What if Santa Answered his Mail Honestly ?

Dear Santa I wud lik a kool toy spase ranjur fer Xmas. Iv ben a gud
boy all yeer.
Yer Frend,
BiLLy

Dear Billy,
Nice spelling. You're on your way to a career in lawn care. How about I
send you a frigging book called a dictionary, so you can learn to read
and write? I'm giving your older brother the space ranger. At least HE
can spell .
Santa
------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Santa,
I have been a good girl all year, and the only thing I ask for is Peace
and joy in the world for everybody!
Love, Sarah

Dear Sarah,
Your parents smoked pot when they had you, didn't they?
Santa

------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Santa,
I don't know if you can do this, but for Christmas, I'd like for my
Mommy and daddy to get back together. Please see what you can do.
Love, Teddy

Dear Teddy,
Look, your dad's banging the babysitter like a screen door in a
hurricane. Do you think he's gonna give that up to come back to your
frigid mom, who rides his a** constantly? It's time to give up that
dream. Let me get you some nice Legos instead.
Santa

------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Santa,
I left milk and cookies for you under the tree, and I left carrots for
your reindeer outside the back door.
Love, Susan

Dear Susan,
Milk gives me the runs and carrots make the deer fart in my face when
riding in the sleigh. You want to do me a favor?
Leave me a bottle of scotch.
Santa

------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Santa,
I really really want a puppy this year. Please please please PLEASE
PLEASE could I have one?
Timmy

Timmy,
That whiney begging sh** may work with your folks, but that crap
doesn't work with me. You're getting a sweater again.
Santa
------------------------------------------------------------------
Dearest Santa,
We don't have a chimney in our house, how do you get into our house?
Love, Marky

Mark,
First, stop calling yourself "Marky", that's why you're getting your
a** whipped at school.
Second, you don't live in a house, you live in a low-rent apartment
complex.
Third, I get inside your pad just like all the burglars do, through
your bedroom window.

Sweet Dreams,
Santa

If I Were a File Extension I Would be a..

Which File Extension are You?

When I am Alone in the Office.....

I wonder...

1) Why don't Dominoe's and Pizza Hut have a better selection for vegetarians? How much Simply Veg and Mexican Veg pizza could a person eat over and over again? Who is the genius who came up with Spicy Veg pizza? Chick peas and beans do not belong on pizza crust, dammit!!
2)  Why do pastry shops (Fab, Sponge) sell rich cake with only 1mm of almond icing? If I had the patience, I could ground some cashew with icing sugar, add some almond flavour and ice the cake myself.
3) How can so many kids (age 16 and under) afford the latest mobile phones? The new models cost Rs. 50,000 (USD 500) and more. When I was sixteen, I had to save all my pennies just to upgrade my computer for a mere Rs. 10,000.
4) Why are main roads in Colombo and its suburbs invaded by security forces each time a Member of Parliament decides to go shopping or to pray or whatever? Do their needs to buy potatoes or receive divine blessings supersede ours?
5) Why do people who claim to be "crazy about kids" balk when invited to visit an orphanage?
6) Do spammers have lives?
7) Why do people who do not have to wear prescription contact lenses use colored ones?
8) Exactly how safe is it to invite a door-to-door salesman into your home, especially when you know he has two bags of knives? I know people who fling open their doors and welcome these men who carry an impressive collection of knives in plain sight. I could never do that - somehow I feel more comfortable buying knives in a store. Maybe it's because I've been watching CSI for so many years


I wish.....

1) I had requested leave on Friday and Thursday like the rest of my colleagues.
2) I had smuggled my TV into office yesterday (Monday)
3) Coldplay had done a better job on X:Y - it's so mediocre (and one of two CDs in the office right now)
4) I get more pieces of Christmas cake by Wednesday because I get hungry every now and then and all I can get delivered to my office is pizza (see above)
5) Chocolate coated almonds were easily obtainable in Colombo
6) Movies like King Kong, The Chronicles of Narnia and Munich are screened at either Savoy or Majestic Cinema.
7) I win the SLT quiz thingy - those Sony VAIO notebooks are hot!!
8) I can find The Chronicles of Narnia amongst my old and extremely dusty collection of books before I watch the movie.
9) I had more single friends - the married ones are so boringly normal they drive me nuts.
10) The next one hour would just fly by so I can go home and watch some DVDs

And I'm the Only One.........

