Jenna

2011-05-24T11:29:00.000-07:00

At the end of the day most things are still left undone
I still procrastinate about my career
and dream about what I will do once the kids are in school
So many goals I did set for myself
But days have become years and and I'm still here

And If I don't get anything out of all this
and if i ever look back and feel
that all my dreams and ambitions went wasted because i had no time to fulfill them
at least I will be happy that I sacrificed my life
...for my children
that i was there for them...
a shoulder to lean on...
and outstretched arms for a hug
I read them stories and sang to them and danced with them and fed their meals
I was never to busy for hide and seek
or for a walk in the park
I enjoyed their laughter and cried inside every time i saw them cry...
and although I crave for some lone time or a break, deep down inside I know...
there is nothing I want to change.. My children are my life!

some good ones

2011-04-11T07:20:00.000-07:00

the reputation of a thousand years may be determined by the conduct of a minute (or a hour if you are lucky)

anger is a thief who steals away nice moments!

reputation is what people think about you, charachter is what god and you know about you!

Celebrating US

2010-08-30T19:17:00.001-07:00

As we grow old together

And as we celebrate half a decade of sharing each other's lives

let me remind you that, although I don't mention it often

hardly anything else brings me

as much joy as loving you does

And in my little way let me say thank you

to all those moments that you have never refused anything I wanted

for the deep and ever growing love I see in your eyes

for being a truly wonderful husband and great dad

for every special thing that you are!

I love you every day

and every little thing you do for me means much than you would ever know...

Aashika

When smiles and cries are all you hear all day long!

2010-08-27T21:20:00.001-07:00

Life with the kids has been crazy enough. Add moving and ramadan to it and multiply it with two flights of stairs that need to be climbed about 10 times a day. I am exhausted and that probably is an understatement. I am guilty of not spending enough time with J. She is a child who has been used to being the centre of attention and now all of a sudden the demands and challenges have increased and I find it hard to make time to read to her and just hang around, or play or walk.

Little Haroon gave me his beautiful smile a couple of times and it is one of the most beautiful things that can meet a mother's eyes. We are settling in and adjusting to a new life. Grandparents are a great hep and a source of strength when you seem to feel lost or lonely. Come this fall and they will be gone but let me cross that bridge when I get there. Miss Amber and her kids... I am glad we still can see each other unlike Lilly who is 1000 or more miles away in Arizona. My adventures continue and I will keep posting in my many blogs as and when my chores take a rear seat.

Until then keep spreading the love!

I love Summer

2010-04-07T10:50:00.000-07:00

Yet another April has made its way through my life. The sun is out again and its beautiful outside. The wilderness, whether the grass is mowed or not whether the branches are trimmed or not, is raw and elegant. During winter every day seems like an incredible challenge to get through. During spring and summer I am the happiest. I am spring cleaning and cooking up nice dishes and running all over the house trying to play catches with the toddler. We love the outdoors and wait for the weekends to picnic in the park or to try out new restaurants and desi or chinese foods. Traveling is always more fun when the weather cooperates.

I have been terribly busy lately. The magazine WISELET as it is called, is slowly taking shape thanks to a wonderful group of writers and to my husband who is a great source of strength. Insha Allah I hope it will be out by the end of May the latest. June will be a month of relaxing for me because the baby is due in July and after that I don't think I will have much time to rest being a mother of two. The education search site, which we have been working on for more than an year is just in time to meet the O/L students in Sri Lanka who are to get their results anytime next week. We are excited by the progress it is making. Please do register and help us promote it. Its the first of its kind and Free!

When the night sky comes, its time for supper and sleep. Some recitation of the Quran, a movie or a book will complete my day. Jannah needs us in bed by 8:30pm or she wont sleep alone. In many ways its good cos you wake up feeling like you had a complete night's sleep. And then it is just lovely to wake up to the sound of the birds singing and the golden light of dawn. Thank God for the beautiful days in our lives!

Who said there were only 7 wonders when they are indeed uncountable?

2009-10-26T10:00:00.000-07:00

The curved roads cut through the mountains reminded me of good old mother Lanka. How much we take for granted. How much we want to leave her when we are there and how much we want to go back when are away. Yes the human is never satisfied. If we had four pairs of eyes we will still want the fifth one. Maslow was right except that the hill does not have a peak. How much we as humans yearn to be close to nature, the peaceful sound of water and the majestic swans... the copper mines on the mighty hills, the quacking of ducks and the break of dawn... the beauty of the pine trees turning golden brown! As beautiful as it may be, these are the little wonders of the world that give tranquility to your heart; the best things are indeed, free!

So pause to smell the roses... and make those pictures in your mind that will keep you company in your old age and when you are alone...!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sM9vcAIYyc&feature=related5

Is April already here?

2009-04-17T13:55:00.000-07:00

The long winter months have slowly come to an end and the sun is shinier. It is liberation to be driving again and I find myself more confident than before. I didn’t do it during winter more than a few times. The broken arm and the slippery roads were enough reasons not to.

My princess has become even more amazingly cute. It gets better everyday. Updates about her you will find here. She still wakes up in the night though and I could use more sleep anytime I can get some.

The writing has ceased and the gaming has increased. The cooking has definetly improved a LOT. Dont forget to checkout my blog: www.cookcool.blogspot.com

Life goes on with a twist of salt and pepper every now and then. The winter makes us want to relocate so we are working on that one hopefully to a warmer state.

Everyday I see on news: abductions, murder, rape and theft. It makes my heart break and I shed tears of fear. I'm praying everyday for things be to be calm. Hoping that bad things dont happen to anyone! No child whatever nationality should lose another father to war. No mother should have to go through the pain of being alone! Every human being is a brother or a sister and I love them all equally!

Just the thoughts… so random

2009-01-21T13:03:00.001-08:00

So here I am, sipping my caffeine free soda on a Wednesday afternoon in the chilly north of the mid west of the states. Baby – asleep in the crib… elbow slowly recovering… business… taking bigger shape… dealing with some difficult clients… thinking about the cooking plans for dinner… missing the husband…. Going on…. living on…

Sometimes it feels like a blessing and at other times, like a curse.

The thunderous silence sweeps in like a sand storm when he leaves and I go about my everyday wifely duties… hanging by the moment… watching the clocks tick away… Every now and then remembering the mother island and the parents and brothers and wishing we were closer… wishing we had used our time together even more. Hmm… so there’s no gossip… no “when’s the 2^nd one coming?”, No one to laugh at an odd choice of an outfit… and like those peace doves the snow keeps cleaning out your heart…

How I’d loved to be pampered with a hot cup of coffee from the mother’s soft hands… and roll in on the couch with my reader’s digest and fall asleep not having to worry about anything in the world. How I’d love to be carefree and melt in my own thoughts and imagination… and then I have to pinch myself to remind me that no human being beyond the age of five can be completely carefree. If we are, then we must be dead…. But I wouldn’t know cos I’m not still dead… oh wait a minute… Here’s something that no one will ever know! Hmm

So silently, I take a moment to post this and will then check my mail – I mean the ones that the post lady brings in and then it would be a walk through real life… some “Dr House” in the evening perhaps… may be tea with biscuits…. A couple of days to pass by…. until I’m in the mood to float again.

In a sling and in pain but still trying to smile it away!

2009-01-03T17:38:00.001-08:00

So I though instead of complaining about the cold weather and hills of snow, I’ll go out and have some fun in it. So I went Ice skating the other day. Had a fall... Landed on my wrist and cracked my elbow. It was painful to the full sense of that word.

Now I’m in a sling unable to do most thing with just my left hand. Yeah I should have been more responsible, I’m a mum. I should have been careful but strangely I don’t regret it. Accidents are not intentional. And may be I made a mistake taking the risk but I feel happy to have escaped something major.

Little things that I took for granted seem very hard now. Fastning a button, combing my hair and most of al being able to hug and hold Jannah...

Begin

2009-01-01T07:10:00.001-08:00

Begin today and the days ahead of you in the New Year, to live with only the limitations given by Allah.

Know that there is a way to get beyond anything that might seem to be holding you back.

Convert any feelings of regret for what you haven't done and turn them into passion for what you are now able to do, with the grace of Almighty Allah

This moment is yours and only you can make the best of it!

