Photo by Diane Taylor
Last Fall, I posted an article and video about Walking the Las Vegas Strip. As is my usual practice, the video was first uploaded to YouTube and then published here.
However, my Walking the Las Vegas Strip video has somehow been separately “discovered” on YouTube and now has more than 130,000 views. The video has also drawn more than the usual number of comments. Just last week, this comment was posted:
Photo by Diane Taylor
“i live here so i dont know why i watched this (yes i said i live in las vegas.. it’s way more boring than you’d think)”
I was shocked, not only by the lack of capitalization, but by… “Las Vegas…it’s way more boring than you’d think”.
True, you do have to enjoy “something” to live in Las Vegas. Maybe in your spare time you like desert landscapes, photography and hiking….or daily swims in one of the city or casino pools open free to the public. Maybe you are active in your church and find satisfaction in helping others. My doctor (for the broken ankle) recently returned from a three-day hike in the Grand Canyon with a church group of more than 100 young men ages 14 to 17. They ate outdoors and slept under the stars — a great time, he said.
Maybe you are like my friend Maxine (70-something) who sometimes sees as many as three “free” entertainment shows a day. Maybe like my friend Libby, you make a practice of attending Las Vegas benefits which feature a whole raft of local entertainers at bargain prices.
Maybe you volunteer at a hospital or with Big Brothers Big Sisters. Maybe you volunteer with a pet rescue organization and fall in love with a beautiful kitten. Maybe you take temporary jobs helping out at local conventions. Maybe…you play bingo or poker and meet a group of friends every time you play.
Photo by Diane Taylor
Bored? Even bound to my wheelchair these past weeks, life has not really been boring. In addition to answering numerous advertising phone calls (hey, whatever happened to that don’t call list?) and talking with friends, I just finished another well-regarded book, The Glass Castle, a memoir by Jeannette Walls.
I’ve sorted through boxes of old HOA records to see what should be kept and what can be tossed. (Reading long-ago HOA files can be fun — and instructive.) I’ve been able to go out, thanks to my husband and to a community which welcomes the disabled.
We’ve gone to the movies (really enjoyed The Great Gatsby) and I love the new Galaxy Luxury Theatre with the reclining seats. We’ve had laugh-filled breakfasts and dinners with friends and enjoyed our outings to Open Mic Night at the Bootlegger Bistro. (The accompanying video of Mickki Brown was taken last Monday night at the Bootlegger. Professional entertainers like Mickki as well as entertainer wanna-bes come to the Bootlegger to perform for free. Behind Mickki in the video, incidentally, is Bootlegger Musical Director Michael Clark.)
How do locals know what’s going on? Yes, we could go to the Strip and grab one of the free entertainment magazines, but when I first moved to Las Vegas I was directed to a section of the local Las Vegas Review Journal called the “Neon”. The Neon is a separate insert that comes with the paper every Friday. Early entertainment news is presented in Thursday’s paper as well.
The most recent Neon was 56 pages long. The big story featured information about the three-day (June 21-23) Electric Daisy Carnival featuring more than 200 acts. (Special events seem to happen here weekly.) Want to know the times of the Bellagio fountains or the hours of the Moon Nightclub? Look in the Neon. Want to dance or listen to live jazz or Latin music? Check the Neon. Want to have an autograph signed by Mike Tyson…the times (and costs) are in the Neon, too.
Photo by Diane Taylor
I’ve heard a few Las Vegans say that, despite the many available activities, they actually get bored because here the sun shines all but a few days of the year. I don’t take that complaint too seriously.
I can also understand folks who move to Las Vegas and miss their families. However, my friends say that Las Vegas is so much fun for visitors, they see family regularly.
In between visiting family members, having friends here is so important. With friends one can enjoy everything from a cheap breakfast using a casino coupon to a free show courtesy of Fillaseat Las Vegas. We moved to Las Vegas with a number of Chicago friends and they’ve made life here a joy.
Las Vegas is also a great people-watching town. My husband plays poker at Sunset Station and a gentleman named Charlie comes to the poker room almost daily just to watch what’s going on and talk with players before and after their games. If he’s bored at home, Charlie at least makes the effort to come where the people are, the music plays and the lights shine brightly.
Another idea? Turn off the computer videos and go outside. Walk the Las Vegas Strip. The sights, sounds and people watching are glorious!
Yeah, I’ve never been impressed with anyone who says that they are bored about anything. There is always so much to do and fascinating people all around us.
Great suggestions of things to do no matter what state of internal dialogue one is engaging in!
Great commentary! Any one who has reared children is familiar with the phrase, “I am bored.” The writer offers a very comprehensive list of suggestions to combat boredom. It reminds me of my role
as a mother when I had to give suggestions to my children. Nicely done!
I loved this piece! There is so much to do and for people who have a lot of time on their hands, the good they can do, if they want to, is truly endless. The casinos never close, so they won’t miss a beat! And thank you for the little kitten, there are so many homeless animals who give unconditional love.
Ahh! I see my name made the blog! Great article – and good that we are bored!