Monday, January 5, 2009
My New Favorite Song...
...is "You Don't Know Me" by Ben Folds, featuring Regina Spektor. It is quite a catchy tune that I haven't been able to get out of my head since my fabulous little sister Alicia introduced me to it over Christmas break. Outstanding. Check it out when you have a chance.
Ch-Ch-Check Out M Bod's Blog
I am happy to pass along another interesting blog to all of my (three) avid readers - "From Beantown to the Hills" (marissabod.blogspot.com), authored by none other than Marissa Bodnar (M Bod). Marissa Bodnar and the entire Bodnar family were my Cincinnati family after the DePlatchett clan abandoned me in Cincy in order for the Budman to start his new job with Ciba Specialty Chemicals in Virginia. I had the pleasure of coaching Marissa for two years when she played with the Cincinnati Classics Hammer. She went on to play soccer at UNC-Greensboro and transferred to Northeastern in Boston.
M Bod has moved out to L.A. for an internship with the Ellen Degeneres Show. In the worst economic environment since The Great Depression, M Bod has managed to get herself some incredible working experience. Way to go M Bod and we'll keep an eye on you via your blog.
Holidays + Work Project = Slacking on the Blog
Hello friends and family! First, I must apologize. My sister reminded me today that I have been quite a slacker on the blog. This is definitely not the tone I want to set with the New Year. However, while vacationing with my family in Smithfield, Virginia, I spent most of my time relaxing, watching movies and trying to beat our young neighbors at Wii (Bryson and Baylor are 6 and 4, respectively). Needless to say, it was great to have a break from work and just spend some quality time with the family. I really miss spending time with them and coming home to two happy dogs...
When I returned to San Diego (after miraculously not getting delayed in the airport even with several connecting flights), I immediately launched myself into finishing a work project with a time sensitive deadline that I had put off during the holidays. All turned out well but last week was filled with hustling to get the project done on time. I can now breathe a big sigh of relief and make sure I continue to post the latest happenings in the life of KD on the internet.
I learned a very valuable lesson yesterday: respect the ocean. Actually, the title of my sad surfing experience yesterday should have probably been, "The Ocean Kicks Kristin's Ass." Which is good, I guess. Everyone needs a good butt kicking now and then to bring them back down to earth. As I've blogged about before, I am in the process of learning how to surf. My previous attempts have been largely in amiable conditions where the waves were small and relatively consistent. Yesterday's session consisted of a constant pounding of large waves coupled with wicked winds. Trying to paddle out with an 8'6" longboard in these conditions is not pleasant. I spent about an hour trying to get out and then gave up. To make matters worse, even carrying a longboard around with wind like that is horrible. My board got blown over as I was taking the soft rack off my car downtown and now has a small ding. It was a very sad day and my calves are aching from trying to brace against the waves yesterday. Hopefully my next surfing experience will be more pleasant...
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Vegas, Part Deux
Day #2 in Vegas was a bit kinder to me than Day #1. After waking up, drinking about half a gallon of water, blogging and chatting on the phone a bit, I went for a little run. Well, I was thinking it was going to be a little run. I wanted to go check out this thing at the other end of the strip...I couldn't quite tell what it was but I thought it was worth investigating.
After running down the strip for about three minutes, I realized that people were looking at me like I was crazy for running, and going for a run on the Strip is definitely a contact sport. I was amazed again at just the pure scale of things in Vegas. I read in "Bringing Down the House" that The Bellegio cost $1.6 billion to build and The Venetian cost $1.2 billion. I spent some time in both of them and after being there understand that's really not that ridiculous. It's just hard to explain how oversized everything in Vegas is.
The other phenomenon on the Strip is that things that look about a quarter mile away are really like five miles away. You keep going and going and really don't make much progress on getting there. However, you are surrounded by great people watching and amazing buildings, so you just keep on going.
About 30 minutes into the run, I was through all the major attractions on the Strip. Then I passed Circus, Circus, then things kept getting more and more shady, then some wedding chapels (which looked mighty classy, I must say) and then finally about 45 minutes later I hit Stratosphere. I'm not really sure how that place stays in business because it is so far from everything else.
