... there was silence in heaven for about half an hour

It's not often I don't find what I'm looking for on the internet. I mean, that's kind of the beauty of the thing. Sure, in some cases it can be horrifying, like the fact that there's 608,000 pages about the "furry lifestyle," according to google, but usually it comes in handy. So what is one supposed to do when presented with an apparent lack of useful information about being a 0L at University of Maryland School of Law (save Heather's great blog), or a twenty-something living with a bleeding disorder? Why, start a blog of course! I struggle with the vanity of blogging (don't we all?), but I promise that once the hemophiliac-baltimore-lawyer experience has become more mainstream I'll retire my webpage promptly and pass the torch onto the next generation of issue-spotters who don't clot so good.

And with that rather lengthy introduction, here's a few of the things I'd like to accomplish with my informal journalistic efforts (in order of personal importance):

1). Connect With Others Like Me: I know you're out there. By "like me," I'm not necessarily referring to an obsession with police procedural dramas and a love of frozen ravioli, but perhaps you're attending or will attend UMD Law, maybe you are, take care of, or are related to someone with a bleeding disorder. Maybe you have a blog. Reach out.

2). Dispel Myths About Baltimore: The talk around the internet is that Baltimore is a rough town, and I'm not going to deny that completely, but when prospies visiting the school run screaming the other direction after seeing the city I feel like I've got to stand up for my home. I've been living in Baltimore for a little over a year now, and I'm moving to a new apartment also in the city proper come August, so I resent the idea that Baltimore is some kind of hellhole, or that the only parts worth visiting are the Inner Harbor, Little Italy and Power Plant Live(!). When you think Baltimore, I don't want you to flash to images of Mordor from the Lord of the Rings, eye of Sauron glaring, orcs hatching out of egg-sacs and whatnot. Being unwilling or unable to pay more than 500 dollars for an apartment, it's not like I'm living in some high-tower or anything: Baltimore is livable, and even enjoyable... at least when the sun's out.

3). Succeed: Succeed at Law School, succeed at staying healthy for as long as possible. I'm not going to accomplish that by sitting here and launching words out into the void of the internet, but I trust that you'll be able to help me. Would you believe UMD Law has no myspace group, no livejournal group? I did find a Facebook group, but it's little more than a name: no post or any other activity. Let's organize! Let's, by all means, do well.

And you know what? That's about all the reasons I can think of for now. I think three is enough; as School House Rock teaches us, it's a very special number.