with a coffee percolator going wheeeeeee

I just watched the cutest video and song on Youtube... it takes hours if you have a dial up connection like I do (sigh).... but it is a must see....
Its called the 11 saints by Jason Webley and I got the link off Gaiman's blog... (double sigh) watch it NOW
Its worth it.. I swear!

To Andi

I'm sitting here trying to properly register the fact that you're getting married tomorrow... Married Andi!!! And I'm also thinking of all the memories I have of us.... the school times, the crazy times... the times we would run to each other for support... how we always just knew it when one of us was upset or something wasn't right even if we hadn't spoken in weeks... just happy doing nothing while bumming around together... and it occured to me that this one event more than anything has made me realise that we're well and truly ADULTS dammit!
Getting married...
you will leave home.. change your name... have "married woman" issues...
In some ways this is going to be as life changing for me as it is for you! Your wedding is making me realise that the whole concept of "womanhood" is actually an immediate looming issue that has to be dealt with, instead of a vague threat in the distance. The fact that its YOU who's getting married... my other half.. my partner in crime... makes me want to laugh at the sheer seeming absurdity of it and at the same time cry... because in some ways I feel as though I'm having to let you go... that you're leaving me behind...
What I really want to say I think is that I'm nervous... nervous for you.. nervous for me.... these are big steps kiddo! Adulthood is looking me straight in the face... and as you walk down the aisle tomorrow its going to be parading past me! So when i stand up... I guess I'll be standing in respect and hope for what is to come and also in some perverted way which I'm still unable to fully articulate.. I'll be standing up for something that all of us will leave behind... you'll leave it at the door and it wont follow any of us home... it could be the last remnants of our childhoods... it could be some of our perceptions on life... I guess I'll know it when its gone...
Dont get me wrong.. I'm happy for you... I'm thrilled that this is coming true.. the fairytale ending to the soap opera I've always been meaning to write on your life... and I wish for you more than anything the "they lived happily ever after" ending... you know the part that they always gloss over in the story books! I also know you wont go anywhere... that we will always be who we are - and who we are dictates in some cosmic way that we should always remain friends... but there! I dont want to tempt fate by saying it.... (thooo thoo thoo)
Oh andi! andi! I want so much for you... but most of all I just want you both to be happy. If there was one fairy god mother gift I could give you, it would be that. I want you to be happy no matter what happens in life.. no matter what you may have to go through...
Alright I shall stop now and go get some sleep... have to look good for our big day!
kisses.

Amidst a political christmas

How I love holidays and special days and Christmas in particular! Sitting at work at 5.45am on Christmas morning is somehow not so bad since I have a Santa hat and a bright pink christmassy top to help me get through it! The fact that some creative genius at JWT had decided to send me pop rocks in their Christmas card has also helped considerably. It really doesn't take too much to make me happy... perhaps I AM as decadent as some good friends (who know who they are..) accuse me of being...
I've been amusing myself somewhat by reading Christmas messages sent in by politicians... the irony is somewhat diverting and the cynic in me is having a field day... I think my favourite one upto now is by Somawansa Amarasinghe who has called for us to defeat terrorism while celebrating... somehow this conjures up images of AK 47 toting dual purpose Santa's who can not only deliver gifts but also take out terrorists in one power packed trip. Second on my list of Best Christmas messages is by Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake who has called for the country to pray for the defeat of terrorism.... selfless messages of peace and solidarity.... The others are fairly orthodox standard run of the mill messages... the usual hope, peace and love thing.... I appreciate the two above because I feel they really reflect the individuality and personality of the authors. I'm currently looking for the bronzer in terms of local Christmas messages - I shall post it as soon as I find it.... later maybe I'll go for the top 3 international figurehead christmas messages. Any discoveries anyone?

91 words of pure sentiment

I love the fact that I can have the greatest time in the world with my friends with such minimal effort…
The fact we left a party to chill out and just hang…
The fact that all it took was a room (with no electricity)…
Knowing that you are among the most non judgemental, understanding, and loyal people you’re ever going to meet…
These are the moments you always treasure no matter what may happen later.
Last night was awesome…
D, Venu, Sanjay, Issa, Taz…
I love you guys so much!

Sri Lanka 6th in Human rights list? I PROTEST!

