Are YOU proud?

Last night I dragged the BF to watch 'I Have a Dream' - the show put on by Equal Ground to kick off Pride 2008 in Sri Lanka. The show was timed to coincide with the gay pride parades taking to the streets across India, in a unified initiative to celebrate equal rights for all sexes.

It was spectacular.

The show started off with a welcome speech by Sahran, who enlightened the not-so-gay folk (us) of Equal Ground's work in Sri Lanka, and the importance of developing a tolerant and accepting society. He got quite a hefty round of applause for that- mainly from the community members in the audience, but also from those of us who agreed wholeheartedly that society is nothing but a hypocritical snob. Then came the performances, that BLEW me away.

There were moments of sheer fun and hilarity, with the ever-fabulous Koluu doing his swan lake number (Imagine Koluu, in all his overweight glory, dressed up as a preening swan and shimmying his way on tiptoes. Then imagine Priyanka Holsinger, who is a good ten sizes smaller that Koluu, bouncing behind the swan as the eager prince. Are you laughing yet?) and sending us into fits of giggles. Another item that got the audience bursting was the 'Batta' number, where six heavyset gay men dressed up as little sinhala girls, pigtails and all, and pranced about to a famous local tune.

There were other moments of unbelievable glam, thanks to the likes of Lou Ching Wong, Jerome de Silva, Michael Holsinger, Sahran and a number of others. We witnessed fabulous drag renditions of Dreamgirls, Abba, Sex and the City and a couple of other numbers. Then came the items that put any choreographed musical performances I've ever done to downright shame. Excerpts from West Side Story, Moulin Rouge and Grease, to name a few. The nun's chorus in the Sound of Music was pretty funny too, but you had to be there to know what I'm talking about.

The evening ended with the rainbow-coloured Pride flags being waved by every single performer as they sang their anthem 'We are Family'... one couldn't help but sing along and clap to the beat of the finale.

All in all, it was true visual treat and an undeniable achievement for Equal Ground in terms of showcasing their cause. To those of us in the sudience who are straight, it was a fabulous show full of glitz and glamour... but I know that to the other different sex communities, it was much more than just a performance. It was a chance to shout out their differences proudly without shame or ostracism in a forum that was accepting of those differences. I felt proud FOR them.

The show made me think hard last night. All my life I have struggled for identity. Not sexually, but as a person... I've struggled both internally and externally for the right to be who I am, and for the independance to live my life as I choose. If I, being a heterosexual female, had to struggle that much and undergo the constant emotional trauma, I can just imagine how difficult it has been for those others out there who are of a different from what is deemed 'normal' by society. It takes a hell of a lot more strength than I could ever muster to be so strongly opinionated and stand up for oneself when the whole country points hating fingers at you for being unconventional.

Really... who are we to determine what sex is acceptable and what sex isn't? Why does sexual preference have to play a part in who you are as a person? If I liked girls, would that make me a bad human being?

All these social 'norms' of ours are nothing but bullshit. People just can't leave other people alone, and most of us turn against what we have little or no knowledge of. Just because we have no understanding of it does not give us the right to deem it abnormal. It's why this world is riddled with issues like racism and sexism. We just can't leave well enough alone, can we?

I for one applaud the gay/lesbian/transgender/bi/questioning communities. I may not have the same preferences as they do, but in my eyes they are ten feet tall for not allowing a prudish society trample them and subjugate them with archaic mindsets. I wish I could stand up for myself as much as they do.

Which brings me to a question.... are WE proud of OURSELVES? Can we look back with the satisfaction that we fought for what we believed in as much as the members of Equal Ground? Those of us who point accusing fingers... aren't WE the ones who are constantly trying to live up to a norm just to please society? Shouldn't we be trying to break through the barriers we allow OURSELVES to be roped into?

Hmmm. Food for thought.

Meanwhile, Pride 2008 ROCKS!

Blah blah blah...

I liiiiive! Buahahahahahahahahaaa! And more such manic laughter.

