Conviction

     To achieve greatness, best the odds, outdistance opponents, and stretch the bounds of impossible, motivation comes from within. The belief that something is right fortifies resolve and cements that value into one's being. Classically, medieval saints (or heretics, depending on the angle), hold amazing grips with motivational conviction. Burned at the stake yet remaining staunch professors of their faith. Only conviction can bring forth a willingness to suffer under expectant death.
     However, suffering is not the only circumstance that reveals conviction. Muslim expansion from 600-1000 A.D. could not have been accomplished without the fervored zeal exhibited and embraced by millions as Islam quickly spread through the Near East. No empire can grow without the convictions of its leader or the armies that follow him.
     In a larger sense though, conviction is expressed when one operates under distress but remains steadfast with the ideology that brought on the troubles. The inner belief provides a purpose of resistance since courage, not cowardice, is the valued character trait. Courage and conviction are valued outside of the world's religions though. The military prizes soldiers that have demonstrated loyalty and courage in the heat of battle to prove their conviction against the enemy. A convicted soldier will not easily turn aside from his nation’s mandate in the face of adversity and death.

     A prime example of this is the desertion rates of WWI with the death-trap trenches. Men charged machine guns and faced death but rarely turned aside and revealed cowardice. French desertion in 1917 was kept hidden from Germans, and once Germans began to desert, the Allied forces had already breached the heavily fortified first lines of defense. This may be the easiest type of conviction to picture since it is so readily upheld in Western society to date. Photographs, early videos, and extensive literature transport the reader into the conviction that their nation's ancestors experienced.
     General MacArthur summed up the conviction each soldier must hold individually to uphold the the army's defense of the nation as a whole.

"I could see those staggering columns of the First World War, bending under soggy packs, on many a weary march from dripping dusk to drizzling dawn, slogging ankle-deep through the mire of shell-shocked roads, to form grimly for the attack, blue-lipped, covered with sludge and mud, chilled by the wind and rain, driving home to their objective, and for many, to the judgement seat of God.
I do not know the dignity of their birth, but I do know the glory of their death. They died unquestioning, uncomplaining, with faith in their hearts, and on their lips the hope that we would go on to victory. Always, for them: Duty, Honor, Country; always their blood and sweat and tears, as we sought the way, the light, and the truth."

     These harrowing words perfectly emphasize the sacrifice of conviction, demanding the respect of those who hold true despite all efforts of resistance. An admirable trait for men to possess and a formidable one in ones foes.

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Agatha Tyche

Strategy

     Plans are useful. They allow the formation of organized efforts to constructively achieve goals. Without them life would just drift aimlessly by since nothing beneficial could exist with purposeful order. As such, strategy has coincided with man's interactions and exploits.
     The first illustration of advantages of strategy comes from Philip II of Macedon (Alexander the Great's father) who took Theban military techniques learned from his time captive there, modified those weapons, and obliterated opposition. His techniques so improved the design of warfare that those styles remained triumphant for two centuries until the Roman legion engineered a better formation. However, Macedon's strategizing didn't stop with military innovation, plans to invade Persia existed nearly ten years before Alexander the Great accomplished it. Conquering the neighboring Greek states gave the Macedonian's battle experience, a secure home base, and a larger allied force to meet the foe. Everything was planned.
     The Chinese are well known for the construction of the Great Wall to keep out the invading Mongolian Huns. While the sheer size of the wall establishes an effective border, the construction time was several centuries, with improvements gradually added on. The planning is there, but the strategy could have been better oriented even given the resources and available manpower.
     The best examples of purposeful, organized, implemented strategy must come from the Romans that lived lives so organized that they fascinated the Greeks. Polybius became so convinced of Roman superiority, he wrote several books explaining the Roman system to convince the Greeks of their oppressors' righteous control over all men.

     The Hadrian wall was constructed a the narrowest point north that the Romans controlled on the Isle of Great Britain. Seventy miles long and representing the northern border of the Roman empire for almost 300 years, the stone wall physically changed the landscape of the terrain it covered.
     The Romans shored up the inside of the wall with a slope of dirt, further reinforced with stone structures. The outside of the wall that the attacks would face had a sheer slope that would need to be climbed under artillery barrage. If the hill was scaled, a fifteen to thirty foot wall defended by trained soldiers remained to be overcome. And if all that was accomplished, the nearest garrison sent cavalry reinforcements along with up to a thousand men. Garrisons and granaries for supplies were located in forts spread between every two to five miles along the wall. Remember, this is the farthest reach of the Roman empire, 1800 km (1100 miles) from Rome.
     Thus in essence, offensive attacks needed to climb a 45-60 degree hill, scale a 15-30 foot wall, fight off several hundred soldiers in the immediate vicinity, hold off cavalry, and dig in to resist inevitable reinforcements from the nearest garrisons. All this would only accomplish the satisfaction of the first line of defense in Roman-controlled England. The vallum, rocky hills that restricted trade to garrisoned gates in the wall, reduced the possible routes a southerly invading army could attack the countryside. The army would be channeled to the forts and barracks scattered throughout the country side with provisions ready for mobile warfare or siege.
     The Romans were military prepared for any possible attack their barbarous enemies could attempt. This is a summary of the major joints of strategy involved in the construction and defense of Hadrian's wall. Portions of this defensive system still stand today, neglected nearly sixteen hundred years.
     The Romans understood their own strengths and limitations. Taking advantage of travel roads, previous battles, and local geography, a defensive perimeter hindered attackers while aiding defenders. A regular rotation of troops kept soldiers fresh and morale high. Trade flourished behind the security of the wall, giving popular support to its upkeep. Extra security features were established behind the wall to account for any flaws or successful breaches that would either check the enemy shortly or provide sufficient time to allow reserves to enter the area.
     When strategizing in life, determine your strengths. Take advantage of your resources and circumstances. Account for your flaws and have secondary procedures prepared to alleviate possible failures. Most importantly stay vigilant as those that grow lazy in the watch suffer the hardest defeats.

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Agatha Tyche

Consistency

Stability. Reliability. Assurance. Regularity. Loyalty. Reputability. Steadfastness. Responsibility. Faithfulness.
     The thing you can always count on to be the same. If you ever leave home for several months or a couple of years and return, people change, streets look slightly different, and trees get taller. However, there's that gem of a person, flawed or not, that you know will be exactly like when you left. Whether or not this person is a friend is irrelevant. Sometimes just having something stay the same makes the passage of time easier to bear since sameness grounds people. Change is constant, omnipresent, and unpredictable, but by having mountainous landmarks, a timeless sense pervades life that calms and eases reflection.
     Ignoring the accuracy of its stance on any issue, the Roman Catholic Church has been the most stable social institution in Western history. Established by the Roman emperors themselves, the church provided the unifying factor to Europe throughout its history. Kings and empires have risen and fallen while the church remains continuous despite several Schismic earthquakes in its past.
     With the pressure from humanitarians in the West today, the Catholic Church is criticized for being backward, out-of-touch, inflexible, and intolerant. While few would deny the Church has problems, the consistency which it faces opposition is safely reliable. Since Catholicism includes people from nearly every country in the world, a relatively small change in stance or doctrine to pacify one group may ostracize another. While the Church is no stranger to politics, the divisiveness its members have brought against one another presents an old threat. Spain, France, and Italy have rarely interacted agreeably (Spain has been a reliable ally of Britain against France), the Church has kept them united.

