Now What? (Life Post-Grad): Getting Screwed By the Casino of Life, Las Vegas Not That Different Than Graduating in 2011

So as I mentioned yesterday, and a couple times on Twitter the big reason the site was pretty lackluster (with only a handful of new items) last week is because I was in Vegas. I don’t want to milk mentioning it to death. Although I will gladly pretend I went to get material for a couple of this week’s items (of course Bubba will have something to say about going for this week’s sex tips).

Since Working Class Economist is really the most important item this week, I figured I’d take a minute to point out the similarities between graduating college and visiting Las Vegas.

You graduate by walking across a crowded, well lit stage after what feels like a long journey (an airport terminal as you’ve arrived in Vegas). You are filled with excitement wondering where your life will go next and knowing that this is the beginning of all your dreams coming true (no stretch to imagine that’s Vegas). Pretty soon you’ve got offers and exciting things lined up (winning a few hands at blackjack or a few lucky rolls at craps), but you think you can do just a little bit better, so you stay in the action longer, turning down the job (money) you’ve been offered to chase something better.

A few days later you’re worse off than when you started, in drastic debt, you realize all the friendly companies (women) are prostitutes (still prostitutes), and the only thing you can count on is getting fat (Vegas buffets). Then somewhere between the 4^th plate of prime rib and the first plate of desert you realize you have to go back a step and go to grad school (boarding a plane to go back home) or move back in with your parents (still move back in with your parents).

In Vegas getting screwed isn’t much different than in life getting screwed, except with better looking women and flashier lights…plus the Bellagio fountain’s not bad. And the buffets beat the shit out of Ramon Noodles.