I love St. Louis.
Occasionally, I want to be in the country, but it's not because I dislike St. Louis.

It is an authentic city with much to love,
its unique charm, relative isolation from Corporate America,
diversity, colorful atmosphere,
deep undertones.

It has become my home.

I know this, because today when I was walking back from Shnucks (our grocery store chain), I thought "but I even have an amazing hair lady here that I may never replace!"

I, the nomadic hair client, have settled down at Abagail's.
She is truly Genius with scissors.
I know, because I loved my friend's cut so much I asked her where she got it,
and when I got mine, everyone asked where I got mine.

St. Louis is full of unusual trends.
Baseball is the sport of choice (football is third to baseball and hockey)
Our Christian radio station plays good songs (not corny ones) and NO commercials. Because thousands of us come together ONE weekend over the year and donate. And it mobilizes the community in many ways.
You need to tell a joke to get candy on Halloween.
Nearly every museum/sight is free, all on weekdays and most on weekends...to stroll through the history museum or the zoo, that is the question.

It is a city with country feel.
I will miss it.

I will miss the legal U-turns.
I will miss never having any traffic. EVER. Unless it's the world series parade.
I will miss the things on the gas pump that make it so you don't have to hold it to pump gas.

I will miss weeknight Cardinal games,
The $12 Andy Grammer (and $30 Lupe Fiasco) concerts.
I'll miss the woman who dances on the sidewalk by the Mobile station to her walkman.
I'll miss the grassy and treeful sidewalks,
the college ministry,
the moral fiber,
America's first military "welcome home the heroes" parade,
the best kept secret in the US.

Now, St. Louis does have its issues,
But I have never felt threatened by them.
Walking along the shanty-town by the river with my fieldwork instructor was being welcomed into the cowboy's space.
The older man on the metro told me that my backpack was unzipped and my wallet was exposed.
Though segregated, the school and sickle cell community has taken me in.
There are bad things that I don't like, dislike,
That I try to fix,
But I don't feel unwelcome by it.

The air is the only big quality of life thing I can find to dislike about St. Louis, and it's so much better than east coast cities.

And my hairdresser. She's much better, too.