Where's The Volume Button?

Well, landed here in Vegas last night after a long journey. Already I appreciate Mark more and how he deals with travel all the time. Not something I would be fond of doing on a regular basis.

I am wide awake at 6:00 Vegas time. Nine o'clock "my time." Wondering how Mark and Maggie are getting along at home. And the dogs. I miss them all.

Somehow being connected to the internet and having my laptop here is giving me comfort already. Feels like a friend.

The shuttlebus ride from the airport to the hotel felt like a movie. This city is unreal. Lights, noise. Lights, noise. Lights, noise.

My first impression is that someone needs to turn down the volume! Unfortuately I can't find a remote.

As we stopped at one of the hotels to unload passengers from the airport, a stunning young woman carrying a clipboard hopped on board and said to the bus driver, "You heading back to the airport?" She looked and carried herself like a Disney princess. I am not kidding. She sat down and struck up a conversation with me, as I was the only remaining passenger on the bus. Her job is to promote specials at hotels in Vegas for tourists who have just arrived, so she started to tell me about dollar margaritas and "free money" at another casino. I listened politely and when she asked how long I was here for...and I replied "9 weeks," she immediately gave me a look of sympathy...then wrote down her phone number and gave me a list of local grocery stores that were less expensive, told me that she didn't drink, didn't smoke, was celibate, was active in her church, and struggling with the fact that her job was to promote things she didn't believe in. All in the princess voice and with style and grace and I wanted to be her friend. She was very kind. She said to call her if I needed any advice about the area. "Nine weeks is a long time to be away from home in a strange place."

I'm keeping her phone number in case of an emergency. But unless she really IS a princess, I don't anticipate that she will be able to help me survive this. I think I have to help myself.

Today we meet for registration and orientation. I imagine that is when we'll get rules and instructions about what we can and can't do. Like blogging, for example, which is probably against the rules.

I have to communicate somehow.