     In the age of hyphenated-nationalism, a unifying force should be welcome. One as inherited and popular as the Catholic church should be honored for its consistency. Many reforms have occurred both in the 1960s and 1990s which shows its understanding of cultural shifts. However, while Aristotle only needed a lever long enough to move the earth, the Church requires time, prayer, and tradition to effect change.
     Again, regardless of religious views, the Catholic Church has solidly held its beliefs with earnestness. When you hold down your own bunker of beliefs, don't be discouraged by a few bad raps or scattered criticism. Keep at it, press on.
     Need more examples of consistency? The most identifying part of countries: geography. Greece is characterized by steep coasts and scattered islands. Germany is known for the plains of central Europe. Egypt's Nile has remained steady for thousands of years in stark contrast to the desert. When travelling to other regions of the world, the thing first noticed once your eyes shift away from the odd clothing is the landscape. The exceptions to this are monuments of the past, the great buildings that demonstrate the wealth and power of local ancestors. Churches, stone defenses, and tombs hold the character of a people while standing unchanged for centuries.
     As Herodotus said, "Man fears time, time fears the pyramids."

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Agatha Tyche

Pine & Repine

     A cyclic nature pervades many aspects of history and personal experience. While no technical history evinces the psychological process of pining, revolutions demonstrate this point markedly well. Pining usually refers to broken hearts in the matter of personal love. However, the term is defined merely as "to suffer a mental and physical decline." This broader definition, applied to political thought, reveals angst in the heart of the people. It is nigh impossible for human society to stagnate levelly; growth or destruction occurs in varying degrees. Economic charts, particularly, have sharp peaks with slopes going up or down, never level. This is true with international and personal relations as well. The more time spent with something, the inclination towards it will increase its desirability or decrease into apathy, possibly hatred if conditioned.
     Humans pine for causes. Whether the overarching cause of justice, democracy, freedom, revenge, or imperial superiority, some desire fuels the ambitions. Eventually this cause loses its passion, and people pine for the fervor that once easily possessed the masses. The cause remains, the purposed hearts fade, the effects diminish, and the conclusion holds wasted, unfruitful efforts. Likewise in the world of love, the initial interest peaks, involvement elaborates, and over time, discontent upsets the balance creating an emotional state reminiscent on past passion.
     As vehemence dies with many goals unfulfilled, new steps are taken to ensure the fire's brightness, usually at a cost to its heat. As the virgin passions fade farther into the past, nostalgia for that first driving force kick-starts another bout of energy as the participants remain pining for better times. Unfortunately, passion-driven societies are usually filled with turmoil and violence.

     Polybius analyzed Rome's system of government as Carthage fell in 146 B.C. He determined that the republic system was the most capable manner of delaying the inevitable cycle of tyranny typical of Greek monarchy, aristocracy, and democracy. People and power mix poorly. Inevitably, oppression ensues as time betrayed the Roman republic into an empire.
     The most recent example to attract wide-spread attention over several weeks are the revolutions in North Africa. The Egyptian revolution yanked power back from the political leaders in attempts to undermine the corruption that discontented its citizen-subjects. However, the coop failed on several counts, and the new system will likely totter into its predecessors tracks before too long.
     The most famous example of pining for better times where money for food was not snatched from the hand of the poor to feed the luxuries of the rich is the French Revolution. The focus of the entire bloodbath initiated with more equality for the middle class to socially escalate to the standing of nobles within the Second Estate. As the various groups of the middle class gained control, none successfully retained power for a long period. The famed Reign of Terror held France for over a year but succumbed to its own paranoia. Finally, arising from ten years of rubble on Parisian streets, Napoleon solidified the government by becoming a monarch in principle though the title remained incognito for several early years. Thus, France's desire to establish a democracy ended with the establishment of a new monarchy with many in the populace satisfied with new found glory.
     The question then becomes was anything achieved by the revolution - or any revolution - if the end result is a near-mirror image of the instigating circumstances? People's contributions give a sense of personal touch, influence, and hope attached to the new regime of whatever system is established. Thus, satisfaction is achieved by and large. However, as time passes and the original founders fall from power or pass away, those less involved in the revolution repine for the glory that their predecessors achieved. This cyclic discontent for the nostalgia of power engineers' interactions of all people in the modern world.
     Pining does apply equally to both love and politics, but the lessons learned by each application vary in accordance with time, culture, and involvement. The joys of accomplishment aid the present but will ultimately overthrow pleasures of the future as its brightness and potential seem to fade against the stark fires of revolution instigated by the hearts of those pining and repining for a better life.

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Agatha Tyche

Sapid Alterations

     The origins of nearly everything can be a thrilling journey of investigation. If the knowledge has already been secured by another in the past, an interactive lecture on transitional philosophy and historic political motivation rapidly inspires the power of time over the culture of humanity. However, if the path remains untrodden, the exploration may be undertaken by any that wish to link current circumstance with the fluctuating uncertainty of the mists of time.

     The origin of words fascinates a great many people. English began its descent from the Germanic tribes that gradually mixed Celtic and some Welsh words into a comprehensive linguistic exchange. Several centuries later, the French exerted their influence especially on the highest end of sophistication with trade and food. A thousand years hence, modern speakers combine elements of all these events and converse with merely the bones of its pure, initial form.

     The origin of nations and political alliances may also be an interesting study. For a thousand years the British hated, opposed, and attacked the French. With the advent of aggressive Germanic policies preceding World War I, these two peoples allied together and remain cooperative even a hundred years later. The complexity of circumstances that lead to this reversal has not entirely affected the peoples as a whole since even after the second world war, France resisted British membership in the newly formed European Community (predecessor to the EU of Europe today and which the English are, for now, a part).

     The origin of history itself interests some as well. Herodotus, credited with being the father, is the first recognized man to record events assimilated from sources outside of mythology. While opinionated and poorly researched from differently biased perspectives, the processes of gathering and sharing knowledge has powerful precedents. When Alexander the Great conquered the Persians less than a hundred years later, he made sure to keep a historic recorder in his company to ensure the victorious tale’s continuance. Napoleon, inspired himself by Alexander, kept a historian within the camp of his army, and the French are credited with the establishment of the modern form of historic research and recording. Humans as a species seem fascinated with records. The Egyptians and Sumerians meticulously recorded business transactions and religious ceremonies. Their supposed predecessors even recorded their daily viewing of animals on cave walls.

     No one can escape the past – whether it is forgotten or not. Influences all around us began as miniscule ideas, no matter how long ago, and succeeded in embedding and affecting generations through their establishment. The present is here to influence the future just as the past has done for the present. To understand the scope and progression (or regression) of any matter in life, one has but to look to the past. The answers may not always be evident, but a close corollary can almost always be found.

