daughter is in Veterinary school at the University of Florida (GO GATORS!) and also a Second Lieutenant in the Army Reserve - they pay for her vet school so she owes them three years of active duty when she becomes a vet next year. I brought her to LV for her 21st birthday.

My husband Rich is retired Army, 21 years, and now also retired Post Office. He doesn't like LV as much as I do, but he'll come with me every five years or so.

I was born and raised in New York City and it seems like we grew up gambling! I went to Atlantic City as soon as I was old enough and then visited casinos in Europe and several places in the U.S. When I first visited LV about 15 years ago, I knew it was THE BEST. It is absolutely the perfect adult playground!

I'm happy if I get to LV once a year. But a couple of times I've gone to Atlantic City instead, and all it did was remind me there's no place like LV. Now, if I could just learn to walk away from the slots and roullette tables when I'm not winning, I could probably visit more often!

[cyngia]

Hello, this is Cynthia I am 52 years and my husband Fred is 55 years. We are from San Antonio home of the Champions "The SPURS". BIG FANS! We have 2 daughters, 1 son and 1 grandson. We like to dance, go camping, fishing and cook every Sunday for the family.
We first visited Las Vegas in August 2000 to celebrate our anniversary. I wanted to go to Hawaii but, my husband purchased the trip to Las Vegas at an auction and plans were changed. I was sad at first, then happy we were finally going on a vacation out of state. We had such a wonderful time! We try to go every year. Last year we went with our daughter and my son who had just turned 21. Even though our son is in a wheelchair he was able to play a lot of the table games and had a great time.
I like to play roulette, blackjack and the slot machines.
My husband says he only likes to play blackjack and craps but every once in a while I will see him at a slot machine. I'm always on the internet checking with Southwest for the best vacation pkgs for our next trip. Our friends who go every year call us when they find a great deal and we do the same.
You know, you can be in room with strangers no one talking to one another until someone mentions Las Vegas. You and that person begin talking and laughing about your trip to Las Vegas, as if you were great friends.
That is why I enjoy this site so much. We all live in different places and have different backgrounds but, we have one thing in commen Las Vegas.
VIVA LAS VEGAS!
Thanks to Steve for this great site.

Cynthia(cyngia)

[magicfish]

Hi -I am a mid-fifities woman who lives in Austin, TX (live music capitol of the world) with my hubby of 36 years (yikes!). We have one daughter, who is married and lives in Houston with her husband & as three children age five and under! :eek:

We are both Cajuns from New Orleans, but we have lived in Texas for a LONG time. When we lived in Houston we took day trips to Louisiana to gamble. My dad used to have a house on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and I would visit and go with them to various Gulfport/Biloxi/Pass Christian casinos. We have also visited casinos in New Mexico.

My husband had been to Vegas a couple of times over the years, but my first visit was in the late 90's - I was immediately hooked - or if you ask my hubby, obsessed!

We started out with slots, but have gotten to the point that he plays video poker and blackjack machines (with a few slots thrown in, on occasion). I now play blackjack tables almost exclusively.

I have been to Vegas with my spouse, each of my two siblings, and girlfriends. I am soooo glad to see that several people who have posted are ladies who travel to Vegas alone - my husband thinks I'm the only one!! He doesn't feel the need to go the 3-4 times a year that I average, but sends me off with his blessings!!

My normal visit is 5-8 days, but I have stayed as long as 11 days. We nearly always rent a car - we get around to all our favorite casinos and restaurants, but after all these visits I still have a list of things we have yet to do/see! Going to Vegas fairly often, we have been lucky enough to become friends with several LV locals, whom we get together with on every visit. :) My husband and I often talk about the possibility of retiring to the Vegas valley in a few years.

I love to sit at the blackjack tables for hours - I love low stakes games, but will only play tables with reasonable odds/table rules. Basic strategy is my gospel. I enjoy keeping tabs on my wins/losses and am glad to say that since Dec. 1998 (when I started tracking my blackjack gambling diligently) I am up nearly 70%! Mind you, the actual dollars are quite small because of my low stakes gaming. I always tell people that I usually spend more at the tables on tips than I do on gambling.

