Money, Money, Money.

" I work all night, I work all day, to pay the bills I have to pay
Ain't it sad
And still there never seems to be a single penny left for me
That's too bad
In my dreams I have a plan
If I got me a wealthy man
I wouldn't have to work at all, I'd fool around and have a ball."

Those were the lyrics from " Money, Money, Money " by Abba. The song talks about the necessity of money in our lives. The singer complains that she works so much yet she has nothing left after she pays the bills. She wished that she would marry a rich man so that she would not have to worry about such issues.

But does money really matter that much? Not so. Everyone needs to eat, a place to live and clothes to wear. We all need money to possess such items. Be it that 7000 dollars Valentino dress or even that 1.7 million dollars Bugatti Veyron. That is why money has become the first goal in life for almost everybody. However, money is sometimes worthless when it comes to other things. That is why money is never a yardstick used to define one's success or happiness.

One important thing that defines success in our lives is our careers. With different careers, we will have different goals and measurements of our success. If you are an athlete, your success can be measured by lots of things such as wining tournaments, breaking records, playing in the top league or competing in the Olympics. If you are a student, your success can be measured by perhaps obtaining the President's Scholarship or graduating with honors from Harvard. So another measurement of our success in live is how much we succeed in our careers. There are also people who want and have a job that earns them a great deal of money but sees their work as a drudgery.

One's success might be measured by how happy and satisfied they are with their lives. The richest man in the world probably is not the happiest man. Though money can bring you a certain amount of happiness, it cannot get you someone who truly loves you or true friends who stand by you.

Talent and hard work also determines one's success. Money probably cannot earn you a Nobel Prize but your talent and hard work can. Many famous figures such as Picasso and Einstein were impaired in one way or another, but they developed their talents and became the long-remembered individuals of our time. These famous figures are real examples of people who worked hard to produce some of the most expensive art pieces ever and to discover many scientific equations we use in our present day.

In conclusion, the measurement of success in your life can be many things and not just money. It is up to each individual to discover what they think constitutes to their success.

Week [4] of June Holidays.

"Great! Look what you've done" Pete hissed.

Still in shock, and soaked wet, Frank couldn't move. The gate opposite opened.

A tall bald man in a black T-shirt ran out and saw Josh.

"You little rascal!" he shouted.

Josh suddenly recalled Miss Amy's face as she said, I have no choice but to suspend you if your poor behaviour continues.

"I'll be calling your father later," warned the bald man. Josh recognized him as one of his Dad's workmates.

Josh felt depressed. He shrugged off his worries about school and the accident and returned home.

Week [3] of June Holidays.

The interview with Miss Amy wasn't as tense as Josh had feared. She asked him and Mr James to sit down.

Miss Amy began to talk to Josh and asked him. "Is there anything that is making you angry?"

Josh couldn't think of anything, so he shook his head.

Mr James interjected Miss Amy as she was about to reply Josh. "Why do you keep going for Pete? Do you hold some grudge against him?" he yelled. Josh didn't know why.

Miss Amy took off her glasses.

"This isn't the first time such incidents have occurred, Josh. Even if your grades aren't satisfactory, please have some decorum. If this carries on I would have no other choice but to suspend you from school. Do you understand?" she reprimanded.

Josh nodded slightly. His eyes were pricking with tears. Miss Amy put her glasses back on again and patted his back.

With that, Josh stood up and strolled back home.

As he turned into the street where his house was, a jet of cold water caught him right between the eyes. Another stream of water hit Josh hard on his shoulder.

"Said I'd get you, Josh Denver," jeered Pete.

Pete raised the water pistol and showered Josh with water.

Josh had enough, his blood was boiling. Josh grabbed hold of Pete's arm and swung it violently, hurling the water pistol as far as he could.

There was a short-lived silence which was then replaced by a sound of cracking glass across the road.

Week [2] of June Holidays.

Josh's classmates trooped in sweating, red-faced and noisy.

"Hey, Josh, you should have seen me save a goal," shouted Ricky.

"Yeah, but you didn't save my goal as it sailed past you, did you, Ricky?" Pete asked sarcastically.

He suddenly glanced at Josh's term paper and his mouth was agape.

"Oh my, Josh! I don't understand! Who on the face of God's green earth could fail such an easy paper?"Josh exclaimed as he tried to stifle his laughter.

Josh launched himself at Pete and grabbed him by his hair. Pete stumbled and fell flat on his back. His shoulder banged against a chair and both of them fell in a struggling heap. Mr James stood at the entrance of the classroom wide-eyed.

"On your feet, both of you! Atrocity!" he ordered. Pete was holding his hand to his shoulder, groaning in agony.

"You wait, Josh Denver, I'll get back at you." he shouted, as he pushed Josh aside and got on his feet.

