...for 2 weeks in Köln, Germany, in August of 2005.  It was lovely!

1. You have a belief or social expectancy about another.
2. You act toward that person in a manner consistent with your expectancy.
3. The other person responds in a way similar to you.
4. You see the other's behaviour as proof that you were right all along.

Now let's apply this fundamental of psychology to real life.

How to get someone to like you:

1. Believe the other person likes you.
2. Act as if they do, towards him/her.
3. Other person reciprocates in a similar manner.
4. You believe that you now have proof that he/she likes you.

How to get someone to hate you:

1. Really believe that the other person is a jerk, ditz, idiot, etc.
2. Act to that person "discourteously", ie. snub him/her, etc.
3. Other person now sees you as a jerk too.
4. Now you have proof that he/she is a jerk.  (But now, you're both losers in this game.)

Fortitude

Dedicated to the soul of the romantic who brought more love than was ever reciprocated, in the midst of uncertainty.

No.
Again?
Tis Again!?
Shriek: dare cry?
Agony, that devastation,
she brought him to be.

His mind,
most serene bounty,
of jewels, traversing vastless visions,
in disbelief,
in distrust,
in her brought,
pathetic vulnerability,
wounded as the pauper
whom cries of stolen trust,
in passive affliction.

Hurt.

Torrential mood!
It breaks him to say,
of the sayings of the mind
held kept from open,
held vaulted,
in shadows of trust.
Yet she hath spoken
of true intentions,
so now he shall,
fairly too,
return the deed.

Deceive her now?
That so she,
fragiled by now peer ridicule
-ah! as if ridicule were the name!
abashed by her tongue,
spoken of untruths,
spilled of lies.
That her, of all,
of all,
who put on that fleeting guise,
who shamed at spiritual unrest,
who found love in service,
whom the moral Divinity was life!
-Divinity! of nobler intentions!
Yet, of heart found false foundation
in these affairs,
that she,
seen afore,
as lovely elegance
of the sweet illustrious,
everbeautified gem
of cherub charm,
that she,
of all,
would break.

As he saw,
she was more fair
than the fairest elegance,
than deified beauty
that eyes
have ever laid upon.
In that,
her beaming composure,
brought no speech
to his talk.
His eyes, could not avert
from sight, that which
was so adorable,
so sweet,
so precious.

Fallen,
he sees it all.
He sees it,
pitiful.
Else nothing more.

Dare himself amongst truth,
Appalled,
by the being before his hand,
tis her,
of ego unjust.

See!
Spoken those bleak words
of rancid taste,
has he!?
Beyond infinity's time,
infinity's supreme reign,
that neverending dream
of eternal light,
ever did he conjure
Fury and Rage,
roused to contingency,
all himself born,
of slinging ego,
of shadowed heart,
of injured wit,
at her.
At Her!

Though his deeds,
and nature driven instincts
thrust his soul
to rancor
at her watchful smile,
know this:
No greater are her deeds
than the torrents
of adulterous rapture
that set her apart
from that ghastly,
blackened sun.

Vile play!
Her mind greatly liveth the Globe!
Is that all
what she harvest?
With that dulled scythe,
does she bid
common ground?

Revolt!
Her performance
causeth great Joy,
that invincible supremacy,
of odes written,
of solemn kinship,
of love shared,
to spew.

But alas!
In him,
of tonic born insight,
of love for ''fate knocking at the door''
-ah! how musically wonderous!
of nobler wisdom,
he hath halt.
Flouting saves none
of inconsiderate reapers.

No mistaking him,
Her actions,
as incredibly cruel
as pure affair,
yet as subtle as
gentle bliss;
she still stands to grow.

Behold,
she still standeth to grow.
Therein are the breaks,
in that fabric
of maturity.
But petty excusing
the inexcusable!

Alas,
now is resolve,
the end,
now bids for presence.
No choice can he grasp
than to bid her,
once noble deity
in his tearful sight,
-now in another's
in his challenged heart,
goodbye.

Bittersweet it is,
for in his company,
that unwelcome forgery
of emotions and brawn,
her mask,
which hinders his soul,
does not lie well
within him.
For his true intent
of affection
came shrouded
in her discourse.
Tis not wise
to dance
with the devil.

Saveth shall he,
that affectionate phrase
of three humble words,
for her,
for another dawning.
And, although that day
may keep all
at eternal wait,
then be it so.

So it be.
His heart,
of darkened fortune,
shall heal,
remembering what beauty
there be always
in strength,
harmony,
and enchanted
determination.
Disenchantment
shall not,
ever,
rise victorious.

Within depths
of his mind,
exists that hope
-though falsified and dismal
that light,
which beacons out
curious hope
that by and by,
dreamful hope,
hope for greater fortune,
for sweeter occasions
-fortuitous perhaps,
may still live,
be it with her
-how sweet,
be it with another
-to her, how ungratefully common,
See in time.

Time alas,
chambers of fortitude
call his vast soul,
to den.
He shall retire
from affair.
Henceforth be it declared,
to all before
that rest he shall,
and that senses may hear,
of him again.
Night is upon the roof of him,
yet the world shall once again,
be bathed in sun.
Tis a promise.

So depart.
Torrents of rapture shall let free,
to become the true soul that he be.

Joy.
Bright spark
of flame immortal,
honours the downed
with noble presence,
presence irreplacable
by any passioned
companion.
We stand ourselves high,
renew our strength,
courage,
Defiance.
From within,
we call ourselves
to dare not forget,
yet,
to forevermore
urge forward,
whispering always,
the tune,
that solemn hymn,
of pure Joy
-of pure Love.

That which brings of
tears to mood,
shall never find victory
before Fortitude.

-mc