Christmas at the Casinos

I did not have any special plans for the Christmas weekend... neither did some of my friends in my apartment complex. One guy came down from Dallas too. We were a group of losers with no family and nothing to do on Christmas. So we decided to drive to some place close by.

I had been to San Antonio & Austin before, and one guy just came from Dallas. So we had to go to Louisiana or Mexico. I wanted to check out the casinos at Lake Charles and hence we set off to Lake Charles yesterday morning.

We reached "L’Auberge du Lac" by noon. It stood out in the flat neighborhood. It is the latest and probably the biggest casino there. We saw hoardings announcing concerts by Kenny Rogers, Lionel Richie and show Bill Cosby. It must be a happening place in Lake Charles. However if you have been to Las Vegas or Atlantic city before you may not be thrilled. However it is not fair to expect anything close to what you have in Vegas, in a small town like Lake Charles.


We spent some time roaming around the blackjack tables. All of them we occupied. Most of the players were Asians and were very serious about the game. I did not see many who were having fun while playing; instead they seemed to be playing with a vengeance. The atmosphere is much more tensed and serious that in Vegas.


After some waiting, I joined a $10 blackjack table while the others went to check out the other areas of the hotel and the lunch buffet. By the time they returned, I had lost "enough" money. So we decided to leave. On our way out my friends "donated" some more money by playing the slot machines for a short time. Then we decided to move on to the next Hotel.

Soon we realized that almost all the places were closed for Christmas. We checked out Harrah's on the way but it was also shut down. So we moved on to the Isle of Capri Hotel.

Isle of Capri was designed like a big boat. I thought that it was more appealing than the L’Auberge. We had our lunch at the Hotel and relaxed for a while. Then we went to check out the gambling. Each floor (deck) had a different type of game. I soon found the "blackjack deck". They had some $5 tables too. I once again decided to try my luck with Blackjack. Thankfully this time I was very lucky. I won many times what I put in, and covered all my losses. Sometime during the game, my friends who were roaming around the casino, found me. They watched me play and was surprised at the way I was winning. They did not see me lose at the other casino. After sometime they go fed up and wanted to leave. I thought it was a good time to leave when I am in a good position.

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We drove back to Houston just in time to hit the local clubs.

Learning more than tennis from Sarah Flood

I have started taking some tennis lessons. I like tennis and I think it is easier to get a tennis partner to play with, than 9 more guys for basketball (which is still my favorite game).

Sarah Flood, my trainer, is a tennis pro from UK. She is pursuing her PhD at the University of Houston and offers tennis lessons during her spare time.

Today I came to know of the details of a severe accident she had in 2002.

I am posting some portion of an article in The Daily Cougar Online, about her accident and recovery.

Only hours after attending her mother's funeral in England that fateful Tuesday morning, Flood was involved in a head-on automobile collision. After being revived at the scene of the wreck and spending six days on life support, the UH tennis player was determined to prove the experts wrong and walk again.

"They told me I might be paralyzed and would definitely never play tennis again," Flood said. "I'm the kind of person that doesn't deal well with people telling me what I can't do."

Flood returned to Houston that following January and began extensive rehabilitation. Her injuries — which included two collapsed lungs, a ruptured spleen, a lacerated liver and a broken hip — were not enough to keep the 20-year-old down.

"First I learned to walk again, and then I learned to run," she said. "I told everyone I would play the Cougar Classic this fall. Some said I was crazy for attempting it, but I was determined to get back into tennis."

Flood's passion for the game drove her to work harder at improving her health. This weekend, the 5-3 sophomore placed third in the doubles bracket of the Cougar Fall Classic.

It is quite normal that you regard such a person highly. But everytime I hear a story like this, I ask myself if I would have had the strength to come out of a similar situation; and the truth hurts! I had a similar feeling when I saw the movie "Million Dollar Baby".


It is not the first time that I have closely interacted with an achiever like Sarah. I have friends who have dedicated years to master something, sacrificing a good lifestyle and all income.

I wonder if I can ever come close... focused and dedicated to a cause. Even though I see such strong personalities in real life, I continue with my laziness. All I do is think, make detailed plans and then procrastinate.


My friends, colleagues and relatives may think that I am successful. But almost all of the things I do well are due to the abilities/talents I have; not hard work. If I had even a quarter of the will power that these people have, I believe I can do wonders!

"It is not our abilities that show what we truly are... it is our choices" - Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

"If there's magic in boxing, it's the magic of fighting battles beyond endurance, beyond cracked ribs, ruptured kidneys and detached retinas. It's the magic of risking everything for a dream that nobody sees but you" - Eddie Scrap-Iron Dupris in Million Dollar Baby.

I hope I learn more than just tennis from Sarah. Something that she has that cannot be taught; and if I do, it is worth more than a million New Year resolutions.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Movie reviews

I put, the time I gain by not watching TV and much more, into watching movies.

Since this now a major pastime for me, I am thinking of posting short reviews of the movies I watch, on my blog. I once did write a little about the movie "Ray"

I wanted to start with the list of movies I watched within the last two months.

• Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind


• An Unfinished Life


• Memento


• Hitchhiker's guide to the Galaxy


• Born into brothels


• Peter Pan


• Constantine


• A Guy Thing


• Harold and Kumar goes to White Castle


• Man on Fire


• Towering Inferno


• Lemony Snicket's A series of unfortunate events


• Phantom of the Opera


• Mooseport


• Open Water


• Star Wars III


• Hostage


• Longest Yard


• Coach Carter


• Robots


• Seinfeld - Seasons 1&2 (4 Discs)


• Interpreter


• Madagascar


• Fever Pitch


• Flight Plan


• Sin City


• Garam Masala


• Hera Pheri


• Shark Tale


• Assault on Precinct 13

I also watched some movies again, like...

• Incredibles


• Office Space


• Patriot Games


• Pianist


• Bruce Lee


• Micheal Jordan


• Aviator


• Sholay


• Dil Chahta Hai


• 
  

and I am about to watch...

• Alexander


• Million Dollar baby

Now where do I start!?!

Boat house going nowhere

Posted some photographs from my trip to Kerala with Matt Novi.