I have stayed in 12 Las Vegas hotels, and will add two more to the list later this month (May, '06) when I visit Vegas again - as always, I am already getting excited - I can't wait!!! :rolleyes:

[Lackqueen]

Hubby & I are high school sweethearts and will be married 32 years this August. We have one son & 2 beautiful granddaughters. We've lived just south of Buffalo, NY all of our lives. My dream was to go to Vegas & since hubby loves the country, we never traveled much. For our 25th wedding anniversary I convinced him that we should go to Vegas. He loved it & we've gone back twice a year ever since. Yippeeeeeee!!! Hubby retired as a police officer about 3 years ago & I recently retired as a secretary to our local fire department this past February, after working there for 35 years. I LOVE retirement!! We occasionally go to some of the casinos in Niagara Falls, NY & in Canada, and the racino (about 15 minutes away) but of course, you can't even come close to comparing them to Vegas! We used to go to AC on free trips, but since going to Vegas, we're not interested in AC anymore.

Last trip was in late March & we're planning to go in late September/early October. We really want to build a place on our country property very soon, so MIGHT have to cut back on a trip in the future, but hopefully not! This forum is great, Steve. You do a wonderful job!!! :cool:

[Lackqueen]

I forgot one thing.....GO SABRES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tweeets]

Hubby & I are high school sweethearts and will be married 32 years this August. We have one son & 2 beautiful granddaughters. We've lived just south of Buffalo, NY all of our lives. My dream was to go to Vegas & since hubby loves the country, we never traveled much. For our 25th wedding anniversary I convinced him that we should go to Vegas. He loved it & we've gone back twice a year ever since. Yippeeeeeee!!! Hubby retired as a police officer about 3 years ago & I recently retired as a secretary to our local fire department this past February, after working there for 35 years. I LOVE retirement!! We occasionally go to some of the casinos in Niagara Falls, NY & in Canada, and the racino (about 15 minutes away) but of course, you can't even come close to comparing them to Vegas! We used to go to AC on free trips, but since going to Vegas, we're not interested in AC anymore.

Last trip was in late March & we're planning to go in late September/early October. We really want to build a place on our country property very soon, so MIGHT have to cut back on a trip in the future, but hopefully not! This forum is great, Steve. You do a wonderful job!!! :cool:

Hi neighbor-we live in Depew and have been going to Vegas several times a year for more years than I care to mention. LOL

[Lackqueen]

Hi neighbor-we live in Depew and have been going to Vegas several times a year for more years than I care to mention. LOL

Wow, how cool! When do you usually go & where do you stay? Go Sabres!!! :cool:

[Jim Colyer]

I was born in Louisville, Kentucky on December 29, 1945. The famous people with whom I share a birthday are Mary Tyler Moore and Andrew Johnson, the only President other than Bill Clinton to be impeached. I grew up about 15 miles east of Louisville in Middletown. School began for me in the fall of 1952. I hated school, everything about it. My first grade teacher grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me because I tried to work a puzzle which was too hard for me without first asking. She was a dominatrix. She had two huge dogs which she prized. Maybe that is why I hate dogs to this day. Anyway, I went through grade school and high school without opening my mouth. I sat and waited for the bell to ring at 3 o'clock so I could go home and listen to rock & roll records on my little turntable. I bought Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis. Only in my senior year did I find a means of expressing myself in public. It was 1964, the year of The Beatles. I latched on to The Beatles. I looked in the mirror and saw John Lennon. If I had no talent and was too lazy to work, at least I could grow my hair. My hair became my vocation. I sat up half the night trying to write songs. My mother pulled me out of bed each morning by my arm. She was determined I would graduate from high school. I strolled through commencement like a zombie in that stupid cap and gown. The cap crushed my Beatle hairdo. Thank God it was over!

Little did I know, it was only beginning! President John Kennedy was assassinated during my senior year of high school. It set off a tumultuous chain of events that took 13 years to run its course. The Vietnam War, race riots, illegal drugs, religious fanaticism, women's liberation, homosexuality and the political corruption of Watergate piled wave upon wave. I plowed through my 20s. I got an Associate degree from Lindsey Wilson College in central Kentucky in 1967. I was majoring in English. For the first time, I was taking an interest in literature. I was reading novels and grappling with European history. I thirsted for knowledge. I was eligible for the draft. Like other young men my age, I was confused about Vietnam. The war made no sense. Nor did the draft. We were told we were in Vietnam to contain Communism. I had trouble understanding what a Communist was. No man could look at another man and recognize him as a Communist. The isolated position of Vietnam was a problem. It lay behind the Philippines on the map. It did not jut out like the Korean penninsula. It was hard to get to, hard to defend. The draft was hard to justify. Something in me was saying no man had the right to take another man off the street and put him in a war against his will. Nevertheless, the draft was real. You went when you were called or risked the chance of being sent to prison. After getting a third year of college as an English major, my draft papers came. My education was without direction, and I went into the Army in October, 1969. I took basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky. After further training in radio school, I received orders for Germany. I remember standing in formation and looking at those orders. Imagine my relief! By 1969-70, most of America had turned against the war. Richard Nixon was slowly pulling troops out. Vietnam was becoming something people wanted to forget. I set off for Germany. I had studied German for two semesters. I knew a few words, that was all. Once in Frankfurt, I readily found the prostitutes spoke fluent English. I avoided them. I was still thinking of the girl I left behind. I knew it was over but consoled myself with false hope. I did not like Germany. It was dark and depressing. The buildings were drab. It was like going back to the Middle Ages. I ended up in a nuclear platoon. It was over my head. I drank too much German beer. It was potent stuff. By the time I was discharged from the Army, America had changed. Hippie life had become a norm with young people. A grass roots religious movement was sweeping the country. Zealots were called Jesus Freaks. Baby boomers searched for answers in the aftermath of war. They looked to Buddhism and different forms of mysticism. Cults flourished. I became involved with a group of Jesus Freaks for awhile in Louisville. We attended a Pentacostal church, spoke in tongues and wrote Gospel songs. "Jesus Paid My Debt" came from that period. To this day, I regard the essense of The New Testament as ultimate reality.

