Leaving Las Vegas Among Other Places

The beautiful Red Rock Canyon

Sheryl Crow's Leaving Las Vegas makes me happy. I recently traveled to Vegas to visit some friends and see Brian, who flew in from Chicago, as well. It was a spectacular weekend full of adventures—but it seemed slow at the same time. Between losing a twenty at one of the local casinos, seeing the Beatles Love show, free climbing at Red Rock Canyon, visiting with everyone, and skydiving, I'd say the weekend was a success. It's been nice to be part of what happens around this side of the country—deserts, gambling, and mountains.



Downtown Vegas' city lights

I like it, but I can't imagine looking out my window each day and not seeing a flat, beautiful patch of grass, or just being able to look out and look at forever. There's something so glorious about looking at the sun setting over fields of beautiful corn. And the mountains here are glorious, too. Yes, I like looking out and feeling as if I'm tucked into a bed of high hills overlooking me as I go about my life here—but it's definitely not that feeling of infinity that prairie grass delivers.

I have just under three more weeks on the Ode job, and then it's off to other things with other people in other places. I'm due for an adventure. It's funny, I love the experience of deciding to go somewhere and making it happen, feeling comfortable, and then almost a moment later tossing my cares to the wind again—I go and do something different. What do you call that? It's more than antsy-ness. I was once referred to as a free bird, or perhaps that was just me thinking to myself, but regardless, I am. Well, I'm no more unique than the rest of you, really. It seems I've done a good job of encircling myself with people with that exact mindset—one of here today, gone tomorrow. It's nice because while we're all scattered about the globe, we're also free to visit one another and thereby expand our worldliness. Anyway, it's a double-edge sword because the relationships we have with one another end up becoming strained, and people get hurt and time passes, but there's never the right time to make mention. Until one day, somehow thoughts are expressed and life moves on. I suppose that's the one down turn. You find all these great people, but it's impossible to get them under one roof—especially since they may not know one another because you've been continent hopping alone.