It’s pouring out there as I type this. We’ve had over a day of constant rain and more is predicted tonight.

I still had to walk the dogs though, or, more accurately, ‘dog’ – Milo the Weather Dog only ventures out when he needs to. He’s a dog that knows his own mind and he’s not a fan of rain at all.

Cairo needs the exercise though, even though we’d both rather not, but she sets a pace that’s tough to keep up with, so I get a workout too.

It’s a commitment and a duty that I understood when I adopted her and it won’t stop until one or both of us are too infirm to do it.

It’s part of the code that makes my strange little psyche up.

Anyone who knows me in real life will know that I’m as far from a saint as it’s possible to be, I’ve led a life full of incident and I’ve caused some hurt along the way, the pain that I’ve given some people to own gives me regret and….I’d change some decisions if I could.

But I can’t.

So I try to balance my life where I can and help others when possible as a partial balance for my less admirable actions.

But I do have a code of sorts.

Like most people’s, it’s stolen from others but some of it is hardwired and some taken from long observation of others that I have considered to be admirable in my life.

Some of the stolen stuff is here, but stolen or not, I try to live by them after a fashion.

“It is said that the warrior’s way is the twofold Way of pen and sword, and he should have a taste for both Ways.”

Miyamoto Musashi

The Book of Five Rings

“Everybody has laws he lives by, I expect. I have mine as well.”
“What laws?”
Bond Rogers was dismayed. Yet she waited, evidently as curious as her son.
“I will not be laid a hand on. I will not be wronged. I will not stand for an insult. I don’t do these things to others. I require the same from them.”

Glendon Swarthout, The Shootist

And when my time comes ( and I’ve had close enough calls to know that I’ll accept it ), I hope. It’s like this.

“When your time comes to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song, and die like a hero going home.”

Tecumseh

I’ve worked at a senior level for over twenty five years now and I’ve lived by a code that demands that I take nothing that’s offered by others.

If a supplier buys drinks, I buy one back, I don’t take free trips, hardware, gadgets or cash.

I’ve been offered outright bribes a few times and laughed in the faces of those offering them, if they were existing suppliers, I cancelled their contracts the next day.

I’m nobody’s creature and nobody will ever be able to call in a ‘favour’

And so, the news that a very rich man has basically bought a whole government has given me a whole new perspective on the politics of our little country.

Watching these elected filth make excuses for cash donations, private shoppers, free tickets, pool parties, use of penthouse apartments and a fucking ‘working birthday party for press and lobbyists’ has made me realise that we’re a banana republic and probably have been for a while.

It’s going to get worse before it gets better and it’ll never get better if we don’t hold them to account.

Once upon a time, I’d have just shrugged.

Not now though.

I’m going to judge them by my own standards.

They’re failing.