     Subtly in daily life and the gradualization of most changes dulls our notice. Just as you hardly take note of the length of your hair until it is past your eyes, the hum drum processes of life easily accumulate, twisted away from their original form, but easily recognized by the steady watcher.

     Part of the joy of life is in comparison – with others, with our past, with the pasts of others. Take notice, record the distinctions, and strive to inspire and influence the future generations that look back at what was, long ago, the present.

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Agatha Tyche

Forgiveness

     Time takes away the sharpness of everything. It dulls pain, ruins mountains, destroys buildings, and given enough of it, wears down the pyramids. Forgiveness is only possible when coupled with time. Acceptance of the wrong committed then to ignore that event and move on and away from it. You reject that portion of the past in order to embrace the future.
     This is hardest thing to do in life, especially after betrayal by someone close. Those that are burned yet can set aside pride and anger to forgive have giant portions of character. Acquittal is similar but not the same. Acquitting means that you acknowledge the action took place but are willing to move on from that; you have not excused or overlooked actions, merely accepted them. That is only the first part of forgiveness. The next is to not use that past action against the abuser.

     Grace and mercy associate closely with forgiveness because none of them are possibly earned by those that have committed wrong. It is an internal act by the overseer, the one acted against. Unfortunately, these words carry excessively heavy religious baggage and are difficult to use outside of a religious context.       
     Compassion sympathizers with the evil doer. Clemency heightens this tenderness of heart. Absolution removes the wrong from mind and memory. Those that forgive freely and honestly are champions of life. The few that truly posses this ability have either never suffered or suffered so much that another small wrong holds no weight against them.
     To be forgiven is an overwhelming comfort since it frees you from your mistake. Cherish that feeling and seek out those you have wronged to wiped the smears of the past away from damaged relationships.

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Agatha Tyche

Betrayal

     Back-stabber, traitor, scapegoat, liar, deceiver, deserter, let down, seducer, disloyal, unfaithful, forsaken, rejected. These words undoubtedly associate thoughts will negative feelings. What feeling is worse than placing trust in an unworthy source?
     Often times treachery undoes a situation - war, business deals, friendship, family concerns. Once the foundation of trust is eroded, healing is a feat of near impossibility. Nothing is worse than this. Dante's Inferno deals with betrayal in the deepest section of hell. The notable examples are Brutus against Caesar and Judas against Jesus. Benedict Arnold betrayed his position in the American Revolution to the British. Hitler betrayed his promises with the U.S.S.R. and invaded that country in 1941.

     Traitors often suffer terrible fates. While freedom and pleasure may accompany the act of betrayal and a short time after, no intelligent being would place faith in one who is noted as a betrayer of trust. If not killed, treachery is rewarded with a life of misery and guilt. Judas killed himself, Brutus killed himself, and Arnold lived in misery. The Soviet Union eventually turned the tide of the German invasion and became the key nation in defeating the Germans with a decisive push westward to end the war.
      A traitor who fixedly gains from his deception is a rarity. Loyalty, faith, trust, and confidence in fellow man is one of the brightest points of optimism for the young. The harshest betrayals to overcome are those held the dearest friends. Adultery is classically held as a painful, harrowing experience. A relationship designed to last the lifetime of both partners is instantly shattered with the knowledge of an interloper.
     Treachery hurts, supplying its status as a crime if committed against nation and politically, as grounds for divorce. Nothing heals this void. Forgiveness cleanses but cannot seal the gaping wound.

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Agatha Tyche

Man's Best Friend

     "Man is a social animal." ~ Aristotle
     Perspective is necessary to weigh any aspect of life. Hermits, recluses from interactive relations with others, have been frowned on in nearly every culture for very similar reasons. The ancient Greeks held hermits as social outcasts called idiota, meaning "idiot," because those people refused to participate in the democratic society. This reveals the selfishness of hermithood. While one might be cordial enough in a chance meeting in the world, he will not seek familiarity or commitment on your behalf. Alternatively,
a hermit must depend solely on his own resources and abilities. Physical mishaps may cost him his life since no one will be able to rescue him or aid him at his return home.
     Robinson Crusoe is a famous example of a hermit. However, in his decades abroad, he trained animals as loyal friends to keep his sanity and is eventually able to capture one of the cannibals and train him into a companion. Alone, stranded, and with his hope of rescue the only constant companion, Robinson stretches the boundaries of human sanity in his isolated adventures.
     What then is a friend that a man should look for? The purpose can be fulfilled by any human being: mental connection, emotional satisfaction, and physical aid when necessary. In this broad sense anyone you meet has the potential to be a friend. While the modern world has lost some of this desire for connectivity, news stories constantly run on the generosity a stranger showed someone in need.
     What of those people we are closest to? The ones that read our emotions and minds without any words? The ones that are able to predict our reactions to events, cater to our preferences, and share our most intimate secrets? Most people desire at least one person in their life that they can be completely open with if for no other reason than to thrust out their opinions and express their desires of life. What then separates a "best" friend from the every day interactions with our unacquainted fellow man?
     A best friend is, first and always, loyal to you whether or not he disagrees. The one you can count to listen to your idea first and critique it after you have put it forth, the one that does not turn away at the slander of others, and the one that defends your honor and reputation against those that seek to diminish it - this is the loyalty of a best friend that stands by you even if he disagrees with your view.
     Loyalty means nothing if it is blind and follows faithfully but without purpose. The truest friend is honest and straightforward. He is open in his disagreements and does not subtly maneuver to "stay on your good side." There is a time and place to be honest, and the best friend will not openly denounce you in public but will take you aside in a private moment and inquire into your motivations and logic. Rebuke is necessary with honesty, but with the openness that follows, it binds you all the tighter to one another despite the differences. Think of the differences as rough edges of your personalities that, when pressed against each other, produce friction that fuses the two pieces together. Honesty acts as mortar to cement those two pieces together into true friendship.
     If slander comes against your name, a best friend will staunchly defend you even against accusations that he has never heard before. This non-judgmental love and acceptance, regardless of the quality of a decision, provides that relationship its openness and trust. By acknowledging your weaknesses before each other, the trust binds you together. The acceptance and non-judgmental approach taken by friends of confidence allows the celebration of joys, the sympathy of mourning, the agreement of your rants, and a steady voice of thought to counter your bias and irrationality in the heat of the moment. It is the best friend that holds you back from a fight then rounds on the enemy and deals with it himself directly.
     The dependence formed by openness and trust links emotional states. However, the best friend, while sympathetic to your views, will never cease encouraging you. High morale and inspired spirits have allowed man to accomplish the greatest victories immediately following humiliating defeats. This consistent, supportive, and energetic support is a wonderful blessing of intimate friendship. He will be able to push you farther than you thought possible and force you to do better than you dreamed.

