Day 2

This morning got off to a wonderful start. I heard the door to the bathroom close and wallowed around taking my time waking up. When my brother still did not come out of the bathroom, I got all of the way up and was checking my email when the door to the hallway opened and in he walks with coffee!!

We had a great breakfast and then headed off to the show. It was better the second day. We knew more about what we were looking at kind of and almost very nearly figured out how to read the maps to find out where we wanted to go. We saw a lot of fun and great stuff and got a whole more swag. We made our way back to the hotel about 2:30 intending to rest a bit unload and then go see the CES venue at the Venetian. By the time we got there, it was very nearly time for the show to close and there really wasn't that much there to see so we walked around the Venetian and stopped for a drink by the water and then did a whole lot more walking and looking for a place to eat dinner.

We didn't find anything interesting and decided to find dinner in our hotel which was not that easy as it turned out. Turns out there's a convention in town. We finally scored two seats at a bar in front of the sushi guy which was fascinating and delicious.

We are becoming huge fans of the MGM Grand. It is grand and nice and pretty and smells good and is pretty and comfortable. But the big draw for us has been the people. Everyone from the cleaner in the bathroom to everyone in every restaurant and everyone in between is happy and cheerful and helpful and just flat pleasant to be around. It makes such a huge difference. Of the hotels I had to pick from (I only wanted hotels on the monorail) this was not the most expensive at all or the cheapest but it is certainly my favorite now.

And the monorail is just fabulous.

We are currently thinking about bypassing the show tomorrow and just tooling around town. Our flights are early-ish afternoon so we have limited time. But we don't have to decide until tomorrow. Now we need sleep!


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And oops... this, for some reason, did not get posted last night... hmmmm

Day 2

This morning got off to a wonderful start. I heard the door to the bathroom close and wallowed around taking my time waking up. When my brother still did not come out of the bathroom, I got all of the way up and was checking my email when the door to the hallway opened and in he walks with coffee!!

We had a great breakfast and then headed off to the show. It was better the second day. We knew more about what we were looking at kind of and almost very nearly figured out how to read the maps to find out where we wanted to go. We saw a lot of fun and great stuff and got a whole more swag. We made our way back to the hotel about 2:30 intending to rest a bit unload and then go see the CES venue at the Venetian. By the time we got there, it was very nearly time for the show to close and there really wasn't that much there to see so we walked around the Venetian and stopped for a drink by the water and then did a whole lot more walking and looking for a place to eat dinner.

We didn't find anything interesting and decided to find dinner in our hotel which was not that easy as it turned out. Turns out there's a convention in town. We finally scored two seats at a bar in front of the sushi guy which was fascinating and delicious.

We are becoming huge fans of the MGM Grand. It is grand and nice and pretty and smells good and is pretty and comfortable. But the big draw for us has been the people. Everyone from the cleaner in the bathroom to everyone in every restaurant and everyone in between is happy and cheerful and helpful and just flat pleasant to be around. It makes such a huge difference. Of the hotels I had to pick from (I only wanted hotels on the monorail) this was not the most expensive at all or the cheapest but it is certainly my favorite now.

And the monorail is just fabulous.

We are currently thinking about bypassing the show tomorrow and just tooling around town. Our flights are early-ish afternoon so we have limited time. But we don't have to decide until tomorrow. Now we need sleep!


----

And oops... this, for some reason, did not get posted last night... hmmmm

Eating breakfast in new york

Posted via LjBeetle

Eating breakfast in new york

Posted via LjBeetle

On my way home...

I'm at the gate. I'm ready. The plane is late.

We had a great morning just wandering around and seeing this and that. The weather was a little too warm for me but not undoable. Fortunately, my brother shares my feeling that being way early to the airport beats the shit out of stressing if you'll get there on time or through security in time or at the gate with enough time to spare. So we got here with eons of time left to get to leisurely get to the gate, get a snack, enjoy it and get in some final visiting.

