Mercury Retrograde. Don't Fly.

Yes, it could have been worse.

But this isn't what you want to see when you get to the airport.

And what's worse, is that this photo was taken at 10:30. (No one ever said Lansing Airport knew much about updating their signs...)

Off to Las Vegas for the annual NETA conference -- and several hours later, after missing my connection in Detroit, we finally got on the plane, which spent a goodly amount of time being de-iced. Droid-like machines sprayed a green, gooey-looking anti-freeze all over us as we patiently waited.

No matter where I looked, it was gray. The plane was gray (till they turned it green), the droids were deep charcoal, the sky that vacant-looking white-gray, the trees on the horizon a slightly deeper gray, but still pale. And when we got to Detroit, even the inside of the airport was gray!

Not to complain too much -- thanks to a kind friend who gave me her iPod, I enjoyed "This American Life" and lots of great music and read about half of "Loving Frank," a wonderful book about Frank Lloyd Wright's affair with the wife of a client! Another wonderful gift -- Blanche DuBois said "I've always relied on the kindness of strangers," but when you have wonderful friends like mine, I'm not sure anything could be kinder!

Well, I'm here now. I should say saying I was in Las Vegas is probably an overstatement. I am in Henderson, which isn't all that far, yet feels miles away.

And, in fact, it is! But with a zoom, everything looks closer!

However, I know I'm here, because the casino in our hotel (large and clean) continually dings incessantly!

I am at the M Resort, which you may know from the recent Top Chef shows. Since I only saw a couple of these, I'm looking for the reruns!

I won't bore you with all the TV stuff -- good sessions, and the two I was presenting are over! Time to see friends, learn lots of new things, get energized about what I do.

I will say the exercise room is great, and so are the restaurants. This was the Limoncello Lust I enjoyed...

(Honestly, who wouldn't enjoy something called Limonello Lust...) And then there was the sushi...

And the scallops with tempura apples. All elegant, all delicious.

Even the bathrooms were pretty elegant with their modern sinks and mirrored walls.

And here is my room -- check out the glass wall leading to the tub -- from which you can watch telly!

Tomorrow night we may go down to the Strip, take in some neon, and I'm sure I'll have my little handy-dandy camera with me! Stay tuned!