The Big Reveal

So the last two days yielded nothing. Highly anti-climatic. Sorry, folks. All in all though, I still had fun!

Total Spent: $30
Total Won: 9 Tickets + $11


And as for the cold, hard cash nesting quietly in our freezer--Our little wager among friends left someone in our group $1 richer than when they started. The BIG WINNER (with a winning guess of $85) is....

SARAH!!!

Much to my surprise, Matt and Nate were counting on me to win them their millions. Matt guessed $214 and Nate estimated a whopping $913.25. I definitely had them pegged incorrectly. I guess I did encourage them in the beginning to go big or go home. Turns out Sarah was the reasonable one among the bunch. I told you she was a wildcard. And I'm excited, 'cause she promised that we'd spend the winnings on sushi! I'd say I definitely came out ahead.

So what do I take from this experience? Any valuable life lessons gleaned along the way? Will I accept that lottery tickets are a total scam and turn from them for all eternity? Umm...nah. I don't think so. I will agree that it's probably a waste of money. I certainly don't think the lottery would be so successful if the average joe-schmoe actually came out ahead. However, I still LOVE scratch-off tickets and can't foresee them disappearing completely from my life. I'll probably just leave them as they were before this little experiment of mine--a fun treat best left for long roadtrips.

Perhaps I should try my luck at the $2 tickets next time...

Definitely a Scam

I guess they wouldn't be able to keep the lottery afloat if it were actually profitable for those of us suckers who continue to buy tickets on a regular basis. Three more days have passed and yet still no more money. I still think there's got to be a big payout coming my way in the next two days. Otherwise this little experiment of mine will be highly anti-climactic.

Total Spent: $28
Total Won: 9 Tickets + $11

Where's My Big Money?

Sadly, no cash to add to my stash today. I won a second ticket, but nothing more. Oh well. Just a few more days to go until the big reveal (as to which crazy hooligan gets all the winnings)!

Total Spent: $25
Total Won: 8 Tickets + $11

Chicago

Stylish, yet not snow-proof shoe wear

Matt and I got back last night from our 5-day excursion to Chicago. I'd been there once before, but I somehow forgot what a beautiful, established city it is. The architecture is stunning, especially when covered with a lovely dusting of snow.

Lovely Lion

It's been nearly two years since I've frolicked in the snow and it was absolutely fantastic. I know it's been an especially harsh winter for many of my fellow Americans this year and it probably sounds hollow coming from a girl who spends many of her days basking in the lovely San Diego sunshine, however, I REALLY miss cold weather--especially snow. I find innate joy in seeing my breath on a cold, frosty morning. I firmly believe that I look best in layers. Bikini beach weather is rather lost on a sun-sensitive gal like myself. I get sunburned just thinking about it. Maybe after four months of winter, I too would be ready for the soft breezes of spring, but regardless, it was great to spend a few days enjoying the cold.

Happy in the Snow

A lovely little store, managed by a former KU grad

Amy and Brad were lovely hosts and we spent lots of time lounging amidst their half-unpacked moving boxes and staying up waaaay too late. We ate alot (including Chicago-style hotdogs!), laughed even more, and watched lots and lots of basketball on their new flat-screen TV. They've got a great apartment, complete with a view directly into the new Trump Tower ballroom. Pretty fantastic. It was also wonderful meeting up with our friends, Adam and Jessica, whom sadly we have no pictures of. I can't wait to go back and visit soon!

Brad and Amy b eing adorable

A Silver Lining

Between yesterday and today, I'm up another $5! There may still be hope. Actually, these most recent winnings guarantees that either Matt, Nate, or Sarah (depending on who the closest bidder is at the end of all these shenanigans) makes back their initial investment, plus a $1 gain. Not bad, not bad at all. And of course I'm still quite convinced that I've got a big win coming my way any day now. I still have six days left of my little experiment to strike it rich. Wish me luck!

I think Quincy is dreaming of fancy kibbles...

