A week ago now, I was on the road to Las Vegas, and this seems like a good opportunity to analyze what should be left alone and in the past.
The facts:
Four of us left Richmond around 4pm in a rented Chevy Impala for Sunnyvale to meet the fifth on the "road trip" to Las Vegas; following the route emblazoned by Rand McNally's online directions finder. Under the light of a blue moon, we made it through the desert to the Imperial Palace Hotel and Casino where we met up with the other eight people, eventually.
While in Vegas, I returned the car, went to the Star Trek Convention, asked and received 24 decks of cards, overate at buffet in the Aladdin, saw a dance show, played Truth or Dare poker, slept, ate a champagne buffet at the Monte Carlo, wandered the Coca-cola and M&M's store, walked back to the hotel, went to MGM Grand and New York, New York, walked back to the hotel, played card games and watched TV and other people sleeping, napped, ate $5 steak and eggs, conversed and watched TV, slept.
Aside from the chatting and general interaction, events to be noted are the Star Trek Convention and the buffets.
With years as a fan of Star Trek and the culture of Trekkies, I expected a Star Trek Convention to be a grand event; however, it seemed pretty small. Perhaps it was that not that many people were in costumes. Perhaps the subject is just too narrow. Perhaps I was just there at the wrong time.
The event was divided into three sections. One was the convention room floor, and it was all about selling stuff. Majel Barret, Wil Wheaton, Chase Masterson, Tony Amendola, and Jaws of 007 were selling autographs. Another was a secondary auditorium, where I only know about because it was in the program. Most of the action was in the main auditorium, where I watched a Star Trek Trivia section which were mostly well-known facts, that is, I knew most of them. Alice Krige, the Borg Queen, and Ethan Phillips, Neelix, spoke and answered questions there. Alice Krige has a very slow and deliberate demeanor. It was very patient and inviting, but to some extent a little creepy. Maybe it just because I know she played the Borg Queen. Ethan Phillips tried to be comedic, but relied heavily on say the things that would kill an old grandma if she heard him speak. Some of it worked for me, but some of it didn't. I wasn't really expecting comedy and some of the jokes required you to be in that mindset, like why people laugh at things at stand-up comics' jokes that aren't that funny.
There's not actually that much to say about the buffets except that I probably ate way too much, and even then I don't know if I got my money's worth. Oooh, also, a little pineapple juice and champagne don't mix that well. The best mixtures are when the strengths of the taste come at different times. The taste pineapple and champagne are both strongest towards the middle and end, with champagne having more of an aftertaste. Not to mention I've not really acquired the taste of alcohol. I should have tried putting in more pineapple juice.
As the last of us left of the BART station, a person commented to me that I answer all of my questions essentially non-commitally with reponses like "okay," "interesting," etc. Dang. It's something I've realized about myself for a little while now, but no one has really pointed it out (or if they didn't, I wasn't said explicitly). I certainly need to work on being more decisive, and forming more solid opinions. But a good question is why I'm so non-commital. Part of it is probably that I don't want to be disagreeable. When it comes to quality, I don't want someone to say they like it when I don't. My opinion will often shift one way in response to hearing other people's opinions. Why can't I just make up my own mind, stick to it, and screw all the other people who don't agree with me? Maybe I'm too nice.
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