我不要预知未来

有许多人对预知未来充满着好奇，甚至想要拥有该能力，可是，知道了自己的未来后，有能够做得了什么呢？既没有改变的能力，也会失去感受惊喜的机会。人生在世，究竟是为了什么而活呢？莫过于能够迎接新的一天，新的希望。但，若是清楚明了明日之事，那，人生岂不是变成了一份已阅读多次的旧报纸？

这是我对于《天书》以及《丛林之神》的读后感。

Braces off!

Yay! I finally got my braces off last Sunday, and I just got my retainer! Though I kinda think that retainer is more nerdy than the braces... Peculiar

This is the first red banana I have ever seen

Small peach that tastes awesome.

可恶的春天

瞪着眼前这可恨的笑脸，我差点情绪失控一巴巴打下去。第一次开会就说我的资料不足。天哪，第一次开会就是要填补空穴嘛。算了。第二次开会就说我们欠缺诚意，计划不够精彩，根本没有火花。没有火花？你要火花，好！我就用火用花仍你吧！没有火花… 那是什么鬼话？不过也算了，我EQ 高， 我不跟你一般见识。讲起第三次开火开会我就火大了！竟然说我…们不够专业？！我们可是名牌公司咧！外面一摞摞的公司争着与我们合作咧！虽然也有很多人想要跟你合作，可是最可恨的就是十一年前，你对我做过的那件事！

 

“你为什么要把你的眼睛睁得那么大呢？”毕飞翔脸上依然挂着礼貌的笑容。
“那你为什么要笑得那么的可恶呢？”放心我也只是心里这么想， 嘴上说的却是：“没有的事。”　
“哈哈，你就别否认啦。”他还是不肯放弃。　
我咬牙切齿地说：“哈哈，你就别再逼问啦。”
他点了点头，就笑盈盈地翻阅我第四本计划书。可恶的贱人，一定又在找渣啦！　

隔壁突然有一把声音传来我耳边：“柳小姐，别在意我的老板，他是个完美主义者。”
我看了看她，心想：你还蛮完美的嘛．．．高挑的身材，雪白的肌肤，乌黑修长的长发，还有那双我羡慕得不得了的美眸，真是仙女一名。
“柳小姐？你还好吗？”她小心地问。　
我望着她说：“我很好，只是突然分神了。”
“那是非常不专业的行为哦，”那可恨的人又说话了。
“是的，谢谢指导，我以后会多加注意的。”我学着他，笑盈盈地说。　

他接着说：“这份计划书还算不错，就依着办吧。”
‘还算不错’，算了吧，刻薄的男人。　
“那我们今天就到此为止吧，”我赶忙说。　
大家都会心一笑，这计划案终于告一段落了！

人群渐渐疏散后，会议室里只剩我、‘毕’死人，毕总裁、以及他那完美的助手。

完美助手对毕死人说：“翔，不如我们一起到那街头的法国餐馆试一试？”
哇，私底下叫得如此亲密，果然不简单。
我收拾好东西后随口说了一句：“再见了。”
突然，毕死人叫了我一声：“一起去吧，小月。”
我吓得差点跌到：“你叫我什么？”

他用惊死人不偿命的语气说：“小月啊，以前都是那样叫你的嘛！”
我突然一股怒气上身：“你没有资格那样叫我！”
他眼神稍有失落：“你还在怪我？”
“我不怪你怪谁啊？”
他向我走前一步：“那件事我也不想的啊。”

他完美助手终于忍不住了：“你们到底在讲什么？”
我不屑地瞄了毕死人一眼：“你问他呀。”
她用她那双水汪汪的眼睛锁着毕死人。　
他轻叹了一声：“那时是春天，一个风和日丽的早晨… 她的男友甩了她。”
她眉头皱了起来：“然后？”
他耸肩：“没有然后。”
我立刻大喊：“什么没有然后？！然后我那盲目的男友竟然．．．竟然．．．咳．．．”
她无奈地追问：“怎么啦？”
我用怨恨的眼神盯着那毕死人：“他竟然搭上了这死人！”
他立刻辨白：“可是我没有接受啊！”
我怨怨地说：“没有分别！因为他还是为了一个男人抛弃了我！”
他不放弃地说：“可是我还是没有接受啊…”
想不到完美助手竟然说：“还是没有分别啊！重点是那男友竟然喜欢男人也不喜欢她啊。”
我激动地点头：“对！我的自尊严重受损啊！”
他一脸不可至否的样子：“是这样吗？那，如果我告诉你，我喜欢你呢？”

A present to a good friend of mine, hope she'll like it!!