His flight leaves in about 30 minutes from a gate at the other end of the airport so he's gone there now and I'm here with the nerds who are pissed about the flight being late. Sorry nerds. I have lots of battery life left on the laptop, ditto on the phone, a comfortable place to sit. It's cool and nice. It's a little after 2 and looks like we'll be leaving here about 3:45.

I loved CES. A lot. A whole lot. The only downside to being here is missing the coverage. Usually I am glued to all of the podcasts and websites and news reports soaking up all the CES info I can find. So far, this year, I've head nothing. TiVo will have captured a lot of podcasts so that will catch me up, hopefully.

I loved Las Vegas. In the dozen years since I was here last the major change is slot machines. I loved, loved, loved, walking by and slapping in my nickel or quarter. Or getting a fist full of coins and a plastic cup and entertaining myself. No more. No more coins. Dollar bills or chits or maybe even credit cards. I am leaving Las Vegas with a purse full of change. This has never ever ever happened before and I am a little disappointed.

Finally this morning, Bill and I each put a buck in a $.25 machine and hit the button four times. It was not only not the same, it was wholly unsatisfying. Oh well.

We did not see any shows. Neither of us cared enough about any of them to even try. The only one that I might have been interested in was Cher but I'm sure I would not be interested paying what the ticket costs. Bill would have done one of the Cirque de S.'s. I would have done the water one. But, mainly we did not have the time or energy to even consider any of it seriously and were fine without. Las Vegas with no shows and no gambling and we loved it.

Just got a text from Bill that he's on the plane at the first window. They just announced that ours should be arriving in about 45 mins.
slot mah

On my way home...

I'm at the gate. I'm ready. The plane is late.

We had a great morning just wandering around and seeing this and that. The weather was a little too warm for me but not undoable. Fortunately, my brother shares my feeling that being way early to the airport beats the shit out of stressing if you'll get there on time or through security in time or at the gate with enough time to spare. So we got here with eons of time left to get to leisurely get to the gate, get a snack, enjoy it and get in some final visiting.

His flight leaves in about 30 minutes from a gate at the other end of the airport so he's gone there now and I'm here with the nerds who are pissed about the flight being late. Sorry nerds. I have lots of battery life left on the laptop, ditto on the phone, a comfortable place to sit. It's cool and nice. It's a little after 2 and looks like we'll be leaving here about 3:45.

I loved CES. A lot. A whole lot. The only downside to being here is missing the coverage. Usually I am glued to all of the podcasts and websites and news reports soaking up all the CES info I can find. So far, this year, I've head nothing. TiVo will have captured a lot of podcasts so that will catch me up, hopefully.

I loved Las Vegas. In the dozen years since I was here last the major change is slot machines. I loved, loved, loved, walking by and slapping in my nickel or quarter. Or getting a fist full of coins and a plastic cup and entertaining myself. No more. No more coins. Dollar bills or chits or maybe even credit cards. I am leaving Las Vegas with a purse full of change. This has never ever ever happened before and I am a little disappointed.

Finally this morning, Bill and I each put a buck in a $.25 machine and hit the button four times. It was not only not the same, it was wholly unsatisfying. Oh well.

We did not see any shows. Neither of us cared enough about any of them to even try. The only one that I might have been interested in was Cher but I'm sure I would not be interested paying what the ticket costs. Bill would have done one of the Cirque de S.'s. I would have done the water one. But, mainly we did not have the time or energy to even consider any of it seriously and were fine without. Las Vegas with no shows and no gambling and we loved it.

Just got a text from Bill that he's on the plane at the first window. They just announced that ours should be arriving in about 45 mins.
slot mah

Cupholders in the john

My brother said they had them at the urinals as well. New York, New York. Love it.

I am home and glad to be here. When I left, I was wearing a long sleeved shirt, sweater and a fleece jacket and they were all warranted until I got to the airport. Then, the whole trip I kept thinking I really only needed either the sweater or the jacket or maybe neither one. Until I got off the plane back here. Cold and rainy (which was ohhhhh so welcome to my sinuses after Las Vegas dry). Turns out I took exactly the right amount of clothes and the right ones - backpack only. I still have the touch.