Stop repeating to yourself the reasons why you can't. Begin reminding yourself, again and again, of all the powerful, meaningful reasonswhy you MUST!!!

Life is full of uncertainty, injustice and unfairness... Yet in each and every turn of events there is opportunity

for achievement, for fulfillment, and for genuine greatness.

So, begin this new year with acceptance of every rich detail of life as it comes, and to transform those details into outstanding success, Insha Allah!

Wishes for a very successful and peaceful 2009!

2008-12-31T05:43:00.001-08:00

A wilted rose is but beautiful only to the one that it brought memories to!

Reflections of the land of red, white and blue!

2008-11-11T08:33:00.000-08:00

Skyscrapers, speedy cars, rockets, doughnuts everywhere! That’s what we were thinking when my husband announced that we will be sent for an assignment to Milwaukee Wisconsin far far away. I was both happy and sad at the same time. Sri Lanka is a beautiful little island which gave us a home full of bliss. Would I ever be able to leave it, I wondered.

I remember shopping for warm clothes in the tropical paradise pearl as our island is decoratively known. The night that we left I remember looking at all my belongings in the closet and wishing we were allowed more than 50 pounds each. I remember how sad my dad and mum looked when they kissed us good bye at the airport. There will be no more “king coconuts” and “string hoppers”. We were thoughtfully quiet throughout the nearly 24 hour journey full of stops and transits. As our minds wondered back memory lane our hearts ached with worries about what awaited us.

Our motherland is by no means going through the best of her times. War bound and wounded, she strives to give us plenty from her soils and seas. There were days when my husband kissed me good bye before work and I wondered whether I would ever see him again that day. Life was not a bed of roses, nor a fairytale. Nevertheless, our lives were filled with family occasions, dinner at every good restaurant in town, holidays in the salubrious hills and heaps of fun and laughter.

We arrived here, when fall was bidding good bye. I soon realized USA was very different from what we had anticipated. We blended almost immediately into the American lifestyle. Yes, we did miss the folks back home and the wonderful Sri Lankan cuisine but then you understand that life has another agenda - a better life for your children.

Our daughter entered the world on a cold winter night. It was the happiest moment of our lives. Everyday that followed was like a new star in the sky. She brought laughter and peace into our home and hearts – being everything we can ask for and more. She is the wonder of our lives. In fact Jannah is our life now!

To me it was truly a new beginning. I thought, being Muslim in America will be difficult and the Hijab (or head scarf) would make people fathom me differently. I was wrong. There were some difficult moments like when I got my instruction permit which was a rollercoaster ride. The H4 dependent visa was unfamiliar to many, so I had plenty of ‘proving’ to do. A driving school that I registered for left me hanging because I had no SSN but my family never let me give up. I did prove that I was a legal temporary resident of this country and deserve the privilege of driving an automobile. When I finally got my permit, it was much more than a sense of elated liberation. It was victory.

It was an inspiring difference to have people greet you with a warm smile everywhere you went. At the grocery stores people were not reluctant to admire our baby and shower us with compliments. It made us forget that we were from the other side of the world. It was as though we had been here forever. Watching the children play together at the park and library not regarding hue or color was heartwarming. Sometimes we felt lonely. Sometimes gloom filled the air. Nevertheless, everyday grew a little better because we knew the warmth of the people could melt away the crystal snow. Their smiles erased our tears. Their closeness chased away our deepest fears.

Living on our own was a challenge – a notable change from the support of extended families back home. Living in a strange land without family and not many friends was harder. You wake up and look outside your window with mixed feelings. It really isn’t your home but it is too. The dark moments of reality add heaviness to the heart. Just as teardrops form, there walks by a person, cheerfully greeting you with a beautiful smile. An American at his best in spreading happiness.

Thank you, America for making my day!

We will see and learn many things during our stay in this land of freedom and opportunity. We will also give back, from the Asian culture and traditions together making a better world.

Published in the Jan 2009 issue of Wisconsin Woman Magazine

Anniversary Wishes

2008-09-15T04:05:00.000-07:00

TO A LOVING SISTER AND BROTHER-IN-LAW ON YOUR WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

Three years of glory,
In your life’s journey,
Going forth together as one in unity,
We wishing you both a happy anniversary,

May the love you both share; grow,
With each passing tomorrow,
May you be together for another five scores and more,
And may your love never get sore,

Up and downs in life is galore,
But sharing and caring is its foe,
Make you lives a dream of love,
And Allah will accept your every bow,

Tales are made of lives filled with love,
Songs are sung when pains are few,
Faults are found when love is in the bin,
Greatness comes when humbleness is king,

To sis and bil as great as gold,
You are to us the hands to hold,
Wishing you always – each day many fold,
On this day – greater than all the gold,

By your two loving Brothers

to the newly weds

2008-03-21T10:39:00.000-07:00

Let your love be stronger than your hate or anger

Learn the wisdom of compromise for it is better to bend a little than to break

Believe the best rather than the worst

People have a way of living up or down to your opinion of them

Remember that true friendship is the basis of any lasting relationship. The person you choose to marry is deserving of the courtesies and kindnesses you bestow on your friends.

Please hand this over to your children and your children’s children. The more things change the more they are the same.

A year New today and soon to be old forever!

2008-01-09T12:50:00.000-08:00

People are so busy today that they send greetings; one - e card to all the friends and relatives. Far too busy to post a handwritten card… leave a lone that… far too busy to send customize messages through email.

I spent new years eve

Here alone on my bed

There’s nothing much I can do. There’s nothing much to a new year except a few numbers changing on your calendar… another reason to celebrate. I never wish anyone a happy new year. I sent some messages to the colleagues back at work because they do celebrate it. Our new year in the Arabic calendar mostly goes unnoticed and that’s how its mean to be. In Islam we celebrate three things only – the two festivals and weddings. Theres no harm in celebrating other things. There’s no need to.

Today is first of Muharram - the Islamic 11 month lunar calendar. May it bring peace and joy to the hearts of all mankind!

Lanka will always be my home!

2007-12-19T17:08:00.001-08:00

Half my heart is back home

I miss the sunshine on my face

I miss the walks down the sea shore

I miss the friends at work

I miss the relatives and calls and all the fuss

Living here in to lap of luxury

Too cold to go outside

Snow everywhere

Beautiful to see

But miserable to be in

No friends… no family…

No sunshine… no sea

You hardly see a pedestrian

A building or a mountain

My dear country… War bound

I had to leave

To pursue, a future.. better for my family

Lanka - without you

I miss sun drying my clothes

I miss the rush hour hour

I miss the string hoppers and kiri hodhi

I miss the hoppers and pol sambol

I miss everything back home

And I don’t know when I will see her again

I miss my comfy bed

And my little home!

I hope Jannah will be lucky enough to enjoy her childhood as much as we did. We had neighbour kids to run around and play with. We didn’t electronic robot dolls and remote controlled cars to amuse us. Yet we had so much and more! We had outdoor sports and loads of fun… we had time to sit under the jam tree and play sellam gedara. We had time for cricket and kom pittu. We made kites and flew them We rode bikes and bruised ourselves. When parents used the cane we did not have authorities to complain! We felt the sand and grass under our feet and the rain and wind on our faces…

Jannah I want you to not to miss one bit of it!!!

