Atlantic City!

Hey my fellow Ronsters!

I'm back, refreshed and a bit renewed. This getaway was not only something my girlfriend and I needed, it was something that helped refresh my perspective. As it is, I feel, in some ways, reinvigorated and a little more ready to take on this darn world.

This was my first trip ever to Atlantic City. Of course, they have multiple resorts to stay at. I managed to get Harrah's and I must say, the view there, in my opinion, was pretty darn nice. That isn't to say I didn't check out the other places, even if just from the outside.

The Boardwalk by the Showboat resort was pretty sweet as it seemed to be a much more glorified version of Coney Island's Luna City. The food at the Waterfront Buffet was very diverse and delicious. Nothing topped it off like a good cup of Chocolate Soy Milk Gelato! Their selection of fish, meat, dessert and the rest was nummy, as my girlfriend would say.

While I'm not a gambling man, yes, I did end up using the free $10 they gave me to hit the slot machines a bit. I finally understand why people get sucked in -- you start with $10, somehow crank up and get up to $15-$20. You then suddenly get a little greedy and before you know it, you're broke! You can talk all you want about moderation or controlling yourself, you will get sucked in!

The trip itself? Michelle drove at about 75 MPH and got us there in 1.5 hours instead of the 2.5 hours it should've taken. It took, however, 2 hours to head back to Staten Island due to some last minute traffic as we crossed back there.

I finally got to meet my girlfriend's latest addition to the family, Goldie! That's one big dog but I gotta say, she's a beauty and apparently has found a master and best friend in Michelle's brother.

With all said and done, I also managed to fully recover from bronchitis. I managed to go on for almost half the day without the use of the inhaler.

I'm exited of getting back to school while also enjoying this free time, as well as getting back to work tomorrow.

I have yet to see Hangover II but that isn't to say I haven't read reviews nor heard people's take on it. All I know is, I can't wait to check it out. I enjoyed the first simply because I connected with the characters in one form or another.

Apparently, I'm slowly able to intake lactose again so I guess my body just needed a vacation from milk. Pork-wise, well, it seems like I can't take it in entirely yet. I didn't puke out a few ribs I had at the buffet but I can't say I can intake it without feeling something funny in the gut.

As far as how this little vacation has refreshed my mind, I'll say this -- it's helped me step outside from my view, even for one second and learn to see the bigger picture. I have yet to find a balance between optimism and realism but I'll get there someday. Meanwhile, I'll just keep writing, studying, working and keep maturing in my faith in the meantime.