good coffee...free wi-fi...

To celebrate my last day as recruitment associate, I enjoyed a shrimp po' boy from my new favorite place near work called Bar Louie. I guess it is actually a chain bar/grill - but my friend Ann, introduced it to me and we had lunch there last week...shrimp po' boy...delicious - and on special today!! Bonus! Then after heading out of the office, I made contact with my reality management company to deposit the rest of the security deposit - I also explained the situation of the 31st/1st being a Tuesday/Wednesday this year and they're going to work with me to make my move easier. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

After that I decided that I should check out this "Ukrainian Village" that I will be calling my home for the next year. Of course, the first thing that I see is this massive church - Ukrainian Catholic...which I need to research more. I figured I would stop in and check out the chapel - but the doors were locked....so I walk away from the doors and looked across and see these huge steeples maybe a block away - yep, another Ukrainian Catholic Church. This one was St. Nicholas'...apparently 100 years old...and under construction. No luck on the churches...but I can't wait until my dad comes because he'll love this sort of stuff, right Dad? :)

So now I'm sitting in Cafe Ballou - a Ukrainian coffee shop...with good coffee and free wi-fi. I'm actually going to be living above this cafe in my new apartment. And from where I'm sitting now I can see the stairs that lead up to my apartment. The barista's name is Christine - or may Kristine...or some Ukrainian spelling of either. She was speaking what I assume was Ukrainian to an older gentleman - so I'm excited to maybe learn a little of that...and be able to come here and enjoy a beverage (and the free wi-fi). Wait!! I just looked and saw their menu - they have croissants...toasted, buttered w/ jam - this place is awesome!!! I CANNOT wait to live here :)! Plus, from where I seated I can see this fresh apple pie and I think I should probably move before I spend money I don't have on calories that I don't need.

Maybe I'm just incredibly excited about this place because I have fresh caffeine running through me - or it could be because as I was driving home last night there was quite a commotion just 2 or so blocks from where I live. A teenager had been shot and killed earlier in the day while I was at work...honors student, football player. It just really made me think about things. Honestly, I have never been worried about my safety - I feel pretty confident that I could kick the crap out anyone who was trying to do something to me. And I have a baseball bat thanks to Robert and Eric...and Mace - thanks to Mom. So I'm set in whatever neighborhood I'll be. But in thinking about all of this, I guess I'm just frustrated by people who think that their personal problems are solved by killing somebody. I just want to go find whoever thinks this and say, "What is going on in your life that would be better if somebody else were dead?"

Which makes me think of Jerry Seinfeld's comedic genius - when he discusses NY cab drivers "What is going on in your life to make you drive like this??"

Anyhow, I'll sign off and go check out Ukrainian church #3 that is just around the block (yes, that makes 3 churches w/in walking distance from my apartment. Hopefully, this one won't be locked :)!

~mitzi