12 November 2007 - Our New Home

2007-11-14T07:09:00.000-08:00

So we officially shifted on Saturday and technically on Sunday. We also bought the crib, mattress and car-seat for the baby on Saturday. We did our grocery and linen shopping just in time to make it to the baby store. At the new place we installed our first piece of very own furniture – the sleeper couch. This was the first time we had a home of our very own. The finances are a bit tight so we couldn’t for the moment buy any more furniture. Small beginnings I hope would end with great futures.
We spent the last night at our old condominium with almost next to nothing because we had shifted all our stuff to the new place. We had noodles for an early dinner but since hunger disturbed us again we had to order some mushroom pizza from Dominoes.
We chatted with shafi periappa, dad and mum on Sunday morning before we left for the new home. We had to spend a day without TV, and internet. This gave us time for a nap at a very odd hour and shortly after that we left to downtown with a friend to buy halal meats and we also needed to check out a few furniture stores which were unfortunately closed on a Sunday evening. For lunch we had snacks. I had cornflakes and bru had last the night’s left over pizza. We fixed some can soup but that wasn’t very palatable for bru. Jannah was very quiet all of Sunday. By night I was beginning to worry if something was wrong. It’s been more than 3 weeks since any doctor checked us up. And till Tuesday 1pm – which is going to be my first doctor’s appointment here - I won’t know what was going on with us. It’s amazing how moments like this show us how much Jannah is a part of our lives even though she is yet to see the world!
Our first solid meal at the new apartment was chicken biriyani which we had to eat sitting on the floor. It was very large in quantity but missing lunch gave bru a good excuse to finish it all.
It’s Monday and I’m spending my first day at our home alone as I type this and before I start my cooking. It was an early start with bru making the tea and then leaving to work soon after an English breakfast of bread, butter and bulls eyes. Ladies’ fingers and chicken will see us through lunch Insha Allah.
I don’t miss home now as much as I did in the first few days. I’m slowly getting used to the place. Its like living in a dream…. Like I don’t have my feet firmly planted on ground yet… but I’m sure that things will be ok and much better Insha Allah after we settle down. I also have my journal and some books to keep me occupied. Ironically however, I don’t make enough time to get my hands on them. The cable company is to come in the evening today to get the internet connection fixed after which hopefully I can talk to home people.
Its 10 minutes past one. Bru came home for lunch, prayed and then left for work. I am going to nap now. He will be here by 5 just in time before the cable guys get here. He seems to be always thinking about managing the finances for the rest of the week or two. Insha Allah I think everything will work out in good time.
4:35 pm – the naps done thanks to the phone ringing. It’s dark and gloomy. I don’t want to imagine the cold outside. Time to get dinner prepared…

The first few days in Milwaukee...

2007-11-14T07:08:00.001-08:00

Usually one would want to say that its been a wonderful 1st week here but unfortunately I cant quite call it that. The city is a bit haunted and the place is a bit dead. The view outside and the neighbourhood is beautiful and quiet. But is this really a place that I wan to live in….? I'm not quite sure…
We reached Milwaukee last Saturday (20th October) after a very tiresome and long 26 hr journey with lots of little adventures all through it. Bru had to start working from last Monday which meant that I had to stay home and fight the challenge of whiling away time in effective ways. Thanks to the cooking that keeps a good one and a half hours of me being occupied. I managed to do that for the past five days thanks to cooking, cleaning, washing, reading and TV. Well most of what's on tv is 100% pure junk and I'm really sure that this is NOT the kind of place that I want to bring up my kids in.
Home is a call away and I also keep in touch with friends at the work place but I miss homeland terribly. Memories and little everyday things that I took for granted now seem so far far away!
If not for skype, msn and telephones I should feel lonely enough to turn back and go home in two weeks. We got a web cam today so my mum and dad could check on my weight gain… I miss the noise and hustle and bustle…. I am so tired of hearing the washing machine and dryer and dish washer all the time. And oh not to forget the 100 odd channels on cable tv that seems like such a curse to have around the house. We haven't yet bought our lap top so I have to wait for bru to some home to blog or chat and since day and night clashes with folks at home there's not really much time to speak to them all!
Bru has been so busy with making arrangements for us to settle down that we hardly have time to think through things. This trip was such a mad rush as we had just two days to prepare everything for a three year stay. I do hope that things get better…!

Sponsor an Orphan

2007-08-13T23:00:00.000-07:00

Sri Lanka is one of the worst affected countries from the civil war and natural disasters in the recent past. Thousands of widows and their orphaned children are struggling without a male bread winner.

According our information around 13,000 Muslims appear to be widowed and their children orphaned or displaced in recent times. Most of the orphans live with their widowed mothers and also a significant number are still in various orphanages, madrasas or with relatives and villagers. We believe that orphans should live with their mothers or relatives to enjoy the real love & affection of a family, which would help to minimize their trauma.

You may be aware of a recent event reported from Kalutara..

A Muslim widow (revert), attempted to commit suicide along with her 4 daughters by taking an over dose of sleeping pills.

According to her statement, the main reason for taking such a decision is poverty. She didn’t have any income at all and there was no help either. She then took the easy way out and decided to commit suicide after killing her own children.

With the help of Almighty the whole family escaped death.. Al hamdu lillah now the children are at the Kal-Eliya Islamic Ladies Orphanage with Al- Kafaala sponsorship. The mother is still hospitalised . This is one case which came to light, but there are thousands of similar cases out there, if we only care to look.

Can a Muslim wait doing nothing about it?

Isn’t it our Duty to look after the needy- especially the orphans???

What is the answer??? that we are going to give the Almighty on the Day of Judgment?

We, at Al Kafaala are actively involved in supporting needy widows and orphans. Special attention is given for young widows with school going children as they are more vulnerable to abuse and discrimination . We have a data base of thousands of needy orphans in the island and we are able to look after only around 650 of them. We can do much more if you could give us a hand to help them.

1000’s of orphans are waiting for your support and ours , Can we ignore their suffering????

We must do something!!!!!!!

You can make a change in an Orphan’s life with just US $ 0.50 a day

If you and I don’t give this 50 cents who will wipe off their tears?????????????

Your Friends & Families too can help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Take an orphan under your care now….. and gain merits as a foster parent!

Are you ready?

IF YES , Reply now …..We will give you the details

If not please pray …….for them to find another sponsor

Tel/Fax::+ 0114 204 424,, Mobile: + 94 777 572 935, + 94 773 833 000

Mind Talks

2007-07-06T01:32:00.000-07:00

Right Brain/ Left Brain Quiz
The higher of these two numbers below indicates which side of your brain has dominance in your life. Realising your right brain/left brain tendancy will help you interact with and to understand others.
Left Brain Dominance:	(9)
Right Brain Dominance:	(12)
Right Brain/ Left Brain Quiz

Wiser with age?

2007-07-04T23:38:00.000-07:00

Why do we always happen to think that people older are also wiser?

Feelings for a new life!

2007-04-27T02:55:00.000-07:00

Wonderfully amazing

Mysteriously quiet

A mixture of feelings…

Fear and delight….

Moments to long for….

Moments of pain and joy….

A new life within me…

Almost unbelievable,

No proof of existence…

Yet true…

Welcome dear one

The worlds for you!

2007-03-29T01:48:00.000-07:00

MIND DEATH!

hmmm

2007-03-27T07:52:00.000-07:00

Is life about "waiting"?

Make somebody's day!

2007-03-10T03:42:00.000-08:00

Say they did a great job!

and the wonderful feeling is mutual...!

hey!

2007-03-09T04:48:00.000-08:00

why is there no Men's day?

unfair!

And at the end....

2007-03-09T00:36:00.000-08:00

...At the end of it all there is only one question that needs to be answered: “Does it make you happy?”
but before reaching the end there’s a million more questions to be answered!

A. S

Sri Lanka has finally done it right!

2007-02-03T02:54:00.000-08:00

Kulfi tastes great!

2007-01-14T05:21:00.000-08:00

People have no time anymore!

Life is time...

Resolutions

2007-01-09T05:09:00.000-08:00

Better Late than never...

Make less objectives

Spend as little time at home as possible doing office work.

Spend more time with family than with computers.

Breath in and out deep breaths every morning.

Run in open air places.

Go out of Colombo at least once in three months

Throw away the handwork and paintings

Start cooking

Drink less coffee

...Oops I think I just broke that one!

The Sky Beneath Me!

2006-12-31T19:22:00.000-08:00

Images from a plane going from Hyderabad to Chennai!

Discovering the Banana leaf

2006-12-30T05:41:00.000-08:00

There are many advantages of the green leaf over plates; a few of which are listed below

It saves water... just imagine washing all the plates after your guests leave.

It is hygienic... imagine the number of people who may have eaten on a plate at the restaurant

It is healthy

It uses up the banana tree

It is disposable without any damage to the environment

Go for Green!

The Journey of a thousand miles

2006-12-28T01:11:00.000-08:00

From the city of Pearls to Tamil Nadu – Chennai

In Golkonda we were able to see a sound and light show as they call it where the history of all the empires that reigned were outlined. The city of pearls looked nothing like pearls. It was so dusty that I had to have my face covered most of the time. Hyderabad is also said to be famous for its buriyani. Ironically for us fried rice seemed to be much tastier. The pearls were splendid.

