Welcome Back!

Hello, friends. Yes, I know it has been a while - a whole year, in fact. With the arrival of 2011 comes a reawakening of this blog. Much has happened since my last blog post - found a job and I'm making my way back into adventure! Rather that go into the inane details of my 2010 events, here's a photo synopsis:

Fun, right?!?

It was hard to believe that 2010 flew by so fast. I expect no less of 2011!

Something's brewing...

Notice some changes? Yep, it's a new year, and therefore a new look seems appropriate! Stand by for some 2011 commentary from yours truly. It's been a while...and I've missed this! :-)

Wishing You the Best, @VegasGeek!

I met John Hawkins 4 years ago when I arrived at his office for a job interview. At the time, he was the Director ofTechnical Services for a small startup I was pursuing a management position for. You know how most management level folks dress up to conduct interviews? Not John. From what I recall, he was wearing a polo like he often wears,jeans, and some casual footwear. Oh, and I definitely did not miss seeing the big, multi-colored "GEEK" tattoo on his arm that stretches from wrist to elbow, and the peculiar tattoos on his knuckles (I learned in time that they symbolized one of his favorite hobbies). Talk about first impressions! His appearance scared me a bit - he looked like a cross between a gangster straight outta prison and a super-nerd.

Fortunately, I landed the job, and ended up working with John for a couple of years. Lo and behold, he turned out to be a really cool guy. From a business perspective, I learned a lot from him about web development and technology. I have many fond memories of the meetings John held in his office that frequently led into different conversations that had us laughing our behinds off - sometimes nearly "piddling" in our pants.

It was a sad day when John accepted a position to oversee a different division of the company, and he moved to another building. But like with many other folks in the office, John and I built a friendship that we continue to maintain outside of work. He and his wife Chris are like family to me, and I'm glad that we get to see eachother often.

For those of you who already know him, John is an incredibly bright, talented individual, so it was no surprise that he's finally branching off to do his own work. I thought it would be fun to write a brief tribute to John, in honor of today being his last day at a conventional job. I decided instead to share one of my favorite memories of him that I captured on my blog a little over a year ago. It describes one of the many funny moments that John and I still laugh about to this day! The video, by the way, is quite entertaining, too. Enjoy!

Originally posted December 30, 2008. To check out the video John had produced as a result of this prank, click on this link.
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Today was a victory for John "Vegasgeek" Hawkins.

Upon my return from Mexico in late November, I got wind of the fact that Rick Astley himself had Rickrolled the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and I felt motivated to continue promoting the cause. I randomly Rickrolled a few people in the past month for the sheer joy of doing so. John was the one person who fell victim to my Rickrolling schemes more than once. It was only natural that he seek revenge.

This morning I receive this IM from John:

9:04 AM John Hawkins: Hey, so, I get home last night and I'm totally stuck on the bacon website... I spent about an hour looking for themes for it. Haven't found one just yet. But, I was talking to Jason and told him about the Patron Saint of Bacon and he laughed and then showed me another bacon link... So, I had to post about them both. Go check out http://baconfan.com/ - too F'n funny!

Amused by the fact that John was so entertained by my finding the Patron Saint of Bacon, I obliged by visiting his bacon blog site. At first glance, there he was: Saint Anthony, Patron Saint of Bacon in all his pork glory. The post starts with praise for friends sending him bacon-related products, then describes my find and that of fellow blogger and friend, Jason. Jason's product was unsuspectingly presented as a link, preceded by "I tried 3 times to explain it, but this guy described it better than I ever could." John heralded it as "the weirdest bacon product EVER," so how could I not have clicked on the link?

Well, I clicked. My browser shrank into a smaller version of itself, and danced around on my desktop. When I attempted to use Task Manager to close Firefox, a pop-up appeared announcing that the fun wasn't over. Try to close the pop-up, and it encouraged me to sing along, displaying the beloved lyrics to "Never Gonna Give You Up." That's right...I got RickRolled.

John showed up in my office minutes later with a smile of satisfaction on his face. He turned to my colleague's desk, reached down to pull up a gadget, pointed it at me, and said "You just got RickRolled." We laughed.

It gets funnier.

His accomplice (another employee who had to stand in for my colleague who was his original partner-in-crime) planted the hidden video camera on my colleague's desk without actually pointing the camera in my direction. Instead of capturing my reaction to getting RickRolled, the video camera recorded about 30 minutes of wall. There was audio, however, and it did manage to capture over 4 minutes of my laughter and frantic clicking of the mouse while the RickRoll music played in the background.

Kudos to John for setting up this elaborate prank. You may have won this battle, my friend - but I'm still winning the war.

