I do not fit into a demographic, and I wish the demographic-ists would stop pigeonholing all of us all the time. ‘Deed i do – how ’bout you?

Hey, my dad could have bought the house next door for four grand back in the Forties. IF HE HAD, my husband could live there and so could my books. Is that my regret? That “Daddy” did not buy the house next door to this house…the answer to all of my problems. LOL. ROFL. LMBO. Etc.

And, furthermore, I dislike the word “partner” because I have lived with a cowboy wannabe, and he uses that word. As an individual, I dislike certain words instinctively and with a passion. Aha! I can be passionate? I truly detest DEMOGRAPHIC. The world is too full of labels and groupthink for me. I like a solitary soul – a FRIENDLY solitary soul. That is the best.

(Sidebar: Speaking of John Wayne, I can’t believe this, but I watched CHISUM last night on my cowboy Christian channel here in small-town America. I LOVED it. WTF?! The Duke, Forrest Tucker. One of John Wayne’s few “historical films,” about letting us save New Mexico with the aid of a darling looking Billy the Kid??? And Hoosier author Lew Wallace – BEN-HUR – mentioned at the happy ending? And the Duke was dear to Mexicans and Native Americans? Quite a quirky movie, which I loved? Tucker was more divine as a believable villain than Gene Hackman. In fact, I saw Tucker in person years ago in THE MUSIC MAN, and he was AUNTIE MAME’s Southern husband? Back to our regularly scheduled programming …)

Thanks to “Rumpydog” for capturing this exquisite and sharp take on the notion that cruelty and marginalization often begins within the very group being mistreated: “Women Shaming Other Women? Shame on You!”

So important. So identifiable. And, as Madeleine Albright stated during a panel discussion on C-Span on Sunday, IF ONE THINKS ALL WOMEN ARE BEYOND REPROACH, ONE HAS FORGOTTEN ALL ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL! My sentiments exactly, and never forget the mean girls. They are out there – even the title of a film. You know what? They are a THIRD gender = mean girls, actually.

Animals? THOSE are my best friends, especially toward the end of my life. Just wishing I had realized that earlier; have saved lots of geese from gassing and many pigs from wrestling at fairs and I never give up on a feral cat or a manic dog these days. THAT is the meaning of life for me.

Of course, I forever neglected to stand up for myself…until just recently. Plenty of opportunities to do so! In my next life I want to NOT endure the same treatment. How about you?