Franz Kafka (1883 - 1924) worked for much of his life as an official in an insurance company. His extrordinary works of fiction were written largely in his spare time and many of his novels were published after his death from tuberculosis. Kafka first met Felice Bauer in 1912; for five years they pursued a tempestuous and ultimately unfulfilled love affair.

11 November, 1912

Fräulein Felice!

I am now going to ask you a favor which sounds quite crazy, and which I should regard as such, were I the one to receive the letter. It is also the very greatest test that even the kindest person could be put to. Well, this is it:

Write to me only once a week, so that your letter arrives on Sunday -- for I cannot endure your daily letters, I am incapable of enduring them. For instance, I answer one of your letters, then lie in bed in apparent calm, but my heart beats through my entire body and is conscious only of you. I belong to you; there is really no other way of expressing it, and that is not strong enough. But for this very reason I don't want to know what you are wearing; it confuses me so much that I cannot deal with life; and that's why I don't want to know that you are fond of me. If I did, how could I, fool that I am, go on sitting in my office, or here at home, instead of leaping onto a train with my eyes shut and opening them only when I am with you? Oh, there is a sad, sad reason for not doing so. To make it short: My health is only just good enough for myself alone, not good enough for marriage, let alone fatherhood. Yet when I read your letter, I feel I could overlook even what cannot possibly be overlooked.

Why good girls love bad boys!
By Lisa Daily

Doesn’t make any sense, does it? We’ve all done it at one time or another. We whine to our friends about the lack of nice available guys, and then, when given the choice between a nice, sweet (safe)(boring) guy and a bad boy who makes our toes curl, we invariably go for the toe-curler. The heartbreak-waiting-to-happen.

I recently received a letter from a sweet guy who wrote,

"I've been looking for some insights to what women are looking for, because from my perspective, they often go for that which they complain about most!

Women don't say "Oh, he's a kind, honest, nice and loyal type of guy from a good family...he attends church and that really turns me on." Women say things like: "Hes a Bad Boy" .."He's sexy"... "There's chemistry between us"..."I really feel something for him" and he is such a deliciously "Bad Boy". He instantly makes me feel sexy, etc.

Got any advice for us men?" Baby, you hit the nail nice right on the head.

Nearly all women go through some period in their lives when they’re swept up by a bad boy. The Navy Seal with the amazing bod and the mental prowess of a fruit plate. The Harley guy with mean beard stubble and an attitude to match. The Josh Hartnett look-alike who makes us feel like the center of the universe, and then puts the moves on our roommate the minute we leave for the ladies room. We can see these guys coming a mile away,

Part. of us actually like to believe we can be the one girl to turn this wild man into a pussycat. Part of us just like that down-to-our-toes thrill, the excitement of something we KNOW is bad for us. (Like chocolate cheesecake, and Jimmy Choo shoes..) Some of us are just gluttons for misery. And unlike good boys, bad boys make us feel sexy.

There’s good news and bad news for all you nice guys out there. Your day will come. It just won't be today.Why?

A few women actually grow out of the bad-boy phase once we hit our late twenties. Our girlfriends start to couple off, and we start wondering if we used up our nice guy quota in college when we were still torturing men for sport. That’s where you come in, Mr. Sweet Guy. Because you’re the guy we really want for the long haul..

Here’s my advice for all the nice guys:

Remember what we were wearing on our first date. Give romantic gifts on birthdays and anniversaries (and remember flower-mandatory holidays such as Valentine’s Day.) Get what we’re all about. Let us know what you’re all about. Kill any bugs that sneak into the kitchen. Give us your coat when it gets chilly outside. And remember there’s a fine line between being a nice guy and being a doormat - After all, you don’t want to be a good boy in love with a bad girl.

Cheating boyfriends leave many signs and with a little patience, and by giving him lots of time and space to cheat, you can catch your cheating boyfriend without having to hire a costly private investigator. We have compiled a list of the top 5 signs of a cheating boyfriend so you can tell whether or not your boyfriend is cheating. Remember to pay attention to details and follow your gut instinct. In addition, if you and your boyfriend haven’t clearly discussed whether the two of you are both monogamous in your relationship, don’t assume he has just “automatically” decided to be faithful to only you. Maybe in your cheating boyfriend’s mind, your relationship isn’t serious enough for him to consider being faithful yet. Make sure you are both clear on where you stand regarding fidelity in your relationship.

1. Lack of intimacy. This doesn’t always have to be in the form of sex. It can be a decline of touching, cuddling, holding hands or kissing.

2. He cheated on his old girlfriends. If you can talk to some of his old girlfriends, by all means, do it. However, make sure to ask his ex-girlfriends in a kind and calm manner so they do not become defensive. A cheating boyfriend will usually repeat their behavior with their next girlfriend.