It Was a Good, Productive Thursday

After work Thursday I had about 2 hours to kill before hitting Beer & Blog at the Frog (hey, that rhymes!), so I decided to forgo the gym and stop by the Fashion Show Mall for a quick shopping trip. For those of you who don't yet know, I am a self-proclaimed shop-a-holic, and so the idea of a "quick shopping trip" being about an hour gave me some (false) sense of control. On a sidenote, I have easily spent hundreds of dollars in 30 minutes at this mall of malls in the past. Not surprisingly, this trip was no exception. I entered with an explicit list of things to buy, none of which I exited with. Instead, I bought more new clothes - a new dressy top and a sexy, little pencil skirt, to be exact. To my credit, I would have tried on/bought more had it not been for the time constraint. Time simply flies when you're in a dressing room with a dozen or so outfits.

Anyway, on to Beer & Blog: Thursday was another fun-filled night at the Freakin' Frog. I've taken a liking to Warsteiner Premium Oktoberfest, a seasonal brew, despite the fact that Shiner Bock has been on tap for the past few weeks. I figured that I might as well drink up on the Warsteiner while its around. With my pint in hand, I made the customary rounds to chat it up (and take photos) with some of the other attendees.

About a month ago at BnB, I had met Hurricane Mikey, and he instantly became one of my favorite people. Mikey made an appearance at this week's social, too, so I made sure that I had some sit-down time with him since I don't see him often. Being the talented blogger he is, Mikey has taught me a bit from his own experiences. When we first met, he shared how he started blogging on a forum where people wrote about their Vegas travels. He lived in Arizona at the time, and took frequent trips to Las Vegas, and subsequently posted detailed entries about his adventures here. When he decided to branch out to his own blog, readers of that forum followed him to his site, and he ultimately built a loyal readership over a period of years. If you've read Hurricane Mikey's blog, you'll agree that he's witty and highly entertaining. He's pretty hip, too, if you ask me - and just as fun in person.

By my third pint, I was finally ready to sit, and Mikey was ready to have a talk with me, blogger to blogger. He prefaced the conversation by saying he had some constructive criticism to offer. Linda Lou, who was at the table with us, groaned a bit and gestured nervously at the introduction of this "constructive criticism." I laughed at Linda's reaction, primarily because I found it ironic that an accomplished writer such as herself would appear to have anxiety about criticism, and I was completely naive about what could potentially be said about my work. Nevertheless, I welcomed whatever input Mikey had to offer and braced myself for some serious examination. Besides, we were at Beer & Blog, and it was only appropriate that we discuss our blogs. Furthermore, I wanted to hear what someone else had to say about my work, a relative stranger, someone who didn't know much about me except through this channel of communication and a couple of in-person interactions.

As it turns out, Mikey enjoys my blog, but got the distinct feeling that I tend to hold back. He pointed out that I typically have a strong, engaging start, but often finish abruptly, and my posts are all just about the same length. I openly admitted that I am a wordy person, I love to write and especially be descriptive, but also feel it is important to be concise. Mikey encouraged me to just let go, and embrace my wordiness. It was then he dubbed me "Adjective Girl, a superhero with a gravity problem!" Hey, it was funny and completely suitable for the moment - how could I not take on such a title?!

So I took Mikey's advice, and went back to some of my previous posts to assess whether or not I could have developed my tales a little more. For the most part, each post was an abridged version of what I could have potentially wrote, had I not felt pressed for time or been just plain lazy. After some thought, what I ultimately concluded is that there are also some things that I prefer not to write, particularly if they reveal my innermost feelings or are details that seem insignificant in my mind, which seems like acceptable compromise for a blog. As a result, however, I'm feeling somewhat challenged, and of course that means I am totally game for giving the wordier me a try. This may just be opening up a whole new can of worms...

Some Curious Facts About Yours Truly

Some of the following is weird, some interesting, and the rest is just silly. Yes, I recently got caught up in the recent Facebook craze: 25 Random Things About Me. Composing this inventory was like throwing various objects into a tank, then skimming off whatever floated to the top - 25 of which made the list. As you can imagine, this only scratches the surface of who I am. Had I given more thought to this list, I think I would have come up with a far more entertaining group of items. But then again, that just yields another open opportunity to generate a fresh list of random things for you all to read at a later time. Have I mentioned that I like lists? Well, now you know (for the count, that makes 26).

Without further ado, here are 25 random things about 408Down, Installment #1:

1. I appreciate the poetry and glory of a beautiful sunrise. Sunsets are pretty too. I take a lot of pictures of both - sometimes while driving. To the left here is a shot I captured recently on my way to work. Sights like this one often make the long commute less painful in the morning.

2. When I was a kid, I would often dance around the house imagining I was in the TV series "Fame."

3. Speaking of dancing, my childhood dance crew was called "4-D Posse." We were comprised of 4 females, each bringing our own dimension of dance to our group, hence "4-D." The "D" apparently had another meaning: we were devastating dames. Gosh, we were corny.

4. I used to have a serious aversion to cilantro because it tasted like soap to me. My tastebuds have changed as an adult apparently, because now I love it on practically everything.

5. When my mom was pregnant with my sister, she asked 5-year old me what she should name the new baby. A few of my classmates in kindergarten at the time shared the same name, which I liked, therefore I suggested the name Jennifer. These days we call my sis Jen for short.

