OK, this is the last installment of my recent Las Vegas trip. After this installment, I hope to have some news about the car. But if you are jonesing for car stuff, go back a few blogs and read that for your fix.Or wait a few more days and see what happens.
Part 4
I am finally on the plane back, at least my first plane, and wonder of wonders, my seat is a window seat. I tossed my laptop bag into the overhead bin, and scurried into the window seat, strapped myself in, and started napping. Mr. Big climbed into the center seat, the only good thing I could think at that point, is that if we crash, he will either serve as a great big cushion, or crush me to death. OK, I lied about it being a good thing. It was a good and bad thought.
I don't even remember the plane taking off. And the next thing I do recall is hearing the stewardess, say we are landing in Chicago.. Almost home...
Chicago, you gotta love Chicago. The gate where I arrived and the gate where I depart are continents apart. I have three hours until my connecting flight leaves. Time for another note to my travel planner. “You are stupid.” So I trek on towards my destination gate. Between the miles of moving sidewalks, and escalators, I arrive at my gate with minutes to spare, and settle in to wait. But wait, they just announced a gate change for my flight.
Now, down the hallway to the left, and down the escalator. OK, again, I am settled in waiting for my plane back to Akron Canton. Resting comfortably, anxious to get home.
Whooops, another gate change. Thank you United Airlines! I needed the exercise. Well maybe I really do, but this is ridiculous! Back up the escalator and down the hall, to the gate right next to my original departure gate. Again, I settle in to await the flight home.
But back to thoughts about Chicago.
Down to earth, straight to the point. I don't care who you are, you gotta love Chicago as a Midwest, no nonsense, blue collar city.
Most airports have gentile civilized signs for bathroom facilities. “Men's Restroom”, and “Ladies Restroom” signs abound in airports outside of Chicago. But not so, in Chicago. They tell it like it is in Chicago. No “bath” here. And apparently you cant “rest” here either. In O'Hare Airport, the signs read simply “Toilets”. And who could argue with that?
And I see that Rham Emmanuel is going to be mayor of Chicago. So much, for his not being a resident of Chicago. But I guess you can get elected to any office in this country without being a resident, Wink, win for you birthers out there.... you know what I mean. But I guess you can do anything you want if you are well connected like Rham and his buddies.
Back in the 70's, I lived in Chicago. And I liked Chicago. One fond memory is that of going to the Maxwell street flea market with my wife and son Christoper. He was a year old, and we bought an already old red wagon at the flea market, to drag him around. Now rusted and hardly recognizable, that wagon is still in his mother's garage, and Chris talked about it on numerous occasions that he actually remembered being pulled around in it. Yes, I still miss him. And can't imagine a time when I will not. But times like this when I am tired, make it hard to hold back the tears completely. So if my typing gets a little sloppy, please just bear with me.
Finally the plane boards. This time, once again, I actually get the seat that I had selected. So I settled in the window seat. This was a smaller plane, and only had one seat on the one side and two seats on the other. Nice to fly on a comfortable plane that isn't huge with rows and rows of seats, making it seem like a gymnasium with wings. Why the window seat? For flights like these, especially when traveling alone, the window seat lets you lean against the plane, and comfortably catch a nap. And since I had only gotten about 5 hours per sleep per night for the last 6 days, I needed the nap.
An uneventful flight. I slept the hour and a half on the flight from Chicago to the Akron Canton Airport. The plane landed smoothly and and as usually happens folks start jumping up from their seats and filling the aisles. Some eager travelers even “stand” all hunched over under the overhead baggage compartments. I am not sure how much of a hurry they must be in. But surely it is a life and death rush they are putting on.
I sit comfortably, and wait until the aisle is clear.Once everyone else is off the plane, I reach up and grab my laptop bag from the overhead, leave the plane, and climb down the airplanes steps and move into the terminal building. My phone is dead. Apparently I forgot to charge it, and though it has a long life, it is not eternal. So as I wait for the luggage to hit the carousel, I move to a comfortable seat near an electrical outlet, plug is my phone and rest. Funny how anxious people are to get going somewhere. After hurrying to stand uncomfortable and hurry off the plane, they now stand and wait to get their luggage. They are jammed in, several layers deep, all around the carousel anxiously awaiting the time it will finally belch loudly with an alarm horn, and begin to move the metal segments of the track, and from the cavern holes in the wall, open and return their precious luggage, in some condition or another.
Finally the luggage comes, and like roaches scattering when a light turns on, they now all scurry off to their destinations. When there are only a few bags left, my phone is adequately charged, So I walk over to the abandoned baggage carousel I pass up the first bag. It is not mine. The second and third bags are mine.
No crowd to fight now. No reason to hurry. The plane left Las Vegas at around 11:30 PM, and arrived at Akron Canton airport near noon, Akron time. Why hurry now? Note to my travel planner: What a dunce, you are!!!
I take my bags, and now go to the parking shuttle. With help from the driver, my bags are loaded on th eshuttleand we head off tot he parking lot. I now look for the slip with the number of my parking spot. I know which lot I am parked in, but have no idea what slot or parking spot. Having been there twice in two days, when leaving. Once parking, and turning around and going home, I am fairly certain that I know where I parked, within a few rows anyway..
The shuttle driver is very patient, and drives to where I thought I had parked. No joy there. The car isn't there. So we drive row by row looking. Still no car. Being more than a little tired, my mind plays silly tricks. Could my car be stolen? I look around to see Lexus SUVs and Mercedes SUVs, and decide that my 2004 Pacifica probably would not be the target of car thieves, after all. So, next row maybe. All around the areas I thought were likely to hold my car. So around we go, row after row. Still no car. After covering all of the rows that I thought seemed likely, we didn't find my car. But we still had a few rows we didn't check yet, and I was sure my car wasn't there, but at this point, why not look. So we traveled there too. 10 minutes seems like a long time, when you feel really, really stupid. And I felt pretty stupid for not remembering where I had parked.