Chennai

In January 2004 I visited big brother India’s capital new Delhi. Today, almost three years later I have had the opportunity of getting a taste of the south of India for the first time.

There is so much of variety and differences that it is sometimes so hard to believe that all this is one country. Everything was so different from place to. From the colour of their skin to the language they spoke. Their attitudes and culture however did not vary very much. They were friendly and helpful people; sometimes waiting to get as much money out of you as possible. They take comparatively much less salt and sugar which was not very palatable for us. In tamil Nadu they speak tamil so we didn’t feel all that alien. However the tamil they speak drastically differs from what we speak.

Banglore, Myslre and Ooty

The difference between traveling in Sri Lanka and traveling in India is that a journey in Sri Lanka has a beginning, middle and an end. In India, the journey has a beginning, beginning and beginning. As you can see most of the pics are from a moving vehicle.

Char Mina - view from underneath

2006-12-17T00:40:00.000-08:00

Intelligent Word Processes

2006-11-15T22:29:00.000-08:00

Since of late I have been documenting content because I know that my head is not the safest mode of transport and storage of information. For this purpose, I have employed the good old Ms Office - MS word processor which is a fairly reasonable tool to support my needs. However, I find that Word is still not adequate in many ways. Comparing it with Open office does have huge short comings. Nope – no one from Sun Microsystems is paying me to say this. (I wish). And I’m not promoting FOSS, I have no reason to do that.

Well though word comes with a dictionary and thesaurus and the very good features like spell checker for the weak spellers like me I am not impressed to find that simple typing errors are easily ignored by most word applications that lack a more intelligent solution. What I would like to see may be in the next version is - the word processor making sense out of the content that I am typing and figure out that a word such as Ass could be a mistype of the word ‘as’. Typing ‘god’ instead of ‘good’ could be a slip of the finger. Of course the popping up of an annoying paperclip will be out of the question but the document can be checked when I exit it and such mistakes can be prompted to the user. May be this is something that open source developers can consider contributing if it is not already on the cards. Other features could be to make summaries of documents or research articles and white papers to save the researcher’s reading time.

I am expecting to see some of it in the future versions and I hope I will not be let down!

WEDNESDAY!

2006-11-14T21:47:00.000-08:00

The only lucky day to be the end and the beginning at the same time.
The end of the beginning and the beginning of the end!

Oronym

2006-11-10T23:35:00.000-08:00

A term that describes words like "I scream" and "ice cream"? "Some others" and "some mothers"?(Definitions)

Oronym. "...In the case of Toyota and toy Yoda, our brains are faced with "oronyms" – virtually identical speech that can be interpreted in different ways. English is full of these devilish duos. For example, I scream versus ice cream, a notion versus an ocean, and some others versus some mothers..." (extract from the CBC's Words, Woe and Wonder site)

Now is all I have to live

2006-11-10T00:05:00.000-08:00

Married one year and two months – a year that went unbelievably fast. Still feels like just a couple of months. Makes me think that I will be looking at my whole life backwards one day and thinking “Oh My god it’s over”

There is only one chance to live… to pick up the pieces and stop wasting my time. I have written a hundred million things, started off at least 20 different projects that I intend completing within my life time, I have dreamt and I am still dreaming of the future realities. I know it’s up to me to start rebuilding and ending things I have started before my life ends…

2006-11-10T00:01:00.000-08:00

In many ways it is better to be underestimated than overestimated

Attitude affects it all

2006-10-20T05:59:00.000-07:00

One morning I woke up and thought today I will be happy no matter what happens. Did it work? Well… the answer I will leave for you to find out!

2006-10-19T09:16:00.000-07:00

There are positives in being negative

2006-10-19T09:13:00.000-07:00

In the highlights of life... there is more bad news than good!

Negotiation and conflict management tips

2006-08-28T22:31:00.000-07:00

Again this is one of those inventions that I haven’t really bothered to pick up at the book stores. It is not really like you have to be a born good or bad negotiator. You can choose to improve. My father for example is an excellent negotiator and very a very diplomatic person. For him it comes naturally. I, on the other hand say it straight and often the results are not very fruitful. Here are some of the tips from my own invention that I am learning to adapt myself to.

- Never say “You are wrong” If you have to say it at all say “It seems there is a small mistake in this”. Ask yourself which of the two sentences you prefer hearing.

- The best approach is the direct approach and that’s what I would generally agree with but given a scenario that has to work in favour of you, it is better that you don’t get to the point all at once when you have to give a negative message. The inductive approach may be a better choice. Read between the lines in the structure of the above sentence.

- Argue about the subject not about or with the person. It is easier said than done but most conversations turn into bitter arguments because people end up being subjective and defensive rather than objective.

- Forget arguments once they are over. DO NOT bring it up at future conversations.

- Make it seem funny. Humour is always good. But could be a dangerous area for those who don’t have humour coming to them naturally

- Finally and most importantly – admit you made a mistake if you have. People will value you as a person who knows yourself and doesn’t hesitate about admitting mistakes. After all everyone makes mistakes.

100 Reasons why I may not smile at you sometimes

2006-08-28T21:56:00.000-07:00

A smile is the cheapest way to improve your looks. A smile is curve that sets things straight. It takes barely a second from our busy schedules. Yeah yeah, been there – heard it all. But there are times that no matter how nice it is to smile you just don’t do it. Nobody thinks much about smiling at a funeral. So like all theories it is only applicable to certain scenarios. Yesterday, it was like I got stabbed right there in the heart when someone asked me straight why I don’t smile. Well, on the positive side it leaves me some subject for blogging. So I stayed back typing this up if it has any worth at all.

When I’m walking about I am usually thinking about something too hard to concentrate on anyone around or to notice even things around – I know this is kind of selfish.
Sometimes I’m thinking that I’m smiling when I actually am not – I know this kind of weird to imagine.
Sometimes I think that people are smiling at someone behind m and I don’t smile in return to avoid getting embarrassed
Sometimes I’m smiling all the time so there is no need to improve it when someone actually smiles at me.
Sometimes I’m afraid to smile at people I don’t know - this is especially on the streets.
I’m too stressed at times to smile.

I can’t think of 94 other reasons except for the fact that I know it is wrong and to those who are strong and kind enough to understand, I am very grateful. I will try my best to smile more often rather than waiting for it to come naturally.

Beyond the tears is the bravery

2006-08-01T23:08:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday we were at dinner at queens when I received a call on my mobile phone. The urgency of the voice of my brother-in-law – a rather rare and unexpected caller startled me. It was one of those days when bru hadn’t charged his phone and when I had decided to take a different mobile number in order to be not disturbed for official purposes on weekends. That night a terrible road accident caused my biological mother-in-law to be admitted at the accident ward – something that we still can’t come to terms with. She was always cheerful and full of smiles. She was always so witty and would never complain of the immense troubles that she had to go through in her life.

Deeply shocked we rushed to the hospital disappointed by the regulation that we will not be allowed inside without passes. With great difficulty our efforts got us in.

It was perhaps the first time that I was able to see her without her usual smile on. She had a badly fractured tibia and femur, shoulder bone, a small head injury and some fingers that were beyond rescue. Traumatized by the event no one seemed to be in the right mind to do anything. Adding to the pressure were strict regulations. Underneath it all we kept wondering - why her? Is it because she had the strength to take it…? Is it because it was some kind of test? The answers may never be clear. While the pain for her was unbearable, we had to put up with the regulations and leave her there alone for an emergency operation. At home that night, we were challenged by our own minds to accept something that we thought could never happen to a person like her.

When we visited her at the hospital the next day she was once again her cheerful self and smiling through all the pain. We were impressed by her bravery. She assures us now that she is getting better everyday. Every visit is painful and what the future holds at this point of time is a mystery for us as much as it is for her.

Praying for your speedy recovery…

…our darling mummy!

