If they cheat, can I shoot them?

I worry that when you start quoting Machiavelli to justify your actions, you have ceased to be one of the good guys. No, quoting Nietzsche does that. Machiavelli is just cool.

Is this a private fight, or can anyone join?

You either mellow at 30, or your head explodes - take your choice.

If I'd been easily discouraged, I could have been a one-hit wonder

My writing style is very sensual, as in sensory detail

He laughed, and it raised goose-bumps on my arms. "Oh,ma petite ,ma petite , you are precious." Just what I wanted to hear. "So how are you getting here?" "My private jet." Of course, he had a private jet. "When can you be here?" "I will be there as soon as I can, my impatient flower." "I prefer ma petite to flower.