6. Chinese food is my favorite of all foods, especially noodle dishes.

7. I love the sound of guitar music, particularly classic Blues tunes, which one of the primary reasons I own a Fender acoustic.

8. My astrological sign is Leo, and I was born in the year of the Snake. I've been told that I fit both characteristically, and I like to deny it.

9. When I am deep in thought, I have a habit of simultaneously rubbing my lower lip.

10. I was a heavy smoker from the time I was 18 years old until I decided to quit in 2004. I always knew that smoking was detrimental to my health, but my ultimate reason for cessation was purely vain: it was affecting the color of my teeth.

11. I currently own approximately 75 pairs of shoes, only a dozen of which I have rotated wearing over the past year. There are about a half dozen that haven't been worn at all.

12. As an infant, I was baptized a Catholic, but now consider myself an Agnostic. My mother would kill me if she ever read this.

13. When it comes to alcoholic beverages, I prefer beers. I like those of the lighter persuasion, but I've dabbled with some darker ales.

14. I've lived in Las Vegas now for 15 years, which by some definitions, makes me a native. I beg to differ. I was born and raised in California, and still refer to myself as a Californian.

15. The last thing that I clean during every shower is my navel. I like to think I have the cleanest bellybutton west of the Mississippi. I have no idea who might have the cleanest innie east of the Mississippi, so I'll just trust my instincts on this one.

16. Two books on my nightstand: I'm halfway through Artie Lange's "Too Fat to Fish." Warren Ellis' "Crooked Little Vein" is a new book I just borrowed from a friend, which I have yet to crack open.

17. Tiesto's Club Life Podcast #17 is my iPod track of choice for runs 30 minutes or longer. My short runs are accompanied by the Foo Fighters, Nirvana, Fuel, or Marilyn Manson.

18. My declared major when I started college was Biology, which turned out to be intensely rigorous coursework. I ended up graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business with an emphasis on Management. I have no qualms about my professional career thus far, but occasionally wonder where I'd be if I stuck out my original plan.

19. My favorite sushi rolls contain tuna, cream cheese, anything tempura, or a combination of these ingredients.

20. I spent the entirety of my 20's in a relationship (and was happy to start my 30's with a clean slate).

21. I enjoy dressing up and prefer to be clad in dressy attire as opposed to casual wear. I'd choose heels over sneakers any day.

22. If money was not a factor and I had an opportunity to take on a job of my choosing, I would elect to do conservationist/ecotourism work.

23. My first dog's name was Tootsie. If I ever decide to get another dog, I'd likely adopt a little dog and give it a big, commanding name, like Captain Xavier P. Constantinople. I'd probably just call it Cap for short.

24. The furthest east I've ever traveled in the U.S. is Chicago. One of these days I'm gonna make it to the Big Apple.

25. My absolute favorite sound in the whole world is laughter. I enjoy laughing, and do it a lot, but the uproarious sound of laughter from the people in my life that I care about the most is what brings me joy.

My Memory's Rendition of Gray

We've had a wet weekend here in Las Vegas. Rain poured non-stop all day Saturday, and rain clouds were scattered across the valley throughout Sunday. My neighborhood in the Northwest collected 0.30 inches, which is a significant amount for the desert valley. There were even reports of flooding in some areas. It appears that Punxsutawney Phil's prediction of six more weeks of winter may be fairly accurate. For most, this is cold and intolerable weather, but for me I really don't mind it. In fact, despite my endless desire to be on a tropical beach, the cool, damp cloudy weather is somewhat nostalgic, reminding me of San Francisco.

Mornings in the Bay almost always start under a blanket of gray, with just the peaks of skyscrapers and bridges poking out from under the fog. The air is an eerily calm and quiet mist. What is great about this image is that by late morning, the fog lifts to reveal a bustling, beautiful metropolis that is in full motion by this part of the day. The transition of post-rain desert isn't as idyllic as this, but it paints its own picture of tranquility nevertheless. In either case, both are impressions that I have delicately framed in my mind that I am sure I will again revisit on another gray day.

Image from SFBAYIMAGES.com

Starting Your Own Happiness Project

I became a follower of Author Gretchen Rubin's blog after coming across a written piece online entitled "10 Ways To Be Happier." Here are the suggestions she makes on ways you can simply improve your happiness quotient. To see the article online check it out here, and visit her blog site, too, for some uplifting reading and all-around good advice.

1. Don’t start with profundities.

When I began my Happiness Project, I realized pretty quickly that, rather than jumping in with lengthy daily meditation or answering deep questions of self-identity, I should start with the basics, like going to sleep at a decent hour and not letting myself get too hungry. Science backs this up; these two factors have a big impact on happiness.

2. Do let the sun go down on anger.

I had always scrupulously aired every irritation as soon as possible, to make sure I vented all bad feelings before bedtime. Studies show, however, that the notion of anger catharsis is poppycock. Expressing anger related to minor, fleeting annoyances just amplifies bad feelings, while not expressing anger often allows it to dissipate.

