Administrative Professionals DayŽ/School Librarian Day/Kindergarten Day/Birthday Of Charlotte Bronte/Festival Of Ridván
2004-04-21 @ 9:54 p.m.

With the addition of the Mike Andrews MP3s, all 192 kbps files I might add, I'm just a few MBs shy of 10 GB at 1700+ files. His music's actually not bad, quite listenable. A dance track's playing right now. That woke me up pretty quickly. I don't know why, but I have this tendency to zone out on certain days, and I just sleep the evening away. It's a challenge to wake up just to type this and read a few pages about the rise of the Committee of Public Safety. Must catch up on History as soon as possible! I need new CDs, it took me 30 seconds today to flip through what I'd brought out, only to decide on the Corrs' greatest hits compilation because I hadn't heard it for a long while. I like their new album though, Borrowed Heaven. The first song, Summer Sunshine, isn't like Breathless, not so formulaic. Hope the rest of the album sounds like that. I'll get myself a special edition come Christmas. Till then, here's what I want! (That is such a blatant hint to the whole world.)

2 Be 3: Excuse My French
A*Teens: New Arrival
Amethystium: Odonata, Aphelion
Era: Era 2, The Mass
Gregorian: Masters Of Chant Chapters I, II, III and IV
Lesiëm: Times
Lighthouse Family: All the albums
Mandy Moore: Coverage
Mike Andrews: All the albums
Natalie Imbruglia: Left Of The Middle
Rachel Stevens: Funky Dory
Tata Young: I Believe
The Corrs: Borrowed Heaven

Daniel, you're missing the point. I don't consider myself that gifted, which is why I'm uncomfortable with being commended by Mr Purvis. Three good practical criticism essays doth not a talent make. Maybe I've got a latent inferiority complex, but I genuinely think that some people in our class are better at English, I just happen to be somewhat good at practical criticism. Maybe after July, I'll change my mind about my being talented or otherwise. Till then, I just wish he'd say less about it. You won't believe how troubling it was to work on the Oliver Twist piece, knowing at the back of my mind that he expects something of a certain standard. Still, I believe linguistic ability plays a part in determining how well you do at practical criticism in particular. It takes a certain measure of ability to read and interpret varying shades of tone. Reading widely helps a lot, so doing well at practical criticism isn't exactly like chasing after the Holy Grail.

Just a thought to end off. Sardonic humour can often hurt or offend others. I think it's a gift (or a curse) to be able to needle people that way. It's not easy to slip in just the right word at the right time to vex. That has a lot to do with one's ability at language. It's a form of manipulation. Believe it or not, but I quite enjoy verbal sparring with people like Rui Min. It might be artificial, but if you drop all the pretense behind the sparring, there's no real ill will left. You're right, it has to be taken in the right spirit by all parties involved. As for bonding through insults, I feel it's just an alternative method. Maybe not so much of bonding, but entertainment. Call it a perversity of human nature, but a lot of people are amused by it. Just look at the people laughing. Is this sardonic streak a manifestation of a darker alter ego in ourselves? Perhaps. Marvel at the duality which is Man...