BACK FROM VEGAS, BACK TO REALITY! AND SNOW!

After a couple days back from Vegas I am fighting the post vacation blues. The trip was amazing, hilarious and eventful. No drama, just friends celebrating the new year and my birthday in "Adult Disneyland" as I call it. The clubs were epic, we hit club Pur on New Years Eve. It was a $150 cover but that included open bar. Unfortunately the open bar need not apply to me, but it did make my plain tonics and diet cokes free as well. We left the club at 3 a.m. and I went and bought into 1-2 no limit holdem. I went up 400 dollars after 2 hours and after 4 hours I was up nearly 600. I was tired and the sun was up, so I went and got breakfast with two guys I met from Manchester, England. They were good and drunk and we talked about football. (soccer). My favorite topic. I went to bed at 9 am slept until 12 noon, awoke and went to play in the tournament at Planet Hollywood casino. I lost at the final table and took 8th place. It was the first final table I've made inside the LV city limits. I didn't finish in the money but had a good time none the less. My sister came and met me for lunch at Traitor Vic's which I highly reccomend if you're going to be on the strip. I ended up playing blackjack and roulette for the next few hours and after making a decscent run at blackjack started increasing my bets like a mad man. $100 a hand! I've never played like that before. It was so much fun. After another night of clubs, primarily Studio 54, I met a beautiful lady who actually knew some friends of mine from back home. We went back to her hotel, Ballys and when I was leaving her room early that morning I stuck $50 dollars in a slot and payed out $410. I covered everyones food for the rest of the day in our party and gave everyone $50 to bet on college football. It was fun feeling like a high roller, which in fact I am not. I didn't go down to get rich though, I went for the fun. I had fun and my trip almost paid for itself. In all I spent about $1100 but out of the Casino's money and other players money I spent nearly $3500. I don't know wether to be stoked about that or sad. I do know I had the best New Years and birthday ever in sobriety. I had the time of my life. I never needed a drink or craved one. I called my sponsor 3 times while I was down there to check in. I am excited about the new year and all its potential. God knows it can't be worse than 2008.

Here's to you and your's!!!! Happy 2009.

Catching up...

The visit from my friend went great, we have a loooonnnngggggg history together and it is easy to get right on track with each other, before we even picked up her bags off the carousel I remember thinking it was like we had never been apart. The skiing was good. Snow was great, we saw 36 inches of brand new snow in just a day or two. The sex was incredibly hot! Don't think I'll share anymore than that but it was 10/10the romantic cabin and fireplace really set the mood as well as massages at the spa. The restaraunts where we stayed were amazing and I think I had the best filet mingon I have ever had. (better than Ruth's Chris, Flemings, Mortons by far)
We were waiting for our table when Ben Stiller and his wife,Christine Taylor (loved her in the brady bunch movies) came in. We were the only 4 people in the lobby area and he said hello to both of us and we said hello back. I turned to my date with my back to Ben and mouthed WHAT THE FUCK! and then we stood in silence. My date and I were dressed great and both looked very nice. Then Ben asked me if we were there for skiing or what and how the snow had been. I have met a fair amount of celebrities but have never been that star struck. I think I acted like it was no big deal but deep down I just wanted to say, "I have watched Royal Tenembaums and Zoolander at least 200 times. I love you. I even love your bad movies, and the Ben Stiller show in 1992, and the janitor you played in Happy Gilmore!" I refrained. We discussed the excellent ski conditions, he asked where we were from, my date explained she is from the south and that she lived here for before moving to New York and was just there visiting. She also mentioned that I was a local born and raised. Ben then asked me, What was that like? are you kidding me! Ben asks what it was like growing up in a ski town! I replied, telling him how amazing it was to grow up skiing as soon as I could walk, and driving snowmobiles to get to school. He laughed at that and agreed that it must have been "the life". The whole time we were talking we never acknowledged his celebrity or anything and he and his wife were very funny and nice.
Christmas was great I was a bit spoiled. It was emotional not having my dad at my mom's party and emotional not having my mom at my dad's party. I found my sister ducking into the bathroom to cry. I went to mid-night mass alone and the parents' of an old friend of mine saw me and gave huge hugs. Their son, my friend, killed himself in October after returning from his second tour of duty in Bagdhad. It was great to see his parents, I hadn't seen them since the wake. When the choir sang the lords prayer I got choked up and started to cry. One particular part just rang the holiday season true in my heart. "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us" that is what christmas is for me. plain and simple!

I am sorry it took me so long to update--

I am going to Las Vegas to play in some tournaments and celebrate the New Year!!! I'm sure I'll post more when I get back!!