Josh, white-faced, stood bewildered. It had happened so fast, it was like a train wreck. Mr James looked at him and shook his head sadly.

"Be in Miss Amy's room straight after lessons." he uttered.

Week [1] of June Holidays.

Something made Josh look up from his textbook. Across the classroom, Adel was holding a rule in front of her mouth like a microphone. Her wispy ponytail swung side to side as she closed her eyes and dramatically mouthed a song as if she was in front a crowd of a million people.

Everyone in the class burst into laughter.

Mr James, a tall kindly man clad in a green track suit, looked back and glanced around the class. Everyone had their heads down, pretending to be hard at work.

"How is your work coming along, Josh?" he asked.

Josh ran his fingers through his ginger hair. The truth was that it was in a complete fiasco.

"Well..It's coming along..great!" he attempted to lie convincingly.

"It better be that way."Mr James answered, crooking his eyebrows.

For the rest of the lesson, Josh was either looking out the windows or sleeping.

The bell went for the start of break. Mr James dismissed everyone except Josh.

"Josh, come here."he said.

Josh wasn't too happy as the rest of the classmates trickled out of the classrooms to the canteen or the play area.

"Quit dragging you feet and hurry up Mister."yelled Mr James.

Josh stood in front of Mr James and awaited his instructions.

"Do you know why I am holding you back?" he asked.

"No idea, Sir"Josh replied.

Then Mr James flipped through the pile of paper on his desk and fished Josh's out.

"See it for yourself,"he said as he shoved the paper into Josh's hands.

Josh's heart sank. All he could see were messy red crossed everywhere on his paper. The top page of the pile was covered in neat red ticks and even had a "Well Done!" sticker pasted on it.

"I'll give you one last chance," said Mr James.

"If you still fare so badly for the test term paper, I shall send you to Miss Amy. She will probably speak to your parents and decide how to deal with you. You jolly well work harder. Do you understand?" he questioned loudly.

Josh nodded and heaved a sigh.

At this point the bell for the end of break sounded.

Josh wanted to just run out and play and he wanted to cry but all he could do what to sit down at his seat and stare out of the window watching his classmates flocking back to the classroom.

T2W10 Journal

Gerard's definition of an idyllic life is one where he is omnipotent.

He grew up to lust for fame and avarice.

After several years of condescending to his adroit teachers, he finally reached the zenith of his career, as a renowned businessman.

He did receive everything he had yearned for-wealth and a successful career. But what he failed to acknowledge was that he had no friends and no family.

Gerard has forsaken all his relationships and his decorum to become the lonesome man he is today.

My Favourite Author.

Well, favourite author? The truth is I don't read a lot. No kidding.
I watch movies. Hearing the language is definitely better than just reading it. Both can be equally exciting. You don't have to be a dictionary to understand a movie/TV show.
Just watch an English show, that cannot be as taxing as anything else. I am NOT discouraging you from reading. I am merely trying to say that watching English shows can be equally helpful sometimes. So why not give it a try?

So introducing my newest favourite author: Harlan Coben.

I recently picked up one of his books, "The Woods", at the library. The start of the novel was a little dry but the story slowly unfold into a compulsive page-turner.

Well here are some of the information I google-ed.

1)Harlan Coben is a past recipient of an Edgar Award, a Shamus Award, and an Anthony Award. In fact, Harlan Coben is the first writer ever to win all three of these awards.

Wow. Remarkable achievement isn't it.

2)Born in 1962 in Newark, New Jersey, but brought up and educated in Livingston, he graduated from Amherst College with a degree in political science. After working in the travel industry, he eventually turned to writing full time.

Who would have known that he as a budding writer during college in a political science class?

3)Harlan Coben published two stand-alone thrillers, Play Dead and Miracle Cure, while still in his twenties. But his true success came with the Myron Bolitar series of thrillers. The Myron Bolitar character is a former basketball player who becomes a sports agent and frequently finds himself having to investigate and solve murders involving his clients.

How many of us can publish two thrillers when we are only in our twenties?

4)Harlan Coben is a good friend of Dan Brown, the author of The DaVinci Code.

Hey, who knew that the "flair-for-writing" virus can be passed from person to person. I wish I had it.

5)The plots of his novel very often revolve around past events that have gone unresolved or have been misinterpreted, like murders and fatal accidents. Harlan Coben's novels are usually fairly complex and involve multiple plot twists.

Mystery stories never go out of style.

The book I fell in the love with is: "The Woods". Basically, it is amount a group of four people who ventured into the woods. Two of these people in the group were found dead with a slash on their throat. The other are still yet to be found.
The protagonist of the story, which is a County Prosecutor is the brother of one of these missing victims. He finds himself having to battle his emotions and confront the truth again when one of the other victim is found dead in his apartment.

Go get the book if you find it intriguing, I am not going to spoil it any further.