In office today. True Story.

Secrets to Living Well

The following article is from CNN

(CNN) -- We asked readers to share their secrets for living well and received many wonderful tales. Whether it's using your mind to cure what ails you or just making sure to laugh and smile -- you'll find some ideas that might help see you through the decades. Here is a sampling of responses, some of which have been edited for clarity and length.

Mind over body

I always use my mind to control my body. I have had AIDS since November 1993. I always picture in my mind a scene of me running a marathon or climbing a high mountain. I figure if you can give yourself a heart attack with worry and stress then you must be able to reverse it also using the same mind. Your life and health is a reflection of what you are thinking, including the subconscious mind. So always think positive thoughts of a healthy life and almost by magic your body will respond accordingly. Try it! What have you got to lose except some hefty medical bills!
Jerry Avila, Dallas, Texas

Live and let live. Disapproving of the choices that others make will drain your vitality. Develop friendships with kind, fun-loving people of all ages. Rescue stray animals. Go out of your way to be kind to other humans. Making life easier for others will make your life richer and more meaningful.
Teresa Thomason, Athens, Georgia

I'm 56 and look and feel like I'm in my mid-40s. My secret, I believe, is good genes for one, drink lots of water, exercise and think young. That doesn't necessarily mean dress inappropriately for your age, but to keep your mind active, stay in tune to what is going on in the world and try to stay as "flexible" as possible in mind and body.
HB, Oceanside, California

I'm 84 and can't believe it. I sustained a spinal cord injury in 1989 and, while I lost mobility, I gained insight into what's important in life. My appreciation of my mental acumen and to appreciate the physical functions I still have. Family and good friends loom very big, AND MY COMPUTER.
Beatrice Rosenberg, Shrewsbury, New Jersey
All things in balance

Life is like a seesaw: when one end is weighted down with negative circumstances, it must be balanced with happiness. Do whatever it is that brings you joy. I write, read, and, at the moment, sew quilts. The many colors and the creative high it gives me is a good balance for whatever negatives life may bring me.
Johanna Brewer, Sherman, Texas

Fad diets are never the way to go in order to maintain a healthy weight and overall health. All types of food and even desserts in moderation are the only way to go. After all, a little fat in the diet helps people digest meals better. It's the way our bodies were intended to be run. Exercise should be fun and rewarding as well as a good stress reliever. But above all, a positive mental attitude, enthusiasm, and perseverance in everything you do are the key to good health and a good life!
Alison Hall, McLean, Virginia

I think to live well we must have balance in our lives. Positive energy should be created from faith, daily self-introspection, and good nutritional and fitness habits. Practiced on a daily basis, we can continue to feel good about ourselves; thus giving us zeal to live a long, healthy life.
John Harrison, Scranton, Pennsylvania

Avoiding stress
The secret is to get up early, do some form of exercise, running preferred, and free your life of stress...stress is the killer. And stay away from Big Macs and Whoppers.
Stephen Swafford, North Lauderdale, Florida

In our pursuit to find the answers to all our problems in science we forget that a lot of things are, in fact, in our control.
I was suffering from a stomach ailment for a very long time and the high flying doctor that I used to consult put me on all kinds of medicines for a year. Finally I got fed up and consulted another doctor, who ran a couple of tests and said that there was no way medicines could solve my problems and asked me to work on ways to reduce stress. Over a period of time I worked on reducing my stress levels and noticed that it did make a difference.
Sinosh Nair, Mumbai, India
Just good advice

-Walk instead of driving.

-Take the stairs instead of the escalator.

-Drink tea instead of coffee.

-Drink wine instead of beer.