I was complaining for the whole week because i hadn't had a decent desert for so long. and finally, defeated by my annoying rambles, granma made this specially for me! <3

And today, dad wasn't around to take us to lunch, so Nate brought us to secret recipe. On our way back, the radio played 'Opps! I did it again' and so I commented on how I used to be able to sing that song when I was just a child. And this is what he said, "Yeah, before she got three kids, and f**k her body guard." Yep, he is a mean ass. Then, when the song ended, the DJ said something, but I only caught this few words, "Britney, love affair, Justin Timberlake." Disturbed by what I heard, I turned to the radio and exclaimed, "What?!" somewhat unsurprisingly, Nate did the same. But he continued to yell, "F**k, she f**ked my hero too?!"

Nyan Cat (to chin cheng, in your face)

Chris Medina - What Are Words

This is why drinking is unhealthy

“Valerie, are you ok?” Nathan tried to make me walk normally. I knew I shouldn’t have let the guy refill my juice… 

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I tried to look at his eyes and make him understand that even though I can’t walk in a straight line, but my mind is still clear as ever. However, I got a frown from him instead, do I look that drunk?

“Let me hail a cab, we are going home, now,” and he left me leaning on the huge pillar in the lobby. I seriously don’t think that I am that drunk… I mean I can still hear myself thinking… Which is the very thing I am doing now… listening to myself think… sigh, I should get a life… 

Then a bunch of people from the dinner exited from the ball room. I tried to avoid them by rolling to the other side of the pillar. Moma had always said; never interact with idiots when you are drunk, because it will make you a bigger idiot. 

“What?” I heard a voice from behind. Hey, isn’t that my best friend Blythe?
“You know, I can hear every word you were mumbling to yourself,” she crossed her arms in front of her chest. Oh wait, she… what? Argh… my head is pounding with dizziness…
“How much did you drink?” I heard her said to herself, or me… Well it would be stupid to talk to me right, I mean I look bloody retarded now; no one in the right mind would communicate with me…
“Sigh, I can still hear you…” I see, she gave up… she pulled me up and tried to help me walk. I swung lose of her held to make the point that I can still walk, but maybe not in a straight line… 

I turned back as I heard the voice of another person, that guy is… who is that guy? He looked like he is scolding Blythe… He’s scolding Blythe? Haha, biggest mistake he will ever make… 

I stood there, waiting for Blythe to hit him or something like that. What the hell? It had been 5 whole seconds now and she is just standing there? I need to have a closer look. I made an effort to make my way there as silent as I could. But I am on heels and I can’t freaking walk in a straight line. And so I gave up the silent plan and decided to bash my way in so that Blythe will lose her temper and hit someone… I know that there’s a flaw in that plan but the dizziness is killing me… 

I rushed towards the two of them and before I can think straight, my left leg tripped my right and I fell directly towards the guy that is scolding Blythe. Instinctively, I did not want to land on the floor, so my body, without the usage of my brain, pushed the guy and pinned him on the wall. And then, I managed to make one single sentence, “Stay away from my friend, I am warning you, she might hit you so hard that your brain trades place with your ass.” Then I was pulled away and pushed into a car. 

I looked at Nathan beside me and said, “See? My mind is still clear; I made that guy stop scolding Blythe…”

I saw him shaking his head right before my eye lids fell…   

Darcastle 19.3.11 21.30p.m.
you get in trouble...

Are you a nerd?

“Oh yeah!” Dawn jumped up from the chair that she had been sitting on for the last 10 days. Her work on the basic structure of the vaccine has finally completed. For the past few days, she had only left her computer to do some test, or to go for toilet breaks or to do some more tests. She had been forced to be separated from her true love, and now she yearns dearly for it – her bed. She smiled her victorious smile and can’t help but kept on skipping in the empty office. Everyone else had left hours ago. 

