Tuesday, March 8, 2011

The Upside of Vegas


OK – I’ll confess.  Vegas was fun.  Even though I had to put up with smoke-filled casinos and tacky tourists, I had a great time this weekend.  In my defense, the fun parts of the weekend all took place off the strip, and had nothing to do with gambling or showgirls, but I did have fun, nonetheless.  And, as much as I hate to admit this, it was the first time in a very long time that I’ve felt at home.  I guess it was bound to happen.  After living there for several years, I can’t help but feel some sort of attachment to that place.  I never thought I would feel any affinity for that dusty, tourist trap of a city, but I found myself feeling incredibly nostalgic as the weekend progressed.  I was reminded of the convenience of my old neighborhood and how much I liked the surrounding shops.  I ate at my favorite restaurants.  But most importantly, I was able to fit in some of my favorite outdoor activities.  One of the hidden beauties of Vegas is that it offers so many opportunities for the outdoors enthusiast, and I did my best to take advantage.  I got in a great bike ride and made it up to Red Rocks State Park for a breathtakingly gorgeous trail run.  It felt good to be able to commune with nature for a few hours.  The jaw-dropping beauty of the desert canyons made me feel more invigorated than I have in a while, and made me miss living in such close proximity to these natural wonders.  I don’t regret our decision to leave Vegas, but it was nice to be reminded of its good qualities.  So, now I’m back home and ready to tackle another workweek.  I really hope I had enough R&R to get me through my next three night shifts.

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