Why Kansas is good

Okay, so here goes a post written after I've had 2 glasses of wine (if retail therapy doesn't work, wine should, right?)...
So even though there are many reasons why I left the Sunflower State, there are also a number of reasons why I'm looking forward to visiting 17 days from now (the fact that I almost needed a calculator to figure that out should once and for all clear up any ideas of Dr. Cocoa Puffs = intellectual):

- my family's there. I come from a big family and have 3 great sisters and 1 great brother plus 2 brilliant nieces, one of whom I'll be meeting for the first time this trip, and a hilarious step-nephew who loves cake. I've been known to bitch about my family, but I get along great with my siblings and seriously, the stories Skaterbol and I could tell about the 6 years I was in Lawrence while she was in Kansas City would fill a book. A perhaps scary, full of drunken decandance book, but a book nonetheless.

- Yello Sub. Look, I know Kansas is not even listed in 1000 Places to See Before You Die, but if you're ever driving cross-country or in the KC/Lawrence region for whatever reason, you must stop there. It fucking rocks. It may be perhaps one of the reasons I chose to go to graduate school at good ole KU.

- Good Mexican food (or what we Americans consider good Mexican food). My fool ass could deal with some 2 for 1 margaritas and guacomole infused burritos round about now.

- After hours diner food. I know I sound like a complete fat ass writing this, but I need me some Nichols 24 (sorry, I can't find a link for it - it's a great little 24 hour diner that's been around since ca. 1922).

- Old Navy. If you suffer from body dismorphic disorder (not like I do - ha! Actually, I just spend most of my life thinking I was fat as my mom and all 3 sisters are incredibly thin), there's nothing like trying on a US size 6 and discovering it's too big.

And what else is there: Free State, the Lyon, Dairy Queen - yes, I'll be fattening myself up...