Blog Light City

53 years ago today I was five days old (at least in Heidelberg, West Germany I was five days old - I am not going to math/time zone conversion to be precisely accurate) and John F. Kennedy still had 64 days to live. I just mention that because I am watching a documentary called "Lee Harvey Oswald: 48 Hours to Live" on The History Channel. I had several air-tight alibis so I was never questioned.

I was so delighted to get back from our trip and learn that we did not get staffed-up this week because I would have had to work yesterday, today or tomorrow (or more than one of them). We got to Chicago from Las Vegas at about 04:30 Saturday morning so I would have been beat. I am still pretty tired from our trip but I should be fairly well rested by Wednesday when I return to the grind.

We had a great time in Las Vegas. MADYM and her beau Scott met us out there and we did a lot. Unfortunately, I ate too much (actually not too much rather the wrong things) and I gained a few LBs. I am going to weigh-in tomorrow and I hope to be back down weigh-in time plus one pound so I can be a cool 70 down since December 29th. I will just do some protein shakes today and tomorrow and then eat after I weigh-in. I was very good and did not drink any alcohol at all in Vegas - even while gambling. I did pretty well at the tables (mainly blackjack and Texas Hold'em); I was up nearly $500 overall. That was not close enough to cover the trip but it did not hurt.

The highlight of the trip was, of course, the John Fogerty concert at The Venetian. He was the main reason we went to Vegas. He played many, many of the songs we all know. It is hard to believe that he is 71 years old. He did not take a break for over two hours straight. It was really cool that his son plays right along with him. His son just recently graduated from USC with a degree in business. John made sure he knew business so he would not get ripped-off like his father did. He told so many great stories between songs - there was a great one about he and Creedence Clearwater Revival playing at Woodstock and following The Grateful Dead - ask me or Jill sometime and we will tell you that story.

 See how my head is cocked like his? I am working on my Rich Little impression 

We also saw Rich Little at The Laugh Factory in The Tropicana while we were out there. It was pretty nostalgic as we watched him all the time on television as kids. His impersonations and/or impressions are still pretty good but he is not as good as he once was; I can say that same thing about myself. Most of the people he impersonates are dead now. Incidentally, my Kermit The Frog is about 47 times better than his, After the show we got to meet him, get his autograph and have a photo taken with him. He does not seem happy. I wonder if it is that he still has to do this at his age and almost all of the people he impersonates are dead? He just seemed depressed when we spoke to him. I am glad we went to the show but sort of feel like he is just doing it because that is what he does. It may also be because he is on his fourth wife now and he has lots of alimony payments? He showed a lot of clips of him with Presidents and so many great comics and celebrities over the years. I kind of feel sad for him with the made-up scenarios I have in my head.

Cha Cha and I decided that, if we ever go back to Vegas, we will probably stay at The Tropicana. We stayed at The MGM Grand and I am fairly sure they tried to scam us several times - can you believe that in Vegas? When we got there we got our room and it looked nothing like the photo Jill saw when booking the trip. MADYM and Scott did not get there until later the night we arrived so, when we saw their room (Cha Cha booked them both and saw what they were supposed to be like), we were even more underwhelmed with our room. So, we went down to the lobby and I made a minor stink (I have made many major ones over the years but I always stay minor and then go major if the situation warrants) and we wounded-up getting a much better room (like the one that we should have gotten in the first place). Later I heard someone in the hallways saying how they didn't get the room they reserved either. Apparently this is common practice in Las Vegas - at least at The MGM Grand. Overall it was a great time.

I think I have written about my identity recently being stolen. Well, I got my replacement bank VISA credit/debit card in the mail when we got back (it does not have the chip in it as promised). Yesterday we went to the store it was declined for "over the limit." It was a charge at JEWEL (the grocery store) and it was only for $200. So, I used a different card and then paid that one from the one that just got denied. Perhaps they put a limit on the card to protect me but now, when I am done writing this, I am going to the bank and find out what the heck is going on now. I am not upset as I am sure it is just for my protection. That means so much more as an adult as it does when we were kids.

Okay, I am gonna wrap-up for now and head to the bank. I may walk to get a few extra steps in to burn-off some of my Vegas-fat. I also figure I will do 20 miles on the bike today and 20 tomorrow before weigh-in.

Thanks a lot for stopping in today. I am pretty sure I will blog again tomorrow because it is rare these days when I get to write two days in a row. Then, back to the grindstone and reality. I still have to get those clothes from the washing machine into the drier too. TTTT (probably after I weigh-in)...MITM (out) TA!