My old car was on its last legs, so last week we decided it was time to get a brand new car.

My thinking was that I wanted to completely run it into the ground before I got a new car. In Los Angeles, where cars represent status, I couldn’t get excited about getting a new van. After all, no one (who’s anyone) in LA would be caught dead in a van. My parents and I went to Brea (a suburb of LA) to look at some ever-so-exciting new vans and, to my surprise, the Toyota Sienna was quite luxurious. It had more bells and whistles than any car out there. Two DVD players, two sunroofs, navigation system, iPod integration, and Bluetooth.

Now we’re talking!

We decided to pick up the car on Monday.

For whatever reason, the navigation wasn’t working right, because the next thing I knew, my roommate Patrick and I ended up in Vegas. (Just joking that was the plan all along.) We both needed a two-day getaway and since Pat’s son David went to Catalina with his neighbor. The boys had to play! We arrived in Vegas around six. I called Leslie just to hear her voice, then it was a night of room service and cocktails.

Wait a minute I’m getting old.
Room service and cocktails?
I’m a guy who used to stay up in Vegas until at least eight o’clock in the morning. I was in bed by midnight.
Yes, I’m getting old.
Yes, I like it.

The next day, Patty and I watched the home opener of the Dodgers. Then we went to go see the Elvis Cirque du Soleil, which made me think about how much I miss speaking.

One of the reasons I like Vegas is because I am more free in Vegas than anywhere else. I can go play a couple hands of blackjack, go catch a game by myself, and so on. I need less help there than anywhere else. Where I live, I need help going to the store, the mall, and the movies. In Vegas, I can go anywhere in my chair and if it’s too far, I can even catch a cab from any casino. Yes, it might take half an hour, but it’s doable. One time I even caught a comedy show.

So now I’m back in my office writing a blog post. I’m relaxed, happy, and looking forward to my next trip in May, when I’ll see the sweetest girl Leslie.