Hi, hey, hello! Welcome back to probably the one millionth iteration of The Notorious Neon. It is what it is and if Madonna can reinvent herself a million times then so can I. I don’t know why I used Madonna as an example because, if truth be told, I don’t love her. I could probably only name two or three of her songs but I digress.

Anyway – here we are! Back in the blogosphere and excited to be here!

I’m fresh off the heels of another great Memorial Day weekend in the city. And I gotta say…Vegas is truly, finally back. The big C is a distant memory and events are fully back in swing. People are flocking to the Strip and Downtown and, as a local, it makes me smile when I’m not yelling at people from behind a steering wheel. Or silently cursing them in my head for moving too slow down the sidewalk. But, hey, at least they’re here again!

This won’t be a lament or reflection of the last two years but bear with me for the next paragraph and then I promise we will move on. Okay? K.

Watching the Strip close down for one of the only times in history was eerie and heartbreaking. It felt apocalyptic. I witnessed friends, neighbors and coworkers lose their jobs and, in some cases, have to move out of the city and completely reimagine their life. As someone who was lucky enough to stay employed then furloughed then employed, I wondered if Vegas would ever get back to the vibrant city we were in 2019. It was a very unsettling time. While there is industry outside of the Strip/Downtown, tourism is still the biggest employer in the city.

After witnessing the pure chaos of Memorial Day Weekend – I think we’re there. I was all over the city and in every corner there was life being lived. And it’s really to once again see places busy and people enjoying everything our city has to offer. It even brings a small smile to see how feral people have become. Some definitely need a refresh on manners (stay tuned), but glad to see you made it back.

If you’re a fan of Las Vegas, you likely agree and can relate to what I’m saying and how I’m feeling. If you’re not or you’ve never been here, I hope you’ll stick around and get to know why I love this city. We’re more than just questionable laws, 24 hour fun and neon (but we love the neon around here).

You see, I moved here nearly seven years ago with the intention of sticking around for maybe five years. Maybe. And now? I truly cannot see myself leaving in any sort of permanent way.

When I moved here I had next to nothing.

I didn’t have a job.

I had one friend that I hadn’t seen in 10 years.

I had no idea what I was going to do with my life.

And now? I’ve been in my career for almost seven years. I rekindled that friendship and made new friends that have all become a great support system here. I have huge, scary dreams and ideas that I have no idea how I’m going to make happen. But…I’m a big believer in manifestation.

And also…

I fully believe that this city is magic and has music for those that listen. Vegas can tear your life apart sure, but it can also help you create the life you want. If you give it a chance.

So this post is to say – hi, hey, hello and welcome back. I’m excited to be here again and I hope you are too. I hope you stick around and learn something new. I hope you help me celebrate what I love about this city. I hope you’ll ask questions if you have them and we can have a little convo in the comments.

Thanks for being here : ]