After running for an hour and twenty minutes, showering up and drinking another half gallon of water, I was off to the MGM to begin Day #2 of the Vegas experience. This was at about 1:30 p. The tables were much kinder to me, I learned how to really play blackjack and probably won somewhere between $100 and $200 playing blackjack. And then Chasson (that's his last name) hit it big. He had been on fire so he collected $10 from people to go put down some cash on 00. It hit and his $60 paid out over $1,000 (translation my $10 was now $180). And then that's when I started to see the light...it was really thrilling winning some cash, playing blackjack.
I kept drinking and playing blackjack until about 6:30p, ran over to New York, New York to buy a ticket for Zoomanity, then back to the room to shower, then off to the show. Then we hit up dinner at this Mexican place, then off to The Venetian, then Wynn (for about two more hours of blackjack), then Tryst at Wynn, then more gambling at Wynn, then MGM for breakfast. I was crossing the bridge back to Tropicana at exactly 6:23a. Drinking and gambling since 1:30p in the afternoon. Wow, I didn't think I had it in me, but that's what happens when you get to Vegas. I've heard the casinos pump oxygen into the room so that people can stay awake longer...I wouldn't doubt it.
Overall, quite an experience. I was loving it during the great run of blackjack when I was thinking I should quit my day job and start a blackjack team in San Diego. Then by Sunday afternoon I was so ready to go, I was at the airport more than two hours before my flight (which is a record for me). The mood in the Vegas airport on Sunday night was definitely much different than Friday afternoon when I arrived.
If you haven't been, you should go experience Vegas. Just be prepared to experience a range of emotions and the lows that come with the highs. And be ready to hemmorage money, unless you have a great run at blackjack.
After running down the strip for about three minutes, I realized that people were looking at me like I was crazy for running, and going for a run on the Strip is definitely a contact sport. I was amazed again at just the pure scale of things in Vegas. I read in "Bringing Down the House" that The Bellegio cost $1.6 billion to build and The Venetian cost $1.2 billion. I spent some time in both of them and after being there understand that's really not that ridiculous. It's just hard to explain how oversized everything in Vegas is.
The other phenomenon on the Strip is that things that look about a quarter mile away are really like five miles away. You keep going and going and really don't make much progress on getting there. However, you are surrounded by great people watching and amazing buildings, so you just keep on going.
About 30 minutes into the run, I was through all the major attractions on the Strip. Then I passed Circus, Circus, then things kept getting more and more shady, then some wedding chapels (which looked mighty classy, I must say) and then finally about 45 minutes later I hit Stratosphere. I'm not really sure how that place stays in business because it is so far from everything else.
After running for an hour and twenty minutes, showering up and drinking another half gallon of water, I was off to the MGM to begin Day #2 of the Vegas experience. This was at about 1:30 p. The tables were much kinder to me, I learned how to really play blackjack and probably won somewhere between $100 and $200 playing blackjack. And then Chasson (that's his last name) hit it big. He had been on fire so he collected $10 from people to go put down some cash on 00. It hit and his $60 paid out over $1,000 (translation my $10 was now $180). And then that's when I started to see the light...it was really thrilling winning some cash, playing blackjack.
I kept drinking and playing blackjack until about 6:30p, ran over to New York, New York to buy a ticket for Zoomanity, then back to the room to shower, then off to the show. Then we hit up dinner at this Mexican place, then off to The Venetian, then Wynn (for about two more hours of blackjack), then Tryst at Wynn, then more gambling at Wynn, then MGM for breakfast. I was crossing the bridge back to Tropicana at exactly 6:23a. Drinking and gambling since 1:30p in the afternoon. Wow, I didn't think I had it in me, but that's what happens when you get to Vegas. I've heard the casinos pump oxygen into the room so that people can stay awake longer...I wouldn't doubt it.
Overall, quite an experience. I was loving it during the great run of blackjack when I was thinking I should quit my day job and start a blackjack team in San Diego. Then by Sunday afternoon I was so ready to go, I was at the airport more than two hours before my flight (which is a record for me). The mood in the Vegas airport on Sunday night was definitely much different than Friday afternoon when I arrived.
If you haven't been, you should go experience Vegas. Just be prepared to experience a range of emotions and the lows that come with the highs. And be ready to hemmorage money, unless you have a great run at blackjack.
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