Did you think that the finale of this Vegas saga was my getting some bling on my left ring-finger? Well think again, although I did get a few baubles -- two real classy plastic ID bracelets from the hospital, one of which was green and said I wasn't allergic to any medications. I should have found a T-shirt in Vegas that said: Went to Vegas and all I got was a lousy $400 emergency room fee. But I've jumped ahead...

The day me and TEKG were supposed to leave Vegas, we had a day planned for grabbing breakfast with his mother, cashing in our vouchers and chips, taking more photos (especially in front of the famous Vegas welcome sign) and checking out the Luxor. We originally were going to hit a buffet, which was something I hadn't done while there. But we went to a popular pub instead where I ordered an omelet and a side of bacon. It was a pleasant breakfast. TEKG's mother had just finished a charity run with her company and we chatted about my first visit in their town. TEK even started trying to figure out if we could get a later flight because there was still so much I wanted to see and do, however there wasn't a feasible red-eye in sight for a Saturday night out of Vegas...

"I am a racist."

With all the Speed Racer madness around here at neighborsgo.com (please check out this and this to see what I mean), I wanted to take the time to tell you that I have a little anime in me. I'm admittedly guilty of Googling myself. Hush up. I know you do it too. Well one day I found out that there is a mobile suit named Jenice in the Japanese Gundam metaseries. This is an anime series that began in the late 70s and is still around today, if I can trust Wiki.

So I went a little further and found more sites referring to this suit named Jenice and I felt weird. Like when I read this: "In original storyline of Gundam X, the Esperanza was supposed to be upgraded into a transformable MS that resembled a Gundam. However, with the series cut to 39 episodes, the idea of upgraded Esperanza was replaced by Enil's Jenice."

Huh? It doesn't even sound right. Enil's Jenice? I was born in 1978, a year before the series started. Did the producers of this series start researching American black girls' names for the perfect moniker for this armored suit? I mean it's kind of menacing looking but kind of cool too, I guess. Especially this purple and green one I've posted above. And of course I never have seen this Gundam, but I wonder if the characters ever say, "Hey, the enemies are coming. Quick! Put on that Jenice!"

I've recently been told I should start saying TEKG instead of saying the comic everytime I refer to my Vegas fellow vacationer. After all, that is his nickname. I just can't bring myself to actually use it...

Anywho, Friday night (my last night in Sin City) was the first time I stayed out pass midnight. I don't consider myself a boring person, but while there I started to not feel well toward the end of my vacation. I would take a two-hour nap or so before heading out every day but I'm told that's how you do Vegas -- in installments.

Friday night was also the "meet the friends" night. And they were all girls. The guy buddies couldn't make it. We all met up at Diablo's which was full of scanditly clad waitresses and an annoying drunk guy who wouldn't leave our table alone. He was pretty much hitting on one of TEKG's friends, which we all kind of got a kick out of.

My third night in Vegas was supposed to be my last, but the comic was kind enough to book an extra night. We decided to hit some of the must-see casinos: MGM especially but Mandalay Bay had to be my favorite for roulette. We also hit the strip's sights so I could take a photo in front of all of them. Please ignore the Fat Tuesday mug I'm sipping from in those photos...

Some of my other favorite sights were the wedding chapels. My goal is to take a photo of each and every one of those one day. Just think of all the stories they must have just seeping off their black velvet walls. I don't really know if they are black velvet but that is what I imagine of them since Elvis is the main preacher there. I loved how you can literally walk to what looked like the mecca of divorce, which was practically down the street from some of those chapels, and erase your "mistake."

Apparently if you are going to do Vegas, I'm told you have to experience Fremont Street. On my second day out there, me and the comic strolled Fremont and I spent most of it constantly looking up. And even though it wasn't nightfall, there were sights to see all along the way: Giant cowgirls, gigantic crowns, like a million light bulbs and signs, and waitresses dressed like showgirls.

Since I was also told that this was the older part of Vegas, I just HAD to experience a real quarter slot. If you check out the main casinos, long gone are the old slots that spit out coins, which I'm sure isn't news to you. But I wasn't really expecting those paper vouchers.  However, I got my slot-pulling fix at La Bayou Casino on Fremont. Of course I didn't win anything but I had way too much fun pulling the lever and we had to take it easy since later that night I was meeting the comic's mother....*shivers*

I was only there for about five days, but my recent trip to Las Vegas was definitely an interesting time of many lessons learned and excitement that can only come to a person who never goes on vacation. I am just not good at those and I don't really ever do them how I set out. And when I actually get to do a REAL vacation, disaster strikes in one way, shape or form. I will get to that later... I am also not sure how to fit it all in one blog post without turning it into a novel so I've decided to break it down into parts.

As you already may know, I didn't go to Sin City alone. The comic/tech guy I'm seeing is from Las Vegas so the glitz and hoopla of Vegas doesn't really faze him. But I have to tell you, driving down the strip my first day was overwhelming. I mean there was giant everything. Did you know there is a giant Coke bottle and M & Ms? I don't know why I was mesmerized by that. I don't even drink coke and hardly eat M & Ms.  Everything seemed all so super-sized. Especially one familiar face...

Please forgive if this blog post makes absolutely no sense. I just spent about five glorious days in Vegas with the new guy just to come back sick as a dog and in the hospital practically overnight. Let's just say airline bathrooms are not equipped with everything that was happening to me. Ok now. I know it's Vegas. But I assure you I was a boring Vegas visitor. I was in before midnight every night and hardly drank. Weird, right?

And I'm just going to put it all out there for you readers: I've been sick prior to this little vacation. Doctors haven't figured it out yet. I'm safe at home with the parents right now and hope to blog Idol to forget all of this mess.

I'm just glad I had a little fun sprinkled in...stay tuned for photos and updates...