I really appreciate the input.

I'm much better off understanding that I've been overly lucky. It has felt too 'easy' to be doing as well as I had been. It's interesting that sims tend to be luckier than real life. I would guess that it might be because a computer is unable to generate truely random numbers.

I just purchased a BJ layout felt, 6 decks of cards and a shoe yesterday. The wife has been kind enough to deal --and sure enough, I haven't been doing as well. That's life. For me it will need to be about the 'fun' of playing. At least until I have that $1000 stake and I can be more serious