Jambo - East Africa

2006-07-22T21:43:00.000-07:00

It took me time to get used the features of their faces, the very dark skin and the very exotic hair dos to their very unmanageable and extremely curly hair. The city had many posters warning people about a city that has the highest crime rate in entire Africa. Animals were free to explore the suburbs. The weather was always too cold to go out without warm clothing. The people were always so friendly and full of smiles. The days past too fast and in Africa enough is never enough. Many people worked for a living while a few chose to beg or rob. The cost of living was as high as Nairobi is above sea level. Infrastructure and buildings had very little shortcoming in the heart of the city. Food was as excellent as it is here. The roads out of the city were a lot worse. Hardly any children walk alone in the streets… almost no bicycles. Nobody wore any gold. Water melon was as expensive as gold.

It was far too dangerous to take a walk outside. It was fun to cook in the apartment with stuff you barely knew about. Giraffe centre gave you a touch and feel of the long necked beasts that were already going down on their numbers. Pics here

The Travel List

2006-07-22T01:20:00.000-07:00

Bru and I sat down together and put down a travel list that we have to complete before the end of our lives (assuming we’d have rather long lives to live). Among the list are the following:

Skiing in the Alps – yet to be done

African Safari – done

Niagra Falls – yet to be done

White water rafting – done

Santhosa Island - done

Great Wall of China – yet to be done

World’s End – Somewhat done.

Taj Mahal – Somewhat done

Pyramids - yet to be done

Holy city of Makkah – Somewhat done

Disney world - yet to be done

Eiffel Tower - yet to be done

Jaffna – may be someday

How many jumps does it take to marry a masai woman?

2006-07-19T09:55:00.000-07:00

As we entered the village which exhibited a lifestyle of freedom I couldn’t help noticing the variations that created what almost seemed to be a different planet altogether. A place of aliens... fertile soil that was deprived of growing anything in the fear that animals may harm the people to eat them, homes made of the same fertile matter, children with fly smothered faces and dripping noses, women carrying them wearing a dozen pieces of jewellery… lions less than 300 meters away… life that needs to be seen to be explained.

While we are transported by a block of metal that runs on a polluting gas emitting fuel, they either chose to walk or ride on donkey carts. While we ate processed food and pesticide controlled vegetables they choose to rear their own cattle to eat and drink from it. While we lived in homes that needed constant maintenance and repairs they live in thatched huts that have no electricity or water yet had the warmth of a family and the smiles of the children and plenty of “time” together in a timeless world.

The welcoming dance by the females and the good bye dance by the males was entertainment to us but to them the dance marked special occasions like like weddings, circumcision and the birth of a child. In addition the dance was a moment where men had to demonstrate their masculinity and how high they could jump to reach a beautiful woman they wanted to marry. Women in anklets denote that they are married. Their husbands are allowed as many as 7 wives and the number is usually directly prpotional to the amount of cattle they own. Women of the same village are forbidden for marriage because of blood ties. Therefore women have to be found from other nearby villages. Holidays and working days are planned by each individual at their own convenience. Enough space to live and sleep and play… enough logs and twigs to make a fence to protect the sheep from being eaten by predators… enough cattle to feed a village. No evidence of pain or poverty… Enough freedom to smile…!

(pics on Hi5!)

My most wanted Gadget

2006-06-12T08:27:00.000-07:00

???

Up next… My most wanted machine

Strictly for time wasters

2006-05-24T01:58:00.000-07:00

the purpose

2006-05-20T00:47:00.000-07:00

the purpose of life is to find its purpose

Home! Home! Home!

2006-05-05T05:28:00.000-07:00

I so wana go home!!!!

She's Always A Woman

2006-05-05T05:27:00.000-07:00

by Billy Joel

She can kill with a smile
She can wound with her eyes
She can ruin your faith with her casual lies
And she only reveals what she wants you to see
She hides like a child
But she's always a woman to me

She can lead you to live
She can take you or leave you
She can ask for the truth
But she'll never believe you
And she'll take what you give her as long as it's free
She steals like a thief
But she's always a woman to me

Oh, she takes care of herself
She can wait if she wants
She's ahead of her time
Oh, and she never gives out
And she never gives in
She just changes her mind

She will promise you more
Than the Garden of Eden
Then she'll carelessly cut you
And laugh while you're bleedin'
But she'll bring out the best
And the worst you can be
Blame it all on yourself
Cause she's always a woman to me

She is frequently kind
And she's suddenly cruel
She can do as she pleases
She's nobody's fool
But she can't be convicted
She's earned her degree
And the most she will do
Is throw shadows at you
But she's always a woman to me

You should not be thinking these things:

2006-05-02T04:26:00.000-07:00

You can never be that dream person you wanted to be

Everything that can be achieved has been achieved

There are no such things as dreams

If you rise too high you will fall

Today is worse than yesterday was

Children are not always innocent

There’s no such things as angels and magic and miracles

There’s a limit to what you can do.

Failing many times means you are no good

There’s no place called heaven

You have more negatives

The world will never end

Good things never happen to good people

There is nothing left to invent or discover

Death is better than life

Animals are beneath man

Love is false

Parents are problematic

Friends are better than family

Hunger is better than sorrow.

That best feeling and then the journey of life continues….

2006-04-28T05:29:00.000-07:00

There comes that rare feeling that occurs usually towards the Friday; hardly at mid week and never at the beginning. That rare feeling that gives you the time to write up a silly post like this. That feeling that you can go home with knowing that there will be no pending work on your desk when you return the next day. Now that I mention it I believe there may be a few secondary pending issues waiting to be sorted out but all in all you have made it through that tough week and you can go home to where the better part of your life is – your family. Someone once told me that happiness is a journey not a destination which I was almost about believe, just before I happened to bump into a friend. She follows an MBA while doing 45 hours of lecturing a weekwith a pay that you can call fabulous. I was thinking to myself “what for?” Of course it was mentioned that it brings good money… but is life about money? Does everything boil down to that one factor?

When we were schooling, parents, friends and teachers used to tell us that we have to sacrifice our joys for better times later and we did as they told us. It was the same story at undergraduate level. Once that too is achieved, we feel that now comes the time for enjoyment and no more sacrifices – we can’t be more wrong. They tell you that you are young and energetic right now so you can work your life away. Whatever the theories and laws that we learn or follow, the corporate sector exploits people whether we are willing to accept it or not. It does not enhance corporate growth by enhancing individual growth it rather is a fire fighter giving less attention to the greater tacit things in life while ignoring the long term effects and losses caused by it.

If now is the time we need to work and earn and save up as many bank accounts as possible then when are we going to start living? Some say middle age would be the time. Then what about children, parental issues, family and other ongoing commitments that will tend to take our lives? Do we then shift the “living” part of life to old age… when we would have little or no energy at all to live… when it would be too late and time to pack up. That time that sickness and health will be the only major concerns of our lives? Surely, shouldn’t we know better?

Life is to be lived not saved up for later. Now is the time. If you miss it you will lose it forever. Youth is the most wonderful gift and we can either use or abuse it… but whatever are choices are ‘now’ is the time… there’s no point in dying for materialistic gains of this world. There’s no point struggling to pull through. Troubles and problems will always follow us wherever we are or however old we get… the only thing we have, is this moment to make the most of; to live… to spend time with your family even if it be just a short walk in the park because before you know it you will be far to old to walk and when we reach that period of our lives, the fewer regrets we have the better it is. Before you know it your family may not be with you anymore.

Live a balanced life. Follow your heart; do the little things that make you happy; do things that don’t concern work just coz you wana challenge yourself that you can do without it and are a slave to nothing but your own freedom. Love your life and Live it!

2006-02-22T19:21:00.000-08:00

Thank God for the weekends!
Even if it is only 1.5 days :(

Of Mice and Men...

2006-02-21T21:54:00.000-08:00

Probably one of the very few novels that got very close to captivating my heart was this one. I don’t know if any human being could possibly get past it without having to shed a tear or two. It has a wonderful beginning, middle and an end that dwells into your soul spiritually cleansing you while doing so. Too bad I was not able to yet get my hands on the unabridged version. (I am also still looking for “Grapes of Wrath”) If I don’t find them by the end of this year I probably would read it up on Google books.

The plot revolves around the journey of two men - one not so wise. It ain’t anything like the motorcycle diaries. Ah… but what is a movie in comparison to a book?
At the end John Steinbeck's does not do justice to his characters but he has an extremely effective way of making them very much a part of your life.

I read it when I was very young. I still remember every detail

You SHOULD read it

Sailing on….

