Vegas Baby!!

Well... I finally did it. I made it to Las Vegas. You know the place where everybody lets their hair down, where carefree is the ONLY state of mind.. where you do stuff to honor the phrase "whatever happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas". Well.... My friends, I don't believe Vegas ever saw someone like me. First of all, I was on travel alone. How much trouble could one get in by themselves?? Second of all, I work REALLY, REALLY hard for every penny I make. I was there for a course and I stayed in a Hotel/casino about 6 miles outside of the strip. It was a cheesy smoke tinted casino with all the bells and whistles. I am currently sitting in the airport in a far off corner by a window enjoying the PEACE and QUIET of....yes, the airport. That ought to give you a perspective on the noise. My course was excellent. Way better than I thought it would be. I had a great deal of personal introspection that was necessary for me to go to another level of professionalism. But...back to Vegas. I am lucky enough to have a friend in Vegas. She met me on Wednesday night and took me to the strip area. Then we proceeded down to "downtown" where the ol time Vegas district began. I saw the home of the World Series of Poker (Binions), I hung out on Freemont street (where the big lit up cowboy from the movies lives), My friend Marianne somehow managed to have me there on a night when there was a spontaneous street party. I saw acrobates (let me just tell you... one of them was YUMMY. I think my words initially were... YEA BABY!!), I saw street painters that used spraypaints to make gorgeous artful paintings, and I saw lights above me enacted to the famous band QUEEN's greatest hit... we will rock you. There was so much to look at, this NYer had a hard time keeping up. I must have been in PA too long. We ate at the most superb restaurant. We both received roses... our salad was made at table side with such options as artichokes, pine nuts, hearts of palm, anchovies etc. We then received a sorbet to cleanse our palate, you know, in case it was dirty...hee hee. And then our amazing entrees came. Best of all, we received chocolate covered strawberries, figs, and apricots as a complimentary treat with warm washclothes to clean our hands. It was amazing!! Dutch will be glad I had this opportunity. I have been after him for 3 years to go to Vegas with me. He would have hated it. I tolerated it. I enjoyed my experience, but don't think I will be back. I am not free spirited enough to deserve to be in Vegas. I put $1o in slots and lost $10.... Vegas made very little on me. I miss my green grass, my green mountains and most of all my family.... It will be great to be home.