-Stretch while waiting in line.
Kathleen, Montreal, Quebec

An enjoyable job, a loving wife and weekly sex.
John Percival, Phoenix, Arizona

Never smoke. Drink only moderately. Keep working, read as much as you can. Laugh a lot, and don't take yourself so seriously. Make young friends and marry a younger man!! He'll keep you in shape, one way or another!!
F. Pollard, Peoria, Illinois

Water is the key

I haven't been sick in years and I believe it's due to the fact that I drink more water. Drink plain water -- not sodas, sweet juices or flavored drinks -- just plain water. Not very many people know that when you are thirsty, that is the point you are dehydrated. You should never feel thirst to stay healthy. I've been doing it for years and now am proud to say I've avoided getting colds, the flu or other illness at my ripe old age of 52. If you drink coffee, make sure you drink a glass of water before and another one about one hour later.
Ana Calderon, Montebello, California

Keeping a good sense of humor

I walk three miles almost every day on gently rolling slopes in my neighborhood with a group of friends who have a terrific sense of humor. Besides the humor, we counsel one another and gossip. It's called Walk Talk and nothing leaves the walk. It takes about an hour and then we disperse for the day. I wouldn't miss the camaraderie for anything. Lucille, Wimberley, Texas

My secret for a healthier and happy life is to not take life so seriously. Try to stay in a relaxed and happy mood. Smile and laugh as much as you can. Trust me, it will work!
Adriana Ramirez, Rosemead, California

My advice for living well is to laugh often (deep belly laughs)! Engage in regular exercise that is enjoyable, not tedious (I bike, rollerblade, ski, do yoga, and spin class) at least 5-6 days a week. Eat well, but in moderation. Learn something new whenever you can. Travel and see the world. Have at least one cat. Stay out of the sun and take your vitamins. Have a few good friends that you can talk about anything with. Love your children and your partner with your whole heart.
Susan Miller, Warwick, New York

I don't sleep for two or three days straight and instead read hundreds of pages of law casebooks. Then, instead of walking every day, I drive four blocks to the law building, where I drink a cup of coffee and have Pop-Tarts (which are highly valued for their antioxidant qualities). Then...oh, wait. Did you say, "living well?" I'm a 27-year-old law student. I don't know anything about living well. Sorry to bother everyone. Carry on.
Tyler, Iowa City, Iowa

The Superficial.Com - TomKat

According to a post at The Superficial, TomKat are getting married next year, based on what Tom told Barbara Walters: "I do not have a film after Mission Impossible and that is a good time to get married." The writer's comments are a must read.

The Week That Was November 28th - December 2nd, 2005

I got some early Christmas gifts - Firefly and Queer as Folk DVDs and spent the last weekend busting my eyeballs watching every single episode of both. I couldn't see where I was going by Monday morning but managed to stagger into my office, looking quite stoned. Of course, I was alcohol-free but certainly didn't look it. Needed at least four cups of very strong coffee to make it through the e-mails and a couple of meetings. I need a detox this weekend for sure. I have been reading about juice fasting (for three days) and how it cleans up "the system". I have never tried out a liquid-only diet ever in my life, and with my constant running about, I don't know how long I was last by drinking lime, orange and mango juice alone. So I am going to start by one day at a time. Saturday is going to be Juice Day for me - and I am going to be very brave and try some spinach and celery juice as well.

Shopping at Odel turned out to be boring. There were so many people doing absolutely nothing but walking around, it was difficult to even walk up the stairs/elevator - hate it when that happens!! There were lights and other bling bling stuff all over the place - nice but nothing special. I'm going to pop by during office hours next week to avoid the crowds. I am so not a people person.....At least I got some decent t-shirts for myself. I keep a couple in the office as well, since I prefer to wear casual stuff when I don't have to meet with clients. Whoever deemed western office wear as mandatory for Sri Lankan offices deserves to be assigned to work in a cubby hole with no air conditioning and ventilation for a couple of months. I'm sure their minds will change, eventually....

Stopped by Cravings twice this week. I had Rum Fudge Slices, a Fruit Tart and an Eclair. All were nice and very reasonably priced. I wonder how Delifrance and Barista (which still has the best cappuccino in town) are going to compete with the prices of the new local pastry shops. At Deli, a veggie sandwich in a croissant costs a whopping Rs.225 odd rupees and a watermelon juice is around Rs.100. Roots has a better selection of fruit juices (very generous portions too) at much less (around Rs 40 - 80).

Coming back to DVDs, the one I am really lusting for is CSI: Season 5 - it has an ETA of December 20th. Until then, I have to make do with AXN's CSI Sunday marathon. I have developed a liking for Numb3rs - I like the interaction between the two brothers (one an FBI agent and the other a math whiz). The second most anticipated DVD is the first season of LOST. While the beefed up Matthew Fox is very impressive, I like watching Terry O'Quinn (terribly underused in the now-more-than-ever deteriorating ALIAS) showing off his acting chops.