3. Fake it till you feel it.

Feelings follow actions. If I’m feeling low, I deliberately act cheery, and I find myself actually feeling happier. If I’m feeling angry at someone, I do something thoughtful for her and my feelings toward her soften. This strategy is uncannily effective.

4. Realize that anything worth doing is worth doing badly.

Challenge and novelty are key elements of happiness. The brain is stimulated by surprise, and successfully dealing with an unexpected situation gives a powerful sense of satisfaction. People who do new things — learn a game, travel to unfamiliar places — are happier than people who stick to familiar activities that they already do well. I often remind myself to “Enjoy the fun of failure” and tackle some daunting goal.

5. Don’t treat the blues with a “treat.”

Often the things I choose as “treats” aren’t good for me. The pleasure lasts a minute, but then feelings of guilt and loss of control and other negative consequences deepen the lousiness of the day. While it’s easy to think, I’ll feel good after I have a few glasses of wine…a pint of ice cream…a cigarette…a new pair of jeans, it’s worth pausing to ask whether this will truly make things better.

6. Buy some happiness.

Our basic psychological needs include feeling loved, secure, and good at what we do and having a sense of control. Money doesn’t automatically fill these requirements, but it sure can help. I’ve learned to look for ways to spend money to stay in closer contact with my family and friends; to promote my health; to work more efficiently; to eliminate sources of irritation and marital conflict; to support important causes; and to have enlarging experiences. For example, when my sister got married, I splurged on a better digital camera. It was expensive, but it gave me a lot of happiness bang for the buck.

7. Don’t insist on the best.

There are two types of decision makers. Satisficers (yes, satisficers) make a decision once their criteria are met. When they find the hotel or the pasta sauce that has the qualities they want, they’re satisfied. Maximizers want to make the best possible decision. Even if they see a bicycle or a backpack that meets their requirements, they can’t make a decision until they’ve examined every option. Satisficers tend to be happier than maximizers. Maximizers expend more time and energy reaching decisions, and they’re often anxious about their choices. Sometimes good enough is good enough.

8. Exercise to boost energy.

I knew, intellectually, that this worked, but how often have I told myself, “I’m just too tired to go to the gym”? Exercise is one of the most dependable mood-boosters. Even a 10-minute walk can brighten my outlook.

9. Stop nagging.

I knew my nagging wasn’t working particularly well, but I figured that if I stopped, my husband would never do a thing around the house. Wrong. If anything, more work got done. Plus, I got a surprisingly big happiness boost from quitting nagging. I hadn’t realized how shrewish and angry I had felt as a result of speaking like that. I replaced nagging with the following persuasive tools: wordless hints (for example, leaving a new lightbulb on the counter); using just one word (saying “Milk!” instead of talking on and on); not insisting that something be done on my schedule; and, most effective of all, doing a task myself. Why did I get to set the assignments?

10. Take action.

Some people assume happiness is mostly a matter of inborn temperament: You’re born an Eeyore or a Tigger, and that’s that. Although it’s true that genetics play a big role, about 40 percent of your happiness level is within your control. Taking time to reflect, and conscious steps to make your life happier, really does work. So use these tips to start your own Happiness Project. I promise it won’t take you a whole year.

I Don't Do Resolutions

Ahh...the New Year. Marking the new year means formulating personal resolutions for the upcoming year. I've decided that resolutions are for the birds, so this year, I'm simply making plans.

One thing I'd like to do more of this year is write. Blogging has been a really good exercise, and it's become less of a chore now and something more enjoyable.

My friend and fellow blogger, Linda Lou, has long been encouraging me to pursue getting something published outside of the blog world. Last year I had every intention of doing so, but had many excuses for not. Linda had practically handed me some fresh opportunities to go after, but I did not take advantage of the situation. Since I'm looking for something new to achieve this year, I figure that by diving headfirst into this endeavor, I don't have anything to lose. Plus, I'll have Linda to console me if I fail to keep up momentum or if things go terribly wrong. I can't imagine that things will go awry in the writing venue but just in case, I'll be sure to keep my day job.

26 Posts Down

We're in the homestretch of the 30-day blogging challenge, and I feel like I have gained some momentum. Blogging has made its way into my daily schedule, and I almost feel like I can continue on with this going forward. Honestly, I highly doubt that I'll be posting something everyday, but I am confident that I can maintain blogging with some regularity.

One of my resolutions for 2008 was to blog more, and I think I've done a satisfactory job of accomplishing that. Along the way, I've connected with others in the blogworld who have inspired me with their stories and encouragement. I'd like to continue on this same path for 2009, and I also have a few new blog ideas formulating in my head that I'll be sure to share when the time is right.

Appearance Says A Lot About You

Tonight I will be attending a company holiday party. Woohoo! This means that I will spend the next three hours primping myself to catwalk standards. Yes, you read that correctly: three hours. Most people might react incredulously to this feat, but getting to what people see as the final outcome takes planning and most importantly, meticulous attention to detail. I am a female after all, who takes much pride in how I present myself to the world. Many of you would like to say that you could care less about what people think about you, but I think there is always a slight hint of self-consciousness in everybody about their appearance. I strongly believe that people make judgments about others from the way they look. I'll admit it - I'm totally guilty of judging, but only from first impressions.

