Soooooo the Cracker Barrel Mark and I eat at got shot up last night. It's, you know, less than half a mile from our house.

I HATE DURHAM.

TWO THINGS

1) Something inside me is bleeding again, and over the past 24 hours I've gotten paler and paler and generally more exhausted. It's weird this time, it started with a horrible headache which has not gone away. And then abdomnial pain, as per usual. I think this entire issue can be chalked up to how liberal I am. (get it, get it, bleeding heart liberal, get it)

2) I spent almost the entire day today watching episodes of America's Best Dance Crew on my lappy. I have no idea why I care or even how I got there.

3) Chad sent in the appraisal. We were under contract for our second offer, which was 112k. Bank appraised the house for -- wait for it -- 112k. Which means,

i voted and jake is here and it takes me 90 minutes to get to my parents' house and back now and i am tireddddddddddddd

oh also i wrote in my dad. so if you live in chatham county, and for any reason you don't care who wins that position, and you know my last name, for the soil & water conservation position (the last position on the ballot), write in "M. Travis [my last name]"

if he gets more than one vote he gets in the paper, and i think that would be hilarious.

DUDE.
The tech that Dell sent over to replace my display (hopefully that'll work) is a Magistrate for Durham. WHICH IS SO COOL. We like, talked criminal justice and veteran support and OMG IT WAS SO AWESOME.

He gave me his card, which means I have like, VIP access to the Durham court system to see how it works and whatnot. I AM EXCITED, THIS IS NEAT.

Now I'm going to take a nap.

I had an idea. (UH OH)

Drinking age. It's my general understanding that college leaders are getting into the mix primarily because of their concern with binge drinking among their students. And it has been my experience -- you know, just stuff I've heard -- that most college kids drink, whether or not they're 21.

So... WHAT IF: The legal drinking age would drop to 18 -- ONLY for those either serving in the military or attending college (4-year?). Otherwise, kids are stuck until they're 21. I'd toy with the idea that more kids would consider higher education and work towards that as a goal. This could also impact the cost of a college education (positively?). And, an increase in volunteers for the military would effect the impact of war upon more families, i.e., constituents -- and thus, politicians. As it stands, a lot of 18-year-old kids joining up are those with few other options. The kids who HAVE options and CHOOSE not to take advantage of them would also be CHOOSING to forego their privilege to buy alcohol for an extra three years. The freshmen who jump into college and get TOTALLY WASTED to the point of alcohol poisoning as part of a social scene would suddenly be much less interesting.

The tentative idea of it makes me feel a little better. Less drunken rednecks and silver spoons drivin' around my highways.

Also, tornadoes are attacking Durham again. Thanks Fay.

And, instead of posting to my CCO forum at 11:59, I posted at 5:07. K THX I R AHEAD.