A Little More About Sin City

I can’t believe my week is over here. I’m starting to get a slight headache from going and … well I guess exhaustion. Believe it or not I haven’t been up late or anything like that. It’s more of the walking around. Seems like I was sick as a dog last time I went home from a business trip. That was Philly … hmmm …..

More stuff from the trip. A’s favorite romantic thing was the gondola ride at the Venetian. Truly an amazing place. The inside looks like the outside. Hmmm … what do you mean? I mean the ceilings look like the sky. So pictures look like you are in Venice. I’ve been to Venice … it doesn’t smell as good as the Venetian. Wonderful indoor boat rides though.

A’s favorite part was the indoor boat ride. All the gondoliers sing to you on the ride. We rode with a couple from New York state. They were in their 50’s and down for a short vacation. If you are young or newly married I suggest you go on a trip and interact with some more elderly couples, they really give great advice.

But back to the boat … we got 3 songs “That’s Amore” “Sanata Lucia” and one I didn’t recognize. A was surprised I knew them. I think it impressed her. She asked how I knew them and I honestly have listened to that music for a very long time. I’ve always known them. Truly beautiful music sung by a man with a truly beautiful voice. At one point all 5 of us were singing “That’s Amore”. On the banks people would clap when the gondolier was done singing.

So … we did a lot of other things. A walked around during the day seeing everything she wanted to see and I’m either fixing something from the hotel room back at the “mother ship” or I’m in a conference. It was hard to take A to the airport on Tuesday. I REALLY loved my time with her. We so rarely get time alone and away from everyone. We work it in, but you know.

One of the funniest things was walking down the strip on the east side we saw an Elvis impersonator. For a tip he would let us take his picture and sing us a song while we got our picture taken. So, A got her picture made with bad teeth Elvis. Dude his teeth were .. well no offense .. Austin Powerish. A said she couldn’t tell if he was smoking or if he was drinking. I said it was probably both. A had no clue about what song she wanted him to sing so I picked “Love Me Tender”. In a word, it was funny!

Well, once A was gone life didn’t change much. The walking decreased. We walked everywhere and I have blisters on all my toes. It’s very painful. I really didn’t pack the right shoes. As soon as I get home I’m buying my foot massager with my birthday money.

So A calls last night and little a is just tore up crying. A says, “Well, daddy, little a was playing with your snow globe I bought you and she was being really careful, so we put the globe on the floor and I guess when she stood up she knocked it over and it broke. We’re sorry daddy.” And it’s ok, so I had to treck a few miles to Treasure Island last night and try to find a new one. Before I got off the phone I heard little a saying,” Git a lil’ one Maudy,” which translates to,” Daddy, please get me a little one to play with.” So I got little a her own little Vegas snow globe and I relaced mine that plays an intersting tune. It may be “My Way”. I’m still not sure.

Today was the last day of our conference, but it was also a very special day for A and I. It’s our anniversary today. Four years! We’ve known each other since June 21 of 2001. So that makes it almost an even 5. It has been quite an adventure. I emailed this to her today:

I just wanted to let you know that a big reason I am so successful is because of you!

I love you,

Jef

What I got from her this morning was this email:

Happy anniversary!!!!
I love you!!!!!
have a good day!!

AL

That’s a nice way to start your day.

So my day was pretty much over mentally after lunch. I attended the last of my presentations and headed back here to talk to you guys. Sorry it’s been such a long post.

But lunch was a hypnotist named Anthony Cools. His Deborah Harry look-a-like assistant was interesting. Cools hypnotized a woman I met here from Canada. I asked her about it and I just find this stuff fascinating because it has to do with psychology.

This guy was great. They hypnotized, … thought their “coochie” was talking and everyone could hear it, they were smoking pot and a police officer walked in, a woman in the front row was flahing them, their butt was on fire every time they hear “Ring of Fire” and scooting on the floor made it feel better, and they were oragutangs … ya you had to be there, but his last suggestion was interesting.

I’ve seen hypnotists since about 1989. Not one lets their subjects remember things. This one let them remember and suggested that they would want to party really hard tonight and when their head hit the pillow they would sleep soundly and awake five minutes before the alarm. I’ll have to check in with my friend and see how it panned out for her!

So I’m back to DFW tomorrow and TFM will pick me up from the airport. Back to normal life and baseball practice et. al. hmmm … a walk down to the Belagio sounds really good right now. I think I hear a slot machine calling my name!