7th Time a Charm?

By Pauly
Las Vegas, NV

For a 7th summer in a row, I migrated to Las Vegas for work. In 2005, I caught my big breakand landed a job as a reporter for LasVegasVegas. I left NYC without knowing what that summer would entail. I never could have imagined the journey -- the magical, international journey which took be all over the globe.

I will once again cover the World Series of Poker -- a seven-week festival of tournaments at the Rio Casino in Las Vegas. I'm skipping out 9 total days to follow Phish in Ohio and for their SuperBall festival, but aside from those to side trips, I'm not taking any days off this summer. All poker, all the time. Check out Tao of Poker if you dig sordid tales of gambling and debauchery.

No wonder I always go crazy in Las Vegas during the summer...it's the gradual grind that wears down your psyche and pokes thousands of little holes into your soul. Plus, nothing fucks with your mind more than working inside a casino for seven weeks straight. I'm guaranteed to have at least one mental breakdown from all of the constant stimuli and trying to avoid temptation at every corner Last year, I had two minor flare ups, which was substantially a lot better than previous summers.

And it's not just me...friends of mine fall off the edge as well.Nothing is harder than seeing your friends struggle and there's nothing you can do to pull them out of the abyss.

I have a new client this year and I'll discuss Rise Poker more in the upcoming days. The good part about the gig is that I get to work closely with Nicky, who was also hired. She was originally going to skip most of the summer in Vegas and stay behind in LA, but this last second gig meant she'd be with me -- which is a blessing because she knows how to talk me down off a steep ledge when thinks get rough.

I've lived in seven different places in Vegas and this will be my second house. I've stayed in condos and short-term apartments most of the time (with a few hotel rooms here and there). In 2008, Nicky and I stayed with Schecky and Jen Leo in their swanky house up in Summerlin. This year, I'm fortunate that I'm crashing with Benjo in a three-bedroom house somewhat close to the Rio, where I'll be working every day.

Now... all I have to do is wait for Benjo to get here and the house will be complete. He will have copies of the French version of Lost Vegas, which I can't wait to see.