Another boring Sunday, albeit with Internet. I've been reading Jane Austen's "Emma" and I'm beginning to see a pattern in her writing. It would be nice, like her heroines, to think of nothing but domestic affairs and trying not to fall in love with the guy you loathe or you never thought you'd fall in love with. No politics, no violence, no sex, no science...my kinda book when I wanna escape from the harsh reality of the world. But, it doesn't quite go along with my feministic tendencies...still...it's nice, sarcastic and feel-good...so sue me for liking it! Her books are like romance novels of a higher literary standing.

Then I began to think of something else while I was bathing. Is it smarter to be the manipulator than the manipulated? If the manipulated knows that he is being manipulated, is he really any smarter? What if the manipulated knows that he's the one who has something to gain, greater than what the manipulator thinks to be the advantage of manipulation, and thus allows the manipulation. Does that make him the real manipulator of the situation? Any answers?

My heart is already set on Nürnberg...and try as I might, I can't dwell on anything but. I keep wondering what might've happened, had I chosen Erlangen-Nürnberg instead of Dresden. But the choice has been made. I like Dresden...but I would've liked to have known more people here than I do.

Guojun, you mean I've never sent you a Nürnberg postcard?? Or do you just want a Nürnberg chop on the letter? Ok, I vaguely remember sending you a postcard with Diddl in the bath...okay fine, I'll see what I can do.