Unless you've been living under a rock or in Benghazi, you're fully aware of the recent truth-is-stranger-than-fiction scandal involving (now) ex-CIA director General David Petraeus and his biographer/mistress Paula Broadwell. Is it just me or do most of the women involved in scandals involving government officials have perfect names or what?
Just me?
I'm saying. Monica Lewinsky? Linda Tripp? Jill Kelley? Paula Broadwell?
And that's just two scandals. Nevermind the infamous Mariilyn Monroe.
Moving on. A government official, especially high ranking, having an affair seems about as another day at the office as an NFL player catching a felony. Some things just...ya know...happen. But for some reason, you have to appreciate the outright arrogance and ridiculousness of this story. It involves shirtless FBI agents, ghostwriters, thousands of pages of emails, generals, the CIA, Gmail, Benghazi, TWO WOMEN CHEATING, custody hearings, and I'm fairly sure that Brick killed a guy.
What I find the most interesting about these stories is how many people end up falling under the web. For some reason, government official affairs never just involve the two people "involved." Nope. There are schedulers and assistants and other high-ranking officials and its almost like a huge domino effect. I've read no less than 50 articles about this particular scandal because the details get more and more salacious as the days go by. One thing that I've noticed amidst all of the convos I've had is exactly how many opinions people have - especially married people - on how to effectively CHEAT on your spouse.
See, they all feel that Petraeus got sloppy and lazy. Plus he invited the woman into his world. I'm hearing folks talk about they'd have been too smart to send emails, etc. Or how they'd have made sure that they covered base x, y, and z. Which I'm pretty sure is a pun because, ya know...Army.
One thing we can all take away from this story, and its a shame that something other than keep it in your pants is the takeaway, is that cheaters eventually get caught. It's been joked that the if the head of the CIA can't get away with it, what makes regular Joes (and Janes) think that they can. And there is truth there. You can't outsmart nature or a guilty conscience. But more importantly, you can't stop people from feeling and getting caught up in their emotions. This WHOLE scandal broke because Paula Broadwell thought that Petraeus was sleeping with somebody else and she made the horrible decision to anonymously send threatening emails. Jealousy is real. And causes irrationality.
Nevermind that the man she's cheating with is already married. Her beef isn't with the wife. It's with the potential OTHER OTHER woman. Who it seems was likely just a friend? Or not. Who knows. Maybe the good General liked to keep his flag at full staff. But the fact that somebody invovled in an affair could take umbrage with another affair (real or imagined) makes so little sense to me its insane.
Point is, realize, ladies and gentleman, that when you engage in outside romances, you're doing so with the hope that the other person has enough to lose to not blow your cover. But everybody has a breaking point, and humans are human. The best choice is to stick it out - no pun intended - with the woman you settled down with. You'll sleep better at night and won't lose your job, career, and reputation.
Put that flag away and just salute.
It was written.
I'm saying. Monica Lewinsky? Linda Tripp? Jill Kelley? Paula Broadwell?
And that's just two scandals. Nevermind the infamous Mariilyn Monroe.
Moving on. A government official, especially high ranking, having an affair seems about as another day at the office as an NFL player catching a felony. Some things just...ya know...happen. But for some reason, you have to appreciate the outright arrogance and ridiculousness of this story. It involves shirtless FBI agents, ghostwriters, thousands of pages of emails, generals, the CIA, Gmail, Benghazi, TWO WOMEN CHEATING, custody hearings, and I'm fairly sure that Brick killed a guy.
What I find the most interesting about these stories is how many people end up falling under the web. For some reason, government official affairs never just involve the two people "involved." Nope. There are schedulers and assistants and other high-ranking officials and its almost like a huge domino effect. I've read no less than 50 articles about this particular scandal because the details get more and more salacious as the days go by. One thing that I've noticed amidst all of the convos I've had is exactly how many opinions people have - especially married people - on how to effectively CHEAT on your spouse.
See, they all feel that Petraeus got sloppy and lazy. Plus he invited the woman into his world. I'm hearing folks talk about they'd have been too smart to send emails, etc. Or how they'd have made sure that they covered base x, y, and z. Which I'm pretty sure is a pun because, ya know...Army.
One thing we can all take away from this story, and its a shame that something other than keep it in your pants is the takeaway, is that cheaters eventually get caught. It's been joked that the if the head of the CIA can't get away with it, what makes regular Joes (and Janes) think that they can. And there is truth there. You can't outsmart nature or a guilty conscience. But more importantly, you can't stop people from feeling and getting caught up in their emotions. This WHOLE scandal broke because Paula Broadwell thought that Petraeus was sleeping with somebody else and she made the horrible decision to anonymously send threatening emails. Jealousy is real. And causes irrationality.
Nevermind that the man she's cheating with is already married. Her beef isn't with the wife. It's with the potential OTHER OTHER woman. Who it seems was likely just a friend? Or not. Who knows. Maybe the good General liked to keep his flag at full staff. But the fact that somebody invovled in an affair could take umbrage with another affair (real or imagined) makes so little sense to me its insane.
Point is, realize, ladies and gentleman, that when you engage in outside romances, you're doing so with the hope that the other person has enough to lose to not blow your cover. But everybody has a breaking point, and humans are human. The best choice is to stick it out - no pun intended - with the woman you settled down with. You'll sleep better at night and won't lose your job, career, and reputation.
Put that flag away and just salute.
It was written.
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