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.

16 all over again

I had an invitation to Drama Comp last month -a privilege being a past president of the Interact Club- and attending such an event after a long absence got me all pumped up. No doubt I wanted to see how the club was able to maintain and improve on previous standards set, not to mention assessing the event as a whole. In a nutshell, the project has improved a great deal, but the black mark for me would be the compering. At some stages I felt like strangling both comperes- literally!! History was made for the first time when judges declared Ladies' College & Visakha as joint winners; best portrayal was not awarded either due to ensemble performances ruling the stage. After everything was over, there was this feeling I felt of being young again. It's not to say that I feel old presently, but you know what I'm saying right?

I made it a point to have a word with the staff advisor; to say how grateful I am that she is still with the club. I know very well the club's relationship with controversy that escalates every year. I thanked her for being there and offered my help in anyway possible.

Waiting for good job to come your way takes more than patience. I've been waiting since February with my constant prayers, not to forget the 'light at end of the tunnel' theory. I was interviewed by 2 companies: one a local conglomerate and the other a multinational. The former called me until the final selection rounds and will give me word next week. As for the MNC.... that's where I want to be!! But they are still at first stage selection with 2 more stages to go. Talk about being picky on selections, then again its expected. I'm anxiously waiting for a reply from the MNC for the second stage, and pretty sure of being selected for the conglomerate.

So.....God please help :D

Somwhere I belong

I daresay its been such a long time since I blogged last. Many things did occur during the past few months, and all of it cannot be said, some are better not said. I even have 2 followers!! Surprise.... surprise!!! Honestly, when I saw it at first I didn't know how to take it, or how to feel. Why not just let it be?!?

At the moment Sri Lanka is not the ideal place if you're looking for a job; then again there's hardly anything ideal about it at all. No doubt there's God given natural beauty- pristine beaches, highlands and lowlands, wet and dry locales etc. But when it comes to the economy nothing is going the way it should. Basically, this small Indian Ocean isle is still screwed!! We have a Central Bank that conveniently conjures up stats and figures to show all is fine and dandy, but nothing is further from the truth. Now, every unemployed ass is running around like a headless chicken applying for jobs. Whether they are qualified for the job or not is a different issue; bottom line is, people need a job. I'm a desperado as well with the only exception being slightly selective as to where I apply.

I get a numbing feeling at times when looking around me thinking if I truly belong to this place? Many times it has made me realise that I don't. Maybe its because nothing is going my way, and I mean nothing!!

I got to know today morning that I hadn't qualified for the third round of a job by a leading local conglomerate. Question- ain't that a bitch?!? Pls don't answer that. Now, I have to pin my hopes on two others for which I was interviewed. Having nerves of steel is not good enough really; I need nerves of titanium. I'm just praying to God for something good, at least for the time being.

I really should resume blogging more frequently.....