London St Paul hostel's window

British Library's toilet

Victorian times along the river Thames

Victorian Times

Mirror found in a XIX century primary school in Wales.

Music

"The man that hath no music in himself,
Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds,
Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils;
The motions of his spirit are dull as night
And his affections dark as Erebus.
Let no such man be trusted. Mark the music. "

Lorenzo in W. Shakespeare The Merchant of Venice, Act 5, Scene 1

I don't know if it's true but I like it.

I also like Chopin Polonaise Op. 53 played by Horowitz. First time I listened to it I was 6 years old. Chopin Polonaise entered my heart and when this kind of things happens there's nothing that you can do because you're captured.

Are you ready to be captured?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZGi49Bnghs

For comparativists, this is Pollini's version.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhqcC1XA2cw

Necessity of catharsis

I attended a course of creative writing last spring in Cardiff. Once the tutor tried to teach us how to write for children. She remarked that children always need an happy ending. I totally agreed with her, but I remeber that I started to wonder: 'Don't adults need an happy ending as well'? I asked her and she told me that adults need catharsis rather than "and they lived happily ever after". Well, now 'Why do we need...what's that? Ah, catharsis'.
I haven't got any answer. I didn't ask her. When she explains the story of catharsis I only thought 'Yes off course, it's so obvious: the catharsis'.
After almost one year the question came back to my mind: 'Why do we need catharsis?'
To sum up, I need catharsis but I would rather prefer an happy ending.
I've really appreciated you offer, I found catharsis really nice and interesting but, please, can I have an happy ending?