In late 1973, I recorded a song called "Long Live Rock & Roll." It was a tribute to what was then 20 years of rock & roll. I pressed 1000 copies in Nashville and mailed them across the country. I would hear from that song. In 1981, I was working for the State of Tennesse in Nashville. The people who had the publishing on "Long Live Rock & Roll" called to tell me Elvis Presley recorded my song before he died and that RCA had released it on an 8-record set called "Elvis Aron Presley." I was ecstatic. Wasn't this what I had dreamed of? I went to a record shop and bought the vinyl set. I took it home and played it. I was disappointed. It was my title, and I was credited as the writer, but it was not my song. It was hard to say what it was. The band was jamming and Elvis was moaning. My dad said it was my song. I knew it was not. We argued. It makes a funny story today but it was all irrelevant to the fact that making a record gave me new hope after the Vietnam era. I knew I could do things again. What next? I decided to finish college with help from the GI Bill. I had a plan. I had the idea of being a librarian since I had read a variety of books by this time and wanted to be around books. It did not occur to me that I did not have the temperament of a librarian. I was a bull in a china closet. I had to do something. I got my Bachelor's Degree in English from Union College in Barbourville, Kentucky. Almost all of my courses were independent. I wrote papers and took them in. I took courses in Greek drama, the British Romantic poets and Shakespeare. I was out of my mind but graduated and moved to Nashville to get a Master's Degree in Library Science from Peabody College. Peabody is now part of Vanderbilt University. I am living in an apartment complex at Vanderbilt as I type, 30 years later. It is hard not to believe in full circles. I got my degree and took a library job at Castle Heights Military Academy in Lebanon, Tennessee, 30 miles east of Nashville off Interstate 40. It was a high school. For someone who hated school, I could not get enough of it. I was in my early 30s. Working with teenagers gave me a sense of responsibility. I quit drinking and tried to hold myself as an example for young people. I put on the same uniform I wore in the Army several years earlier. It was not easy. I was neither a soldier nor librarian by nature. These were things I was caught up in from my youth. My second year at Castle Heights, the songwriter in me came out. I put together a band from among the students. We recorded an album with a friend of mine named Bill Davis. I met Bill while attending Peabody. He was a music student with ambitions of writing serious music. He would make quotation signs with his fingers when he talked about "serious music." Our album was centered around a song I wrote called "Phoenix." We called the album "Phoenix Rising." I was fascinated with the idea of resurrection, the idea of rising from one's own ashes. I liked comebacks. Comeback songs became a category within my catalog. I came to suspect I may be knocking myself down so I could have the opportunity of making still another comeback. The student album put me closer to the students than the faculty and in April, 1978, I found a pink slip in my mail. I could no longer do the military thing. I was 32. Jimmy Carter was President. Times were good, and disco music was on fire. ABBA was on the radio with "Dancing Queen." The Bee Gees answered with "Night Fever." I wanted a girl friend. I wanted a house. I wanted to get married. I bought a house in Lebanon and moved in alone. In October, 1978, I took another library job (God! I was not cut out to be a librarian!), this time with the State of Tennessee in Nashville.

