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Illusion

Never Did Understand The Truth
July 30

Pls Redirect

After much consideration, I've decided this space will no longer be updated. You can see my latest posts following this address http://xyillusion.blogspot.com/
For now the above link is accessible from China, if not, pls use proxy to get there, or you can just wait till it's accessible again. Hope it won't be too difficult for you.
Thank you for your interest.
July 07

The Greatest Match Ever

Yesterday around 8.30 pm, I was already sitting on the sofa waiting for the Wimbledon men's final between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. I hoped Nadal could win to stop Federer's winning streak on grass and take away the trophy Federer had possessed for the last five years.

Wimbledon has a new king. Rafael Nadal dethroned Roger Federer after a five-year reign by winning the longest-ever Wimbledon men's final.
The consistently heartstopping 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-7 (8-10), 9-7 classic began at 2.35pm and thanks to a couple of breaks for rain (surely necessary for the spectators to catch their breath), it ended at 9.15pm with the 22-year-old from Mallorca dropping to the ground with his arms outstretched in celebration.
Watching the four hours and 48 minutes on-court action, from the vantage point of the royal box, was Centre Court legend Bjorn Borg. Nadal had matched the Swede's fantastic feat of winning the Grand Slams of Roland Garros and Wimbledon back-to-back and had also prevented Federer surpassing the five titles in a row he collected between 1976 and 1980.

Conditions for the latest duel between tennis's two finest players could not have been more demanding. The rain, which delayed the start for 27 minutes, eventually cleared but the chill, gusting wind which accompanied it persisted throughout the match, blowing winning shots off course and making life even more difficult for the two competitors. That they coped so well spoke volumes for their skill and adaptability.
 

With the five-time champion looking less than his authoritative best, it was Nadal who struck the first heavy blow, capitalising on successive Federer errors to break for a 2-1 lead.

From the start Nadal concentrated his battering-ram attack on the Federer backhand, aiming every serve and looping forehand in that direction and it kept the champion in an unaccustomed position - on the back foot. Federer prospered more when he switched to net-rushing but he could not block Nadal's inexorable advance towards the first set.

The Spaniard managed to fight off a break point to stay 3-1 ahead and he needed to avert two more as he served for the set, which he clinched on his third set point after 48 minutes, courtesy of another brace of ground stroke errors from Federer.

It was the first set Federer had dropped since the final of the French Open, when he was routed by the same Nadal.

Federer's counter-attack was immediate and it rushed him into a three-game lead which he extended to an apparently commanding 4-1 with his sixth and seventh aces, only for the irrepressible Nadal to bounce back with some thrilling, all-action stuff.

To Federer's visible anger, his serve was broken as a stretched volley flew out of play and Nadal pulled level at 4-4 as Federer squandered yet another break point.

Now Nadal was in full, thrilling flow, breaking Federer again to lead 5-4 with another huge forehand and celebrating with pumped fists. As he was serving for the second set, Nadal received a warning from umpire Pascal Maria of France for taking too long between serves.

Clearly unsettled by the timing of that censure, the Spaniard permitted Federer another break point on a wind-caused error, but in typical fashion dug deep and clinched the set when Federer once more mistimed a backhand into the netting. So, having swept five games, Nadal was in the driving set, two sets ahead.

Nadal's authority suffered a scare in the third game of the third set when he slipped in making a sudden change of direction and called in the trainer to check on his right knee. No time-out was requested by Nadal, though his speed around court appeared to be affected for a while.
He was at full stretch in the next game, fighting off two Federer break points and, as dark clouds began to mass over Centre Court, the champion went flat out to recover a set and get back into the match. But four more break points went begging as Nadal held for 3-3 before wasting three break points of his own which would have put him 4-3 ahead and perfectly positioned to win.

Instead, with Federer leading 5-4, the expected downpour set in and play was held up for one hour 20 minutes. On the resumption it was Federer who dominated when a tie-break was needed to resolve the set, hammering four aces to take it by seven points to five.

The fourth set did not contain a single break point for either man and when the second tie-break of the match arrived it was a sensation, with Nadal first leading by five points to two and then reaching, and missing, two Championship points before Federer levelled at two sets all when a Nadal backhand error left him the winner by 10 points to eight.