“Are you ok?” Lucas, Dawn’s partner in crime, said. Even though they should be close, as they are partners, but reality is directly the opposite. For some unobvious reason, they kept on stabbing each other’s nerves and back. Eventually, they got used to be back-stabbed at any moment. Despite their horrible relationship, they are actually very efficient and fast paced when working together, most people suspects that it’s because of the competition among themselves, but maybe there’s some other reasons, who knows? I don’t know.

She saw the face that wakes up every hatred cell in her brain, but the happiness from completing the phase one diagnose in such a short time is far too great for the hatred to win. She ran to him and hung on him tightly, “I did it!” she screamed, “It’s complete!”

“Are you high?” he pushed her away gently and straightened his dorky glasses, “what is complete?”
“The new vaccine,” she wanted to calm down, but perhaps the insufficient sleep made her ‘restless’. And so she continued jumping around.
“Cool, I can finally start work,” he turned to the computer and looked at the report, “impressive, I have already found three wrong words from the first line.”
She stopped her movement immediately and turned to him sharply, “What do you mean wrong words?”
“See for yourself,” he moved aside and gestured her to go to the computer.
She quickly approached the monitor, and saw some misspelled words… oops…
“What? That is just a few words,” she turned to him and glared at him fiercely, “do you know that it’s really unfair to me that you have that big dorky glasses?”
 He smiled smugly, and pushed his glasses, “maybe you should get one too, I can introduce you to my doctor.”
“Thanks, but no thanks,” she turned back to the computer and corrected the words, “Such nerd-ness suits only you.”
“Aw, that’s so sweet of you,” he sat on a couch.
“Idiot,” she mumbled, and she continued checking the report. Then suddenly a phrase intruded her mind.

She winced and rolled her eyes and said, “That, is, lame.”
“Not bad for a nerd!” he yelled from behind.

Do you know what is that phrase?

Fuckin' Perfect

Frost Bites

“Elfish! Hear me! Understand me! Believe me!” Jack’s voice cut through the endless night.
“Nope, that’s not going to do it,” an elf wearing a cute pointy red hat said in a squeaky voice, shaking his small head, “they are naïve, not stupid.”
“What do you want me to say?” Jack growled furiously at Jerry, the elf, “Hello little fellows?!”
“Pish pash,” he did a hand gesture to ask him to calm down, “we need to hit the point, like politicians.”
“then get me a bull’s eye,” Jack grumbled, “at least then, I actually have a point to hit!”
“What did I tell you?” he raised his brow, “wait, did I tell you?”
“Tell me what?!” he roared, he could no longer stand Jerry’s useless suspense.
“I see, I did not tell you…” he then put on a grin so evil, you can’t imagine it on an elf, “I’ve heard the elves’ complain.”
“Their complain?” Jack started to grin too, “I can work something out of that… First, tell me…” 

Mean while, somewhere in Santa’s workshop… 

“Oh, Johnathan,” a fat man in red called out to his best assistant, “I am worried, I felt the presence of naughtiness.”
“Santa,” Johnathan brought a cup of hot chocolate with marsh mellow to Santa, “don’t worry, all will be fine. Have some faith in this magical night that you created.”
“Maybe you are right,” Santa giggled, “since when had I turn into such an old man?”
“Please don’t say so,” Johnathan bowed, and somewhat nervous, he asked carefully, “are you sure I can join you in the sleigh tomorrow?”
“Oh yes!” both their eyes brightened in joy, “I honor my words.”
“Thank you, Santa,” there’s so much happiness in Johnathan’s heart, he felt like hugging Santa.
“Now, you should go rest,” Santa moved his thick brows playfully, and he said, “tomorrow is going to be very fun.”
“Yes,” Johnathan bowed to Santa, “but first I’m going to the stable.”
“To feed the reindeers?” Santa took a sip from his hot chocolate, and Johnathan nodded.
“Remember to groom them too,” the old man smiled with red cheeks, “tomorrow is their big day.”
“I understand.” Johnathan left with a smile, he loved working for Santa; Santa is such a great master. 

