Tuesday, July 8th - Back to the Grind

I'm back!  I had really planned on writing more out in Vegas, but I just never really got around to it.  It was a fun trip, but I will not bore you with a break down of everything that happened.  The good news is that we didn't kill each other, though I think things were close quite a few times.


Now, let's see how I did on my pre-trip commandments:

• Thou shalt not get a tattoo - No Tats.  Not even a henna one.
• Thou shalt not go over the gambling budget - I think I probably did gamble away more than I had wanted to, but at least I didn't move towards credit card cash advances!
• Thou shalt not only drink Fat Tuesday - While I did pound back quiet a few of these frosty confections, I think I did a pretty good job of drinking other, less caloric beverages.  Plus, with the bars being stingy with the pours (they really know how to screw over visitors), I drank more beer than I normally do.
• Thou shalt not overuse the credit card - I did well.  I bought one pair of pants from DKNY, two shirts from Guess, and one shirt from Armani Exchange, but I stayed under what I considred to be "splurge."  I did charge some necessities, but it was vacation.  As long as I didn't max the puppy out (or even come close), then I consider it a success.
• Thou shalt get some alone time - No Gladiators* this time, but I did get some "what happens in vegas" time with someone I met at the party on Thursday night.  That's all I'll say about that. :-D  I also got some "gotta get away from my friends before I smother them with pillows" time on Saturday morning. I just walked around to some of the hotels and stuff that I hadn't seen yet (Wynn, Palazzo, and The Fashion Show Mall), and then I met back up with the group to go Madam Trussauds Wax Museum.

Here are some of the pics I took of the trip -- some touristy, some of signs I just thought were funny.  I'll have more pictures tomorrow from Mom.  I just forgot to re-upload them to my Picasa last night.



*To answer Dr. Kenneth's question about this: the last time I was in Vegas, I caught the attention of one of Caesar's gladiators at Caesar's Palace.  Since I was with my family and needed a moment of gayness, I had a clandestine rendevous with that gorgeous hunk of man.  Good Lord!!  Plus, that is just one of those stories that is priceless. :-D

Tuesday, July 1 - Vacation Is Here!

Actually, vacation started at 1:30 when I finished all my reports and walked out of work.  Mind you, I didn't tell anyone I was leaving and my email (and I'm sure voicemail) blew up this afternoon, but thanks to actually changing my voicemail greeting and the ever loving autoresponder, the whiny people know they have to wait until Monday (even though I'm going in at 5 tomorrow to get the backup tape and restart the server for good measure).

So anyway, I'm packed except for the essential toiletries that I need to get ready in the morning, and here I sit, thinking that 5am is going to come really early and if I were a responsible adult I would be considering going to bed.  Nahhhh...not going to happen.  I'm going to head over to Greg's for Bingo.  I might as well start easing myself into the gambling life, not to mention the cheap drinks.  Then on to Metro for a bit.  I'm sure I'll get maybe 3 hours of sleep, but hey, whatever.  I'm going to Vegas!

Here are the Vegas commandments to myself:

• Thou shalt not get a tattoo - Romeo is getting one, and I have to resist the urge
• Thou shalt not go over the gambling budget - If any of my friends see me drunkenly heading toward the ATM, they have my permission to tackle me or send a tranny in my general direction
• Thou shalt not only drink Fat Tuesday - Yes, I know I'll be drunk for the majority of this trip.  However, I don't care how cheap it is in the long run, I really do not want to come back 10 pounds heavier due to the empty calories from Fat Tuesday.  10 pounds from bacon (hey, it's protein), yes, but NOT from yummy frosty beverages
• Thou shalt not overuse the credit card - I am allowing myself one major clothing related splurge...and THAT IS IT!
• Thou shalt get some alone time - This may or may not involve a Gladiator from Caesars (again) :-) Actually, I haven't really decided what form it will take, but I do want to get away and just so something on my own.  Even if it is just going to check out the Rio or just go be a wacky architecture nerd.

Okay, I think that is all for now.  I may do some posting from Vegas, but I make no gurantees that they will be at all lucid.

Have a great 4th of July!

Monday, June 30th - Almost There!

This was a pretty sedate weekend compared to how things have been for the past couple, and I have to say I am relatively grateful for that. I really didn't do anything on Friday night, Saturday was mostly errands except for the Bag Lady show at Cosmos, and Sunday was spent outlet shopping with Maestro, Mom, and the fruit of her loins.

Since I did laundry on Saturday, the clothing strategy since then has been to wear things that I know I'm not going to take to Vegas, which meant that I pulled out a shirt to wear on Saturday night that I had not worn in years. The shirt is from American Eagle, and it says "You Had Me at Get Lost." It was one of those impulse purchases that seemed funny and cute until you actually wore it out for the first time. The bizarro thing is that I got so many compliments on it and so much mileage out of the drag queens that couldn't read it properly, I may actually get out the Febreze and pack it for Vegas.

I had planned on doing some shopping in Chicago this weekend, but since I decided to take the fiscally conservative route and not go, I thought a trip down to the Outlet mall would be in order. It was a pretty successful trip with shorts, two shirts (polo and snarky saying tshirt - thanks Mom), and two tank tops from the Gap. So, I am pretty happy with the subtle revamp of my wardrobe that has been going on since the start of the year. I've never been much of a clothes horse or a label whore, preferring much more to finding cheap clothes that fit well, but I am also going to allow myself one, splurge purchase at the Forum Shops in Vegas. I see Kenneth Cole, John Varvatos, Versace Jeans Couture, DKNY, or Dolce & Gabbana in my future, but it will only be ONE thing and probably a shirt.

