Tuesday, March 29, 2011

What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas

I had the most amazing weekend in a place that I didn't expect to like that well. Vegas is a destination in the middle of nowhere that I associated with opulence, excess, and gambling, three things that I don't generally support. I set my expectations pretty low expecting to see too many spring breakers and obese gamblers wasting their lives, trolling for tramps and flushing away their money. Instead, I ended up having one of the best weekend trips I have ever taken.

Two of my girlfriends and I had been discussing going to Vegas since I returned. At the age of 25, I had never been to Vegas old enough to drink or gamble, so I figured it was an experience that one should have in their twenties. When we found out Lady Gaga was to perform in March and we had previously discussed going to Vegas in the spring, it wasn't even a decision, it was an obligation to find tickets and get ourselves to Vegas for the show.

The show, obviously, was amazing, a definite spectacle just as you would expect to see from Lady Gaga. I had high expectations for the show and they were all met. Even our seats were better than I had hoped as we were very high up, but we had a rail in front of us which meant good views and lots of dancing room. Plus we had an excuse to dress-up and look amazing!
Lady Gaga outfits

The following night and days were what surprised me about Vegas. Mostly, that the clichĂ© "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas," seemed to be a saying that people really take to heart there. Never in my life have I been to a bar and had multiple groups of guys offer to buy us drinks and chat us up. It was literally one group after another. One guy even tried to get me to talk to him when I was clearly engaged in conversation with someone else, using a line about his friend needing help to get away from another girl (please, like a boy has ever needed saving from a girl at a bar).

Pick-up line after pick-up line were thrown out. We ended up spending Saturday with some guys from LA who asked my friend to peel an orange for him and feed him a piece on a dare from a friend. Saturday we didn't pay for anything. Over the course of the weekend we were bought food, multiple rounds of drinks (always watched them being made!), cab rides were paid for, drugs were offered (politely declined) and plans were thrown out for the next day.

All of this and what I found the most surprising, not one person ever mentioned, or asked if someone had a significant other. Not once. I don't even think I heard the word boyfriend, girlfriend, wife, husband, partner, fiancĂ©, etc. used ever outside our room. Clearly it didn't matter to anyone what was going on outside the Vegas vortex, the only thing that mattered was that the present was fun and maybe the next day.

I am not stupid to think that these people didn't have one objective in mind for throwing money around. Everyone had their vacation hat on and was on the lookout for a vacation romance aka fast, passionate and short-lived. Everyone knows what the priority is, all I know is that my girlfriends and I didn't spend a penny for a whole day, we stayed safe, and came home every night together. I have never met so many characters in my life or had so many funny stories/inside jokes develop in such a short amount of time. I was throughly entertained all weekend by my surroundings.

I will admit that the boys on the other end of this deal probably had the opposite feeling about the fate of their weekends, since they threw a whole bunch of money at girls who ended up going home and not answering calls and texts the next day. Would I advocate doing this all the time in my life? No. But does it happen all the time? No. Would I want to spend more than a weekend in Vegas? Definitely no.

But as you know, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas!
One of our favorite bars in the Cosmopolitan Hotel

Friday, March 11, 2011

Ash Wednesday Mass

I haven't had a lot of time for new experiences recently, but I was able to fit in an hour at Catholic mass on Wednesday for Ash Wednesday. Let me preface this by saying I am not Catholic and could never be Catholic, but I am curious about what goes on during different religious services. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of 40 days and nights of lent before Easter. If you're like me you have probably seen people with ash on their foreheads and have definitely known people who give up some kind of pleasurable thing for lent. I also like to give things up, not for Jesus, but because I think it's good to have self control and not rely on too many things. This year I have given up beer and hard alcohol, one year I gave up facebook.

On Wednesday, two of my friends and I, one Catholic and one not, but like me curious, went to Catholic mass. I had previously been to two Catholic funerals and a mass in Spain when I was 17 that I fell asleep during, so I had no idea what happens when you are at a regular service. Catholicism is so ritualistic and if you aren't familiar with the prayers or the order it is confusing. There is kneeling, communion, Latin, and there was a bell ringing while the priests held a cup up to Jesus. It was probably one of the weirder things I have ever seen, but very interesting to see what a billion people believe in on Earth.

What bothered me is that there hasn't been any changes that allow for how the world has changed. There was one part where they were saying the people of the Synagogues and the "hypocrites" were very wrong in their way of showing good deeds and piety. I understand that it is traditional, but I do not respect religions that bash other religions and if that is not their intent then the words should be changed.

I also do not like being told what a sinner I am and that the music also had a lot of undertones about sinning. This whole idea really bothers me about Catholicism especially, but christianity in general.

I found it highly odd that there were no bibles in the pews, I guess the priests are the only ones that can read it?

I discovered while I was there how lax the Catholic church has become in regards to lent. Apparently, you can do/eat/drink whatever you want on Sundays as per what the Pope has declared. I think that a place so founded in traditions and rituals should either stick to them or undergo some major changes.

Obviously, I will not be converting any time soon, but I think that it makes you a more rounded and educated person to experience these types of situations if not just to be able to form better opinions about them. I respect that it helps a lot of people get through the day and live a more moral life, I just don't believe in any of its teachings. I am glad to have had the experience though, it was definitely a more interesting way to spend the hour than watching TV or sitting on my computer!

We plan to go to a Mormon service next and also to Jewish temple. Luckily we will have people who are familiar with these religions, not necessarily followers, who are going with us so we can absorb more of the experiences.

Update:

I have started my crazy busy interview and travel schedule! Last weekend was intense with two interviews and flying to the east coast and midwest. Tuesday I am off to NYC again!