Party Time?

So I heard the best quote on a show I've been watching this evening on Hulu: "We're at the age where the best part about going out is going home." Oh. My. God. That's so true! I mean I was never the going out type of person, it was never my vibe. No clubs. No parties. No loud stuffy spaces where it's hard to breathe and harder to talk. And yes, it is SO nice to get home after being out. Introverts live for the next opportunity to unwind and decompress.

And this picture wasn't me going out, it was an early morning walk on the way to work in a light smattering of rain. I'm at home now of course, relaxing on my bed. It's after 7pm after all. Another day done! I just threw this picture in here because it was the last picture I took of myself.

But in the spirit of the booming club scene that's bombarding me on the TV right now, I booked for myself a little pre-birthday present: a trip to Vegas! I haven't been to Vegas in...13 years? I think. It's been awhile anyway. I'm sure it will be unrecognizable since places like that seem to change so much. Actually the Super Bowl last weekend took place there...and I didn't recognize the prominent sites they were showing on TV. I get to play tourist and take lots of pictures with my phone!

I haven't even been on an airplane since 2017. Even that will be an adventure. Good thing it's just a short, rather ordinary flight. So yes, I'm going to Sin City so I can...probably go to be bed by 10pm and wake up early and enjoy a morning walk while taking in the architectural sites of the posh resorts. But I'll also probably take in a comedy show. And maybe...a Vegas-style cabaret show. Ooooh. That's about as much partying as I can take - a regulated, ticketed, 90-minute sit-in-your-seat-and-have-a-laugh-with-a-drink-or-two type of event.

And, sure, I might put $20 into a slot machine along the way. Who knows? Maybe I'll win big. Or at least enough to cover a meal or two.

But hey, it's Vegas. Anything can happen, right? Well, technically I suppose it's true...but I know myself. All too well. I'm predictable! But hey, it will be a nice getaway next month. And it's nice to treat yourself a little once in awhile. To mix things up. Enjoy a change of pace. This will be during Sac State's spring break, and honestly I've never been one to go out on spring breaks either. But I don't have Connor that well, which isn't always the case, and there's no really events happening at work that week, so...sometimes the stars just align. 

And airfare was on sale, $107 after fees round trip. Not bad, not bad. Yeah...I had to talk myself into it. But it's booked! It's happening! Two nights at the Circus Circus on the Strip. And I am looking forward to it. My own personal party!

The Super Bowl

Well, today was Super Bowl Sunday, the day where Americans across the planet go ape-shit watching abnormally oversized grow men chase a little brown oblong ball up and down a grass field while trying to knock the crap out of one another in the most sportsman-like way possible. This year there was the added bonus of an implied drinking game - which I'm sure millions engaged in - wherein you were required to take a drink every time Taylor Swift was shown on TV. Fortunately this only led to people getting drunk towards the end of the game, which was ultimately won in overtime by the Kansas City Swifties. I might have made up that drinking game part. But it wouldn't surprise me if it was a thing.

Fortunately I am immune to most of this societal ritual, save the over ingesting of food and beverages and the dutiful watching of the famous Super Bowl commercials, which this year featured an enormous amount of celebrity cameos. Good job, dunking donuts and Matt Damon. And also State Farm and Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito. And Daniel Levy and homes.com. And so many more. Those were the true Super Bowl highlights! 

This was only the second NFL game I watched this season, the first being the playoff game two weeks ago when the 49ers won to get them into the Super Bowl.

In any case, it was a good sporting event, and at least entertaining. I wish I could say the same for the halftime show, which as in other recent years was a hyped live mini-concert featuring some famous artist (Usher) whom I...don't listen to. It's OK, the shows aren't made for people like me. They don't grab me, they mostly bore me, and I neither recognize nor understand any of the songs. I mean honestly, I couldn't name one song that was performed, or tell you what any of them was about. I'm not even entirely sure how many songs were performed. There were some other folks performing too...whom I also don't know. I think Alicia Keys was one of them. I'll just go back to listening to my music on my iPhone and ignore Billboard. Anyways.

I'm too old and too removed from the popular culture of today's society to be able to appreciate any of this. But I suppose that's okay. There comes a time when us old folks have to waddle aside and make room for the younger generations. I think that time came some years ago...

And yes, I save a crap ton of money by not investing in the live attendance of these types of events. For any sport, really. I mean I saw that Ticketmaster had some resale tickets available for today's even in the $6000 range. Who would blow money like that? That's more than the cost of taking my son on a 16-day Hawaiian cruise, which we're doing at the end of this year. So, one person attending a four-hour game or two people going on a 16-day cruise which includes all the food you care to eat and is cheaper. It's no contest.

And tomorrow morning we have to get back to the reality of our daily lives, and all of this will be forgotten until next season, when everyone starts talking about what happened last season. And like most things in our lives, it just keeps repeating over and over again. Feeling fulfilled, anyone? Maybe you should forget professional sports and book a cruise.