     A real friend never leaves, always supports, and balances your views with the outside commitments of his own. An outstanding and well illustrated example of amazing, true friendship is Samwise Gamgee to Frodo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings. Both the movies and books portray the intense loyalty Sam shows to Frodo as Frodo descends into the depression, anger, and selfishness that his trials force upon him. Sam is always, repeatably, and unwaveringly present to protect and support Frodo through the most intense struggles of life.
     Many other examples of faithful friendships resound from history and literature. Alexander to Hephaestion, Jonathan to David, Peter to Jesus, Tom Sawyer to Huckleberry Fin, or Saphira to Eragon. Don't selfishly lead your life to the repression and inconsiderate views of the idiota. Instead, share you abilities, passions, personality, and goals with others around you. Express yourself both through your actions and with your friends. The greatest gift in life is a good friend; be that friend to someone else.


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Agatha Tyche

Futile Friendship?

     Before this age of instant communication, no easy means of distant contact was maintained. Letters were informative but could only contain so much and were delayed, often months, before reaching their recipient. Long distance communication became extremely problematic, especially for large empires. The War of 1812 between America and England could have been avoided had communication been faster. Britain had actually agreed to America's terms two days before America declared war, but a ship took more than a month to traverse the Atlantic. The declaration of war stood. Similarly, the war ended on December 24, 1814, but the last battle, with over 2,000 British casualties happened two weeks later on January 8, 1815.

     In these fast-paced, ever changing times, communication, like so much else, is taken for granted. Instant communication has almost become an annoyance and not so much a blessing. Today has little privacy, and if it takes you more than a few minutes to get back to someone, he will yell at you for ignoring him. On top of that, no one wants to live in his physical location. If I go out to dinner with friends, it's all I can do to keep everyone in one conversation instead of punching away on their phones to people that aren't there.
          Some of the problems of nonphysical communication remain - whatever medium you use. Today, insincerity seems to be one of the largest problems. Common phrases like "Catch you later!" and "We should hang out some time," are meant to convey fondness and intention to the other person. Sadly, these intentions are rarely followed up. Historically, words held power. The ancient Egyptians held the written word was so sacred and magical, that during the New Kingdom, they buried a scroll of The Book of Going Forth by Day (Book of the Dead) to protect and aid the deceased on their journey. As with so much else in life, words seem pitifully poor substitutes for real meaning. Even the treasured “on my word,” or “I swear,” holds no value in today’s society.

     Those catch phrases are never followed up with the promise they hold. If someone does follow up on them, it’s a very surprising feat coupled with the handicap of instant communication to everyone not with you at that time. Thus, while the letter of the promise was fulfilled, its reward remained insubstantial.

     Social networking is a terrific tool. As a college student, I can keep apace with activities on campus throughout the week, and during break and summer I can keep in contact with many of my friends. It’s wonderful to stay in touch with those you aren’t able to physically be with – thus the appeal of long distance communication initially. 

     The part that hurts me, as a generally amiable person, is when I reach out time and again to catch up with others only to be ignored or get a brief response such as “fine,” or “good.” All my energies seem wasted and unappreciated. I think, “Why bother? It wouldn’t have mattered that I inquired about them or not.”

     I begin to give up on people and slide back into myself, but every so often, when I remember someone’s birthday, ask how their sick mom is, how the test went, or if a major project of the semester went well, he’ll smile, answer, and thank me for remembering. My conclusion from these experiences is that putting the extra effort out there is what means anything. Anyone that can type can send an email to cheer someone up, but if you remember something about him specifically or go out of your way to physically say, "Hello," it provides that extra glue of friendship.

     People distance themselves from each other extraordinarily well these days, but they are still human and appreciate and cherish times when people take note and make them feel special for no other reason than being alive. Their ability to distance themselves coerces them to realize the extent of your energies in expressing sincerity.

     In conclusion be friendly to all despite cost or discomfort to youself. Make people smile, make them happy, and forget about your selfish needs for once.

"Buck up, old chap,"
Is what I say,
When ruinous times come my way.
Smile, now, and try again -
Writing's just out with your in.
Stir it up, recall what's gone.
Turn this sorrow into song.

   __    
Agatha Tyche

Dishes

     Hard work has been an admirable character trait through time and culture. Pushing past opposition, complications, obstacles, annoyances, shortages, enemies, failures, and weather are all parts of physical experiences. Sometimes things do not function as necessary and the expectations of a quickly completed job detonate a midst equipment failure, rain, or an honest mistake that requires fixing.
     Manual labor and physical accomplishment brings a joy to the doers life. Skeptical? The occupational satisfaction of farmers, miners, steel workers, construction workers is much higher than office workers. Why? Certainly not benefits, safety, or work conditions. However, watching effort create an object before you with your own time and hands is satisfying. Clicking repeatedly on an excel sheet brings no sense of completion unless the mind can attach that process to something physical to demonstrate its efforts.
     A simple example of this readily demonstrates the benefits to working with your hands.

     Dirty dishes are the inevitable result of eating. Whether cooking with rocks on a fire, eating at a restaurant, or preparing a meal at home, dishes are used and need cleaning. The basic point of "doing the dishes" is to get off the gooey gunk and ready the dishes for use in the future.
     Initially, the dishes are a mess. However, grinding steadily away at the task gradually shortens the stack, eventually removing the filth to the recesses of memory as a brilliant, glistening array of glassware and plastic reflects the light in the now unburdened atmosphere. Take something dirty, clean it, and you have the results of your work before you - with evidence to prove and satisfy.
     Compare dishes to writing a letter by hand. A real letter has personal touch and care since it heightens the acuteness and humanness of communication. Letters show the time and commitment to do the task with style in a legible manner for others to appreciate. Yet another advantage of letter writing is that busy hands keep the mind occupied while providing it some freedom to explore its imagination.
     Yes, disadvantages to hard work do exist just like they exist for dish washing and letter writing. Hand-washing dishes aren't sterilized as well as dishwasher-washed dishes; similarly, emails are faster and more easily read than hand written letters. Doing things by hand usually take longer to do and are, thus, more inefficient. Inefficiency cannot only be measured by time though. While emails are faster to read and write, letters are kept for years and cherished.
     Physical labor gives an understanding of how complex objects function. Ever take something apart to figure out how it worked? This knowledge boosts confidence since the knowledge aids in experience to solve problems in the future. Without a broader understanding, inventions remain only dreams. Looking outside of an individual's self, working together builds comradeship with other workers performing similar tasks. This has led to medieval guilds, colonial rebellions, and drawn-out sieges.
     Creations by human hands evoke wonder in all people. Petra, the city carved from stone in the desert of Jordan, is beautiful, and people risked their lives to find it against the will of its Bedouin protectors. The gates of Babylon, carved by emperors such as Nebuchadnezzar, remain glorified artwork even today. This is not to forget the pyramids and temples of Egypt which have elicited awe and envy for five thousand years.
     No, scrubbing dishes might not be the most enjoyable way to spend time. However the net gain involved in the work, the habit-forming condition of necessity, and the character earned from the task all redeem the work's worth.
     The next time a simple task interjects unpleasantness in your schedule, roll up your sleeves, and do it. If a masterpiece worthy of thousands of years of praise isn't the goal, maybe you'll craft an unexpected gem within your own life.