Last row.... near the end. Oh yes, now I remember. I see the car and remember that is where I parked. (and even if I did not remember it, the car is there, so that is that!)
Lots of snow packed around my car. My luggage is set down into the snow as I open the rear hatch. I tip the shuttle driver with a generous tip, partly in appreciation, and party out of embarrassment. She leaves, and I toss the bags in the back, jump into the drivers seat, and head home.
And I arrive, and I push through the snow piled in my driveway, into my garage. Home, Home at last!
End of Vegas Trip.
David
Monday, February 28, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Las Vegas trip, closer to the end, still no car info.
Once again, no car stuff. But as I said, we have car news coming soon. So stay tuned....
Las Vegas Trip - Part 4
Another interesting issue comes to mind here too. The difference in the “character” of poker rooms. I don't mean anything relating to the players, but rather how things are run.
The room at the Golden Nugget, is loose. Players often act out of turn, talk about their hands, and basically do whatever they want and the dealers and management just smile and stand by doing nothing. Another issue is that when in a tournament if you are in a back table, one away from the convenient front of the poker room, it can be hard to get a drink. While in one tournament, and sitting at that table I waited over twenty minutes without a waitress coming by. And this is after I saw them at the other tables only minutes ago. Fortunately, we had a break, so I went to bar and had to buy a drink because “I wasn't gambling.”, I am playing Poker I said! He said, then I should have ordered from the waitress there.
If I actually had normal blood pressure, I think it might have gotten elevated at that point. But thankfully, my blood pressure is lower, so even when it got raised, it only gets back to normal for other people. I talked about not being able to get a drink, to floor manager as I left. He said they must have been on shift change, and I should have just come to him. Fair enough.
But guess what? It happened again, in another tournament, on a different night, sitting at the same table. The waitresses all seemed like little humming bees flitting around here and there to all of the other tables, but somehow managing to skip mine. Could it be a conspiracy? Are they out to keep me from drinking? Who knows, but this time I am ready. Between Poker hands, I went to the floor man, mentioned my previous experience, and told “it is happening again”. No problem he said. What do you want to drink? I will have it brought to you immediately. So I got my drink, and that wasn't really that big of a deal. But darn it folks! Please just do your jobs.
It might seem form what I have written that I was most upset by the failure to get a timely drink. That really isn't true. That simply was a more interesting episode. It was the out of order play and the lack of table management that disturbs me the most at the Golden Nugget. .
By contrast, at Binion's, the rules are enforced, and mid way through a tournament, I wasn't paying attention, didn't see the cards held by the fellow next to me, bet out order, since he had cards and hadn't completed his action, and I got sat out for hand. But it is so much nicer to play in a well run tournament, where you don't see cards folded into the muck from all positions, bets trying to come from everywhere, making it hard to determine when it really is your turn. And oh, the waitresses come by like clockwork. You never go thirsty at Binion's. I like playing there.
My flight back from Vegas was less eventful, unless you count the TSA agents singling out my laptop bag which contained, in addition to laptop related things, a variety magic items that confused the TSA gal doing the Xrays of carry ons, Anything sharp or dangerous in here, a cute lady agent asked, as she puts my laptop bag on a table for examination?
No, I comment, the only thing sharp and dangerous here is me! I immediately get the "that isn't funny, this is serious business" look, and she starts pulling things out of the bag, and as each item comes into the light of day, we play “what's this?” Once they the entire contents of my laptop bag has been individually examined and dumped into a gray plastic bin. She looked at it all, and said, Hmmm, I wonder what she saw? So the bag goes back through the Xray, and the contents in the gray plastic container goes though and she stops it and runs it back and looks again, and puts it through again with look of, I know there is something bad in there, and it has been a slow day, so I will find it!
OK, finally, it is good. I repack the laptop case, which really just means that I opened it up and dumped the entire contents of the gray container back into it. And I squeeze it, and the zippers finally close. Off to my departing gate.
This is the part of the trip that I wonder what I was thinking! The flight leaves Las Vegas at 11:30 PM, and arrives in Ohio sometime the next day. It has been about 30 years since I last took a red eye flight from Vegas, and apparently it was long enough ago to have somehow obscured the idiocy of it.
Once again, time to make a note to my travel planner (Whom I previously mentioned was Me). Dear travel planner, you are really stupid.
Continued.....
Las Vegas Trip - Part 4
Another interesting issue comes to mind here too. The difference in the “character” of poker rooms. I don't mean anything relating to the players, but rather how things are run.
The room at the Golden Nugget, is loose. Players often act out of turn, talk about their hands, and basically do whatever they want and the dealers and management just smile and stand by doing nothing. Another issue is that when in a tournament if you are in a back table, one away from the convenient front of the poker room, it can be hard to get a drink. While in one tournament, and sitting at that table I waited over twenty minutes without a waitress coming by. And this is after I saw them at the other tables only minutes ago. Fortunately, we had a break, so I went to bar and had to buy a drink because “I wasn't gambling.”, I am playing Poker I said! He said, then I should have ordered from the waitress there.
If I actually had normal blood pressure, I think it might have gotten elevated at that point. But thankfully, my blood pressure is lower, so even when it got raised, it only gets back to normal for other people. I talked about not being able to get a drink, to floor manager as I left. He said they must have been on shift change, and I should have just come to him. Fair enough.