After grooming the reindeers, it’s already breaking dawn; Johnathan yawned and collapse on his bed, without checking on the other elves. Suddenly, a vigorous shake woke Johnathan, its Elisha, his best friend.
“What is it?” Johnathan asked gently.
“We have to go,” she pulled him up, and said quickly “the elves are leaving soon! If we don’t go now, we will not catch up with them!”
“Where to?” Johnathan frowned, “we have to stay here until Santa comes back from around the world, and he is not even out yet. Not to mention that he allowed me to join him in his sleigh this year.”
“What?” she asked, still running, “he let you do that?”
“Yes,” he nodded, running along with Elisha, “where are we running to anyway?”
“The other elves decided to…” 

“Great morning my beloved Elfish,” Jack Frost that’s standing in the middle of the stage said with a exaggerated smile on his face.
“Jack?” Johnathan is starting to be dubious of the incident; he never had a good feeling with him.
“I see that everyone is here,” still smiling horridly. Suddenly he saw Johnathan, so he approached him and said in a lowered voice, “Oh, you came too? What’s your name again? Oh right, Santa’s faithful dog.”
“Oh, was that supposed to be an insult? You would have to do better than that, ice head. And, now that I saw you,” Johnathan took a step back, “I’m not sure I’m going to stick around anymore.”
“Then go away, I understand that my presence is too great for you.” Jack dared Johnathan.
“My pleasure, but not before I get to the bottom of this, quick. Your presence disgusts me,” Johnathan laid his firm glare on Jack’s face.

Then, all of a sudden, the sound of bells came chiming towards them. Johnathan hastily turned to the source of the sound, and gasped on horror. It’s the reindeers, and Santa is nowhere to be seen!
“Elfish!” Jack called out to the elves, “come, let us ride the reindeers to South Pole, and start our very own workshop! Oh, and you, you can come too, if you want. I’m sure I’ll find you a suitable job in the toilet or… somewhere else.”
“Hey!” Elisha wanted to defend her friend, but as the sleigh came near, she stunned.
All of the elves rushed anxiously to the sleigh, some had rid it only once, while most had never seen it, for it is a magical and majestic sleigh. 
“Come on,” Elisha pulled on Johnathan’s hand, “Santa is not worth our loyalty, though Jack is not much better, but it is a change!”
“What do you mean by Santa do not worth our loyalty?” Johnathan angrily swing lose of Elisha’s grip, “he is our one and only master!”
“We don’t have more time to waste,” she scowled at him, “are you coming or staying?”
“Staying, definitely,” he crossed his arms in front of his chest, “but I wish you won’t go, because Santa can never be replaced by that lunatic.”
“Fine,” she turned away from him and stomped straight to the sleigh. 

The moment she turned her back towards Johnathan, he felt his heart drop. He thought that she would understand, he thought that she is like him, with the same thoughts and same dream. But maybe he thought wrong, too wrong. Suddenly, an old man’s shout came to his ear, “What is happening?!”
But Johnathan can’t say anything, he felt as if he had failed his master. He left his stare on Elisha’s face; she just got on the sleigh right before it took off. He can’t help but wonder what Jack Frost told them. Then he saw a glint of annoyance between Elisha’s brows. Before his mind could get things straight, Elisha has already climbed to the edge of the sleigh, after taking a deep breath; she slipped her foot off the edge and jumped off the sleigh. Seeing that, Johnathan quickly ran to her with all that he had and at the nick of time, she is in his arms.

“Are you all right?” Johnathan asked worriedly.
“Sprained an ankle or two,” she looked up at Johnathan, and thought that this might be the worst decision in her life.
“Thank you, it meant a lot to me,” he stood her up, smiling encouragingly to her, knowing that it was a hard decision for her to make. And she smiled back, who knows, something good might come out from all this.

By the mean time, Santa knelt on the snow filled ground and shouted to the sleigh, wishing for it to come back.
“Nho! Ho! Ho! Ho! Ho!” his voice radiated, to the ears of a 10 year old girl, standing on a slope.
*by Darcastle 22-1-11 23:33

Five Candles

Every single person in the room is looking at me, horrified. I glance through every single faces in the room and landed my sight on the little crying baby in my mother’s arm. I took a deep breath very slowly then angrily stomped pass the fallen Christmas tree, and went straight to the attic. I heard furious shouts from behind but I ignored them, for they had let me down in the past months. I sat alone in the boxes of junks and dust. 

Back then, whenever I am unhappy, I will sit here in the attic, just to make mom and dad worry, they will always come after me, and try to make it up for me. But all has changed, they don’t care if their daughter is being gulfed up by the thick dust, they don’t care if their daughter is having a mental break down, not anymore. And I don’t blame them; it’s only because of the little brat downstairs that is making all the noise. I don’t care if I’d break the tree, because it is the little brat that drove me into it. The evil little monster made me destroy the one day that I loved the most.

