Random Rantings

Sahanaya’s hoping to run a stall at MedEx this year and need volunteers to man the stall from March 26th to 1st April, from 9am - 8pm. It would obviously be on a shift basis.

You might have to drop in one day before the Exhibition so that you can be briefed on what to say to people who’d visit the stall. It would be great if some of you could volunteer atleast for a few shifts. If anyone’s interested pls contact Sheriene at Sahanaya on 2685960 so that she can draw up a roster.

We’re also planning to have a Jumble Sale on the 5th of April as a fund raiser for Sahanaya. If any of you have anything that might be of any second hand value (meaning decent, usable condition) clothes, books, shoes, ornaments, toys, or even any dry rations (unpackaged even is fine) you can get via a contact that we can sell at cost or less than cost, would also be great.

It would be much appreciated if you could go drop off any stuff at Sahanaya on any week day between 9 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. The address is 96/20, Kitulwatta Road, Colombo 8. (The road between the Borella Cemetary and British School). Or if you can collect some stuff at a place convenient to you (pref in Colombo), we could maybe arrange for the stuff to be picked up on a certain day or something like that.

Please feel free to spread the word k? Thanks so much guys!!!

The National Council for Mental Health – Sahanaya is a non profit non governmental organization working towards the development of mental health and mental health care in Sri Lanka.

Sahanaya is badly in need of volunteers (preferably youth) who are willing to dedicate a few hours a week to help with their various in-house projects. Some of the work involved would revolve around working directly with the clients of Sahanaya and thus, could be quite challenging and interesting. So, do try to help if you can. If you or anyone you know is interested please contact Sheriene at Sahanaya on 2685960.

For more details feel free to visit www.sahanaya.org

Please be kind enough to put up a simialr notice asking for volunteers on your respective blogs too! Thank you all so much!

Three Feet to the Toilet - Will You Make It?

The Chinese Population Explosion - Wi Fuk Yung

Note: I took a strong liking to this poem after watching Dead Poets Society. Sad but fab film by the way…

O Captain! My Captain – Walt Whitman

O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done;
The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won;
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring:
But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of red,
Where on the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up - for you the flag is flung - for you the bugle trills;
For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths - for you the shores a-crowding;
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;
Here Captain! dear father!
This arm beneath your head;
It is some dream that on the deck,
You’ve fallen cold and dead.

My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still;
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will;
The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done;
From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with object won;
Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells!
But I, with mournful tread,
Walk the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

A Poison Tree - William Blake

I was angry with my friend:
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.

And I watered it in fears,
Night and morning with my tears;
And I sunnèd it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles.

And it grew both day and night,
Till it bore an apple bright;
And my foe beheld it shine,
And he knew that it was mine,

And into my garden stole,
When the night had veiled the pole:
In the morning glad I see
My foe outstretched beneath the tree.

When I stand up for myself and my beliefs, they call me a bitch.

When I stand up for those I love, they call me a bitch.

When I speak my mind, think my own thoughts or do things my own way, they call me a bitch.

Being a bitch means I won’t compromise what’s in my heart.

It means I live my life MY way.

It means I won’t allow anyone to step on me.

When I refuse to tolerate injustice and speak against it, I am defined as a bitch.

The same thing happens when I take time for myself instead of being everyone’s maid, or when I act a little selfish.

It means I have the courage and strength to allow myself to be who I truly am and won’t become anyone else’s idea of what they think I “should” be.

I am outspoken, opinionated and determined.

I want what I want and there is nothing wrong with that!

So try to stomp on me, try to douse my inner flame, try to squash every ounce of beauty I hold within me.

You won’t succeed.

And if that makes me a bitch , so be it.

I embrace the title and am proud to bear it.

B = Babe
I = In
T = Total
C = Control of
H = Herself

B = Beautiful
I = Intelligent
T = Talented
C = Charming
H = Hell of a Woman

B = Beautiful
I = Individual
T = That
C = Can
H = Handle anything

* So Girls, a word to the wise…..the next time you’re called a BITCH, try not to take offence, instead, take it as a compliment! Be proud of your new found title! If you’ve got it, flaunt it baby!!! : )

Genuine clips from Council tenants complaining to the Council about problems with their apartments/flats.
1. My bush is really overgrown round the front and my back passage has fungus growing in it.