Sixth of seventh... if I was not this mathematically impaired I could probably do some amazing things with numbers that left you gasping in sheer awe at my prowess with numbers and the sheer hopelessness of coming in sixth of seventh... please imagine that the following words are numbers and the things I've done with them are pretty darn amazing... and we can get to the crux of the matter...
SIXTH of SEVENTH... thats where Sri Lanka stands in terms of violating human rights in the SAARC Region. Thats just troubling.... all thats happening around us and they tell us that things in the region around us are actually worse? With us trying so hard??? Surely.. but SURELY the CID questioning of three journalists for hours on end under the (as yet undefined) new Prevention of Terrorism Act can gain us some brownie points? And the abductions on an almost daily basis??? Hey.. when was this counted anyway? Surely the past few weeks alone have afforded us enough leeway to leapfrog over our closest competitor... that would be...Pakistan. Ok Pakistan beating us at something I can handle... but Number 1 is Bangladesh! BANGLADESH! I have no issue with Bangladesh... but come on... this is a matter of national pride... have you seen their cricket team play? We have to try harder... HARDER! The abductions must be upped further... we have not taken enough "regressive measures" - oh how I love "reportese" - the jargon used in reports! If only I had seen this earlier in my university career I bet I could have scored a few more marks on my assignments... but I digress....
I really shudder to think how bad things must be outside of here... with people literally getting lifted off the roads, implementation of tough new laws that are essentially for curbing freedom of expression and the peoples right to know, torture and rape in the North and East, not to mention random executions of civilians, students and aid workers.... What havent we done??? Why are we not even in medal position? Atleast give us a commendation... or how about an unofficial poll title... like in those high school magazines... like "Most likely to get into the top 3 of this list next year"... the speed at which we are taking "regressive measures" (Oh HOW I love that phrase!) bodes well for the future I think.
Sixth of Seventh...I dont know whether to laugh at it or work myself up into frenzies of righteous indignation because we're just damn well not recognised for all our hard work! (please picture more complicted math-o-grams here to illustrate my point and further awe you with my genius tendencies)....
(sigh)

seasonal office cheer

Secret Santa is a crazy concept.. I pushed for it mercilessly in office and somehow became the chief organiser. How hard could it possibly be? Just mix up the names and tell em to buy gifts for each other right? How wrong I was.... I didnt reckon with the COMPLICATIONS.
Firstly there were a few militants out there who felt that we shouldnt even celebrate Christmas.... secondly there were a few very disgruntled people who were very bitter about the gifts they got last year... among them a cantankerous old gentleman who had been gifted a baila tape by his secret santa who has been in hiding ever since.
SO I have to first carry out a damn poll... ASKING people if they want to participate.... then I had to make another list, and actually note down who gets whom so that there can be no more mess ups... then we set the date and half the people get chickun gunya so i have to postpone it. Now I'm getting yelled at by people who've already put their presents under the tree. Oh I'm not happy. Add to this the fact that I'm still hung-over, still in the throes of sleeplessness, craving an energy drink for some odd reason and the combination is not pleasant. I have now taken to laughing oddly by myself and muttering random phrases in the hope that people will just bloody leave me alone....
the fish were told.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows???

The Deathly Hallows? ok that has to be the lamest title yet... what in the world is a deathly hallow???? read the story here... I wonder what she was thinking.. deathly hallow... is it me or does that sound pretty pretentious? It could just be the fact that nothing is impressing me today... maybe I should revisit this when I'm in a better mood.....

Gaiman!!!!

Lately I find myself wavering... my fidelity to Terry Pratchett is on the line. Reason? New man in my life. Neil Gaiman.... who has moved me enough to want to write about the depth of feeling he invokes in me. What does one do? Will Terry understand? Neverwhere established "that" connection between us, but "American Gods" really had me... what an awesomely well crafted novel - a monster read that I slowed down even more because (to use the cliche critics phrase) I didnt want the damn thing to end! Also read his blog - which is updated frequently and is as funny, clever and entertaining as any of his prose. Of course I wouldnt be called a "true" fan by any stretch of the imagination... especially since I've never read his sandman series... mostly since I ant afford it. But his prose is a delight.. its intelligent, the plots are tight and his characters are some of the most delightful people you'll ever come across in print. (also maybe in real life). Gaiman.. you've got me! What does one do? Right now I'm compromising and holding onto Good Omens which is a collaborative effort by my two favourite men in the world right now. Yup... Gaimans got me... and right now I'm just enjoying the rush of the rendevouz... read if you can American Gods, Neverwhere and Stardust.... awesome awesome... just dont ask for mine since I'm a possesive sort of lover.

morning glory

ah the beauty of a hung over work morning.... the thing is I havent even got the chance to GET the damn hangover.. my body is still in the process of realising that its really quite drunk. Ofcourse my body also still tells me that theres no way this can be morning dammit... its still fricking DARK outside! I've been doing up some reading on hangovers... as a means of passing the time which is ticking slowloy... so.... slowly....I have found out that globe artichoke essence is not a good remedy for hangovers... globe ARTICHOKE???? These wikipedia guys were ON something were they not? Ah... we learn... thats the beauty of life innit? We always learn....