  __    
Agatha Tyche

Little Things of Llife

     To break from the impersonalality of history, science, and social agnst (though they are most satisfying and fulfilling topics!), here is a small poem to celebrate the diversity of the every day life. Not one of my best attempts, but I like it for its simplicity.

The Little Things of Life

These are the things that make me mad.
They are not good at all,
Most of them are bad.
A fast turned winter that skips fall,
Rusty nails stuck in your shoe,
Unrhymed poems, a soggy ball,
A toddler in a pink tutu.

Instead, if I had a chance
I would ask for some of these:
A book so good it makes me prance,
The cedars of the Lebanese,
A quiet place to hide and sleep,
To dive deep down and find a clam,
Soft and gooey mud, knee-deep,
All of this, and plus a yam.

Life, unbalanced, is nonplussed.
Windy storms with lightning strikes,
Your mother yelling in a fuss,
Fishing bass and catching pikes,
Your teacher when you hear her cuss,
A doughnut with some extra glaze,
Getting free rides on a bus,
These surprises do amaze.

Yet my life's mundane.
Rarely have I seen it hail.
No umbrella, and it rains,
Even sometimes, beat by snail,
Oh, Life! You're full of pains!

Yet all these spices do add up.
Bad, good, shock, dull,
Now, let me drink of life, cup.
All this "suffering," has been called.
Cyclic, Fate, or Dualism,
Prepare the food! I will sup.
This is it; I live for Him.
So that's my life, nothing much.

   __    
Agatha Tyche

Rejected Age

     Wisdom is always said to come with age. "Respect your elders." "Age before beauty." Many phrases come down from times when the oldest members of society were highly respected. In modern Western cultures, this trend has ended with the "first come, first served" mentality of business. Since the elderly are no longer a "beneficial" part of the economy and are seen as living out their last days using their children's inheritance. No longer are old men seen as the best to give advice or to tell stories of days gone by. Now we have the internet to find out our options and have movies, television, and the internet, once again, to fulfill our desire for entertainment.
     This is the end result of the French Revolution's impact on the philosophy of the individual coupled with the changes to society brought on by the industrial revolution. How did this come about? As cultural views shifted away from the town, as in medieval periods, views focused much more on individual families. As industrial jobs absorbed workers into cities away from the farms, families were split with brothers or sisters ending up much farther apart than before. As these familial ties were cut, industrial jobs further separated those nuclear families for at least half of the day, six days a week. The weakened bonds of the nuclear family allowed peopled to focus on individual needs and cut themselves away from relational bonds. Thus, the philosophy of individuality reflected the effects of the industrial age.
     An individual's value depended on his contribution to society, usually economical. This led to an assertion of woman's right's beginning in the late nineteenth century and eventually to women's suffrage and jobs outside the home by the twentieth century. Since elderly individuals no longer contributed to the economy, they became burdensome, unnecessary leeches incapable of earning their keep. With this increasingly representing the culture's mood, it may be a small blessing that the life expectancy remained low. However, with the understanding of disease developing in the 1870s and 80s, the influence of unions at the turn of the century, and increasing opportunity for white collar jobs after the global depression of the 1930s, life expectancy rose as the physical requirements for labor dropped.

     How does this explain the West's disrespect for age? There are several reasons. One of the main contributors is the negative connotations age holds as being economically worthless. Coupled with that, as a larger portion of society becomes elderly than ever before, the novelty of wisdom with age is lost. In  agricultural societies threatened by insects, disease, drought, famine, and war, to achieve a great age demonstrates luck, resolve, or intelligence. Once these achievements are removed, age becomes a normal stage of life, almost expected. This is especially true when someone is killed in a car accident; the newspaper and family will mourn of "a life cut short." In the West age does not represent wealth, resourcefulness, intelligence, or skill. It is an expected "right" of life.This is due in large part to the vast number of people that live to ever-increasing old age.
     Another reason for the fall of the great age of life is that information is readily available everywhere. Historically, few people could read and all relied on the memories of the elderly to predict the weather with knowledge of previous disasters on how to handle current troubles. Now, we have the recorded knowledge of generations over the centuries easily at our disposal. In more recent years the advent of the television neatly removed a large portion of reading from the news. Furthermore, in the last decade or so, the internet, cell phones, and now smart phones, are allowing knowledge accessible at any time without need to consult the wise men that sit by the city gate. 
     These rapid changes also render the elderly obsolete from the current generations. Yes, my great grandfather had to walk to school, grew almost everything he ate, didn't have a radio for the first part of his life, and didn't have air conditioning until he was middle aged. I don't even think he ever used a computer, and he died years before cell phones were used by more than billionaires. The millennial generation, and to some extent their parents, see no need for the knowledge of the past that their ancestors offer. A little girl may adore the fact that her grandmother grew up with a horse just outside, but she will shriek and scream if told that the rabbits and chickens in the cages next to it would be that night's dinner. 
     The previous generations are tidily "removed" from the current age with the computer. Generally, the elderly are unable to adapt to the computer because of its recent existence while their eight year old grandson can use a smart phone to bring up an atlas of America that would have been 600 pages in your grandparent's trunk for their road trip even just twenty years ago.
     Living memory is no longer valued. Too much is changed to render their stories relevancy in life; they exist only for entertainment when the power goes out. Once again, documentation of the most significant events answers most of our questions. The largest novelties the elderly can explain are the radio, television, ice box, and other outdated inventions that modern culture hardly notices, much less cares about.

     But really, why should we respect them? As explained, their social significance has been rendered moot. What causation can explain the need to hold on to agricultural and historic tendencies in an industrial age of individualism?
     One compelling cause which I know to affect nearly every individual alive today is that with the near guarantee of reaching old age ourselves, we should care for the elderly to set an example of precedence for the generation that will care for us. While much of the knowledge of the older generation is, yes, now no longer applicable to our ever day needs, the stories they will tell can inspire, encourage, instruct us on how to avoid mistakes, love through hurt, sacrifice willingly, and many other timeless traits. My great uncles and grandfathers held years of farming and tinkering knowledge, and if they had to make a run on the store, it was the hardware store because they didn't have the right tool to do the job themselves, not to buy a whole new piece to replace the old.

     Respect the elderly. They have lived life and can aid in directing you through the rapids of youth.
Who knows? You might actually find a best friend and kindred spirit, separated only by time.


