First things first

So I've started a blog. I've tried it before and it's failed before, so we'll see how long this lasts.

First, some ground rules. If you're reading this, it's because you chose to, not because I came to your home, shoved a gun to your head, and told you to do it or you'd die. If you don't like what I have to say here, or don't care about what my post says, you can always choose to leave. Ain't freedom great? Second, I don't like flamers. When I say flamers, I mean those idiots who will write comments that are nothing more than a string of insults and nonsensical epithets that do nothing more than illustrate the commentators lack of intelligence. If you decide to flame, troll, or otherwise make a nuisance of yourself on my blog, I will delete your comment and do my absolute best to get you banned from my blog. If, however, you can manage to write a meaningful, constructive comment that has something to do with the post at hand, feel free. And if you just want to shower me with praise and adulation, that's good too.

Ground rules set, let's move on to an actual topic.

I suppose, based on my current mood, respect is as good a topic as any. I say that, because right now, I'm having a bit of an issue regarding respect. Respect, as I understand it, has many faces. There's the respect you give to an authority figure which is, for the most part, a given. You respect your parents, your government officials, your bosses, etc. because they are in a position of authority. In essence, you respect the position. Then there's the basic respect you give someone as a living breathing being. You respect them for what they are and do, and vice versa. And finally, there's the respect that has to be earned. This is the respect that is determined wholly by what you do, and how others perceive you. It can't be forced. A good example of the difference is that I have a very high respect for the Office of the President of the U.S.A., but next to no respect for the man holding that office at the moment.

So right now, I feel as though I'm getting less respect than I deserve from certain, unnamed individuals. I have made certain reasonable requests based on personal life choices I have made, and I seem to be getting nothing but flak about it. I thought I phrased the requests in a way that didn't hurt anyone's feelings, but I guess I was wrong. Now, you would figure that I would at least be granted the respect of a basic human being for these requests and everyone would go on with their lives. Unfortunately, it hasn't gone that way. What I thought was a no brainer of an issue has turned out to be the next best thing to the pro/anti abortion debate. People are getting hurt when they weren't meant to be, simply because the two sides don't see things in the same light. I suppose I could sum up by saying this; I want to live my life under one set of conditions, and the other party seems to think that to accept my conditions is tantamount to committing treason. I don't like that it's taken this turn, and I do simply wish they could respect my choices, take a deep breath, and move on. But either there is a lack of respect involved, or they simply choose to hold on to an idea that doesn't exist anymore.

Either way, it annoys the heck out of me. And before anyone asks, no, I will not give any details. If you know what I'm talking about already, that's fine. If you don't, that means it isn't any of your business. I suppose that should be another rule of this blog. If I don't divulge specifics, don't expect me to do so simply because you ask me to in a comment or elsewhere. There's a good reason I don't include things like names or details.

At any rate, I think I've done this topic to death, and perhaps even gotten way off my original topic and simply confused the lot of you, and even myself. That being said, I'm done for now. We'll see if I manage to write anything else later on.