Lullabies

There is a man in Korea, born and bred, who lived in St. Louis for 4 years while he attended Fontbonne University..... and I met him. I randomly met a Korean guy on the subway awhile back who heard of St. Louis because he passed through twice, and I thought that was cool. But to meet someone who knew names like Schnucks and Forest Park, and Euclide and Kingshighway, and Ted Drew's! That was a hoot. When I was younger I remember making a pact with my neighbor friend that we wouldn't live in St. Louis all our lives because "it was boring." Well, I honored my words, and while Seoul has certainly been thrilling and I really enjoy aspects of my life here, I was reminded of all the things that I treasure about home. And it just happens that today is the 6 month anniversary since my departure. So in honor of such rehashing, I have compiled a list things, big and little, that make me happy back home.

1. the library, especially on rainy days
2. Mom's homemade chicken soup
3. My cherry red Jeep Cherokee, particularily driving around with the radio on in my cherry red Jeep Cherokee.
4. The garbage disposal
5. minimal polution
6. Hanging out at Chevy's with the girls from the Y
7. the awesome Dad-made desk that's as long as I and the floor to ceiling bookshelf.
8. Speed limits and stop signs
9. Running in Queeny Park on a warm Sunday, then stopping at the nearby smoothie place; Powder Valley in the fall; the botanical gardens full of tulips and roses.
10. Jazz with Erin Bode
11. an oven
12. toilet paper in bathrooms
13. Dad's Sunday dinners
14. Hanging out with Steph at Khaldi's and jamming to tunes on her laptop
15. Hearing Nina go on and on about the Cardinals
16. March Madness
17. Black Cherry Gatorade
18. Green on St. Patrick's Day; Christmas lights on houses
19. Going to Target
20. Chatting with regulars at the YMCA (even though I've met some nice people at my gym here).