    __    
Agatha Tyche

Honor Alexander

Today, July 20, 2012, is Alexandros III's 2368th birthday.
     Born in Macedonia in the summer of 356 B.C. as the son of King Philip the II, Alexander the Great quickly proved to be adaptive, commanding, and intelligent. Aside from the mythology of his divine conception, the temple of Zeus was struck by lightning during the night of his birth, supposedly aligning him with greatness. As a boy no older than twelve, he tamed the wildest horse in a society of horsemen that no other man could master. This horse, Bucephalus, became his war steed after whom armies charged, cities named, and grown men mourned of his passing. By the age of sixteen, Alexander already led his father's army. While the position of the prince heir as leader of the army was not uncommon, for a man so young to display the adaptability in battle that Alexander employed revealed mighty potential. With the assassination of his father, Alexander became king at age twenty. After subduing a far-spread rebellion of his Greek states, he took his army of no more than 30,000 to subdue the Persians, the mightiest empire the world had ever seen. In three major battles, Alexander destroyed all resistance of his Persian enemies, absorbed their fortunes, claimed their land, and became acclaimed as the son of Zeus by the infallible oracle in the Siwa Oasis of Egypt. Not only did he conquer all Persian land, he pushed even farther toward India and only halted because of the exhaustion of his troops. He traversed an uncrossable desert with 80,000 men and died of unknown causes in Babylon a month before his thirty-third birthday. Failing to leave an heir of appropriate age, his generals feigned rule in his name for a decade before claiming territories for themselves and firmly establishing the legend of the Hellenistic world.
     While no man of history lived a flawless life, much can be learned from Alexander, and his character is easily inspiring, especially for young men still seeking to make a mark on the world.

1. Face Your Fear. From boyhood onward, Alexander never took an injury in his back. His chest, arms, legs, and head were bloodied at one point or another during his decade long campaign. Never did he turn away from his enemy. Once he fell behind a city wall and held off his attackers alone with his back to a tree. He did not surrender and was eventually rescued, nearly unconscious, the bodies of his foes surrounded him and only their spears had been able to harm him after finally wearing down his defenses. After healing, he went on with his army to conqueror even more cities despite the risks.
2. Take Charge. Once his father died, Alexander became king immediately. Because of his training and years of experience in the army, he was ready for the tasks of leadership when it arrived. He didn't waste time making excuses; he buckled down and got the job done.
3. Don't Settle for Less. Initially, as his army left Greece, the intention was to defeat Darius III's army and return to Greece to embrace the peace. However, after two victories, Alexander turned down Darius III's offer of co-rulership. The next meeting, the battle of Gaugamela, was the most difficult task his army had faced. Conservative estimates state Alexander outnumbered no less than two-to-one with ancient sources having him outnumbered six or seven-to-one. Quickly assessing the situation, Alexander definitively defeated the Persians and eventually tracked down Darius the III to claim sole rulership of the conquered Persian empire. If Alexander had settled for rulership of the western half, he would undoubtedly have been remembered as a great general of history but never achieved the lasting acclaim for which he is praised.
4. Honor your Promises. Alexander never lied to his army. After every major battle, he offered to let them turn back if they wished, his only "threat" being that they would miss out on the wealth and legends of victory. With the fall of Persia, Alexander became excessively wealthy but gave the majority of his earnings as awards to generals and heroic soldiers. He paid for statues to honor the fallen and sent large reimbursements back to Greece and Macedonia to enrich the homeland.
5. Remember those that have Sacrificed for You. Alexander founded many cities as he traveled. While many of these were named after himself, others were named to honor the great generals of that battle or remember a fallen hero. One city of note is Bucephala named after his horse.  When Hephaestion, Alexander's best friend, died, Alexander designed a gigantic burial mound that was said to marvel the pyramids but remained unfinished due to Alexander's own death. Very few walked away from Alexander feeling jipped for services rendered.
6. Make Friends. Alexander fought many battles. Battles are fought against enemies. Despite this surplus of opposition, Alexander possessed diplomatic skills and often befriended rulers that had opposed him. Instead of killing them and having to leave a proven general behind to run a city, Alexander left many kings in their thrones after swearing loyalty and service to Alexander. Once he had gotten the best of someone, he remained content with having proven superior. The most famous account of this is Porus, the Indian king that opposed Alexander's crossing of the Hydaspes River. Powerful enemies can also make powerful friends.
7. Push the Bounds of Impossible. This characterizes his life. He conquered the biggest armies in the world, defeated impenetrable cities numerous times, turned Tyre into a peninsula, overcame wounds and poison, crossed the western Egyptian desert and then crossed Gedrosia. Many of Alexander's acts cannot be explained without understanding that the impossible seemed to be the only thing that could challenge him.. He defeated the Persian army three times, he crossed deserts with an army twice, he spent a year making land war against an island, and no warrior could best him. Never did he leave his soldiers to a task without pitching in with more fervor than any other. This habit created a bond with him and his men and cemented their loyalty and love with his mutual suffering of hardships.

     Few men that have lived are as inspirational as his mighty warrior. However, he did make mistakes which we can also take heed to.

1. Have a Plan. Alexander always did have a plan, especially in battle. However, by refusing to accept anything as satisfactory, his goals constantly expanded and rendered him uncontent with his amazing success. While this was fundamental to his achievements, it also led to his undoing as he pushed his men farther than they were willing to go and damaged their relationship of unwavering loyalty.
2. Treasure Loyalty. Since he honored those that served him, it may be easy to gloss over the mistakes of judgment he did have. In a drunken rage, he killed Cleitus for false charges of treachery and also had to kill Cleitus's father, Parmenion, one of his elite generals, fearing revenge for Cleitus's death. All this occurred because Alexander had forgotten that Cleitus had saved his life and that Parmenion had been the first to hail him as king at the death of his father, Philip II.

    Despite these faults, Alexander the Great earned his title with his successive victories, legendary achievements, and love from his men. Thus, on this day, his birthday, we can praise history for remembering such a great man to inspire us to greater deeds than mundanity. 
     May your achievements match the undefeated one, founder of the Hellenistic empires, and inspiration through the ages: Alexandros III, the Great.


   __    
Agatha Tyche

Science of Culinary Arts

     For most people in today's world, the concept of a scientist is depicted either by white lab coats, absent mindedness, and anti-social brilliance or, contrastly, as an eloquent genius devoutly solving the world's problems. Chefs, especially on television, are well spoken, efficient, and skilled. Views of both of these practitioners are abstract.
     Many scientists are indeed absent-minded with complex theorems, tangled equations, and quagmiric experiments. Many also are down-to-earth, amiable, and expressive - with no loss to their intelligence. The majority of scientists are everyday people going about their careers to investigate new information and application to the ever-expanding knowledge of mankind.
     Chefs, cooks, and cuisiniers also go about everyday lives though with more time spent in the kitchen than most. The chef is not easily stereotyped either. As with every other profession in life, each person is reflective of his own personality and interests.
     Nonetheless, scientists and chefs are very like each other in their techniques and habits. The scientist works long hours that must be flexible if the experiment is done at a certain time. If something needs to boil at 182° C for three hours, he must be ready to proceed to the next step in the experiment at that time or risk ruining all and repeating his procedure. Likewise, chefs shouldn't mix the sauce with the meat before the appropriate step. The similarities between these two professions is actually remarkable. With closer examination, the parallels seem very exact and much of the instrumentation can be shared between the two with special adaptations for unique purposes.

     Shefs and Cientists  . . .

