A Picture Speaks a Thousand Words

The next time you complain, stop to think for a second; are things really as bad as you think they are?

I'm NOT at work. HOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

Having to not work on Mondays is bliss. I feel for you folks who are at work right now, still half asleep, grumpy and wishing Mondays should be made illegal or things along the lines. Hooooo! That's a Sinhala "Hooo" by the way, not an English one. OK, so here I am at home, and being so lazy to cook ordered a Pizza for lunch, so now stuffed and feeling drowsy.

On a different note, a note to self : you seriously need to learn to think twice before you speak. You seriously do. You sometimes don't realize how a simple word could hurt your loved ones so much... Stop being an idiot and grow up.

Weekend saw us losing one semi final, and getting through to another. As you might know, our cricket season is coming to an end, and there were couple of games, one Twenty20 and the other a forty overs a side. We scored a below par 115 in the 20 overs game, but some very accurate bowling and fielding saw us defending it to enter the semi finals. It was a great match, very intense and a nail-biting finish. The opponents had to score 11 in the last over with only one wicket in hand, but the bugger hit a boundary in the first ball of it. Next was a dot and 7 from 4 was the equation when perhaps our best player, call him D, got the last wicket.

Then headed to a place on a mountain close by, and it was some forty kilometers away! Driving up for that long on a winding road is, well, not really fun especially after running around all day, but the place was fun. We cooked, OK, the two girls who were there cooked a damn good chicken curry and potatoes which we named "A La Festa" because it was more like an Ala Paste. But it was good, had a couple of beers along with it before hitting the bed.

The next day was not so good though. Again we batted first, and again D batted brilliantly but nobody was there to hang around and support him, so we were bowled out for 163 inside the forty overs. Shame. Then, still we were well on our way to a victory, with them 7 down for a hundred odd runs but then they batted well, hell they batted us out of the game and the competition. Too bad that had we gotten through it would have been our first final. But hell, there's always another year.

The Good Side of Typhoons

What's the one good thing about typhoons? What's that? There aren't any? Trust me, there are. At least there is one - you get to stay at home instead of going to work, though that could only be for a few hours. There was this typhoon that hit Tokyo this morning, a fierce one too, so much so that when I got up this morning all I could hear was the sound of the wind. Whoooooooooooooooooosh! You know... After getting ready and stepping onto the road, I was practically concerned more about not getting blown away by the wind than walking. It was such a whirlwind, things flying everywhere including a couple of trains and an apartment complex. Somehow I managed to make it to the train station, but then got the good bad news that they have put on hold all train services because they were afraid they might run out of trains.

OK that's stretching it a bit too far, but seriously there was a typhoon this morning and that resulted in a hold up of train services. And, in Japan, that means no transportation and you have an excuse for being late for work. So I happily trotted back home with a sandwich and a coffee in hand and spent a few hours in the oh so cozy bed, until about 12 noon, instead of being at work. Now, tell me again, are typhoons that bad?

Yesterday, went to see an exhibition about printing stuff. This. You see, I work at a software company and we do a lot of printer related stuff. The exhibition was awesome, there were some really cool printing, cutting and such machines. These Japs are good at this kind of thing trust me. Oh and there were some machines, running software that I too was involved in making and it felt good to see them there. Operating in real world. By the way, while I was there some guy from a company wanted me to answer a questionnaire, in English, and you've got to make the most of any chance you get to use English in Japan. I answered a few questions, afterwards along with a shower of thanks the dude gave me a card full of stickers that you can stick to your computer, as a present. The only glitch was the goddamn thing was full of stickers of butterflies! I mean, WTF? These days I'm being accused of using a flowery pillow and a comforter, having pink lips and wearing flowery shirts and now this on top of all that! Of course the allegations are all false; when I was buying the pillow cover there were only flowery ones, the comforter was provided when I got the apartment, I DON'T use lipstick and the shirt is not really flowery. Certainly not pink. So, worry not fellas I'm not turning gay or anything, and I'm definitely NOT going to stick those goddamn stickers onto the computer!

How to Heal a Broken Heart

I'm a member of a very well known cricket forum in Sri Lanka, but we are not limited to talk just about cricket there. We have just about everything there, to be frank and a place to be. So, I was going through some old threads of it and came across this particular one where some guy had just experienced the pain of a broken heart and posted a thread asking for some advice on "how to heal a broken heart." Among many suggestions such as hanging our with friends, music, booze, quality porn and even Multi-Bond and duct tape, there was this piece which is simply gold, by someone (let's say B) and truly it was too good not to share. Perhaps it might even help a couple of you guys out there. Actually it's written for a guy, but it pretty much applies to a girl as well. So go ahead peeps, have a look and heal your broken hearts if you happen to be so.