Destiny stepped in! While at Castle Heights, I fell in love or thought I fell in love with the wife of a faculty member. We paired off every night in the cafeteria. We gazed dreamily into each other's eyes and confided our feelings of alienation. "We are under siege." she said. Her hair was dark, her eyes were blue and her skin was seductively pale. She reminded me of Madame Bovary from Gustav Flaubert's novel, the tragic, lonely wife waiting for some mystery lover to wisk her off to a higher plane. I wanted to. I thought it was going to happen. I contemplated it for two years. There was one giant obstacle. She had two young boys. It was not in me to take someone else's kids. I waffled. The spell broke. I bought a house in Lebanon and lay in bed every night for 10 months hurting over this woman. Her husband finally told me she had a boy friend, a disc jockey. There would be a divorce, but she was not moving in with me. The pain was like a knife. I vowed that if I ever became enamored with another married woman, I would strike like lightning. It did not take long.

I went to work at The Tennessee State Library. I was the Serials Librarian. My assistant sat behind me at her desk. This was Karen. I had no way of knowing Karen was the future mother of my son. We talked and got to know each other quickly. Karen was married to a man who worked on another floor of the library. It was the same story, another unhappy wife. She told me that the week before she loaded her car and drove around the block only to return home because she had nowhere to go. Karen wanted to buy a house. Her husband wanted to drink his money up and run off to Florida everytime he got a vacation. Karen wanted a baby. Her husband did not want a baby because he had a child by a previous marriage. Karen and I sat side by side, checking in serials. She tried to teach me the job. The chemistry was strong. We sat rubbing our legs together. Other library employees noticed. Ten days after I took the job, Karen was in my bed in Lebanon. We set up a pattern of Thursday nights. Karen told her husband she was selling Avon. She would drive the 32 miles from Nashville to be with me. One night, we met on a street corner next to the library to go to a movie. A fellow employee drove by in his car. We were sure he saw us. We saw a Woody Allen movie that night called "Interiors," one of his worst. Things came to a head. I told Karen to leave her husband and move in with me. I was 32. I had a house and an income. I promised her a baby. She was unsure. We lay on the floor of my living room after sex. She cried and asked me to give her six months to think about it. Her mascara ran. I laughed and told her she looked like Alice Cooper. Six months was too long. I insisted she move in right away. She said she would do it after Thanksgiving. Karen spent Thanksgiving with her husband and detested in-laws. She remembered thinking, "This is the last time." Karen's daddy rented a U-Haul and moved her furniture and belongings to my house the next day while her husband was at work. It was Friday. Karen and I fell asleep in each other's arms that night. It would be that way for awhile. We had done the right thing. God and destiny were on our side!

A clash with Karen's husband was inevitable. He was waiting for us Monday morning, pacing on the sidewalk outside the library. He and I butted heads over the next few weeks. The climax came in the lobby of the library. We went after each other. He was bigger. I was more determined. I had him by the hair with his head down. He shook like a bull. I was a matador. We inched toward the stairwell. A wrong move, and we would have gone over.

I heard a bellowing voice. "What in the hell is going on here?" We looked up. It was the head librarian, a crusty, cigarette-smoking dyke. Behind her, library employees were peeking through the main doors, their necks stretching to see the fight. It was over. I was given two weeks notice. Fistacuffs were not expected from library-types. Karen and I left together, and I would never use my degree again.

I had been through Las Vegas the previous summer. I got the idea of finding work in Vegas. Karen and I loaded my Ford Maverick and left for Las Vegas on Flag Day, June 14, 1979. We drove west on Interstate 40. A couple of nights in motels, and we found ourselves cruising down Las Vegas Boulevard. We rented an apartment and looked for work. It was useless, at least for me. The trip gradually turned into a tour of the American west. After a month in Las Vegas, we retreated to Nashville. Karen got her divorce. It took a year because her idiot husband contested it. He sued me for "alienation of affection." I could not believe a lawyer would take such a rediculous case. He found one stupid enough to take it. Karen and I were married in April, 1980. I came in one morning from working all night at the U.S. Post Office. Karen informed me it was time to get married. I was going to wear jeans. She made me change into a pair of slacks. We drove to the courthouse in Lebanon. We were married by a woman. I tipped her $20. One picture was taken of Karen and myself kissing. It was enough. It felt no different now that we were married than it did when we were living together.

These were years of travel, my 30s. Karen and I were loose on the country. I was fascinated with great places. Suddenly, I had the freedom to go to places I had heard about all my life. My galleries are filled with pictures. Karen took them. I wrote papers. After awhile, I had that full circle feeling. We were repeating. As prices went up, we got less from it.

Karen and I began watching "Dallas" in the fall of 1979. It sounds crazy but when J.R. and Sue Ellen became parents on the show, that was when I realized I was going to be a father. I never thought it possible before. Karen and I knew we would be parents. We also believed we would have a boy, which is what she wanted.

