The weather has a bit of the crazies and has gone from 70 degrees to 10 inches of snow in a matter of days. The "wintry mix" started early this morning and started to make the roads disastrous fairly quickly. This led my boss to schedule a meeting with the team from 2-4:30 to review various issues and most likely to keep us at work.
I made it home and actually shoveled my sidewalk (much to my neighbors surprise). To celebrate my accomplishment, I made some tea. My guest bedroom was feeling neglected so I went up and looked out over my backyard as I sipped my dairretic and noticed an intereting site: about 10 pigeons perched on a cable connected to my neighbor's house. Normally, this wouldn't be anything to think twice about but it was pelting ice with some heavily duty winds. Yet, there they sat, perched in unison and adjusting their tails to keep their balance seemingly ignoring the ridiculous weather.
Now, I've never been a fan of pigeons. To put it mildly, I think they are filthy street rats that just get in your way. If you've ever walked down a street in NYC, you know what I'm talking about. They just walk around jabbing their necks forward in ingorance as they walk and peck at anything that looks disgusting. They are lazy creatures that don't fly unless it's absolutely necessary. I mean, you would literally have to pick one up and throw it off a bridge for it to actually fly. I once saw a person kick one and even then, nothing. It rolled a few times, looked a the guy and continued pecking at the ground.
But apparently, some people value these things. In Middle Eastern countries, they are a delicacy (they were actually on menus in Egypt) and in San Juan, they have a little square with hundreds of them. People visit this square and feed them. As thanks, pigeons flock there by the hundreds and crap all over the ground and make the entire block radius smell with foul odors.
Back to the here and now though, the pigeons are sitting on this wire and I realized how incompetent these things really are. They are sitting on this wire, getting pelted by a lot of ice at high winds and they don't feel like making the effort to look for a place that has some shelter. Despite my distaste for these creatures, they could have easily flown (heaven forbid) to my covered back porched and rode out the storm there and I would have only charged them a nominal fee. They could have even WALKED 30 feet further and had a plethora of cards to hide underneath.
Maybe I'm overcomplicating things. PERHAPS, these animals are impervious to ice and other elements. I don't know. I just thought it was ridiculous that they would sit there and take it. And yes, I've spent way too much time thinking about pigeons... I need another cup of tea.
Friday, March 16, 2007
Saturday, March 10, 2007
VEGA$ Baby!
Throughout all of my world travels, there have been two cities that have really struck me as being "alive" in the sense that there is always something going on, always some place to be. One of those cities was London; with a thriving theatre district in the west end, pubs everywhere, and a local population that is always on the move throughout its streets, London struck me as a vibrant city.
The other city is Las Vegas. This is my second trip to Sin City so most of the awe that is Las Vegas has somewhat worn off and I'm able to take the city in through more experienced eyes. As we flew in, you really get a sense for how special Las Vegas is. This tourist Mecca that processes billions of dollars every week is in the middle of nowhere. Yet, this desert town could arguably be considered the cross-roads of the United States because you will meet more people from very different parts of the country in this sprawling town.
So far, I've seen Fat Elvis singing, a guy who looked like James Taylor but wearing pink sunglasses, and some nice Mexican ladies who were trying to hand out cards for strippers or hookers or strippers who are turned on by hookers. If you've been to Vegas, you've seen them standing on the streets as dusk begins to approach. They are all Hispanic (I daresay Mexican) and obviously illegal workers who wear bright fluorescent shirts and can't speak English. But these are highly skilled workers because they have this amazing ability to get your attention by flicking the cards with their forefingers to make an amazing snapping sound. I've tried to duplicate their efforts but to no avail and I'm convinced it's a black magic that they are given when they sign their souls over to the stripper-hooker-card pimps that employ them. But you have to admire them, they go out as a family unit and work together: father, son, and yes, mom and daughter. While it's touching to see them working together, its sad to see what they have to do to get paid, especially the woman. If I were interested in the services they were selling, having a card with a picture of a mostly naked woman on it handed to me by a toothless Mexican grandmother would most likely take away all the appeal. However, if I were desperate enough to actually utilize their employer's services, I most likely wouldn't be worried about the method the information is delivered by.
