Recently someone asked about my sister, whom I had mentioned in a previous blog entry about our Thanksgiving family celebration. So I asked her to write a little bit about her life since she moved to Las Vegas. Take it away, Starr.
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Jean Scott is not only my sister. She is a bit of a mother to me since she is 10 years older than I am. Anytime I’ve needed someone to turn to she has been there for me. So, when I became single after many years of being married, it seemed only natural to move close to my mother-sister. I had already read all her books; and on many previous trips to Las Vegas, she had painstakingly sat beside me and taught me the best way to play video poker. But once being here full time, I found a deeper understanding from her teachings of not only how to play the right machines, but how to do it most effectively. As a resident, I was better able to take advantage of playing on multiple point days, learn how to play for better mailers, and do all those extra things Jean emphasizes.
However, I have developed my own style of play. Having found love again, my guy and I have recently purchased a new home together. We have found many things we enjoy doing together, over and above playing in the casinos. We are fixing up our home and are having fun traveling, both near Las Vegas and afar. Our golf community has many local activities to keep us busy, even though we are not golfers.
I still play video poker, but not as intensely as Jean and Brad do. It is something I do more casually. When I do play, I play as much as possible to my advantage. But, with a full and rich life outside the casinos, I often do not get the good mailers that I might get were I to play more hours and more often.
My guy is slowly becoming a believer in playing “advantage” video poker. However, he is a long time blackjack player, and he finds video poker a bit “boring.” Slowly, however, he is beginning to realize that breaking even and winning at advantage video poker is more fun than losing at blackjack! However, he wins at blackjack fairly consistently, so it’s been a hard sell! He does, however, realize that there are much better comps for playing video poker than playing at the tables.
Living in Las Vegas is wonderful. I love being able to see Jean and Brad on a regular basis. They have so many comps they can’t use, so we are the beneficiaries. 🙂 We do play enough that we could get a free or greatly discounted meal almost every day. But we often eat at home. I like to cook, and there it’s easier to stick to a healthier diet.
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Starr and I have another sister, June, who is a semi-retired psychatrist living in Durham, North Carolina. Starr, the youngest of us three, is a retired attorney. Our close friends and family have a saying about us: Doctor, lawyer, Indian chief – I guess because I am the bossy eldest!
Here are some pictures of us down through the years, labeled left to right:
Jean, 11; Starr, 1; June, 6
Jean, 14; June, 9; Starr, 4
Summer of 2011
Starr, 62; June, 67; Jean, 72
I have an answer to John’s question and some comments:
First, I won’t be practicing law in Nevada as I would have to take their bar exam. I am retired and love it, and I never ever want to take another bar exam!! The Indiana bar exam was enough for one lifetime. I passed it on the first try, but it was worse than all of law school put together!!!
And, a comment on the photo of us sisters all in pink dresses alike. Mother was SO proud of those dresses! We were 5, 10, and 15 years old and she painstakingly made the three dresses all alike for that photo. But, I learned to hate those dresses. I wore mine til I outgrew it, then I had the “joy” of wearing the middle sister’s dress til I outgrew it, then (bless my soul) I had the “joy” of wearing my oldest sister’s dress til I wore it out. Having two older sisters fed my wardrobe, and mother only made me one new dress a year – for the 1st day of school every year. Til this day I remember one of those first-day dresses. It was red plaid with a wide sewn-on red ribbon belt that tied into a huge red bow in the back. I sure did love that new dress. I think it was for 3rd grade, but I can’t remember for sure.
Baby Sister Starr
Is there any chance that Starr might get licensed to practice in Nevada? I can’t think of a better referral that an attorney in Las Vegas could get than one from Jean Scott.
Jean, maybe video poker is the secret fountain of youth. In the picture none of you look your ages, but you have transformed yourself from being the oldest to being the youngest. Brad is a lucky man.
Thank you so much for sharing your “sisters” and photos with us.
Wow, Jean i’m so glad I found your blog. I enjoy it very much and have sent you some private email requesting information and also thanking you for your awesome contribution to so many readers. Thanks again and KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!
Jean, I am looking at the current picture of you and your sisters. The only thing I have to say is…liar, liar, pants on fire! You got the numbers mixed up! Everybody knows you are actually 27 years old…just look at the picture!