Love. Loyalty. Agendas.

“But one thing I just could never understand, was that Ginger could have everything under control… except for her old pimp boyfriend, Lester Diamond. He was a moocher, a card cheat, a country club golf hustler, a scumbag chasing dentists for a few bucks. The guy was always broke. He always had a story. And somehow she could never turn him down.” -- Sam Rothstein, Casino 

That's my favorite line in that movie.

Sex and money. Regardless what type of relationship you have, if you're having sex, the topic of money will come up eventually. Who buys what? 

Prostitution. Marriage. With all the various lifestyles randomly floating around today it's no wonder (people) are paying more attention as to what's being said. 

2013 some guy called me a feminist because I don't want a boyfriend or husband. It's not that I don't like companionship. I simply don't like the entitlement some men feel they deserve just because we're regularly spending time together. And at my age, I'm too comfortable, set in my ways, too tired and busy to traditionally date. 

I grew up in the Midwest. You know that. Regardless of one's beliefs there was/is always one unspoken rule: Do the right thing. Not the popular thing. Not the trendy thing. The right thing. 

It's an unspoken rule because it doesn't need to be said. 

My friends, my loved ones know they can reach me at 3am for (any) emergency. I'm there. I can count those people on one hand, but whatever those people need, it's theirs. Unlike the, "Oh, well, I text people randomly at midnight for no reason whatsoever, and then shut my phone off, or put it in the other room so I'm not disturbed while I'm sleeping."

Let me see if I understand this correctly...

You're fine disturbing other people while they're sleeping, so long as you're not disturbed? What a creep.

Conflicts of interest. We all have them. Be it work and family. Do as I say, not as I do. Loyalty and religion. 

My dad's work with the AFL CIO meant he was obligated to the Democratic party. A multi million dollar super pac to the Presidential Democrat elect of their choice. My dad was a liberal. He believed everyone deserves an equal shot at having the American Dream, whatever that dream is for you.

However...

My dad was also a Catholic. Religion that conflicts with his liberal beliefs and obligations.

Like father, like daughter. I too believe everyone should have one initial shot in their adult life at their American Dream. 

However...

Not if their American Dream is peddling drugs, sex, and violence on to children.  

And while we all might agree on the term "Do the right thing" what exactly does that mean for 2016?

Loyalty. It's an interesting word. I don't expect love or loyalty from anyone. I'm lucky to have it. But I don't expect it. And I'm never surprised when it's gone. 

Agendas, on the other hand...

Everyone has agendas.

There's a deep intellectual value with Buddhism. "Want nothing. Have nothing. Mind over Matter." 

It's brilliant.

In my family we have Mormons, Catholics, Lutherans, Buddhists, Agnostics, Atheists, Jews... No. Wait. There's no Jews in my family. But my closest oldest dearest friend is a Jew, so yeah... Jews, and Episcopalians, whatever that is.

I have both Republican and Democratic friends...

I call Aramis a "Republican" all the time. Like me, he's a conservative, but is he a Republican? I have no idea. He gets offended when I call him one. That's why I keep doing it. In reality, no clue.

With all the scandals, all the "questionable practices" in one's work and home...

If prostitutes could come to an unanimous conclusion how to do the right thing, half their battles would be over, but since (their) industry doesn't have many "prerequisites" in the work place, the votes will continue to be against them. You can't unionize prostitutes/escorts. They don't even support each other. I've never seen so many people stepping on top of each other. And it's always the escorts on TV talking shit about other people. Too funny. What exactly is there for them at the top, anyway?

On the other hand...

I hear Kanye West is running for president in 2020. So there's that.