It's Not A Bender, It's A Lifestyle.

Last week of relative daytime freedom this week.  I go back to full-time onsite next week. Certainly that won't mean full 8-hour days onsite, but I have to get up and go every damn morning again. Frankly it's probably good for me, the physical nature of the job will hopefully help me lose the COVID 15 I've packed on,  It'll also help curb the added, unnecessary drinking I've been doing. There's no valid reason to drink on a Wednesday night, outside of sheer boredom. And that has set in. Much as it did during the 4 months I was (voluntarily) out of a job last year. Sitting in front of my computer gets old day after day. I have no hobbies or friends (not complaining, just stating a fact) so there's not much else to do, especially during a still ongoing lockdown. At least in the past I could have broken up the tedium by hitting the bars on Saturdays, now even that is gone. Good thing I have a badass computer. But, as I'm fond of saying lately when complaini...

Two months out, already, from trip #2 of 2020. Compressed year, this, as I'm just a week back from the 1st trip with all the "goings on" of the previous few months. Back to the same resort, it'll be 3 in a row, actually, at the Cosmopolitan. Was able to secure the same great no-resort fees deal as last time, and for the non-base Terrace Studio so it was a no-brainer. Got a decent email offer from Venetian, finally, but it still would have been a few hundy more to stay there so it was an easy choice. Of course I had many choices in the MGM pantheon but nothing cheaper with anything like the resort quality and price. Still, even after the travails of the last trip, my fave resort and location on the strip. The rewards situation is looking great now too. I unexpectedly made Cosmo Sterling on the last trip, so there are a couple nice perks that go along with that, not the least being a free room night, which I'm putting to good use. I'll have Sterling at least unt...

So here's the breakdown. Long post here as a long trip and what the hell. Saturday, fly in day, Airport crazy dead, TSA line non-existent and almost nothing open, got lucky and found a wine bar open and had 2 glasses. Got to do the usual "airport bar acquired" tweet. Boarding plane, it was only half full, on time flight, smaller plane so a little rough on the pre-land but fine. Got to Cosmo at around 2:30p, expected to be able to check in right away but was told room wasn't ready yet - foreshadowing here is dense. Decided to hang on to my bag and wait, thinking it wouldn't be long. Posted up at Holsteins and had a beer and shot. Still waiting, another beer and shot. Got into a long conversation with a tequila rep who was in the same boat. Finally at 5p it was getting ridiculous, went down to front desk to bitch, basically demanded room and was given same room with a view upgrade, fair enough (so I thought). Get up to the room and it's got the beautiful fountai...

Tomorrow. The work iPhone is turned off. The work laptops are shut. The Out of Office email replies are in effect.  The electronics are charged. The undies are in the carry on. The flight (that apparently Alaska hasn't cancelled!) has been checked into. I shaved my balls. There's very little left to do but get a good night's sleep, jump in an Uber in the morning and get to the airport. What a relief. No work for 9 days. No hobbit hole for 6 days. A week off from the boredom. A week off from the sitting on front of computer screens for work and then sitting in front of them for some form of entertainment. A week in the just barely uncomfortable heat outside that leads to the relief of the cool resort inside. I don't think I've ever needed a change of pace and scenery more in my life than right now, after all this bullshit, and I'm about to get it. I'm thankful I'm in a position to get it. I've been disciplined with saving up the money and (somewhat) p...

Upping the food game on this trip, by necessity and also to serve a goal. By many reports, dine-in restaurants are reservation-only for the time being in Vegas. So, not wanting to be relegated to Taco Bell for the entirety of the trip, I have made dinner reservations on every night of the stay but one. For Mlife point maximizing, 3 of the 5 reservations are at MGM resort restos. -Saturday, fly in day, I should have a couple hours to wander around the strip after flying in and getting suite'd up at the Cosmo, but by about 6p (and after several beverages) I should be ready for some munch. Unless a better option presents itself, I'm going to head down to the Grand and try out Crush there. Never been, heard some good things. -Sunday, staying close to the home resort and doing Jaleo. I've had lunch there many times, always great, never dinner, so this will be a heat check on that. So looking forward to that amazing Manzana salad. -Monday, heading down to Gallagher's at NYNY....

Less than 48 hours.  Less than 48 hours out from my flight, Alaska Airlines cancels it. Are you shitting me? This is the second time in less than a week they have cancelled my flight. Was originally flying Sunday in the AM, cancelled. Then had to call and re-book for 4:30 PM Saturday, cancelled. Now they cancelled that one and I had to call and re-book AGAIN for a 12:30 PM flight that happens (hopefully) Saturday. Look, I know the deal, challenging times, yadda yadda but for fuck's sake don't schedule all these flights if you're not going to fly them. Alaska already has a history with me of royally fucking up my flights to Vegas. It's a god damn 1 1/2 hour flight, how hard can it be to just fly it on time?! I swear to baby Jeebus if they cancel this new flight again they are going to put me on another airline at no cost and refund me for the full cost of what I paid. It's things like this that trigger my sense of right and wrong to the fucking max. It's not the ...

That's me, in that pic. Me in 3 days. Building in a little 2020 delay time (because nothing goes to plan in 2020), I should be on the ground and either at or on the way to The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas in 60 hours. In that 60 hours I'm going to try to sleep a lot, work one on site shift tomorrow, a bullshit training day at home Friday then sleep in and catch an Uber to SFO for my 4:30p flight Saturday. I drop off the car in the work garage tomorrow, so no worries there. As stated my packing is 80% done, just need to throw the polos and a few toiletry items in the bag Saturday and I'm packed. The new little dopp kit bag I bought is going to be great. Should have bought one years ago, it's one of those essential "guy" things I never got around to til now. It'll keep everything much more organized. The ca$h is out of the bank and safely stowed in the carry-on. All according to plan there, plenty of cash for the gambling/tipping/taxi'ing and more than enou...