The Week That Was November 21 - 25, 2005

After a mind numbingly boring week, I am going to drop by Odel later in the day to finally check out this "Bling It On" promotion they've got going. I've passed the store on my way to work everyday and thought "How very dull" each time I saw the billboards. I remember at one time the entire store was converted into a light blue castle - now that was impressive.

My shopping list is rather short - what I really want to get are those recycled elephant dung stationary packs to send out to my pals in the UK and US. Once I even got a wrapping paper made with the stuff. The recipient nearly gagged when she read the small print but being the pro-recycling, environmentally friendly person that she is, she soon got over it.

The one thing I like about Odel - and when I say like, I mean consistently - are the quality of the Odel T-shirts. Sure the sketched pictures of elephants, monkeys and porcupines and what not are very basic - yet the quality of the t shirts are very good. They last an amazingly long time - the black ones rarely ever fade and are available in a pretty decent size selection.

Been missing out on a lot of TV these days - as wonderful as cable channels are in repeating programs, I always miss the ones broadcast during the day. I have realised the price of a TV series box set here is actually not much lower than buying one in the US or Australia. There's also a very noticeable difference in the picture quality and sound. So when responding to requests on what I would like as a present/s for the season, I of course selected some stuff from Oz. Now I can just picture myself spending the last weekend of December glued to 22 episodes of at least five TV series.

Making a short trip to the bookstores on Saturday as well - I am going to provide exercise books for a group of kids at an orphanage. I usually give them food (rather unhealthy stuff like toffee and biscuits) but this time I wanted to set a better example and stuff. Since I take ages to make the packs (26 packs for 26 kids) I will be doing it gradually. I'm sure I'm going to be asked how come I don't give them sweet stuff anymore (brats!) but they will have to wait until next year for that.

For the first time in years, I won't have an annual bonus this year - what with my constant job hopping and all. On the bright side, I do get a substantial amount of paid leave and since I have managed to save my pennies this past couple of months, I can finally get that oh-so-cool Compaq laptop that I've been eyeing for awhile.

Sri Lanka Election 2005 - The Majority Has Spoken

And Mahinda is the winner by a very narrow margin. Now I'm going to spend the weekend pondering my options - do I really want to continue living in a country with M as president or am I going to be better off in another country? (obviously, I didn't vote for M in case you still had any doubts)

Today I Vote For.............

Right now I am in office, merrily surfing the net and downloading/watching clips of US dramas and sitcoms that have not yet made to Asian cable TV channels because I am one of two employees who turned up for work today; another colleague who is also up to no good, eating at her desk and listening to music.

Since everyone I know has already dragged themselves to the polling booths scattered all over the country, I decided to go later in the evening. That way I get to have all the time I want to check out those pencils that are provided along with the ballot paper. I have always been fascinated with them. Each time I have cast my vote, I have tried to break the pencil point but it appears to be rock hard. I even tried to check out if it can be erased (my dad and grandad claim that it leaves a bluish or purplish color if the writing is rubbed off) by using my finger as an eraser but that just made some officials scowl ferociously in my direction.

I am not going to disclose who will receive my vote - I don't like either one of the two major candidates. They are both incompetent and surrounded by crooks. But then again voting for a man who wants to hand over a cow to every household isn't going to work for me either. So I shall vote for either Ranil or Mahinda, and hope that in 2009, a better candidate will present himself/herself so that I won't have to cringe at the prospect of marking an X near his/her name.

Generator Blog

The Generator Blog has a very descriptive title - "This blog is not about those machines used to change mechanical energy into electrical energy. It's about software that creates software. Software to play around and have fun with."

And fun it is...among the more entertaining generators available are:

1)  Masturbation Synonym Generator
2) Ninja Burger Name Generator
3) Office Moron Generator
4) Victorian Sex Cry Generator
5) Vampire Name Generator

Some of them are quite useful:

1) E-mail Signature Generator (for yahoo, gmail and hotmail)
2) The Buzzword Generator (to confuse people who never refer a dictionary)

Random stuff for the 14th of November

I've been very busy at work - travelling to cities all across Sri Lanka and what not. So, in between a series of very short periods of rest, I noticed:

1) Odel has started its Christmas advertising campaign - those giant purple billboards at Lipton Circus are kind of hard to miss.

