The Tip Bully

Day 4, also known as Tuesday. It was very windy today in Vegas, the weather hasn't been too great so far.

But what do I care, I'm usually pounding the buttons of some gambling machines indoors, in a dimly lit, smoky casino somewhere.

The morning routine went as usual and as I prepared to head out, I thought about where I was gambling-wise.

Down $300 on the trip after two full days of gambling wasn't such a bad result.

I went down to the casino here at Excalibur and played triple play quarters, shoving $100 into the machine.

You always have these sort of goals in your mind - 'I have to get this $100 up to $400 to get even' - that sort of thing. It's good to have goals in life.

Well, what a run I had! It was fantastic. The quads just kept coming, including three sets of Pointies for $100 each. I played for about an hour and a half, non-stop.

That's a total of ten four-of-a-kinds. Sessions like this make up for those horrible ones where you don't hit any. I prefer these ones.

Amazingly, I hit my goal number right on the nose and cashed out $400, putting me dead even on the trip!

I was bound and determined to get at least one buffet out of my $100 resort credit, so I took the longgg longgg escalator upstairs and headed for the trough.

There was no line-up and the cashier rang me through. Before I charged the meal to my room, she asked me, "Would you like to include the tip now?"

I bristled. Like virtually everyone, I am sick and tired of being Tip Bullied.

"Now, why would I do that when I have no idea what the meal is going to be like, or the service? No, thanks," I said.

After the transaction was done, there was still nobody in line, so I asked her about it.

I pointed out that I didn't like it, and it hadn't happened before on previous visits. What did she think?

She kind of agreed that it was pushy. It is something that just recently appeared on the computer system as the transaction was processed. The question pops up on her screen and she does her job and asks.

So, in this case, this 99th thing in a row that has been done to make the resort experience at MGM worse can be pinned (as usual) on a stupid management decision.

All the check in staff at Excalibur and Luxor have been replaced with self-serve kiosks. At the buffet, you have to get your own drinks, whereas before, the staff would bring them for you. You make your own waffles. They do less and less for you but now want to force you into tipping?

The staff at the buffet have exactly two jobs. One, remove dirty plates. Two, protect the precious condiment resources from the customers that want them. Why they don't just leave the hot sauce and ketchup on the table, I will never understand.

I don't know if it's just my imagination, but I thought the buffet food was noticeably worse than the last time I was here in December. Prime Rib was not available - replaced with 'Top Round' or some shit.

And is it my imagination that the buffet used to be open through dinner, whereas now it closes at 2:00?

I left a $5 cash tip. I'm not (always) a heartless bastard.

After brunch, I formulated a brilliant plan. Because I had dropped like $400 on video Keno at Luxhole the previous day without hitting a goddamned thing, I would go back there and most likely win.

This did not occur. This valuable lesson cost me only $200.

Looking back over the trip, I have not had one single win on video Keno (including all of today). It really is a terrible game.

I played that Wonder4 or 4Wonder or whatever it is - that multiscreen thingy - on the cruise, and kind of enjoyed it, so I tried some BUFFFFFFFALO! on it, at $4.80 a spin.

It actually went okay for quite a long while. I played about half an hour in total. And I lost another $200 doing it.

But I did get to experience the screen stretchy multi-screen wonder-ful special bonus round thingy.

It paid $38.50. Five minutes previously, I'd had a normal un-Wonder-ful bonus for over $50. So, yeah. One and done.

I was now kind of in a losing tilt mode and some more money went by the wayside.

The only kind of 'success' I had was a solid hour on Triple Double Bonus, trying to hit a big premium quad. But I just couldn't get it done.

I did get four threes, but didn't get the kicker - $100 instead of $500.

Shit. I was now down $400 on the day, a $700 drop since my morning Bonus Poker run. I took some downtime in the room, resting and sitting in the sun.

Erwan of Las Vegas Jaunt was in town, so we made plans to get together and have a chat. I hopped in the Honda Cletus and made a stop at a Bank of America ATM.

I don't like having minimal cash resources at hand.

The ATM was out of cash. Was someone trying to tell me something? If so, I wasn't listening.

I drove to a second ATM and loaded up the Travelambo. Then I headed for Bellagio.

The Hard Rock guitar hotel is really taking shape - and it is going to be MASSIVE.

I met up with Erwan and we had a coffee and a good visit. He's doing some really interesting things with his friend Claude in AI.

Because I am a little bit mean and bitter, I showed Erwan how video Keno works. It cost me another $15, but misery loves company. Erwan, I hope it doesn't break you!

After that I headed back to the Dirty Castle.

And that was it for the day. I just ate snacks and things in the room for dinner.

I feel tired. And, I'm kind of getting sick of the soul-sucking lameness of Excalibur and Luxor. After being in Bellagio, I'm reminded that there are much nicer places to be, with better looking people more in keeping with my countenance and station in life.

Which is actually more of a station wagon, but whatever.

I stay at these places because I get more free/cheap room nights. I suppose the one bedroom Tower suite at Luxor is kind of worth it when I get it - but if I'm not really enjoying it, maybe I should be staying at better places - being more Royally Royal.

It's the same kind of feeling I had last time I was jammed in on the airplane. Maybe I've just had enough of a below-mediocre experience?

Tomorrow I have surprises! And I move downtown.

As it stands, after 3 days of many hours of video poker I'm down $715. Onward!