Vegas

I originally had this as part of my letter to the world, but decided to give it its own post. So two posts in one night...boom. 

Right now, I'm in Las Vegas. Sin City.  I have been here a plethora of times. I love coming here. I love the crowds, the lights, the music, the noise, the shows, the hotels...I think I even love the atmosphere of Vegas. I would love to do some kind of study on Vegas...on the people. On the individuals, on the groups, on the friends. I want to understand Vegas. I want to know Vegas and who these people are. I want to know what it is about Vegas. Maybe that will be easier to do in a couple of months... But seriously, Vegas is a city that I love. I have like this overwhelming love for the people of Vegas. Specifically those who are like me, who come just for a few days and like to experience the strip in a variety of ways. Don't ask me why, because I don't know why I love the people of Vegas the way that I do. I just do. 

But Ash, you don't even do anything that Vegas is known for. Even once you're 21 I doubt drinking and gambling will ever be your style. Partying at night clubs, going to shows like Thunder Down Under? That's not you. You don't even hang out with those people all that often. I know. It's not me, you're right. And that's good. I'm glad I can make wise decisions. But I can, and do, still love the people and love that I am developing this kind of heart. 

• Vegas fascinates me. We went to the Stratosphere, where they have some of the highest rides in the world. One of their attractions is called Sky Jump, where you jump off the Stratosphere from the 108th floor, 855 feet above the strip. Jump off. Not bungee jump. But free fall kind of jump. "Controlled free fall" is what they call it. People pay over $100 to jump off a building. I'm definitely NOT a thrill seeker, so this makes absolutely no sense to me. But people do it. Is it just the Vegas atmosphere? Does that impact the number of people who do it? Within an hour or so, I saw three people do it. Yeesh! What is it about Vegas?

• We watched the "TI Siren's show" or whatever it's called now..basically that pirate type show out front of Treasure Island. But it's less pirate like and more...show like. Not like adorable show. But Vegas type of show. You figure that one out. What is it about Vegas?

• It is absolutely impossible to walk down the strip and not be offered one of those cards with a a naked girl on it and the number to get directly connected to "hot girls" (Hey, that's what their shirts say). The streets are covered with these cards. I saw countless vans and buses that was advertising the same thing. This is what Vegas is known for. I want to understand this. I think I get a little bit of it. But I want to understand the industry. I want to understand the jobs and lives of the people who are trying to hand every passerby these cards. I want to understand these girls whom are being advertised. It's not something I immediately write off as stupid. Not at all. My guess is that most people look at those cards and think one of two things. 

1. Cool! [And maybe call the number?]
2. Gross. [And don't give it a second thought and just get annoyed with every encounter.]

              My thoughts are almost always:

• Why? Who? How old are they? What's their story? "Their" meaning those who trying to give me the cards, those who are on the cards, and those who are the masterminds behind them. How many people call this number? 
• I definitely don't think it's cool. But I definitely do give it second, third, fourth, fifth thoughts. And I get more saddened than I do annoyed. And to be honest, more confused. I just want to know about these people. 
• What is it about Vegas that so many of these cards are passed out?

• People walk so much in Vegas. Today, we walked probably about 6ish miles (we accidently took the super duper long way...). If we were at home, there is no way we would be walking 6 miles. Usually when we're in Vegas, we just walk up/down the strip. The strip is about 4 miles long. How is it that we can walk 4 miles in Vegas, but not 4 miles anywhere else? What is it about Vegas that makes people walk so much?

Vegas fascinates me. I love Vegas. I want to know Vegas. What is it about you, Vegas?