It's been three weeks since I blogged last. You had better have missed me. I know my cat did - she has this thing for walking all over the keyboard when I'm using it and she hasn't gotten to do it in a while. Annoys the hell out of me, so I stayed away from the PC until tonight... she's missing at the mo... must have gone a-whoring down yonder residential lane.

I missed you too!

My mind's in a mood to wander about tonight, so the content of this piece will be on everything and nothing in particular. Have just come home after a deeeelishuz dinner at Flower Drum - the mother of all Colombo Chinese restaurants. There's something about that place that makes it so magical for me...I can't place what it is. Every time I walk in there I'm hit with this ... this ... SMELL. And not a smelly smell, mind you....just a lovely aroma of scintillating Chinese food that thus far no other local restaurant has managed to produce for my olfactory pleasure. Have you ever smelled it too? As soon as I enter that main door I'm whizzed back into wonderful childhood memories of special evenings out at Flower Drum (back then we didn't have much of a choice). The food tastes different too. They have the best rice, man... conjures up all sorts of nostalgic forces. And the kankun.... mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. There are just two local Chinese joints where I love my kankun - Kinjou and Flower Drum. Smack.

So the dinner was good and I am now full, sleepy and up for a cuddle. Anyone?

Have been running around rather madly the last couple of weeks with work and shite. These days are spent holed up in an editing studio, putting together AVs for a client who has a penchant for changing their minds a million times over. It is frustrating, to say the least. At the same time, I find myself a lot more relaxed and chirpy in the confines of the production house than I do back at office and I really do enjoy AV work, so its all a mixed set of emotions for me.

Which brings me to another random point... I'm starting to not like my job. Cue nervous gnawing of nails. I mean... I love the industry and the work entailed, but I really really REALLY miss the euphoria of working with my ex-colleagues at the last place. We were so much poorer and smaller than the current office, but this new joint couldn't hold a candle to what I left behind. I miss the motivation and the urge to rush to office every morning in the hope of yet another fun-filled day at work with my bunch of crazies. Ugh. Severe withdrawal syndrome...

I'm a little confused right now as to whether I made the right decision to change employers. Or whether I'm in the right job at all. But thinking about all those other things I'd like to do just bring up the fears of risking financial security and ending up a failure. 'Better the known devil...' etc., etc. But for posterity's sake, I drew up a list of all the things I COULD do, if ever I plucked up the guts to quit my job:

1. TV anchor - done it before... I know I can.
2. Travel journalist - Who doesn't want to be one?
   
3. Cafe/restaurant owner - Hey! I can cook, ok?
   
4. Veterinary assistant - purr...woof... you get my drift.
   
5. Teacher - done that too... but this time I'd opt for an adult classroom
6. Entrepreneur - I tried starting a humor-based retail operation once, and the concept test-marketed quite well.
7. Event co-ordinator
   

There's a longer list, but these are the immediate possibilities that would take less time to manifest, given that I already have the necessary skills and experience. All I'd need is the money and sufficient determination.

Ah well... let's take it as it comes. For now, I'm kissing client ass on behalf of someone else.

Hey I watched the Incredible Hulk! The BF kindly bought us premier tickets and I TOTALLY loved it. True, there are plenty of niggling shortfalls in terms of how true it is to the original comic, but I definitely preferred this version to Ang Lee's 2005 Hulk. Not to mention I was thrilled and gob-smacked with a certain cameo appearance at the end of the movie that got the whole cinema audience talking. I won't tell you who because I don't want to spoil it for you. Go see the movie before its too late- the big screen version is a must-watch.

Can't wait for Kung fu Panda that's lined up as the next attraction. I'm tempted to download but I think I'll wait.

And with that, I bid you adieu. Mainly because I've run out of things to write about. I swear I had more in my mind when I started this post, but it's failing me now.

Oh shit the cat is back...

Ich liebe die German Restaurant!

Yesterday the Doc and I celebrated another monniversary (monthly 'anniversary'). Yes... we are both pathetic suckers who take joy in the fact that our relationship has made it for another month, despite having dated for quite a number of years now. It's our 'thing'. Heh.

