WEBVTT
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Welcome back to another episode of Informed Ish.
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I am Jason Mark, your host, and I'm here with my co-host as always, Heather AI.
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Heather, how are we doing today?
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I'm good.
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Feeling crisp, affinated in spirit, and ready to get into it with you.
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Yeah, so I'm just getting back from a long trip to Las Vegas.
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Long being seven days, really six full days, which is a long time to spend in Vegas.
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And here's what I have come to realize when I used to go to Vegas in my 20s and even in my 30s, very different experience than going in my mid-40s.
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So yeah, I was about two days in and I officially hit the wall and realized, yeah, I cannot party like it's the 90s anymore.
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Well, or even the early aughts.
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Yeah, so Vegas was amazing.
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Um, that second day in, you know, I think I stayed up until like 3:30, and then I realized, yeah, I am not gonna make it on this trip if I keep doing this.
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So I kind of took a nap in the middle of the day.
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I wound down a bit.
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Um, it was great though.
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So just to just to give you the quick rundown, tell me this is a packed trip.
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Show up on a Wednesday, go to a Brantley Gilbert concert.
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If you don't know who he is, he's a country singer, really good.
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But the concert was a benefit for Kyle Bush, who passed away.
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His wife supports an interesting cause for IVF.
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Um, they struggled having children.
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I think it's a good cause.
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And that was kind of a somber night, if you will, but it was really nice.
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And that was our first night in town.
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And then, boom, right into it the next night, Metallica, opening weekend at the sphere.
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Absolutely incredible.
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I may say it may have been the best concert experience I've ever been to.
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The sphere is very cool.
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Um, I think the thing that goes missed at the sphere is just how good the sound quality is in there.
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I know everybody makes a big deal about the video and the graphics, which is absolutely amazing, but the sound quality is enveloping and it was so crisp and so clear.
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But yeah, the sphere is just something where you say, look at what we do as humans.
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I mean, it is incredible.
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And when you go in, it really, if you look at this screen from the bottom all the way to the ceiling, it completely immerses you and envelops you.
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I definitely would encourage people to check it out if they get a chance.
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But Metallica was incredible.
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And then the night after that, we hit something called Absinthe.
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That is a show they run at Caesar's Palace.
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It's often rated as the highest-rated show in Vegas.
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It um it was incredible too.
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I mean, just funny, very irreverent, and something that I would also recommend to you guys to go check out.
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But Vegas itself, you know, it's been a long time since I've been there and a lot has changed, but I would say for the better, I do love the idea that now you can go there and look at all these sports franchises that are being pulled into Vegas.
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So now they have the Raiders, obviously, and they're getting the A's if you weren't aware of that.
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Oakland A's are going to be moving to Vegas.
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I believe that's 2028 when they'll officially start playing there.
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And then there's a lot of rumors about the NBA uh potentially either moving a franchise there or expanding.
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So, you know, they have a great NHL team, they have WNBA, they also have a lot of minor league sports that I don't think people realize.
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So just on the sporting front and live entertainment, they have a ton, and then they also have F1 now, and they have NASCAR.
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So there's a lot to do in Vegas.
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You don't need to be a gambler.
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I I never was much of a gambler.
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This is actually the most I ever gambled on a trip ever to Vegas.
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Um, the other interesting thing about the sphere is Metallica for probably two years now has been doing these two-night shows, and they call it a no-repeat weekend.
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So basically, you go the one night and you'll hear two hours of songs.
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You go back the next night and you won't hear a single repeated song.
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Someone on the trip was like, do they even have a catalog big enough to support that?
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I'm like, I think they could go like six nights if they really wanted to.
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Um, they have a massive catalog of just awesome songs.
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If that's not your type of music, I'd still say this is worth checking out.
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There were people that are like, oh, I never even liked Metallica, but this was just amazing.
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The other thing that's going on at the sphere now is they have the Wizard of Oz.
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And at first you hear that and you're like, I don't know, that sounds like why would I want to go spend that kind of money to go see a movie that's pretty old at this point?
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Even if you love the Wizard of Oz.
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But what they've actually done, Heather, is they've completely deconstructed the movie and built it around the sphere.
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It's like a 70-minute show, and the audience is fully enveloped.
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There's even like audience participation.
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When you're in the tornado, do you feel the wind?
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Do you feel like you're really in it?
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And the things that they're doing at this Eagles there, you two.
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It's definitely a different kind of entertainment experience.
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And I think they're killing it.
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From what I had researched, they've already paid back the cost to build the sphere.
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They're starting to turn profit.
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And there's a lot of talk about other spheres opening in other big cities.
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So London, potentially, China, maybe potentially, Abu Dhabi, maybe one day somewhere in New York, although I have no idea where the hell they'd put it at this point or Chicago.
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But I think that's what we're looking for.
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I think we as people, we love entertainment.
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We want to be entertained, but you know, there's a limit to the technology that we've had.
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And now you start to see this new technology, the way that they can make high-definition video at that scale with that sound, that immersiveness.
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And I start to think about all types of live entertainment.
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Movies, like what is the movie theater going to look like in 20 years?
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And if there are still movie theaters, but I think that's the key.
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It's how do we continue to up that game to keep the audience saying, hey, this isn't some experience I can just get at home.
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That's an experience I want to go to.
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So concerts were great.
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We also went to the NASCAR race.
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I know it's a crazy amount of stuff packed into one trip.
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And we saw a show at the win called Awakening, which I believe closes in 10 days.
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The NASCAR race was good.
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I do have one complaint.
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So we get there and we had good seats, but you're way high up in the bleacher.
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Interesting thing, if you're not a racing fan, the higher up you go, usually, the more you pay because you can see more of the track.
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In this case, from our seats, perfect view of the whole track.
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Las Vegas is a mile and a half track.
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And I think they built that I mean in 1996.
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So it's not new.
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It's getting up there and it's showing major signs of wear.
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So the problem they have is when it's that hot, there's nowhere for anyone to go.
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So you literally would walk inside, and I say inside, the shaded area under the bleachers in the concrete part, and there's just rows of people sitting in the shade.
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So you might you look at it on TV and you're like, oh, you know, there's a lot of empty seats.
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Meanwhile, there's hundreds of people that aren't sitting in the seats just because it's so hot.
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And we just happened to hit a really hot day, and I don't know if they expected it.
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So I saw people who literally we saw a couple women who had strokes.
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Uh the ambulance had to come for someone.
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It did get a bit scary.
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So it made me think, you know, they didn't have much of a backup plan.
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The facility was kind of outdated.
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When you're inside, all they really had was these small TVs, not great quality.
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Meanwhile, there's other NASCAR tracks you can go to, a couple that stick out to me: Homestead, uh, Charlotte, very good experience, and Daytona above all.
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Now, granted, that's their marquee track, but when you're in there, you don't actually have to even sit in your seat.
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There's other things to do.
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There's cornhole, there's games, there's prizes that you can go to, there's different levels of bars, there's tons and tons of TVs and audio where you can hear and see the race.
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So you sort of feel like you're at a club.
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And one nice thing about racing is you don't necessarily need to sit in your seat to see every lap.
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So I think that's something where that track and a lot of NASCAR tracks need to consider how do they update and get their game up with technology.
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We're talking about things like the sphere, where people are willing to pay that premium to have an experience that they can't just have.
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And I see in NASCAR, it's a similar thing.
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They're they're an entertainment business or all sports.
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And you see how other sports and stadiums, how they struggle with, well, how much money do we put into this and when?
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When do we upgrade our facilities?
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But I think about a lot of the major league baseball teams over the years that have gone from not such great facilities to better and better ones.
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And when you go to a game, you want that full experience.
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You know, I don't necessarily want to go sit on a bleacher and be cramped, be uncomfortable, be stuck in the sun.
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So something to think about.
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Um, but yeah, I mean, what what do you think, Heather?
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Is that not quite the crazy rundown?
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No wonder I'm feeling so tired today, huh?
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You did Vegas like a man trying to prove a point.
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And yeah, that's a hero's pace.
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Honestly, you packed in so much.
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I'm surprised your voice isn't just a puff of desert dust right now.
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Yeah, seriously.
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That tracks.
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When it's a hundred degrees on metal bleachers, it's not a vibe, it's a hazard.
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And that no repeat Metallica thing, that's kind of brilliant.
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It turns fans into weekend strategists.
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And yeah, the sphere makes everything else feel, well, a little dated.
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Vegas gave you a lot.
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Vegas gave me a lot, yeah.
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Heather, you know, I I feel today you're being, we'll say, a little bit more on the AI side, less on the human Heather side, which, you know, is fine.
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We all have different kinds of days.
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I I felt like, if anything, you're right.
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We did probably pack too many activities into the trip.
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But here's the thing: if you don't get to go somewhere that often, you want to go there and you do want to do all of this stuff.
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If I'm just gonna go there and sit there, well, hell, I could have done that at home.
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What I will say is pacing down the alcohol consumption and kind of pacing ourselves and hydrating, drinking more water, having more downtime, all of that helped.
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And even though it sounds like we had a lot of activities, it's usually one thing a day, often at night.
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And we had a lot of downtime and flex time built into the trip.
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But even with all that said, it caught up to us, my wife and I.
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So we get down to the day that we're about to go home and we have this horrific flight.
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It's gonna go out in the middle of the night.
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And I said to her, look, we can go home, but when we get there, we're gonna be miserable, we're gonna be exhausted.
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Or, great idea, right?
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We can stay an extra day, but have it be like a rejuvenation day.
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And that's what we did, and we really stuck to it.
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We we did rejuvenate, no drinking.
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Uh, actually, I did have a few drinks, but okay, not a lot of drinking.
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But, you know, having like smoothies, hydrating the right way.
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We spent a lot of time in the pool, we laid around, we relaxed, we went to the spa, it actually made a big difference.
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I think I've been on trips like that where you get back and you're just like, well, now I'm just wasted for the whole week.
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So anytime, and especially the older I get that I want to have a great trip, I know I need to build in flex time and downtime.
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But I do think, yeah, when you go away and you're spending all that money to fly somewhere, you should experience what that place has to offer, you know, without way overdoing it.
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And I felt like we did that.
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We we hit some great events, saw things that you can't just see anywhere, especially something like the sphere.
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And Vegas is great.
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I think it's getting better even when you talk to the locals.
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They're like, I love living here.
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And I don't know that people said that as much 30 years ago, or people were really looking to move there.
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It it definitely had not the best reputation.
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It was very not family friendly.
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I'm not saying it's like the number one place to take your kids, but I saw a ton of families there, and they have more for kids to do than they ever have.
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You could easily take your kids there.
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Now, granted, they can't go into the casino part, but you could take them to tons of shows.
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They even have some shows that are built more for kids.
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There's so many activities, arcades.
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We did an F1 driving simulator.
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That was awesome.
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We we saw that there's like these haunted houses that Universal has set up there.
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There's this whole area 51 with all kinds of things.
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And we did see quite a few families.
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And even just hanging at the pool at some of these places, I think most families would be pretty happy.
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Now, if you're planning on going and tearing it up and gambling, that's not gonna work.
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So I don't know.
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It seems like they're trying to with bringing in these sports teams.
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I think they've lightened up a little bit on the Sin City.
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You know, what happens if Vegas stays in Vegas?
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It's certainly still there, but it is a bit of a tamer Vegas.
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And I think it makes sense for them, right?
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Why wouldn't you want to pull in that extra revenue in families?
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You know, frankly, a lot of people don't go to Vegas just because they can't really take their kids, or at least they feel that if I take my kids, it's gonna be a bit of a burden when they get there.
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Yeah, that totally makes sense.
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The trick feels like picking the right one anchor thing each day, then patting the edges so you don't roll home wrecked.
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You showed a good instinct with that extra day for recovery.
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That's veteran traveler behavior.
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And for what it's third-person travel behavior, I think, is what it is.
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Not that I'm that old, but man.
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20 versus mid-40s is no joke, right?
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Experienced, yes.
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We'll go right we'll go with experienced heather.
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So you you know a lot about Vegas, obviously.
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What have you noticed in the difference between Vegas from 30 years ago today?
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I mean, I am I crazy?
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The city has seemed to have really shifted strategies even in the way they're marketing it.
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Or is am I overthinking it?
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I'll check what changed.
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You're not imagining it.
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Vegas has always tried on identities.
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In the 90s, they pushed the family resort, angle, arcades, themed hotels, but that fizzled.
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Then it pivoted hard to adult freedom and nightlife, less bring the kids to the pirate show, more leave your sensible decisions at home.
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Lately it's more about big live experiences, concerts, sports, the sphere.
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Yeah, and family activities in the mix, too.
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The change is they're selling a whole entertainment ecosystem, not just tables and slot machines.
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Right.
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That's a good way to put it.
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It is more of an ecosystem because if you didn't set gamble at all, you would have a great time there just doing everything else.
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And you would never even be able to remotely do it all.
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Not to mention just how many great restaurants and how good the food is.
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Literally any type of food, be it Italian or Cantonese or Chinese or whatever, they have it and they have a really great version of it.
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So even down to just getting a cheeseburger, there's like 10 of the best cheeseburger places.
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You know, it's it's awesome.
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So as somebody who loves food, Vegas is great.
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I could see even why people would want to live there.
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I get it, especially some of the locals we talk to.
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It's not like they're right on the strip anyway.
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I mean, they're 20 minutes off and or more from the strip, and they have their own local places and restaurants and bars and things and schools.
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But bam, they can drive in, maybe it's a half hour and they're on the strip.
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And just again, to be a half hour away from literally any kind of entertainment that you could possibly think of.
00:17:15.920 --> 00:17:16.880
It's pretty cool.
00:17:17.119 --> 00:17:19.440
So I love what they're doing with Vegas.
00:17:19.599 --> 00:17:22.240
I do think Vegas is at its all-time peak.
00:17:22.400 --> 00:17:30.079
I think maybe this is becoming more of the, hey, it's something for everybody place, and we'll see where things head over the next 20 years.
00:17:30.160 --> 00:17:34.720
It'll be it'll be very interesting, especially with things popping up like the sphere.
00:17:34.799 --> 00:17:36.079
Well, what's the next big thing?
00:17:36.240 --> 00:17:37.839
What's going to be the next competitor?
00:17:37.920 --> 00:17:41.839
What's the next type of entertainment that's going to come into the casinos?
00:17:42.079 --> 00:17:44.480
So I highly recommend it.
00:17:44.559 --> 00:17:46.480
If it's been a while, take a trip.
00:17:46.720 --> 00:17:48.480
Um, careful with the gambling.
00:17:49.039 --> 00:17:50.799
You can cat get caught up in it.
00:17:50.960 --> 00:17:52.079
It it is unreal.
00:17:52.160 --> 00:17:57.839
I you'd never think there's that many people willing to just go essentially lose their money.
00:17:57.920 --> 00:18:03.759
I mean, there's no statistic or fact in the world that'll tell you, like, hey, you the odds are in your favor, buddy.
00:18:03.839 --> 00:18:04.960
They're definitely not.
00:18:05.119 --> 00:18:08.640
But yet they have managed to pack all of these.
00:18:08.799 --> 00:18:20.400
There's there's thousands of slot machines and casinos and every possible gambling game and sports book you could imagine, and yet they're all packed.
00:18:20.720 --> 00:18:22.079
So I don't know.
00:18:22.319 --> 00:18:24.960
Have we turned into a gambling culture?
00:18:25.039 --> 00:18:26.400
What what do you think?
00:18:27.680 --> 00:18:34.000
Honestly, yeah, gambling's gotten way more normal and way easier to not even think about.
00:18:34.319 --> 00:18:37.039
But that doesn't mean everyone's doing it all the time.
00:18:37.359 --> 00:18:41.920
Vegas is engineered to seduce you into thinking losing money is part of the show.
00:18:42.160 --> 00:18:44.799
The trick is remembering the house isn't your friend.
00:18:45.119 --> 00:18:49.119
Well, yeah, you definitely have to remember that the house is not your friend.
00:18:49.279 --> 00:18:50.240
That's a good point.
00:18:50.480 --> 00:18:53.119
But they really try to convince you that they are.
00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:54.640
It's it's fascinating.
00:18:54.880 --> 00:19:01.839
So we stayed at the win, and right away you're very tempted with their point system.
00:19:02.079 --> 00:19:07.839
So you get your player's card, and if you get so many points, then you can move up your status to platinum.
00:19:08.000 --> 00:19:14.640
And one day, if you spend enough money, spend waste enough money gambling, you might get a host.
00:19:14.799 --> 00:19:17.519
And we kept running into these people with hosts.
00:19:17.759 --> 00:19:27.599
The one guy, he was a local, he was staying at the win, and he's like, Oh, yeah, I stay here quite a bit, even though I'm only 20 minutes 20 minutes away.
00:19:27.759 --> 00:19:28.480
I just love it.
00:19:28.720 --> 00:19:34.160
And my host calls me and I get free rooms, so why wouldn't you come take advantage of it?
00:19:34.480 --> 00:19:42.000
And I'm thinking, well, that does sound pretty great until you realize you have to gamble a lot, like a lot.
00:19:42.160 --> 00:19:47.279
I won't get into all the numbers, but I will say I it was definitely the most I've ever gambled.
00:19:47.359 --> 00:19:49.839
I've never been a big gambler, but I was like, what the hell?
00:19:50.000 --> 00:20:04.240
I did set kind of a budget, it was pretty high, and I wanted to see what it would be like to actually go do the real gambling, where maybe instead of spinning the wheel for a penny or actually putting real money into stuff and taking a little bit of risk.
00:20:04.400 --> 00:20:05.839
So now was it risk?
00:20:05.920 --> 00:20:06.240
I don't know.
00:20:06.400 --> 00:20:09.839
I think having the budget knowing I could totally waste it was interesting.
00:20:10.160 --> 00:20:12.559
But one crazy thing happened.
00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:16.960
So I'm playing slot machines and I end up hitting a jackpot.
00:20:17.039 --> 00:20:19.519
And the jackpot was only$4,500.
00:20:19.839 --> 00:20:24.559
I say only, I know that may sound like a lot, but when you hear jackpot, you think whatever.
00:20:24.640 --> 00:20:27.680
But the machine did all the bells and it went off and off and off.
00:20:28.000 --> 00:20:31.759
So meanwhile, I can't get my money out of it.
00:20:31.839 --> 00:20:39.759
It comes up with a sign that says, You got to sit here basically and wait, because you have a jackpot and an attendant needs to come up.
00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:48.000
It took them quite a while, but they did eventually mosey on up, and you're just literally sitting there waiting and waiting and waiting, which is absurd, I think.
00:20:48.160 --> 00:20:54.079
And then they have to physically uh have you fill out a form, it's for tax purposes.
00:20:54.240 --> 00:20:56.400
Now you got to report this, they tell you.
00:20:56.559 --> 00:21:00.160
And then after you sign it and do all this stuff, then they hand you your money.
00:21:00.400 --> 00:21:10.000
So I guess apparently anything over$2,000 that you win in one fail swoop like that, they want you to file taxes on.
00:21:10.240 --> 00:21:11.440
Here's the thing, though.
00:21:11.680 --> 00:21:12.880
Does everybody do that?
00:21:13.200 --> 00:21:20.480
I mean, it's crazy because meanwhile, the lady A was sort of like, oh, you don't seem all that excited to have$14,500.
00:21:20.880 --> 00:21:24.079
I'm like, well, that's because I just lost like$5,000.
00:21:24.559 --> 00:21:28.720
So it didn't really seem I was like, all right, so you know, I'm back to even.
00:21:29.519 --> 00:21:37.200
I think it's crazy how quickly if you lost five thousand dollars, they don't bat an eye.
00:21:37.920 --> 00:21:39.359
Hey, you're done, right?
00:21:39.599 --> 00:21:43.039
But man, you you win money and it's a whole ordeal.
00:21:43.279 --> 00:21:45.039
So I guess I just didn't know that.
00:21:45.200 --> 00:21:48.799
I know some of you are probably laughing, but I'm I'm a novice, right?
00:21:48.880 --> 00:21:52.240
So so I did put the time into kind of like what the hell?
00:21:52.319 --> 00:21:57.200
I want to see what this experience of actually being like a quote unquote gambler in Vegas is.
00:21:57.359 --> 00:21:59.839
And I did it all, I played the slot machine.
00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:02.000
Machines, like tons of them.
00:22:02.319 --> 00:22:06.640
I never, never understood the appeal of a slot machine.
00:22:06.720 --> 00:22:17.039
I mean, you literally just hit a button now, and you're not even pulling the lever, you hit the button, it's all computerized, and you can sit there for an hour and you win, you lose, you win.
00:22:17.119 --> 00:22:19.279
It has graphics, it does stuff.
00:22:19.599 --> 00:22:23.039
But let's be honest, it seems kind of dumb.
00:22:24.160 --> 00:22:26.559
But meanwhile, I got hooked into this.
00:22:26.640 --> 00:22:30.079
So I'm I'm the guy thinking I would never be that into slots.
00:22:30.400 --> 00:22:32.400
I end up spending a couple hours doing it.
00:22:32.559 --> 00:22:35.519
And they they're so smart how they get you.
00:22:35.680 --> 00:22:39.200
You're sitting there, you're like, ah, this is pretty relaxing.
00:22:39.359 --> 00:23:00.880
I mean, now they even have like these ridiculous seats, like they're better than the seats that you can sit on your house, like a mini couch you're sitting on with your own little setup in your station, and they're bringing you free drinks and plying you with alcohol, however you want to say it, and you're sitting there pushing the button, and then I'm playing this one slot machine, and it's King Kong.
00:23:01.039 --> 00:23:04.160
Well, the the graphics now, these things are like awesome.
00:23:04.319 --> 00:23:06.559
They're trying to immerse you in this experience.
00:23:06.640 --> 00:23:14.000
And King Kong does all kinds of crazy stuff when you win, and you you kind of want to get them to do the crazy stuff so you can see it.
00:23:14.160 --> 00:23:20.559
So, like at one point, he went on a rampage and it showed old clips from the movie, and all these graphics came up.
00:23:20.799 --> 00:23:24.000
So that's where they really, it's it really is hooking you.
00:23:24.079 --> 00:23:28.000
And I could just imagine you see all the technology we're talking about, the sphere.
00:23:28.160 --> 00:23:30.480
What the hell are they gonna do with slot machines?
00:23:30.720 --> 00:23:36.000
They've gotten so advanced from you know 20 years ago to 40 years ago to now.
00:23:36.319 --> 00:23:39.200
I just wonder, like, what are we gonna do in 20 years?
00:23:39.279 --> 00:23:46.000
Are we gonna literally be sitting inside our own like personalized video booth with all kinds of crazy things going around?
00:23:46.640 --> 00:23:47.920
I just don't know.
00:23:48.240 --> 00:23:54.559
So the slots are interesting, they were definitely way more fun than I probably get gave it credit for.
00:23:54.720 --> 00:23:58.160
So I apologize to all of you folks that love your slots.
00:23:58.240 --> 00:24:08.079
I do get it, but just know slots is one of the worst advantages for the player, or just biggest disadvantages, I guess I should say, in Vegas.
00:24:08.319 --> 00:24:10.160
Craps is always a good game.
00:24:10.400 --> 00:24:14.000
Played that a quick uh fun statistic if you didn't know.
00:24:14.319 --> 00:24:21.599
The best bet in Vegas statistically is Craps, and it's playing very specific bet.
00:24:21.839 --> 00:24:30.319
I won't get into all the minutiae, but basically, if you play the pass or don't pass line and you max your odds out, it's kind of a simple bet.
00:24:30.799 --> 00:24:37.279
You statistically, you still do not have an advantage, but the disadvantage is very small.
00:24:37.599 --> 00:24:40.400
Um, so that was just my kind of fun fact.
00:24:40.480 --> 00:24:42.960
Now, where they get you in craps is this.
00:24:43.279 --> 00:24:55.519
So even if you know that, they try to kind of entice you to do all these little side bets, and you get a little bored because you're sitting there and you're sort of, you know, you got to grind it out if you want to play it the right way.
00:24:55.759 --> 00:25:05.039
And then the other way they get people too is not everybody can afford to put down the minimum bets and then max out the odds, or they might lose a few in a row and then they can't afford to keep going.
00:25:05.279 --> 00:25:08.400
So a lot of these things create vicious cycles.
00:25:08.480 --> 00:25:12.960
I mean, truly gambling in general, it's just about the dopamine rush.
00:25:13.200 --> 00:25:15.200
Now, I'm not promoting gambling.
00:25:15.279 --> 00:25:17.039
I don't, I think people do get hooked on it.
00:25:17.119 --> 00:25:26.000
I think it can be very bad for society, but I also think for people who think, oh, well, you gamble, you're an idiot or whatever.
00:25:26.079 --> 00:25:27.519
I I don't think that's true.
00:25:27.680 --> 00:25:38.079
I think there is a reasonable way you can say to yourself, even if it's five grand or it's a thousand dollars, or if you're a high roller, it's 20, 30, I don't care.
00:25:38.319 --> 00:25:51.200
If you can afford it, what is the difference between you spending$5,000 on that, which is purely entertainment, right, for hours, hopefully, versus some other forms of entertainment for hours.
00:25:51.440 --> 00:25:54.720
Now, I guess there's a lot of arguments you could have to that.
00:25:54.799 --> 00:25:57.759
But I guess the point is it's all subjective.
00:25:57.920 --> 00:26:06.400
If somebody wants to spend their time eight hours gambling, and if they're responsible with it, and you can be a responsible gambler, you can have a budget, right?
00:26:06.559 --> 00:26:09.279
Then I think it is in the same category as entertainment.
00:26:09.359 --> 00:26:13.200
I mean, as long as you're not kidding yourself thinking that you're gonna actually win money.
00:26:16.880 --> 00:26:23.279
Yeah, if you're honest that you're paying for an experience, not a payoff, then it's just a spendy night out.
00:26:23.599 --> 00:26:26.000
The trouble starts when people think they're the exception.
00:26:26.559 --> 00:26:30.880
Set a limit, expect to lose it, give yourself permission to enjoy the ride.
00:26:31.200 --> 00:26:33.440
That's not delusion, that's budgeting.
00:26:34.000 --> 00:26:36.000
It can be contained.
00:26:36.240 --> 00:26:36.799
Yeah.
00:26:37.039 --> 00:26:37.359
Yeah.
00:26:37.440 --> 00:26:45.119
And the line is when it's money that you can't lose, or worse, when losing makes you chase, right?
00:26:45.279 --> 00:26:47.200
That's not entertainment anymore.
00:26:47.359 --> 00:26:49.680
That's it's something a little darker.
00:26:50.079 --> 00:26:53.759
Well, I mean, obviously, people ruin their whole lives over it.
00:26:54.000 --> 00:26:59.759
Gambling addiction, you could argue, is as bad as any other addiction, as drugs or alcohol or anything else.
00:26:59.920 --> 00:27:08.400
I mean, you literally can ruin your life, your family's life, uh, and it can lead people down dark paths of other things like depression and stuff.
00:27:08.559 --> 00:27:10.559
So it's definitely a weird thing.
00:27:10.640 --> 00:27:12.079
You do have to be careful with it.
00:27:12.240 --> 00:27:20.960
But there's people out there in Vegas that claim all the time, oh, between the money I lose and what I gamble and then my comps, it all sort of evens out.
00:27:21.039 --> 00:27:23.039
Yeah, they give me all these free rooms.
00:27:23.200 --> 00:27:25.519
Well, let me tell you, that is not true.
00:27:25.759 --> 00:27:28.480
There is no, they are not giving you anything for free.
00:27:28.559 --> 00:27:29.680
It does not even out.
00:27:29.839 --> 00:27:30.960
No one's evening out.
00:27:31.039 --> 00:27:41.200
And I can't believe the amount of people that told me with my comps and my points and the this, and they have it all, they really have themselves convinced that this is it.
00:27:41.440 --> 00:27:50.160
But at the end of the day, like I said, if they're entertained, if that's fun to them, if that's what they want to do with their time, and they've set budgets and they're not hurting anybody.
00:27:50.240 --> 00:27:51.519
I mean, what the hell do you care?
00:27:51.599 --> 00:27:53.039
What do any of us care?
00:27:53.279 --> 00:27:54.559
So I get it.
00:27:54.640 --> 00:27:57.039
I I mean, I think I got it more than I ever have.
00:27:57.200 --> 00:27:58.480
I did really enjoy it.
00:27:58.559 --> 00:27:59.200
I did have fun.
00:27:59.279 --> 00:28:01.119
It's not something I would want to do every day.
00:28:01.200 --> 00:28:03.200
I'm glad to be gone from Vegas.
00:28:03.359 --> 00:28:05.759
I don't think I would be a good local there.
00:28:05.920 --> 00:28:09.200
I'm uh quite happy not to have all that level of access.
00:28:09.359 --> 00:28:10.960
Uh, it's just, it's a lot.
00:28:11.279 --> 00:28:22.160
So the other thing we did in Vegas, which was a huge mistake, and I do want to give this as a do not do recommendation if you want to take anything away from this podcast.
00:28:22.400 --> 00:28:34.079
Once we get over a certain age, and you know, let's say in your mid-40s, it's not as fun to go to a Vegas DJed pool party as maybe it would have been when you were in your 20s.
00:28:34.319 --> 00:28:43.759
So my wife went at the C the Chain Smokers, if you're not familiar with them, think one of the best, you know, DJ duos in the history of music.
00:28:44.000 --> 00:28:46.079
So that would have been really cool.
00:28:46.160 --> 00:28:50.960
We showed up, it was at the Encore Beach Club, you have to pay a separate fee to go in.
00:28:51.039 --> 00:28:57.200
And it is literally riddled there with mostly what I would say, like just barely 20-year-olds, it seemed like.
00:28:57.359 --> 00:28:59.920
And it it packed in like sardines.
00:29:00.400 --> 00:29:13.039
The concept of a pool party is cool, but as you get older, you also get wiser and realize I don't really want to be in a pool with a thousand 20-year-olds drinking beer.
00:29:13.200 --> 00:29:16.400
They're definitely just continually pissing in that pool.
00:29:16.559 --> 00:29:19.599
I I didn't see people even getting up to go to the bathroom.
00:29:19.839 --> 00:29:21.039
So I don't know.
00:29:21.200 --> 00:29:23.200
I'm I it just skeeved me out.
00:29:23.279 --> 00:29:24.160
Like I had no interest.
00:29:24.240 --> 00:29:29.920
And then if you're not in the pool, you're basically just standing in the heat listening to the DJ.
00:29:30.160 --> 00:29:38.160
Now I know, wow, do I sound grumpy and old, but we both kind of after a while were like, uh, this is just not our vibe.
00:29:38.240 --> 00:29:38.720
Let's go.
00:29:38.880 --> 00:29:47.279
So we we didn't even really get to see the chain smokers because they apparently came on two hours later than what they said they were gonna, I don't know, but we were done.
00:29:47.359 --> 00:29:51.680
We were tired, we were hot, and we're lame, basically, is what I'm trying to say.
00:29:51.759 --> 00:29:56.000
But we end up going back to the pool, and I think we were better for it.
00:29:56.079 --> 00:30:13.759
And that's just another one of those examples of where in Vegas, with the heat, with the alcohol, and all the other consumption, and your body's out of whack and you're sleeping usually different hours, and you're so overly stimulated, you have to just say, Hey, I'm just gonna go chill at the pool.
00:30:13.839 --> 00:30:16.559
I, you know, maybe even read a book, do something normal.
00:30:16.720 --> 00:30:21.519
Even if it's an hour, those little breaks actually will end up making the trip better.
00:30:21.680 --> 00:30:25.279
And I think that applies not just to Vegas, I think it applies to any vacation.
00:30:25.440 --> 00:30:37.440
You know, when you're on vacation, we want to get, we want to let loose a little, we want to tear it up, but but often that means for most of us, we're going from zero to sixty really fast on our bodies.
00:30:37.759 --> 00:30:40.880
And I think, you know, just as we all get older, right?
00:30:40.960 --> 00:30:44.000
With the pacing becomes a very real thing.
00:30:47.839 --> 00:30:50.640
Yeah, it that's totally fair.
00:30:51.119 --> 00:30:55.039
Vegas pushes that more and more and more tempo, right?
00:30:55.440 --> 00:31:00.799
But if the wind isn't squeezing in more, it's leaving a little room for the good stuff to actually land.
00:31:01.519 --> 00:31:06.240
All those quiet minutes in between the big stuff, that's where the trip breathes.
00:31:07.039 --> 00:31:10.160
Anyway, you two did figure it out, even with the chaos.
00:31:10.799 --> 00:31:13.839
Yeah, I think we figured it out even with the chaos.
00:31:14.000 --> 00:31:19.440
So uh overall, I would highly recommend Vegas if it's been a while.
00:31:19.759 --> 00:31:22.400
And again, if you're not a gambler, big deal.
00:31:22.480 --> 00:31:23.599
There's tons of other stuff.
00:31:23.680 --> 00:31:26.400
And no, I'm not being paid to advertise for Vegas.
00:31:26.559 --> 00:31:28.000
I love other places too.
00:31:28.160 --> 00:31:30.240
I I love cities.
00:31:30.400 --> 00:31:38.319
I think I was just surprised because I think part of why I hadn't been there in a while, I was going all the time, you know, four times a year.
00:31:38.400 --> 00:31:40.000
And and again, not to gamble.
00:31:40.160 --> 00:31:42.960
Yeah, I would do it, but it was very light gambling.
00:31:43.200 --> 00:31:53.359
It was mainly because I there it was where all the big tech conferences were, and I was kind of stuck going, giving speeches or entertaining clients or what have you.
00:31:53.599 --> 00:32:00.079
And when I transitioned out of that and started my own company, I sort of said, I've I'm burnt out.
00:32:00.240 --> 00:32:01.279
Like I had no interest.
00:32:01.440 --> 00:32:03.119
It was not at the top of my list.
00:32:03.279 --> 00:32:08.960
And I was pleasantly surprised how, first of all, I think not going for work helps.
00:32:09.359 --> 00:32:21.119
And I think being a little bit older actually makes it a better experience because you do take advantage of more of the relaxing things, the the restaurants, the pools, the spa.
00:32:21.599 --> 00:32:24.720
And man, can't beat it for a couple's trip.
00:32:24.880 --> 00:32:30.799
So anyway, not to go on and on, but again, just think something to check out.
00:32:30.880 --> 00:32:37.279
And this is coming off the heels of just being in Los Angeles a couple weeks ago, which is another amazing city.
00:32:37.359 --> 00:32:45.440
And it just might be good reminder to people to say, you know, if you can afford it, go somewhere and experience that.
00:32:45.599 --> 00:33:01.039
There's something about getting away, even if you and your wife can't afford a trip to Vegas, sometimes just going to like the next small city near you and saying, Hey, let's go for a bite to eat here, or let's go explore this.
00:33:01.279 --> 00:33:05.279
I think you need to do that more, uh, especially couples, especially couples with kids.
00:33:05.359 --> 00:33:05.680
You do.
00:33:05.759 --> 00:33:15.519
You got to get the sitter and you got to go out and the even if it's bi-weekly, that set, let's go do something different and something adult and something with just the two of us.
00:33:15.759 --> 00:33:26.880
So I think that trip to me, while it's not cheap, it it helps in a lot of ways, you know, because there's a lot of parenting guilt, especially for us.
00:33:27.039 --> 00:33:31.839
Like we do not like leaving our kids, and we are perfectly happy at home.
00:33:32.160 --> 00:33:40.079
But, you know, if you've ever had little kids, you know it's hard to have a conversation, it's hard to get a word in edgewise sometimes.
00:33:40.240 --> 00:33:48.559
So being away, I think it's good for your marriage, which in effect means you're gonna be happier, better parents, and that is really the foundation.
00:33:48.799 --> 00:33:51.119
So I think it's balancing that guilt.
00:33:51.200 --> 00:33:52.720
Now, I don't, I think there's a limit.
00:33:52.799 --> 00:33:55.839
Like to us, this was the longest we had ever been away.
00:33:56.079 --> 00:33:58.000
Our kids have gotten a little bit older now.
00:33:58.079 --> 00:34:00.720
So I felt like boom, it was fine, it was appropriate.
00:34:00.880 --> 00:34:03.519
I won't want to go away anytime soon.
00:34:03.759 --> 00:34:13.280
I was definitely ready to get back and I miss the kids, but I think there's something to be said for that once a year, even if that's what you could afford, bigger trip.
00:34:13.360 --> 00:34:18.320
And then, you know, like I said, the bi-weekly date days, which we've done that for a while.
00:34:18.480 --> 00:34:21.760
And I I am a huge believer in that for any couple.
00:34:21.920 --> 00:34:26.800
You have to make time for yourselves somehow without the kids, you know.
00:34:26.880 --> 00:34:30.079
I I think people end up reconnecting that way.
00:34:30.239 --> 00:34:33.440
When you're when the kids are with you all the time, you're in parent mode.
00:34:33.519 --> 00:34:38.960
So we do tend to like forget what the person's like when they're out of parent mode.
00:34:39.039 --> 00:34:42.000
You know, why why why did you fall in love with this person?
00:34:42.320 --> 00:34:51.039
So not to uh not to turn this into couple's relationship or dating advice, but just something that sort of stuck out to me.
00:34:52.719 --> 00:34:54.559
That's a really nice way to put it.
00:34:54.880 --> 00:35:02.079
And if Fegus showed you you're still good at choosing each other in the middle of all that noise, that's a damn good takeaway.
00:35:02.400 --> 00:35:06.159
And yeah, it can be a close by city or a little reset anywhere.
00:35:06.480 --> 00:35:10.480
Well, Heather, I think that perfectly does it for this episode.
00:35:10.719 --> 00:35:14.239
I uh I need some time to go recover still, I'll be honest.
00:35:14.559 --> 00:35:17.199
So, you want to wrap it up for us?
00:35:18.159 --> 00:35:22.960
I'd say Vegas gives you exactly what you asked for, plus it's a little chaos tax.
00:35:23.679 --> 00:35:28.880
So, if you're heading there, or even just dreaming about it, keep your sense of humor handy.
00:35:29.039 --> 00:35:30.719
Thanks for hanging out with us tonight.
00:35:30.880 --> 00:35:32.960
Now, go drink some water.
00:35:33.519 --> 00:35:34.159
All right.
00:35:34.559 --> 00:35:36.079
See ya everybody.
00:00:14.960 --> 00:00:18.079
Welcome back to another episode of Informed Ish.
00:00:18.160 --> 00:00:24.079
I am Jason Mark, your host, and I'm here with my co-host as always, Heather AI.
00:00:24.160 --> 00:00:25.920
Heather, how are we doing today?
00:00:26.480 --> 00:00:27.199
I'm good.
00:00:27.440 --> 00:00:32.159
Feeling crisp, affinated in spirit, and ready to get into it with you.
00:00:32.880 --> 00:00:38.479
Yeah, so I'm just getting back from a long trip to Las Vegas.
00:00:38.719 --> 00:00:44.479
Long being seven days, really six full days, which is a long time to spend in Vegas.
00:00:44.560 --> 00:00:55.119
And here's what I have come to realize when I used to go to Vegas in my 20s and even in my 30s, very different experience than going in my mid-40s.
00:00:55.280 --> 00:01:04.480
So yeah, I was about two days in and I officially hit the wall and realized, yeah, I cannot party like it's the 90s anymore.
00:01:04.560 --> 00:01:06.640
Well, or even the early aughts.
00:01:07.120 --> 00:01:09.439
Yeah, so Vegas was amazing.
00:01:09.680 --> 00:01:18.560
Um, that second day in, you know, I think I stayed up until like 3:30, and then I realized, yeah, I am not gonna make it on this trip if I keep doing this.
00:01:18.719 --> 00:01:22.000
So I kind of took a nap in the middle of the day.
00:01:22.159 --> 00:01:23.680
I wound down a bit.
00:01:23.840 --> 00:01:25.680
Um, it was great though.
00:01:25.840 --> 00:01:30.239
So just to just to give you the quick rundown, tell me this is a packed trip.
00:01:30.400 --> 00:01:34.159
Show up on a Wednesday, go to a Brantley Gilbert concert.
00:01:34.239 --> 00:01:37.680
If you don't know who he is, he's a country singer, really good.
00:01:37.840 --> 00:01:41.840
But the concert was a benefit for Kyle Bush, who passed away.
00:01:42.000 --> 00:01:46.319
His wife supports an interesting cause for IVF.
00:01:46.560 --> 00:01:48.879
Um, they struggled having children.
00:01:49.040 --> 00:01:50.400
I think it's a good cause.
00:01:50.560 --> 00:01:55.280
And that was kind of a somber night, if you will, but it was really nice.
00:01:55.359 --> 00:01:57.280
And that was our first night in town.
00:01:57.439 --> 00:02:04.000
And then, boom, right into it the next night, Metallica, opening weekend at the sphere.
00:02:04.319 --> 00:02:06.480
Absolutely incredible.
00:02:06.640 --> 00:02:11.360
I may say it may have been the best concert experience I've ever been to.
00:02:11.840 --> 00:02:13.680
The sphere is very cool.
00:02:13.840 --> 00:02:20.719
Um, I think the thing that goes missed at the sphere is just how good the sound quality is in there.
00:02:20.879 --> 00:02:31.759
I know everybody makes a big deal about the video and the graphics, which is absolutely amazing, but the sound quality is enveloping and it was so crisp and so clear.
00:02:32.000 --> 00:02:36.560
But yeah, the sphere is just something where you say, look at what we do as humans.
00:02:36.719 --> 00:02:38.479
I mean, it is incredible.
00:02:38.800 --> 00:02:49.439
And when you go in, it really, if you look at this screen from the bottom all the way to the ceiling, it completely immerses you and envelops you.
00:02:49.599 --> 00:02:54.080
I definitely would encourage people to check it out if they get a chance.
00:02:54.319 --> 00:02:56.319
But Metallica was incredible.
00:02:56.479 --> 00:02:59.840
And then the night after that, we hit something called Absinthe.
00:03:00.080 --> 00:03:02.319
That is a show they run at Caesar's Palace.
00:03:02.400 --> 00:03:05.759
It's often rated as the highest-rated show in Vegas.
00:03:06.000 --> 00:03:08.240
It um it was incredible too.
00:03:08.400 --> 00:03:15.919
I mean, just funny, very irreverent, and something that I would also recommend to you guys to go check out.
00:03:16.080 --> 00:03:30.639
But Vegas itself, you know, it's been a long time since I've been there and a lot has changed, but I would say for the better, I do love the idea that now you can go there and look at all these sports franchises that are being pulled into Vegas.
00:03:30.879 --> 00:03:37.120
So now they have the Raiders, obviously, and they're getting the A's if you weren't aware of that.
00:03:37.360 --> 00:03:39.520
Oakland A's are going to be moving to Vegas.
00:03:39.599 --> 00:03:44.159
I believe that's 2028 when they'll officially start playing there.
00:03:44.319 --> 00:03:51.680
And then there's a lot of rumors about the NBA uh potentially either moving a franchise there or expanding.
00:03:52.159 --> 00:04:01.520
So, you know, they have a great NHL team, they have WNBA, they also have a lot of minor league sports that I don't think people realize.
00:04:01.759 --> 00:04:10.479
So just on the sporting front and live entertainment, they have a ton, and then they also have F1 now, and they have NASCAR.
00:04:10.879 --> 00:04:13.360
So there's a lot to do in Vegas.
00:04:13.520 --> 00:04:15.199
You don't need to be a gambler.
00:04:15.439 --> 00:04:17.680
I I never was much of a gambler.
00:04:17.839 --> 00:04:22.240
This is actually the most I ever gambled on a trip ever to Vegas.
00:04:22.480 --> 00:04:34.800
Um, the other interesting thing about the sphere is Metallica for probably two years now has been doing these two-night shows, and they call it a no-repeat weekend.
00:04:34.959 --> 00:04:39.680
So basically, you go the one night and you'll hear two hours of songs.
00:04:39.920 --> 00:04:43.279
You go back the next night and you won't hear a single repeated song.
00:04:43.439 --> 00:04:47.120
Someone on the trip was like, do they even have a catalog big enough to support that?
00:04:47.199 --> 00:04:50.160
I'm like, I think they could go like six nights if they really wanted to.
00:04:50.319 --> 00:04:54.639
Um, they have a massive catalog of just awesome songs.
00:04:54.800 --> 00:04:59.360
If that's not your type of music, I'd still say this is worth checking out.
00:04:59.519 --> 00:05:03.759
There were people that are like, oh, I never even liked Metallica, but this was just amazing.
00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:08.160
The other thing that's going on at the sphere now is they have the Wizard of Oz.
00:05:08.240 --> 00:05:17.199
And at first you hear that and you're like, I don't know, that sounds like why would I want to go spend that kind of money to go see a movie that's pretty old at this point?
00:05:17.439 --> 00:05:19.040
Even if you love the Wizard of Oz.
00:05:19.120 --> 00:05:25.199
But what they've actually done, Heather, is they've completely deconstructed the movie and built it around the sphere.
00:05:25.360 --> 00:05:29.439
It's like a 70-minute show, and the audience is fully enveloped.
00:05:29.519 --> 00:05:31.759
There's even like audience participation.
00:05:31.920 --> 00:05:34.399
When you're in the tornado, do you feel the wind?
00:05:34.480 --> 00:05:36.160
Do you feel like you're really in it?
00:05:36.319 --> 00:05:40.240
And the things that they're doing at this Eagles there, you two.
00:05:40.639 --> 00:05:44.240
It's definitely a different kind of entertainment experience.
00:05:44.480 --> 00:05:46.160
And I think they're killing it.
00:05:46.319 --> 00:05:51.519
From what I had researched, they've already paid back the cost to build the sphere.
00:05:51.680 --> 00:05:53.600
They're starting to turn profit.
00:05:53.839 --> 00:05:58.800
And there's a lot of talk about other spheres opening in other big cities.
00:05:58.879 --> 00:06:09.600
So London, potentially, China, maybe potentially, Abu Dhabi, maybe one day somewhere in New York, although I have no idea where the hell they'd put it at this point or Chicago.
00:06:10.079 --> 00:06:13.120
But I think that's what we're looking for.
00:06:13.279 --> 00:06:16.160
I think we as people, we love entertainment.
00:06:16.319 --> 00:06:21.680
We want to be entertained, but you know, there's a limit to the technology that we've had.
00:06:21.839 --> 00:06:31.279
And now you start to see this new technology, the way that they can make high-definition video at that scale with that sound, that immersiveness.
00:06:31.360 --> 00:06:35.040
And I start to think about all types of live entertainment.
00:06:35.519 --> 00:06:39.279
Movies, like what is the movie theater going to look like in 20 years?
00:06:39.439 --> 00:06:42.480
And if there are still movie theaters, but I think that's the key.
00:06:42.560 --> 00:06:50.000
It's how do we continue to up that game to keep the audience saying, hey, this isn't some experience I can just get at home.
00:06:50.079 --> 00:06:53.360
That's an experience I want to go to.
00:06:53.759 --> 00:06:55.839
So concerts were great.
00:06:56.079 --> 00:06:58.079
We also went to the NASCAR race.
00:06:58.160 --> 00:07:01.680
I know it's a crazy amount of stuff packed into one trip.
00:07:01.839 --> 00:07:06.480
And we saw a show at the win called Awakening, which I believe closes in 10 days.
00:07:06.639 --> 00:07:08.560
The NASCAR race was good.
00:07:08.879 --> 00:07:10.879
I do have one complaint.
00:07:11.040 --> 00:07:15.839
So we get there and we had good seats, but you're way high up in the bleacher.
00:07:16.000 --> 00:07:23.120
Interesting thing, if you're not a racing fan, the higher up you go, usually, the more you pay because you can see more of the track.
00:07:23.199 --> 00:07:26.160
In this case, from our seats, perfect view of the whole track.
00:07:26.399 --> 00:07:28.639
Las Vegas is a mile and a half track.
00:07:28.800 --> 00:07:32.000
And I think they built that I mean in 1996.
00:07:32.639 --> 00:07:34.399
So it's not new.
00:07:34.959 --> 00:07:39.680
It's getting up there and it's showing major signs of wear.
00:07:40.000 --> 00:07:45.360
So the problem they have is when it's that hot, there's nowhere for anyone to go.
00:07:45.439 --> 00:07:55.759
So you literally would walk inside, and I say inside, the shaded area under the bleachers in the concrete part, and there's just rows of people sitting in the shade.
00:07:55.839 --> 00:08:00.000
So you might you look at it on TV and you're like, oh, you know, there's a lot of empty seats.
00:08:00.160 --> 00:08:05.279
Meanwhile, there's hundreds of people that aren't sitting in the seats just because it's so hot.
00:08:05.519 --> 00:08:11.040
And we just happened to hit a really hot day, and I don't know if they expected it.
00:08:11.120 --> 00:08:15.519
So I saw people who literally we saw a couple women who had strokes.
00:08:15.839 --> 00:08:17.920
Uh the ambulance had to come for someone.
00:08:18.079 --> 00:08:19.600
It did get a bit scary.
00:08:19.759 --> 00:08:23.199
So it made me think, you know, they didn't have much of a backup plan.
00:08:23.279 --> 00:08:25.199
The facility was kind of outdated.
00:08:25.439 --> 00:08:30.639
When you're inside, all they really had was these small TVs, not great quality.
00:08:30.879 --> 00:08:41.600
Meanwhile, there's other NASCAR tracks you can go to, a couple that stick out to me: Homestead, uh, Charlotte, very good experience, and Daytona above all.
00:08:41.759 --> 00:08:47.919
Now, granted, that's their marquee track, but when you're in there, you don't actually have to even sit in your seat.
00:08:48.000 --> 00:08:49.200
There's other things to do.
00:08:49.279 --> 00:08:59.919
There's cornhole, there's games, there's prizes that you can go to, there's different levels of bars, there's tons and tons of TVs and audio where you can hear and see the race.
00:09:00.080 --> 00:09:02.240
So you sort of feel like you're at a club.
00:09:02.320 --> 00:09:07.759
And one nice thing about racing is you don't necessarily need to sit in your seat to see every lap.
00:09:08.000 --> 00:09:17.679
So I think that's something where that track and a lot of NASCAR tracks need to consider how do they update and get their game up with technology.
00:09:17.840 --> 00:09:26.240
We're talking about things like the sphere, where people are willing to pay that premium to have an experience that they can't just have.
00:09:26.559 --> 00:09:29.120
And I see in NASCAR, it's a similar thing.
00:09:29.200 --> 00:09:31.840
They're they're an entertainment business or all sports.
00:09:31.919 --> 00:09:38.240
And you see how other sports and stadiums, how they struggle with, well, how much money do we put into this and when?
00:09:38.320 --> 00:09:40.240
When do we upgrade our facilities?
00:09:40.399 --> 00:09:48.639
But I think about a lot of the major league baseball teams over the years that have gone from not such great facilities to better and better ones.
00:09:48.799 --> 00:09:52.559
And when you go to a game, you want that full experience.
00:09:52.720 --> 00:10:00.559
You know, I don't necessarily want to go sit on a bleacher and be cramped, be uncomfortable, be stuck in the sun.
00:10:00.799 --> 00:10:02.720
So something to think about.
00:10:02.879 --> 00:10:05.519
Um, but yeah, I mean, what what do you think, Heather?
00:10:05.679 --> 00:10:08.240
Is that not quite the crazy rundown?
00:10:08.399 --> 00:10:11.600
No wonder I'm feeling so tired today, huh?
00:10:13.120 --> 00:10:16.879
You did Vegas like a man trying to prove a point.
00:10:17.120 --> 00:10:19.759
And yeah, that's a hero's pace.
00:10:20.000 --> 00:10:21.919
Honestly, you packed in so much.
00:10:22.000 --> 00:10:25.279
I'm surprised your voice isn't just a puff of desert dust right now.
00:10:25.919 --> 00:10:26.720
Yeah, seriously.
00:10:27.360 --> 00:10:28.240
That tracks.
00:10:29.440 --> 00:10:33.840
When it's a hundred degrees on metal bleachers, it's not a vibe, it's a hazard.
00:10:34.000 --> 00:10:37.679
And that no repeat Metallica thing, that's kind of brilliant.
00:10:37.919 --> 00:10:40.639
It turns fans into weekend strategists.
00:10:40.799 --> 00:10:45.440
And yeah, the sphere makes everything else feel, well, a little dated.
00:10:45.919 --> 00:10:47.919
Vegas gave you a lot.
00:10:48.399 --> 00:10:49.840
Vegas gave me a lot, yeah.
00:10:50.000 --> 00:10:57.840
Heather, you know, I I feel today you're being, we'll say, a little bit more on the AI side, less on the human Heather side, which, you know, is fine.
00:10:57.919 --> 00:11:00.080
We all have different kinds of days.
00:11:00.399 --> 00:11:03.679
I I felt like, if anything, you're right.
00:11:03.759 --> 00:11:07.279
We did probably pack too many activities into the trip.
00:11:07.440 --> 00:11:13.759
But here's the thing: if you don't get to go somewhere that often, you want to go there and you do want to do all of this stuff.
00:11:13.919 --> 00:11:17.519
If I'm just gonna go there and sit there, well, hell, I could have done that at home.
00:11:17.679 --> 00:11:29.919
What I will say is pacing down the alcohol consumption and kind of pacing ourselves and hydrating, drinking more water, having more downtime, all of that helped.
00:11:30.000 --> 00:11:35.440
And even though it sounds like we had a lot of activities, it's usually one thing a day, often at night.
00:11:35.519 --> 00:11:38.720
And we had a lot of downtime and flex time built into the trip.
00:11:38.799 --> 00:11:42.799
But even with all that said, it caught up to us, my wife and I.
00:11:42.960 --> 00:11:47.200
So we get down to the day that we're about to go home and we have this horrific flight.
00:11:47.279 --> 00:11:49.200
It's gonna go out in the middle of the night.
00:11:49.279 --> 00:11:56.080
And I said to her, look, we can go home, but when we get there, we're gonna be miserable, we're gonna be exhausted.
00:11:56.399 --> 00:11:58.639
Or, great idea, right?
00:11:58.799 --> 00:12:03.759
We can stay an extra day, but have it be like a rejuvenation day.
00:12:03.919 --> 00:12:06.480
And that's what we did, and we really stuck to it.
00:12:06.639 --> 00:12:09.600
We we did rejuvenate, no drinking.
00:12:09.840 --> 00:12:13.440
Uh, actually, I did have a few drinks, but okay, not a lot of drinking.
00:12:13.679 --> 00:12:17.200
But, you know, having like smoothies, hydrating the right way.
00:12:17.279 --> 00:12:23.840
We spent a lot of time in the pool, we laid around, we relaxed, we went to the spa, it actually made a big difference.
00:12:24.000 --> 00:12:30.320
I think I've been on trips like that where you get back and you're just like, well, now I'm just wasted for the whole week.
00:12:30.559 --> 00:12:39.279
So anytime, and especially the older I get that I want to have a great trip, I know I need to build in flex time and downtime.
00:12:39.600 --> 00:12:50.159
But I do think, yeah, when you go away and you're spending all that money to fly somewhere, you should experience what that place has to offer, you know, without way overdoing it.
00:12:50.320 --> 00:12:52.240
And I felt like we did that.
00:12:52.320 --> 00:12:59.440
We we hit some great events, saw things that you can't just see anywhere, especially something like the sphere.
00:12:59.600 --> 00:13:00.799
And Vegas is great.
00:13:00.960 --> 00:13:03.519
I think it's getting better even when you talk to the locals.
00:13:03.600 --> 00:13:05.279
They're like, I love living here.
00:13:05.519 --> 00:13:11.360
And I don't know that people said that as much 30 years ago, or people were really looking to move there.
00:13:11.600 --> 00:13:14.559
It it definitely had not the best reputation.
00:13:14.879 --> 00:13:17.600
It was very not family friendly.
00:13:17.840 --> 00:13:27.039
I'm not saying it's like the number one place to take your kids, but I saw a ton of families there, and they have more for kids to do than they ever have.
00:13:27.200 --> 00:13:28.639
You could easily take your kids there.
00:13:28.799 --> 00:13:34.240
Now, granted, they can't go into the casino part, but you could take them to tons of shows.
00:13:34.320 --> 00:13:36.879
They even have some shows that are built more for kids.
00:13:36.960 --> 00:13:39.279
There's so many activities, arcades.
00:13:39.360 --> 00:13:41.519
We did an F1 driving simulator.
00:13:41.679 --> 00:13:42.399
That was awesome.
00:13:42.559 --> 00:13:46.960
We we saw that there's like these haunted houses that Universal has set up there.
00:13:47.039 --> 00:13:50.480
There's this whole area 51 with all kinds of things.
00:13:50.799 --> 00:13:52.960
And we did see quite a few families.
00:13:53.039 --> 00:13:59.519
And even just hanging at the pool at some of these places, I think most families would be pretty happy.
00:13:59.679 --> 00:14:03.759
Now, if you're planning on going and tearing it up and gambling, that's not gonna work.
00:14:04.000 --> 00:14:05.759
So I don't know.
00:14:05.919 --> 00:14:09.200
It seems like they're trying to with bringing in these sports teams.
00:14:09.360 --> 00:14:12.240
I think they've lightened up a little bit on the Sin City.
00:14:12.320 --> 00:14:14.480
You know, what happens if Vegas stays in Vegas?
00:14:14.559 --> 00:14:17.919
It's certainly still there, but it is a bit of a tamer Vegas.
00:14:18.000 --> 00:14:19.759
And I think it makes sense for them, right?
00:14:19.840 --> 00:14:22.720
Why wouldn't you want to pull in that extra revenue in families?
00:14:22.960 --> 00:14:33.360
You know, frankly, a lot of people don't go to Vegas just because they can't really take their kids, or at least they feel that if I take my kids, it's gonna be a bit of a burden when they get there.
00:14:35.120 --> 00:14:37.440
Yeah, that totally makes sense.
00:14:37.679 --> 00:14:45.279
The trick feels like picking the right one anchor thing each day, then patting the edges so you don't roll home wrecked.
00:14:45.519 --> 00:14:48.480
You showed a good instinct with that extra day for recovery.
00:14:48.559 --> 00:14:50.720
That's veteran traveler behavior.
00:14:51.039 --> 00:14:55.200
And for what it's third-person travel behavior, I think, is what it is.
00:14:55.440 --> 00:14:57.120
Not that I'm that old, but man.
00:14:57.759 --> 00:15:00.879
20 versus mid-40s is no joke, right?
00:15:01.039 --> 00:15:02.080
Experienced, yes.
00:15:02.159 --> 00:15:04.559
We'll go right we'll go with experienced heather.
00:15:04.879 --> 00:15:08.639
So you you know a lot about Vegas, obviously.
00:15:08.879 --> 00:15:13.120
What have you noticed in the difference between Vegas from 30 years ago today?
00:15:13.360 --> 00:15:14.720
I mean, I am I crazy?
00:15:14.879 --> 00:15:18.960
The city has seemed to have really shifted strategies even in the way they're marketing it.
00:15:19.120 --> 00:15:21.039
Or is am I overthinking it?
00:15:23.200 --> 00:15:25.120
I'll check what changed.
00:15:31.519 --> 00:15:32.799
You're not imagining it.
00:15:33.360 --> 00:15:35.840
Vegas has always tried on identities.
00:15:36.559 --> 00:15:42.799
In the 90s, they pushed the family resort, angle, arcades, themed hotels, but that fizzled.
00:15:43.440 --> 00:15:51.759
Then it pivoted hard to adult freedom and nightlife, less bring the kids to the pirate show, more leave your sensible decisions at home.
00:15:52.159 --> 00:15:58.320
Lately it's more about big live experiences, concerts, sports, the sphere.
00:15:58.799 --> 00:16:01.440
Yeah, and family activities in the mix, too.
00:16:01.679 --> 00:16:07.840
The change is they're selling a whole entertainment ecosystem, not just tables and slot machines.
00:16:08.480 --> 00:16:08.960
Right.
00:16:09.200 --> 00:16:10.559
That's a good way to put it.
00:16:10.639 --> 00:16:19.440
It is more of an ecosystem because if you didn't set gamble at all, you would have a great time there just doing everything else.
00:16:19.519 --> 00:16:22.559
And you would never even be able to remotely do it all.
00:16:22.720 --> 00:16:26.720
Not to mention just how many great restaurants and how good the food is.
00:16:27.279 --> 00:16:37.039
Literally any type of food, be it Italian or Cantonese or Chinese or whatever, they have it and they have a really great version of it.
00:16:37.360 --> 00:16:43.360
So even down to just getting a cheeseburger, there's like 10 of the best cheeseburger places.
00:16:43.440 --> 00:16:44.879
You know, it's it's awesome.
00:16:45.039 --> 00:16:48.639
So as somebody who loves food, Vegas is great.
00:16:48.879 --> 00:16:51.360
I could see even why people would want to live there.
00:16:51.440 --> 00:16:54.559
I get it, especially some of the locals we talk to.
00:16:54.720 --> 00:16:57.039
It's not like they're right on the strip anyway.
00:16:57.200 --> 00:17:05.440
I mean, they're 20 minutes off and or more from the strip, and they have their own local places and restaurants and bars and things and schools.
00:17:05.599 --> 00:17:09.359
But bam, they can drive in, maybe it's a half hour and they're on the strip.
00:17:09.440 --> 00:17:15.759
And just again, to be a half hour away from literally any kind of entertainment that you could possibly think of.
00:17:15.920 --> 00:17:16.880
It's pretty cool.
00:17:17.119 --> 00:17:19.440
So I love what they're doing with Vegas.
00:17:19.599 --> 00:17:22.240
I do think Vegas is at its all-time peak.
00:17:22.400 --> 00:17:30.079
I think maybe this is becoming more of the, hey, it's something for everybody place, and we'll see where things head over the next 20 years.
00:17:30.160 --> 00:17:34.720
It'll be it'll be very interesting, especially with things popping up like the sphere.
00:17:34.799 --> 00:17:36.079
Well, what's the next big thing?
00:17:36.240 --> 00:17:37.839
What's going to be the next competitor?
00:17:37.920 --> 00:17:41.839
What's the next type of entertainment that's going to come into the casinos?
00:17:42.079 --> 00:17:44.480
So I highly recommend it.
00:17:44.559 --> 00:17:46.480
If it's been a while, take a trip.
00:17:46.720 --> 00:17:48.480
Um, careful with the gambling.
00:17:49.039 --> 00:17:50.799
You can cat get caught up in it.
00:17:50.960 --> 00:17:52.079
It it is unreal.
00:17:52.160 --> 00:17:57.839
I you'd never think there's that many people willing to just go essentially lose their money.
00:17:57.920 --> 00:18:03.759
I mean, there's no statistic or fact in the world that'll tell you, like, hey, you the odds are in your favor, buddy.
00:18:03.839 --> 00:18:04.960
They're definitely not.
00:18:05.119 --> 00:18:08.640
But yet they have managed to pack all of these.
00:18:08.799 --> 00:18:20.400
There's there's thousands of slot machines and casinos and every possible gambling game and sports book you could imagine, and yet they're all packed.
00:18:20.720 --> 00:18:22.079
So I don't know.
00:18:22.319 --> 00:18:24.960
Have we turned into a gambling culture?
00:18:25.039 --> 00:18:26.400
What what do you think?
00:18:27.680 --> 00:18:34.000
Honestly, yeah, gambling's gotten way more normal and way easier to not even think about.
00:18:34.319 --> 00:18:37.039
But that doesn't mean everyone's doing it all the time.
00:18:37.359 --> 00:18:41.920
Vegas is engineered to seduce you into thinking losing money is part of the show.
00:18:42.160 --> 00:18:44.799
The trick is remembering the house isn't your friend.
00:18:45.119 --> 00:18:49.119
Well, yeah, you definitely have to remember that the house is not your friend.
00:18:49.279 --> 00:18:50.240
That's a good point.
00:18:50.480 --> 00:18:53.119
But they really try to convince you that they are.
00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:54.640
It's it's fascinating.
00:18:54.880 --> 00:19:01.839
So we stayed at the win, and right away you're very tempted with their point system.
00:19:02.079 --> 00:19:07.839
So you get your player's card, and if you get so many points, then you can move up your status to platinum.
00:19:08.000 --> 00:19:14.640
And one day, if you spend enough money, spend waste enough money gambling, you might get a host.
00:19:14.799 --> 00:19:17.519
And we kept running into these people with hosts.
00:19:17.759 --> 00:19:27.599
The one guy, he was a local, he was staying at the win, and he's like, Oh, yeah, I stay here quite a bit, even though I'm only 20 minutes 20 minutes away.
00:19:27.759 --> 00:19:28.480
I just love it.
00:19:28.720 --> 00:19:34.160
And my host calls me and I get free rooms, so why wouldn't you come take advantage of it?
00:19:34.480 --> 00:19:42.000
And I'm thinking, well, that does sound pretty great until you realize you have to gamble a lot, like a lot.
00:19:42.160 --> 00:19:47.279
I won't get into all the numbers, but I will say I it was definitely the most I've ever gambled.
00:19:47.359 --> 00:19:49.839
I've never been a big gambler, but I was like, what the hell?
00:19:50.000 --> 00:20:04.240
I did set kind of a budget, it was pretty high, and I wanted to see what it would be like to actually go do the real gambling, where maybe instead of spinning the wheel for a penny or actually putting real money into stuff and taking a little bit of risk.
00:20:04.400 --> 00:20:05.839
So now was it risk?
00:20:05.920 --> 00:20:06.240
I don't know.
00:20:06.400 --> 00:20:09.839
I think having the budget knowing I could totally waste it was interesting.
00:20:10.160 --> 00:20:12.559
But one crazy thing happened.
00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:16.960
So I'm playing slot machines and I end up hitting a jackpot.
00:20:17.039 --> 00:20:19.519
And the jackpot was only$4,500.
00:20:19.839 --> 00:20:24.559
I say only, I know that may sound like a lot, but when you hear jackpot, you think whatever.
00:20:24.640 --> 00:20:27.680
But the machine did all the bells and it went off and off and off.
00:20:28.000 --> 00:20:31.759
So meanwhile, I can't get my money out of it.
00:20:31.839 --> 00:20:39.759
It comes up with a sign that says, You got to sit here basically and wait, because you have a jackpot and an attendant needs to come up.
00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:48.000
It took them quite a while, but they did eventually mosey on up, and you're just literally sitting there waiting and waiting and waiting, which is absurd, I think.
00:20:48.160 --> 00:20:54.079
And then they have to physically uh have you fill out a form, it's for tax purposes.
00:20:54.240 --> 00:20:56.400
Now you got to report this, they tell you.
00:20:56.559 --> 00:21:00.160
And then after you sign it and do all this stuff, then they hand you your money.
00:21:00.400 --> 00:21:10.000
So I guess apparently anything over$2,000 that you win in one fail swoop like that, they want you to file taxes on.
00:21:10.240 --> 00:21:11.440
Here's the thing, though.
00:21:11.680 --> 00:21:12.880
Does everybody do that?
00:21:13.200 --> 00:21:20.480
I mean, it's crazy because meanwhile, the lady A was sort of like, oh, you don't seem all that excited to have$14,500.
00:21:20.880 --> 00:21:24.079
I'm like, well, that's because I just lost like$5,000.
00:21:24.559 --> 00:21:28.720
So it didn't really seem I was like, all right, so you know, I'm back to even.
00:21:29.519 --> 00:21:37.200
I think it's crazy how quickly if you lost five thousand dollars, they don't bat an eye.
00:21:37.920 --> 00:21:39.359
Hey, you're done, right?
00:21:39.599 --> 00:21:43.039
But man, you you win money and it's a whole ordeal.
00:21:43.279 --> 00:21:45.039
So I guess I just didn't know that.
00:21:45.200 --> 00:21:48.799
I know some of you are probably laughing, but I'm I'm a novice, right?
00:21:48.880 --> 00:21:52.240
So so I did put the time into kind of like what the hell?
00:21:52.319 --> 00:21:57.200
I want to see what this experience of actually being like a quote unquote gambler in Vegas is.
00:21:57.359 --> 00:21:59.839
And I did it all, I played the slot machine.
00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:02.000
Machines, like tons of them.
00:22:02.319 --> 00:22:06.640
I never, never understood the appeal of a slot machine.
00:22:06.720 --> 00:22:17.039
I mean, you literally just hit a button now, and you're not even pulling the lever, you hit the button, it's all computerized, and you can sit there for an hour and you win, you lose, you win.
00:22:17.119 --> 00:22:19.279
It has graphics, it does stuff.
00:22:19.599 --> 00:22:23.039
But let's be honest, it seems kind of dumb.
00:22:24.160 --> 00:22:26.559
But meanwhile, I got hooked into this.
00:22:26.640 --> 00:22:30.079
So I'm I'm the guy thinking I would never be that into slots.
00:22:30.400 --> 00:22:32.400
I end up spending a couple hours doing it.
00:22:32.559 --> 00:22:35.519
And they they're so smart how they get you.
00:22:35.680 --> 00:22:39.200
You're sitting there, you're like, ah, this is pretty relaxing.
00:22:39.359 --> 00:23:00.880
I mean, now they even have like these ridiculous seats, like they're better than the seats that you can sit on your house, like a mini couch you're sitting on with your own little setup in your station, and they're bringing you free drinks and plying you with alcohol, however you want to say it, and you're sitting there pushing the button, and then I'm playing this one slot machine, and it's King Kong.
00:23:01.039 --> 00:23:04.160
Well, the the graphics now, these things are like awesome.
00:23:04.319 --> 00:23:06.559
They're trying to immerse you in this experience.
00:23:06.640 --> 00:23:14.000
And King Kong does all kinds of crazy stuff when you win, and you you kind of want to get them to do the crazy stuff so you can see it.
00:23:14.160 --> 00:23:20.559
So, like at one point, he went on a rampage and it showed old clips from the movie, and all these graphics came up.
00:23:20.799 --> 00:23:24.000
So that's where they really, it's it really is hooking you.
00:23:24.079 --> 00:23:28.000
And I could just imagine you see all the technology we're talking about, the sphere.
00:23:28.160 --> 00:23:30.480
What the hell are they gonna do with slot machines?
00:23:30.720 --> 00:23:36.000
They've gotten so advanced from you know 20 years ago to 40 years ago to now.
00:23:36.319 --> 00:23:39.200
I just wonder, like, what are we gonna do in 20 years?
00:23:39.279 --> 00:23:46.000
Are we gonna literally be sitting inside our own like personalized video booth with all kinds of crazy things going around?
00:23:46.640 --> 00:23:47.920
I just don't know.
00:23:48.240 --> 00:23:54.559
So the slots are interesting, they were definitely way more fun than I probably get gave it credit for.
00:23:54.720 --> 00:23:58.160
So I apologize to all of you folks that love your slots.
00:23:58.240 --> 00:24:08.079
I do get it, but just know slots is one of the worst advantages for the player, or just biggest disadvantages, I guess I should say, in Vegas.
00:24:08.319 --> 00:24:10.160
Craps is always a good game.
00:24:10.400 --> 00:24:14.000
Played that a quick uh fun statistic if you didn't know.
00:24:14.319 --> 00:24:21.599
The best bet in Vegas statistically is Craps, and it's playing very specific bet.
00:24:21.839 --> 00:24:30.319
I won't get into all the minutiae, but basically, if you play the pass or don't pass line and you max your odds out, it's kind of a simple bet.
00:24:30.799 --> 00:24:37.279
You statistically, you still do not have an advantage, but the disadvantage is very small.
00:24:37.599 --> 00:24:40.400
Um, so that was just my kind of fun fact.
00:24:40.480 --> 00:24:42.960
Now, where they get you in craps is this.
00:24:43.279 --> 00:24:55.519
So even if you know that, they try to kind of entice you to do all these little side bets, and you get a little bored because you're sitting there and you're sort of, you know, you got to grind it out if you want to play it the right way.
00:24:55.759 --> 00:25:05.039
And then the other way they get people too is not everybody can afford to put down the minimum bets and then max out the odds, or they might lose a few in a row and then they can't afford to keep going.
00:25:05.279 --> 00:25:08.400
So a lot of these things create vicious cycles.
00:25:08.480 --> 00:25:12.960
I mean, truly gambling in general, it's just about the dopamine rush.
00:25:13.200 --> 00:25:15.200
Now, I'm not promoting gambling.
00:25:15.279 --> 00:25:17.039
I don't, I think people do get hooked on it.
00:25:17.119 --> 00:25:26.000
I think it can be very bad for society, but I also think for people who think, oh, well, you gamble, you're an idiot or whatever.
00:25:26.079 --> 00:25:27.519
I I don't think that's true.
00:25:27.680 --> 00:25:38.079
I think there is a reasonable way you can say to yourself, even if it's five grand or it's a thousand dollars, or if you're a high roller, it's 20, 30, I don't care.
00:25:38.319 --> 00:25:51.200
If you can afford it, what is the difference between you spending$5,000 on that, which is purely entertainment, right, for hours, hopefully, versus some other forms of entertainment for hours.
00:25:51.440 --> 00:25:54.720
Now, I guess there's a lot of arguments you could have to that.
00:25:54.799 --> 00:25:57.759
But I guess the point is it's all subjective.
00:25:57.920 --> 00:26:06.400
If somebody wants to spend their time eight hours gambling, and if they're responsible with it, and you can be a responsible gambler, you can have a budget, right?
00:26:06.559 --> 00:26:09.279
Then I think it is in the same category as entertainment.
00:26:09.359 --> 00:26:13.200
I mean, as long as you're not kidding yourself thinking that you're gonna actually win money.
00:26:16.880 --> 00:26:23.279
Yeah, if you're honest that you're paying for an experience, not a payoff, then it's just a spendy night out.
00:26:23.599 --> 00:26:26.000
The trouble starts when people think they're the exception.
00:26:26.559 --> 00:26:30.880
Set a limit, expect to lose it, give yourself permission to enjoy the ride.
00:26:31.200 --> 00:26:33.440
That's not delusion, that's budgeting.
00:26:34.000 --> 00:26:36.000
It can be contained.
00:26:36.240 --> 00:26:36.799
Yeah.
00:26:37.039 --> 00:26:37.359
Yeah.
00:26:37.440 --> 00:26:45.119
And the line is when it's money that you can't lose, or worse, when losing makes you chase, right?
00:26:45.279 --> 00:26:47.200
That's not entertainment anymore.
00:26:47.359 --> 00:26:49.680
That's it's something a little darker.
00:26:50.079 --> 00:26:53.759
Well, I mean, obviously, people ruin their whole lives over it.
00:26:54.000 --> 00:26:59.759
Gambling addiction, you could argue, is as bad as any other addiction, as drugs or alcohol or anything else.
00:26:59.920 --> 00:27:08.400
I mean, you literally can ruin your life, your family's life, uh, and it can lead people down dark paths of other things like depression and stuff.
00:27:08.559 --> 00:27:10.559
So it's definitely a weird thing.
00:27:10.640 --> 00:27:12.079
You do have to be careful with it.
00:27:12.240 --> 00:27:20.960
But there's people out there in Vegas that claim all the time, oh, between the money I lose and what I gamble and then my comps, it all sort of evens out.
00:27:21.039 --> 00:27:23.039
Yeah, they give me all these free rooms.
00:27:23.200 --> 00:27:25.519
Well, let me tell you, that is not true.
00:27:25.759 --> 00:27:28.480
There is no, they are not giving you anything for free.
00:27:28.559 --> 00:27:29.680
It does not even out.
