Vegas Tip #5

Your reward card is your friend. Get one at whatever hotel/casino you are playing at. Whichever one that you are planning to stay at, look at the tier point rewards carefully and use that system to your best benefit. Spa purchases and in hotel food purchases that are charged to your room can sometimes be discounted further with points earned by loyal gambling at you are staying at. Or even comped all together. This year I got 2 spa days comped just for printing out the coupon offer that had been emailed during the time we'd bought our tickets. We also got a few dollars comped as gambling rewards.
Book your hotel stay through the reward card to get points...but wait until you get discount offers. That will up your tier points. Btw, we are MLife loyal so are more aware if that system.  Good luck!

Las Vegas Tip #4 - Beware the slap card people and other street performers

That's right. Watch out for the slap card people. Most are carrying cards that advertise paid sexual entertainment...yeah prostitutes. Some can be pushy, but if you ignore them and not make eye contact or speak to them, they pretty much just fade away. If you get suckered in, they've got all kinds of fast talking to toss your way. We've seen several pretty girls/couples get sucked into a conversation as we walk by. Last year, I was apparently propositioned, lol. I as indignant, thinking someone had just propositioned my guy who was holding hands with me as we walked into the local CVS, but no...Jason told me that I was the target. (Picture my deer-in-headlights look at THAT.) I went from being ticked, to WOW! Now that's something I could use in a story. LOL. Writers....everything is story material. .

There are also other hucksters to watch out for. The CD guys hawking their music. I usually fall prey to them at least once...yes I support the arts and trying to make it. That is until the 'artist' gets aggressive and snotty about the 'donation' for a CD that suddenly turns into copy with fewer songs because you didn't give him primo music store dollar price for his homemade burn copy. Yes, I do know that you can add your own graphics to a cd to make it look more professional. I also know what crappy Do It Yourself with no mass marketing appeal graphic artistry is too. Like I said, I support the arts... just don't get snotty when you are selling homemade CDs on crosswalk between hotels while standing between to several homeless people, and two slap card- tv show gangsta look alikes, and a Bumble Bee Transformer that looks like he lost the last battle with the Decepticons.

That brings me to the characters that come out at night for you to take your picture with. You can find a myriad of Elmos, the aforementioned Bumble Bees, a few decent looking Elvises, Showgirls, and yesterday was Bert and Ernie. Remember, these people do this for a living, so if you want to take your picture with them, be prepared to pay..

There are also musicians ranging in talent that set up periodically on the sidewalks. Yesterday, we saw a crappy guitarist, and a really involved dance revue that started up right in front of PINK'S. I'm assuming that they were good. They drew a crowd, had decent music, and we couldn't see a thing... I might have been impressed enough to leave a tip had I been in the thick of it. Last year there was a good electric keyboard guy and an Elvis further down the strip that had some talent.

There are also plenty of people hawking shows. I personally haven't bought from the hawkers, because we can find good, reputable ticket sellers online. Sometimes it's cheaper to buy your tickets via the theater or business that your show or tour is actually at.

The homeless. For the most part, I'm a bleeding heart and a sucker for a good story. Except for the homeless gig. It makes me feel sad that I'm not as sympathetic as I probably should be. But our town, back home in Texas, has at least one professional 'homeless' guy who takes his earning each day to the same bank that I use. Then yesterday I saw a kid laying on a manufactured bag of trash moaning until his buddy came up. Then he jumped up like the healthy, athletic teen that he really was and they started chatting about how the 'homeless' kid had switched bridges. Closer inspection showed that he was pretty clean with grungy 'LOOKING" clothes and his 'pillow trash back' was stuffed, artfully ripped, and filled with clean newspaper. So, no. I'm not very sympathetic when there are state run programs to offer these people. Jason is much more sympathetic and I appreciate him for it because it helps me keep my humanity and sympathy for the less fortunate. Still... wheelchairs and a cardboard sign are pretty easy to come by to play on your sympathy. So be careful.

Vegas Trip # 3 - Monorail, monorail, monorail and other modes of transportation.

This tip is all about saving your tootsies from pain and the less fit from falling out because they didn't realize just HOW long a block on the strip actually is. Take the Las Vegas Monorail. The cost is very much worth it if you are staying at the opposite end or have several places along the strip. Also, you can use MLIFE points from the My Vegas to redeem free tickets. I've already bought one with my points for later this week. We bought a 3 day pass for the days that we have shows up and down the strip. We may have to hoof it TO a few places, but the ride back to the closest hotel is definitely worth the cost. So is the security and cleanliness. We saw a canine unit travelling through on Easter and often see police patrolling the monorail platforms. Of course, we've seen quite a bit of security since we've been here and what looked like a scene from CSI yesterday with all kinds of police and federal cars parked in the alley beside one hotel. The most amusing part of that was the slap card guy trying to play it cool and not lose his corner right beside all those officials. (Slap cards to be mentioned in the next tip)

Now, there are some trams that go between some of the MGM hotels, and those are free. But you do have to get off and hoof it a few blocks to the next one for the next set of hotels.

Taxis... Taxies are great, especially when first arriving from the plane ride. There are buses that will sucker you for a ride down the ENTIRE strip for way more than a simple taxi service. But beware, don't let them take you to the freeway. The main strip hotels are just a few minutes away so the fare really shouldn't be more than a 20 or so. Since taxis charge by the mile, if you find some other travelers going to the same destination, you can split the fare.

Buses are another good mode of transportation if you can get and understand the map and routes. I believe they only cost a couple of dollars a person to ride. We haven't done that because neither of us has stupendous direction sense-- and I haven't hunted down a route map yet.

Ah, yes. There are also many other upper scale modes of transpo. Limos, tour buses, and the like, and of course there are shuttles between some of the hotels. Be sure to check what your particular needs are well ahead of time and call your hotel to see what kinds of transportation may be offered as a courtesy.

Vegas Tip #2

Foursquare. That's right check in at casinos and restaurants to unlock coupons and discounts. Don`t be afraid to ask and show proof of your winnings just because a server isn't in the know. Be sure to redeem at the local rewards desk.

Vegas tip #1

If traveling to a hotel that actually doesn't provide an in room coffee maker so that you spend a fortune at Starbucks-- Pick up a small coffee maker at CVS or Walgreens.

Then go buy your Starbucks blend to brew.  Also check with housekeeping to see if they provide coffee. Strangely the Luxor does and the great lady serving our room brought cups, sugar/cream, and coffee for us. 

Normally I wouldn't be thrilled to pay 30 dollars for a 4 cup maker... but adding in the 10 days total we reserved and the fact that we drink a LOT of coffee... At 12 dollars a trip, we could be spending 30 or more dollars a day at one of the hotel Starbucks.

Happy Easter and a lovely Sunday to everyone!

Romantic quote that would be a good plot

I was finally getting over you and actually believing I didn't need you. I was finally accepting you had another girl. Then you smiled at me and ruined it all.

Option 3 by Belladonna Bordeaux http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GIN7VJQ/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_ilNttb1K12H53

The cost of a 'free' book.

Do you love to read? Do you love certain small press and indie authors? Please swing by Jay Morgan's blog for a very insightful look into what ebook swapping and piracy in general means for many authors. http://jennmorgan69.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/writing-love-and-business/

Don't just know your market- be a trend setter

Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower. -Steve Jobs

Don't shortchange yourself

You do have value. Build your resume. Even if you haven't had formal training or a college degree, you will be surprised at the skills you have.

Pretend that the resume is for a friend And not yourself. Be honest, not humble. You have earned your bragging rights.

Happiness is...