[bus man]

And some people wonder why I don’t bother moving out of a shithole like Laurel to someplace “nicer” like Columbia. Answer: a nice place (like Columbia 20 years ago) is just a shithole waiting to happen.

I mean no offense, but I'm not following your logic. If you have a choice between living in a current shithole and living in a future shithole, wouldn't it be better to pick the place that has not yet gone down the toilet?

Your reasons for staying in Laurel are your own, of course, and I wouldn't presume to try and tell you where you should live. I hope, for your sake, that the efforts to revitalize your town (like the big development across the street from the shell of the Laurel Mall) bear fruit, and the area becomes, shall we say, less stinky.

[caww]

I recall two apartments I had on Main Street communities....both I fixed up with just paint..a bit of outdoor carpet...some plants potted and white plastic furniture. You’d be surprised what happens in a community once just one person starts improvements, and they don’t need to be major.

I even had some guy who walked by my place, I didn’t know, leave a planted plant because he walked by it every day and just wanted to be a part of the improvement. My landlord was so impressed he hired painters to do the whole building....following that the neighbors across the street started improving their property...and it just continued.