2) People who wear colored contact lenses are extremely annoying - mainly because their pupils are always dilated and they look stoned out of their minds. Try maintaining eye contact with them during a meeting/presentation.

3) Weather reports that tell me it may or may not rain really serve no purpose.

4) It's high time all these so called "society" magazines and newspaper features devote an entire page on cell  phone etiquette. Sitting next to a very loud voiced gob talking about his personal life is just too much. Not to mention the people who are so very important they just have to keep their cell phones switched on during a movie and  answer calls, while choosing the corniest polyphonic ring tone imaginable.

5) So there is not going to be a debate after all - not that I was looking forward to see Ranil and Mahinda trying to convince the public who would be a better Prez. I've already made up my mind on who is going to get my vote. It would have been fun to see the two have a couple of rounds of spewing verbal abuse at each other though.

6) Just received information about the roads that are going to be closed from tomorrow (15th) to the 18th, in and around Colombo. What the heck is that all about? Does the entire city have to resort to using alternative routes just for an election?

My Harry Potter Personality is.....

Harry Potter Personality Quiz by Pirate Monkeys Inc.

Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

What's with all those personality/pyschometric tests employees are given promptly after recruitment? Apparently employers like to know what "Type" their employees belong to and MBTI is one of the most widely used "tests" used for this purpose. The Indicator is more of an inventory or psychocological instrument rather than a test (or so Personality Pathways says), which suggests right and wrong answers.

I had to do this several times - such is my employment record ;-) and I always got the same four letters at the end of it - INTJ.

A very detailed description of INTJ is available at Typelogic.

Over the years I have noticed the profile is quite accurate (especially regarding fields of employment and relationships) and then among the other stuff given on the Typelogic page , I found a list of INTJs in works of fiction:

Cassius (Julius Caesar)
Mr. Darcy (Pride and Prejudice)
Gandalf the Grey (J. R. R. Tolkein's Middle Earth books)
Hannibal Lecter (Silence of the Lambs)
Professor Moriarty, Sherlock Holmes' nemesis
Ensign Ro (Star Trek--the Next Generation)
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (Hamlet)
George Smiley, John le Carre's master spy
Clarice Starling (Silence of the Lambs)

Weekend at the Movies - Review of Parineeta

Parineeta was written by Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay who also wrote Devdas. In most of his work, Chattopadhyay often wrote aboutBengali society, its people and class structure.

In adapting the novel Parineeta, Vidhu Vinod Chopra changed the setting of the movie from turn-of-the-century to 1962, Calcutta. Narrated by Amitabh Bacchan, we are led straight into a wedding – complete with the colorful costumes, loud music, evenlouder singing and of course, the ever so slight hint that all may not be too well with the bridegroom Shekhar (Saif Ali Khan), resplendent in his "“dashing"” outfit. A brief visit next door in fact proves there is indeed a vibe of some sort between Shekhar and Lolita (Vidya Balan), a young woman who now appears to be married to someone else.

After a series of flashbacks, we learn that Shekhar and Lolita were childhood pals, from the time Lolita was adopted by her aunt and uncle (who lived next door to Shekhar) following her parent’s death. Though the family lived in a grand house, her uncle’s family was not wealthy and a ten-year-old Shekhar grants her access his pocket money, making the cupboard in his bedroom Lolita’s personal ATM machine.

The friendship proves to be a strong bond between the two until Shekhar’s father Nabin Roy (Sabyasachi Chakravarthy) – a very ruthless businessman, introduces his son to Gayatri, daughter of his business associate and Lolita catches the attention of Girish, a steel tycoon on holiday in Calcutta. After seeing Lolita in Girish’'s company in a series of events, Shehkar is consumed with jealousy in each instance. But after a mercifully short sequence of events, he finally confronts his feelings for Lolita, and it turns out she feels the same way about him(yay!)

Just when things appear to be turning out well, a ploy used by Roy senior to gain ownership of Lolita’s house backfires and leads to a series of misunderstandings, and the plot makes a neat 90-degree turn. To say more would reveal too much and what is mentioned below may qualify as spoilers.