Alright, I'll take this as it's your (ex)girlfriend that dumped you. Here's how you heal it;

If this is your first love, probably nothing was ever painful as this is. It's not just any girl, it's the first person that you fell in love with, you may have thought that you'd be together forever, the jokes you shared, wonderful memories, conversations are just hard to forget. Since now it's all gone, you think you will never be happy again, right?

First things to do,

1. CUT ALL COMMUNICATIONS WITH HER. This is the only way! I know I know, you will feel like losing your best friend and hurt a lot but trust me! It'll only get better.
   
   
2. You probably only remember the good times. But recall the bad times, what you hated about her, things that you two never agreed upon.
   
   
3. Just because this is over doesn't mean it's all over. Ask your friends about how they dealt with these things.
   
   
4. Get some family, friends involved. Go out and have fun, movies, music, booze, work out. Whatever that makes your mind off this. Keep yourself occupied.
   
   
5. Be honest about how you feel, and it's OK to feel good too, you don't have to be sad all the time - remember there are others who still care about you.
   
   
6. Don't ask anyone about the girl, if someone refer to her as your girlfriend make sure they know that she's your exgirlfriend. Don't ask your friends about her, cut all communications like I said.
   
   
7. It's OK to cry, even for a guy, and you'll feel much better after you do, just don't do it out in the public.
   
   
8. Use this as an opportunity to be someone that you've always wanted to be, do something that you've always wanted to do.
   
   
9. Make some changes, rearrange your room, get some fresh air, get a hair cut. Don't just sit all day long, get out and do something. and give yourself enough time. Don't expect this to get better overnight.
   
   
10. YOU WILL NOT DIE! Although it feels like you are going to do die! you will NOT!
    

Now,

What could be in her mind? It takes two people to be in a relationship and one person to break it off. Although you feel the way you feel, may be it is meant to be this way. See from my personal experience I can tell you this is a very unfortunate situation to be in. It's ideal for two people to love each other so much and be in a relationship that would last forever. But know what son? Life ain't ideal.

If you really loved someone, then you'd know (at least after a while) that it's OK if they don't love you back, I heard. True love gives and expects nothing in return. I know, what I say might mean nothing to you (at least I was like that), it's hard to digest the pain of rejection, hearing someone say "move on things will be fine" is just bullshit eh? I hated whenever someone told me to "move on". You start to think about all that you've done for her, all the good times... all that. You know why you are still hurting from this? Because you haven't accepted it yet. Letting go means you accept that it's over. That you've lost, sometimes it's OK to accept that you've lost like in this situation you are in now. It will be for your good at the end. Just stop wondering what went wrong and all that shit. You think a text or a phone call won't do any harm but when they don't reply back, you feel shit.

If you keep worrying about this girl then you will give no chance for anyone else. And you could miss out on that special person who will love you back with the same intensity. Only when you stop chasing this girl, will you let that special person (could be your true love) into you.

Take it a day at a time, accept yourself for who you are, and most importantly forgive yourself for things you've done wrong (if you have). There will always be happiness around the corner bud. I think someone said, "you never stop loving someone, you just learn to live without them" (or something like that). That's exactly what you should do.

Please please please Don't do what I have done. DO NOT GET OBSESSED. It's not love, it's completely delusional. I wouldn't even want my worse enemy to be in this situation, yes PL, it's you. (This PL was the worst enemy of B on that particular forum)

Delete her phone number off your cell phone, throw away all her pictures and the pictures you both were in (well at least hide them so you can't see them anymore). Delete her from your messenger. Remove her from Facebook.

If you want to talk to someone and you can't seem to find anyone to talk to, go to yahoo answers and ask a question about break up and tell em how you feel. You will be surprised by the number of answers you get.

Listen to some music. Some say, it's not good to listen to sad songs in this situation, but I say bullshit. Even emo would do, listen to a band called Amber Pacific. If you are into just rock then listen to Matchbox 20 even that would do. Lets see, if you are into Alternative, Indie, Punk, Punk/Rock, Emo, Ska Punk, Skate Punk, Hardcore Punk, Garage Punk, Glam Punk, Celtic Punk, or any other punk genre I'll give you some cool bands to listen to. LOL.

Good luck!

