This book I have written because it was so much a part of my life--in my living life and in my working life--and it has to do with addictions, especially gambling. It's the fastest growing addiction in the world. It affects children from eighteen years old and seniors in their hundreds.

What's so bad about it is that it's a legal addiction, and once people get trapped, it's hard for them to get out. This is a story about where I'm living at the time right now as I'm writing the book, about a dysfunctional family, and about the job that I did working for a professional gambling company.

It will tell you the ins and outs about the gambling industry and what people do to try to win jackpots. And at the end of this story, I hope to be able to teach you all about addictions and how to deal with them.

Chapter 1

Starting to Write the Book

As I hear the train go by outside, it's about five thirty in the morning. I look over and see my mother, and she's lying on the couch, snoring. I'm lying right next to her on the floor with two cushions from the love seat. I'm sleeping in all my clothes and even my boots because it's so cold on the floor. Then I hear the alarm going off in the room of my brother's son. His alarm is ready to go off over and over because he hates to get up in the morning to go to school.

Right now, I'm living in my mother's house, which is a duplex that consists of two rooms, a kitchen, and a living room. My brother, who is disabled and two years younger than me, lives in one room. His son lives in the other. Mom sleeps on the couch. I sleep on the floor. My father lives in a bachelor apartment connected to the duplex. He and Mom have been divorced for twenty-five years. But he's on a very, very fixed income, and he had nowhere to go, so my mom gave him the back room.

Then as the morning progresses, my father's watching my dogs, and I go in and pick up Toby and Chihuahua and put them in the backyard and watch them play, bring them back in, and get everything organized for the morning so I can start my book.

I'm hiding away from the family so I can have peace and quiet and write my book, and I'm sitting on a comfortable chair with my tape recorder on my lap, and here is the beginning of the story.

It was a beautiful spring day one morning. I was looking out the window, looking at a flat of flowers that I had purchased the day before, and I couldn't wait to go out there and hurry up and start planting them as I was doing the morning dishes. At this time I'm forty-seven years old, and I'm married to an older gentleman. He's a retired fireman, and we have a very nice and comfortable life. I love to cook, to clean, and to be very domestic.

So I go out

Gemini

Fit

5' 2 (1.57 m)

Black

Caucasian

Separated

Yes - Not At Home

Not Sure

Chest

Wouldn't Even Think About It

Dog

Some College

Self-employed

Art / Music / Literature

I am the owner of Staliproductions

Alone

All Is Calm

Yes - Trying To Quit

Class Clown

Outgoing

Camping

Going To A Museum

A nice dinner by the water, and DANCING even if you do not know how I will teach you my moves just hold on tight. XOXOX

River rafting, hot air ballon, and more traveling!!!

Goofy

Catholic

Once A Month

Democrat

To let the world see my paintings and read my books. I am working on it all the time and have my own company Staliproductions and working hard to make my dreams come true!! Finding the right man to share it with.

Movies

Documentary

Soul

I'm An Author

Taking long drives, dancing, traveling, writing and my art, oil paintings that can be seen at www.staliproductions.com. Cooking and giving dinner parties.

Thoughtfullness

I am new to this just recently single but my dream man who be someone with a golden heart. Who knows how to laugh and smile always!!