So, in the spirit of celebration we pondered over where to have our ritualistic romantic dinner. An office colleague suggested we try the German Restaurant (a.k.a. Bavarian Barn) on Galle Road and order their spare ribs.

Now, I'm one of those gals who eats alot. A hell of a lot. And as much as I feel queasily guilty every time I eat a dead animal, I still hipocritically savour the taste of meat- especially spare ribs. It is my curse... to act as an advocate of animal rights and then salivate over a good plate of ribs. Needless to say, quandary aside, I jumped at the chance to try this particular menu out, given that the last time I had proper german-style ribs was when travelling in Belgium. (Those ribs warrant an entirely different post.)

I was promised a dish that was to die for; my colleague claimed that he and his wife couldn't even survive one portion of it when they'd gone last.

So with much anticipation and plenty of saliva glands overworking themselves, Doc and I took a trip to the GR. This wasn't my first time going there, but I figured I'd offer you a few 'reviewer-like' words on the place itself.

I personally love the ambience at the German Restaurant. Someone argued that it was too dark and creepy, but I think that's part of it's charm. It reeks of a typical Deutsche pub-ness, with it's chunky dark wooden furniture and ale-house atmosphere. I adore the privacy and intimacy it affords to its diners, even though sometimes creeping behind the cloistered furniture and actually getting your butt ON your seat can be a task. restaurant-wise, the decor and atmosphere are truely unique.

Now, onto the topic of the night - the food.

Wow wow wow wow wow.

Have I said enough?

Everything we ate was delicious. The spareribs, though not on the menu, is a house speciality that you have to ask for. I am SO glad I did, because they were divine. Thought not as large a portion or as extensive as I was made to believe by my colleague, it was definitely very fullfilling in every way. They were cooked to perfection in an awesomely drippy BBQ sauce and served with an enormous load of roasted potato wedges that I couldn't finish. I got three big, luscious ribs and this mountain of potatoes along with a healthy portion of salad for the price of Rs. 1000/-, which although slightly high, was definitely worth the fare.
I hate when ribs are overcooked or too crisp, and these were just up my street- juicy, soft and oozing with taste. The only other place I've had such fantastic spare-ribs in Sri Lanka is the Cheers Pub at the Cinnamon Grand.

Doc opted for the herb marinated grilled pork chops, which was equally sublime. One thing's for sure... this is one restaurant that never skimps on the amount of food they serve- a truly German experience. Because we're both greedy, we shared with each other so nothing went untasted by both. Our greed also led us to actually finish every morsel on our plates, a feat that we'd not have accomplished had it not been for the chef's skill at creating such delicious food.

At the end of the evening, we were too full, drowsy and heavy to even think of getting out of our seats. Even our satisfied burps were erm... burped... with effort, because physical movement of any kind was unthinkable.

Food always tastes so much better when in the right company, and I am mighty glad I had my first dibs at the GR spare-ribs on my monniversary with the Doc. The experience was that much more delicious.

So here's to more monniversaries and more gorging at the Bavarian Barn!

Wife = Strife

Last week, I was tap tapping away with a friend on msn chat whilst pretending to work, when she asked me that dreaded question that for some reason, females in this wretched country don't seem to tire of asking.

She: So when are you going to get married?

Me: WTF? Where did that come from?

She: I mean... it's about time, no? You're getting older.

Me : So? Where does it say that my age has anything to do with whether or not I get married? I'm not interested in marriage.

She : Aiyo. I will never understand you. You should get married. It's the right thing to do.

Lets leave my response to that between me and her.

Later that evening, the boyfriend and I were shopping for a last minute birthday gift for a friend we were supposed to have dinner with. In walks a mutual pal whom we hadn't seen in a while. Thus ensued yet another typical Sri Lankan thing that I like to call the 'Way of the Cross' - moving from station to station to stand and talk for an unnecessary length of time on everything and nothing. In the midst of the senseless téte-é-téte, he decides to set off the bomb.

"So when're you two walking the plank?"

He shut up at the withering glare I gave him as response. The boyfriend went into that vague bland expression he's gotten so used to putting on at such times of crisis.