But guess what? It happened again, in another tournament, on a different night, sitting at the same table. The waitresses all seemed like little humming bees flitting around here and there to all of the other tables, but somehow managing to skip mine. Could it be a conspiracy? Are they out to keep me from drinking? Who knows, but this time I am ready. Between Poker hands, I went to the floor man, mentioned my previous experience, and told “it is happening again”. No problem he said. What do you want to drink? I will have it brought to you immediately. So I got my drink, and that wasn't really that big of a deal. But darn it folks! Please just do your jobs.
It might seem form what I have written that I was most upset by the failure to get a timely drink. That really isn't true. That simply was a more interesting episode. It was the out of order play and the lack of table management that disturbs me the most at the Golden Nugget. .
By contrast, at Binion's, the rules are enforced, and mid way through a tournament, I wasn't paying attention, didn't see the cards held by the fellow next to me, bet out order, since he had cards and hadn't completed his action, and I got sat out for hand. But it is so much nicer to play in a well run tournament, where you don't see cards folded into the muck from all positions, bets trying to come from everywhere, making it hard to determine when it really is your turn. And oh, the waitresses come by like clockwork. You never go thirsty at Binion's. I like playing there.
My flight back from Vegas was less eventful, unless you count the TSA agents singling out my laptop bag which contained, in addition to laptop related things, a variety magic items that confused the TSA gal doing the Xrays of carry ons, Anything sharp or dangerous in here, a cute lady agent asked, as she puts my laptop bag on a table for examination?
No, I comment, the only thing sharp and dangerous here is me! I immediately get the "that isn't funny, this is serious business" look, and she starts pulling things out of the bag, and as each item comes into the light of day, we play “what's this?” Once they the entire contents of my laptop bag has been individually examined and dumped into a gray plastic bin. She looked at it all, and said, Hmmm, I wonder what she saw? So the bag goes back through the Xray, and the contents in the gray plastic container goes though and she stops it and runs it back and looks again, and puts it through again with look of, I know there is something bad in there, and it has been a slow day, so I will find it!
OK, finally, it is good. I repack the laptop case, which really just means that I opened it up and dumped the entire contents of the gray container back into it. And I squeeze it, and the zippers finally close. Off to my departing gate.
This is the part of the trip that I wonder what I was thinking! The flight leaves Las Vegas at 11:30 PM, and arrives in Ohio sometime the next day. It has been about 30 years since I last took a red eye flight from Vegas, and apparently it was long enough ago to have somehow obscured the idiocy of it.
Once again, time to make a note to my travel planner (Whom I previously mentioned was Me). Dear travel planner, you are really stupid.
Continued.....
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Vegas Continued, Still no car stuff
No Car Stuff yet..
Just more about my Vegas trip...
Part 3
I left the hotel, crossed the small street that separated the hotel and parking garage, and went into the parking garage to get my car. There are two elevators at the Golden Nuggets parking garage.
You can't use the stairs because they are locked going up, as a security measure. The stairs are not of any interest to me anyway, as I prefer to save my energy for important things, and usually take the elevator. Well, this morning, both elevators were broken!
OK, how do I get my car? The elevators are broken, and the stairs are not a viable option. The parking garage attendant tells me that there is a golf cart that will take me to my car, as soon as he gets back. And as soon as the three people who were there before me are taken to their vehicles. My concept of a golf cart is something like the cart we use as a pit vehicle. It seats a total of four, and moves pretty fast when you step on it.
But that isn't what they had. They had a cart that could take one passenger. And it was slow! After a genuine ten minutes, I happen to see the maintenance guy with a key ring that looked like he could open the world. I knew he worked there, because he had taken a jumper box up to to the next level to jump start someones car.
I ask him if he had a key to the stairs.
Why? He asks....
Because the fricking elevators are both broken!
Both of them? He asks....
Oh gee, that is a great question, so now just let me check. YES!!!!!!!!!!! Both of them!
A light came on, and he said: Yes, I can open the doors in the stairs. So two of us who felt that waiting for the golf cart was a poor use of our time, took to the stairs with the maintenance guy.
Three flights of stairs later, I am in the car. And as I drive down to the exit, I see the golf cart with it's original passenger still puttering around looking for her car. So walking the stairs really was more time efficient choice, especially for someone like me with no patience whatsoever. I fully relate to Lucy in a Peanuts/Charley Brown comic strip which I read many years ago. She prayed, "God give me patience. And I want it now!" So the stairs worked for me. No patience required or used here.
This was it. It was finally getting close. It was the day before my return flight, I played a lot of Poker. And went to my room very tired, but not sleepy. I got on the Internet, watched the news. Watched weather on TV, and caught a couple of episodes of Law and Order.
I packed most of my stuff. And it was now about four in the morning when I got to sleep. Around 8:30 AM, I got up, finished packing, and took a couple of bags, my suit bag and laptop bag to the car. Came back and got my big bag and put that in the car. I don't leave until late tonight, so I will just leave the car with the luggage in the parking garage until later. I check out of the hotel, and they ask, as they always do, How was your stay? I wonder why they bother to ask.. I guess they expect everyone to be polite and say “fine”. I am not in a mood to be especially polite, after four hours of sleep and a bit of an alcohol induced headache, so I told her how it was. It was basically OK, but the noise from the vehicles going by on the street was more than excessive. They sounded like big trucks. But I was on the 15th floor! So I was surprised that I got that much street noise. It didn't keep me from sleeping, but it definitely was annoying when I was awake.
To be Continued.....again....
Just more about my Vegas trip...
Part 3
I left the hotel, crossed the small street that separated the hotel and parking garage, and went into the parking garage to get my car. There are two elevators at the Golden Nuggets parking garage.
