We left the Bellagio the same way we came in… under cover of darkness.
5 AM comes early in Las Vegas. Or late. It depends, I guess. For me, it was way too early. I had a successful night in the casino that allowed me to go upstairs and get ready for bed by about 9:30 PM. But when I know I have to be up early, I can’t fall asleep. I’m not sure why.
But before that, Gordon Ramsay Pub and Grill was amazing. I have never had a beef Wellington, and that thing was delicious. It may be the best thing I’ve ever eaten. The kids had burgers (so they got to eat Gordon Ramsay burgers after all), and Wendy had pork nachos. She said the pickled peppers were excellent. But outside of that, there was nothing special about them.
After dinner, we’d put in quite a few steps, amassing over 18,000 myself.
Once we were back at the resort, I slid down the elevator some blackjack and craps. It was a successful trip to the casino. Knowing when to walk away is one of my gambling strengths. So, after David the Dealer beat me for the third straight time (my stop loss limit at the blackjack table), I took my winnings and cashed out. I went up to the room, brushed my teeth, and laid down. And for the next several hours, I considered sleep, but couldn’t get there.
I fell asleep around 3:30 AM if I had to guess. And was back awake at 4:30 AM to catch the 5 AM Uber to the airport. And to brush my teeth. One percent, baby!
The airport at that time in Las Vegas is actually hectic. Us east-coasters don’t have a ton of options before you start to venture into red-eye territory.
I will say this. The number of people with TSA Pre-Check that behave as if it is their first time at an airport astounds me.
You’re savvy enough to get Pre-Check, but aren’t don’t know you can’t carry your phone through a metal detector? Or wear your hat? Or carry your puffy jacket? Come on people.
We were at the gate for about 45 minutes. Right before we boarded the plane, I thanked Wendy for letting me plan the Vegas trip with her and the kids. I know she doesn’t particularly like the crowds or the smoke in the casino, but, like the kids, I know she had fun. It was a family adventure. One that I know I won’t soon forget.
And now, from my first-class seat, I’m writing this.
I am going to use my time on the plane (and the layover in Austin) to lay the foundation for a new one-percent-better goal. Over the years, I’ve traded reading for work. But I want to become a reader and push myself learn more.
I’m going to set a modest goal of reading 5 pages a day to start from two different books in two different genres.
I run a successful (and growing) travel baseball organization. Cameron is heading into his freshman baseball season. As a result, I’m learning about the college recruiting process. For that, I picked up the book ‘Committed.’
I have also fashioned myself in the form of Dr. Gregory House. Rationality above everything, and somewhat of a stoic. My anxiety problem has shown me how much that isn’t always the case. Especially when you want the panic and the sadness to stop.
So, I’m giving the ‘Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck’ a shot.
Five pages each every day. For ‘Committed,’ if you’re interested, I’ll drop some key learnings and synopsis here.
For the ‘Subtle Art’, this will likely be my outlet to explore the things I learn.
Now, as far as being grateful, I’m going to start with wealth today. I’m grateful for first-class seats on long-ass plane rides. We flew Southwest from San Jose to Las Vegas because of some delay issues. And let me say, that isn’t for me.
Health-wise, I’m grateful that my health/weight loss/happiness experiment begins tomorrow. I’m tired of this extra weight. I’m ready to take the “Fat Suit” off.
And for self, I am grateful for the time I got to spend this trip with Cameron and Cole. While I was tossing a turning, I got a couple of those memory videos that Apple does with your photos. It’s cool, there is no doubt. Creepy too, but cool. There were several little carousels of the boys. And it reminded me how fleeting time is with them.
Those moments of little smiles and little hugs is gone. And it’s never coming back.
Every moment is a moment to embrace. To grab and hold. To feel. To smell. To taste. To savor.
And I’m grateful I was able to create some memories with them that I hope they cherish as much as I do.
Until tonight’s post!
