Glad to (officially!) call MN home now...

Even though I have been living here (at least during the academic year) since 2003, I can finally call MN home. This is because my MN driver's license FINALLY (!) came in the mail on Friday. My roommate brought me the envelope with the DMV return address label on it, and I may or may not have done a happy-dance right then and there. I would say that I don't normally toot my own horn, but that would be a lie, so I think I deserve a pat on the back for actually going to the DMV, taking (and passing!) the stupid written test, forgetting my passport--thus having to return on a later date, remembering to bring cash to pay for the license, managing to take a decent picture and surviving for a month by showing my ugly Wisconsin ID (my photo, not the ID itself) along with those lovely yellow papers proving that I'm not in fact trying to buy spirits with a bunk license. Whew...it's a process to become official here!

I couldn't quite put my finger on why, but today felt like an exceptionally fantastic day. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that I had one of those wonderfully-bendy IDs in my wallet with a cute smile to boot, but at any rate, today's glittery outlook made me start thinking about all of the reasons why I love living in the Twin Cities, or more specifically Minneapolis.

My roots stem from Madison, WI; and while I love many things about that town (oh so many things), I didn't really fall deeply in love with a city or metropolitan area until I started college here. My love affair has been growing deeper over the years, and as I am embarking on my fumbling 20-something adventures, these are the things I have grown to love:

The "rivalry" between Minneapolis and St. Paul- People born on each side of the river will defend their side to the death. Because I wasn't born here, I can't pick a side. I love them both. Some of the cheeky exchanges I've heard in favor of each side include:

-Minneapolis tries too hard; Saint Paul doesn't have to.

-Minneapolis rents. Saint Paul owns.

-Minneapolis flushes twice because St. Paul needs the water.

-The Bible talks about St. Paul, but never mentions Minneapolis.

The Lakes. You know which ones I'm referring to- But just in case you don't, I'm specifically referring to that beloved chain of lakes in Uptown and South Minneapolis that are an endless source of entertainment and beauty in the area. Driving past Calhoun on my way to work in the morning when it's either glassy and deserted or frozen solid is such a great mood brightener. People watching on any of the aforementioned lakes has almost become a competitive sport for my friends and me during the summer months.

The music scene- I know that this sounds cliche, but I l-o-v-e music, and the more I can get of it live in a small, dank, poorly-lit venue, the better. Minneapolis and St. Paul have more choices than I can possibly fathom to fulfill this obsession of mine. A few favorite places of mine to frequent for a night of aural pleasure include the Turf Club, First Ave, 7th Street Entry, The Varsity, Cedar Cultural Center, and last but not least The Fine Line. (Not all of these are dive-type establishments, but I love them anyway.)

This post is a work in progress...so don't get upset if my favorite things are lacking some quintessentially TC aspects.