Ma Vida Loca

It's been just over 2 weeks since my last report. The most significant event in this time was my first trip to Las Vegas, a girls weekend with 4 of my friends. And I must say, I loved that town and I can't wait till I get to go back! We stayed at the MGM Grand and THEhotel at Mandalay Bay. My favorite thing was walking the Strip, drink in hand . . . that open container thing was really fun! Honorable mentions are the restaurants we chose (Diabolo's, Trevi, to name a pair), lounging at beautiful pools in beautiful sunlight, dancing till the wee hours of the morning at fun clubs, and taking a "Stripper 101" class. It was like a great girls night that lasted for 4 days. We looked gorgeous and we had a ball. The pictures that can be shared have been shared with my inner circle, but here are a few scenic shots in my constant efforts to protect the innocent:

Bellagio Fountains
View from MGM Grand pool
THEtp at THEhotel
THEhotel
View from Mix

Prior to our departure, and influenced by my Vegas research, I finally put a name to my latest mentality regarding my relations to the opposite sex:

I am in "buffet" mode.

This means that I am acknowledging there are many, many tasty foods out there and they are all different. They are all there for the sampling. I am going to fill my plate with whatever I want, a taste of this and a sample of that, going back for more as much as I want. I want to try some new things and not commit to one main entree. When I get my fill of the variety, or when I find one food that knocks my socks off, I'll order something special off the menu.

In this spirit, and within the past two weeks, I have spent worthwhile, quality time with no less than 5 fine gentlemen. And I am in talks with a 6th to finally go out but our schedules are a bit divergent. Anyway. For each of them, the company is wonderful, fun, flirty, and comfortable. Maybe I have finally, finally shed whatever shell I seem to wear that attracts simple-minded, boorish assholes who don't know how to treat a fabulous little catch like myself. It feels really good to do my own thing and just enjoy being around these guys on my terms. No pressure. No drama. Just good companionship and fun times.

Highlights have included:

• Beers at the seediest local bar within 5 miles, catching up on our latest dirty little secrets
• Dinner at a Russian restaurant, pointedly talking about everything but work
• Birds-eye view of the street in Adams Morgan and laughing with each other as we watched a bachelorette party enter a bar accompanied by a 4-foot-high inflated penis
• Popping a Team America: World Police "cherry"
• Coffee at a museum, watching his face react to my story about Stripper 101
• and a tipsy smoke on my porch discussing global politics.

Lots of variety. Just like a buffet should be.

I remember a line from the musical Mame: "Life is a smorgasbord and most poor suckers are starving to death. LIVE!!!"

I'm living. To the limit. And I love it.