2006-02-16T20:05:00.000-08:00

After three days at the FOSSed conference I got back to work to find a whole lot of stuff piled up for me to finish. So I guess I’ll have to put in a few more hours to draw to a close thing that perhaps could have been done without had I had the resources around to be slightly more efficient than myself.

Well this isn’t pressure at all. Pressure was what I had to face may be say in my former work place…. Where night or day did not make any difference and deadlines were dead lines. But for me – happiness is more of a journey than a destination… a state of mind perhaps to which stress is an interference so I had choices and like most of the other people around I chose to do what makes me happy. Sometimes I miss the challenges – especially because I miss the courage that comes out of it. May be that there’s a lot that I am losing but there is also immeasurable gains from the loss in sort of a eerie way. Being busy keeps me happy because it doesn’t give me time to worry about things that are botherations in some way to almost all human kind.

Invariably life goes on… We sail along the seas of life that constantly keep throwing us about…. clutching on hard to the oars hoping that we’ll get to some great destination somewhere... and also in the meantime anticipating a future that looks probably almost invisible to us….!

The ∆ of life

2006-02-08T01:28:00.000-08:00

At 20

The world opens its arms

Welcoming the knowledge

Smiling at the stupidity

Thoughts, emotions, hobbies and dreams

flooding through the windows

Like the morning sun

The choices are wide

Limitless bravery

Countless contradictions

Divine bliss

At 40

Life is running out fast

Spinning around

Quick make the bucks

Save for the morrow

A song, a book, a comedy and a home

The family person

And the fearless soul

At 60

The world that turned upside down

Turns right up again

Priceless and invaluable, the memories of yesterday

The wisdom, the illnesses, the grey hair

A sunset, a walk, a smile and a little cheer

A crying grandchild

A garden to love

The green of the home

The silence of the heart

31 March 2005

2006-02-06T01:21:00.000-08:00

The difference between disease and work is that the former has an end

The softer issues – true or not?

2006-02-01T03:35:00.000-08:00

I believe that no matter how advanced technology gets there is still some warmth in seeing someone say “Dear ‘name’” rather than saying ‘hey’ and ‘hello’ and ‘hi’. Hearing your name both orally and in letters makes you feel special and important.

You get sick of Chinese food if you eat it too often.

No matter how hard your heart is you will be greatly affected by seeing a child who is hurt or in some sort of pain.

On a hot day there’s nothing more soothing than a cold shower.

It feels good to talk to about your troubles with someone you trust

Eating out every once in a while makes you happy

You know about all the bad aspects of marriage yet you can’t wait to experience it

No matter how much something is not concerned with you, if its falls under one of your topics of interest there is always something that you can contribute to it.

The most decent looking gentlemen are sometimes the worst perverts

You might not want to accept it but you are very selective about your friends and clothes.

You like singing even if you are really bad at it.

You like traveling around the world but you’re so happy to get back to SL

You speak badly of your fellow citizens but you are thrilled when you meet people from your country abroad

2006-01-30T22:38:00.000-08:00

Deal with the problem… not with the person

It doesn’t take much time…

2006-01-29T21:44:00.000-08:00

To collect the dirt in a bag in your car and to throw it in a bin when you get to your destination.

To wash your sterilized milk bottles before returning it to your grocer.

To tell your friends to do the same when you to talk to them

To signal a thank you to the driver who stopped his vehicle for you to turn

To smile at the person who is not your friend

To drop a mail that is not a forward to an old friend or relative

To buy a packet of naphthalene balls from a person who is trying hard not to steal or beg

To feed a stray cat occasionally

To help the cashier with your things

To hold the door for somebody with a big bag

To say ‘no’ to a polythene bag that you know you will be throwing away soon

To have fruit juices or mineral water instead of coke.

What’s nice and what’s not?

2006-01-25T22:20:00.000-08:00

What’s nice?

You come to understand that it’s not a perfect world with a perfect life so you put up with the ups and downs.

When the choices are limited you choose the lesser of the two evils

You perform

You smile at somebody even though you’re in a bad mood

You remember someone’s birthday

You are honest no matter how hard it is to be

You request rather than command

You feel good about yourself

You deal with the problem

You make the best use of the time you have

You are willing to ‘learn’

You have something to think about

What’s not?

People that you trust let you down

You wake up not wanting to live another day

You’re told around by people you have no regard for

Nobody asks you whether you are happy

You have something to worry about

You don’t have enough sleep

There is something that you have to do but you really can’t get yourself to do it

You take your anger out on people who have nothing to do with it

You have more enemies than friends

You have no time

2006-01-03T21:46:00.000-08:00

If you want the rainbow, you have to put up with the rain

New Year Cheer

2006-01-01T21:37:00.000-08:00

It feels good to be back at work after a week’s vacation. I thought I would finally be getting my license in the last week of 2005 but we ended up moving house and as usual lots of things don’t end up the way you think they would.

Anywayz… at the new place are lotsa good things and lotsa bad things among which is no more ADSL. So good bye to that and a lot of other things including how much I have been taking for granted the little things that our parents do for us. I miss home so much and no doubt they feel the vacuum of my absence – specially my father whose ears I would fill with my voice from the time he arrives home till he goes to bed.

On the other hand moving out on our own means having to learn lots of new things like remembering to close the main door before going to bed. A fun and joyful experience of setting up all on your own, from managing finances to grocery shopping to what more I don’t know...

I hope that whatever awaits me this year would be good in some way or the other and that we are all able to give and to get more to and from society than we did in the past year.

Silence speaks

2005-12-14T00:26:00.000-08:00

You can never understand a friends words If you cannot understand his silence

It just is too much

2005-11-21T23:36:00.000-08:00

Too much boredom

Too much Dan Brown

Too much depression

Too much to think about

Too much frustration

Too much hatred

Too much freedom

Too much of nothing to do

Too much time wasted

Too much chaos

Too much insecurity

Too much nonsense

Too many fools

The Greater Gifts

2005-11-02T00:01:00.000-08:00

The gift of love

The gift of honesty

The gift of freedom

The gift of knowledge

The gift of purity

The gift of conversation

The gift of sunshine

The gift of curiosity

The gift of bliss

The gift of wisdom

The gift of choice

The gift of light

The gift of life

That’s how it goes

2005-10-27T08:31:00.000-07:00

Sometimes they tell you that the more you deal with your troubles the stronger you get every time you pull through one of them. There are those days that everything at work goes all wrong and you go home thinking it’s finally over and then a whole new set of things start going wrong for you. Things so bad… that make you question the reason for your existence.

And of course there are those other times, where life just seems to be a bed of roses and now tired and weary, I’m longing for some sun and a few more things…

The height of belief

2005-10-24T00:54:00.000-07:00

Whatever the problem is, IT has a solution for it!

Slavery to the colonial culture

2005-10-20T21:11:00.000-07:00

I have met or seen rather, a very few courageous people who have the nerve to stand up against the rest. In case you’re still thinking what I’m on about it’s once again to the topic of attire. Why shirt? Tie? And belt? Why not our traditional clothes? (not to mention the fact that most people tend to find it unspeakably uncomfortable) Would it mean disrespect to someone if you did wear clothes from a different - am I to say ‘your own’ - culture? What can possibly be so wrong about that?

The Indians on the other hand have my regard. They maintain their traditional costumes at least at special occasions and what’s better is that they are proud of it. Them, living in a foreign land will not necessarily prevent them not dressing up in the clothes which are not worn by the majority.

If only we could stop being so chicken…

How important is outward appearance?

2005-10-18T02:06:00.000-07:00

These books that are written with the purpose of motivating another individual by those who consider themselves motivated people never really got around doing any good to me. I can never be motivated by some stupid saying or an article or anything that tries to play with your emotions using the weapon of words. Sometimes these are just about speeding up the growth process.

Coming back to the topic… eh what was it now? Oh outward appearance? Dress? clothes? Attire? Hairstyle? Can we touch on accent? How much does it really contribute to the person you are?

Ok so this is how I see it. If you are leading people at the lower level you need to look pleasant enough to do it. Smartly dressed. Hair neatly combed. Polite. And all that following but see if your leading people who will be convinced more by the person you are than your outward appearance you really don’t have to give a damn about what you look like. First impressions matter and people fight hard to make their first mark but once they get their and prove themselves to the rest, outward appearance really becomes a secondary necessity because people respect you for who you are and not what you wear or look like. So for those freaks who put dress before themselves let me say that you can’t get away just being well dressed and it a takes a lot more to leave your footprints behind.

