Craig's List, Arbiter of Modern Society

Re-evaluating my price range and the fact that I don't want to move into a neighborhood where children get shot on busy neighborhood streets in broad daylight, I've decided to reconsider moving into another roommate situation. So that means lots of slack-jawed, glassy-eyed surfing through Craig's List postings. I've come across a new trend: I've found several listings looking for a roommate age 26+. Huh? When did 26 become the new touchstone of responsible adulthood? There's some faulty logic there. I mean, Princess of Darkness will be 26 in a few days and she's not winning the maturity race.

The other night, I was on the phone with my Dad and POD was throwing a tantrum in the background. My father said, "What's that? Do you have kids in your apartment?"

"No, that's my roommate."

"What is she, a single mother?"

"No, but she frequently behaves like a four-year-old."

In fact, a few days before that I was on the phone with someone else and POD was pacing up and down the apartment playing a harmonica. Loudly. Which, when you think about it, is exactly something your 4-year old little brother would do. And all I could think was "Jesus Christ. Who gave that kid a harmonica? Now I'm going to have to distract her with something shiny to get it away from her."

And here I am at 24, very concerned about the hair dryer that has been left plugged in for two months now, sometimes next to a sink full of standing water. I swear my apartment is like a Con-Ed sponsored Public Service Announcement waiting to happen.