I neglected to make a proper post-vacation post. However, as things go this is an opportunity to write about the things that stuck. The not-so-fresh memory of the events are surely the more meaningful. Had I writ the days in chronological order, just recalling the order of events and initial attitudes, that is less interesting. It is less interesting because now that some time has elapsed (however long since the KKANDER SPEAKING post) the things that are interesting have stuck. So here they are:

But first a quick exploration of my mind. It is a strange thing. One that I cannot hope to explain in words. If ever I go on about how my thought cage works, the more likely I am to self contradict, and degrade what little authoritative respect you may have for me. Anyway, I have long suspected that my brain does not think chronologically very well. It is an effort to me to relate my experience to the calendar. I remember being a kid, I remember 5^th grade. But if you asked me how old I was when I had a certain experience, or what age I was in middle school, I have a hard time conceptualizing that. I have to guess until I do the work of math and back tracking or looking up the year. You may be thinking, you do this as well. Perhaps you do. However, I feel, just based on conversation and observation of others, that I have a different setting on my internal clock. I like the fact of it. It makes it hard sometimes to talk about events within the context of others lifetimes sometimes, and sometimes I’m just wrong about the timeline of my life. That said, I have a good memory. I attribute much of my academic and otherwise success to that.

Take away from that what you will. What I recall of my trip to Las Vegas is, most importantly, my friend. The time spent with him is what made the get away worth it. I wouldn’t have done the trip without him, let alone enjoyed or experienced the same things without him. For some reason I feel like the trip, although short, will be a definitive moment. We often remarked about how surprised we were with how things were going. It was most serendipitous.

The activities feel both distinct from one another, as well as inseparable. I feel as we did the night that I first arrived. We drove a short distance to a hillside that overlooked the entirety of the Las Vegas city. The lights and sights of the strip, the suburbs, the airport, the lightless desert. All in contrast, yet of the same canvas. I am left with the after image still stuck to my mind’s eye. The rest of my life may yet be colored by, hologrammed over, by the 2023 Vegas visit.

We saw a Cirque du Soleil show. It exceeded all expectation. I have been a longtime discounter of modern theatre. I thought, not after the show but several times during, that I have witnessed greater spectacle and performance than any King in history. Except maybe for the roman orgies, or colosseum bout. In hindsight my only complaint about the show was the lack of dialogue or true acting. I’m a sucker for good lines and drama. But otherwise, in terms of pure eye joy, it is unmatched. I highly recommend it.

I lied. The eye candy of our over-night in the dunes of Death Valley is superior splendor. But that doesn’t really feel fair. There is a difference between man-made wonder and that of the creators. It may be unwise to compare them. I know for a fact that our few mile hike, and camp out under the stars, will live with me forever. I know too that it was a once in a lifetime experience. I cannot recommend you follow in our footsteps, for your journey will look nothing alike ours. I think a series of fortunate randomizations of weather pattern and happenstance afforded us the sights and smells of a Death Valley never experienced prior by man, nor in the future. We had our own and personal moment out there. The valle de mortum was alive like never before. And we followed in the footsteps of a sage, and lay in his bed of flowers. We took few pictures, and I cannot express by this modum our adventure there. Perhaps in poetry and bad paintings I can give you an idea. If you are truly interested, get me and my friend in the same room together and have us recount the tale. Otherwise, think of some fantastical scenery that only the child of Tolkien crossed with Cormac McCarthy could paint.

We also gambled. I lost, but not more than I had budgeted to lose (see RULES OF GAMBLING V1.1 post). And got good food. Notably was the sushi restaurant. Where I had some of the best bites of fish and swigs of sake that I have ever had. I doubt that dinner will ever be rivaled in the near future. And I hope when it is, its with friends again.

We talked, and shared books and inspirational videos and idols and conspiratorial ideas and crude jokes and bad philosophies and our mistakes and opinions on cars and hope.

A quick thanks to my friend. I have much admiration of you. I am very proud to know you. You inspire me often. Here’s a promise of more adventures to come.