• Find new "recipes" and clarify, critique, and perfect older ones
• Record findings to share with others
• Perform reliable and repeatable procedures
• Replace expensive ingredients with cheaper variants if the quality of the product is not too adversely affected
• Tweak the recipe which can both vastly improve and disastrously destroy the quality
• Culinary recipes = scientific protocols

     The differences between them are obvious enough. The first thing that comes to mind is that scientists generally don't get to eat the results of their experiments. But what if we combined these two fields? What would that look like? It is already a viable profession with a substantial income and embraced by large corporations. Food chemistry is a highly competitive field used to flavor and preserve much of today's processed foods.
     The kitchen is a lab. So, make sure that the next time you go to make dinner, wear your lab coat, goggles, pants, closed-toe shoes, and to keep your arms out of the mixtures. Remember to follow the procedure and make articulate notes during the process -but don't forget to enjoy!

    __    
Agatha Tyche

Man's Constituents: Karia

     The heart has caused more pain and more joy than any other part of history. It is responsible for erecting great empires, but it is also the cause of morale to falter, the army to fail, and that same empire to disintegrate into the past.
     Kardia, the Greek word for heart, encompasses its full range of potential. Like all the gifts of mankind, the heart is a two-edged sword. Its passions force us to sculpt masterpieces and preform works of wonder. Its drive gives ambition to achieve greatness in ourselves and, further, to inspire others. The soul may stir, the mind plan, but without the heart's energy, no designs would ever be accomplished. The heart is the energy plant of the human body. Its desires coerce our actions.

     Egyptians mythology held that the heart controlled the thoughts since it was responsible for driving passions. After death, the heart was weighed against a feather of the goddess Isis to determine if the heart was weighed down with guilt. This guilt ranged from mistreating others or desecrating a temple to exploiting those socially below you and misusing your resources.
     If these people held the heart's power to such high importance as to have their entire life judged by it after death, modern man should recognize the power that the heart possesses is key to reaching the full potential of life.

     What's a man to do? Use these necessary and valuable components of life to be all he can be.   
1.) Motivation comes from the heart.
2.) Planning develops from the mind.
3.) The sum of these actions are compiled in your soul to forge the individual you are becoming.

    __    
Agatha Tyche

Man's Constituents: Nous

     The mind is the most powerful tool man possesses. Without it our lives become purposeless struggles of self-preservation and reproduction. Using it, however, allows man to beneficially interact with others, improve his surroundings, and draft lofty ideas for the future by integrating knowledge gained from the past.
     The Greek word for the mind, nous, speaks of the cognitive ability to process, direct, and control our actions. The mind gives us our reason - both of logic and causation for action. Thinking, planning, considering, examining, and deciding are all critical components of every day life rendered impossible without a mind. The mind is curious, constantly exploring. To contain it with endless fixation on worthless things or to go periods of time without using it at all is a waste of our great gifts and abilities.

     Aristotle, the great philosopher, was well acquainted with his main control center. Theories on social interaction, inanimate objects, natural forces, and the purpose of life - all were processed by his analytical examination.

"The energy of the mind is the essence of life." ~Aristotle

     As the second part of a man, no one can afford to neglect his greatest asset and the only thing that can't be taken away - your mind. Within yourself, you can go on endless adventures, locate hidden fortunes, rule a nation, defy physics, and explore suggestions for improving the real world around you. Citizens of the Hellenistic world became masters at pushing the boundaries of their minds. The modern Western world almost seems content to let those boundaries contract around him (with several notable exceptions). Constantly push, explore, and expand your mental powers.
     Some thoughts are best left unspoken. However, without a voice, your mind remains incapable of impacting the world.

    __    
Agatha Tyche

Man's Constituents: Pneuma

     Man is a single entity devised and expressed through several elements. The ancient Egyptians believed in seven parts of a man. Each piece played a role both in life and in death. Some were merely physical, some spiritual, others odd mixtures of both. All parts existed and reflected the uniqueness of the individual. This was the first civilization to take a long, hard look at what it took to be who you are, how it impacted others around you, and your life after death.

     The first of the modern Western components is the soul, pneuma. The soul is an eternal reflection on life’s actions. The Greek means “breath” or “to blow” and angles perspective to the energy and liveliness of the soul. The soul is the spirit of life that provides the substance from which life is derived.

     The soul will live for eternity and speaks of the greatness and goodness or wickedness and selfishness expressed during life. Life is the loom that weaves what the soul becomes, every stitch revealing the character of the craftsman.

     A man must be certain that he is creating a piece that will be suitable in the conditions of his afterlife. Picturing life after death as a ship tossed on a sea, it would be foolish for a man to craft a scarf; sails would be much more appropriate. Our decisions in life are reflected in our judgement in death. Pick your convictions and consistently follow them. Achieving goals is more admirable than drifting aimlessly through life and will reflect poorly on you once you've passed through life's opportunities.

    __    
Agatha Tyche

Fortune

Luck. Chance. Fate. Fluke. Odds. Statistics.
     Since ancient times, people have felt that coincidental circumstances bring about life's events from the mundane to the extraordinary.
Good fortune, blessings, God's will, godsend, karma.
     Religion has played a major part in the perception of events'occurrence. Similarly, gambling has produced its own following of bystanders willing take a risk on the turn of the wheel, a streak of luck, or a gut feeling.
     Whatever inclines a person to believe that the luck of the draw is involved in his life, the historical component in fortune is an overlooked portion of Western culture. The Greeks' Fates evolved into the Roman goddess, Tyche, who was often depicted blindfolded because of the random nature fortune seems to be dispersed through life. She became a prevalent goddess in many occult practices. It was with Tyche's power that love potions, astrological predictions, and other fortune tellings were performed. Interestingly, this perception was not overruled by Christianity in the fourth or fifth century. "God's will" replaced Tyche's predictions, but the belief that a deity controls the random oddities of life persisted.
     Fate, the unchangeable outcome of an event or life, differs from fortune. Fate was seen as set in stone in the early Greek culture exemplified in The Odyssey and The Iliad. However, the Hellenistic world, Rome, and early Christians had a more fluid notion of altering fate with prayers. The medieval world believed that fate could be changed by our actions. Shakespeare's MacBeth, fated to become king, could choose his path to kingship with patience or murder.

     Thus, fortune persevered over cultural and religious changes for millenia. Even today luck is regularly called upon in both religious and secular settings. Regardless of use and context, why is believing in chance, karma, or  luck beneficial? What can we learn or hope to understand by placing our understanding in the idea of odds? Why? Taking an analytical look on human perception . . .
     Bad things happen in life. Inconveniences occur all the time. To prove this fact, go into any room in your house or office and bounce a ball. Soon, the ball will bounce the wrong way and end up hitting something it shouldn't hit or rolling under the one item that is bolted to the floor. The odds of that ball only hitting things that can't be damaged dramatically increases with the cost of that item. Think I'm making this up? Perform the experiment keeping track of where the ball goes in relation to its difficulty to retrieve.
     Belief that luck can interact with our lives teaches people perseverance. "It didn't work out this time. I'm just going to have to buckle down and grind this out again." This is the cause of many people's anger and irritability about life. If you try enough times, eventually, you'll succeed.
     In a religious sense, placing fortune in a deity's hands puts a perspective on man. We learn to respect the limitations of man's control on his own life and the power of man as a species. Thus, we place our desired powers in the hands of a deity to fulfill our ambitions.
     The last lesson we can learn from man's dependence on luck is hope. Hope constantly drives men forward. Why would any person buy a love potion? In hope that is would achieve the desired affect. Superstitions generally play upon the hope of a believer. American sports' superstitions take on absurdity with dirty clothes and odd rituals. Hope pushes a man farther than he thought he could go to achieve the impossible, or if you will, the improbable as his fortunes are played out.