Betty is clearly disappointed that I am no Ron or Ann. Travis is just glad to have someone other than Betty to talk to.

There are still Seahawkians outside reveling. I cross paths with more than a couple of Saints and wanted to tell them I was sorry but I thought it was better to just let them leave quietly. When they announced the final score on the plane, everyone around me kind of half cheered and then admitted they were really embarrassed.

Now I think I'll put my feet up and catch up on some news.

Cupholders in the john

My brother said they had them at the urinals as well. New York, New York. Love it.

I am home and glad to be here. When I left, I was wearing a long sleeved shirt, sweater and a fleece jacket and they were all warranted until I got to the airport. Then, the whole trip I kept thinking I really only needed either the sweater or the jacket or maybe neither one. Until I got off the plane back here. Cold and rainy (which was ohhhhh so welcome to my sinuses after Las Vegas dry). Turns out I took exactly the right amount of clothes and the right ones - backpack only. I still have the touch.

Betty is clearly disappointed that I am no Ron or Ann. Travis is just glad to have someone other than Betty to talk to.

There are still Seahawkians outside reveling. I cross paths with more than a couple of Saints and wanted to tell them I was sorry but I thought it was better to just let them leave quietly. When they announced the final score on the plane, everyone around me kind of half cheered and then admitted they were really embarrassed.

Now I think I'll put my feet up and catch up on some news.

Today's Basket

This is a terrible picture but I am tired. Green bear will forgive me, I'm sure.

Today's Basket

This is a terrible picture but I am tired. Green bear will forgive me, I'm sure.

Even TiVo missed me

I have two TiVos - one does mainly news and podcasts and overruns and the other one (with much more storage) does everything else. I turned on The Big Bang Theory on TiVo #2 and it did not have sound. ? I checked live TV and it didn't have any input feed... And none of the other recorded shows had sound. hmmmm. I rebooted. And then meanwhile flipped over to TiVo #1 which also - for a variety of reasons - had recorded The Big Band Theory and watched it.

Then I went back to TiVo #2 to suss how how bad the problem was. Sound was back on live TV. Sound was actually there now for all the recorded shows, except Big Bang Theory... weirdo. But fine.

I had my contact in when I got to Las Vegas but all the flashing lights and bright lights just made it hard to see so I took it out and never put it back in and saw things fine. Even menus. No glasses, no contacts. Wonderful!! Now that I'm home, I can tell such a difference. The computer is a little harder to read than it would be with the contact in, but it's readable. The TV is VERY much easier and clearer to see. This could bode badly for purchasing a new one! hmmmm

My brother says that he, too, has days when his eyes work better than others. I'm going to ride this no contact/no glases thing out as long as I can.

Even TiVo missed me

I have two TiVos - one does mainly news and podcasts and overruns and the other one (with much more storage) does everything else. I turned on The Big Bang Theory on TiVo #2 and it did not have sound. ? I checked live TV and it didn't have any input feed... And none of the other recorded shows had sound. hmmmm. I rebooted. And then meanwhile flipped over to TiVo #1 which also - for a variety of reasons - had recorded The Big Band Theory and watched it.

Then I went back to TiVo #2 to suss how how bad the problem was. Sound was back on live TV. Sound was actually there now for all the recorded shows, except Big Bang Theory... weirdo. But fine.

I had my contact in when I got to Las Vegas but all the flashing lights and bright lights just made it hard to see so I took it out and never put it back in and saw things fine. Even menus. No glasses, no contacts. Wonderful!! Now that I'm home, I can tell such a difference. The computer is a little harder to read than it would be with the contact in, but it's readable. The TV is VERY much easier and clearer to see. This could bode badly for purchasing a new one! hmmmm

My brother says that he, too, has days when his eyes work better than others. I'm going to ride this no contact/no glases thing out as long as I can.