Being Happy, Weekend and Cricket

If being happy is a crime, I'll probably be considered a serial killer these days. Perhaps a child molester or a rapist. And for you bastards out there who might use these words against me, no I'm neither one of those, it's just an analogy. But yes, I'm insanely happy these days, and when you feel like that, time flies like a, well, very fast. It is universally accepted that time passes double the normal speed during weekends which you should know only too well, but I think that this weekend was even double that. Saturday came and went before you know it, just managed to rearrange the room and cook some food. How many of you guys feel that rearranging your room is necessary? For me, I get tired of the same room arrangement if I am to stuck with one for more than two three months. Hence the necessity for some change. It's boring to just stick to one, isn't it? And I mean mundane stuff like this, not partners, mind you. Better stick to one when it comes to partners folks; it's got something to do with not getting AIDS or something like that. Try different styles with the same partner instead of the same style with different partners, they say. Who came up with that anyway? Some creative dude, I'm sure.

Then, on Sunday we were scheduled to play a cricket match - if you are a regular reader here you should already know that I started playing some hard ball cricket, but if you're not one of that elite bunch, well now you do. And in case you're not one of them, you should try to be one - a candy bar will be sent to all the regulars at the end of the year. Don't ask me how you guys are supposed to divide it - I let you decide by yourselves. Anyway. We were scheduled to play a forty over match, but we being Sri Lankans and the opposition being Indians we duly got late in typical Asian manner and it was decided that we will play 32-overs-a-side match. How they decided it should exactly be 32 is beyond me, I'd have preferred a more round figure like 30. Still, luckily our stand in captain won the toss and we elected to bat first and I got to go in at two down for twenty something runs. And played a satisfactory knock, 32 runs to be exact. Almost everyone chipped in and we made 201 all out in the last over. And the Indians were routed for 97. Cool eh? Actually we had a new guy coming in our team, let's call him J, though vastly talented than most of us. A leftie, and he was so fierce when he steamed in all the Indians were practically more concerned on not getting hit rather than scoring runs. Luckily we don't have practice sessions - facing J in practices would be a nightmare. And after few overs, they had given up all hopes of winning the match and were playing so dull cricket we had to invent new ways of getting them out. Like bowling juicy full tosses and letting them hit. It worked in the end though.

And now here I am back at work on a Monday, feeling pretty terrible as it is customary on Mondays. They should ban Mondays or something. Seriously. After five alarms I barely managed to get myself up this morning and naturally got late thirty minutes or so. But looking at the hit counter this morning made me chuckle, as one dude (assuming it's a dude) had googled how to find porn on facebook links and another, this time probably a girl though again I'm not entirely sure, had googled something funny to say on facebook to get him interested and ended up here. Hope they found what they were looking for, though I'm pretty sure I haven't posted links to porn on this blog. Still, always happy to be of help, I am.

Happy week ahead fellas!

It's Been a Year Folks!

I was thinking of how to write this post for a week or so. Perhaps even more. After contemplating all the brilliant ideas my genius of a mind kept throwing at me, finally I've decided to actually not think but just write sparring you the would-have-been anniversary post of the year.

Yes folks, it's been a year already!

Exactly a year ago, I started with this lame and pretty much nothing post, and how cool is it that a year on and I'm still writing pretty much the same crap posts? It takes a special dude like me - the king of crap blogging - to do that. All hail me!

Seriously, when I started a year ago, I had absolutely NO idea what I was going to write about, or even that if I'll be able to keep writing for this long. Never did I think that I'd enjoy it so much or that I'd have this blog in my top-five-things-to-save-in-a-fire list though I don't think that a blog needs saving from a fire. You get the point though.

A big, huge, mega thank you of astronomical proportions to all you my fellow bloggers. You are awesomeness! If I stop being modest for a second, it feels so good to know that you guys - at least some of you - read what I write and even perhaps like it. That keeps me going. I made a lot of friends from the Lankanosphere that I haven't even met, but you have been simply great. Thanks a lot for everything guys, I owe you big time.

Also a big thanks to all the non-blogging friends who have been reading the crap I write. Most of them are my FB friends, people who know me in real life, and it's good to know that you guys drop by. Keep coming back fellas, you'll be able to say to your grandchildren I knew him, when I take over the blogging world one day and become THE blogger every one so envies. Well, not really, but still keep coming back guys - it's good to have you around.

And some special thanks to three special friends in my life. First, to Damith, who in a way got me into blogging (I doubt even the bugger himself knows it) and who introduced me to Kottu. Thanks dude, and I'm missing your not-as-good-as-mine but still good posts. Then, Loonie and Solomon. Thanks guys for your constant constructive criticism (that's kinda hard to pronounce is it not?) and encouragement. You kept me going, and if not for you perhaps I wouldn't have come this far. You rock!

