melworks

Today, on a whim, I went gambling.
I haven't gambled in, oh, two years or so? At least, not in a casino.
There's one in the next state, on an Indian Reservation, and I used to go up fairly frequently but then I stopped for reasons that I shant get into.
Anyway, the drive up was nice, despite the construction and heat. I got a car tan on my left arm which was hanging out the window most of the way. Oh. And I missed my exit and had to drive, literally, to the NEXT STATE to get to an exit where I could turn around and eventually reach my destination.
The casino was NOT fun. They've upgraded themselves since the last time I was there. The table games are pretty much the same, although minimum bets have increased across the board. The slots, though, are terrible. Most of the machines are new, and I suspect the odds are more heavily geared towards the house.
I didn't win shit. In fact, I lost a bit of money that I was vaguely considering spending on a vacation to Jekyll Island, Georgia later in the year. Well, that's not happening.
I should have stopped gambling when I started to lose, but I didn't. I just had this ridiculous hope/fantasy that I would win big and come back home with a barrel of money and life would just be fucking EASIER for a while.
Poor, stupid me.
I left at 10PM and only walked in my front door a few minutes ago. The ride back was hell. There was night-time construction all along the route. Exit ramps I would normally take were closed, forcing me to head west and then double back to get to where I was going.
AND, a long stretch of Interstate was closed, with traffic being rerouted through a business district which was just irritating and inconvenient.
Honestly, this entire trip was a huge mistake and I regret going.
Rest assured, though, friends, that I won't be going back again.

So, I'm writing this in the bed of my hotel room on Jekyll Island.
I left home before noon and stopped off at my Mom's place on the way down. I called her last night and this morning but she didn't answer and I started to think, "Maybe something's happened?" and picturing worst case scenarios, so I stopped by and she was totally fine, just had been out galavanting.
So, I continued on my way down the road. Getting to Jekyll Island is fairly easy for me, it's just a straight shot down I-95. I took a different exit than the usual and cut through Brunswick and drove over this enormous bridge, but I arrived at around 430 PM.
My hotel room is more like a suite. I've got a sitting area, a kitchenette and a bedroom as well as a nice bathroom. I'm also on the bottom, around the corner, at the end. So, less traffic noise.
The first thing I did after putting away my things(and discovering I had forgotten to pack socks) was go down to the Market Shops and get something to eat. Specifically, half a pound of shrimp, a side of cole slaw, a bag of chips, and a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. I also bought some socks.
Then I came back to the hotel and sort of sprawled in front of the television for a little while, before gathering myself together and going over to the beach. The moon is full and bright and I walked along the waterline, singing nonsense songs to the moon and ocean and just feeling very right. Then I came back to the hotel, where I grabbed a Power Ade and a Twix bar and am currently typing this entry.
Tomorrow should be a nice day. Saturday looks iffy, weather wise, and I'll be heading back home on Sunday.