Views of Las Vegas

My sister Lindsey took me to Las Vegas for my birthday, and we had more fun in four days than most people pack into months of everyday living.

Takeaways from the trip:

-There is nothing like the desolate beauty of the desert. Driving with the top down, far from the city, it's quiet and eerie and lovely. There was a full moon for my birthday that bathed the entire desert in whitewash. Stunning.

-Five-star dining is worth every. single. penny. Watching the Bellagio fountains while sitting right on the lake, having the sommelier pair your wine with your courses, sitting surrounded by fresh flowers and original Picasso paintings, eating food that puts you as close to heaven as you can get on this earth.

-Vegas has the highest concentration of the shortest skirts and the highest heels in the entire U.S.

-Aussie men sure can move (highly recommend the Thunder from Down Under show for you ladies when you visit). Whew. That still makes my heart beat fast.

-Cirque de Soleil shows are worth every. single. penny. We saw "O." I doubt any production can rival it. It was a feast for the eyes and ears.

-A day by the pool in your own personal cabana calms the mind and soothes the soul.

-There is no other city in the world where a gigantic chandelier made of tequila bottles seems totally appropriate, and even pretty.


Quotes I'll always remember from the trip:

"We stop at pancakes house."
"They don't call it sin city for nothin'."
"That's a totally different dude!"
"Acapulco lilies make me sneezy."
"I was marked."
"The club can't even handle me right now."
"It gives me a thrill to come out of a place knowing the Mustang is waiting."

Oh, and though it's not really a quote: the blank stare I got from the young, fit-looking guys who work at the hotel when I asked them where I could go to hike. Suffice it to say that Vegas is not really an outdoorsy, exercise-oriented town.

Thanks for the trip and the beautiful memories, Lindsey. SF.

It's My Birthday Too

Well, the ol' birthday has rolled around again, and I'm feelin' fine. Gary played the Beatles birthday song for me and gave me beads. At a little gathering later in the day, I was surrounded by members of my fan club. I felt loved and cherished. Honestly, what more could I ask for?

Well, I do like a little gifty... And there were plenty of those--meaningful, fun, and funny presents chosen just for me. Here's one that had to be immediately set up on my desk. My very own "Day at the Beach," complete with shells, beach ball, and umbrella. One can dream.

Happy Birthday to Me

It was my birthday over the weekend, along with the first day of fall. I have a touch of SAD (seasonal affective disorder), so when the days start getting shorter, I start feeling a little bit blue. And being in my "late 30s" now doesn't help, either.

Don't get me wrong: I love my birthday. Dozens of cards with warm words, calls from loved ones, presents... And really, I love all birthdays. A birthday is the one day where you can celebrate a person and no one bats an eye or feels strange about it. So I make it a point to send a card or make a phone call on birthdays, and I just revel in it when people recognize mine.

Still, with the fall weather and all, sometimes I just need a dose of happy, and all I have to do is remember birthdays past. Gary and I have made a tradition of trying all things new on our birthdays (new restaurants, new theaters, new experiences), which is definitely refreshing and rejuvenating. Many a joyful memory has come from the birthday celebrations that G has planned.

And the last few years at my former place of work, my team put together organization-wide birthday celebrations for me that involved food and gifts and cards and well wishes. Which I basked in, of course, and sorely missed this year.

But I have to admit, nothing will ever quite take the place of the complete, utter, enveloping ecstasy that was was my birthday when I lived at home. Ever since I was little and even through my rebellious teenage years, my mother made my birthday special. Mountains of beautifully wrapped presents on the table weeks beforehand. Letting me choose a restaurant for a fancy dinner. Parties and birthday cake and multiple renditions of the happy birthday song.

And oh, let's not forget, how could I ever forget, the Beatles singing "Birthday" at max volume in the morning as I woke up. I felt special and treasured and like the world existed just to make me feel like a million bucks. Thanks, Mom.