But putting Misty Mounds and Candi Liscious and the other ladies of the night aside, Vegas is actually a fairly complex city that offers much more than sex and debauchery. This is perhaps the best place in the world to people watch and there are a ridiculous amount of people here, including a ridiculously fat Elvis who will sing for free for you in Bill's lounge at the formerly named Barbary Coast casino. People watching has always been a hobby for me and while I've learned a lot from it, it gets me into trouble sometimes. I suffer from what I call the "Grass is Greener Complex". I have this nasty habit of looking at most people and thinking their life is perfect and then get upset that I don't enjoy that same privilege of a perfect life. Now Vegas has both sides of the spectrum. There are a plethora of people out here that make me feel like my life is normal and in some select cases, that I'm the most with-it, successful, and attractive person alive. I'm glad that God has placed some of those people in the world because they help me keep sane and somewhat grounded. It's the other people that I have a challenge with. Everywhere you go in Vegas, there is a cadre of young, attractive people that exude the fact that they know what is going on, they know where to be and what to do and that their life is perfect because they are in what is arguably to most people the most exciting place on earth. The difficulty is that no matter where you go in Vegas, those people exist which leads to this overarching suspicion that you will never be able to do all of the cool, fun, and "right" things which in turn makes you begin to think that you aren't making the most of your experience in this city of experiences.
Vegas in general has this huge stigma attached to it because of its reputation and you feel somewhat pressured (even if it's indirectly) to have this amazing, crazy time while you are here. You want to take advantage of every opportunity to do great things and have a great time, but there are so many opportunities that your head just might explode if you try to do them all (that, and you'll never sleep and die from a crack overdose after snorting some lines with the hooker-stripper that you called on the card given to you by the nice Mexican lady – not that I know anything about any of that because, you all know me, I don't).
But such is life. You have to constantly remind yourself that no one's life is perfect, especially out here. Vegas offers you an opportunity to get away from your life but that also has some consequences and adds to the mystique of this desert town. There is a lot of truth to the statement of "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas". It is so weird for me to realize that this place makes it so easy to throw off any and all inhibitions. You can really get away with anything that you want with very little consequences and there aren't many places in the world that allow you to do that except maybe college. People come here looking for a good time and are usually willing to take more risks to accomplish their goal. The fact that its "Las Vegas" makes a lot of people have an open mind (and not necessarily in the good sense). It's such a strange environment that is most certainly not grounded in reality. Yet, you find that it's a measure of character, a test of who you really are. You can throw off your inhibitions and get away with it, only you will know (or in the extreme case, some girl and an illegitimate child perhaps). But you have a choice, you always have a choice. Most times, you have a network of peers and family to support and hold you accountable for the things that you do in addition to your personal convictions. Once that network disappears, you are left with your personal conviction to bear the full brunt of the temptations of the world. It's strange being in that environment and then returning back to the "normal" world.
So that's my deep thought from Vegas. It really is a great town – you should never get bored. It's been a great trip, relaxing and what not. My company put me up at Bally's because it was the cheapest room in town. Upon check-in, I would learn that I would be staying in a suite, Room 576A. The A excited me because you knew the room had to be special. The A somehow translated into a room with a living room, wet bar, and conference room table in addition to the normal amenities. While this would be cool under normal circumstances (and it was cool), I quickly realized that it is very difficult to fully utilize and appreciate these features when you are traveling on business and have a room all to yourself.
Vegas is certainly different when you are traveling on business. The town itself is not very conducive to be being productive because of the many attractions and distractions. But all worked out well. One of the things that amazes me about Vegas (I know, there are many things) is the amount of high-priced restaurants. You can tell that it is a town that revolves around business expense accounts because normal people could never sustain paying the exorbitant amounts. I had a $65 steak and that was one of the cheaper items on the menu. Sadly, the $65 steak wasn't as good as the $42 steak I had the night before – go figure. Needless to say, it was a week of good eating (I won't need a filet again). We were able to enjoy the fruits of such fine restaurants as Emeril's Delmonico, Strip Steak, Joe's Stonecrabs, and Margaritaville. It's hard to come back home to my microwave pizzas and other frozen sundries but all is well.
