Cirque du Sentimentality

Las Vegas is a lot to take. It's even more so when you've been stifling a mental breakdown. Waking up overlooking a poolside version of paradise, however, wasn't exactly painful.

To get the most out of my first experience in this sleepless city, Danielle and I jumped right into the day, starting off with eggs and mimosas at Caesar's Palace. After a package store run to pick up some essentials - where we met a colorful cashier who served up F-bombs quicker than he completed our order - we soaked up some of those 110-degree rays of sunshine. Between the libations and puddles of sweat forming, those first 15 minutes were completely relaxing. As I made my way to the pool, I was quickly reminded that I wasn't in Massachusetts anymore and would need to put on my flip-flops for the two-feet it took to get to the pool, otherwise, my feet would be blistered. Excusing myself through the cluster of toe-dippers at the entrance, I embraced my moment to squat down and flip my head backwards. Though I couldn't extend my arms completely or even lean forward without bumping into another sunburned body, it was actually really refreshing. Once my fingertips started to prune up, I slipped on my burning-hot black sandals and made the trek back to my sun-stained chair. Letting the sun and alcohol take the driver's seat to my midday nap, I laid out on the chair, jumping up each time I singed myself until I got used to the heat. Though the heat made it seem like time was sunbathing alongside me as the sun remained in the same spot in the sky throughout the time we were out there, before we knew it, we were already late for our dinner plans. After huffing it to the shower and throwing on one of my favorite strapless ensembles, I stuffed some mascara, eyeliner and lipstick in my clutch to finish up my look in the Uber. We were headed to indulge our senses at the world-famous Benihana. As I was applying a coat to my eyelashes, I realized how much sun I had actually consumed and how much water I hadn't. The combination of the two struck a nerve with my bottled emotions and a rogue tear bolted from my right eye. We are not breaking down now, I chanted to myself as I fanned some air near my eyes.

The restaurant was just as amazing as it was advertised: "a feast to the senses." The food, the exhibition of the meal itself, the drinks, the smells...it was all pretty top-knotch. But, much like the senses that were tickled, memories of certain scents were unleashed. Luckily, for me, I had stepped away to wash my hands. I couldn't explain why I was crying. I was having fun afterall, but there I was in a fancy dress, hair done, and an itinerary of adventure and excitement waiting. It was like I had forgotten what it was like to have fun or even enjoy myself. Hearing a stranger flush the toilet startled me enough to cease my near-meltdown and cut off the tears at their source. From there, we headed to "The Beatles Love" Cirque du Soleil.

Entering the arena was like entering an exhibition tent for the circus, and if you've never seen a Cirque du Soleil event, you're definitely missing out. Whether you're familiar with the legendary English rock band's tunes or not, the performance is one to leave you speechless. Between the amazing acrobatics and the choreography that went along to the songs that still garners the attention of a developing generation, the show left me in utter awe. At this point, I was juggling so many different emotions bubbling up from my personal and professional life that having the ability to channel it through music that I have always resonated with made me refocus on why I was there in the first place: to find me again. I may have joked, "What does my life even mean?" but I think part of me was actually wondering what the combination of moments and experiences in my life (up until this very point) actually meant. The next few days would actually start to reveal just that.