Thanks for your responses guys.
@Jon: I agree, real world examples are difficult to judge - like Dr. C says, pics in print or web look pretty good at low resolutions.
@ Dr. Croubie: I would think Bryan doesn't focus bracket.....wouldn't not-focus-bracketing be more representative of how one would judge real-world sharpness, centre to corners? Or would the characteristics of the scene dictate one's evaluation? As in, if you had foreground subject matter, say, in the lower corners.
@HD: I have spent a lot of time looking at the ISO charts and have corroborated their results when it comes to my 24-105 and 50 1.4. Exactly, if the chart doesn't beat the lens you have, one should have no expectation that real world results would be better. And thanks for your first-hand knowledge. I was considering primes as well but was checking zooms first as I am, at this point in my photographic journey, quite addicted to zooms.

Thanks again guys for your insight. i would much rather take your advice than any one i can think of in my circle.

Damian

ps. Boy that TS-E 35mm II looks good....