UPS AND DOWNS OF BEING A CITY GIRL

I can't believe this is coming out of my fingertips, but lately I have been gettin real sick of the city. Blasphemous! I know it. But just hear me out here. I don't know if it's the enormous number of people that are making the summer heat even more heated or what. But I've been craving some space and breathing room lately. Here's the pro and con list that's been on my mind (yes, I'm the Pros & Cons list kind of girl)

Pro No. 1
FOOD. You sure as hell can't get Buffalo Mac and Cheese, Bacon Donuts, burgers with buns made of fried mac and cheese (can you tell I love me some mac?) or the best pizza in the world in the 'burbs.

The Mac & Cheese Attack at Rockit Burger Bar. I don't hate it.

Con No. 1
Transportation. The "best" way to get around the city is public transportation. But this tacks on at least a half hour to every trip you make. Sure, your destination is probably three miles away. But that means it's 6 el stops. So you're gonna have to walk to the train stop (if you're lucky enough to live close to it, otherwise you'll have to hop on the bus), wait for the train, wait through every stop while sitting in a seat that smells like someone peed in it...yesterday, I think you get my point. It's a pain. And getting a case of Diet Coke at the grocery store? Forget it. You have to carry it (and your four bags of groceries) all the way home.

Pro No. 2
No need for DD's. You can walk to a bar down the street and stumble your way home. Ain't no worryin about driving.

Con No. 2
Cars. If you do decide to bypass the public transport, you're driving. Which BLOWS here. There's traffic no matter what time of day or night you brave the road. The trip to CVS that should take you 5 minutes, ends up totaling near 30. And then you have to worry about parking! My favorite kind of grocery store is the kind with a parking lot.

Pro No. 3
Coffee Shops. There is quite the "Coffee Shop Culture" in big cities, at least in this one. My caffeine  addiction is cozy-ly fed. I've realized that Starbucks does not, in fact, have the greatest latte. Nor the greatest atmosphere. I would so much rather hit up that local shop instead.

Filter Coffee in Bucktown. Couches everywhere

Con No. 3
Prices. Everything costs more. And I mean everything. From your rent every month to the drinks you get on Friday night, everything is more expensive. And the jobs don't necessarily pay more.

Pro No. 4
There's so much room for activities! No but really. There's so many fun things to do. One of our favorite bars has a bowling alley in it. And there's another one filled with the greatest old school video games. Concerts in your neighborhood are also hard to beat.

Con No. 4
I'm cramped. I don't have all that much space to "run around", so to speak. Whenever we go back to my parents' house, my favorite part is their backyard (something I largely oversaw when I lived at home). Now, I just soak it in. It would be so nice to sit outside on a large deck, not have to feel like you're sitting on top of your next door neighbor, and see grass and trees.

But then I see this and I quickly forgot all the cons.

DEAR CREEPS OF THE STREET

Dear Guy Who Just Passed Me on the Street-

All I was trying to do was get myself and my iced caramel coffee with skim back to my office. In peace. But you had other plans, didn't you? You decided to make me crawl-out-of-my-skin uncomfortable by making eye contact with me and while you did that, you let out the most guttural, disgustingly sexual grunts.

Just one question for you, why? Why would you decide to make a young woman feel as though it's not her place to walk down the sidewalk, as though she's trespassing in your space instead of walking in a public area.

Okay, I lied. Another question. What made you think you had the right to do that? I have a father, and a brother, and a boyfriend, who all love me and respect me. Isn't there some kind of bro code? Don't you, like, think about those people before you treat me like I'm an object?

All I know is you and your buddies, the guys who openly discussed my "killer rack" last week as I was standing next to them in Best Buy, can all go screw yourselves.