"Crucible Crossfire"

So... the first week of my final term here in SMKC for all time...

First things first, MUET exam results. To the pride and joy of SMKC's teachers, I've managed to score the highest possible grade: Band 6. Says right here on the results slip that that classifies me as a "highly proficient user" of the English language...

Now, in what appears to be a darned case of min-maxing (gaming term where you sacrifice one or more attributes to boost others), my mid-year results took a deep, deep plunge this time round. We're talking grades from the second and the fourth letter of the alphabet here... For the first time ever in my schooling sessions, not a single 'A' scored for any paper, and one paper failed. GPA even dropped an entire point.

The crucible got caught in the crossfire...

Notably, this past week has been the longest duration I've ever been sad. Probably a good thing that the joy from my MUET results could serve as a cushion for the crushing blow of defeat, especially for one whose standards are high. Guess it prevented full-on depression from setting in as well...

Well, constant misery might be unhealthy, but it doesn't really hurt to wallow in it once in a while. Hey, it offers perspective, something which hubris from success can blind one to. Like that verse in that Aerosmith song, "you gotta lose to know how to win".

Also from that same Aerosmith song,

Dream on, dream until your dreams come true!

Ah, what the heck. Here is that Aerosmith song...