In addition to the food, there were two other memorable items from the trip. The first was Cirque Du Soleil's Love (by the Beatles). It was my first Cirque show and it was quite an experience. It was hard to adjust to at first because there was so much going on but it really was amazing. The theatre itself was a technical marvel with all of the robotics… But anything involving the Beatles is sure to be a winner and Love certainly was.
The second memorable event was my first successful foray with gambling (note: first successful foray, not the first foray). If there was one thing Grammy taught me (and she taught me many), it was that Wheel of Fortune slot machines are always good ones to pick and when you play them, make sure you always play three credits in case you get to spin. Well, I listened to her sage advise and was able to turn $20 into $100. I cashed out without thinking too hard about it and quickly realized how hard it is to stop while you are ahead but stop I did. I would like to say that I did the best out of the three of us but my associate Scott was able to get $150 off of the penny slots from a $3 investment…I was a bit jealous.
I'm not sure when I'll return to Vegas but I'm looking forward to it. It's a town that can be easily rediscovered with each new trip and based on the amount of construction there (the largest project in the world – a subcity next to the Belagio – is going on right now as just a small example of this dynamic town), it's safe to bet that there will be many new (and old) things to enjoy in the desert town in the middle of nowhere.
The other city is Las Vegas. This is my second trip to Sin City so most of the awe that is Las Vegas has somewhat worn off and I'm able to take the city in through more experienced eyes. As we flew in, you really get a sense for how special Las Vegas is. This tourist Mecca that processes billions of dollars every week is in the middle of nowhere. Yet, this desert town could arguably be considered the cross-roads of the United States because you will meet more people from very different parts of the country in this sprawling town.
So far, I've seen Fat Elvis singing, a guy who looked like James Taylor but wearing pink sunglasses, and some nice Mexican ladies who were trying to hand out cards for strippers or hookers or strippers who are turned on by hookers. If you've been to Vegas, you've seen them standing on the streets as dusk begins to approach. They are all Hispanic (I daresay Mexican) and obviously illegal workers who wear bright fluorescent shirts and can't speak English. But these are highly skilled workers because they have this amazing ability to get your attention by flicking the cards with their forefingers to make an amazing snapping sound. I've tried to duplicate their efforts but to no avail and I'm convinced it's a black magic that they are given when they sign their souls over to the stripper-hooker-card pimps that employ them. But you have to admire them, they go out as a family unit and work together: father, son, and yes, mom and daughter. While it's touching to see them working together, its sad to see what they have to do to get paid, especially the woman. If I were interested in the services they were selling, having a card with a picture of a mostly naked woman on it handed to me by a toothless Mexican grandmother would most likely take away all the appeal. However, if I were desperate enough to actually utilize their employer's services, I most likely wouldn't be worried about the method the information is delivered by.
But putting Misty Mounds and Candi Liscious and the other ladies of the night aside, Vegas is actually a fairly complex city that offers much more than sex and debauchery. This is perhaps the best place in the world to people watch and there are a ridiculous amount of people here, including a ridiculously fat Elvis who will sing for free for you in Bill's lounge at the formerly named Barbary Coast casino. People watching has always been a hobby for me and while I've learned a lot from it, it gets me into trouble sometimes. I suffer from what I call the "Grass is Greener Complex". I have this nasty habit of looking at most people and thinking their life is perfect and then get upset that I don't enjoy that same privilege of a perfect life. Now Vegas has both sides of the spectrum. There are a plethora of people out here that make me feel like my life is normal and in some select cases, that I'm the most with-it, successful, and attractive person alive. I'm glad that God has placed some of those people in the world because they help me keep sane and somewhat grounded. It's the other people that I have a challenge with. Everywhere you go in Vegas, there is a cadre of young, attractive people that exude the fact that they know what is going on, they know where to be and what to do and that their life is perfect because they are in what is arguably to most people the most exciting place on earth. The difficulty is that no matter where you go in Vegas, those people exist which leads to this overarching suspicion that you will never be able to do all of the cool, fun, and "right" things which in turn makes you begin to think that you aren't making the most of your experience in this city of experiences.