Case closed!

That’s just the way things are. Accept it or die!

2005-10-15T10:02:00.000-07:00

Most people tend to “assume” things because other people don’t open up enough!

Makkah and Madina

2005-10-05T21:10:00.000-07:00

Haj is the fifth and most expensive pillar of Islam and therefore is compulsory only for those who can afford it. Umrah on the other hand is Sunnah – meaning not compulsory. I spent one April holiday at Makkah for Umrah. It was a very different and interesting experience. Although we had to keep reminding each other that it was no fun ride but pilgrimage, the whole tour was like refreshing the soul and the mind. And who says that pilgrimage cannot be made fun?

The Ka’bah at Makkah was a lot larger than what I imagined it to be. It took us an average of about 20 minutes to go around it seven times and this depended entirely on the crowd that was there. It was nice to actually see what we were facing when we prayed back at home for decades. I didn’t really like the native people much…. but there, you could find almost all kinds of people – the black, the white and the in between. Some were crippled and some were kings. Never seen a large crowd as that before. There were no differences in the uniform or the performance. It was the same for all. Two pieces of unstitched white fabric for men’s attire and women - covered fully except for face and hands. Children cried while the mothers were in prayer. The trip from Makkah to Madina was long and lovely although most parts of it were dry and covered by camel. Madina was much more beautiful. The weather was cool and almost as peaceful and as calm as the people there – a significant difference from Makkah. Dialog roaming doesn’t work there by the way. The food was great. Mutton was the most common meat. There were plenty of books. You can’t take pictures inside the mosque. (In fact you can’t do that it any mosque). The Zam Zam water was always in plenty. We practically lived on it

Somehow I want to go there again. It’s like I didn’t have enough of it. It wasn’t a very long stay. People always keep recalling their experience there. You probably would never face anything like it anywhere else in the world. Most people, this month, are also flying there for Umrah. Sometimes the total crowd exceeds two million. The little city of Makkah although not as highly developed as the rest of the country, does an excellent job of managing this crowd each year. Hopefully I should be able to see my next visit coming, not very far away, Insha Allah.

Zakat

2005-10-05T02:50:00.000-07:00

If you have any savings that have exceeded a year, you have to pay 2.5% of it as Zakat for the poor. There are seven categories of people who are entitled to receive Zakat. Zakat is generally paid during the month of Ramadan because it is said that the reward for good deeds in this month is higher. Zakat is compulsory and is the fourth principle in the religion. It’s a good way of investing in the ‘not so well off’ part of the nation annually. People generally value their gold, land and whatever else they have to set aside a potion for this cause. That’s about it from what I know.

Highlights on Umrah - next time around.

How can one be creative?

2005-10-04T00:04:00.000-07:00

Don’t be conventional

There are no assumptions in life

Don’t use past experience or knowledge

Wipe the slate clean

Now think anew

The world would definitely be a better place if...

2005-10-03T21:54:00.000-07:00

...there weren’t so many chickens around

Part 2 - Cutlery and culture

2005-10-03T06:02:00.000-07:00

This time I was telling them about the importance of punctuality. About how it adds to the person you are just like your attire or communication. I had to tell them something so I told them how people in this part of the world have no respect for the other's time. How they say "I'll be there in 15" but you keep waiting for ages. And somehow I brought in the cutlery and culture issue because I thought it may be good for them to know. When I'm almost done with explaining myself, one student from the back decides to voice out his thoughts - "I don't think we have to practice good time management because it's not our culture"

Watch what you laugh at

2005-10-03T05:54:00.000-07:00

At an orientation lecture for the newer batches I was caught in a spontaneous discussion in the use of good language and how rare it is getting. I then see myself getting carried away when the discussion leads to eating with cutlery.

People often tend to look down upon a person who may not be aware of the appropriate usage of cutlery. Is it really something to laugh about? It's a question of culture isn't it? You don't really HAVE to know another culture, do you? You visit a country that has left hand driven vehicles, you simply get yourself trained. You don't have to feel bad about asking someone or telling someone how to use something off a different culture. I'm told (the truth of which I'm not sure) that the fork and spoon evolved as a result of a fast spreading plague in the hands. Myths apart, I feel that there is no need for anyone to be embarrassed about not knowing another culture or even language for that matter. It's perfectly OK not to know and to ask or to find out. If you don't know your chemistry before a chemistry exam you should be shot and laughed at but this? Utterly senseless and worthless piece of fact to make humour of.

2005-09-29T22:14:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the best way to deal with people’s reaction is to ignore it

These things drive me crazy

2005-09-26T21:09:00.000-07:00

Indians are way ahead. They are leading in most parts of the world – US covered!

Their main mode of study – learn everything and anything by heart. Understanding will come later.

So is intelligence merely good memory?

There are more important thing in life than career and work

2005-09-06T22:57:00.000-07:00

I’m trying to figure out what

Youth

2005-09-03T20:57:00.000-07:00

What’s the next word that comes to your mind when you hear that word?
Fun?
Yeah youth is all about ‘fun’; or is it?

If you asked the youth of today to define fun, may be they’ll say fun is to wear a ring around the belly button, eyebrow or tongue. They may say fun is to smoke and drink around, playing pool, or cruising around the city in elaborate automobiles, tattoos, money, music, movies or friends to hang out with. They might claim that tinted hair or funky and wacky looking outfits are ‘cool’ or ‘fun’. They might even go to the extent of saying assembling a pc, reading or cyber surfing is also a part of fun.

Whatever they say, youth is not the same for all. Youth has meant different things to different people at different times, societies, cultures and other divisions. If you asked the youth of the 60s and 70s what they thought fun was they’d probably say that bell-bottom trousers, or side-burns, cinemas or even fishing was fun. The youth of most parts of the western half of the world prepare themselves to leave home and live an independent life by the age of 13 or 14 whereas the other - if I am allowed to say ‘better’ half of the world - have mothers standing at the door of the homes if their 20 year old sons were late after an evening out. In the days of the old we have also seen people at the birth of youth preparing themselves for war and greater causes that the youth of today cant even bring close to their dreams. Culture influences youth… no doubt! What else does?

The best part of one's life is youth. Hardly anybody can deny that. It is the time when one is healthy physically, mentally and spiritually. It is the only time when people feel the anxiety of taking the keys into their own hands and cruising around world exploring and discovering themselves and the environment, battling to understand, fountains of conflicting thoughts and ideas, captured by love and torn by disagreement and arguments. It is the only time when you have a lot that you can offer to the world. But really how much can youth offer?

How much of the virtually limitless energy, enthusiasm, bravery and courage is lost in worthless sport, idiotic computer games, challenge-less and other futile and vain time absorbers? How many of the million of sparkling youth sit back and watch and wonder around waiting for the aged or adults to take over. Unconstructive arguments about insignificant issues with parents and elders are the order of the day. It is gradually eating up the youth not allowing them to do as much as their potential permits them to. They are too taken up in the lighter issues of life and their youth is completely wasted and before they even have time to reconsider their doings and habits, youth is already gone - finished - leaving them to face the other responsibilities of life such as providing for the home. The ‘invisible hand’ of Adam smith is left to take over the greater aspects of life and society and no man in his good and conscious mind has contributed any fair share to the world except his mere existence and selfish motives.

Youth have a heavier and more significant role to play today as always. They are able to do a much greater deal than to sulk around over messed up love affairs or get the latest software games installed. The society needs them in much larger ways than they are even aware of. They have to be informed of their role and treated that way too. Overdevelopment of a nation also sometimes stands in the way of advancement and empowering of youth if you know what I mean. Parental domination in our part of the world also inhibits the growth of the capabilities of youth today. Even elders need to be educated and informed that the greater part to be paid to the world is expected of the youth. Elders should be playing the role of facilitators and guides rather than teachers and forceful drivers. Children need to be geared to engineer their way through. I’m not by any means saying here that children and youth should not allowed to be what they are and have their fun engaging themselves in vain and unproductive activity rather the point I’m trying to make is that the youth have capacity to do much more on their own without being steered to. They are the ones that lead the path to a greater cause in the existence of mankind and they must by all means given the opportunity, freedom and facility to do it. All we need to do is to recognise their true potential and ignite the fire within them because if we do that their payment to the success of mankind will be unimaginable.