You can't use the stairs because they are locked going up, as a security measure. The stairs are not of any interest to me anyway, as I prefer to save my energy for important things, and usually take the elevator. Well, this morning, both elevators were broken!
OK, how do I get my car? The elevators are broken, and the stairs are not a viable option. The parking garage attendant tells me that there is a golf cart that will take me to my car, as soon as he gets back. And as soon as the three people who were there before me are taken to their vehicles. My concept of a golf cart is something like the cart we use as a pit vehicle. It seats a total of four, and moves pretty fast when you step on it.
But that isn't what they had. They had a cart that could take one passenger. And it was slow! After a genuine ten minutes, I happen to see the maintenance guy with a key ring that looked like he could open the world. I knew he worked there, because he had taken a jumper box up to to the next level to jump start someones car.
I ask him if he had a key to the stairs.
Why? He asks....
Because the fricking elevators are both broken!
Both of them? He asks....
Oh gee, that is a great question, so now just let me check. YES!!!!!!!!!!! Both of them!
A light came on, and he said: Yes, I can open the doors in the stairs. So two of us who felt that waiting for the golf cart was a poor use of our time, took to the stairs with the maintenance guy.
Three flights of stairs later, I am in the car. And as I drive down to the exit, I see the golf cart with it's original passenger still puttering around looking for her car. So walking the stairs really was more time efficient choice, especially for someone like me with no patience whatsoever. I fully relate to Lucy in a Peanuts/Charley Brown comic strip which I read many years ago. She prayed, "God give me patience. And I want it now!" So the stairs worked for me. No patience required or used here.
This was it. It was finally getting close. It was the day before my return flight, I played a lot of Poker. And went to my room very tired, but not sleepy. I got on the Internet, watched the news. Watched weather on TV, and caught a couple of episodes of Law and Order.
I packed most of my stuff. And it was now about four in the morning when I got to sleep. Around 8:30 AM, I got up, finished packing, and took a couple of bags, my suit bag and laptop bag to the car. Came back and got my big bag and put that in the car. I don't leave until late tonight, so I will just leave the car with the luggage in the parking garage until later. I check out of the hotel, and they ask, as they always do, How was your stay? I wonder why they bother to ask.. I guess they expect everyone to be polite and say “fine”. I am not in a mood to be especially polite, after four hours of sleep and a bit of an alcohol induced headache, so I told her how it was. It was basically OK, but the noise from the vehicles going by on the street was more than excessive. They sounded like big trucks. But I was on the 15th floor! So I was surprised that I got that much street noise. It didn't keep me from sleeping, but it definitely was annoying when I was awake.
To be Continued.....again....
Friday, February 25, 2011
Part two of the Vegas Trip (still no car stuff being posted)
I don't want to mislead anyone, so I am making it clear that this blog (for the next few days) will not be about the car. There is some news about the car coming, but not for a while.
So for right now, I am just posting a bit about my recent trip to, and return from Las Vegas. It was an adventure and some of it actually a bit amusing. But I will let you be the judge. Enjoy... or not.
Part 2
Poker, Poker Poker. I played a lot of tournament Poker. And had more than my fair share of success including a couple of near legendary comebacks in games where I was never really getting any good cards, but still hanging in, playing smart poker, getting a bit lucky, and actually cashing. In one case, I was down to 2 big blinds with 7 players left, and ended up winning that tournament for over $800. In general, I cashed in more than half the tournament I played. So, as far as Poker goes, I had a pretty good week!
One time, between Poker tournaments (I play two to five a day) , I was sitting at the bar playing Video Poker, (more about the Video Poker later) but I was making small talk with the well dressed man who was playing the next machine. A mature gentleman walked past us, with his beautiful young daughter on his arm. The fellow next to me, obviously noticed her too. So I commented to him that I see a lot of that. Yes, he confirmed there is a lot of that here. I told him that I thought it was good idea for a father to bring his daughter to Las Vegas. Family bonding, etc. He laughed. Then I told him that since I don't have a daughter,I am now beginning to think that I should adopt one. He laughed again! You don't have to adopt one, he said. You can just rent one. And I have a stable of them. I can hook you up, man.
Well the thought of a nubile young woman, with perky appointments, and a tight shapely tush unfettered by age and gravity was pretty exciting for a moment....... What happened? You know what they say about Vegas. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.....
But seriously, I guess I am just too old to pay for something that is only sexual, and has no emotional component. I have had something just like that, a couple of times before. Well, minus the sex of course. What was this thing that had no emotional component, and no sex? Well, It was called marriage. And it was very very expensive too. Anyway, it was an interesting temptation. Or maybe it was a lot more than just a temptation? I'll never tell.
I previously mentioned that I was playing Video Poker. Every time I played Video Poker, I was waiting for the holy grail of Video Poker; four aces. And it finally did happen. It was in Binion's Casino, where I played most of my Poker. Four Aces with a 3, payed a thousand dollars. I got a number of other four of a kinds, but nothing has the emotional impact, or the payout, of four aces with a small card. OK, a Royal Flush does, but those are close to impossible. And since I have never had one, I am not sure they are even possible. So, I will stick with my Aces!