Total Spent: $24
Total Won: 7 Tickets + $11

I'm Starting to Think This Could Be a Scam

So far Chicago has not proved itself to be a profitable place to play the lotto. Two days in this city and no big money. Although you might think that there's not much to scratch tickets, thus far, Chicago has the most satisfying scratchers I've encountered. The games yield the best suspense. When you've scratched as many lottery tickets as I have in the past month, you come to realize there a many fine nuances to scratch tickets. Some are just clearly more fun than others.

This is staged. I don't condone littering.

Total Spent: $21
Total Won: 7 Tickets + $6

Nope, Nope and Nope.

From the title of this post you can probably venture to guess that the last three days yielded very little. I won an extra ticket yesterday, but that's it. I'm only two-thirds through this little experiment of mine, but I better start winning some serious cash soon. Matt and I landed in Chicago tonight (we're spending the week with Brad and Amy!), so perhaps the Illinois State Lottery will energize my winnings a bit.

Total Spent: $19
Total Won: 7 Tickets + $6

Weekend Lotto

So Friday, Saturday, and Sunday resulted in winning 2 extra tickets, but still no more cold, hard cash. One thing worth mentioning is just how darn friendly all the gas station attendants usually are. Everyone of them wishes me good luck when I buy my daily ticket. My favorite guy will sometimes even hold the ticket I just bought up to his ear and shake it a bit, telling me it's very lucky before handing it to me. Maybe he's listening for that familiar rustle of all the dollar bills hidden within the card. Hmmmm...not sure what to make of that. It makes things interesting, at least.

I can't decide if I'm becoming addicted yet or not. It is rather disappointing losing all the time. That could keep me from making it a permanent fixture in my daily routine. We'll just have to wait and see.



Total Spent: $16
Total Won: 6 Tickets + $6

Wednesday and Thursday

I still haven't hit the jackpot, but I have hope that it's looming out there, achievably within my grasp. I predict I'll win $50 tomorrow.

Total Spent: $13
Total Won: 4 Tickets + $6

Hips

It's necessary that I start this post with a bit of background information. Upon our first visit back to the states after moving to Hong Kong (last April, to give you some time reference), I was excited to hear what was playing on American Top 40 radio stations. I felt so out of the loop, not knowing the most recent Kelly Clarkson or Britney Spears release. One of the little gems I heard, contained a ridiculous chorus that went something like:

(Growly Male Voice with crap-tastic rap in the background): "If a girl's hot, you know she's hot, 'cause she's hot just like her mama....If a girl's hot you know she's hot--she's hot just like her mama..." "Where'd you get your hot, hot looks?"

(Whiny Female Voice with the crap-tastic rap continuing in the background): "I got them from my mama... I got them from my mama..."

Needless to say, it was bad. Really, really bad. So bad it was hilarious.

So, with that little bit of nonsense out of the way, today I went to the corner store to get my daily lottery ticket, and upon entering the shop, I got thoroughly looked up and down by a visibly inebriated man in the process of buying a large bottle of Jack Daniels.

"Blippss....," I heard him mutter.

I looked him straight in the eye, and gave him a clear look implying that if he had something to say regarding my body, he better say it straight to me.

"Hips," I heard him say a little more clearly. "You got nice hips, lady."

Without hesitation and perfectly straight-faced, I declared, "I got them from my mama."

It took everything in my power not to bust a smile. The station attendant was cracking-up, though, so maybe he got the reference.

I was going to track down the video online and post it here, but I don't think it's crabby-rangoon appropriate. I'll let you fine folks hunt it down yourself. It's sure to be a classic someday. An oldie, but a goody, for sure.

***--------Ok, folks, forgive me. After I finished this post I went and looked up the video, and decided it was too funny not to post. SO, here it is in all it's glory. Again, please forgive me for subjecting you to this music video. And, PLEASE NOTE--viewer discretion advised. It's really, really stupid. Don't say I didn't warn you.--------***

Nope.

No big money came my way today.

Total Spent: $11
Total Won: 4 Tickets + $6

I'm On My Way

Today I won an extra ticket and THEN $2 with my bonus ticket! Slowly, but surely, I'm gonna win my millions.