    __    
Agatha Tyche

Mythology to Modernity

Have you ever looked up while reading a book or writing notes and met the eyes of a girl across from you? Your heart does that little skip-jump as your breathing sharpens. You immediately hope that she finds you attractive. Then with great fear and hesitation you consider that maybe your hair is messed up, your shirt is on backwards, or someone is giving you bunny ears. She looks away and you conclude that she was just glancing around the room when you happened to look up and that you not remarkable or especially noticeable. However, she is remarkable.
Every woman is a goddess.

All women have their special brand of beauty. Superficiality is usually the easiest trait to find but rarely the most valuable treasure. Hidden inside, each woman possess a priceless gem. A delightful eagerness for life, undaunted adventure, charming wit, remarkable interests, or inspiring character, all these lend themselves for admiration. Each is unique with the exact combination that makes them attractively who they are. Each is pricelessly beautiful.
Because of this unparalleled beauty, all women deserve the attention of men. Perhaps not the special, amorous attention associated with many duel gender relations, but recognition of her beauty should occur. An authentic conversation, more than the weather or her current mood, will usually turn up a sparkle, a single  gleam of her gem. This prized stone cannot simply be pulled forcefully out and examined! No, it must be worked free and carefully praised. All women have this gem though size, shape, color, and type can vary more spectacularly than any rainbow.
The revealed charm and prized beauty enable any woman to turn a man's head. However, this is a two-sided phrase and not in a physical sense. The first angle is force. Some women, characterized as controlling, use brute force to shake a man's foundation and construct insecurities that enable her views to flourish and dominate. She uses the power of womanhood to dictate a man's movements to conform to her will though commonly in disguise. From a man's view, a more agreeable method is subtly. This women uses suggestion, possibly enticement, to tilt a man's position to or fro. She can incline him in the more desired direction and is satisfied when he reacts, seemingly, of his own accord. Silver tongued, this is the type of women ancient mythologies characterized in their stories and gave her supernatural powers. She is not supernatural, merely a woman, and commands a respect of her own.
Holding these special qualities in mind: beauty, attention, and strength, man needs to concede his love for womankind as a whole. We should cherish and adore the women put in our lives because of the specialty each possesses. All are created in God's image and are, thus, heiresses to His kingdom. They are all actual, physical princesses deserving of our respect and care. Treat women like the princesses they are; very few have ever complained of it.
If a woman is not treated like a goddess, woe to man. A woman's wrath rages as the storm. It possesses uncharted energies and fierceness. While it may appear to slow, she is merely charging for a second blow with pent up forces. The end is unknowable. A woman's anger knows no bounds. The bitterness and resentment of a single woman has been known to completely destroy a man's entire life. Nor can this disturbance be easily settled. Like the oceans after a storm, only time can reduce the ferocity of the waves.
However, without women, society itself turns on end. The most recognized examples of this, the early American frontiers, show men living free and lax lives. Filth, foulness, laziness, and drunkenness abound. Once women entered the scene, settlement and regularity occurred. (Personally, I've concluded this has something to do with each paragraph prior to this. A woman's beauty attracts the men, her charm encourages men to give continuous attention, and she can "suggest" specific changes. These combined, a man must regulate his life to please and praise a woman.) Thus, the absence of women means the utter collapse of society itself.
Women are beautiful creatures that possess powers outside the limited, focused boundaries of a man's mind. Full recognition to each individual should not be above our doing. Chivalry should not die even as women gain their sought equality in society because they are inherently the focus and motivation behind a man's goals.

All women are goddesses.



         __    
Agatha Tyche

A Small Bang

     The beginning is multiplicitly the easiest and hardest thing to achieve. It sets the boundaries and establishes the foundation that all future work will  rest upon. As the guilds of medieval Europe enforced, the masterpiece marked the beginning of a man's independent career to which all his other work must either match or surpass. The beginning remains, nonetheless, the first stone placed which opens up the full range of possibilities. Alternatives are viable and characteristic distinctions are, as yet, undefined. The enthusiasm of the outset holds the enticing mystery of freedom, openness, and allowance. Thus, I will start at the beginning as all things must.

     Two things should prompt a man forward through life. 


     The first sets the limits for that life and is recognized as the provider and arbitrator between a man and his woes. The deity of a man's life, that eternal being lending encouragement and support while supplying tests and obstacles to challenge even the strongest and bravest, this God deserves a hat-tipped his way. Pia pium, godliness, reflects the purpose of existence and the path that is traversed over a lifetime. However, even as we strive to become more godly in word, thought, and action, these words, pia pium, reflect a much deeper meaning in conduit. Holy. Pious. Honest. Patriotic. Dutiful. 
     Each of these words describes a small, yet necessary, cornerstone to the foundation of the phrase and is a part of its origin from the beginning. Holiness, to be set apart for a sacred purpose, defines a man's life as distinct, unique, and purpose-filled. Piety, religious steadfastness and conviction, cherishes religious and traditional ideals within. Honesty, truth and integrity, praises a man who confronts the reality before him, unwavering regardless of challenge. Patriotism, the love for and recognition of your community and culture above that of yourself, requires fine-tuned priorities to develop the rightness of emotion and reason in every aspect of life. Patriotism ties closely with duty. Duty, to do what needs to be done even when obstacles extract high costs, is nearly synonymous with sacrifice. 

"The soldier, above all other men, is required to practice the greatest act of religious training - sacrifice. In battle and in the face of danger and death, he discloses those divine attributes which his Maker gave when He created man in His own image. No physical courage and no brute instinct can take the place of the Divine help which can alone sustain him. (Gen. Douglas MacArthur)"

     Although not a technical derivative, the perfect word to summarize and define pia pium is sacrifice. God sacrificed to give you life, physical and immortal. Following religious, national, and cultural ideals always involves sacrifice of self. Duty, a higher calling, often involves the sacrifice of life. Duty for family, a father's love. Duty for country, the defense of those you love against a great threat. Duty for religion, involving ostracism from society and potentially martyrdom. Sacrifice is one of the highest callings of a man's life.
     The second supplies the internal motivation for a man to prioritize and achieve. A strength hidden not only within his physical form a but also within the character of the man himself. This is what pushes a man forward through depression, the desperate charge, ultimate ruin. This is the gut-wrenching urge to never quit, never be subdued, and to maintain control over his surroundings. Virile agitur: manliness. A more accurate translation is "the manly thing is being done." A true man cannot sit by and watch the world change around him quietly. He constantly reacts and exerts himself in a way that is distinct and forceful. Suck it up and do what needs done. Period.


     Two things should direct a man forward through life: Godliness and Manliness.


           __    
Agatha Tyche