And I had another epiphany as I observed the people in Las Vegas casinos on my way to the Poker Room. Most people are downright fat. In many of the the casinos, a lot of the people walking around look like they could just as easily be plodding around the local Wal-Mart. It is particularly annoying when you want to get somewhere, and a couple of folks who should have wide load signs pasted on their backs, amble back and forth, randomly stopping and looking around as if, they have a difficult decision, then they go back to ambling further. This makes passing them difficult and even potentially dangerous. One poorly timed move, and you could be unceremoniously bounced by the wide loads into a table full of cards, dice and chips, and hopeful gamblers and smiling casino employees. Quite a risk there! Just go the other way. But, there are more of them. They are clogging up aisles all over the casinos. Is this a conspiracy to keep me from the Poker table? Did that guy I recently took out by hitting my set on the river arrange all of this? Probably not..... It is just a fact of life, that there are a lot of obese people and and they take up far more spare than was ever planned for aisle ways in public places.
I won't continue to go on here about the scourge of obesity that we are experiencing, except to say that I have a theory about Global Warming. I believe it is real, and is caused by all of the overweight people. Heat, from them. Interfering with air flow.. Etc, etc... But I said I wouldn't go on about that here. So I won'.
On my second day in Las Vegas. I decided that I needed to pick up something from the local magic shop. If readers are not aware I am a professional magician.Actually I am a professional magician whether or not readers are aware. Not a full time magician, but I get payed to perform magic, so that makes me a professional. Or maybe that just means that I an amateur who gets paid. Don't you just hate gray areas? But from my viewpoint, I am a professional. That is my story, and I am sticking to it.
So here I am in Vegas. Why go to the magic shop? Well, I like to do a little impromptu magic, and it takes an awful lot of advance planning to be impromptu. And I needed a special something for an effect I like to spring on folks. Naturally, it is something that already own, but just didn't bring it along. Or, if I did, I can't find it. So off to Denny and Lee's magic shop I need to go..
Down the hall, down the elevator, out the door, I walk form the Hotel to the Parking Garage..........
Continued.....
So for right now, I am just posting a bit about my recent trip to, and return from Las Vegas. It was an adventure and some of it actually a bit amusing. But I will let you be the judge. Enjoy... or not.
Part 2
Poker, Poker Poker. I played a lot of tournament Poker. And had more than my fair share of success including a couple of near legendary comebacks in games where I was never really getting any good cards, but still hanging in, playing smart poker, getting a bit lucky, and actually cashing. In one case, I was down to 2 big blinds with 7 players left, and ended up winning that tournament for over $800. In general, I cashed in more than half the tournament I played. So, as far as Poker goes, I had a pretty good week!
One time, between Poker tournaments (I play two to five a day) , I was sitting at the bar playing Video Poker, (more about the Video Poker later) but I was making small talk with the well dressed man who was playing the next machine. A mature gentleman walked past us, with his beautiful young daughter on his arm. The fellow next to me, obviously noticed her too. So I commented to him that I see a lot of that. Yes, he confirmed there is a lot of that here. I told him that I thought it was good idea for a father to bring his daughter to Las Vegas. Family bonding, etc. He laughed. Then I told him that since I don't have a daughter,I am now beginning to think that I should adopt one. He laughed again! You don't have to adopt one, he said. You can just rent one. And I have a stable of them. I can hook you up, man.
Well the thought of a nubile young woman, with perky appointments, and a tight shapely tush unfettered by age and gravity was pretty exciting for a moment....... What happened? You know what they say about Vegas. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.....
But seriously, I guess I am just too old to pay for something that is only sexual, and has no emotional component. I have had something just like that, a couple of times before. Well, minus the sex of course. What was this thing that had no emotional component, and no sex? Well, It was called marriage. And it was very very expensive too. Anyway, it was an interesting temptation. Or maybe it was a lot more than just a temptation? I'll never tell.
I previously mentioned that I was playing Video Poker. Every time I played Video Poker, I was waiting for the holy grail of Video Poker; four aces. And it finally did happen. It was in Binion's Casino, where I played most of my Poker. Four Aces with a 3, payed a thousand dollars. I got a number of other four of a kinds, but nothing has the emotional impact, or the payout, of four aces with a small card. OK, a Royal Flush does, but those are close to impossible. And since I have never had one, I am not sure they are even possible. So, I will stick with my Aces!
And I had another epiphany as I observed the people in Las Vegas casinos on my way to the Poker Room. Most people are downright fat. In many of the the casinos, a lot of the people walking around look like they could just as easily be plodding around the local Wal-Mart. It is particularly annoying when you want to get somewhere, and a couple of folks who should have wide load signs pasted on their backs, amble back and forth, randomly stopping and looking around as if, they have a difficult decision, then they go back to ambling further. This makes passing them difficult and even potentially dangerous. One poorly timed move, and you could be unceremoniously bounced by the wide loads into a table full of cards, dice and chips, and hopeful gamblers and smiling casino employees. Quite a risk there! Just go the other way. But, there are more of them. They are clogging up aisles all over the casinos. Is this a conspiracy to keep me from the Poker table? Did that guy I recently took out by hitting my set on the river arrange all of this? Probably not..... It is just a fact of life, that there are a lot of obese people and and they take up far more spare than was ever planned for aisle ways in public places.
I won't continue to go on here about the scourge of obesity that we are experiencing, except to say that I have a theory about Global Warming. I believe it is real, and is caused by all of the overweight people. Heat, from them. Interfering with air flow.. Etc, etc... But I said I wouldn't go on about that here. So I won'.
On my second day in Las Vegas. I decided that I needed to pick up something from the local magic shop. If readers are not aware I am a professional magician.Actually I am a professional magician whether or not readers are aware. Not a full time magician, but I get payed to perform magic, so that makes me a professional. Or maybe that just means that I an amateur who gets paid. Don't you just hate gray areas? But from my viewpoint, I am a professional. That is my story, and I am sticking to it.