I laid my back to the floor, and thought, I used to be the apple in their eye, why is it any different now? I hugged my legs together and tried to stop the tears from falling. Then I slowly fell asleep…
“Are you sure we shouldn’t go get her?” mom said.
“I don’t know, honey,” I heard a sigh, “we had been pampering her all these years, I think it’s time for her to learn a lesson.”
“But it’s Christmas,” mom exclaimed, “it’s her favorite day of the year.”
“I know, I know,” dad sounds defeated, “but don’t you remember how much effort did we put on the tree? And we made it just for her! I can’t allow her to take things for granted anymore!”
“Quiet, quiet,” mom whispered, but the words are still clear to me, “she might hear you, she is feeling bad enough, no need to worsen her feelings.”
“Sorry,” Dad lowered down his voice, “I really don’t know what to do anymore… how are we going to teach her to be…”
Then I heard cries, its Mabel… again…
“We’ll have to just make sure we don’t screw up on this one…” mom said and they left.

Am I that bad? Are they trying to imply that I’m screwed up? I am so angry and frustrated, that I don’t think that I had felt this before. I want to smash something. I NEED to destroy something! I jumped up on my feet and started to push down and hit everything in sight. I hate Mabel, I hate dad, I hate mom, I hate the tree, and I hate every single thing in the world!! Then a voice in my head said, then why don’t you hate yourself? I shouted back to it, “because everyone else is wrong and only I am right!”
“Are you sure? Because all I can see is you making everyone unhappy. Are you sure that is right?”
“I’m not going to reply to that because I know that you are not real!” I sat down angrily on the floor, grumbling to the voice that I claimed that do not exist. And magically, it did not speak anymore.
“I am really going crazy…” I mumbled to myself after calming myself down. 

      I looked around and wondered why mom and dad didn’t come up after hearing the sound of the wreckage. Maybe I am really too pampered… but even so, it’s still their fault. I did not ask to be pampered and become a spoilt brat… I sighed. Even me, myself could not accept that excuse… how I wish I can turn back time and try to stop Mabel from being gave birth… then none of this is going to happen. Suddenly, I saw a pack of candles that fell off from one of the boxes that I pushed down. I picked it up and turned to its back.    

                 1.Light up the candle             2.Make a wish

     Just take these simple steps, and your dream will come true.
      *this product is not refundable

Thinking that it’s probably a fraud, I opened its cover. There’s 5 candles inside, I lighted the first one and wished for the tree to be beautiful again. Then, I lighted the second candle and wished that mom and dad won’t think that I’m a brat anymore. Smirking at myself, I lighted the third candle and I said this one out loud because I know I sound foolish enough to make myself laugh. I said, “I wish I can meet Santa in north pole.” I actually thought that it might actually come true for a second but, just… 

“What…?” I was filled with fear as the attic started to move. I think that there might be an earthquake. I quickly hid under the dust filled desk with the pack of candles in my hands. I prayed that no one would get hurt so hard that I hadn’t realized that the quake is over. Then, I felt a ray of sunlight shining at my face. It’s morning already? Then I thought to myself sorrowfully, mom and dad did not even care to come and look if I’m injured… I have really done it this time. I carefully opened the attic door, careful not to make a scene. I wouldn’t want mom and dad yelling at me as the first thing in the Christmas morning… I looked out of the window at the end of the hallway. What? It’s snowing already? Aw… I missed it… I crept to my room discreetly. I swiftly worn my winter attire and ran downstairs. I giggled to myself as I made it out of the door without anyone noticing. I must be good; none of them realized that I am gone. 

The lavender colored pack of candles is still in my pocket because I have a hunch that I should stick with it for whatever reason… then I looked up to see if my neighbors are already having fun with the snow, but… WHERE IS EVERYBODY?! I ran to my right up a small slope, and I almost faint on the spot. The whole neighborhood is gone! My house stood alone in the middle of the snow. Frightfully, I ran back home to inform mom and dad that the neighborhood shifted… oh my god, that sounded like nonsense… they will just have to believe me! The search in my house almost killed me with heart attack, because I couldn’t find mom and dad or even the little devil anywhere! Everyone in the neighborhood, even my family, left? Leaving me behind? So… even my neighbors hate me? I walked out of my house thinking that it won’t do me much good to stay there alone. I have to find them, and take REVENGE. Nah, just joking on that… I don’t even think that I am going to look for them; I will find myself food and water, on my own. I am 10 after all, old enough to take care of myself.

