This last week seems to be a lot about principles and ethics. It began with the meeting with my legal aid attorney and talking about the number of times my contractor had changed the rules and his estimate. And it seems to be ending on a relatively trivial incident in Facebook.
My family were game players. Dad taught us numerous card games including poker and I remember from a very early age According to Hoyle and the terms table and house rules. The dealer got to call the game, what was wild, what it took to open and the ante amount. Those rules existed until the deck was passed to the next dealer and they in turn got to set the rules.
We carried this practice to the houses of friends and games such as Monopoly. Everyone of my circle seemed to handle Free Parking and fines differently. The Parker Bros rules in the lid of the box were the Book of Hoyle unless the owner of the game called "table" or "house" rules. There often was much discussion as the banker dealt out the money and others set up the chance cards, etc. But once the dice was first rolled the rules remained the same throughout the game. Though I can remember some discussion as to interpretation from time to time.
I believe I have made the mistake in believing that life was or should be like those games. Rules and laws are set and you abide by them or you sit out that game or you wait until you have an opportunity to re-write them. And by re-write I mean per the house or state or federal guidelines on such matters. I have lobbied hard and often on laws I don't believe in but until they are changed I follow them.
As soon as the legal matter is settled with the contractor I am devoting lots of my time to trying to bring the mechanic's lien laws in my state into the 21st century. My quiet mention of the changing the rules mid stream matter on Facebook seems to have resulted in the founder of the group taking her football and going home. That is certainly her option. I consider it a bit childish but that is my opinion.
Dad often told me and my siblings that the world was not fair but I still put a lot of stake in the rules. And like in Pirates of the Caribbean the code may only be guidelines, but they are guidelines only as long as they are considered important. Rules, laws, and codes are important and have been since the time of Hanarobi for the smooth operation of society regardless of the size of that society - from poker table to United Nations.