So here I am in Vegas. Why go to the magic shop? Well, I like to do a little impromptu magic, and it takes an awful lot of advance planning to be impromptu. And I needed a special something for an effect I like to spring on folks. Naturally, it is something that already own, but just didn't bring it along. Or, if I did, I can't find it. So off to Denny and Lee's magic shop I need to go..
Down the hall, down the elevator, out the door, I walk form the Hotel to the Parking Garage..........
Continued.....
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Las Vegas, and not much car related here...
Today's blog isn't car related because we aren't racing right now, and frankly have not yet decided when and where we will race again. We WILL race again, but just don't know where or when.
Also, there was a bit of a grassroots effort on classracing.com to have our effort recognized in a special upcoming readers favorites edition of National Dragster. We appreciate everyone who lobbied on our behalf. We will not be featured in that issue. There simply isn't enough time and there aren't enough pictures of our car to do that. I understand and respect that decision. I also appreciate the personal contact by National Dragster to convey that information directly to me.
The rest of this blog is about my recent trip to Las Vegas, I started writing this simply as something to do while waiting in the airports. However it took on a bit of its own life and became very long, and may even be a bit entertaining to someone. Because it is very, I repeat, very long, I will post portions over several days.
Thoughts and Musings from the Vegas trip
Part One
First I want publicly berate, verbally assault, and condemn the lack of professionalism of my travel agent for this trip's lousy planning and a faulty itinerary. Ooooops, that was me! What was I thinking when I made these reservations?
First, it seemed like a good idea to get into Vegas around 10:00 at night on Tuesday evening. After all, things are just getting jumping there at that time. And I could leave on Tuesday late in the day, after taking care of a number little things that needed to be done. So far so good. I guess that this part of the plan wasn't all that bad.
The problem was that upon arriving at the airport, parking my car, dragging my overpacked suitcases to the terminal, waiting in line for the US Air agent, I was then told, that the flight that was to be the first leg of my trip from Akron to Charlotte, was late getting to Akron. And that meant that when it did arrive, and got loaded up for Charlotte, I would miss my connection to Las Vegas. And that flight was the last one from Charlotte to Las Vegas that day. My options to get there tonight? Absolutely none!
Oh well, I guess checking things like how many flights will be available from your connecing city, in case you can't make the scheduled one, might be a consideration. But I need to get to Las Vegas, so forget planning for the next trip, how can I get there now, and when.
Tomorrow morning at 6:15 AM? That doesn't seem so bad. Drag your luggage back to the car, pay for parking and go back home for a quiet evening of playing a game called; “did I pack everything that I meant to pack?”. After obsesing about it, finding a number of items that I had meant to pack, and didn't, I finally decided that if I didn't remeber it now, it really didn't matter. So I opened a bottle of wine and settled in for a couple of episodes of Law and Order. The I went to bed, set the alarm and quickly fell asleep.
The wine and extra TV were probably not the best ideas in the world there either, considering how quickly 3:30 AM comes, and that is when I need to awake as I need to be at the airport around 5:15 AM.
But I do it. I get up, get ready, and get the airport, go through the same parking, luggage dragging, and rush to the US Airway ticket counter. But where are the US Air ticket agents? I don't know for sure, but I do know that they weren't there at the ticket counter. So I Wait. And wait. And wait. And wonder of wonders, a ticket agent appears. So I finally get ticketed, and pay the ransom for my baggage of $60, and finally get on the way to Las Vegas.
I enjoy an aisle seat, preferably on the emergency exit row. And being a good travel planner, had selected that seat for my travel all the way to Las Vegas. But wait! That was the flight yesterday, and US Air must have decided it would be amusing to put me in a middle seat between two people who are both prime candidates for bypass surgery, taking up all of their seats and part of mine, on both legs of this trip.
Every time I have flown US Air lately, they have ticked me off. And obviously, this trip was now no exception to the statement. I hate US Air. But finally I make it to Las Vegas. Hooray!
I go to the Hertz counter, get my car assignment and all that they have available is a compact car, and I wont say the name, because it isn't the car manufacturers problem that the make a roller skate with a windshield. Thankfully, at least with only a bit of physical encouragement, my luggage actually fits. So all is good. I am mobile in Las Vegas.
On to the Golden Nugget. I left my luggage in the car, and registered. Waiting what felt like 10 minutes in line to register, I get my room keys. Back to car to get my luggage, up to room. And more joy! I am checked into my room in Las Vegas.
Now, let the good times roll!
To Be continued....
Also, there was a bit of a grassroots effort on classracing.com to have our effort recognized in a special upcoming readers favorites edition of National Dragster. We appreciate everyone who lobbied on our behalf. We will not be featured in that issue. There simply isn't enough time and there aren't enough pictures of our car to do that. I understand and respect that decision. I also appreciate the personal contact by National Dragster to convey that information directly to me.
The rest of this blog is about my recent trip to Las Vegas, I started writing this simply as something to do while waiting in the airports. However it took on a bit of its own life and became very long, and may even be a bit entertaining to someone. Because it is very, I repeat, very long, I will post portions over several days.
Thoughts and Musings from the Vegas trip
Part One
First I want publicly berate, verbally assault, and condemn the lack of professionalism of my travel agent for this trip's lousy planning and a faulty itinerary. Ooooops, that was me! What was I thinking when I made these reservations?
First, it seemed like a good idea to get into Vegas around 10:00 at night on Tuesday evening. After all, things are just getting jumping there at that time. And I could leave on Tuesday late in the day, after taking care of a number little things that needed to be done. So far so good. I guess that this part of the plan wasn't all that bad.
