Stray Observations

Just some stuff I've noticed since we've been out here. Nothing too big, and nothing to warrant its own post, but I'm bored, Pam's working until the calender turns to tomorrow, and I feel like typing something.

• It still freaks me out how close to the ground the incoming airplanes are as they pass over our heads (the airport is right up the street). I mean, I wouldn't be able to reach up and touch them or anything, but still, compared to how Philly-International-bound planes would pass by Rockledge, these planes feel like they are in spitting distance. They don't wake me up anymore, thank goodness, but when we're in the hot tub and one passes, my heart still gives a little jump.

• The PPA back home is the bane of my existence. Having a girlfriend that lived downtown had many benefits, but the parking situation down there is horrendous, troublesome, and expensive. That's why it's such a pleasure to know that parking here is a piece of cake. The big parking garages that populate the busiest parts of the city are always easily accessible, always have spots available, and best of all, are free. Not that Pammy's driving her car to the Strip every night, but it's nice having that option and not have to stress over where the car will be parked.

• Traffic patterns themselves differ slightly from Philly. While driving, you're going to be waiting a lot longer at any given light. Every street, it seems, is 6 lanes long - two going each way, and two for the left-turners. U-turns are highly encouraged, because making a left and going around any given block would be like 20 minutes out of your way. For pedestrians, you actually have to wait for the go-ahead from the light to cross the street; good luck jaywalking with all the streets' congestion. And the buttons that change the crosswalk lights aren't just for show like they are in other parts of the country - they actually work here, and you actually have to push them.

• Every single building, whether it be a house, hotel, restaurant, gas station, or casino, has its address displayed so you can see it from the street. That's not something you notice is missing in Philly until you come here.

• Not many creepy-crawlies around these parts. You can't walk two feet in Rockledge without getting a face full of spiderweb, and good luck getting through a walk through Pennypack without getting a few mosquito bites. Here, you don't really see any of that stuff (I hope I haven't spoken too soon). We saw a few water bugs on the surface of that disgusting puddle of filth at Red Rock Canyon, and there's apparently a lot of cockroaches at the seedier hotels in Vegas (The Can is clean), but that's about it. Maybe it's too dry.

• Trying to follow the Phillies is kind of rough. I can't complain too much; the internet let's me keep up with our favorite sports team way more than anyone before technology age could ever dream. But I'm spoiled from having that ever-wonderful AM dial and Comcast Sportsnet available at all times. I have the MLB Audio package, yeah, but our internet can be really spotty sometimes. For instance, I missed the last out of the game today because the computer just went silent for no reason. The time difference doesn't help all that much. It's weird having to wake up at 10am to listen to a day game, and those 7pm games on the east coast start at 4pm here, and guess what time Joey has to be in work three days a week? Again, I've been spoiled, but it hurts when I can't be at McNally's watching the game in HD. (Though I did walk over to the local Race and Sports Book yesterday to watch the overtime portion of the Flyers playoff game. They had a ton of TVs, and who knows, the Phillies regular season games might be on there. But it was kind of weird being there by myself, sitting elbow-to-elbow with seedy looking betters and bookies. But hey, one dollar Shock Tops!)

• Paychecks look a lot different when you're working in Nevada. I guess a lot of the state's funding comes from that perpetual money machine called "gambling," so the tax slice off your check is a lot leaner. To someone getting tiny paychecks like me, the difference in a few dollars, but that dolla dolla bill adds up, ya'll.

• Obviously, the big difference when it comes to the sale of alcohol is the fact that you can buy cases of beer in the supermarket. Stupid PA Quaker Law. But the subtle difference that I've noticed and don't quite understand is the difference in the size of those cases of beer between PA and NV. Ever since I started buying beer at age eighteen twenty-one, I've been buying cases of 30 beers cans (colloquially known as a "Thirty Bird"), or 24 beer bottles. Here, the choices are a six pack, a case of 20 bottles, or a case of 36 cans. I don't know why there's a difference. There just is. (And, to be honest, I like the option of buying a Thirty-Six Bird.)

• There's a vast array of fast food options in this area, probably about twice the amount of different brands of food that is horrible for you. You have your McDonald's, and a few scattered BKs and Wendy's, and you have your Taco Bell and KFC, but there's a ton of fast food joints I've never even heard of before this trip, let alone be a glutton at. Raising Cane's, Jack in the Box, Carl's Jr., Del Taco, In-and-Out Burger, Sonic, it's a paradise for obese people and obese people in training.

• Everyone has a pretty flippant attitude about prostitution. At least the ladies of the night had the decency to stick to the back alleys (and craigslist) in Philly. In Las Vegas, good luck walking down any street without some guy shoving an ad for "companionship" into your hand. Seriously, I could be walking hand in hand with Pam while we're wearing our "Yes, We Are In A Long-Term Relationship" matching tees, and this scruffy looking dude still thinks I'd be interested in buying a strange woman's services. Nope, we'll leave that to the unshaven business men Pam sees in the lobby when she's leaves for work.

Alright, that's fine for now. You get it, Las Vegas and Philadelphia have subtle differences, right, okay, gotchya. And now, time to wait for my girlfriend to get home. I'm hoping she is hungry for Arby's when she gets home. Typing about fast food made me really hungry (and surprisingly, typing about prostitutes did nothing to curb that hunger... ah jeez, that didn't sound right.... okay, I'm done. Goodnight).