Another downpour drove the players off court for half an hour with the score at 2-2 in the final set and when they returned the light was fading. But the spirit of both finalists burned bright as they hammered the ball at each other just as eagerly as they had done when this marathon first began.

At 3-4 Nadal saved a break point which would have left Federer serving for the title. At 6-6 Federer saved a couple of break points. Finally, in the gloom, the Spaniard broke to lead 8-7 when Federer struck a forehand too long.

So Nadal served for the match again, getting to his third Championship point only for Federer to hit an incredible backhand service return. Deuce once again, but Nadal moved to his fourth match point with a big serve and, with the crowd going wild, Federer finally cracked, dumping a forehand in the net.
It was late, very late, but not too late for the coronation of a new king to begin.

[Match Reports: Nadal nicks title after five-set thriller, Sunday, 6 July 2008, Written by Ronald Atkin]

July 02

Christopher Eccleston

Date of Birth
16 February 1964, Salford, Lancashire, England, UK

Height
6' 1½" (1.87 m)

Mini Biography

Born in Salford, Lancashire. He often returns there to fight for local issues and is a patron of the arts for the area. IMDb Mini Biography By:

Mini Biography

Christopher Eccleston trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama and first came to public attention as Derek Bentley in Let Him Have It (1991). However, it was a regular role in the TV series "Cracker" (1993) that made him a recognizable figure in the UK. He appeared in the low-budget thriller Shallow Grave (1995) and in the same year won the part of Nicky Hutchinson in the epic BBC drama serial "Our Friends in the North" (1996). It was the transmission of the latter series on BBC Two that really made him into a household name in the UK.

In his film career he has starred as a leading man alongside a number of major actresses, such as Renée Zellweger in A Price Above Rubies (1998), Cate Blanchett in Elizabeth (1998), and Cameron Diaz and Jordana Brewster in The Invisible Circus (2001), and Nicole Kidman in "The Others".

In addition to his successful film career, he has continued to work in his favourite medium, appearing in some of the most challenging and thought-provoking British television dramas of recent years. These have included "Clocking Off" (2000) and Flesh and Blood (2002) (TV) for the BBC and Hillsborough (1996) (TV), the Iago character in a modern adaptation of Shakespeare's "Othello", and the religious epic The Second Coming (2003) (TV), playing Steve Baxter, the son of God.

His stage career, while not as extensive as his screen credits, has nevertheless shown him to be a formidable actor. He's given intense, focused performances in such plays as "Hamlet", "Electricity" and "Miss Julie", for which he received excellent reviews.

A very highly regarded actor, Eccleston has twice been nominated in the Best Actor category at the BAFTA Television Awards, the UK's premiere TV awards ceremony. His first nomination came in 1997 for "Our Friends in the North". Although he didn't win those awards, he did, however, triumph in the Best Actor categories at the 1997 Broadcasting Press Guild Awards and the Royal Television Society Awards, winning for "Our Friends in the North". He won the RTS Best Actor award for a second time in 2003, this time for his performance in "Flesh and Blood". In 2005 he received the Most Popular Actor award in the National Television Awards for Doctor Who. IMDb Mini Biography By: northern7

Trivia

Is a supporter of Manchester United soccer club.

Was the first actor to play the title character in a "Doctor Who" story to be born after the show first commenced in November 1963.

He follows in a long line of distinguished actors to have portrayed the character of Doctor Who on screen. William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy all played the role in the television series, while Peter Cushing and Paul McGann took the part in spin-offs from the show.

He has retained his Lancashire accent.

His earliest memory of watching "Doctor Who" (1963) is Patrick Troughton in the black-and-white episodes of the late 1960s.

Cast in Terry Gilliam's 'The Man who Killed Don Quixote', but didn't film any scenes before production closed down. In the documentary _Lost in La Mancha_ (2002) his photograph appears on a pinboard featuring photos of the cast.

Emailed old friend writer/producer Russell T. Davies and asked to be put on the list of possibles for the title role in the revival of "Doctor Who" (2005) series. He has claimed in interviews that he was not a fan of the original "Doctor Who" (1963) and was really attracted to take the part because of his admiration for Davies as a writer.

