Laughing out LOUD!!!

Whatever life brings forth, it would do you wonders to let it out with a laugh.

After arriving in the motherland late last year I've been catching up with people for all the lost time over the years. Last Friday, I was invited to dinner at a friends' house whom I had not seen in 6 years. Apart from myself a few other close friends were also there. One guy couldn't make it since he was on honeymoon, and didn't trust the rest enough to say where he is; he only gave a rough locale between two destinations- how about that for secrecy?.

A friend recently returned from Malaysia and couldn't to my irritation start talking how lovely it was. Although, it was fascinating to him I already knew the good, the bad, and the ugly about Malaysia. But in one question he succeeded in making my spirits sink- "how did you have the heart to leave Malaysia?" Then, I had to tell him in brief of what transpired reliving again a difficult part of my life.

It didn't take long to realise that I was the only guy with nothing to show for. Of course, looking back I have achievements, but there's no point resting on ones laurels. My school records are part of the past, my degree only a piece of paper and nothing more. You start thinking how all this came about, or what you did wrong, is it already too late?!? It seemed like others are moving ahead with life with plans to get married, starting a new business, taking over their dad's business and much more. And there I was... still unemployed!!

All those feelings soon passed when the guys started talking about school: the pranks, fights, punishments, ups and downs, and all those in between. The entirety of it was a laughing session which ceased to stop for hours; things kept on coming up from all the guys. As my sides started to ache I thought of the last time I laughed so loud and hard.

And you know what? I couldn't remember.....

The Old Boys' Club

Most of you living in Sri Lanka -those who are guys anyway- would have a close affiliation to their former schools, one way of doing that is by joining the Old Boys' Club. Obviously, many schools refer to their alumni is various way like Old Boys' Group, Association, Union etc. Before leaving school to study abroad I had already obtained membership- life membership to be exact!! For 5 years nothing really happened and neither was I interested because academics were my priority. After coming back home I thought why not play an active role and see how I can contribute towards my Alma Mater.

Being part of the alumni in ones former school is like a tradition in many ways. Son follows the father in his footsteps and that's pretty much it. But there lies an unspoken loyalty amongst those of the alumni; loyalty transcending age, religion and race. During my school days I addressed any alumnus as "Sir", that being the rule taught to us by seniors. After joining the alumni you do that to people who are past their 50s or 60s. Here, its very important to know your place and not to step on peoples' toes, because you never know the amount of influence those have. On the other hand, members of this group are some of the imminent businessmen, politicians, doctors, lawyers, and others who are at the pinnacle of their fields; a definite plus point when concerned with networking.

I contested for the Old Boys' Council, and in my maiden attempt succeeded thanks to my age group, it was mainly due to me being one of the oldest in the group. Lobbying for votes from my juniors was hardly an effort since most of them willingly supported me. Henceforth, its a very long climb to the top, but hey, climbing is something I do quite well.

All by myself

Doing things on my own did bring some form of independence in a way that's strangely indescribable. It stems from me being able to do what I want, rather than look for consensus like on most occasions. I, at the age of 24 (nearing 25) went to watch a movie alone, and the experience was quite good. I might even go to watch other movies alone in time to come. You might be wondering why this guy does it? Well, its quite simple because some of my friends don't like to watch some movies, especially Tamil or Sinhala. But, why should I deprive myself of NOT watching those movies? I mean, there's nothing wrong with it at all.

Surprisingly, I may have found a way to unwind on my own without needing to depend on someone else. I happened to be the only person to watch the movie alone, others had come with families and lets not forget all the lovey-dovey couples. An entire row was dedicated to me (seating was not an issue), no obtrusive distractions ahead, minimal noise; what more could you ask for? I've already started to think about the next film I'll watch alone.

Coming to the movie 'Suwanda Denuna Jeevithe' I should say is a decent attempt at bringing the Sinhala cimena to the fore. After years' of neglect due to many reasons (all of which I'm really not familiar to) local cinema is slowly and steadily getting to its feet. Script wise it hinges along the likes of 'Jab We Met' and 'Kanden Kadhalai' without diverting or trying to infuse a local element into the film. I do wish local artists would give room for originality and bring forth scripts dealing with contemporary issues affecting everyday Sri Lankans. Let's not be too critical too soon because all good things take time therefore, time will show the true potential of Sri Lanka, which I'm sure is capable of great heights given its history. Pooja Umashanker in my opinion is a great actress, and she having Sri Lankan roots should be considered a blessing. She has the whole package that is very much missing in most local actresses qualified to act in films: she can act and has won awards to prove it, dancing is not an issue, very lovable on screen and a definite crowd puller. That my dear friends is what you need to make super-duper movie!! Pooja would undoubtedly give all local actresses a run for their money without much effort, lets also hope competition encourages local lasses to up their ante. Songs in the film were refreshing with well thought of lyrics and melodies teaming up with popular local singers. An aspect that captivated me most is the location selection that is just beyond awesome. The locales were so good it made me wonder where they are and go there!! Seriously, I'm not joking. All in all, it was a good film.

Honestly, it feels nice coming back to blogging. Hmmm.... how about that?!?

Samosa Friday

Things seem to be taking a turn for the better, meaning a flicker of light is bleakly visible beyond the tunnel- the tunnel of my unemployment. Looking back on events transpired, they to me, feel as though it was for the best. After being "kicked out" of my first job in Sri Lanka without a second chance, I realised not all people are into forgiveness. As for my line manager who made me quit, I wish nothing for her but the worst!! That does make me feel a bit better, somewhat. To a great extent having personal contacts becomes advantageous when applying for a job. Needless to say, I found out the hard way (I the idiot who thought people get jobs solely on merit) when going through interviews for a multinational involved in the dairy business. From "highly recommended" in the first round I went to being rejected after the second round; got called back again to the third round only be rejected once again. I had a justifiable reason to be pissed-off.

Enough was enough I thought, so to dad I went. He took a phone call to one of his friends and I had an interview. A job is pretty much assured, and now what remains is my designation and pay. In terms of pay I really shouldn't be picky because to be employed is more than a relief. Of course, naming the company is out of the question, then again, a career of bras & panties can't be all that bad, eh?!? I mean the market seems to be booming for lingerie and intimate clothing.

Since February I've had a lot of free time, correction.... too much free time!! But I wasn't jobless for the entire period due to having worked on assignment in March until about June. Having spare time on my hands, I could attend many events that eluded me while being abroad like the Royal-Thomian, both legs of the Bradby, the Royal parade et al. Meeting people whom you've not seen in 5 years definitely brings a cheer; one is because of the long absence, the other without doubt are changes in physique. Most of the chaps who were thin then are fat now, and the reversal has taken effect on those who were fat. I'm one of those who belong to the second category and the reviews have been quite flattering.

After prayers today I thought of having a small bite, so went to a shop and ate a few samosas. They were really good and I went a second time after like 10 min (didn't care if I ate lunch or not). The shop also had many types of sweets, which I promised myself I'd taste later. I'm making a resolution to be more consistent in my blogging from now on; enough of this lazy streak that keeps me tied down. Starting work soon would definitely give me more things to write about and how it affects my life.