When it comes to presentation, it's really not about style, because everyone's styles are different. However, the perceived amount of care that you put into how you look says a lot. Showering, grooming your hair, ironing clothes, etc. -those small details require time and energy, but are tell-tale signs that you don't neglect yourself.

A few of my female friends have revealed to me that they assess their boyfriend prospects by their shoes. Strange, right? Surprisingly, the logic behind that makes some sense. Shoes require thought when selecting them for purchase and also when coordinating them with an outfit. Maintaining them also requires some effort. Basically, old, ugly, dirty unmatching shoes equates to bad boyfriend material. Boys, take note: if you're looking for a girlfriend, check your footwear.

Slim Chance I'm Divorce Material

Perusing through Freakonomics today, I came across a blogpost entitled "Assessing Your Divorce Risk." Sweet. I enjoy doing assessments like this. However, as a person who has never been married, I evaluated my divorce risk with the next best thing I could think of: my "work spouse." My colleague Kristin and I have been sharing an office for a few months now, and prior to that either sat near eachother or worked closely together on major projects. She's the one I commiserate with when major projects take a nose dive, the one I complain to when our employees are acting up, and she's one of the first people I seek out when major organizational news comes up. Kri and I are "married" through our work. At first, when I told her about this assessment and grumbled that I couldn't do the assessment after all because I wasn't married, she jokingly suggested, "Assess our risk!" Knowing this could only result in fun, I proceeded.

Oddly, the relationship factors weren't really taken into account in this survey, so I dismissed my work spouse (Sorry, Kri). As it turns out, as a college-educated female sans children, "wed" after 1980 in my late 20's for 2 years, my risk of being a divorcee is generally low. According to the data, individuals whose backgrounds are similar to mine who have already divorced made up 1% of the sample population. Individuals whose backgrounds are similar to mine who will likely be divorced over the next five years were 10% of the polled.

Naturally, like most other evaluations of this type, I have doubt in the results. Although, I do think it is funny that marriage, divorce, and matchmaking have become such a science in our day and age. Personally, I see divorce as a risk reliant on the attitudes of the individuals involved. Obviously, it's so much more than just that, but fundamentally I see marriage itself as a risk like any other we take in life, and it's up to the individuals involved to go in on it with open minds or act negatively in it.

I hope I don't jinx any of my future marriage(s) by making these statements, but I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

Yet Another Writing Challenge

Two years ago, my pal John convinced me to do Nanowrimo, a month long challenge that was supposed to ultimately result in a 50,000 word novel, written by me. The few of us who bought into the idea probably accomplished a collective total of 10,000 words. Our respective novels were all failures.

Today, I managed to allow John to talk me into participating in a 30-day blogging challenge. For a fraction of a second, I hesitated, recalling the lack of follow-through with Nanowrimo. After that brief moment though, I concluded that I had nothing to lose. What the heck? It took me less than a minute to decide and sign up.

I am going to maintain a positive attitude that I'll get through this challenge satisfactorily. One of the obvious differences between Nanowrimo and the 30-day blogging challenge is simply the subject matter. With Nanowrimo I was restricted to writing a story that I had not even fully laid out in my head, the character profiles and plot having to be completely spontaneous and rich with description. Shoot, I only know so many adjectives, and the thesaurus is exhausting. At least with daily blogs, I can simply pull thoughts out of my ass, figuratively speaking.

Cheers, bloggers! The next 30 days will be interesting.

Too Busy To Write?!?

Going through the entire month of November without one single blog post makes me feel like a jerk. The most fantastic part of that statement is that there have been a handful of exciting things happening between the last post and December 1st. Let's see if I can recap everything since October:

• Saw New Kids on the Block perform at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. I don't care what anyone says; they are hotter than ever and put on a hell of a show.

• Traveled to San Francisco to watch the 49ers battle the Philadelphia Eagles at Candlestick Park. The Niners lost, but I don't care. They will always be my team.
  

• Enjoyed an extended Halloween via multiple celebrations. I actually had a use for two different costumes this year. I suited up as a boxer one night (a tribute to my recently acquired reputation of being the one who gets drunk and gets into fights at concerts) and an 80's rocker/GnR groupie on Halloween day (I just wanted to wear body jewelry, fishnets, and a mini-skirt to work).

• Took a weekend to Orange County, CA to watch my nephew play in the Mighty Mite Football Championship.
  

• Kept tabs on the presidential election whilst drunk at the Alkaline Trio, Thrice, and Rise Against concert at the House of Blues, and fought some random boy for apparently no reason.

• Watched OneRepublic perform at the Pearl. If you've never been to the Pearl, watch a concert there. If you've never seen OneRepublic, you're missing out. Such talent.

• Finally took the long-awaited trip to Cancun. Ridiculous, relaxing fun!

So, if you now feel caught up in the life of 408Down, you've been misled. There was much drinking and partying not mentioned above that happened in between all the major happenings...but you probably already figured that out.

