Deosculate

What an inappropriate word for its meaning and one to certainly kill the mood if used in context, meaning to kiss affectionately.

I'm going through a bit of a stressful time recently and I've barely been sleeping, so these posts are likely to make almost no sense (assuming that the other posts did. . .) and they're likely to be with a slightly darker undertone (Wow, that sounded pretty dramatic and sinister, haha). Nonetheless, I will still try and keep this one interesting, since I appreciate the last was dull as Hell.

But since we're vaguely on the topic of it, what are emotions? Merely a body's reaction to an outside stimulus, causing an increase in the release of hormones? Physiologically, that's a brief overview of what emotions are and what they do to us. But they're more than just that. They're not just the physical effect, they're the way that we interpret the physical effect. Take, for example, stress upon reading that you've forgotten to complete a particularly important assignment that's due in tomorrow. You get that sinking feeling in your heart, don't you?
It's not a sinking of the heart at all, it's the release of adrenaline speeding up your heartbeat. But due to the upsetting sensation of the news, we interpret it as a sinking sensation.
Compare it to the feeling of butterflies when you see that girl (or guy) you like. It's a similar sensation, is it not? Know why? Because it's the same hormone, doing exactly the same thing. Adrenaline, speeding up your heartbeat. But we interpret in a completely different manner, because of the nature of it. It's a happier feeling, feeling lighter than air itself. Of course, in both situations there are differences in other hormones produced, but the main one involved in both sensations is adrenaline, doing the same thing.

Thing is, is it possible to manually control our response? It's somewhat impossible to control the way our body releases hormones and suchlike, but what about our actual interpretation? Supposedly, we can through cognitive behavioural therapy. You just train yourself to, every time a stressful event occurs and you get the sinking feeling, think of something happy that you know will always cheer you up. Over time, you begin to associate this thought with any stressful situation, and cheer yourself up without having to make the conscious thought.
Now, the smarter ones amongst you will have noticed somewhat of a flaw in this idea. You're associating a particularly happy thought with a stressful event, in order to cheer yourself up when you get stressed. But what happens when you think of this happy thought on a normal occasion? It's associated to a stressful occurrence, so what's to stop it stressing you? One can only assume that it's a two-way street in this respect.

If only everything else were a two-way street. That is to say, people were willing to do the same things that I'm prepared to do. Do excuse the little rant I'm about to go on. I'm not sure how long it's going to last. A frustratingly large number of people don't seem to understand the difference between "can't" and "won't". I know you can't ever assume that someone will treat you with the same respect when you do them a favour, but it's generally common courtesy. If, for example, you tell someone that you will, or will not do X (As a mathematician, I've come to assign a letter to any variable, be it a number or, in this case, an event), and said person responds with "I can't do the same".
Now, can't, in my eyes, means that there is some physical restriction preventing you from doing it. If, for example, it goes against the law or it can cause harm to them or someone else, or, of course, it is physically impossible.
Won't just means that they don't really want to do it. They care little for your feelings or what you're actually doing for them.
And such a frustratingly large number of people are doing this to me recently. And I'm just sick and tired of being let down time and time again by everyone, and it honestly makes me wonder why the Hell I'm even giving them the decency of it. I mean, there are, of course, people in my life who have never and will never let me down. And to those, I am seriously seriously grateful. You'll never quite know what it means to me to be able to rely on you guys. Ok, soppy moment and rant over.

I leave you with a quote from the wonderful Nietzsche:

"A casual stroll through the lunatic asylum shows that faith does not prove anything"