Go.

Tomorrow.

The work week is done, the bag is half packed, the money is out of the bank, I'm checked into my flight and pre-checked into my room. This time tomorrow night I'll be having a drinky (or seven) on the strip.

Not much else to say, just wanted to check in one last time. Have a good plan for this one and feel like it should be a fine trip. Staying in two places I haven't stayed before so that should be a good exploration experience if nothing else, though I certainly know my way around the casino floor of MGM at this point. I've stayed at Palms proper in the past but this is Palms Place, the more upscale side and apparently Palms itself is very much renovated since I was last there end of 2015.

Weather will be toasty for the first couple days - 109° tomorrow, 105° Monday and at least a hundy the rest of the trip but it's Vegas in August so it is what it is. Monorail, shuttles and taxis as much as possible to keep from melting.

I get to use my new Wenger carry-on that I scored from work. It fits within Alaska's carry-on limits. Plenty of room to pack, no more over-stuffing a backpack to all hell. Pockets for days. I'm a storage whore.

The money's not super-great but I hit the number I was striving for in the final weeks. This was a tough save, lot of adjustments, lot of TV dinners and the car registration and smog thing last month didn't help, but ends will justify the means. $800 for three of the four full days and $700 for the last, knowing as always I'll be probably a day ahead by then. Not going to worry about having much to bring back this time - I save to spend it and if all I have left on the 24th is a hundy that's enough to get by for a week and a half.

As it is this might be a less spendy trip anyway as I've sort of realized that there's not much reason to have $18 cocktails everywhere since...I don't really like cocktails. Beer and a shot will get me there quicker and cheaper. Playing VP instead of literal 1-armed bandits should help as well, at least delaying the inevitable losses. Working in the "cool down" day on Tuesday should help with the spending too. A couple pre-paid shows will slow my roll a bit also in the middle of the trip which helps. Not really worried.

I had been resolved to leave my car here in the 'hood and just eat the $79 parking ticket, but I decided to bite the bullet and pay for near-airport parking for this trip. Less than $60 and free shuttle to airport. I will hate the decision on the trip back as when I get off the plane I just want to be back home pronto but in the end I won't have to worry about the car the whole week and that's worth the trouble alone, really.

So, yeah, Vegas then. Hoping for The Hangover but expecting Much Ado About Nothing. See ya in a week.