Las Vega$ again…

Once again in McCarran Airport. This trip was my family’s annual Mother’s Day celebration. We stayed for the first time at the Venetian. I enjoyed the large suite-like rooms (although mom and dad always get a suite so we can meet up there and hang out until going to dinner or something). I almost got onto Harrah’s wireless network—it was coming through my window. May have been password protected, but it’s amazing that you can pick up stray wireless signals from so far away.

I read recently in MacAddict magazine on how to boost stray wireless signals by creating an antenna out of a Pringles can. Should I bring some Pringles to Vega$ next time?

Vega$ is fun, but getting more crowded. And I don’t understand the appeal of waiting 3 hours to get into a night club. I guess I am not the night owl/party type that some (most?) people are. Yes, that’s true, however, I do feel the need for at least a modicum of excitement. I certainly felt out of place when invted to a recent function which (I did not know beforehand) was a fundraising event for senior citizens). My eyes glazed over and I felt trapped as I watched the lame septugenarian jazz band squeek out shopworn “standards” from the 40s and 50s. Not that I dislike that music, it’s that the whole thing was geared to an older (much older) crowd. I intend to keep going to the gym as long as I can to try to avoid the atrophy that seems to set in with age.

My inspiration is my old landlord, a WWII merchant mariner named Frank Long. Even at the age of 77, I caught him jumping over a brick wall, balancing himself on one hand as he hopped over. There’s no reason why I can’t do the same at 77.

The Nasonex Bee

Add another commercial to the ranks of the acceptible. This one, like the ones with the Geico Gekko, contains a likable animated character–a bee who suffers from seasonal nasal allergies. After a spray of Nasonex he returns to pollenate an allergy-inducing flower, as he says, "a changed bee."

The Mighty Boosh

Most Americans are probably unaware of this fantastic British comedy. I only know about it because I get BBC America with my basic cable subscription. What a find. The show has grown on me to the point that I watch one of the six episodes I have TIVOed each night as I fall asleep. This off-the-wall series is the creation of Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding who play two zookeepers in a magical zoo and whose adventures take them literally to (monkey) hell and back. I can't describe it any better than their own website www.themightyboosh.com

Barratt plays Howard Moon: "a fool of the highest order. He is self-deluded and intellectually vain. A boastful northern berk with delusions of grandeur. He believes himslef to be (in no particular order) a genius; a poet; a novelist; a wrestler/boxer; a jazz musician. His favouite way of describing himself is as a maverick. Nobody knows why." In one episode, Howard boxes a killer kangaroo to impress the object of his unrequited love, Mrs. Gideon."

Fielding plays Vince Noir: "A cheeky young South London urchin. He loves working in the zoo and has the rare ability to talk to animals like a modern day Mowgli. He repeatedly squanders this gift by talking to them about Gary Numan. Vince's hair is a huge and intricate production (there are 21 people working on it at any time). He preens himself and dresses up in the outrageous clothes of a Camden ponce. He believes that one day he will become a famous pop star likhis idol, David Bowie, but in reality Vince can't sing or play an instrument."

Vince is also the self-proclaimed King of the Mods.

I regret that I did not know sooner that these masters of comedy would take their act on tour. I would have hopped a plane to London to see them. DVDs of the episodes are available online (check out Ebay). They are available as region 2 DVDs, but clever DVD player owners stateside can hack many players to be able to play "foreign" DVDs. My episodes should arrive shortly. If I can't hack my player, I'll bya R2 DVD simply to play these shows. They're worth that much to me.

The episodes are educational, as well. I now know what a berk and conker are.

Vega$ again. And I’m tired.

McCarran airport again. Got up early after sleeping on an air matress in my friend’s daughter’s playroom. Drove from Alexandria, VA to BWI and flew to Cleveland and then to Vega$. Got in 25 minutes EARLY. Thank goodness. For some reason even though I landed at the B gates here I still had to go through security again to catch my flight to Burbank in the C gates. I don’t know why and I’m too tired to complain about it. Well, at least Southwest got me here early. You may have to make a few stops when you fly Southwest across the country, but as my flightmate said to me, they’re always on time. That’s true. I never dread Southwest like I do American. American always overbooks and makes me cringe when they try to bump someone.

The reunion was great and I’m glad I went. Got to party in the Orioles private offices prior to the game yesterday, which was fun. Hopkins does things right. The whole weekend was stellar. Now I just need to get home.