It’s a seductive idea, isn’t it? To be able to do anything you want without consequences. No angry wife to care that you gambled away the mortgage payment or the 401K. No jealous boyfriend to care that you seduced the young cabana boy just because you could. No boss to care that you stayed up until 4 AM and slept in until noon. On the surface it sounds…enticing.
The characters for my newest book, Afterburn, learn the hard way that the idea doesn’t really work. There are always consequences. There’s always someone to care when we do or say things we probably shouldn’t. Luckily for Chase and Rina, one night of carefree abandon- and an accidental Vegas wedding – leads to a lifetime of happiness. However, I do delight in holding their feet to the fire for a little while before they get there. 
But what intrigues me is the question WHY. Why do people want a few days where anything goes? I know for me it would be the lure of no responsibilities. The concept of no consequences takes the pressure off of having to think and evaluate. You allow yourself to simply feel and react. No filters. But I’m guessing that other people might be fueled by other motivations.
So the question I’d like to ask is, what would you want to do in Vegas if no one would find out? And why would you/wouldn’t you do it if given the chance?
Kira Sinclair
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Hmm, there are many things I’d like to do, but there’s a decent chance my Darling Geek might click over here in support of Kira’s post and I *like* being married. Thanks, but no confessions from me.
I lived there for 12 years, so I can assure you that anything you want to do is available to be done in Vegas. Just name your price. I’ve gotten into my fair share of trouble there – but as they say – it stays there, so I can’t tell you. I will say that if any of you go – there’s a place called Olympic Gardens with very nice male strippers. They’re hard to come by, but they have a very nice selection. I celebrated my 21st birthday there. (H)
There is something about being on vacation somewhere that lets you cut loose from reality. I went on a cruise once my friend and I went to a place called Senor Frog’s in Nassau. For some reason, we were particularly popular that night. Didn’t pay for a single drink. No lines were crossed, but they could’ve been, very easily. I think I preferred the idea of knowing I *could* rather than actually doing it.
What would I do? :-S Go to every show, probably. No interest in hanky-panky (got the perfect one at home!), don’t like to gamble, so that leaves the shows! (H)
Having just returned from a Vegas getaway with my hubby…I’m going to take the 5th on this one. :-P
Seriously–not into gambling at all and we didn’t get into any real trouble. Any city would have done as well for a chance to get away from the kids and the house and just spend a couple of wonderful days together. But something about Vegas makes it feel…wicked. In a good way.
Andrea, you hit the nail on the head with that last observation. It would be knowing the freedom was there if I wanted it, without actually following through.
I have never been to Vegas. I think I should go with you, Andrea. (H)
Which hotel has the fabulous spa? I’d go hang out there for about a week.
They all have nice ones, but if I was going to splurge? The Bellagio, for sure.
Hmmm, what does it say about me that if there was something I wanted to do, I did it already? I didn’t have many inhibitions in my 20′s, but at the same time, I never had fantasies about doing anything seriously outrageous. And now, if there were something, I could do it vicariously through one of my Blaze heroines, ensuring the outcome was exactly the way I wanted. LOL!
What I would NOT do is ride that roller coaster on the top of that space needle looking building. I get vertigo just looking at it on TV.
Lori, there’s a lot of things I’d do in Vegas before I rode the rollercoaster on the Stratosphere. That thing wasn’t built well. Big scandal at the time (if you look closely, one of the legs is crooked). I actually like to keep out of falling distance of it. :-O
Kimberly, you’re no fun (says the woman who didn’t tell her husband what this post was about…). (H) Surely DG wouldn’t mind some things as long as we taped them… Buttercream?
Do I smell a field trip? Count me in.
I’ve always wanted to see the shows. I have a desire to do the Cirque tour of Vegas. See, even if given the chance to be bad I’d probably opt for that instead. I think my partying days are over. And I think you all nailed it – any escape that allows me to relax and gives me the option of resurrecting my inner bad girl would probably be good – even if I decided my wild child just wanted a mai tai poolside.
Hmmm. I must say, I’d be pretty boring. I’d watch more than participate and try to figure out people. Plus, the fact that the option to do what I wanted is there…(Yes Andrea! I loved that comment).
Still there may be a show or two I’d watch..
Being in Vegas, or being on vacation in other big, “get lost in it” cities, affords us the chance to be someone else, IMHO. You can’t act out in your hometown or a small town the same way. Sometimes it feels nice to dance a drunken Macarena (sp??) with your bff or pretend your lassoing in a nearby stud at a cowboy bar during the Boot Scoot Boogie.
