One of the greatest joys in life is Armenian dancing your butt off at a Harout dinner dance. I will be doing this in less than three weeks on my upcoming trip to Los Angeles. This news has made me more than happy. If there is anything I miss about LA, its Harout dinner dances. My friends and I used to go to any Harout Dance regardless of whether or not we knew the host organization or not. Dancing Armenian is extremely fun, and Harout extremely entertaining... the mix is dangerous.

Things here are a bit chaotic for me. I have a good friend who is being called for military service. I don't quite know my thoughts on mandatory service but I do know that my friend cannot afford to go. He is the only breadwinner in the family and he has a decent job. Without him working, the family will go through hardship. It is a tough situation and I don't quite know how to feel. He wants to avoid serving and is quite worried for his family (his mother and his sisters). It has me quite upset.

I am also leaving in a week however my remodeling is not done. My father, my hero, will be here in a few days and will be my vice-hsgogh of remond... I am fortunate to have supportive parents. At first they weren't quite sure whether this was all right... moving here, buying an apartment... but since we all jumped in together they have been keeping me afloat and doing it with a smile.

It's Saturday night and I am happy to say that I am at home... relaxing and eating my second bowl of Borscht. I am learning some local dishes and am having fun cooking. I am a disaster in the kitchen but am learning fast. Monday I plan to try Borscht again, but without my friends help.