The trip seemed so far away last week, but honestly, now it seems too close, with too much to do between now and then. Tomorrow will be a hell day at work, but if I get everything done that I want to get done, it will make things a hell of a lot easier to start back next Monday. I am not sure what my posting schedule will be like the rest of the week, but I will have a laptop in Vegas for work purposes. So, you might see some random pictures or drunk posting.

Vegas Countdown: 2 Days
Current Vegas Temperature: 87 (High of 107...10% humidity)
Current Indy Temperature: 62 (High of 74...55% humidity...morning rain)

Reasons to Love Vegas:

The Forum Shops!

Yes, people rub the butts for luck...at least I hope its for luck

Friday, June 27th - What Happen's In...

Not a whole lot to report today. I left work around 3 yesterday, gathered my stuff for the gym (which included stuff to shower and change so I could go to the Pride Mixer), and I drove to the gym to get down to business. I was happy to see that the gym wasn't as crowded as it was on Tuesday, because I think I probably would have got apeshit (or maybe flash the V) on people who jabber and monopolize the piece of equipment I want to use. Heck, I almost did that to a guy who huffed in my general direction when I was standing in front of something he needed AND THEN PROCEEDED TO NOT USE! Of course, then this person blatantly stared at me in the shower, ass hole! Is it any wonder why I typically shower at home after the gym?

Well, at least I made it through the week. When it started, it just seemed like Friday was so far away, but I made it through most of my To Do list with sanity intact, and now I just need to finish up a few (no a lot) of thing so that I can go to Vegas. I'm going to try to not stress out about work things while I'm gone, though I am taking a laptop. Ahh...vacation...

Vegas Countdown: 5 Days
Current Vegas Temperature: 101(High of 102...7% humidity)
Current Indy Temperature: 81 (High of 81...87% humidity...thunderstorms)

Reasons to Love Vegas:

Home of the Original Bacon Martini

The Fat Tuesday chain of daiquiri stores. If you've never had them, it is the best and cheapest way in Vegas to get your calories and liquor in one stop!

Thursday, June 26th - The List is Life

Yeah, I know making a blog entry after an iconic quote from Schindler's List is probably a bit on the iffy side, but considering my life has been dominated by my "To Do" list this week, I figured it was apropos.

The trouble with a list like this is that I almost feel more disorganized with it than without it. It may be a part of my latent OCD, but when I have a list, every time something gets added to the list or needs to be taken care of immediately, I feel stressed out and annoyed, which has pretty much been a constant this entire week. Computers Dying? Check! Office Moves Planned? Check! New Employees? Check! More Office Moves Planned ON THE FIRST DAY OF MY VACATION (without any prior input from me)? Double Check!

So yes, I'm stressed out and exhausted, and I really just wish it was next week so that I can be in Vegas with a cocktail! At least I'm going to take some time today to get my Vegas folder put together. Yes, I'm that annoying guy who puts everything in order, but hey, I honestly think that if I wasn't this nebbish about it, my friends would be dead at the bottom of the Grand Canyon by now.

Vegas Countdown: 6 Days
Current Vegas Temperature: 83 (High of 101...10% humidity)
Current Indy Temperature: 81 (High of 91...70% humidity)

Reasons to Love Vegas:

(mmmm...mass produced buffet bacon...mmmm)

Tuesday, June 24th - Why Can't It Be Next Tuesday?

I think the worst part of any build up to a vacation is the week before. The Mean Girls are heading to Vegas a week from tomorrow, and I already feel like I have mentally checked out of work and everything else. Why can't it just be NEXT Tuesday already!?!?

Anyway, I apologize for not posting yesterday. It was really an instance of the day getting away from me more than anything else. The weekend itself ended up being busier than I had planned on, but compared to the weekend before, anything was going to feel more low key than Pride.

Friday night, I met up with Athena, Maestro, Blanche, and eventually Romeo at Olly's for after work cocktails and dinner. This was the first time we'd all been together since Saturday, which has to be some sort of record somewhere. We really just sat and talked for most of the early evening, and then everyone sort of went their separate ways, while I met up with BGD (Big Gay Doctor, the former C. McDreamy), who subjected me to showtunes from the Tony pre-show before we ended up meeting Maestro at the Rathskeller for some people watching in the Beer Garden. Mom eventually met up with us there, and then we moved on to watch/mock some country line dancing at Greg's. I think everyone was still in Pride Hangover mode, because the crowd was pretty light on Friday, but I am certainly not complaining about not having to deal with a big crowd.

Saturday was really just an errands day, until I met up with Romeo and Maestro for a party. We got there kinda early, so here's hoping it got more crowded, but we begged out around 10 and went over to Olly's for some food, drinks, and really really bad ballads at Karaoke. After I departed, I met up with BGD and went to Talbott Street. There were a lot of the Pride Mafia there, so I had a reasonably good time.

Sunday, I met back up with the Mean Girls and Athena to go to the Olympic Diving Trials! Woo hoo...hot twinks in speedos! I personally prefer guys with a bit more muscle than that (not to mention a bit further away from pedo land), but I would be lying if I didn't say I enjoyed the show. I'll put some pictures at the end of the post. After that, Maestro, Romeo, Mom, and I went over to the Trumps for the weekly pool party, which was a lot of fun until the rain hit.

Then last night I made a cheesecake for work, which I'll be finishing tonight and bringing in tomorrow. It's Smore Cheesecake, with fresh marshmallow topping!

As promised: