Vegas - For Reals

  Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Hi Everyone

well it seems time I answer all the questions about how Vegas is going, what am I doing etc etc etc
Let's start at the beginning...while we were hiking the Camino de Santiago, I decided that I either wanted to work in London or Vegas. London because I thought I could crack the travel agency market, Vegas for the hotels (my university Bachelor is Hotel Management.)  I wanted to stay away from waiting tables and do some regular hours and maybe have benefits and use my brain in a different way (I am not saying waiting tables doesn't need brains because a good waiter has to be smart). I just wanted to try and do something career wise for a year or two and have a break from travel. I wanted to spend my money on something besides travel. Now don't get me wrong - I am not over travelling. Far from it - I just want a break to see how the other side lives (who don't get to live a wonderful life of no responsibilites like me). I tried in vain to secure a job with Flight Centre in London. I am not sure why I didn't ever get an interview, but they are worse off without my knowledge so screw em!! This was disapointing because I had really big plans for travelling around Britain and I was having such a great time in London and even making new friends.
I decided to try Vegas. My decision was made easier for me when I got back to the states and found out my 10 year greencard application was running 6 months behind. I decided it best to stay in the country for a while in case Ben and I get called in for another interview in Seattle. Unfortunately, Ben decided without a doubt that he wanted to go back to Big Sky to ride another winter and make fabulous money at the Cabin. Well the Cabin didn't hire him back. Long story and we're not happy about any of it. The snow is crap too, but now he has 3 jobs so he is staying to wait for the perfect powder. Now for all of you who freak out when you don't see him  in the photos - it's ok. We talk on the phone everyday and he's coming out in Feb for Rachel's birthday and we will discuss him moving out here for a while. He still plans on travelling though so for the near future we will be doing the long distance thing. It sucks, but when you've got your whole life ahead of you it's ok. We also get to remember who we are without the other person around which I think a lot of us in partnerships tend to forget. It's easy to melt into an entity (that would be Cheben for us).

My wonderful friend Christie, who Tara and I know from our Park City days, agreed to come and get me from Bozeman and take me back to PC with her. Then the Wankers, Launi & Pauly, covered the shift from SLC to Vegas. We went riding at Solitude the day after I arrived and it was so much fun. Have you ever tailgated in the parking lot of a ski resort???? Awesome fun. We spent the last half of the day yelling at each other from the ski lift and chasing each other down the runs. It was my first time back on a board since I broke my arm, but Christie wins cause she was telemarking 6 weeks after breaking her leg!! I had so much fun with those 3 crazies. Can't wait till next time. Those photos are on the 2nd to last travelpod entry.

I got to Vegas with high expectations. Rachel and Jessica were both on the hard look for work for me and it seemed all I had to do was fill out some paperwork and I would be set. In reality - a month later - it was looking glum. Vegas is very competitive and Christmas/New Years is not the best time to try and find work because everyone is on holiday and all the employment lists are brimming full.  Rachel took me into her home and now I live there with her and her sister, Hannah.  Rache and Jess were so amazing at trying to help me out. On weekends Jessica & Travis had football showing at their place

e) Die Cowboys Die

and Rachel took me and Hannah sledding one weekend when it was freezing out here.

b) New Roomies

  Hannah works in the same hotel as Rachel and she gets free tickets to some of the shows.

h) Free Show

I have been to Jubilee which is the show that has been running for 25 years (lots of bare boobies) & to the Chippendales (lots of bare arse) for free thanks to Hannah which was nice for an unemployed girl. [

g) Chippendales

I did manage to score one gig working New Years Eve in a gigantic function in Paris Hotel. I haven't worked anything so big in my life. There were almost 1000 tables seating 10 people each. The decorations were amazing and there was a band, dancers, performers and some Chinese dragon type thing that about 20 men were holding up on sticks through the ballroom. At the end of the night the guests went crazy stealing the table decorations which were giant and very ugly mermaids and huge glass bowls. God knows how they planned to get them home. I actually had people on my table fight. The night was a long one with no food given to us. 12 hours actually and it was the first time I have carried one of those large trays on my shoulder for about 7 months. At the end of the night I had to summon all my strength to walk to the car. Then I was stuck in traffic for 2 hours getting home at 3am. The next day I felt like I'd been hit by a truck.

i) My NYE in Sin City

The job search continued.I was almost ready to chuck it all in when Rachel told me about a job opening as an Admin Assistant in her department (Conference & Catering) in Bally's and Paris (part of the Harrahs chain. FYI: they now own Conrad Treasury and Jupiters in QLD). I immediately relaxed and I knew this was the job I would get. Things had been stressful. No income, no work, Ben's situation sucked too - job wise and living wise. Something just felt right and I talked her into taking my resume to the lady in charge the next morning and tell her I could come and meet her. Sure enough she wanted to meet me and I ended up interviewing when I went in with 4 different people. I was offered the position on the spot. How exciting!! I may not have been an Event Organizer like I wanted, but in all reality I don't have any experience at organizing anything on a large scale. The position would teach me everything from the basics and then I could use my knowledge to decide further on if this was what I really wanted to do.
I had to go for orientation for a week which was mind numbing at times, but I made some friends and was paid for it. I did learn, however, that Harrah's is the best at what it does and they treat their employees very well. We have our own gym down the road past the Rio, we get insurance after our 90 day probation period, we get a meal a day in the EDR (more if you're sneaky), my lunch hour is paid, there's bonuses every quarter if the hotel exceeds standards (and it always does) and in my department the bosses will tip me sometimes when they get tipped and everyone is really nice and helpful oh and I get to check my email at work (shhhh). Harrahs has properties all over the world too.
I just finished my first week. I am learning everyday and I think I will like my job because I will learn a lot about Conventions on large and small scales and there's a need for a good eye for detail and great organizational skills. I work for 2 bosses who do meetings of different sizes.
I also just bought a car.

w) My New Car

It's the first car I bought since I was....well actually my parents got my first 2 cars for me pretty much. I took charge though and tried to get as much info from the sellers as possible, I signed up for CARFAX for a month so I can search the vehicle's history by VIN #, I researched consumer reports online and basically did my homework. I also got a good feeling when I researched the car I ended up buying even though I had looked at another one quite closely. I managed to get the seller down by $750 off his original asking price and the car has a sub woofer in the trunk which is sooo exciting!! Now I put in my 90s CDs and dance all the way to work. I have always wanted a car with a great sound system and I didn't even know this car had it until a couple of days before I bought it.
So life here is getting better. I still don't know anyone who I can go to a punk show with which sucks because NoFX came last weekend and Pennywise, Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphys are all coming soon. My birthday was lonely in the sense that I was at home by myself jobless, carless and totally broke. I wasn't alone though in the sense that from the moment I woke up till late at night everyone called me. Thanks to everyone who called me - you made my 32nd birthday sweet. 
Anita and Matt came to visit the weekend after my birthday.

j) Neetie & Matt

I basically picked em up from the airport and took em straight to the Hofbrau Haus. We ended up staying up till after the sun came up with Jessica. What a weekend. The only sad thing was that the Seahawks lost!! Anita just told me that she and Matt were worn out!! I did my job then even if it was so cold we barely got to see any of the Las Vegas Strip. The weather is a bit warmer now so if anyone wants to come visit you should.
I plan on staying in Vegas for at least a year. It's going to be really hard without Ben, but I am sure we will be making regular flights to see each other. I am doing something that I really want to do though. It's not forever, but it's a good learning experience for me. I feel so grown up it's wierd. I plan on driving to a lot of nearby places to visit people in the near future like San Diego and Salt Lake. I don't get any holidays though. A week in my first year, 2 weeks in the 2nd year and so on. At least I have lots of National Parks nearby to go camping when it warms up.
That's it from me for now. Look at all the photos up the top as I only put a wove a few into the text.