2. He’s got this huge tool that vibrates the whole house and I just can’t take it anymore.

3. It’s the dog’s mess that I find hard to swallow.

4. I want to complain about the farmer across the road; every morning at 6am, his cock wakes me up and it’s now getting too much for me.

5. I am a single woman living in a downstairs flat and would you please do something about the noise made by the man on top of me every night.

6. And their 18-year-old son is continually banging his balls against my fence.

7. Please send a man with the right tool to finish the job and satisfy my wife.

8. My lavatory seat is cracked, where do I stand?

9. I am writing on behalf of my sink, which is coming away from the wall.

10. Will you please send someone to mend the garden path? My wife tripped and fell on it yesterday and now she is pregnant.

(more…)

I was passed a book baton by Mahangu.

Number of books on the shelf

Well I don’t really have a book shelf as such. Most of my own personal book are piled up along the wall on my desk. The rest are on my mum’s bookshelf. By the rest I mean, her books, that I also read. I don’t really own very many books because, most books I’ve read are either borrowed or my mums.

Last book purchased

I don’t think I’ve ever bought myself a book. I’ve either got a gift of one or I’ve borrowed.

Book reading right now

Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince (but ofcourse!) Alright, alright so I’m a slow reader! Shoot me!!!

Last 5 books read

1. Daddy’s Little Girl
2. The Da Vinci Code
3. The Namesake - (still in the process of reading)
4. Vintage Stuff (still in the process of reading)
5. Michael Jackson Unauthorized & Moonwalker - MJ’s Autobiography (still in the process of reading)

*(Yes, I think we’ve clearly established now that I’m quite the slow reader alright??)

Books that mean a lot to me

Roots – Alex Haley - it was one of the first books I read and it’s like massive but, it was well worth the read. The story revolved around the life of an African family and the hardships they had to endure in slavery. Haley’s quest to learn more about his family history, lead him to write this Pulitzer Prize winning book about his African ancestor, Kunta Kinte who landed with other Gambian Africans in “Naplis” (Annapolis, Maryland) where he was sold into slavery.

Little Men - Louisa May Alcott - This book I think changed my life and inspired me to really pursue something that keeps constantly nagging me at the back of my mind. Someday, if I ever have my very own ‘Plumfield’, it would be this story that did the trick! All four books are amazing! A absolute classic in my books!!!

July – Karen Roberts – A very powerful and moving story about two young lovers - one Tamil, one Sinhalese - caught in the midst of the ‘83 riots. Their dark secret leads to betrayal and tragedy, as the inferno of hatred overcomes their peaceful neighbourhood. It made me realise how so very fickle life is…

The Tale of Peter Rabbit – Beatrix Potter – Not so much for the content of the stories (which all had a moral to the story, for your information) but rather, for the memories brought back by the book. Every day, when I was around five or six, my mum used to sit with me on our couch by the window and read me just one little short story from the book. Every day I used to beg my mother to read more but, her response was always the same, “you’ll just have to wait patiently till tomorrow, darling.” And wait I would, with so much anticipation that I could hardly keep myself from swallowing down my breakfast each day, so that I could drag my mum to read me one more story. It was what you could call one of the simple joys of childhood!

Funny Boy - Shyam Selvadurai - This book mainly appealed to me because of it’s easy readability and outright honesty in highlighting social malfunctions. Arjie’s (the protagonist) struggle to be himself even though everything/one was against him, was so real and sad that one can’t help but critically look inward and question ones own motives and perspectives. Funny Boy keeps repeating with quiet conviction that the human condition can, in spite of everything, be joyful. You are not alone, it says to the reader. I understand you. I too was there, I remember.

Passing the baton to

* Flicker
* Leaky Memory
* Morquendi

If you’d like to be passed the baton, and I’ve left you out, please leave a comment and I’ll add you to the list.

“No one will ever win the battle of the sexes; there’s too much fraternizing with the enemy.”
- Henry A. Kissinger

If you can start the day without caffeine or pep
pills,

If you can be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains,

If you can resist complaining and boring people
with your troubles,

If you can eat the same food everyday and be
grateful for it,

If you can understand when loved ones are too
busy to give you time,

If you can overlook when people take things out
on you when, through no fault of yours, something
goes wrong,

If you can take criticism and blame without
resentment,

If you can face the world without lies and
deceit,

If you can conquer tension without medical help,

If you can relax without liquor,

If you can sleep without the aid of drugs,

If you can do all these things,

THEN YOU ARE PROBABLY THE FAMILY DOG

- Author Unknown