ruined not useless

The Romantics really appreciated ruins. They aren't just decrepit buildings that are no longer useful. They have real value. 

If you think of a ruin as a work of art, it can be viewed as a collaboration between nature and humanity. Human beings made the original building and then nature altered the construction over time.

We don't normally think of that process as adding value, but that's just one example of the Romantic tendency to value what is mysterious and lacking in what the world generally values. 

learn from my mistakes

Baby leopards are not kittens. They are cubs. 

lost in translation

I did well at creative writing A because they told us that you don't have to have a good idea to start with and they taught us ways of playing with language. It was really fun and creative. 

So, I did creative writing B and it was completely different. I think I failed it. This time, everyone was trying to write 'properly' - to write actual stories. 

It seemed to come naturally to everyone.