Friday, August 31, 2007

A short note............

Lots been running around my mind these last few days, but I've not been quite myself to sit down and put pen to paper, certainly not in a manner that would do justice to them.

The long, and the short of it, is that after far too much effort I am to leave on my little trip, to touch skin, to up date myself on the situation at ground zero.

More to come, over the next few days....

Thursday, August 23, 2007

8 Monkeys

A brilliant piece, ironically so true of many places (cough, cough!)

Put eight monkeys in a room. In the middle of the room is a ladder, leading to a bunch of bananas hanging from a hook on the ceiling.

Each time a monkey tries to climb the ladder, all the monkeys are sprayed with ice water, which makes them miserable.

Whenever a monkey attempts to climb the ladder, all of the other monkeys, not wanting to be sprayed, set upon him and beat him up. Soon, none of the eight monkeys ever attempts to climb the ladder.

Take out one of the original monkeys, replace it with a new monkey. Seeing the bananas and the ladder, he wonders why none of the other monkeys are doing the obvious. But undaunted, he immediately begins to climb the ladder.

All the other monkeys fall upon him and beat him silly. He has no idea why.However, he no longer attempts to climb the ladder.

A second original monkey is removed and replaced.The newcomer again attempts to climb the ladder, but all the other monkeys hammer the crap out of him. This includes the previous new monkey, who is grateful that he's not on the receiving end this time, participates in the beating because all the other monkeys are doing it. However, he has no idea why he's attacking the new monkey.

One by one, all the original monkeys are replaced. Eight new monkeys are now in the room. None of them have ever been sprayed by ice water. None of them attempt to climb the ladder. All of them will enthusiastically beat up any new monkey who tries, without having any idea why.

This is how any company's policies get established

Nice....

Photography has been a hobby for quite sometime, and what I have lacked in talent I have I assure you, made up by enthusiasm over the years.....

People, nature, the mundane and the impressive, I have been rather flexible in my choice of subject matter. The first real camera I had was a Russian Zenit with a Zeiss lens, a camera which allowed me exposures as long as 2o minutes! Sadly, it fell ill terminally a few years later. From that I moved on to a camera which doubled as my cam for a couple of years, till buying a Canon Powershot S1 IS (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canons1is/)

But 'Nice' is not about me hobby, 'Nice' is about a picture I took a couple of years ago, titled the "River of Stone". I was down in the south eastern part of the country, ahead of me the road arched by trees; the lone occupant, a stray dog - http://www.flickr.com/photos/sigmadelta/382517611/


A few weeks ago, Cheryl wrote me asking if she could make a painting of the photograph, to which my response was a cheery yes. The result being this, which I think is lovely.

Biased I might be, for I am quite pleased about it all.

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

My House....

Sitting on a rock at the edge of what will be The Mangroves, it is with a certain sense of satisfaction that I contemplate what has been done so far.

To have a dream come true is one of life's most fulfilling moments, and to have a this where it is, the realisation of a dream that I have had for many years.

For a very long time my heart's desire, to have a little place by water - a river, a stream, a lake, even the sea. I confess that there was little that I did in terms of an active search, preferring to chance upon places on the way to somewhere from another place. During the course of the years I have considered plots on the beach of Nilavali, at the edge of Lunugamvehera, in Habarana, finally to this place, 90 minutes south of our city, by the side of a lagoon, 500m from the sea.

Credit for this find must go to my lady, who urged me down one by-road and another, till eventually we came across this little plot. So, for this moment of sheer bliss, thank you my love.

Looking out from what will be the main entrance, what lies before me is the open expanse of the lagoon, extending in both directions. The far bank, lush green with vegetation extending all the way to the waters edge. Were I to stand slightly elevated, its possible on some days to see the ocean swell in the distance, even hear the crash of waves upon the beach. In my little toy I have paddled the entire length and breadth of this body of water, adventuring along some of its narrow paths, till running aground. The paddle to the beach is pleasant, under one of two small bridges over which run the rail track and the main southern highway, around and out to touch upon the golden sands and a beach renowned for turtles who come ashore at night to lay their eggs

The rustle of the leaves as the wind caresses them, the squeak of a branch rubbing against another, a dog's bark, a cow in the distance, voices, softened by distance and space.... I feel at peace here, quietly contented with my lot. All that is seemingly of crisis proportions, made insignificant by distance, time and the charm of this little piece of earth, I am responsible for. Tree's I will plant, the soil I shall cherish, trying to conserve what little is mine to look upon.

What beauty lies around me.... a rat snake, winding it's way amongst the branch's of a tree, stretching it's body to it's limit, moving from one tree to another.... the hawks that dive upon the lagoon when low water force the fish up to the surface, the curious eagle that flew so close to me that I could almost have reached up and touched it's talons.

I am content when I am here........

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Friend

'I walk along the beach
each night,
gazing above me, the stars
shine bright

I ask aloud, why me alone,
what cruel joke on the part
of fate
keeps us two oh so far apart?

We know each other so very
well,
and yet this secret from
you I keep

How can I tell you, you
my friend
that since of late my
constant thoughts
have revolved around
the woman in you

I fear to show my
feelings deep
holding me back is our
friendship
and yet, my heart
still leaps
each time you turn to
speak

I think it best to leave
this place
begone from this heartache
lose my soul far away
alone again, but you
still my friend'

Musings - 1989

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

What a crying shame....

My beautiful country, this place we called Paradise is fast spiralling into becoming a cess pit of corruption and mayhem.

