Sanity is far overrated

Private to Ro

Why does life have to be so crazy? I don't even mean most of my class mates going crazy about OWLs and the like either. We've been studying this material for five years. Relax. And when they're done we're just going to sit there and hope that we did well. Hope that they didn't notice how much your hand was shaking trying to turn bread into a breadbox or how it looked like it might mold over.

"Hope" is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul.

There is no hope without fear, and no fear without hope.

and the one no one seems to listen to..

Beware how you take away hope from another human being.

Hope is just a far too fragile thing. And it's right up there with faith. Eventually it is going to be crumbled into a million pieces, so why do we bother? Hope you get good grades. Believe that the weather is going to be good. Have hope that one day that one girl is going to look your way. Pray that you get the job. Have faith that you're the better team on the Quidditch pitch... Because just applying yourself and doing your best doesn't always work, nor is it always easy. You can study every page and still go blank when the test is in front of you. It can be warm for a whole week and suddenly snow. One sex is always going to confound the other. Someone is going to have that one extra recommendation you don't. And one right move and the snitch can switch around an entire game.

So do we hope because we're too afraid to try? Or do we try because it's too much to just hope for?

My brother really needs to stop leaving this in the common room...

I mean really.

I wonder what sort of ransom I can get out of him for it.

I think something has been made very clear this week... I will absolutely never understand girls. Considering I've been basically living with one for almost 17 years now (because I'm odd and counting nine months inside mum), one would think I might know a bit more than usual. Then the only other set of twins around her are also fraternal, and I'm not sure Carl knows everything there is to know about females. I think NEWTs have to be easier than figuring out girls. Then I could always ask Alice for help, but then she'd just want to ask too many questions.

I don't know why I even bother...

Apparently Alice has completely lost her journal and we're not completely sure where. Likely in the library or in a class somewhere, but then we can get another one around Easter anyhow, right? She doesn't seem too worried and I said I'd pass on any important messages. I doubt there will be anything that she likely wouldn't tell me anyhow?

So how're you guys doing?

( Hexed from girls because they get scared too easily. Except Mum because she's not really a girl, being grown up and all... And against Weasley/Potters because they likely don't want to read it )


Whoever said "One death is a tragedy; a million is a statistic" was perhaps never completely human. Then I believe it was Stalin...

I'd like to add my sympathies to those who have lost loved ones. Losing family is never fun. Though I'm not sure if it's better just losing them quickly or slowly and only hoping there's something you can do about it.

It's to be generally noted about the population at large that very few seem to know the meanings behind some holidays. Though it also leaves me wondering what made St. Valentine or St. Patrick really any more famous than even... Saint Joan of Arc?

And the thing is, even what Saint Valentine did is pure speculation. The feast of St. Valentine was first decreed in 496 by Pope Gelasius I, who added Saint Valentine though he was one "Whose names are justly reverenced among men, but whose acts are known only to God." History can't even quite narrow him down to just one man, and the main reason for the holiday was to try and get people to forget (which they have thanks to sparkly pink hearts and enough glitter to blanket Scotland) Lupricalia. Though technically it was just abolished in the fifth century, but it didn't actually turn into anything close to what it is now until Geoffrey Chaucer came around and associated it with romantic love. Though actually until 1969, the Catholic Church formally recognized a total of eleven Valentine's days. Besides February 14, these include: January 7, May 2, July 16, August 31, September 2, October 25, November 1, November 3, November 11, November 13, and December 16. First person to suggest we celebrate all of them should be castrated.

It is generally believed that Valentine as a priest who refused an unattested law attributed to Roman Emperor Claudius II, allegedly ordering that young men remain single. The Emperor supposedly did this to grow his army, believing that married men did not make for good soldiers. The priest Valentine, however, secretly performed marriage ceremonies for young men. Claudius found out about this though and had him arrested before going all Queen of Hearts and "Off with his head!"... Though this is also where "Valentine's come from as some say he left a card for his girlfriend, the jailer's daughter who he had cured of blindness that said "from your Valentine". Though really, the guy cures your daughter of blindness, I'd think he would have helped him at least escape and get as far away as possible. It was also said he had small cards other people would leave around for him to find and he would offer to pray for them.

Rubbish...

But everyone should come support the Charms' Club!