I liked almost everything in this movie. That said, I am not a Hindi movie freak – I only watch films with English sub-titles and tend to avoid films with long song-and-dance routines (I find them very annoying). Parineeta has a wonderful soundtrack – a grand total of five songs, of which different versions are played very subtly in the background at various stages. (My favorite song was “Kasto Mazza” which is sung on a train)

Saif Ali Khan was amazing and perfect for the role of Shekhar Roy. Everyone else was superbly cast, including Sanjay Dutt (who is usually seen riding a motorcycle in a hailstorm of machine gun bullets and somehow emerging unscathed in all the movies he makes) as a latter day Lakshmi Mittal-like tycoon. The person who really made an impression was Vidya Balan - –reportedly Parineeta was her debut –and she’'s just fabulous. In the word’s of Jude Law'’s Alfie –"The girl is a “showstopper!" In an age when every other actress relies on a pair of false eyelashes, colored contact lenses and a total of six expressions to portray a character, Vidya Balan simply sails through the movie like she’'s been acting all her life.

There was just one scene in the movie that made me roll my eyes and that was the birdfeeder being used to break down the wall at the end of the movie. I mean, WTF??!! That wall turned out to be a pretty sturdy piece of bricks and cement, considering it was built in a single day. Shekhar first tried to kick it down, then used a shovel, an anvil and finally uprooted a birdfeeder before finally managing to break a few bricks and bring him closer to his beloved Lolita. That was such a Sanjay Leela Bhansali scene and it almost ruined an otherwise perfect movie for me.

Now on to the comparisons between Chopra’'s Parineeta and Bhansali’'s Devdas.....IMO Parineeta ranks several (meaning few dozen) levels higher than Devdas. At the end of Devdas, I was left reeling with two thoughts "“What the hell was all that about” and “I want those 200 odd minutes of my life back!” At the end of Parineeta, I was surprised it had all ended so quickly and at 130 minutes, this is one of the shortest Hindi films I have ever watched.

Bhansali’s over-the-top direction of Devdas weakened an already bad script and acting (and for those of you who insist Aishwarya is a great actress – get real, she’'s not) and made it a messy, loud and over long dancefest. I would not have really minded the same birdfeeder scene at the end of Devdas. It would have made more sense. Now that I have watched Parineeta, I can'’t help but wonder – if Paro (Aishwaray Rai) had spotted a birdfeeder in the garden whilst she was running towards the gate to see Devdas - who lay dying on the road outside, would she have uprooted the damn thing (a la Shekhar Roy) and smashed through the wall to be with Devdas as he breathed his last?

Babel Fish - Boredom Buster

Babel Fish (based on the creature in Douglas Adam's brilliant Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy) from Alta Vista is a fairly accurate (tried the reverse translation as well and it made sense most of the time) multi-lingual translation thingy that keeps me entertained when I am bored. It has also helped me grasp some very helpful phrases in Italian, French and Spanish.

Here are some examples: (all translations were made from English to French, Italian etc)

1) Where am I?

Italian : Dove sono?
French : Où suis-je ?
Spanish : ¿Dónde estoy?

2) Where are you taking me, you crazy cab driver?

Italian : Dove state prendendolo, voi driver pazzesco della carrozza?
French : Où me prenez-vous, vous conducteur fou de cabine ?
Spanish : ¿Dónde usted me está tomando, usted conductor loco del taxi?


3) A salad with black olives and feta cheese, one glass red wine and mushroom risotto, please.

Italian : Un'insalata con le olive e formaggio di feta nero, un vino rosso di vetro e risotto del fungo, per favore
French : Une salade avec les olives et le feta noir, un vin rouge de verre et le risotto de champignon, svp
Spanish : Una ensalada con las aceitunas y queso de queso Feta negro, un vino rojo de cristal y risotto de la seta, por favor

4) Football is such a waste of time.

Italian : Il gioco del calcio è un tal spreco di tempo.
French : Le football est une telle perte de temps.
Spanish : El balompié es tal pérdida de tiempo.

