Post Mortem, September 2022.

4 days back. Can't quite believe it happened, and that it's over. But here we are.

Flights:

No issues. Both on time by Alaska and no delays. Getting the 6th row seat both times was worth expense. Got on and off in no time. Seatmates were fine. Played Alien Isolation on the iPad on the way back.

Room:

Aria, got upgraded to a King with a strip view. was able to check in right away after getting to town, but had to spend an hour switching out rooms due to yet another dead in-room safe in the first room. Me and fucking in-room safes at MGM resorts. But once up there the room was in good shape, everything worked and it was quiet and had no issues with housekeeping. Only gripe would be it took 10 minutes for the water to get warm but a piddly gripe really. A good base for the 6 nights.

Resort:

Aria its normal, boring, pretty self. It's got the personality of an aged cheese and about as much excitement, but it is nice to look at. They fixed their taxi line since the last time, at least. Got busy a couple nights to where there was no where to go but it will never have the feel of a Cosmo or a Venetian. Mostly hung out at Gem Bar or the lobby bar when there.

Shows:

MJ One good, professional, a little odd with the whole media persecution angle but typical Cirque technical brilliance. Not as great at LOVE but very good. Spoon/Interpol good but seating at the show not the greatest, could see NOTHING if you weren't standing up with people standing up in front of you, and 2 lesbians in front of me just NEVER sat down during Interpol so I bounced a little early but they sounded great and played a lot of the faves. NIN was NIN. They are always note perfect and execute flawless shows with a great, varied setlist. Bounced before Hurt but the seats were great and worth the expense. Zappos a great place to see a show.

Gambling:

Pretty shit. I hit 2 4Aces during the trip and literally nothing else in $12K coin in. Came back with $1300 out of $6K. Ouch, but eh, it's Vegas. I should make out pretty well with MGM Rewards when all is accounted for so if nothing else I made good headway there. Prob will only need around 7-8K points by the time I get back for Xmas. I'll get Gold done this year.

Girls:

I had one odd chick glom on to me on Sunday afternoon at Cosmo Vesper and kept texting me all through the rest of the trip but I wasn't into her. Another night at Vesper (good Vesper memories!) I tried to pick up a lesbian but that went about as well as expected. Otherwise not even the hookers were interested most of the time.

Drinking:

Yes.

Food:

Almost none. I can count the number of actual meals I had during the week on one hand. Literally. Had a pretty good steak at JG Steakhouse on Wednesday and a good quesadilla at Javier's on Tuesday and aside from that and the gratis chicken strips at Yard House Thursday it was almost nothing. Had late night pizza from Moneyline in Aria a couple times that might have saved my life.

Body:

It held up...until it didn't. Saturday through mid-day Wednesday the bod was a trooper. It ignored the lack of food, the copious liquor, the spotty sleep, and with infusions of the good New York blow kept on rolling but I finally hit the wall after dinner on Wednesday. 

I had been up til 5:30a the night before, and at around 7:30p I just laid down and didn't wake up until 5a the next morning really. Rallied a little Thursday morning but by 1p I was napping and after the NIN show I was tired and cranky and just grabbed a couple slices and headed back to the room. Probably for the best, would have liked to make a late run on the last night but it was not to be. Better food, drink and hydration management might have kept me in there for the last 2 days, but honestly I hung in about as well as can be expected.

Blurgh:

And that, kids, was 6 nights in Las Vegas. Some good, some memorable, some forgotten, some not great but overall I will probably look back on this trip with fond memories. And...commence the pine for Xmas, in just 3 short months.