Day 170 - Risk

 RISK

Prompt - Risk : Write about taking a gamble on something.

I have never been inside a betting shop.  My only ventures into casinos have been as part of a group meal, and although we were given some betting chips to use I was glad when they were gone as it all seemed so boring and pointless.  I have never bought a lottery ticket, although many years ago i chipped a quid into the pot to get some for a group of us a few times.  I wouldn't known if we'd won or not unless someone told me.  Nor have I ever even considered online betting, despite there being constant ads urging me to just that ("responsibly"...).

In no way could I be considered a 'thrill seeker'.  Danger seems like something to be avoided, not invited.  I have almost always been risk averse in much of my life, with the possible exception of a few daft cars I bought along the way.

So gambling is not in my nature.  I really don't see the point.  Except that it seems to be what I do now.  Via the medium of crowdfunding.  I love pledging for crowdfunding projects, and have now backed well over thirty.  Again there's not really any risk, other than the possibility of losing a bit of money, and I never pledge more than I feel comfortable accepting the loss of.  I might end up with something that turns out to be completely useless in my life, but the attraction is the possibility of getting something that's 'different', that few others will have, and that it works well for me.

I have pledged to a wide variety of companies, some experienced manufacturers needing a bit of a financial boost to get their project underway, some first timers.  The latter, obviously, the more risky.  They have come from a wide variety of countries, and include tech gadgets, bags of various kinds (my name is Blyth and I am a backpackaholic...), wallets, an umbrella and something that was, to be honest, little more than a toy (fun though).  Plus a few music projects, and one book.  Few have arrived within the promised timescale.  A couple look like never arriving at all.  Some have proved unreliable, others not what I'd hoped for.  But most have proved successful, and a few are in near-enough daily use.

At time of writing I still have fourteen pledges awaited.  One, I'm now certain, will never materialise, one will deliver something other that what I originally hoped I'd receive (it's a long story...), but the rest will, eventually, turn up at the door and I will see what I make of them.  It's an exciting moment receiving one of these items.  I imagine it's the sort of excitement you can get from gambling.