00:27:29.839 --> 00:27:30.960
No one's evening out.
00:27:31.039 --> 00:27:41.200
And I can't believe the amount of people that told me with my comps and my points and the this, and they have it all, they really have themselves convinced that this is it.
00:27:41.440 --> 00:27:50.160
But at the end of the day, like I said, if they're entertained, if that's fun to them, if that's what they want to do with their time, and they've set budgets and they're not hurting anybody.
00:27:50.240 --> 00:27:51.519
I mean, what the hell do you care?
00:27:51.599 --> 00:27:53.039
What do any of us care?
00:27:53.279 --> 00:27:54.559
So I get it.
00:27:54.640 --> 00:27:57.039
I I mean, I think I got it more than I ever have.
00:27:57.200 --> 00:27:58.480
I did really enjoy it.
00:27:58.559 --> 00:27:59.200
I did have fun.
00:27:59.279 --> 00:28:01.119
It's not something I would want to do every day.
00:28:01.200 --> 00:28:03.200
I'm glad to be gone from Vegas.
00:28:03.359 --> 00:28:05.759
I don't think I would be a good local there.
00:28:05.920 --> 00:28:09.200
I'm uh quite happy not to have all that level of access.
00:28:09.359 --> 00:28:10.960
Uh, it's just, it's a lot.
00:28:11.279 --> 00:28:22.160
So the other thing we did in Vegas, which was a huge mistake, and I do want to give this as a do not do recommendation if you want to take anything away from this podcast.
00:28:22.400 --> 00:28:34.079
Once we get over a certain age, and you know, let's say in your mid-40s, it's not as fun to go to a Vegas DJed pool party as maybe it would have been when you were in your 20s.
00:28:34.319 --> 00:28:43.759
So my wife went at the C the Chain Smokers, if you're not familiar with them, think one of the best, you know, DJ duos in the history of music.
00:28:44.000 --> 00:28:46.079
So that would have been really cool.
00:28:46.160 --> 00:28:50.960
We showed up, it was at the Encore Beach Club, you have to pay a separate fee to go in.
00:28:51.039 --> 00:28:57.200
And it is literally riddled there with mostly what I would say, like just barely 20-year-olds, it seemed like.
00:28:57.359 --> 00:28:59.920
And it it packed in like sardines.
00:29:00.400 --> 00:29:13.039
The concept of a pool party is cool, but as you get older, you also get wiser and realize I don't really want to be in a pool with a thousand 20-year-olds drinking beer.
00:29:13.200 --> 00:29:16.400
They're definitely just continually pissing in that pool.
00:29:16.559 --> 00:29:19.599
I I didn't see people even getting up to go to the bathroom.
00:29:19.839 --> 00:29:21.039
So I don't know.
00:29:21.200 --> 00:29:23.200
I'm I it just skeeved me out.
00:29:23.279 --> 00:29:24.160
Like I had no interest.
00:29:24.240 --> 00:29:29.920
And then if you're not in the pool, you're basically just standing in the heat listening to the DJ.
00:29:30.160 --> 00:29:38.160
Now I know, wow, do I sound grumpy and old, but we both kind of after a while were like, uh, this is just not our vibe.
00:29:38.240 --> 00:29:38.720
Let's go.
00:29:38.880 --> 00:29:47.279
So we we didn't even really get to see the chain smokers because they apparently came on two hours later than what they said they were gonna, I don't know, but we were done.
00:29:47.359 --> 00:29:51.680
We were tired, we were hot, and we're lame, basically, is what I'm trying to say.
00:29:51.759 --> 00:29:56.000
But we end up going back to the pool, and I think we were better for it.
00:29:56.079 --> 00:30:13.759
And that's just another one of those examples of where in Vegas, with the heat, with the alcohol, and all the other consumption, and your body's out of whack and you're sleeping usually different hours, and you're so overly stimulated, you have to just say, Hey, I'm just gonna go chill at the pool.
00:30:13.839 --> 00:30:16.559
I, you know, maybe even read a book, do something normal.
00:30:16.720 --> 00:30:21.519
Even if it's an hour, those little breaks actually will end up making the trip better.
00:30:21.680 --> 00:30:25.279
And I think that applies not just to Vegas, I think it applies to any vacation.
00:30:25.440 --> 00:30:37.440
You know, when you're on vacation, we want to get, we want to let loose a little, we want to tear it up, but but often that means for most of us, we're going from zero to sixty really fast on our bodies.
00:30:37.759 --> 00:30:40.880
And I think, you know, just as we all get older, right?
00:30:40.960 --> 00:30:44.000
With the pacing becomes a very real thing.
00:30:47.839 --> 00:30:50.640
Yeah, it that's totally fair.
00:30:51.119 --> 00:30:55.039
Vegas pushes that more and more and more tempo, right?
00:30:55.440 --> 00:31:00.799
But if the wind isn't squeezing in more, it's leaving a little room for the good stuff to actually land.
00:31:01.519 --> 00:31:06.240
All those quiet minutes in between the big stuff, that's where the trip breathes.
00:31:07.039 --> 00:31:10.160
Anyway, you two did figure it out, even with the chaos.
00:31:10.799 --> 00:31:13.839
Yeah, I think we figured it out even with the chaos.
00:31:14.000 --> 00:31:19.440
So uh overall, I would highly recommend Vegas if it's been a while.
00:31:19.759 --> 00:31:22.400
And again, if you're not a gambler, big deal.
00:31:22.480 --> 00:31:23.599
There's tons of other stuff.
00:31:23.680 --> 00:31:26.400
And no, I'm not being paid to advertise for Vegas.
00:31:26.559 --> 00:31:28.000
I love other places too.
00:31:28.160 --> 00:31:30.240
I I love cities.
00:31:30.400 --> 00:31:38.319
I think I was just surprised because I think part of why I hadn't been there in a while, I was going all the time, you know, four times a year.
00:31:38.400 --> 00:31:40.000
And and again, not to gamble.
00:31:40.160 --> 00:31:42.960
Yeah, I would do it, but it was very light gambling.
00:31:43.200 --> 00:31:53.359
It was mainly because I there it was where all the big tech conferences were, and I was kind of stuck going, giving speeches or entertaining clients or what have you.
00:31:53.599 --> 00:32:00.079
And when I transitioned out of that and started my own company, I sort of said, I've I'm burnt out.
00:32:00.240 --> 00:32:01.279
Like I had no interest.
00:32:01.440 --> 00:32:03.119
It was not at the top of my list.
00:32:03.279 --> 00:32:08.960
And I was pleasantly surprised how, first of all, I think not going for work helps.
00:32:09.359 --> 00:32:21.119
And I think being a little bit older actually makes it a better experience because you do take advantage of more of the relaxing things, the the restaurants, the pools, the spa.
00:32:21.599 --> 00:32:24.720
And man, can't beat it for a couple's trip.
00:32:24.880 --> 00:32:30.799
So anyway, not to go on and on, but again, just think something to check out.
00:32:30.880 --> 00:32:37.279
And this is coming off the heels of just being in Los Angeles a couple weeks ago, which is another amazing city.
00:32:37.359 --> 00:32:45.440
And it just might be good reminder to people to say, you know, if you can afford it, go somewhere and experience that.
00:32:45.599 --> 00:33:01.039
There's something about getting away, even if you and your wife can't afford a trip to Vegas, sometimes just going to like the next small city near you and saying, Hey, let's go for a bite to eat here, or let's go explore this.
00:33:01.279 --> 00:33:05.279
I think you need to do that more, uh, especially couples, especially couples with kids.
00:33:05.359 --> 00:33:05.680
You do.
00:33:05.759 --> 00:33:15.519
You got to get the sitter and you got to go out and the even if it's bi-weekly, that set, let's go do something different and something adult and something with just the two of us.
00:33:15.759 --> 00:33:26.880
So I think that trip to me, while it's not cheap, it it helps in a lot of ways, you know, because there's a lot of parenting guilt, especially for us.
00:33:27.039 --> 00:33:31.839
Like we do not like leaving our kids, and we are perfectly happy at home.
00:33:32.160 --> 00:33:40.079
But, you know, if you've ever had little kids, you know it's hard to have a conversation, it's hard to get a word in edgewise sometimes.
00:33:40.240 --> 00:33:48.559
So being away, I think it's good for your marriage, which in effect means you're gonna be happier, better parents, and that is really the foundation.
00:33:48.799 --> 00:33:51.119
So I think it's balancing that guilt.
00:33:51.200 --> 00:33:52.720
Now, I don't, I think there's a limit.
00:33:52.799 --> 00:33:55.839
Like to us, this was the longest we had ever been away.
00:33:56.079 --> 00:33:58.000
Our kids have gotten a little bit older now.
00:33:58.079 --> 00:34:00.720
So I felt like boom, it was fine, it was appropriate.
00:34:00.880 --> 00:34:03.519
I won't want to go away anytime soon.
00:34:03.759 --> 00:34:13.280
I was definitely ready to get back and I miss the kids, but I think there's something to be said for that once a year, even if that's what you could afford, bigger trip.
00:34:13.360 --> 00:34:18.320
And then, you know, like I said, the bi-weekly date days, which we've done that for a while.
00:34:18.480 --> 00:34:21.760
And I I am a huge believer in that for any couple.
00:34:21.920 --> 00:34:26.800
You have to make time for yourselves somehow without the kids, you know.
00:34:26.880 --> 00:34:30.079
I I think people end up reconnecting that way.
00:34:30.239 --> 00:34:33.440
When you're when the kids are with you all the time, you're in parent mode.
00:34:33.519 --> 00:34:38.960
So we do tend to like forget what the person's like when they're out of parent mode.
00:34:39.039 --> 00:34:42.000
You know, why why why did you fall in love with this person?
00:34:42.320 --> 00:34:51.039
So not to uh not to turn this into couple's relationship or dating advice, but just something that sort of stuck out to me.
00:34:52.719 --> 00:34:54.559
That's a really nice way to put it.
00:34:54.880 --> 00:35:02.079
And if Fegus showed you you're still good at choosing each other in the middle of all that noise, that's a damn good takeaway.
00:35:02.400 --> 00:35:06.159
And yeah, it can be a close by city or a little reset anywhere.
00:35:06.480 --> 00:35:10.480
Well, Heather, I think that perfectly does it for this episode.
00:35:10.719 --> 00:35:14.239
I uh I need some time to go recover still, I'll be honest.
00:35:14.559 --> 00:35:17.199
So, you want to wrap it up for us?
00:35:18.159 --> 00:35:22.960
I'd say Vegas gives you exactly what you asked for, plus it's a little chaos tax.
00:35:23.679 --> 00:35:28.880
So, if you're heading there, or even just dreaming about it, keep your sense of humor handy.
00:35:29.039 --> 00:35:30.719
Thanks for hanging out with us tonight.
00:35:30.880 --> 00:35:32.960
Now, go drink some water.
00:35:33.519 --> 00:35:34.159
All right.
00:35:34.559 --> 00:35:36.079
See ya everybody.