5) ET phone home

Italian : ET telefono domestico
French : ET téléphone à la maison
Spanish : ET teléfono casero

6) Go ahead, make my day

Italian : Vada avanti, faccia il mio giorno
French : Allez-y, faites mon jour
Spanish : Vaya a continuación, haga mi día

7) I'll be back

Italian : Sarò indietro
French : Je serai de retour
Spanish : Estaré detrás

8) Welcome to the Caribbean

Italian : Benvenuto ai Caraibi
French : Bienvenue vers les Caraïbes
Spanish : Recepción al Caribe

9) Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn

Italian : Franco il mio caro, non dò una maledizione
French : Franchement mon cher, je ne me soucie guère
Spanish : Franco mi querido, no doy una maldición

10) I would never call you a rat. I'm your best friend.

Italian : Mai non li denominerei un ratto. Sono il vostro amico migliore.
French : Je ne vous appellerais jamais un rat. Je suis votre meilleur ami.
Spanish : Nunca le llamaría una rata. Soy su mejor amigo.

Dinner at Peach Valley

Peach Valley is one of the best Chinese restaurants in Colombo and one of the few places a vegetarian (not all that strict, but I do try) can have a great meal.

Over the years (Peach Valley is about five years old now) I have tried out all the veggie options and the following are now my favorites:

1) Chili Garlic Tofu
    Silken tofu cubes in a very light non-oily sauce - quite spicy and don't let the colour fool you, in spite of the flakes of red chillies, it is not too hot. The garlic flavour is mild, not overpowering.

2) Mock Duck
   This is my all time favourite dish at Peach Valley. I have no idea what duck really tastes like, but I just love Mock Duck. It's made with flour and marinated in possible a dozen spices and flavours and served with a very heavy onion/soy sauce.

3) Mixed Mushrooms
   Another dish served along with garlic sauce, the mushrooms are a very lightly sauteed and taste amazing. There are at least three varieties served and my personal favourite are the button mushrooms.

4) Spicy Prawns
   On the rare days I feel like eating seafood, I order prawns. As spicy and juicy as the prawns served are, they are really really tiny. I mean minuscule. It's still a great choice though and goes really well with the tofu.

Vegetable Fried Rice (with egg) is the perfect choice for each of the above - and a word of caution - a "Small" portion (both rice and vegetables) at Peach Valley is more than sufficient for three adults.

Daily Orange Article on Jon Stewart

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart is not just a fake news show - it's probably the most accurate and blunt program on US news broadcast on television today. For those of you who missed out on Stewart's appearance on "Crossfire" - a clip of the show can be downloaded at Photo Matt's blog.

Best E-mail Provider To Date

Of all the free web based e-mail services I have used (and that includes Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail, Hushmail, Wildmail, Rocketmail and some others which have long been shut down) Fastmail is definitely the most user friendly and fastest. Seriously.

It's been three and a half years since I signed up for an account and no complaints so far. The mailbox limit (10MB) is much less than Gmail - and I use it exclusively for messages only. On the plus side, Fastmail constantly improves its service and is very easy to access even on the slowest connection - including dial up connections.

Odel's New Poster Boy

I like being neutral when it comes to politics here in Sri Lanka but damn, this is one fine picture.

So I'm a Democrat, huh?

You are a Social Liberal (61% permissive) and an... Economic Liberal (26% permissive) You are best described as a: Democrat The Politics Test

Early Morning Surprise

Whilst walking along Galle Road this morning, I heard someone say "You dropped something". I turned to find a bus conducter gesturing wildly at the pavement behind me. I looked but didn't see anything spectacular. Just as I was turning away, the guy leapt off the bus and picked up a currency note off the pavement and handed it over to me, saying it had fallen out of my book as I was walking. I was really impressed, considering the bad rep most Sri Lankan bus conducters have.......

 

It really made my day.

Firefox Themes

After using Firefox with its default theme for....well, ever - I finally changed it to Noia 2.0. This is one fancy theme, let me tell you. The colors/icons are pretty cool. I was tempted to install Scribblies Kids - but it was a tad too colourful.

I'm Lovin' It!

I love my new job - especially the flexible hours. I get a kick out of telling all my pals (most of whom are in finance) that I leave work at 3.30pm and have two extra hours for leisure. It drives them nuts.

