Misogyny, Racism, and-what now!?-AGE DISCRIMINATION?

I'm not completely sure what has happened in the past few months with regard to my appearance.  I know I look young.  I've always had a history of people mistaking me for a high school student, but lately it seems to be happening more and more.  I've never been a fan of it.  People say that I should be flattered.  I don't think I'm old enough to be flattered by that.  And frankly, of late it has been somewhat obnoxious.

Like on election day...

Man behind counter: "Hey look!  (yelling so the other 25 people in line could hear clearly) We've got a first time voter!  Go tell that guy from the paper that we found him a kid."

Really?  My first time voting?  It is 7:20 am.  How many 18 year olds come to a polling place that early when they know they've got 12 hours before shutdown?

And at work...

Man I waited on at Fado: "Hey, you look a little familiar, where did you used to work?"

Me: "Whew...god...um, well when I was 14 I worked at Mangias, then I picked up a second job when I was 16 at...then when I went to college I worked at both a bar and-"

Man: "YOU went to college?!"

Me:"Um, yes?"

Man: "Did you finish?"   (!?!?!?)

Me: "Yeah...and a masters degree after that"

Man: "Well...looks like you are putting it to good use here...(points to an empty restaurant)"

Thanks jerk.  In case you haven't been paying attention, the economy is in the toilet.  Its amazing I have THIS job.  And last time I checked, I wasn't exactly jumping for joy at the prospect that part of my job description is to refill your iced tea 7 times even though I am one of the 5-9% of Americans that have a masters degree.  It must be nice to be retired.

He then continued on to tell me, ME!!!!, how young people expect everything to be given to them and that they don't know the meaning of hard work.  He expressed concern at how the country was going to fare now that all of the "stupid young people" put Obama in office.  I stared at him in amazement. 

And when out and about...

Woman at my mom's yacht club: "Your mom is a really special lady, you'll probably appreciate her more when you're older."

Me: "When I'm older?  I think she's an incredible person now.  I don't see how I could appreciate her any more than I already-"

Woman: (interrupting) "So are you thinking about schools?"

Me: "Um, yes...I've thought a lot about schools."

Woman: "Oh, so you've narrowed it down a bit?  Where do you hope to go?!"

Me: "Well, lets see, I graduated from Maryland in 2005, and I got my MFA at SCAD in November of last-"

Woman: (interrupting again, and clearly not listening) "So, what do you want to be when you grow up?"

Me: "When I grow up?  Well, I've been applying for teaching programs at some colleges without much success"

Woman: (slightly grasping the situation) "Teaching?  Colleges?  Like...small colleges, right?

!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!