Haven’t been writing much as of late, despite having a great many things to write about for once. Ironic. Time to break the silence though.

Earlier this week I hiked to the top of Mt. Si located in or near Snoqualmie. I went with a friend to help him shoot a brief video clip for his job, and because I thought it’d be fun. He warned me beforehand that the hike was somewhat grueling, but I took no heed, thinking to myself that a hike couldn’t be that bad even if I was a little out of shape. Guess what, I was wrong.

The trail we took was four miles long with the peak rising approximately 4,000 feet above ground. On average the slopes we hiked were between 30-50°, by my estimation, and before the first mile was even over my legs were beginning to weaken. Needless to say, the last mile was slow, as I battled with my legs in an attempt to get them to obey orders from my brain.

Getting to the top made it all worth it though, arguably. The entire trail goes through forests of evergreens, but once you hit the peak it all clears away and you can see for miles around. It was a clear day and the sight was something else to behold. Above is a picture of me resting at the peak.

I’d recommend the hike to anyone who enjoys these sorts of things. Supposedly it’s a pretty popular attraction and thus gets pretty busy on weekends and holidays. I went on a weekday and there were very few people on the trail. It also looked like an ideal place to take photographs, though I didn’t have time to fiddle around doing that on this occasion. The forests you hike through are absolutely beautiful, and the sun peeking through the canopy creates some interesting ambiance. It also struck me as a great place to meditate, providing there weren’t many people there when you went. Then again, I suppose any temperate forest or mountain peak would seem good for meditation.

The other day after work my “team” met at an English pub to wish me well after I leave. Nothing real special to mention there, aside from the fact that “The Lion and the Rose” is easily one of the coolest pub names ever. While there I got to answer some of the usual questions I get from people, the absolute most common of which is “so do you have a job lined up there (Seattle)?” After indicating for the one hundred and fiftieth time that no, I do not, a gentleman I work with remarked that “that’s really out there.”

I wonder now if people associate me with that type of person you might once upon a time have called a rambler. The types that travel often and who can’t seem to build a foundation anywhere they go. Living in hostels, bumming from friends, working in intermittent spurts at low wage jobs, etc. The truth is I’m nothing like that. For most intents and purposes, I enjoy staying in one place. I enjoy having a somewhat regular day to day life. I don’t get uncomfortable living in one place for an extended period of time either. All of these characteristics seem at odds with the type of person who normally just “ups and leaves” without “having a job lined up.”

What I don’t understand is why people have a hard time comprehending or accepting my decision to move without first attempting to stereotype me. To me, my moving to the place I want to live is the same basic concept as picking out the car you want to drive or the clothes you want to wear. Capitalism allows for us to consider these kinds of choices, so why not take full advantage? Where I live is every bit as much a part of me as the other decisions I make, or the things I buy. It becomes a part of my personality, and plays a large part in my overall happiness. So why not shop around? Why not do my research and decide on the best available option? I do the exact same thing when I make large purchases. Consider the pros and cons, perform an economic cost/benefit analysis, and move forward rationally. In the past when I use this approach for decision making, I usually end up happy with the results.

I would ideally like to see other people deciding where they want to live, and taking steps towards living there. Greater social harmony would result, if nothing else. As well, it would instill in many of us an appreciation for the land we live on, the people we live with, and the local government. This is an inevitable result, because you would have researched these things to begin with in arriving at your decision. This contrasts strongly with simply being somewhere because of other circumstances, as in those situations we tend to take our homes for granted.

With the passing of time comes greater methods of both traveling and communicating long distance, and partly as a result of this I feel that the age of being essentially stuck in the place where you grow up is coming to an end. I don’t personally think that my moving to Seattle is “out there.” On the contrary, I think its the most rational decision I could have made.

Whoever dubbed Paris as “La Ville-Lumière” has never been to modern day Las Vegas.  Descending upon Las Vegas at night is an experience unrivaled.  Regrettably I don’t have a photograph of it, but perhaps I can paint a picture with words for anyone who hasn’t seen it.  If you have ever flown before, chances are you’re familiar with what it looks like to be above a range of clouds.  As far as the eye can see there is nothing but that plane of frothy whiteness.  Looking down on Vegas from above creates something of a similar sensation with light.  Everything is pitch black with the exception of a seemingly endless field of light.  It made me feel as if I was descending upon some alien planet from space.  Some kind of super advanced technological civilization, whose globe is covered over with brilliant fabrications beyond our comprehension.  Despite the power of this image, after touching down it soon becomes apparent that reality is far more down to earth.

Vegas is actually very ‘down to earth’ in more ways than one.  It is a place whose function is entirely driven by base human desires.  The truly ultimate congregation of all mankind’s vices.  The seven deadly sins just about comprise the list of competitive advantages the city possesses as a business.  A true feast of Bacchus, on the grandest scale you can imagine, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The grandness of Vegas is comprised of two contributing factors.  The first is the very extravagant architecture and decorations.  This might have actually been my favorite part.  A giant golden lion, three times the size of my house.  A pyramid, an Eiffel Tower, a State of Liberty.  They may all be imitations of the real thing, but where else can you see giant replicas all together in one place?  The second component of Vegas’ grand scale is quite simply the fervor with which the city as a whole attempts to shove itself down your throat.  It is the most uncompromising expression of identity that I have ever encountered.

The grandness of Vegas is actually sort of ironic because the city is so very shallow at its core.  It’s as if you climbed Mt. Everest just to find that it is really a giant inflatable toy.  Another way to describe it is to say at some point you realize that you’ve been duped.  The grandness is, in large part, a mere illusion in the middle of the vast Nevada desert.

The shallowness of Vegas is not something the city or its visitors shy away from.  In no other place on earth can a man so readily assume the role of an ass.  The man who truly embraces Vegas typically looks something like this: cigar smoking, drunk, and donning a fedora for God knows what reason.  The prototype woman is wearing a dress that expertly straddles the highest possible point on the thigh without being obscene, and which loudly displays the silicone implants on her chest that signal her membership in the Vegas member’s club.  If Vegas existed in this form a thousand years ago, those who would be thrown in the looney bin would be the only ones not parading about as fools.

If I sound critical of Vegas, it’s probably because I don’t much fit in.  Different strokes for different folks, and all that.  However, to give an appropriate review of the city, I will say that it succeeds admirably at what it sets out to do.  I mentioned that it’s uncompromising.  This is true in its presentation and its delivery.  This city simply doesn’t beat around the bush.  It is the premier spot for getting drunk in public, paying for legal prostitution, wasting away your money in slots, and being an all-around jackass.  If you’re especially fond of any one of those things, I’m confident that you could have a great time in Vegas.

As for what I did while I was there, I lost some money gambling, and finding that generally boring, spent probably the majority of my time touring the city and hotels on foot, eating a lot of food, and drinking a lot of mojitos.  I saw a live performance by some rockabilly band named Devil Doll while at a bar called Diablo’s Cantina (fitting?) and they were actually pretty good.  That, the cityscape, and perhaps the food were probably the highlights of my visit.  Oh, and my sister won $1500 randomly by drunkenly sitting down at the $5 slots and winning on her first spin.  She gave me a cut, so that I can actually call this trip profitable.

I didn’t see any shows, which is sort of regrettable, but I was not in a position to make that decision, and besides there wasn’t much good showing anyway.  Who wants to see Howie Mandell live, seriously?