The problem was that upon arriving at the airport, parking my car, dragging my overpacked suitcases to the terminal, waiting in line for the US Air agent, I was then told, that the flight that was to be the first leg of my trip from Akron to Charlotte, was late getting to Akron. And that meant that when it did arrive, and got loaded up for Charlotte, I would miss my connection to Las Vegas. And that flight was the last one from Charlotte to Las Vegas that day. My options to get there tonight? Absolutely none!
Oh well, I guess checking things like how many flights will be available from your connecing city, in case you can't make the scheduled one, might be a consideration. But I need to get to Las Vegas, so forget planning for the next trip, how can I get there now, and when.
Tomorrow morning at 6:15 AM? That doesn't seem so bad. Drag your luggage back to the car, pay for parking and go back home for a quiet evening of playing a game called; “did I pack everything that I meant to pack?”. After obsesing about it, finding a number of items that I had meant to pack, and didn't, I finally decided that if I didn't remeber it now, it really didn't matter. So I opened a bottle of wine and settled in for a couple of episodes of Law and Order. The I went to bed, set the alarm and quickly fell asleep.
The wine and extra TV were probably not the best ideas in the world there either, considering how quickly 3:30 AM comes, and that is when I need to awake as I need to be at the airport around 5:15 AM.
But I do it. I get up, get ready, and get the airport, go through the same parking, luggage dragging, and rush to the US Airway ticket counter. But where are the US Air ticket agents? I don't know for sure, but I do know that they weren't there at the ticket counter. So I Wait. And wait. And wait. And wonder of wonders, a ticket agent appears. So I finally get ticketed, and pay the ransom for my baggage of $60, and finally get on the way to Las Vegas.
I enjoy an aisle seat, preferably on the emergency exit row. And being a good travel planner, had selected that seat for my travel all the way to Las Vegas. But wait! That was the flight yesterday, and US Air must have decided it would be amusing to put me in a middle seat between two people who are both prime candidates for bypass surgery, taking up all of their seats and part of mine, on both legs of this trip.
Every time I have flown US Air lately, they have ticked me off. And obviously, this trip was now no exception to the statement. I hate US Air. But finally I make it to Las Vegas. Hooray!
I go to the Hertz counter, get my car assignment and all that they have available is a compact car, and I wont say the name, because it isn't the car manufacturers problem that the make a roller skate with a windshield. Thankfully, at least with only a bit of physical encouragement, my luggage actually fits. So all is good. I am mobile in Las Vegas.
On to the Golden Nugget. I left my luggage in the car, and registered. Waiting what felt like 10 minutes in line to register, I get my room keys. Back to car to get my luggage, up to room. And more joy! I am checked into my room in Las Vegas.
Now, let the good times roll!
To Be continued....
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Rotten Weather and Bad News
The Snow continues to come to Northern Ohio, making "going out" a challenge, both in desire and deed. That doesn't mean that I stay at home, but it does mean I don't go out as often...
As for the bad news, I just heard today that friend had passed away. He was a really good guy who helped with our car in a number of different ways, both the chassis and the engine. But even with any help, he would have been a friend as he was one of the genuine good guys. And he will definitely be missed by many.
A couple of times I did get out, I played a bit of Poker at a couple of nearby casinos. And I did pretty well. Kind of nice to go into a Casino, and walk out (more than one time) with more money in my pockets, than when I went in.
Life is Good! (Actually God is Good, and if He chooses to let me live, that is good)
I also happened to run into a couple of extra dollars from another source, so I am trying to decide where I can go where it will be warm enough. I am tired of the color white and temperatures below freezing.
Sun, Water and Poker. And if necessary, I guess I can do without the water... There is a nice charity poker tournament in Las Vegas at the Golden Nugget later this month, that looks like fun. Playing with movie stars would be fun. I have already played against a lot of the Poker Pros so that isn't as big of a deal. But hey, fun is where you find it. And how you choose to live life is that, a choice.
Life is so uncertain, don't let it pass you by, without at least reaching out with both hands to enjoy it.
David
As for the bad news, I just heard today that friend had passed away. He was a really good guy who helped with our car in a number of different ways, both the chassis and the engine. But even with any help, he would have been a friend as he was one of the genuine good guys. And he will definitely be missed by many.
A couple of times I did get out, I played a bit of Poker at a couple of nearby casinos. And I did pretty well. Kind of nice to go into a Casino, and walk out (more than one time) with more money in my pockets, than when I went in.
Life is Good! (Actually God is Good, and if He chooses to let me live, that is good)
I also happened to run into a couple of extra dollars from another source, so I am trying to decide where I can go where it will be warm enough. I am tired of the color white and temperatures below freezing.
Sun, Water and Poker. And if necessary, I guess I can do without the water... There is a nice charity poker tournament in Las Vegas at the Golden Nugget later this month, that looks like fun. Playing with movie stars would be fun. I have already played against a lot of the Poker Pros so that isn't as big of a deal. But hey, fun is where you find it. And how you choose to live life is that, a choice.
Life is so uncertain, don't let it pass you by, without at least reaching out with both hands to enjoy it.
David
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Nasty Weather and what its like to shop a discount store.
The Weather in this part of the country really is really nasty.
I have been trying to get down to the Dayton area to pick up some things from the trailer, and talk with Keith on some things we will want to do for next season whenever we decide that our season will start. But every time I plan it, either I get sick, or the weather gets nasty again.
It is hard to think about racing when you have two feet of snow being covered now with icy rain.
What it is like to shop at a discount store.
We have chain around here called Marc's. They don't take credit cards and have an express checkout line, so it usually isn't too hard to get in and out. They offer name brand products at good prices, and often have some strange or odd items that people like me just can't resist.
