Well,it’s four in the morning and I’m wide awake. That sounds like it should be the beginning of a sad country song more than an intro for a rambling blog, doesn’t it. Let’s see.

It’s four in the morning
and I’m waide awake
the memories of you
playing their games

or maybe last night
I just went to bed too soon
sleeping with the fishies
waking up with the moon

And so on and so on. I could add some more and get all deep with that stuff, but I’ve never claimed to be a songwriter. I don’t want to jump in there and make Bob Dylan jealous and cry. Maybe later.

So what am I here to do? How about just ramble for a bit and touch on several topics that have been in the news lately. Doesn’t that sound like fun? And a few things that are just playing around in my head as well. I have issues – I admit it! And stuff bothers me sometimes and I overthink it until it either rectifies itself or I explode and freak out, going crazy. And sometimes, I just take pen in hand (or keyboard under my hands) and write it out. I think that’s what I’m doing now.

The main thing that’s been bugging me lately is this whole Indiana deal with their new law allowing people to discriminate or whatever if something violates their religious beliefs. I get it, really. If a person doesn’t approve of homosexuality or gay marriage, I think it’s stupid that they should be forced to bake a cake or cater the gay wedding with their pizza deliveries or whatever. But here’s what I dont understand. Businesses are created with one primary purpose in mind and that’s to make money. If you’re running a business and your goal is not to make a profit or make money, then why the hell are you running a business? And so long as it’s legal and helps to increase sales and profit margins, who the hell cares who your customers are?

But I get it. Some people like to take the high ground and if they don’t agree with someone or believe in something, they choose to go with their morals instead of good business sense. It’s a personal decision and not usually a good business one, but more power to them. But what if these same people who refuse to serve gay couples or homosexuals decided all of a sudden that they wouldn’t serve blacks? Is that okay and legal too? How about if they decided that they didn’t want to do business with left handed people? Would that be okay? It seems to me that the small, but loud assortment of people who are claiming that they need to be protected and not forced to do business with anyone outside their comfort zone are pretty selective in who they’re deciding to pick on and protest against. And it’s a shame that they feel they need laws so that they continue with their selective businesses.

But look at the situation. They (the business owners) feel they need laws to protect their prejidices because on the other side, you have the lawsuit happy show-boaters who are determined to push the issue, stir the pot and cause problems for anyone who doesn’t agree with or promote their own choices in life. Let me clarify that I understand their point. They feel, and are correct, that they are being treated unequally and unfairly, because, they’re gay. And it’s true! They are. It’s wrong that a person can single them out and treat them differently because of a conflict between the business owners religious beliefs and the probable customer’s sexual orientation. But why make threats. Why calls lawyers and force the business owner to do something they’re not comfortable with? That’s why I don’t get it.

If a business doesn’t want my money, I’ll just take it to someone who will appreciate it. Maybe it’s just me, but I wouldn’t want something made by someone who was forced to do business with me. I’d go elsewhere, find someone who can do the job I desire, and we all end up happy, me with whatever I wanted and them with my business. I look at these situations and think, I wouldn’t go into a Jewish deli and ask them to cater for a celebration of Adolph Hitler’s birthday. I wouldn’t go into a black-owned bakery and ask for a cake for a KKK rally. I wouldn’t go into a Muslim establishment and order a bacon sandwhich. I know some people that would, just for the hell of it, but I’m not one of them. And I wouldn’t listen to a radio station and get mad when they don’t play AC/DC or Alice Cooper, for example when their format is R&B. And I’m not going into a “Christian” pizza establishment and ordering thirty pizzas to go for my gay wedding if I know that the owners of that resturant don’t agree with and are uncomfortable filling that order.

The bottom line is, no one can be forced to do business with anyone else. And if a business doesn’t want my money, because I’m gay, because I’m a writer, because I like wrestling, because I have a cat, etc… for whatever reason, I’ll just go somewhere else that does appreciate me and my business. And it’s the law of supply and demand, capitalism at it’s best, that will take effect here. If a business keeps losing customers for whatever reason, it’ll eventually end up as part of the bottom line profit margin and they’ll either adapt and change their policies or else go out of business. And if a company or business welcomes and embraces the customers and provides their services without regards to the things that really shouldn’t matter, they’ll do better, make more money and succeed. So I guess it comes down to be nice to the businesses that want your money and business, ignore and boycott the businesses that don’t want to do business with you, and it’ll all come out in the wash. We don’t need special laws – we just need common sense and a little bit of the golden rule about doing unto others. The rest is just people stirring the pot and trying to cause make mountains from a molehill. ‘Nuff said!

Let’s move on.

Damn, I just forgot what I was going to say and talk about next. I think it was more of a personal thing, about friendship and trust and family. But thinking on it now, it’s probably not appropiate for the here and now. So I’ll keep it very short and sweet. Friendship is an amazing thing not to be taken lightly. If you find someone that you feel good and real with, that gets you as you get them, that makes you appreciate the here and now, hold on to them and value that relationship. And don’t betray that trust because while the common bonds and friendship may remain intact and together, things will never be the same again. And family? Well, to me, my friends are family, but some of my family are not necessarily my friends. It is what it is.

I miss my extended family… a lot.

I”m sorry. I don’t feel like writing anymore. I think I’m going to go take a walk around the block or something. Have a good night.

Ubuntu!