But those are the kinds of things you don’t want too many witnesses for, and you certainly don’t want to be reminded of them by your co-workers the next day.
So what would I do if given the clause of secrecy… well shoot, it wouldn’t be secret then!!
Um, sort of been there, done that, and I don’t think I’m going to share.
I will say six women traveling together with one very wealthy friend where anything goes can get into buckets of trouble. Sigh. Those were the good old days.
I do love the idea of going somewhere and sleeping, eating, seeing shows and doing what I want when I want. Hmmm. I’m not so good at taking vacations, but you make me think it’s about time for one.
I would probably spend my time in Vegas gambling. Yea, I’m really going out on a limb with something exciting. Have a great day.
See, no matter what anyone tells me, I just can’t make myself believe no one would ever find out or that there are no consequences. Must be the military life I led for so many years. You could run into someone several years later on the opposite side of the planet; it was quite a common occurrence. So, no, there’s nothing I would do that I wouldn’t do anyway. *sigh* Because someone would always find out.
I’m such a stick in the mud.
Hmmm… I think I’d do lots of dancing, especially if there was no one I knew there to judge. Of course, any club with the Playfriends would be an experience to remember!!! (H)
But honestly, I’m more of a touristy girl myself. I love to see the sights, though the hubby would gamble while we’re there. Especially the poker games. But that would just give me more free time (D) so have at it, my dear!
I’m not big on gambling, but I am big on vacations! Right now anywhere they don’t ask me “what’s for dinner or where’s my pink shirt” would be paradise. (Y)
If I had my pick of adventurous locals it would be close to or on the water and possibly tropical. (H)
I somehow manage to find trouble so…I think I’ll just keep my yap shut about what I’d do if there were no consequences. (K)
I’ve never been to Vegas, but my friends and I are going in a couple of years for our 40th birthday. I don’t gamble, so I’m good with seeing the sites and shows. Now where were those male strippers? (H)
I was always the good child. The child who obeyed the rules out of fear of the consequences. I gambled very little when I was there and saw a couple shows. Now the Hoover Dam is quite a site. I recommend that. And the old part of Vegas was neat too.
I’m right there with ya on the Bellagio. We walked through it and it’s awesome. I could also watch the fountains forever. I’ve heard the thing to do is go to the Parisian across the street and sit at the sidewalk cafe, order a drink and watch the fountains from there.
I love Vegas
I had a kid in that town, but I took her with me when I left LOL – so much for staying in Vegas. But my parents live there so I’ve been there off and on for most of my life, and yeah, anything goes and anything you want is usually purchasable *g*
As for admitting naughtiness? Uh uhn… not me. I would never do that! (admit it, I mean).
Me? I let my heroines live without worrying about consequences. I can’t.
If I really let loose, I’d shock myself stupid. (and then, I’d want to do it again!)
Hello Blaze authors and readers from Colleen Collins!
What happens in Vegas is that I’d elope and get married, which I did 2 weeks ago! March 24, on the lawn outside the marriage commissioner’s office (because it was such a gorgeous spring day).
Heather encouraged me to blog the news as today was a What Happens in Vegas blog…wishing everyone a Happy Passover, Happy Easter, and best wishes, Colleen/coco
Wow, Colleen
That rocks!! Congratulations and best wishes!
How cool is that??? Best wishes, coco!
I think I’d spend my time gambling with no cash limit. Of course in real like there’s a limit–a rather low limit!
That is so cool, Colleen! Congratulations and a wonderful happily ever after!
Thanks everyone for blogging with me today. I really enjoyed reading everyone’s Vegas plans.
gamble the thunder from down under all ntie long (U) (F) (K) :-O
Craziest thing I’ve done in Vegas because no one at home would know about it: Dance on the bar at Coyote Ugly with friends when it first opened. I can’t dance. It was hilarious. And fun. And free tequila was involved, so….
What I wish I could do: High stakes no limit poker. I always play cheap limit poker, and that’s fun, but the high stakes rooms are amazing. I’d love to play there.
Actually, the last time I was in Vegas, I danced on the bar in Coyote Ugly just to say I did it. It is completely out of character for me, but I wanted to do something that would shock people when I told them. It has definitely made for a good story. So, what I did in Vegas definitely did not stay there, and I didn’t want it to. lol
I just don’t think I could do anything that I couldn’t tell people about when I got back home.
Oh, I forgot to mention that I was completely sober at the time, too. All I’d had to drink that night was water.