I got to wondering about that the other day...
When babs and I both still smoked, we'd occasionally go to the casino and gamble a little... well, maybe not so little. Babs and I were the most addicted gamblers you could find... my other daughters would bring their own cars if they wanted to join us, just so that they could go home whenever they were ready, because they knew babs and I would outlast them by hours... LOL
Anyway, babs and I just couldn't bring ourselves to leave the casino until we were dead broke, and often overdrawn on our gambling "allowance", and it was so late in the night that we practically fell off our stools in front of the slot machine. Of course most times we were disgusted with ourselves, having thrown all of that money into the wind... or rather, into the machine... LOL. We stunk like cigarette smoke, we spent next week's grocery money (but never, interestingly enough, next week's cigarette money... hmmmm....), and we were tired and bleary-eyed the next day.
So... we haven't gone to the casino in ages. I know I haven't been since I quit smoking, because a) there just never was an occasion or time for it, and b) I didn't want to spend the money, now that I was saving money by not smoking, and c) I was afraid that gambling would lead me back to smoking, (like drinking does for others).
Last Sunday, my husband went to Harrah's Philadelphia Racetrack and Casino to race one of the horses he trained. It was a beautiful day, I didn't feel like sitting at home, so I thought oh well, I'll take a ride down with him. While he was in the paddock racing his horse, I had about 4 hours to kill, so of course I went to the casino.
I couldn't believe how downright EASY it was to walk away from the slot machines. Sure I gambled some, but I also went outside, watched some of the races, sat in the sun, got something to eat... a nice day out. I enjoyed myself more than EVER before... because I wasn't a slave anymore, but a free woman.