A few hours later while at the birthday dinner, I had the pleasure of choking on my hot butter cuttlefish when several friends decided to glibly pipe up.

" Here. now high time the two of you got married, ah. Hurry up!"

If I had a rupee for everytime I've heard this nonsense about marriage I swear I would have toured the world three times over by now. WHY dear Lord don't people learn to leave you alone?
Honestly, sometimes I think my relatives and friends were created just to annoy the living shit out of me.

Look... get this straight... just because an archaic society around the goddamn world thinks life as we know it would cease to be if you don't get married, does not mean I think that way too. To each his own, and MY own is the life of a happily, nay BLISSFULLY unmarried human being. Goddit?

Let me be very clear. I don't have any issues against the concept of marriage or anyone willing to sign up for that. Go ahead and have your dreamy white wedding and show off your ring to your clique. Please, by all means enjoy the feeling of losing your name and identity to take on another and then squeezing out small humans through your privates only to live out the rest of your life cleaning up after them and the bigger human who got you there. If that's what makes you happy, by all means, go ahead.

But. Do. Not. EVER. Expect. Me. To.

I have a name that I'm used to being called, and am used to knowing myself as. I refuse to change it. My name is my own... last, first... middle, all of it. MINE. You ain't taking it away from me. I also refuse to entertain the idea that to commit one's life to another means it is mandatory to sign a document. I don't need to validate my feelings by signing a piece of damned paper just so that the rest of society can be happy that I did. I am not nor will ever be interesting in breeding, and therefore don't need to worry about resulting confused offspring either.

Even if I did have kids, who cares if I wore a ring or not- it will not make me a better mother. If other children are going to give mine hell about the fact that mommy is unmarried, then I will teach my children the art of displaying their middle finger. But, as previously stated, I only hope to have cats, dogs, birds, and insects in my household so that's one less thing I need to worry about.

I have absolutely no problem in committing to a long-term relationship, neither do I see anything wrong in spending my life with another person who loves me back as much. I don't give a fuck if the rest of the neighbourhood gasps their panties off and calls it 'living in sin'; I see nothing sinful about it. I don't need to have a choir or an audience in order to pledge my fidelity to God. But humans being humans should never be naive enough to make such promises, because time and experience changes everyone. This is why an open and understanding relationship works best for all parties concerned.

No, I'm not jaded. I'm a realist.

So I beseech my aunts, uncles, parents, friends, enemies and parish priests - GET THE FUCK OFF MY BACK.

Capisce?

That Tagging Thing...

Haiyo. if there's one thing that gets my cute little goat more than chain mails (I know you feel me on that), it's being tagged on blog. Mainly because then I am pressured to be wittier and more readable than the person who tagged me...and sometime that's damn hard.

Yes, gutterflower, that was a compliment. Take it while it's still up there.

This particular tag I like. It gives me a chance to talk about myself yet again... and this time I'm being ASKED for said information. Muahahahaaaa, for added effect.

To do the lazy thing and copy-paste gutterflower:

The red tape stuff:
- Link your tagger and list these rules on your blog
- Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
- Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
- Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog

So...ladies aaaand gentlemen.... (drumroll, please)

1. I was born during a 'pirimi nakatha' (male auspicious time). This explains why my Mother cries all the time and why my aunties' jaws drop lower than the mariana trench when I'm around.
2. I used to have an imaginary friend named John when I was 3. I'd tell John that I loved him, whilst sitting on the throne during my poo sessions.
3. My boyfriend's second name is John. Life has always been a little too surreal for me.
4. I bite my toenails.
5. My childhood ambition was to be either a vet or a prostitute. I thought prostitutes were pretty ladies who got kissed alot and could wear anything they liked without their mothers having a tantrum about it. Obviously, 'vet' is the only thing I'd admit to whenever anyone asked.
6. I share all my deepest secrets with my cat and make her pinky swear not to tell. I can trust her.
7. I'm extremely intuitive and know exactly whats in people's heads, but I pretend I don't just so that I can pretend to be surprised when I find out.

Over to you-

themissingsandwich

Lady Divine

Arbitrary Spurtations

Azrael

thekillromeoproject

T

Shehal