California Transplant

Traveling back and forth between Nevada and California over the past few months I have developed a strong sense of escape that I haven't experienced since my younger years.

I forcibly came to Nevada a few months shy of my 16th birthday, right after I finished my sophomore year of high school at Milpitas High. Upset that I would have to relocate to a new state in the middle of my high school career, I pleaded with my parents that I be allowed to return to MHS to complete my Senior year and be able to graduate with the friends I grew up with. They agreed under the pretense that I maintain my high GPA in my junior year and that I behave while in Las Vegas. When the time came for me to make the move back to California, I was crushed to find out that my parents would not allow me to do so.

My first year in Las Vegas was a blur. My new curriculum was no different from my last school as I was placed in honors and AP classes. I quickly made new friends, and even tried out for the volleyball team in hopes of simulating my school experience back at MHS. Sadly, there was nothing that could match what I considered home, and I became all-consumed with being homesick. My motivation dropped dramatically in my junior year, and by the time I was a senior at Cimarron-Memorial, I was a whole different student and a totally different kid. In retrospect, I'm pretty sure that something inside me felt that if I acted out enough to get my parents' attention, they would send me back to California. Well, they remained unfazed, and firmly stood their ground against my request.

Sixteen years later, I'm still here in Las Vegas. On the upside, I have met some great people here, and know that with some of them I have made lifelong friendships. I've established a life of sorts also: finished school, started a career, bought a home, and have gotten very close to planting my roots deep into this city. I nearly married a man with deep-seated Vegas loyalty, who wanted us to build a life and raise our children in this town. Thank goodness I escaped that trap, because at this point I'm feeling the urge to uproot myself again. The great thing is that this next time, it will be on my own terms. California will forever be my home, and it will always beckon for my return. However, whether I decide to retreat there or elsewhere, I know that Nevada is not the place for me. Sure, I have had fun here and still continue to do so, but there is a time in everyone's life when change is needed. For me, that time is fast approaching.

The Beauty of Men

My pal Linda Lou, writer/comic/human extraordinaire, co-hosts the Aging Nymphs Internet radio show on Wednesday nights, exploring the reality (and comedy) of a variety of topics. The show started off as a forum intended for the female demographic, but the Aging Nymphs have a pretty strong male following now, too.

The most recent show discussions featured what men look for in women. Starting this week, they are turning the tables and are polling the ladies with what they look for or appreciate in men. When I received an email from Linda Lou earlier this week asking for my feedback on that very topic, I could not resist. At first I had instinctively began with the superficial: good-looking, wealthy, owner of a luxury vehicle and sexy red speedboat...but then I got to thinking that when it comes to snagging a good fella, the material things are not important.

So what makes a great guy in my eyes? At his core, a man has to be considerate and have a heart. Additionally, here is a list of things that I think make up a quality guy:

• Confidence. The vast majority of men out there walk a fine line between confident and cocky. A good man knows how to NOT be a jerk, while being able to embrace his vulnerability. Guys who show severe signs of insecurity through their words and/or actions typically don't make the grade either.

• Stability. I would like to end up with a man with an unyielding sense of self, both mentally and emotionally. This is a guy who has his own identity, doesn't try to be someone he's not, is totally reliable, and accepts his past in order to make his future the best he can make it. He should have ambition and be sensible enough to know which dreams to chase.

• Social aptitude. Kudos to men who are able to carry themselves in any social setting and be able to connect with a woman one on one without being overwhelming or awkward. Men should not only be able to carry on a conversation, but also have some class. Guys who are socially inept are so unattractive. Women like the gentlemen, not dudes who hoot and holler at females to get their attention.

• Spontaneity. Guys, don't be stiffs. Seek adventure and try new things! Furthermore, I don't care what any woman says - ladies enjoy being romanced. A guy who catches us off guard and can sweep us off our feet every once in a while is sexy. I hate when I hear men say that it's gay if they act romantic. Honestly, guys, it's gay if you don't.

• Sense of humor. Laughter and happiness go hand in hand. A man without a good sense of humor is just plain boring, is likely without a personality, and is usually a waste of time.

• Intelligence. Nothing turns us girls off more than a guy who thinks he knows everything, when clearly he does not. A really smart guy is well-rounded, open-minded, knows when to chime in, and is aware of those times in life when words just aren't needed. Intelligence isn't about IQ's; it's more about appreciating life and all of the diverse things in the world, and showing real interest in all of it.

Ok, I know. These all sound like high standards, right? I like to think that I am a woman of substance, so simply looking for an exquisite male specimen with requisite penis is so yesterday. I realize that no handsome man exists with all of these characteristics, but a girl can dream. I'll settle for a dude with at least 3 of the above 6 qualities.

To hear more on this topic and what A.N. might have to say about my response, tune in to the Aging Nymphs show Wednesday at 8pm Pacific time via the Aging Nymphs web site. And for some good reading, check out Linda Lou's blog here.

Disclaimer: The above blog post is not an indicator that I am looking for a boyfriend. Think of it as a social experiment of sorts, simply exploring an idea...

