Posted on August 29, 2018
Google Las Vegas and you’ll come across a good number of travel articles listing all the reasons why you should visit the self-billed “Entertainment Capital of the World” at least once in your lifetime. For longtime Penn-Mar resident Tim O’Neill, make that at least twice.
Last fall, Tim, 41, sat down with Penn-Mar’s Maryland Quality Coordinator, Rich Dozier, to write his Individual Support Plan for the year. The plan details important supports, activities, and resources an individual will need to achieve his or her personal goals. One of Tim’s goals, Rich said, was to do some traveling and at least plan a trip to a destination of his choosing.
“During our conversation, it came up that Tim wanted to go to Vegas and he wanted to go with someone other than family,” said Rich. “I offered to go with him, if the timing worked out.”
It wasn’t long before the two packed their bags and headed west to the resort city, or Sin City, as it’s been nicknamed, in Nevada’s Mojave Desert for a week of fun and, of course, a bit of gambling.
Tim was no stranger to Vegas. Three years ago, he traveled there with his former counselor, and the experience left him wanting to go back.
“I like to travel a lot,” said Tim. I’ve been down to Florida to visit my parents Maryanne and Marty a bunch of times, and with them have been to California and Alaska. The whole family had a ball in Alaska.”
For the past 17 years, Tim has been working ful-time with Bank of America in Hunt Valley, Maryland, as a Customer Service Assistant. He takes his job seriously and is very diligent, but considers his leisure time important too. According to Rich, Tim strives for work-life balance – “He works hard and plays hard.”
On The Strip
Settling into the Luxor, that grand, Egyptian-themed pyramid on Vegas’ famous Strip that boasts having the strongest beam of light in the world, Tim and Rich planned out a week’s worth of entertainment that included two shows and a site-seeing trip out to the Hoover Dam. In addition, the traveling companions took in a lot of the sites on the Strip, dining out, and stopping in to tour some of the other famous hotel resorts like the Bellagio and its iconic fountains.
“We had an awesome time,” said Rich. “We were out sun up to sun down, putting in full days of activity, and a little light gambling along the way. It’s part of the experience of Vegas.”
The two shows they saw at the Luxor were the magician and illusionist Criss Angel, and stand-up comedian Carrot Top. “Carrot Top was funnier than I anticipated, even after all these years,” added Rich.
“I loved the shows,” said Tim. “I like doing and seeing different things something different from the routine.”
“Tim is a fun loving, adventurous guy. He likes being around people,” said Rich. “During our week in Vegas, folks would talk to us and express how impressed they were with our trip, and how Tim is living his best life.”
This fall Tim’s heading to Atlantic City with his sister, and in a few short weeks will be going up to Penn State for a game, quickly followed by an Orioles game with friends from work.
Would he go back to Vegas? Tim said he would, but since he’s been there twice already, somewhere else would be preferable.