On Monday evening, an hour or so after I finished Chemotherapy and was just starting to "feel the effects", for some reason (Oh, I remember, I was out of soda pop) I decided that I would run into Marc's and then get home to rest.
But as I went around the store I found more and more things, I "needed" and my cart got to about half full. So I wasn't eligible for the express checkout line. I looked up and down for the shortest line, and then tried my best to be in a very long line and not block the aisles. I got in line behind a group of people, that were behind the folks checking out. One of the people in the group ahead of me was a girl about 18 with a year old child. She was extremely loud and obnoxious telling her life story to the world as if anyone cared. The lady going though the check out also had a one year old, and took time from attending to her purchases to chat with the loud one about when her baby walked , etc. Well, her check out was going very well at first, she was big woman, with a tall thin man, and her baby.
They all looked healthy, and even sound somewhat intelligent. But then there was a problem with her welfare card. It didn't have enough money on it, so she had to decide what to put back, so she could cover the costs. Five minutes or more and she found a few dollars in her purse, the man with her just held the child and and offered nothing. So finally she got finished.
And then, up to the register steps this group in front of me. They had a pretty full cart so it took quite a while just to ring them up. There were a couple of little delays as they decided or argued about whether the items in the cart belonged to the loud girl with the baby, or the overweight couple pushing the cart.
Then it happened, with the loud girl narrating the action loudly, their welfare card did not have enough money on it.. Deja vu. All over again... Once again, I have to wonder why these folks qualify for welfare (can you say, abuse of the system?) But come on, why fill a cart, if you can't pay for it. Here we go again. They start going through the cart and the things already bagged, deciding what they can leave, and what they can afford.
It took nearly a half hour to get through this check out line. And in case you want to project race into this situation, the first folks in line were African American, and the next group were White with Red Necks. And the scariest part of it is that they are both bearing children, and their children will probably be on welfare too.
It just makes you wonder what kind of future we have in this country. How can we break the cycle? Put people back to work, and get them off the welfare roles. No wonder we are going broke as a nation. Too many people at the well to drink, and too few there to pump it.
Maybe it was because I felt like crap after my chemo, that it bothered me so much. I don't usually do much after chemo but go home and take a nap, But I felt like I could accomplish something with very little effort and then get home. Thatwas a mistake, and is one that I will not make in two weeks when I have chemo again.
The good news is that I got four twelve packs of Pepsi products for $10. But somehow in spite of that my total bill was over sixty dollars. I was a bit hungry, and they say you shouldn't food shop when hungry. I guess "they" were right. Imagine what my bill would been at one the big grocery chains!
David
I have been trying to get down to the Dayton area to pick up some things from the trailer, and talk with Keith on some things we will want to do for next season whenever we decide that our season will start. But every time I plan it, either I get sick, or the weather gets nasty again.
It is hard to think about racing when you have two feet of snow being covered now with icy rain.
What it is like to shop at a discount store.
We have chain around here called Marc's. They don't take credit cards and have an express checkout line, so it usually isn't too hard to get in and out. They offer name brand products at good prices, and often have some strange or odd items that people like me just can't resist.
On Monday evening, an hour or so after I finished Chemotherapy and was just starting to "feel the effects", for some reason (Oh, I remember, I was out of soda pop) I decided that I would run into Marc's and then get home to rest.
But as I went around the store I found more and more things, I "needed" and my cart got to about half full. So I wasn't eligible for the express checkout line. I looked up and down for the shortest line, and then tried my best to be in a very long line and not block the aisles. I got in line behind a group of people, that were behind the folks checking out. One of the people in the group ahead of me was a girl about 18 with a year old child. She was extremely loud and obnoxious telling her life story to the world as if anyone cared. The lady going though the check out also had a one year old, and took time from attending to her purchases to chat with the loud one about when her baby walked , etc. Well, her check out was going very well at first, she was big woman, with a tall thin man, and her baby.
They all looked healthy, and even sound somewhat intelligent. But then there was a problem with her welfare card. It didn't have enough money on it, so she had to decide what to put back, so she could cover the costs. Five minutes or more and she found a few dollars in her purse, the man with her just held the child and and offered nothing. So finally she got finished.
And then, up to the register steps this group in front of me. They had a pretty full cart so it took quite a while just to ring them up. There were a couple of little delays as they decided or argued about whether the items in the cart belonged to the loud girl with the baby, or the overweight couple pushing the cart.
Then it happened, with the loud girl narrating the action loudly, their welfare card did not have enough money on it.. Deja vu. All over again... Once again, I have to wonder why these folks qualify for welfare (can you say, abuse of the system?) But come on, why fill a cart, if you can't pay for it. Here we go again. They start going through the cart and the things already bagged, deciding what they can leave, and what they can afford.
It took nearly a half hour to get through this check out line. And in case you want to project race into this situation, the first folks in line were African American, and the next group were White with Red Necks. And the scariest part of it is that they are both bearing children, and their children will probably be on welfare too.
It just makes you wonder what kind of future we have in this country. How can we break the cycle? Put people back to work, and get them off the welfare roles. No wonder we are going broke as a nation. Too many people at the well to drink, and too few there to pump it.
Maybe it was because I felt like crap after my chemo, that it bothered me so much. I don't usually do much after chemo but go home and take a nap, But I felt like I could accomplish something with very little effort and then get home. Thatwas a mistake, and is one that I will not make in two weeks when I have chemo again.
The good news is that I got four twelve packs of Pepsi products for $10. But somehow in spite of that my total bill was over sixty dollars. I was a bit hungry, and they say you shouldn't food shop when hungry. I guess "they" were right. Imagine what my bill would been at one the big grocery chains!
David
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