The BBC has recently admitted that they announced his departure too early. It was agreed back in January that he would only do one series and a Christmas special. The announcement of his depature should have be made about halfway through the new series run. [April 2005]

Turned down a role in Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan (1998).

Is one of three "Doctor Who" actors who portrayed The Doctor on TV to appear in an episode of "Casualty" (1986). The others are Colin Baker (I) and Sylvester McCoy.

He is a vegetarian.

He passed his driving test in January 2004 but is only qualified to drive an automatic.

Of the ten actors to play the Doctor in "Doctor Who" (1963) and "Doctor Who" (2005), he is the only one who has never worked with Nicholas Courtney, who played Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart in the former from 1968 to 1989 as well as in numerous Big Finish audio dramas.

A very keen runner.

Younger brother of twins Alan Eccleston and Keith Eccleston.

Uncle of Peter Eccleston and Rebecca Eccleston, who acted with him in Let Him Have It (1991).

Often collaborates with Phyllida Lloyd on stage.

Personal Quotes

I wasn't always such a great fan of Shakespeare, mind you. I can guess we all at one time had it rammed down our necks at school, which tends to take the edge off it.

A year later, and I'm average again.

Any horror element is as much psychological as special effects.

Culturally we've always felt it important to express the life of the country, and working class comes into that.

I came out of school in '79 when unemployment was really starting to bite, went back and redid my O-levels, there was a play going on and I was corralled into it.

I care more about telly because it made me an actor and there's a much more immediate response to TV. You can address the political or cultural fabric of your country.

I'm different from the other Doctors in that I'm northern. All the others spoke with this RP accent [received pronunciation] - maybe it was that that put me off. I think that it's good that we teach kids that people who speak like that can be heroic. (On starring in "Doctor Who" (2005))

My bony face is like a car crash. I haven't got good looks, just weird looks, enough to frighten the fiercest monster.

Where Are They Now

(March 2004) As of March 20, 2004, officially announced as the newest actor to play the classic television character "Doctor Who" for the 2005 BBC revival of the series.

(November 2006) Joining the cast of Heroes. His first episode will be broadcast on 22 January 2007.

March 09

自主招生

Sun Jan 13, 2008
这么烦的东西在父母的威逼利诱下我竟然参加了。
连班主任都鄙视我报中大自主招生。
但我还是去了笔试、面试,搞得我一个周末不得安宁。
笔试时监考的2个人比较严肃而搞笑。
面试真是很奇怪。首先要等半天,别的组的都花费比较一致的时间,我在的那一组出奇地快。我战战兢兢地进去,坐下,自我介绍、答问题,我想考官可以看得出我丝毫没有作准备。我支支吾吾说不出话来,心想肯定衰到贴地了。我尽量认真作答,可令我感到最不舒服的是,在我讲话的时候考官也喜欢互相交流议论,不知道是否所有的考官都这样,还是我太敏感了,我觉得自己似乎没有得到足够的尊重。
Anyways,一切烦人的都完了。中大选不选我都不重要了。
Sat Mar 8, 2008
今天看到了成绩。

语文 数学 英语 面试


67 84 83 84

语文真恶心。还不知道到底有没分加。希望不大吧。
 
Sun Mar 9, 2008
原来3月7日自主招生录取名单就出来了,我今天才看到。
网页打开得很慢,可能因为浏览量太大,等了半天,好紧张,大脑想着自己不介意,心脏却咚咚地跳。网页打开后,慢慢地往下滚,看到了自己的名字,还有很多同学的名字。
结束了。
February 29

Feb.29th 2008

纪念一下这特别的一天。
二月份发生了很多事。
月考、放假、提前开学、继续奋斗,感觉高三就是没停过。
开学后的一个星期,我18岁了,悲喜交加。虽然知道拥有了不少新的权利,但没有长大的感觉,反而一下子老了不少。
今年学到的东西比前两年之和都多。唉,无法避免的高考,硬是把许多东西塞进我脑袋,可恨又可悲。
Jason Kidd 来到了小牛,意料之外。虽然我曾有过这样的想法,Dirk Nowitzki+Jason Kidd=Unbeatable=Champion,没想到等式左边在All Star之后成立了,希望右边快点实现!!!
离高考<100天了,奋斗!
 
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