University of Useless Information:

It’s time for some show and tell. Ms. Chan is going to show us the Bariman Family Photo Album. Our Aunts, Uncles and other cousins; perhaps unknown siblings and maybe our actual parents. Most likely our sires, as she has informed us, as is most likely the case. According to my Mom, my Father romantically swept her off of her feet in a whirlwind romance. They eloped and I was born soon after. My Father was Captain Theodore Edgar Matthews: A military diplomatic attaché of some sort who was called away on an assignment just after I was born. Called away to some foreign war when there was peace at home. He was never heard from again: Missing - Presumed Dead. Any family on my Father’s side is unknown. My Mom said that he had a strange German/Dutch accent (In the nineties they called it Eurotrash) and it could only be assumed that any paternal family is in Europe: Estranged. But, perhaps that is why he engaged himself in foreign affairs. My Mom said that they were so busy romancing, wining a...

  The Gregorian Chants are very soothing. I haven’t got a clue as to what they are saying since I don’t speak Latin, but that's kind of the point. Simply human voices as instrumental music. Lot’s of hallelujahs, but they’re not being shouted at you the way they are in Handel's Messiah. The day has been a very long ordeal but my headache has retreated to a dull roar. I flick my wrist over and observe that it is nearly four pee-em. "Zou Yan, What time is dinner served and what's on the menu?” "Dinner is served at approximately seven-thirty pee-em in the Dining room. The menu is usually a starter, soup or paté according to what is in season or available, a main course, either meat, fish, or vegetarian, and a dessert. I believe Eton Mess is tonight's desert. Coffee is then usually served in the Drawing Room, but Ms. Chan has instructed that drinks and coffee will be served in the Library as yourself and Ms. MacFarlane will be less affected there.” Cool, ”Also, wha...

The plaque on my door says Onyx. Humph. Should be Garnet for my birth stone, or maybe Jade. I like Jade. Onyx doesn’t do a thing for me. It’s relatively and literally early when I get back to my room. It’s just after dinner according to my circadian clock and it’s early morning, just a shade after five ayem, according to my watch. On the one hand, I’m mentally exhausted from the revelations of the day but I’m also a little amped up. Inside my room, I strip and step into the shower; long, leisurely and relaxing. I hope the rooms are soundproof because my neighbours are in for a treat as I sing bits and pieces of songs that pop into my head. A line or two from one song followed by a verse from another and a chorus from yet another song in between… Being several years younger than my step sisters means that I've often been left to my own devices and this is one of the ways that I keep myself amused. I towel off and wrap the towel around my waist, walk over to the computer console, pu...