Total Spent: $10
Total Won: 4 Tickets + $6

Saturday and Sunday

No luck over the weekend much to my chagrin.

Total Spent: $9
Total Won: 3 Tickets + $4

I'm In The Money

Today I won both a second ticket AND...



$4 Smackaroos! Who needs Vegas when you've got the California State Lottery?! My winnings are going straight into the freezer 'til the end of the month.


Total Spent: $7
Total Won: 3 Tickets + $4

Zip

A net gain of ZERO today. I did win a second ticket, but to no avail. It's still early, though. I foresee a big finish. It would be highly anti-climactic if I won the big bucks too early in the game.

Total Spent: $6
Total Won: 2 Tickets + $0


(Hopefully you all aren't bored to tears yet. I figured this would be a sure-fire way to get me blogging on a daily basis again. So far so good...)

I'm Beginning to See a Pattern

Today...


was not a winner. Sorry to be so darn predictable.

Total Spent: $5
Total Won: 1 Ticket + $0

Nope

Today...

was not a winner. Can't say I'm all that surprised.

Total Spent: $4
Total Won: 1 Ticket + $0

Small Success

So I'm wondering if this little experiment of mine will have lasting adverse effects. At first I thought it might cure me of my lottery love once and for all (by making a chore out of it), but I'm thinking that it might do the opposite and leave me addicted for life. Isn't there some kind of old saying that states "to make a habit for life, you have to keep at it for at least two weeks straight..." or something like that. This could spell trouble.

Today I had mixed results. I won a second ticket, but no cash yet. I was only 1 scratch away from winning $1,000 buckaroos. I guess that's how they keep you coming back for more, eh?

Total Spent: $3
Total Won: 1 ticket + $0

30 Days of Lottery Love

I love lottery tickets. I love, love, love them. They definitely rank up there with beauty pageants, Mexican radio stations, vacuuming, and corn dogs. The scratch-off variety in particular is my favorite. I know they're often referred to as a "poor man's tax" and we've all been preached to at some point in our lives about the pure waste of money that lottery tickets are, but I've often wondered if this is completely true or not. For some time now I've been cooking up the idea of a month-long experiment where I buy a $1 scratch-off lottery ticket each day and track my winnings and losses. So last night over dinner with Nate, Sarah and Matt, I was again expressing my innate love for lottery tickets and pondering a potential experiment, when Nate suggested something brilliant.

He, Sarah, and Matt should each pay in $10 to fund my lottery experiment. At the beginning of the month, each contributor would write down just how much money they expected me to win (or lose) over the course of 1 month, and at the end of that month, the person guessing the amount closest to the actual winnings would then win all the money. And I would get the pure and complete pleasure of purchasing and scratching-off tickets every day for an entire month! (And with any luck, Matt would win the cash and I would get to share the winnings.) Ideally, there will actually be money to win at the end of the month. I'm ridiculously optimistic and suggested that Matt guess $325 or higher. Nate is very mathematical about it and was closely considering the odds involved. I think his guess will be approximately $3.50. Sarah is a wildcard. For emphasis, I had each of them write their guess down on a piece of paper and seal it in an envelope, which I am keeping in our freezer until the end of the month. (Gets them thinking about all that "cold, hard cash" they could win 30 days from now.)

There are some basic rules:

I purchase 1 lottery ticket each day.
I play that ticket until it is finished. For example, if I scratch off my card only to win another ticket, I immediately trade it in for a second ticket, and so on, until I either leave with cash or nothing at all. If I win cash, I take it home and stick it in a jar, not to be touched until the end of the month when the grand total is revealed and all that cold, hard cash is doled out to that lucky someone.

That's about it. Very straight forward. Can't wait to watch the cash come flowing in.

Today...
...was not a big win.

Total Spent: $2

Total Won: $0

And So It Begins...

One lottery ticket every day for a month. Holy Moley, I can't wait! Details to follow...

Did I win today?

Sadly, no. Better luck tomorrow, perhaps.

Total spent: $1
Total won: $0