Okay, it seems like I have been on a mission to shit on Harrah’s lately, right?

I can assure you that nothing can be further from the truth. I repeatedly go back, sure that my experiences are the exception to the rule.

But it really, really seems like they have been going out of their way to shit on me.

I was at the Flamingo again, and was strolling through the courtyard with my kid.

I noticed that the bird-exploiting people were out. They would hang parrots off of people, and charge them $10 to take their picture.

I took pictures of a few unknown families with the birds.

After the third family, I figured “why not” … I’ll go ahead and let them hang birds off my kid and I will pay them.

I walked up to the bird lady, and I was very polite … but of course … she was a bitch. Kind of a running theme at Harrah’s lately.

Me: Hello, I would like to do this bird thing for my kid. I’ll go ahead and pay whatever your are charging, but you don’t need to take pictures, I have my own camera.

Bird Lady: We are required to take the pictures.

Me: Okay, I understand. I’ll buy your pictures as well.

Bird Lady: Only we can take pictures, you cannot.

Me: I’ve been taking pictures for the past 10 minutes.

Bird Lady: Well, you can’t take pictures when the parrots are on your own child.

Me: Huh? I can take pictures of everyone else’s kids, but not my own?

Bird Lady: That’s correct.

Me: Well I have like 20 pictures of everyone else’s family, but I can’t take a picture of my own?

Bird Lady: No, you cannot.

What the motherfucking fucking fuck???

Raise your hand if this makes sense. If your hand is raised … shoot yourself. Please.

At this point I just put my money back in my pocket and walked away. She didn’t seem to care. I’m assuming she was making something around minimum wage … and her hatred for all living creatures was self-evident.

I swear this town didn’t used to be this way. Back in 2000 they let me ride the Big Shot 10 times in a row because nobody else was in line. Folks went out of their way to do what I wanted as long as it didn’t bother anyone else.

Now, more often than not, it’s one surly bitch after another barking one nonsensical rule at you after another while security follows you around in the event that your camera is a thermonuclear device.

Most of my bad experiences have been at Harrah’s properties lately. Coincidence? Bad luck? Wrong place at the wrong time? Exception to the rule?

Sure, those are all valid possibilities.

But … just damn.

I’m glad I was in this town when they used to try. Because it was a much better place to visit.

I still love the town, but service is getting worse seemingly by the minute. It really is getting depressing.

Oh well, a shitty way to end a shitty week.

I’m going to see if I can avoid Harrah’s this weekend.

The Bellagio Conservatory has a new display, and they have yet to scream at me for taking pictures of it. I’ll see how that goes.

I’m half expecting an employee from Bally’s to run across to the Bellagio and beat me in the head with a steel pipe … just to make sure I don’t slip up and enjoy myself.