I started walking towards north, the direction of the needle in the compass in my watch points to. And I wondered why dad bought me a military grade watch, they must have been planning for this mass moving for a long while… those cunning adults… suddenly, I saw not far ahead, a fat old man in red kneeling in the middle of the snow shouting, “NHO! HO! HO! HO! HO~” I looked up to the sky of which he is screaming at, and saw a sleigh with 3 pairs of reindeers pulling it, flying into the endless sky.  
*By darcastle 15.1.11  23.23pm

Pwned

‘I walked out of your house, without forgetting to keep my grace, and shut the door gently right behind of me. Sorry. I saw that word in your eyes. But I can’t help but wonder if it’s just me trying to console myself. The promise that you made… I don’t even know if it’s real. I was foolish enough to believe even though I had only heard it from a distant voice in a dream. I was so convinced that it was really you… and now I know.’ 

Zoe looked down at Spots that is now sitting obediently by her legs. She mumbled to the dog, “Do you think that she is still there?” Spots rested on his paws, while giving out a short groan, implying that they might need to stay there for a while. “What do you think that they are doing this instance? Argh, why am I caring…? Wait! Why should I not care? After all we are the ones that prepared the stuffs to invite him home, isn’t it?” she looked at Spots anxiously. Spot looked to a side with grieve, thinking, ‘even I can understand that Master is not coming back to us, why can’t Master Zoe just accept it?’ 

“Maybe I should just let go…” she covered her face with her palms, “I should just accept that he is not coming back. It’s not like he promised me that he’ll come back to me…” Spots shot up alertly.
“No, that doesn’t count, it was a dream,” Zoe told Spots, and he barked several times at her. And she told him sluggishly, “It doesn’t matter even with you being there, I was unconscious, and so it doesn’t count.” Spots slid back to his previous position, feeling discouraged. She sighed and started to recall the scene just now. 

The both of them jumped out from their hiding place to surprise Christ, but ended up having a shock, as there’s another woman in his arms. Spots furiously barked at that women while Zoe stood there, staring at point blank. Looking annoyed, the woman said something to Christ but Zoe can’t hear her words as her sight is now glued to Christ’s face. She saw his mouth moved but she still can’t hear anything. With her conscious screaming fiercely in her mind, she forced out an exaggerated smile and said, “So you have a girlfriend now! Should have told me earlier, I would know what to do!” then she winked at him and called out to Spots, “Come here boy, let’s leave the house to the both of them!” Then she walked past the couple and through the doorway. She swallowed down the lump in her throat as she closed the door gently. 

 Flashing back to that moment made the lump come back. “Let it out,” a voice that she’s very familiar with said. She looked up and said, “Let what out?” while smiling weakly to Jack. He sat down beside her and pulled her to him, “oh come on, even passersby can see that you are about to cry.”
“No,” she said stubbornly, “I will not be a cry baby…” but her voice is already trembling.
“Let it go,” he said with a soft tone, “I am here for you.”
“but it’s so humiliating…” the first drop of tear had already fallen…
“It’s fine…” he stroked her hair gently, “I am used to it.”
Then she gave out her best cry, not the soft and silent ones, but those who are loud and destructive. Unlike normal humans, Jack did not run, but he patiently held her firmly in his arms, comforting her without words. 

She went on crying until twilight crept upon them.
“Thank you,” they shifted apart slightly as she sat up straight, “that felt great.”
“Works like a charm,” he smiled widely while wiping off her tears by her cheek, “was it for him?”
She hesitated. But Spots answered for her by barking once to Jack.
“Good boy,” Jack patted Spots head and said, “It’s ok if you don’t want to tell me the story.”
“Thanks,” she sighed in relieve.
“So, will you forgive him if he apologizes to you?” Jack stroked Spots that is sitting beside him.
“Maybe… but what is there to be sorry about?” She sniffed.
“For breaking your heart?” he shrugged, “what if he apologizes over and over again?”
“Apologies are only necessary to be heard once, otherwise it will be nothing but a meaningless word.”