I liked learning but the challenge was that my mother's need to turn education into a competition was ruining the experience for me.

Too much negativity can make the strongest structures dilapidate.

I found that disturbing the night's calm ambience was almost as gratifying as the ambience itself.

Maybe I should have given more thought to her thoughts.

Self-harm appealed to my sadness but I didn't let it coax me.

Would I come off as a creepy-stalker-kind-of-guy or would it demonstrate that I cared?

I found it hard to get motivated because I found it hard to care.

There were no snooty commuters at this late hour. They were home snug in their beds where they should be.

After spending the previous night the way I had, I felt I could afford to lose some of the daytime to sleep.