Diva Las Vegas Baby

So, it is official, I am now a resident of the state of Nevada. I just got my Nevada-issued driver's license and plates for my car. Crazy, never thought I'd live anywhere else but in NYC, or perhaps, more accurately, not Nevada. Ah, the impromptu turns of life. The Las Vegas DMV was actually a pleasant and expedient experience, so simple. Makes you wonder why it is such a chore in NYC. Perhaps the population difference, more people in NYC, yadda, yadda. However, one thing I do not like about my new license is that they print your WEIGHT on it!?!?! That seems so random. I can understand height, that's something that is probably not going to change much by the time you are of age to own a license. But your weight? I asked the guy what happens if I lose weight, he laughed and told me that I could come back and they would change it for me. I've already lost a pound, I'm on my way to the DMV tomorrow!!! My driving has improved, or at least my fear of driving...

We FINALLY got to see Prince out here - he has a weekly weekend gig at his club at the Rio, 3121. He's been here since December or so and goes out on tour at the end of March, so we were just in time. The directors took a group of 8 of us and it was just fantastic. We had a table right next to the stage, so that when Prince came on, he was so close. The space is pretty intimate to begin with - a dance floor in the center surrounded by tables in the round. What a talent Prince is. And such a presence. The highlight of the evening, however, was when our friend was beckoned to dance onstage - she sashayed across the stage as if it had been choreographed and rehearsed, it was fabulous. And then, the rest of us were summoned to dance onstage too. Prince had left the stage by this point, probably for a wardrobe change, but we still had such a good time. The band was playing a James Brown hook and Prince's backup dancers (who happened to be twin sisters) joined us in OUR rout...

Well, we've immediately expanded our newlywed family with the addition of our new puppy girl, Brooklyn. She's five-months old, a Lhasa Apso/Bichon Frise mix (I only hang with dogs of "two-name" species), and she is just adorable. Very cuddly and loving and spunky, but also chills out when necessary, a people-lover, very playful. The challenge right now is to housebreak her, which was going very well until recently. For some reason, she no longer sees the great outdoors as her grand toilet - at least as far as urinating goes. She holds it until she gets back inside and then relieves herself on her puppy pad. What to do? At least I don't have to pick up any number #2 inside, she's got that routine down pat. It's funny how having a dog opens up a completely new social circle. Fellow dogwalkers, who probably wouldn't have given me the time of day, now greet me regularly; conversations consist of colorful words like pee and poop; voices climb dangero...