I recollect with fondness my childhood and teens.... as a child my mother used to take us to Fountain Cafe and around to the back where the Hot Dog stand was alongside the slide and the swing and the see-saw..... there was even a little Merry-Go-Round.

In my teens, and this was about the time that the Blue Elephant and My Kind of Place opened, a typical Friday night started off at Galle Face and a tank up before hitting one place or the other..... the worse that could happen on a night out was to either run out of money, or be rejected by the one woman there you thought was so drop dead gorgeous - today, knives, guns, thugs..... alas.

Post 1984 and that black day in July changed the entire psych of this nation... perhaps it had been festering for years and that shameful act squeezed the bubble.... what emerged was a darker side to what till then was an apparent land of smiles and laughter.

From the dawn bread ques in the early 70's to a an open market, a booming economy we have over the last three decades come to this, the brink of chaos, on the road to becoming the Zimbabwe of South East Asia.

Who is to blame? You cannot blame the masses, for they know only what they are told. The blame falls squarely upon those who aspire to hold public office and in doing so, become utterly and despicably corrupt.

As at this day, at international forums our abuse of human rights, the rampant corruption, freedom of press, free speech, the state of the nation, a bloated public sector and cabinet, all under criticism.

This article, an opinion for one of our dailies yesterday reaches straight to the core about what ails this nation - Madam, you are my hero!

http://www.dailymirror.lk/2007/08/14/opinion/02.asp

http://www.dailymirror.lk/2007/08/15/opinion/03.asp

Another bubble will burst, soon the worm will turn for the burden upon us is becoming too much. One's toils from sun rise to sun set yielding little but no more than to provide a day to day existence. The rich, grow richer, the poor remain so and the middle class, forced closer and closer to the bottom as we are called upon to sustain the antics of jack asses. The irony is that we probably got the government we deserved.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

The Scottish Highlands...

Last week I was given (Ok, loaned) a copy of a concert by Runrig - for all you unwashed, unclean who have no idea what I am talking about, Runrig is a Scottish folk rock band. I was fortunate to be introduced to them quite recently by Lucy, who happens to be an ardent fan.

My tale though is this, that of watching this concert. Home I did go, to set up what I like to call my surround sound system (It's really not, but it serves it's purpose).

Now what concert is complete without beer and perhaps something more I ask? No, don't answer, the question was merely rhetorical, allow me to speak.

Well, having indulged in some very good frowned upon, I sat to watch - oh wow! Within minutes, I found myself completely immersed in the experience. Come, tell me, how many of you have heard Gaelic? You must, make it a point to hear it please... it is, oh, just listen to it!!

For the next hour or so, there I was, at Stirling Castle, amongst that huge crowd, swaying to the music. Runrigs popularity peaked in the 90's but I can understand their magic even now; the music which revolves around the Gaelic community and their aspirations in this modern world.

The music is pleasant, in English as well as Gaelic, which I just love in spite of the fact that I cannot understand a word of it..... to my heightened senses, this was a treat.

Monday, August 13, 2007

Of Dune dreams

I'm revisiting an old friend, Frank Herbet's forth book of Dune.... it must be lonely where Leto is I think....

I need a break. I need a few day's away from everything that is formal, rigid, part of my day to day existence. I want to get out, shed this skin and be just me. I want to leave all my responsibilities behind, I want to forget all the commitments I have, emotional, professional, financial, personal, everything. I merely wish to be for a short time - any takers out there?

So, for all of you who know who I am, what thinks thee? Join me will you in a jaunt of escapism, to step off the roller coaster and chill? Speak, I say, let thy voice be heard, for my spirit is indeed in need of rejuvenation!

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Well now, smile!

The last few days, work aside has been pleasant to say the least.

It all began last week actually, with a mate's 3D bash on the Friday. Me mate's cool, someone who I find completely and utterly relatable to.

So, come Friday night, I find myself across at her place, along with a gaggle of her friends for a few drinks and din's. The chit chat was for the most part, idle. Me thinks that there was a good reason to this actually - the presence of spouses! I was left wondering what it would have been like if it was merely the inner circle.....

Me enjoyed meself - thanks mate!

Well this was all good, and I went home happily high with the possibility of the entire Saturday morning to myself... In spite of all my good intentions (or because of them) I ended up lolling the morn away watching the damn box.

The afternoon was dedicated to looking at cars... whilst trying to sell mine. What I cannot fathom is why it is that when I want to sell the market is at a all time low; but when I'm looking, forget it!

Sunday morning dawned and with the crack, off we were down the coast to the first 'goda'. Work at a standstill thanks to the wonderful service of a government body... eight weeks and I am still waiting for the no good, lazy arse's to get with it. What irks me no end is their attitude, claiming that it is to be expected as they are a Government Institution! Ye Gods, to the stake with them all I say....

Well, from that 'goda' we had to drive back to the other 'goda', all in all, a round trip in excess of 200km, which on our crappy roads is a long way. Fortunately, traffic was light and we were home by late evening.

Oh, then of course the arrival of my passport! Which implies that I will soon to be on the road, on my travels. I have the itch, mildly satisfied by a short jaunt across the sea to Thailand - my first visit that country. Nice... certainly a far cry from my poor country, treated so badly by our politicians - off to the stakes with them too!

So, if all goes well, I am off. I need to be out, for there is much to do. Sitting around watching my ars grow broader is counter productive. I could be doing what I do OK at....

So that brings me to today.... I am of better cheer than I was a few days ago.... there are a couple of people out there who were instrumental for this; thank you.