Another Camera To Destroy

In a previous post, I mentioned my broken camera woes. Well this morning I receive an email update from the retailer stating that I must contact them to proceed with my service order. As it turns out, the repairs assessed would be greater than the value of the camera, which meant I would have to come in and pick up a replacement. Boo-hoo. This is the news I'm dreading. I am pretty certain that the new one would be a less than adequate replacement for my favorite camera.

When I arrive at the store I am instructed to have a rep from the digital camera department find out if by some miraculous chance they still carry the exact same model camera to swap out for my broken one. Sadly, and not surprisingly, they did not. With the previous camera, I had purchased the 4-year replacement warranty, which entitled me to receive a camera with the same or similar specs as my previous one. According to the camera expert, this meant I would likely have to accept another 8 megapixel point-and-shoot, even if its value is less than the price I paid for my old camera. I anticipate the worst as the camera guy browses the inventory for a suitable substitute. To my delight, he suggests I try to make a case for the 10.1 megapixel camera, the newest successor to my irreparable gadget. Mostly the same features, some upgrades, but definitely same size touchscreen, he says. I am elated.

I return to the exchange desk, while the camera saint states my case for the upgrade. After a quick debate between the two associates, I get the thumbs up. As the customer service rep is processing the trade, I ask him about my 4-year warranty and how the remaining 3 years 2 months roll over to my new camera. No such luck. I would have to buy a new protection plan for this one. Rather than submit to my impulse to buy the warranty, I take the advice of the service rep and opt to ride out the 14 day window they offer to make a decision. As I exit the store, I start calculating the warranty depreciation and arrive at the conclusion that with 38 months left on my original 4-year warranty, I had lost about $76. Furthermore, if I end up buying another 2-year warranty for accident insurance (which surely I will need), that would mean another $49. I am essentially out of pocket $125 for warranties, but walk away with a brand-spanking new camera valued at more than 3 times that. Considering I have broken two other cameras prior to this last one, I've come out a winner!

Time For Breaks

I'm finding that the theme of my life this week is "broken things." Please, have no pity on me - it's not serious. I am resilient, and will get over all of it. When it comes down to it, I'm just impressed that there is inadvertent consistency in my life, all unpredictable and not necessarily in my best interest. We all need challenges in our lives, right?

Promise break. One of my gal pals calls me this evening to confirm plans we have for this weekend. She just happens to be the friend who I'd be rooming with for our Cancun vacation extravaganza this November. During our conversation, I casually reminded her to book her flight (she is a regular procrastinator, so I know to take action like this often). Her response: "Yeah, I've been meaning to talk to you about that." This is followed by a long explanation of personal finances, feelings of economic insecurity, and essentially her saying that she's reconsidering. All this, after weeks of urging me to proceed with paying the deposit for the room and reassuring me that she absolutely will not back out. I am astounded by the fact that she would break a promise as significant as this - she's not a 'flaker' by nature - and remind her that I paid a non-refundable deposit that I refuse to lose. Her and I have yet to discuss this further, but best case scenario: I get a room all to myself in Mexico. I've come to the conclusion that she will pay her share of the room whether she decides to go or not. I'm wondering if that's harsh, but then again, I gave up rooming with two of my guy friends, with whom I would totally get naked, in order to room with her. Sometimes there is just no justice in this world!

Car Break. Blah. The first car I ever purchased and owned is a 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse. It has been 9 years and I still drive the damn thing. My main gripe is that I haven't had a car payment in years, so why voluntarily get one when I have a vehicle that gets me from Point A to B? Two years ago I smashed the front of the Eclipse in a freeway accident, and I had it repaired immediately. Last October, the timing belt broke. Rather than send it to the shop, I drove my mom's mini-van for 6 months, while my little car sat in my parents' driveway. Since getting it fixed, it has given me persistent problems - the service engine light being the most frequent of those problems. Just this Monday, I had the battery and starter replaced. Just as I was thinking everything was fine, the service engine light pops up while I'm driving to work on Tuesday morning. It hasn't turned off since. Well, I've had enough. My aging Eclipse has already surpassed 100,000 miles, and the time has arrived to consider giving it up. It's like breaking up with a boyfriend: First come the feelings of resentment, then silent contemplation and strategy, until finally you come to the realization that ultimately things just aren't going to work. The next one better be worth the trade-off. And by that I mean the car.

Camera Break?!?!? For the 3rd time in the past year and a half, I have damaged yet another camera. The accident happened at a bar whilst inebriated (Imagine that!). The saddest part is that my recent camera, a Sony DSC-T200 with a super-fun touch screen, was my absolute favorite. Fortunately, I have complete foresight in knowing that any camera in my possession is doomed to break. I had, therefore, bought a 4-year service plan/warranty at the place of purchase. Saved! The camera is currently en route to the manufacturer, where I am hoping they can repair my beloved toy. Should the repairs exceed the value of the camera, the retailer will give me a new camera. Typically, this would be a good alternative, but because they no longer carry the exact same model I would end up having to get a new one that is not all black nor has the same fancy big touchscreen. If I don't get my old camera back, I may cry.

