what a great saturday! i got up relatively early (early for me, anyway). we made it to the art museum around 11 and spent a few hours. i was actually a little disappointed in the museum's collection. i guess i'm just used to the st. louis art museum, which is bigger (at least it seems so to me). the st. louis art museum also has a lot more renaissance and impressionist paintings, which are my favorite. we only did the first floor & i will go back another time and see the rest. one reason we didn't spend more time was the security at the museum. first, we were outside on the front lawn area, taking pictures with the giant shuttlecock. one of the art nazi security guards came up to us & told us that we weren't supposed to touch the sculpture. the one reason i came up with for this was that they don't want people defacing, putting graffiti on the sculpture. but, come on! i can't just touch it? hell, at laumeier sculpture park in st. louis, you can all but climb on the things. and, his telling me not to touch it just made my already present urge to touch it even stronger. then, the guy watched & followed us all the way up the yard to the front of the museum. it wasn't cool entering the place feeling like we were being watched like sculpture fondling criminals. then i was made to feel like a reckless child who doesn't know how to behave in a museum or the amount of space my own body takes up. another art nazi asked me not to wear my bag on my back (it's one of those back-pack-ish ones with one strap that crosses the body) because they didn't want me to back into a painting or something. ok, understandable rule for kids, but i'm an adult who knows how not to back into walls. i know, i know, it's for the preservation & safety of the art work. but, having not one, but two guards inside tell me to first, not wear the bag on my back and then second, to check the bag, i felt like asking if someone wanted to hold my hand while i walked around so i wouldn't trip on my own feet & knock over a statue or something. i hate to compare it to STL again, but during the many times i've been to the st. louis art museum, i was approached by a guard one time, because i took a flash picture inside (which i knew was a no-no, but did it anyway). so, despite the art nazis, the art museum was a relatively enjoyable experience. we walked around the plaza for a bit, trying to decide where to have a late lunch. we ended up at chipotle. if you have one around you or come upon one in another city, you must stop & eat. i'd never eaten there & now i want to eat there every day. around 5 bucks for an enormous burrito (at least 2 meals for me). and they liberally advertise that, even if it's not on the menu, if they have the ingredients, they'll make whatever you want. it was so damn good! and, after J told them it was my first time there & schmoozed with the clerk, she actually gave us our food for free. i was shocked, but it was a really cool thing for her to do. we then went to a cigar/smoke shop that i found out carries J's favorite cigars (acid brand). he got a couple cigars & i got a pack of dunhills. dunhills have this nostalgic thing for me with my dad. every time he's go to europe, he'd come home with a carton of dunhills. i always thought the packs were cool. the "international lights" are really smooth. i know i need to quit, but until that time comes, i think i have a new brand. we then came home, took a little nap, and then went to cold stone creamery, another first for me. yummy yummy ice cream. we walked thru a nearby store while we ate our ice cream. this store is packed full of local university stuff. it reminded me of how crazy folks in oklahoma are about their college football teams... kc has a real southern feel about it sometimes. people around here are really obsessive about their teams. ku, mizzou, k-state, pitt state... but nothing for umkc (which is where i'm thinking of going). they also had a bunch of wizard of oz stuff (we ARE in kansas). i want to get this t-shirt that says "university of oz, home of the fighting totos". i wanted to say thanks to all my old buddies who commented recently. i have noticed the "pop" thing but another thing i noticed is that around here they say, for example, "35 highway" or "69 highway" whereas i've always said (and heard) things like "highway 70". i like finding those little differences, i've always found differences in language & speech very interesting. anyway, thanks for the recommendations, guys! i really like kc a lot & look forward to more exploring. we've got SO many restaurants we want to try! for now, it's time to get some sleep. i've got my first kc jeep club meeting tomorrow, i'm really looking forward to meeting folks & making some local friends. then i'll get ready to go back to the STL for a visit monday morning. weee :)