Arrived Friday morning for two nights stay.
Played 95% on the $1 PE. The slant-tops have new neighboors. Several
quarter bonus slot machines. It was somewhat amusing watching AP
gamblers waiting to pounce on a wongable machine. Then it got
annoying as they hung out right behind me talking and waiting in
anticipation.
I used to do this in Vegas and Foxwoods but much more discretly 
Saturday crowd was amazing. My wife got a coupon for 500 entries into
a $25K drawing. She waited in line to swipe the coupon/card. I
declined to do this for my 200 entries. Teresa told me it looked like
most people were swiping for 20 entries. Hah! Sounds like a lot of
tickets and a good deal to folks; kind of deceiving but it brought
people in droves.
Interestingly, the serious gamblers seemed to be few and far between
and there was usually many VP machines available.
We saw Meatloaf Friday night. 6th row floor seats and a good show.
Maybe not quite as good as last tour but he's not a spring chicken
and still a big guy. Left 30 minutes before end of show. (Here's an
idea: If you leave early, give your tickets to people standing at the
very back of the floor seating. You can tell the big fans of the
performer. Show them where seats are and see their faces light up.
Saw Lewis Black on Saturday. Almost filled up the arena. Signed CD's
and books afterwards in Mall. Maybe 500 people waiting in line to get
autograph aghhhhh!!! as this maestro of satire would say.
Gambling:
Don't know how my wife can play PE for soooo many hours. It takes
a "special" person. We came home $200 ahead plus 1000 points
including coupons. Action of $70K on her card and $10K on mine.
I couldn't keep grinding away on the PE so I switched to the triple
trouble poker screen. I'd watch her gamble which allowed me to get
rather drunk. I'd only hit the deal button (do not hit the max button)
when she had a bad run on PE. Hit the deal button and got 4 Aces
dealt for $1K. Maybe 200 hands through the machine total.
Maybe that game IS a positive EV play. Its the first time in a long
time we came out ahead @ MS without considering the points and offers.
David T.
haaljo in Boston