Alright then, gotta run folks.
Cheers!

Behind Every Failed Exam, There's a Girl

Lately I have been at an all time low when it comes to interesting things happening to me. Usually all the unwanted, stupid and embarrassing things seems to follow me wherever I go and strike me the moment they get an opportunity. They just continually deliver these blows, killer ones at times mind you, and more often than not I am left to be the laughing stock of whomever that is present at that time. But of late, things haven't been the same and I might even say I miss them at times. So, well, perhaps I should relive the past.

This was like good ten years back, when I was still in my A/L class. Day before the first term test in my A/L class, to be precise, and if I'm not mistaken it was the Physics paper that was scheduled for the next day. First term test means just about three months into the A/L class, the warmth of being the big guys of school is still there, and studying all important Physics, Chemistry and stuff is still in your head, and by all means you already are an engineer at that time. Reminds me of something this teacher told us back then. He was the A/L mathematics teacher, and once he said that right after being admitted to the Maths class, everyone in the class is an engineer, a year or so into the race and half the class would have given up and by the time A/L exams come up, you can hardly find a student in the class, let alone an engineer. So very true, we realized when the A/Ls were so close.

Anyway, since the want to do well was still there, me and two other guys, lets call them D and S, decided to spend the night at D's place and prepare for the exam. It'll be a whole nighter, and that we'd somehow finish the whole syllabus before going to bed, or rather exam as we had no intention of going to bed, and would be able to write the exam eyes closed, was the plan. A brilliant one, I'm sure you'd agree, but even the best of them succumb to the above mentioned fate of me, you'll see in a min. Thus we gathered at his place at about 4 in the evening and started studying like three obedient students. Everything was going according to the plan when around six in the evening D's mother asked us to go get some bread for dinner. The Kadey was quite close by, not more than five or six minutes walk, so we were supposed to walk there. In those days D's mother did not allow little kid like D to handle a car by himself - it was a necessity for a parent to be present at all times. But when D asked for the keys, perhaps because we were there, she didn't refuse and we were happily trotting off with the keys in hand a moment later.

We got in the car and headed towards the Kadey when this idiotic idea hit D. Those days, I had a crush on a chick, let's call her M, but neither D nor S had seen her. So he said "machan, let's go see her"! She happened to live about a couple of kilometers from where we were and it was the perfect opportunity. Going to see the girl you dig, on a car, with some friends could be put in the 'cool' category those days, and I had no objection. Not sure if it still is the case, though. Anyway, bread was forgotten and we headed towards her home hoping to return soon.

But then the disaster struck.

Right when we were taking a bend, there were some twigs with leaves still on them were lying around to the side of the road, but D didn't mind and ran the car over them.

THUD!!!

The car stopped immediately and we just literally jumped out of it to see what it was. It was around six in the evening, and was quite dark so unfortunately we hadn't seen the tree trunk lying beneath all the twigs. The buffer of the car was shattered and we were, in every sense of the word, doomed. You've got to realize the implications there. First, we were not supposed to have the car. Two, a car accident, even when nobody's hurt was a big deal those days and you will probably be never given the car for the rest of your life. Or until you buy one for yourself. And D's mom letting mine and S's parents know this wasn't really out of the question either. Besides, usually however small the accident was a car repair costs a lot and that too was a big concern. We were panicking, and had no idea and had nowhere to go, really, when this brilliant mind of mine threw me an idea.

There was this vehicle repairing garage close to my house (I should have mentioned that mine and D's houses were very close by) and the dude there was quite friendly with me. So we decided to first park the car at D's house without telling his mom anything. We had our dinner and went about studying until his mom went to sleep, and then we got to work. Sneaked out of the house at about midnight, pushed the car for some distance without starting it, and then went to find the garage dude to his home which also was close by. We woke him up in the middle of the night and told him the story and literally begged to get it fixed. He was quite a nice guy and agreed to do it (*relief*) and off we went to his garage. The whole night was spent fixing the car and finally at about four in the morning it was done. And he did a fine job with it too that all the cracks were perfectly covered and you couldn't really notice it unless you knew it. And he refused to take any money either, he knew our parents and all that, and promised to keep the whole business quiet as well. We returned to D's home, parked the car where it was and went to get some sleep. Physics was considered a lost cause and there's always a next term test anyway.

Obviously, marks for the next day's exam were forgettable, but when we finally did tell D's mom that this happened, she thought we were kidding and told us off for making up adventure stories. How cool is that?