debates are illuminating.

i decided to watch the presidential debate tonight. i've never in my life intended to do such a thing. i was only 20 last time. i didn't care. i was busying studying and partying. it's true. i partied. in a way.

my goal was to watch the entire spectacle, but i only made it halfway. my attention span began to wane as they started arguing (excuse me, debating) about the war. i'm so over that. there are other issues i want to hear about.

and that's when i realized...i am so grown-up. watching this is such a grown-up thing to do. but i also noticed there are still a few areas where i need some growth. so i compiled these two lists.

1) Ways the Debate Showed Me I Am Grown-Up
- i actually watched it, mostly
- there are actual issues that i care about (such as healthcare, because...oh yeah, i have no health insurance. the family who owns the preschools in the area...i haven't ruled out a mafia connection...is so loaded, but they won't give us health insurance)
- i'm seriously thinking about those issues, and not just deciding to vote republican because my family does
- i had a vague, if not complete, understanding of what they were talking about
- the moderator made me laugh

2) Ways the Debate Showed Me I Am Not Grown-Up
- i am still using the term "grown-up"
- i wished there were commercial breaks
- i spent too much time counting how many times mccain batted his eyelids out of frustration, or how many times i saw obama's adam's apple bounce up and down out of frustration (in other words, i was easily distracted)
- i only made it halfway before i started pacing and humming to myself out of sheer boredom
- i thought about doing a coin toss to decide who to vote for

i wanted a commercial break so i could go to the bathroom. but i'm sure you'll be relieved to know that i am not so grown-up that i can't hold it anymore.