12.29.03 - 4:15 p.m.

in las vegas, twilight is the best time to be outside. the clouds turn pink and the snow-capped mountains look beautiful in the dwindling sunlight.

now that az. is gone, i'm a lone ranger here in the valley. cody moved to chicago, don't know where anybody else is. it's ok. a little solitude never did anyone harm.

a few more days of going to the gym, watching the first season of sopranos and reading about the hilbert problems. then it's back to SF for new year's eve. i think anonsalon will be fun. it better, given the shekels shelled out.

i'm down $40 in total. the first night i got wiped on blackjack (nicole and eric were visiting, so i played with them; but after seven or eight busts it was bedtime. you have to know when to walk away, know when to run) but the next night with az. on my arm, at the craps tables, i could do no wrong. i was up $300 but then went down to $200.

if you ever play craps, just bet 'pass' with maximum odds. it may be mechanical but it's the best deal in town (aside from counting cards at blackjack, which you have to be extra-ballsy/smart to do)

we saw O, finally. this sums it up best.