Random Soapbox for Saturday 7/21/12

I don't mean to go off on a rant here ...

... about my trip to Vegas as my "Theme Week:  Vegas Baby" comes to a close ...

... so I won't (ish).  After all, millions of dollars have been spent on the marketing campaign that actually is repeated in the above banner in the gate as you are boarding your departing flight.  [Of course, you can kind of review my posts since this past Tuesday and put some pieces together -- and no, I did not visit any wedding chapel and no, I did not win enough money to upgrade to first class and/or charter my own flight home, and yes, I did observe, but did not necessarily participate, in some Vegas style jack-douchery.]

Instead, I'll focus my complaining on the gentleman who sat in front of me on the flight home from said trip and who insisted on reclining his seat for every single moment of the flight (when prompted by the flight attendant, he simply raised it up until she left and then put it right back in my space) ... which is why I adjusted that cold stream of constant air to blow on your neckline for the whole second half of the trip.  After all, if you hadn't been so hoggish in wanting to have your space and some of mine, that air nozzle stream wouldn't have reached you (and special thanks to American Airlines for allowing to be positionable).

Hey old man -- since you chose to constantly recline into my space, I chose to be a vindictive sombitch. Uncomfortable, wasn't it!

CHECK OUT A CASE STUDY ON THE MARKETING CAMPAIGN THROUGH THIS LINK:
http://www.harrisinteractive.com/Insights/Awards.aspx

SOMEONE ELSE'S IDEAS FOR AIRPLANE CABIN ETIQUETTE:
http://www.independenttraveler.com/travel-tips/travelers-ed/the-etiquette-of-seat-backs-and-elbow-room

ONE CAN FIND ANYTHING ON THE WEB -- GET YOUR OWN AIR NOZZLE PARTS:
http://www.seiho.com/product/index3.html

Random Flashback for Friday 7/20/12

So the past few weeks it's been Ashlyn, then Nic, then Ashlyn ... so, of course, tonight is Nic.

And that would be Nicolas, my nephew, some twenty years ago, being a happy smiley baby -- surrounded by stuffed animals, about which he may or may not be oblivious ... it's hard to tell 'cause he's so so focused on smiling for the camera.

And it's not really a stretch to slip this flashback photo into my "theme week:  Vegas baby", as I am now in the same state as Nic's mother (Hey Holly!).  Sadly, I did not get a chance to see her (as I am car-less on this trip, and as it was mostly work related and I've had little time for social-ness, and, most importantly, as apparently Nevada is a big state and Las Vegas is just a small part of it -- who knew?).

Sometime, somehow --  we will all reconnect in a non-virtual way ... Until then, thoughts of happy smiley babies to each of them and to everyone who briefly pauses to look at this picture and smile along with Nic.

Random Thought for Thursday 7/19/12

So here are three things I've learned since arriving in Vegas ...

1.)  Be careful when you open the nightstand drawer.  This is what I found ... and although I thought the blue powder in the little baggie at first was something one gets from Heisenberg (gratuitous Breaking Bad reference there, one of the most creative shows in a long time that just returned to AMC), it turns out that it is more likely the powder that bowlers use on their shoes leftover from a recent bowling tournament held here.

2.)  Little children and international tourists are very easily distracted by the sights and sounds of Vegas, and therefore you cannot maneuver through a crowd at a brisk pace without stepping on a few toes -- literally.  My apologies to all of you whom I stepped on this week.

3.)  This property (which I now will not name -- just in case the LVPD are somehow reading this and take an interest in the item I discuss in #1 above) is a Pepsi only property.  And no matter how far I search (on premise restaurant, vending machine, etc) ... none was to be found.  Not even outside or at a nearby establishment ... and I know -- because I left the hotel property desperately one day at lunch, and inquired of standers-by if they knew where I could get some coke.  The first two just looked at me funny (although they may not have spoken English), but the third passer-by gave me a knowing nod and told me to follow him -- at which point I had my a-ha moment and realized that it was not the purchase of Coca-Cola about which he had information.

AND I SWEAR (on that Bible)  -- items #1 and #3 ARE NOT IN ANY WAY RELATED!

GO AS HEISENBERG THIS HALLOWEEN:
http://breakingbadcostume.com/heisenberg-costume/

THE NUMBERS ARE IN ... AND NOW IT MAKES SENSE ... FOLLOW THE $$:
http://www.vegasinc.com/news/2012/jul/10/international-tourists-las-vegas-outspend-domestic/

I BETCHA I CAN GET COKE HERE!:
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/12545

Random Wordplay for Wednesday 7/18/12

Hangover Heaven.

Used in a sentence:  "Now added to my shortlist of things to do in the few hours I have that are not tied up in my work meeting for this week in Vegas ... the Hangover Heaven bus."

And that's a short list that includes the Bellagio Fountains and the Stratosphere Tower thrill rides ... but I will definitely be keeping my eye out for this "service" ... And here's what happens on that bus, as per the article below ...

"Once on the bus, treatment can take less than an hour for a $90 basic IV of saline solution, B vitamins and vitamin C ... the prescription anti-inflammatory Keteroloac or Toradol for pain and Zofran, also known as Ondansetron, for nausea.  Acid heartburn can be treated with over-the-counter ranitidine.  Patients get a shot of the anesthetic Lidocaine to numb the skin before the IV needle is inserted."

Party on (after the meeting of course)!

FOR MORE ON THE HANGOVER HEAVEN BUS:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-57419271-10391704/hangover-heaven-bus-rolls-through-las-vegas-what-do-patients-think/

FOR MORE ON THE BELLAGIO FOUNTAINS:
http://www.bellagio.com/attractions/fountains-of-bellagio.aspx


FOR MORE ON THE STRATOSPHERE TOWER:
http://www.stratospherehotel.com/Tower

Random Tune for Tuesday 7/17/12

And so my time in Vegas has begun (sounds like a theme week of posts --  which I haven't done in awhile) ... but this is a work trip after all, so it sure is starting nice and easy ...  a company dinner tonight and meetings bright and early in the morning so nothing overwhelmingly Vegas tonight.  [But there is certainly is precedent that it's not really a work party until all my tattoos are on display ... so be warned for the next few nights ...]

This is the view from outside of my window on the 26th floor of Circus Circus.  I believe that might be part of the strip in the distance (I'm pretty sure I'm at the far far end of it for the meeting), and the giant circle thingy in the foreground is the dome over the enclosed amusement park for which this casino is known.

I'll know much more (I hope) by the time I leave on Saturday, but, for now, this tune seems appropriate (and the trip is a distraction from recent events) ...

BRIGHT LIGHT CITY GONNA SET MY SOUL ON FIRE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFw5a5Bp_Pw