One rule for life!

2005-09-01T21:53:00.000-07:00

Never do anything extra for anyone!

I keep telling myself

2005-08-31T01:36:00.000-07:00

I keep telling myself...

"Come on, worse things happen!"

Forgive and live

2005-08-23T23:38:00.000-07:00

The smartest people sometimes do the stupidest things

Super mum

2005-08-18T03:04:00.000-07:00

It was may be a little over five years ago when I came home from school just like any other day. I never actually cried that night. It still remains as one of the most sorrowful nights of my life.

That night - I could not imagine what my morning would be like. I had never spent a night at home without grownups. I didn’t know if she was going to make it. My heart skipped a beat at the words on the phone call. I could barely follow the instruction given - I had to pack her some stuff, she was being admitted. She was bad –very bad. I lost the rest.

While doing what I was asked to, I was trying to imagine what it would be like without her. She was too young. It was a vision that had never crossed my mind before and I was plagued by it.

When I was sick or in a bad mood I would simply curl up in bed with a long face or pretend to be doing something. But she – no matter how healthy or ill she was she would wake up much before dawn, cook, make breakfast, clean up, send us to school and go to work. There were no servants. She did it all by herself. She never complained. I wasn’t much help either. I even fussed sometimes. She would come up with elaborate spreads of her delicious cooking for visitors from all over the world. What I loved best off her deserts was the creamy chocolate fudge. Often we had overnight visitors and when they ask us if he have enough room, mama would just say “as long as there’s room in our hearts there’ll always be room in our home”. Again – it was all her alone.

I never actually got around telling her how much I love her. As we grew up the habit of giving her a goodbye hug before leaving home, slowly died out just like the bedtime stories and nursery rhymes.

When mama came back home from the hospital I just knew one thing in my heart – she was truly irreplaceable and I would never in my life be able to do all that she did as good as she did it. I never realised how much I had until God knocked on my door.

Today is her birthday. Over weeks, I’ve been thinking of stuff to get her and stuff that I could do with her together. May be we’ll cook something or bake a cake. May be I should tell her how great I think she is. May be we’ll play scrabble or go for a walk. Whatever I do for her, for sure will not be enough to show her my love and gratitude. My mind has no capacity to think of what she’s worth of. I hope the Lord will take care of her just like she took care of us.

Acres of love and mountains of joy

Yeah that’s what she gave me

That’s all that I have

Wonderful advice

Some good spanking once in a while

Sweet childhood memories

And much more to come

To carry to my grave

Thank you so much mama

Just Everybody

2005-08-17T22:34:00.000-07:00

Everybody knows something that you don’t

Everybody’s got some sort of vocabulary that he/she does not know how to spell/ pronounce or the meaning of.

Everybody is ashamed of at least one thing

Everybody has something to regret about

Everybody made some big mistake in their life

Everybody has to cry sometime in their lives

Everybody needs a friend

And if that doesn’t make you feel any better

You are not everybody

FAQs

2005-08-15T08:25:00.000-07:00

Q: Why are your blogs sad?
A: Sorry no answer

Q: How come you walk so fast?
A: Don’t look

Q: So when’s the big day?
A: Soon

Q: Do you like lecturing?
A: Don’t like to call it that but yeah I love it!

Q: Hey, you hardly smile!
A: I’m saving them! :)) (No actually -lost a tooth, unfortunately)

Q: How do you make mountains off very simple topics in your blogs?
A: Just think about it a little more

Q: What’s the worst thing you ever did?
A: It’s definitely not bad enough to stay in my mind

Q: How much did I get?
A: As much as you deserve

Q: How old are you?
A: As old as I look

Q: Can we have an extension?
A: NO!!!

Q: What’s your favourite batch?
A: The one in which I was :)

Q: Do you like us?
A: (I get really lost here)

Guys, it is not easy being a lecturer so please, please think a little before asking me those questions.

Welcoming Alf to blog world!

2005-08-15T01:10:00.000-07:00

Hey people, we have a new comer. He was here about a year ago and then left after some bad experiences. Check him out!

2005-08-14T22:57:00.000-07:00

I can’t see

But I’m not blind

I can’t hear

But I’m not deaf

I can’t talk

But I’m not dumb

The Thesaurus

2005-08-13T09:13:00.000-07:00

Why waste so many words to say the same thing?

Truly Happy!

2005-08-12T08:49:00.000-07:00

There is no greater happiness than making someone else happy....

What next?

2005-08-09T22:01:00.000-07:00

The tsunami came and left; tearing our lives apart while at the same time bringing us as a nation together. The oceans discriminated none.

However, if one takes the past few months into consideration, just how many troubles have hit the streets in a span of six to nine months? Starting from Shahrukh Khan’s issue, to rallies to strike after strike disrupting normal human life, standing in the way of whatever little progress there is, causing absolutely unnecessary disputes and pain and worst of all demeaning the status of mankind. You wake up in the morning to realise you cannot make it to work only because whatever simple and ineffective modes of available transport are completely non-functional. Parents send their children to school and wait at the gates with heavy hearts to see that the children arrive safely. People double check the locks of their vehicles to make sure they wont be carjacked or stolen off their dead bodies. A peaceful life of no worries and fears is almost unimaginable to us, leave alone the idea of making a home of your own for the future. It seems that the vicious circle continues destroying the joys and lives of many more generations to come!

Lord, I leave it in your hands as I hear your voice echoing that you leave it in mine!

2005-08-01T02:40:00.000-07:00

“Business has become the most powerful institution on the planet. The
dominant institution in any society needs to take responsibility for the whole.
Business, however, has not had such a tradition. This is a new role, not well
understood or accepted. Built on the concept of capitalism and free enterprise
from the beginning was the assumption that the actions of many units of
individual enterprise, responding to market forces and guided by the “invisible
10 hand” of Adam Smith, could somehow add up to desirable outcomes. However,
in the last decade of the twentieth century, it has become clear that the “invisible
hand” is faltering. It depends on the consensus of overarching meanings and
values that are no longer present. So business has to adapt a tradition it has
never been throughout the entire history of capitalism: to share responsibility for
the whole. Every decision that is made, every action that is taken must be
viewed in light of that responsibility.”

WILLIS HARMAN, cofounder of the World Business Academy

The Days… are they completely gone?

2005-07-28T04:11:00.000-07:00

The salty wind blows upon my face and I stand there staring at the calm of the ocean, recalling the days when we had to go to school in coloured head scarves in order to hide identity. The days when we had months of vacation only because it was not safe enough to be in school. The days when we were so afraid to leave home because of not being sure of getting back home in one piece. The days when we used to be so scared when a loved one was getting late to get back. The days when we were so scared to be outside home after the clock crossed 6pm. The enormous risk that we took in making trips out of Colombo is almost unspeakable of. The days when we were awaken in the middle of the night to the belief that the entire city was being burnt down. The fear of the unknown and the unpredictable height of crime, misery, death and pain. The days when even the lighting of crackers sometimes seemed like the blasting of a bombs. There was almost nothing to think about or wish for.

When people told me about the 83 riots – the dead bodies in rivers, the vehicles been burnt with people inside them - it seemed to be like something that could only happen in movies but I soon realised that I was wrong. It was more than believable, it was visual. I remember the nights when I used to wake up to the scary images of finding the head of a dead body. I would recall happenings from the newspapers and television.

Right here, right now, I’m actually wondering whether those days are really gone or - like the conversion of energy from one form to another - have they only changed to some from physical and mental trauma to some nameless feelings that lingers in our heads and heart making them heavy with the feeling of nothingness….

Lord, give us a future, save us!

Feeling good

2005-07-23T20:06:00.000-07:00

Feeling good about yourself all the time can be bad sometimes and feeling bad about yourself sometimes can be good

Looking at the mirror that will tell you exactly what you are

2005-07-20T07:59:00.000-07:00

What is more important than understanding other people, is understanding yourself!

2005-07-17T19:40:00.000-07:00

There are two sides to me. Don’t judge me by just seeing only one