Vegas, baby! – PJ Caposey

Are you ready for something completely different? I think this may be fun. I normally write about leadership and education, but since I was on vacation last week, I thought I may as well write about that. Now, before I start I will admit that I am not a travel expert, so this is nothing more than a collection of my meandering experiences and thoughts about one of my favorite places on Earth – Las Vegas.

I am sure some of you reading this have ‘done’ Las Vegas more than I have, but I feel as though I am uniquely qualified to have an opinion on this since I have done Vegas in a variety of ways. I have done bachelor party Vegas, guys weekend Vegas, fantasy draft Vegas, conference Vegas, dating Vegas, married Vegas, and NOW I have done family vacation Vegas. That is right, all six of us rocked the strip last week. Brilliant or insane – I am not quite sure. But given these diverse Vegas experiences, I thought I would share some takeaways for any of you considering doing Vegas again OR for the first time.

Right now, my favorite place to stay is the Venetian/Palazzo and it is not really close. Rooms are great, restaurants are abundant in number and great in quality, and the best workout facility in Las Vegas. We did Caesar’s this week . . . sincerely – not impressed.
If you are going to go out to a club (which I am just about aging out of) pay for the bottle service. Now, before you get to the “it must be nice to be able to afford bottle service, Caposey” it ends up being just about the same price as paying for drinks if you are going to spend a long time at the same place. Trust me – it changes the entire experience.
I am not a huge fan of live entertainment, but the Mat Franco magic show is AMAZING (particularly for families) and Absinthe (very adult) is the best show I have ever seen in person.
The taxi line at McCarran is insane, but moves fast. The energy of getting off the plane in Vegas is great and then you see the line and it is a bit of a buzzkill. Be ready for it. And then the line to check in at most hotels is worse. If you can e-check in (even for a small fee) it is worth it.
The Caesar’s buffet has recently passed the Wynn buffet as my top buffet in Vegas. This was a major upset in my buffet rankings.
Get ready to smell smoke indoors for the first time in a while. It gets me every time and I wish I did a better job of mentally preparing.
Vegas is hot. You are going to think – sandals!! I went old-school dad New Balances and could not have been happier. 25,000 steps one day . . . would have been miserable in flip flops.
The fountains AND garden at Bellagio are incredible – but much better at night. Worth the trip over to see both.
The best steak of my life was eaten at Strip Steak in Mandalay Bay.
The whole vibe at the Linq is really cool. I think if I were a bit younger and needed to try and do a budget Vegas weekend, I would look to stay there. The alley between the Linq and Flamingo is also a relatively new addition to the strip and is highly recommended. If this was not a family trip, I am sure I would have spent a lot more time there.
You’re going to see people walking around with yardstick size glasses of frozen drinks. Do not judge them. I get one every trip – a Vegas rite of passage.
In N’ Out is now on the strip. I encourage everyone who has not eaten there before to do so . . . I stand by that it is EXTREMELY overrated. But, while on the strip, give it a shot.
Vegas can be as expensive or cheap as you want to make it. You can always find cheap tables to gamble and cheap food and drinks if you want to. Conversely, you can also find expensive tables and some of the finest food I have ever had. Whichever path you choose, reconcile that before you go and make sure that the group you are traveling with is in agreement to avoid silly arguments and frustration.
If you are of the gambling persuasion, do a long odds parlay with your group of friends . . . it makes for an awesome low-cost fan experience.
If you want some Vegas, but not the whole Strip experience, the resort at Red Rock gives you the best of all possible worlds. It feels like you are in a casino/spa in Arizona, but you are just a short cab ride from the strip to get that energy if you so desire.
Vegas pools are COLD. When it is 115 degrees out, you need something refreshing. But, just be mindful as they are very cold.
If you are with a group of people, take over a craps table or blackjack table for at least an hour while you are there . . . it is incredibly fun.
If you were last at the Mirage a handful of years ago it was aging significantly. It has made a really nice comeback in recent years – give it a shot again.
Don’t eat or drink the in-room food. Just go down to the gift shop and walk it up. I ate a $14 packet of Skittles this week because I am not smart.

What tips did I miss . . . I would love to hear your Vegas thoughts and takeaways.

THE BEST THING I READ/WATCHED THIS WEEK

I am biased because a) I love Larry and b) he asks me to contribute to his EdWeek Opinion Q and A blogs, but whenever he puts together a ‘best of’ of ‘most read’ article it is must read.

THREE MCUSD PEOPLE/ORGANIZATIONS YOU SHOULD KNOW

As we are gearing back up for school, I wanted to give a quick recognition to three MCUSD staff members who have stayed active on social media all summer as they have continued to connect and learn. The danger in doing this is that I know I am missing some, but I wanted to give our #WeAreMCUSD team some love.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME SOON

ON DEMAND – Manage Your Time or Time Will Manage You Book Study

ON DEMAND – Communications – MicroCredential Certification through Illinois Principals Association

SPEAKING-CONSULTING-CONFERENCES

August 3rd & 4th – Illinois Principals Association – Building Leaders Program – Bloomington, IL

August 9th – Perry County Florida – Culture Assessment

MORE OF MY MUSINGS

Dr. Efrain Martinez and I chat around ‘The Journey’ of Leadership

A Keynote turned into a Podcast from IEI Spring Summit in Colorado

MCUSD Staff Room Podcast – End of Year Reflection

Transformative Principal with Jethro Jones (w/ Mike Lubelfeld and Nick Polyak)

Writing

Teach Better – Summer S.E.E.D.S

“There is the danger zone. As humans, we tend to be very good at relaxing. We tend to not be as good at recharging. There are significant neurological and biological reasons why, but I will try to not bore you with those details. The bottom line is that as much as staying up to 2am binging Netflix, eating pizza, and sampling craft beers sounds amazing, it is most likely NOT going to help you recharge. The good news is that we absolutely do know what will help you recharge if you choose to commit to these five steps to recharge your own battery”.

Edutopia – Leading with Integrity

“Every time you choose to avoid a difficult conversation, it is a selfish decision. Why? Because the only person who could possibly benefit from avoiding a difficult conversation is you. And that win is only emotional and temporary.”

ASCD – Four Must-Do’s For Empowered Principals

‘Vision—now and always—is the difference maker. Great principals can imagine a brighter future for their building, even in the midst of tribulation, that can bring energy and excitement to those they serve. If you cannot imagine education at large and your particular school as significantly better and different than it is in its current state, it is going to be hard to lead significant change.”

Thanks for taking the time to read this newsletter.

It would mean the world to me if you could share it with one person each week. We all get one chance to live a life of passion and purpose. Help me maximize my one at-bat.