Personal Manifesto.

I believe...

...that everyone has the right to live how they want to live and believe what they want to believe. Of course, there are conditions: you cannot and may not impose your manner of living and believing on anyone else who does NOT welcome it. I really don't give a rat's arse what you hold to be true or how you live your life as long as you're not shoving it down my throat. I don't do it to you, ergo I would prefer that you not do it to me. I don't think I should be forced to finance your way of life, and I may ridicule or poke fun of you but I will defend your right to live and think the way you want. It's called freedom, baby, and I'm all about that.

...that freedom to live how you want comes at a cost and that you'd best be prepared to finance said cost yourself. Freedom ain't free, baby, and sometimes it ain't cheap either.

... that love comes in many shapes and forms, some of which are illegal in certain states (kidding. About the illegality thing, anyway).

...that with regards to the bullet above, what pedophiles and those scumbags in NAMBLA call 'love' isn't LOVE, it's a perverted kind of lust. And yes, THAT should be illegal.

...that we should protect those members of society who cannot protect themselves.

...in the power of human touch. I'm a hand holder and a hugger.....I just cannot stand to see a human being in pain and NOT touch them. Touch is a powerful thing, y'all. Don't underestimate it.

...that when we die, that's it. There is no more. Our bodies go back to the ground, and decay (they're supposed to, anyway. All this embalming nonsense makes it take a hell of a lot longer and we're poisoning the ground from below) and we become part of the food chain again. I want (and this is in my will) to be wrapped in a plain muslin shroud, placed in a biodegradable (probably cardboard) casket, placed on ice in my living room (NOT PICKLED, TYVM) and then buried in a simple hole in the ground. I want my kin and friends to plant a tree on top of me, and I'm literally going to come back as a leaf. Or a twig. Or a flower. Or perhaps even a piece of fruit. Hey, that brings a whole new meaning to the term 'eat me' doesn't it?!

... that everyone, no matter what their station in life, should have to be responsible for themselves for a certain period of time. I think it would do a whole lot of good for a whole lot of folks.

... that there is no god. I can't say that religion is a crutch for weak minded people because I know some very strong folks who believe in a deity (but is it the deity that makes them strong? What happens when you remove that; if you take away their belief? What would they be like then?) but I don't believe in a god. Or goddess. Or deity. Or magical fairy living in the sky or at the bottom of my garden. Or Nirvana. Or heaven. Or hell. (Off context here, but can you christians PLEASE stop emailing me and telling me I'm going to hell? Because it's really difficult for me to go to a place that doesn't exist. It'd be like me telling you to go to East Littlehungerford, Birminhamptonshire, England. There is no such place. Thank you for your concern, but it's really not necessary. I have my head on straight and I know the consequences to my beliefs - no heaven for me, but on the bright side no hell or purgatory either. Oh, and whilst I'm on the subject, have any of you heard of Pascal's Wager? Because I am certain that far more of you are believing because you're hedging your bets than meets the eye. Here's an idea: perhaps you should NOT read what I write if it upsets you so much. Thank you).

*sorry for the diversion. We now go back to our regular schedule, already in progress....*

... that it really does take a village to raise a child. THIS child was raised by a village, at least. I have an article percolating about that....more to come on that subject.

...that my parents really DID know some stuff that was useful and relevant and I wish that my dad was still alive so I could tell him that.

...that my teenagers think they know a hell of a lot but in fact they know very little - about life, anyway. I know more, but again, see the previous bullet for an explanation regarding that.

...that this is still a work in progress and I have far more things to list.

Stay with me, y'all. I'll be back.