Poker Face

It has been a while since I played any games, but I do remember a time when playing cards was not just a way to pass the time, but an actual addiction. What is it about those 52 cards that keeps people entertained, amused, eager, frustrated and sometimes completely neurotic for hours on end?

A little history lesson first (courtesy of Wikipedia); playing cards as a concept originated in Ancient India, and were found in China as early as the 9th Century. The earliest record of playing cards in Europe in their current 52 card discernible form dates back to the late 14th century. The evolution thereafter has brought us to our current Anglo-American version of four suites: Hearts, Diamonds, Spades and Clubs, each running numerically from 1 (or Ace) to 10, with three picture cards, Jack, Queen and King.

A last side note on the formation of the cards; Symbolism. Popular legend holds that the composition of a deck of cards has religious, metaphysical or astronomical significance, with each suit of 13 cards representing the 13 months of the lunar year, and the whole deck of 52 cards representing the 52 weeks of the year.

So what does that mean to us? From gambling to idle fun, it is funny how those 52 cards can control us in such an intricate manner. Arguably none more so than the two red queens:

Queen of Diamonds - Queen of Hearts

Early on, we live in the fallacy that the Queen of Diamonds is indeed the Queen of Hearts, or rather controls and directs the Queen of Hearts, dictates who we love, and more appropriately, what we love. Aside from the overly enlightened, at one point or another, we are all slaves to her whims and wants - and what a whiny bitch she is! But the truth is, the Queen of Diamonds will always deliver, without fail - and what she delivers is tangible, measurable and if she makes enough deliveries, you certainly can jump into it and go for a little Uncle Scrooge McDuck style Money Swim.

If you're never fantasized about this, you're lying.

What has the Queen of Hearts really given you? I can't see it, I can't smell it, I can't hear it and even if I could, I don't think I'd want to taste it. Because I know if I did, it would taste something like bittersweet disillusion, unrequited hopefulness and heartbreak, with a side serving of wasted, salty tears. Yes, the Queen of Hearts does have a strange habit of dishing out quite a bit of disappointment, yet although I can't guarantee it and I don't quite know why I would even say something like this, I do still have hope in her. Don't get me wrong, I still love the Queen of Diamonds - but one day I could have too much money. Studies have actually shown that day to day happiness kind of stablises after you're making $75,000 a year. I don't think anyone can say they have too much love, too much kindness, too much affection and attention.

And so elusive Heart Queen - or should it be Hurt Queen? - I will continue to pull the cards of your deck, until maybe one day you will grace me with a good hand. And when you do, everyone will know, because that's one thing even a Poker Face can't hide.