Vegas, Baby, Yeah?

Although I've out-wordly maintained that I was never really interested in going to Las Vegas, I have to admit that there has always been an element of mysterious glamour that I've conjured in my head at the mention of the place.

Well, folks, this past week I had my chance to see what I've been missing all of these years... the Vegas Virgin was popped!  Flying out on Monday afternoon, I arrived very late that night (despite the three hour time difference) due to a missed connection (thank you Continental!).  

First impressions... wow.  As in "Wow, I don't get it."  

I was there for MAGIC, which is one of the bigger trade shows in the US, and which apparently was attended by 40% fewer buyers than usual this year - hello Bush economy.

The show was great, but the evenings of "exploring" the city was not.  When we were walking along the strip, it reminded me of the Minnesota State Fair, except with southern accents and without the food on a stick.  There are no rules against smoking in most restaurants, and they do so with abandon.  To be fair, I didn't catch any of the shows, which I'm sure make the whole experience much better to the average visitor... 

One highlight: Caesar's Palace - The Forum Shops, which are beautiful halls full of high-end shops like Shanghai Tang, YSL, Dolce & Gabbana, and Chrome Hearts.  Very niiiice.

Next trip: Europe!    

Friday night and over-stuffed

Have nothing important to share, and have been sitting here trying to think of something new, or different, that I've done in my personal life and t seems all the newness and interest has come from work.

My work days are relatively routine still: get up, walk dogs, get dressed, feed dogs, leave for work, work, come home, walk dogs, eat, feed dogs, watch movie or check email, play with dogs, go to sleep.  That's the plan...every day.

Traveling for work and pleasure have kept me in need of appropriate dog-sitters, and have inherited another brand which tops me at three now.  VERY BUSY AT WORK.

Deeply, deeply miss family and friends in Minneapolis and afar.  Often wish the tele-porter were real, already.  Damn Star Trek for putting such fantasy into our head's at all.  

Tired now, and anxious to get some zzz's.  Dogs say hi.  Love to all, H

Time to Organize

We've been here now longer than 4 months and it's time to organize.  I've found this difficult to do with as much time and energy I spend at work and with the dogs.  In the evenings, we go on a nice long walk, grab some grub and usually read or watch a show and then go to bed (since we get up quite early).  It's taken me a while to adjust to this place and I think that I'm starting to feel a little less alien here (though my recent trips out of town have reminded me how much I enjoy being in more urban cities)...

This weekend, I will be organizing the insanity that is "my stuff" and making purposeful areas around the "nest".  I need a place to do yoga, and for friends who join me on occasion.  That will be the 2nd floor in front of the tv (for the Shiva Rae Dance Yoga DVD).  I need space to store my "projects" which include sewing garments and handbags, and pillows.  

I really need a place for all of my files.  I've gone through most of them now, and have purged, but still need to have a permanent place for them.  Can't find anything easily now.  Bad thing.

The dogs stuff is completely organized (was there ever any doubt).  

Need to re-prioritize my wardrobe and do some editing.  Think I'm getting to the stage that I don't want to keep everything around "just in case".  Let the donations begin!

That's it for me tonight.

Hugs,

me

Charleston lessons and Current stuff

A friend of mine, whom shall remain nameless, but whose name rhymes with Baya, let me know that my blog had grown tiresome.  This, I believe, was not an opinion, but a statement of fact, because at this time during the year, there is such an oppressive heat/humidity here that it literally permeates everywhere/everything (including, in this case, one's mind - namely mine).  

So... I'm picking up a slower way of doing things, which seemingly includes keeping up communications.  But I'll try to remedy that in some small way tonight.

In the last week, Elizabeth came to visit - She flew in Tuesday and stayed through Saturday morning.  We rallied and meandered around the Verizon Amphitheater for  Linkin Park concert on Tuesday (opened by Chris Cornell, who played Rusty Cage, one of my top 10 songs of all time, as the last number... AWESOME).  For this, we stood, sat, sweated in the sun at up to 106 degrees for over 7 hours.  Not the smartest thing on earth, but we were very well hydrated at least.

I had been to the Snoop Dog/311 concert the week before so I had a general idea of what to expect...

The day after the Linkin Park event we toddled off to Charleston which is about three hours away and reeeaaally humid in August I might add.  The highlights were checking out the artisans on Market Street, the sweet grass baskets of the Geesha (sp?), and going through the Old Slave Mart Museum on Chalmers Street. I naively had never read paperwork describing the "sale" of a person.  It was surprisingly simple, and deeply disturbing.  Lis and I talked about it on the way out of town... how the whole city seemed heavy... that there was a heavy history you could physically feel in Charleston.  Interesting, foreign, and sad.

Upon returning to Charlotte, we decided to stay indoors.  We were immediately at peace with that decision.  Ahhhh, beautiful coolness.

After my gorgeous friend went home, I spent the weekend treating Hogan for his hotspots, by washing, shaving, and medicining the poor pup.  Vet appointment on Friday...

Lots going on at work, and have inherited another contemporary brand, so I'm excited about the increased opportunity as well as challenged with being the new design layer which has been welcomed by some and understandably questioned by some (not personally, of course).

Traveling a lot soon.  New York, Las Vegas (pending), Europe/Asia: Paris, London, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and then over to Hong Kong. Week after that LA.  Then Minneapolis for Zaih's birthday.  Yey!!  

Sleepy time.  N' night!