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

Back from the Giving of Thanks trip. Going to cover some of the high/low lights, and summarize. The Drive: To sum up, the drive in was fun and cool, the drive back sucked llama nuts. Got out of SSF shortly after 11a, made good time all the way really, no real slow downs on the way there aside from a couple rural roads that couldn't be sped upon too greatly. Stopped only once for gas, the cooler with the fraps and the apples worked fine, and the new car was a comfortable and efficient cage for the drive.  I had to compromise on tunes, the phone had to be hooked into the USB port for navigation and the other port didn't output the iPad for music, so I had no playlist just random phone music. A little jarring to hear Mozart after Queens of the Stone Age but it was OK I guess. Android Auto worked great for navigation. The drive was nice at times, I went through the Tehachapis in late afternoon which was beautiful, then hit the Mohave right at dusk which was nice too. The I-15 part...

Jusabout time to roll. In about 16 hours time I'll be roadbound for the Vegas. Not much left to say or do, really. The bags are 90% packed, the car is checked out and GTG, just need to get a good night's sleep, get everything in the 'Rolla in the morning, do a few hours of work then head out around 11a to do the first Vegas roadtrip. Money's out of the bank, $2900 total over 3 1/4 days to spend. That's $800/day for the full 3 and $500 for the first night. Should be more than enough. Going to try to stay within the cash means and leave my debit and CC alone, for the most part. May put a few meals on the Mlife CC to maximize points earned (it's kind what the card is for), but given the short turnaround this time between trips I'd like to have as little liability on it as possible for that Xmas trip. Bringing a little more sartorial style with me this time, or at least as much as my fashion-challenged ass can muster. Toting along some black dress pants, not goi...

The Governator, in his infinite wisdom, has decided that all restaurants cannot accept walk-ins and must only take reserved tables.  This is in addition to the 25% capacity mandate. Both of them being in effect seem redundant and silly, but here we are. This, of course, presents issues for me. I'm generally a "seat of the pants" guy when it comes to food in Vegas, at least for the most part. I may under normal circumstances make 1 or 2 reservations during the course of a trip, for splurge meals or, as was to be the case on this trip, to soak up resort credit somewhere. Otherwise, for probably 3/4 meals I have in Vegas, I just stroll up and plunk myself down at the bar somewhere and eat that way, whenever the mood strikes me or when the alcohol needs to be soaked up, so I can have more alcohol. This trip, because it's 2020, will be different. With the reservation mandate I don't know ahead of time whether or not I can just waltz up and be seated at the bar anywhere...

Esteemed governor of Nevada Sisolak will hold a press conference at 4:30 to announce new restrictions based on COVID data from his state. The fate of my Turkey, and possibly Xmas trips hang in the balance. Initial indicators are no casino or bar shutdowns, but it's all speculation until 4:30. Stay tuned! UPDATE : Press conference now! Highlights: 100% masks everywhere except when actively eating/drinking. Going from 50% capacity for venues (bars, restaurants) to 25% capacity. No gatherings over 50 people (events, shows etc). Reservations required for food, unclear if that will be enforced or not in casino venues. 3 weeks of these restrictions, minimum, go into effect Tuesday at 12:01a. He's calling it a "pause". So, I'm going (whew), but it'll be another strange and possibly challenging trip. 25% capacity could be a challenge in some bars, but thinking during the week (Tues-Thurs) it might not be too limiting since you would think it wouldn't be crazy busy...

Well for good, bad or indifferent, I'm a week away from another Vegas trip.  Going to focus on the possibilities in this post rather than the potential problems. I've done my worrywarting on the last post ad nauseum. Here's to hoping the sky won't fall and thinking about the potential pluses. I get to drive, which in theory sounds like fun. I love the new car and I'm looking forward to being able to drive and enjoy it more than the 24 miles a day I put on it for the commute. Seems a shame not to stretch its legs, so stretch they will. Flights are as low as they'll be right now at $116 for me which is in line with gas cost, but that doesn't factor in the cab ride cost to/from the airport. It's less about the cost though, as it is I'm in no huge hurry to get there early Tuesday from a spend standpoint and I also have no big desire to deal with Thanksgiving week airports. The NoMad stay will click a strip hotel off my "haven't done" list, ...

The year of bizarre and slightly fucked up Vegas trips may not yet be over. I had hopes. Hopes that this upcoming Turkey trip would be, despite everyone wearing masks, more or less normal. Meaning bars would be open, most if not all of the strip would be open, and a sense of if not normalcy, at least calm and "Vegasness" would be back. After the June trip of less than half the strip resorts open, and the August trip of all the non-food serving bars closed, I feel like I deserve a normal trip for fuck's sake. Now comes word from Nevada's esteemed governor that due to a spike in cases there, he may need to take "severe" action after a period of time if Nevadans don't reduce cases and curb the spread. The deadline for this to happen, or not, and for that more severe action to come into being, would be the day I arrive for the Turkey trip. Thus far, his "action" has been to arbitrarily punish the resort and bar/lounge industries with closures and r...

Right about...NOW, in exactly 2 weeks time, I should be rolling into the Park MGM parking garage in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, Earth. A great rate at NoMad, a good resort and a good location to branch out. A relative quickie for me now, but still 3 full days in Vegas as opposed to 3 full days of picking my underwear out of my ass at home.  Barring a last minute crazy great flight price, it'll be rollin' in the "Rolla. Really looking forward to it. This will be the first time I won't have to be on airline rules on a trip. No rushing to get to an airport only for the flight to be delayed. No luggage restrictions - I can pack whatever will fit in the car; an extra pair of shoes or two, a nicer pair of pants; no having to jam everything into a carry-on. Not going to go crazy for just 4 nights but I think I'm going to pack the carry-on for clothes and also bring my Timbuk 2 messenger for all the electronics and such. No baggage fees in my own damn car. First time November ...

  So Circa opened on the Fremont Experience.  It looks pretty fly, from pictures, especially the sports book. Not that I usually give a shaft about sports books, but I do like spectacle. In general it looks like a strip-quality resort, which is what downtown has always lacked and what partly has kept me from ever going down there to spend a day.  I'm a strip addict, always have been, and don't foresee that changing with a day trip downtown, but it might be fun to go see how the other Vegas half lives. I doubt seriously that will happen on the short-ish Turkey trip, but I will have the time and opportunity on the Xmas trip and may well make the trek.  Probably would Uber it to curb the long taxi expense, and go late morning. See what can be seen in and around the Experience, concentrating on Circa then see if I'm having fun or pining to get back to the strip. There are supposed to be a lot of fun divey bars in the immediate DT area, something the strip is sadly lackin...

  November. A Vegas month. This titanically fucked up year is coming to a close, finally. I was able, due to a stable job situation, to weather it better than most I guess. Really glad I left my last job when I did, it was an events company and ain't nobody doing any events right now. Not in person, anyway. If I had managed to stick on there for another year and a half I would no doubt have been laid off and would be probably coming off unemployment and digging into the 401k that I would have had. Unlike others I would have had that cushion but who knows what the future would hold. The coof didn't really end up messing up my work year much at all, I was able to WFH for a couple months then slowly phase back into full onsite. This last couple months there has been tough due to some supply issues but the site manager seems to have our backs and I don't think I'm anywhere near the chopping block. Just have to keep my eye on the ball for this next few weeks until science s...