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06/30/2004 Entry: "Las Vegas: Day 5 - Married 15 Years!" [Originally posted 2004-06-24] Last night in Vegas... So, I woke up, not feeling AS sick as I had the day before, which wasn't much of an improvement, but was better than nothing. Christine couldn't share her anti-biotics because they gave her some Z-Pak, which is some pre-measured, declining dosage. I decided to stay and sleep in. We had breakfast with Sean and Louann, and then I went back up to the room to sleep some more. I spent most of the time adding stuff to the LiveJournal blog, and post-dating it. I was afriad as sick as I was getting, I'd forget stuff. Then around 3, I got ready for our anniversary dinner. Christine and I were married 15 years to the day Thursday. I didn't have much time to reflect because my throat was so swollen, I could barely speak. We went to the Hamada Sushi place in the Luxor, and honestly? The food was way overpriced for some seriously bland food. I got 8 pieces of sushi for $33.00. Not even good sushi. But we chose sushi because our previous plan, to eat at the steakhouse, seemed like too intense for my health. Besides, we had a show to go to afterwards, and sometimes steak slows me down. So, after paying too much for bland food (Brad says I am nuts, he loves it there), all five of us stared awkwardly at each other for a bit, and tried to drum it up towards experience. Then we hopped in a cab and headed to the Rio hotel to see Penn and Teller! We had to get there two hours in advance to "check in." After we checked in, we wandered around the Rio for a bit. The Rio is definitely downscale, but it has a more fun and less formal atmosphere. Louann said they'd have a show at one end, so we went, and saw this live dance show where huge structures on ceiling tracks floated above our heads. It wasn't in a theater, it was just right above us and in front of us in the casino. I think Sean was looking up the girls' skirts, but I didn't mind because the whole place is very scantly clad and must be used to it. I just never get into that sort of thing, and I think Sean was dismayed we never got to go see a titty bar show. I think I owe him one. The performers were tossing beads around, but I was too sick to push my way around and dive for them. CR and I just stood back going, "Wow... that whole stage is floating above us!" Then after the show was over, we went to the theater, and got our seats to see Penn and Teller. Christine got the best seats ever! Right on the aisle, three rows back (any closer would have been too close), so we got to see the duo really close up and personal. Teller winked at Christine a lot. The magic tricks were very amazing, and the ones I figured out I was *supposed* to figure out, because they showed how many of the tricks were done right afterwards with some goofy schtick. They really made fun of Vegas, and had some good points about freedom of expression. I'd say the show was definitely worth the price we paid and then some. I totally recommend it. Afterwards, Christine, Sean, Louann, and CR got to meet Penn and Teller. I declined because I didn't want to make the duo sick; I can imagine how a bad illness like this could screw up their nightly show. Christine was feeling LOTS better, so she got their autographs, got to tell them how much she liked their show, and Teller told her that Showtime hadn't picked them up for a new season and PLEASE write them and let them know. We were going to go to some titty bars afterwards, but I had completely lost my voice, and I was bumming some people out. So my family and I went to bed.