Vegas in general has this huge stigma attached to it because of its reputation and you feel somewhat pressured (even if it's indirectly) to have this amazing, crazy time while you are here. You want to take advantage of every opportunity to do great things and have a great time, but there are so many opportunities that your head just might explode if you try to do them all (that, and you'll never sleep and die from a crack overdose after snorting some lines with the hooker-stripper that you called on the card given to you by the nice Mexican lady – not that I know anything about any of that because, you all know me, I don't).
But such is life. You have to constantly remind yourself that no one's life is perfect, especially out here. Vegas offers you an opportunity to get away from your life but that also has some consequences and adds to the mystique of this desert town. There is a lot of truth to the statement of "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas". It is so weird for me to realize that this place makes it so easy to throw off any and all inhibitions. You can really get away with anything that you want with very little consequences and there aren't many places in the world that allow you to do that except maybe college. People come here looking for a good time and are usually willing to take more risks to accomplish their goal. The fact that its "Las Vegas" makes a lot of people have an open mind (and not necessarily in the good sense). It's such a strange environment that is most certainly not grounded in reality. Yet, you find that it's a measure of character, a test of who you really are. You can throw off your inhibitions and get away with it, only you will know (or in the extreme case, some girl and an illegitimate child perhaps). But you have a choice, you always have a choice. Most times, you have a network of peers and family to support and hold you accountable for the things that you do in addition to your personal convictions. Once that network disappears, you are left with your personal conviction to bear the full brunt of the temptations of the world. It's strange being in that environment and then returning back to the "normal" world.
So that's my deep thought from Vegas. It really is a great town – you should never get bored. It's been a great trip, relaxing and what not. My company put me up at Bally's because it was the cheapest room in town. Upon check-in, I would learn that I would be staying in a suite, Room 576A. The A excited me because you knew the room had to be special. The A somehow translated into a room with a living room, wet bar, and conference room table in addition to the normal amenities. While this would be cool under normal circumstances (and it was cool), I quickly realized that it is very difficult to fully utilize and appreciate these features when you are traveling on business and have a room all to yourself.
Vegas is certainly different when you are traveling on business. The town itself is not very conducive to be being productive because of the many attractions and distractions. But all worked out well. One of the things that amazes me about Vegas (I know, there are many things) is the amount of high-priced restaurants. You can tell that it is a town that revolves around business expense accounts because normal people could never sustain paying the exorbitant amounts. I had a $65 steak and that was one of the cheaper items on the menu. Sadly, the $65 steak wasn't as good as the $42 steak I had the night before – go figure. Needless to say, it was a week of good eating (I won't need a filet again). We were able to enjoy the fruits of such fine restaurants as Emeril's Delmonico, Strip Steak, Joe's Stonecrabs, and Margaritaville. It's hard to come back home to my microwave pizzas and other frozen sundries but all is well.
In addition to the food, there were two other memorable items from the trip. The first was Cirque Du Soleil's Love (by the Beatles). It was my first Cirque show and it was quite an experience. It was hard to adjust to at first because there was so much going on but it really was amazing. The theatre itself was a technical marvel with all of the robotics… But anything involving the Beatles is sure to be a winner and Love certainly was.
The second memorable event was my first successful foray with gambling (note: first successful foray, not the first foray). If there was one thing Grammy taught me (and she taught me many), it was that Wheel of Fortune slot machines are always good ones to pick and when you play them, make sure you always play three credits in case you get to spin. Well, I listened to her sage advise and was able to turn $20 into $100. I cashed out without thinking too hard about it and quickly realized how hard it is to stop while you are ahead but stop I did. I would like to say that I did the best out of the three of us but my associate Scott was able to get $150 off of the penny slots from a $3 investment…I was a bit jealous.
I'm not sure when I'll return to Vegas but I'm looking forward to it. It's a town that can be easily rediscovered with each new trip and based on the amount of construction there (the largest project in the world – a subcity next to the Belagio – is going on right now as just a small example of this dynamic town), it's safe to bet that there will be many new (and old) things to enjoy in the desert town in the middle of nowhere.
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