I built up a collection of books on human sexuality. I must have had 20. I studied diagrams of the female reproductive organs. I learned about ovaries, Fallopian tubes and the uterus. I visualized my sperm cell working its way through Karen's tubes to fertilize her ovum. I could do it!

Karen removed her IUD (Intra-Uterine Device). She began trying to get pregnant. Things sometimes go awry, and it takes a couple of times to get them right. That is how it was. Karen was pregnant by late 1982. In March, 1983, she called me where I worked as a printer for the State of Tennessee. She was at the doctor's. She had a miscarriage. I recall walking through the streets of downtown Nashville with tears in my eyes. That night, Karen and I hugged in the kitchen. I said we would try again. Karen must have gotten pregnant the second time around June 11, 1983. Michael Brandon Colyer was born 9 months later on March 11, 1984. As it turned out, the pregnancies were so close that only one of the babies could be born. This was hard to understand and hard to explain. I accepted it as God's will. I came to feel that God brought me to Nashville for the purpose of being Michael's father. Years later, I felt He brought me back to Nashville to help my son. Karen and I divorced, and I ended up living in my parents' basement in Louisville. But I lived with Michael over a year, long enough to establish a permanent relationship. He never forgot me.

I turned 40 in my parents' basement. It seemed my life was over. I would be in the basement 12 years, 1985-1997. We perceive time differently after 40. It becomes a running facet. Days, months and years slip by with little meaning. We approach 50. We feel our strength ebb and watch ourselves turn gray in the mirror. We depise the music of the day and have no interest in television. We long for our youth and are envious of the younger generation.

"I must go on." I wrote that line, New Year's Eve, 1985. Everything I have done since has grown from that seed. Michael came first. I was virtually broke but started going to Michael when I could afford it. There was no pattern. I went to Nashville when something inside me told me the time was right. I would either get a motel and do things with Michael and Karen or bring him to Louisville. My parents sometimes went with me. I would have been on the street without them. It was the same for Karen. Her parents built an apartment onto their house for her and Michael. I appreciated that.

The basement years passed. I read books and wrote papers. I wrote a book about ABBA. I watched movies on home video. I went to Las Vegas and Sweden. Bill Clinton was elected President. He was reelected. It was 1997, and there was a 70s revival. I had an environmental pop song called Save The Planet and advertized for a female vocalist in a local music paper. A lady in southern Indiana answered my ad. I went to her house. We made a tape of my song in her living room. I still believe in that song and finally recorded it in Nashville at Direct Image Studio. I sang it myself. For such a song to gain acceptance, I feel we need to be in a liberal era. A Republican administration and a War on Terror are not a favorable climate. Hopefully, we will win this war and peace will be restored.

I ended up back in Nashville in July, 1997 in an apartment on Music Row. It happened quickly. I began writing songs like crazy, girl songs. It was the Shania Twain era. In retrospect, it seems like destiny. I came to feel that God brought me back to Nashville to help Michael. He was 13, and it was good for me to be close so I could get to him when he needed me. We began having meals together and seeing movies. We talked about life, school, girls and the future. We had many conversations while riding in the Nissan truck I bought at Hippodrome on Broadway.

I started singing my songs on public access TV. It kept the ball rolling. I was recording girl singers with Doc Dockery in Indiana and Kenny Royster in Nashville. My biggest problem was trying not to fall in love with my current singer whoever she was. Songs poured out of me: All Roads Lead To You, I'm The One, Hard Earned Love, Half Crazy Half The Time, Rough Night, Heartbreaker, Name, Number & Message, Merry Christmas. I was a genius in my own mind as the 20th century faded into the 21st. I did karaoke. I sang the songs of the big 4: Elvis Presley, The Beatles, ABBA and Shania Twain. Being older, it did not bother me to get up and sing a Shania song. I was writing for women anyway. I tried not to be affected by 9/11. There was no way not to be. It touched us all. I voted for John Kerry in 2004 but eventually became a Bush supporter. One thing I have learned is to keep an eye on the future. I took Michael to Florida while he was in high school. I took him to New York City and Washington, D.C. in his third year of college. I mean to take him west. I am thinking Las Vegas, Hollywood, the Grand Canyon and the Sequoias. We are making plans. Muscially, I am working my best stuff. I recorded God Given Talent with a Nashville demo singer and will take it to ASCAP along with my Christmas song. Our best days are ahead.

[Souette]

I am 48 yr old Speech Pathologist that works with middle/high school students with severe communication disorders. I have worked with preschoolers and adults as well through rehab centers or home health agencies. I live on the TN/KY state line just about 70 miles northwest of Nashville.

I've been married 26 yrs. We met when he was 15 and I was 17. Since I graduated first...I wo