Beer Break! No folks, I'm not saying it's time to stop what you're doing and chug a cold brewsky. Time for Yours Truly to lay off her favorite beverage. Throughout my birthday week, I am pretty sure I consumed nearly 100 units of alcohol (don't ask what that equates to - it was A LOT), primarily beer. Never fear! Detox is a good thing, even if it's short-term. This hiatus is only temporary until I shed another 3 pounds in the next week...or at least free myself of the beer bloat that I'm feeling (Ugh). To my favorite happy hour spots and to my favorite drinks, I say this: I love you. I will be back.

Peter Pan Syndrome

Ask anyone who has known me forever: I stopped growing up when I turned 18. So turning 31 this year was like any other prior year - it was a piece of cake. Since I've reached my 30's, people often ask how I dealt with transitioning into a whole new decade. The truth of the matter is, I never had to "cope" with it in any way. In fact, as cheesy as this is going to sound, getting older always has been and will continue to be an adventure. There are those who are caught up in seeing age as a number that defines who they are, what they can or cannot do, how they should act, and where they should be in their lives. The truth of the matter is, when you start to identify your whole self with your age, you end up cutting out a huge chunk of possibilities from your life. There is no sense in limiting how you live your life. How can anyone live a fruitful life if they shut out the things they love to do or new experiences simply because they feel their age dictates whether or not they can? That's not a life lived to the fullest.

I have witnessed people hold back on doing certain things simply because they felt that they don't belong somewhere or should be "acting their age." I could not disagree with them more. You can be as young as you feel and radiate youth through your spirit and your actions. The getting old part is purely a state of mind. Come to think of it, so is the idea of staying young.

Author Douglas Coupland once wrote about aging, "We have two ages: the age we really are, and the age we are in our heads." This is a magnificent theory, and I'll be glad to cling to it as the decades pass. When I'm 100, I'm sure gonna get a kick out of telling people I'm 18.

Hairy Dudes Rule

Wednesday afternoons mark a new tradition: Happy Hour. And with Happy Hour comes experimentation. Today, this means surveying the local social scene; the question being: What do women prefer, hairy men or the non-hairy?

Approximately 60% of the females questioned answered that they prefer a little bit of fur, particularly because the absence of hair is an attribute to be left to the well-groomed female. However, a significant number of females did admit that the "sweater look", i.e. too much hair on the back and/or hairy genitals, is not very attractive. A well-groomed male is preferred but boys, take heed - waxing is a no-no. The chicks dig when you are manly. Chest hair is acceptable, and so is the hair on your head. Sadly though, for the older generation, white chest hair ain't so sexy. Sorry, grandpas.

When it comes down to it, primitive instincts prevail. From a scientific standpoint, when females are considering the ideal male to sire their offspring, they often look to the stronger, more dominant male. It is no secret that testosterone and a tinge of aggression attribute to optimal female-to-male attraction. The hairier the man, the more indicative the presence of testosterone, therefore the better he is a candidate to carry on the bloodline. The reality is that all men in general are hairy; those who are not probably shave/wax and are likely to be gay. Well, truly, that's just speculation.

One of the random girls interviewed said that hairy or not, it really doesn't matter - it's all about his dick. Quality of sex is the indicator. The only feasible response to that? Amen, sister. Amen.


Photo courtesy of Sharee

I am NOT a Shotgun cheater

As most of you know, the term "calling shotgun" refers to the act of claiming the coveted passenger seat position when riding in a car. The history of calling shotgun isn't quite clear, but rumor has it that this practice dates back to the pioneer days when covered wagon drivers required a right-hand man armed with a shotgun to guard him, passengers, and contents of the wagon while the driver handles the reins. Calling shotgun has evolved over time, obviously, and continues to hold some significance with auto passengers everywhere.

The rules of shotgun are simple:
A)You must clearly call "Shotgun!" loud enough for other passengers to hear you.
B)You must be outside when calling shotgun, or at least have the vehicle in sight.
C)You must be fully clad, including shoes on when calling shotgun.
D)If you re-enter a building after calling shotgun, your rights are void and shotgun is up for grabs.
E)Rock Paper Scissors is an alternate method of settling shotgun discrepancies should they ever occur.

With that basic protocol outlined, I am brought to examine this: today I was accused of being a shotgun cheater. During a mid-day outing, I called shotgun while walking to our transport vehicle and later called shotgun while exiting our lunch venue with the vehicle in sight. One of my cohorts short-sprinted out the door and called shotgun, but arguably I claimed that I called shotgun first based on Rule B. Furthermore, our clan has always followed the unspoken rule that seating arrangements are consistent for the round trip. He disagreed, along with two other individuals. With that being said, why did the rules change when I became the victor? I'll tell you why: some people are just haters. Therefore, having the rules up in writing might help settle any conflicts, and perhaps squash any bad feelings. For the record though, I still won shotgun.
Score: 408down, 1; Haters, 0.