 

 

Sirasa's Not So Super Star

Sirasa Super Star has been ripped off American Idol - pure and simple. What made American Idol so wildly popular still eludes me - I never found it all that entertaining. But damn, most of those people can really sing and it is a good concept to help out aspiring artistes. But TV program standards in Sri Lanka have sunk to a new low with Sirasa Super Star.

Let me start with the judges - there are three of them (just like American Idol). There's Jagath, Rukantha and Nirosha. Unlike AI - all three are relatively young, well known singers. Of these three, only Jagath is a songwriter/composer/singer and I believe I have seen him in a couple of teledramas as well. Alright then, he's got a little bit of talent going for him.

What about the other two? What makes them qualify as judges? Sure they can sing and so can a few million other people on this planet. Most of them may not have recording contracts or CDs selling at the supermarket - but why choose two people whose sole talent is singing? And even that, it's just recycled pop songs.  At times it's painfully obvious that both Rukantha and Nirosha deliberately try to sabotage Jagath's reviews of the contenders and prevent them from proceeding to the second round.

Since of late, Nirosha's reviews have been more decent and positive - she seemed to get a real kick out of ridiculing people before. Initially it was also clear that both Nirosha and Rukantha have somewhat of an inferiority complex when a contender displays more talent and sings better than they do. Jagath was all out to send these folk into the next round but was vetoed by the other two. So what's the point??!!

What's with the whole language barrier on the program? First you tell the contestants they can sing in any language and then the lovely Nirosha requests a Sinhala song. Now what is up with that? Weren't the judges informed that contestants can sing in whichever language they choose? Is Nirosha's ability to judge limited to the Sinhalese language? If so, why not ask her to refrain from commenting when a different language is used? Sirasa really needs to set up clear and precise guidelines for the judges before the show is broadcast.

Even if the program itself is somewhat loosely based on American Idol, Sirasa should at least get a more diverse group of judges. How hard can it be to find three people who wouldn't mind spending a few hours listening to some people sing and getting paid for it in the process? The better option would be for three classical musicians to be elected as judges - but that is not a very realistic option. After all, this is Sirasa we are talking about.....

Every time I get a chance to watch it, I keep hoping some contestant would come up with a more interesting selection like Snoop Dog's "Drop it like it's hot" or any one of Nelly's but to date, I must say I have been disappointed. I haven't heard anyone attempt "The Rose" by Bette Midler or even "Hit Me Baby One More Time" by the very talented Britney Spears.

I hope more people who are planning on singing on this show will think twice before they do. Is it really worth going on national TV and being told off by a couple of pop singers? For those of you who like acting like idiots in front of the camera and love being labelled as losers with no talent - rock on.

Dawn of a New Era

After eight terribly miserable months of working in a so-called world
class company, I am now gainfully employed in a field I love. It's a
wonderful thing to wake up every day and actually look forward to
going to work. I hope the feeling lasts forever.

The new office is in a grand location – and walking distance to Odel.
Not that I go there all the time and spend too many days indulging in
cocktails during Happy Hour……but it's nice to work in the city after
being stationed in the most disgustingly remote areas of the country.

I have a huge room at the office and I share this with a girl who has
a very nice "live and let live" attitude. So I personalized the room
with my coffee mugs, potted cacti and motivational banners without
incurring her wrath. We also have a radio on all the time, though we
both don't share the same taste in music and switch from one station
to the other all the time. There are just four colleagues to work with
in my division. There's no "Team Spirit" and "Be a Team Player"
campaign here – everyone does their thing and goes home without a
fuss. There's so much work on most days we barely have time to talk,
and that's fine with me.

The change in jobs has done me a lot of good – I am a much more
cheerful person now apparently, as my friends so nicely inform me.
Well, I was ALWAYS cheerful as far as I know – being employed in a
dump tends to dampen one's spirits sometimes, but it's only temporary!

I also have a lot more time to devote to my interests. I no longer
have to wait for the weekend to read or to indulge in watching an
entire season of "24" or "The West Wing" or play a game on PS2 from
beginning to end or even to go for a walk on the beach. These are all
daily events for me now and have become a very important part of my
life.

The best part of all is that I get to spend more time with my pets –
three dogs and four cats, than I ever did before. That's what I tell
myself when I wash away all the canine and feline saliva off my body.