Para-Para Paradise!

Stealing a line out of a Coldplay single feels like a petty crime pitted against the millions of hearts they've stolen through their music. Paradise- is neither an island tucked under the Sun, nor a shady grove of palm trees overlooking the horizon. Paradise is, and has always been, an emotion. A beautiful emotion that spurs out of the realization that you have finally found what you have long been looking for. I have finally found my way to Paradise, and nothing has ever been more realistic in beauty.

Paradise, is when she smiles at me, happiness seething through the wrinkles by her lips. Paradise is when she speaks to me of all the things that has been going on in her life, every intonation striking a heart-string. Paradise is when she holds my hand, ebbing gently at my knuckles. Paradise is bliss.

She's different. She's unique. You'd tell me that everyone's different, and everyone's invariably unique. The thing with her, is that she doesn't fit in to the same plate as 'everyone'. She's a class apart. May it be the need for finding a grander purpose in spending the given eight thousand seconds a day, may it be her quest in reaching out to souls needy of revival,  may it be her self-confidence and the knack for dishing out the wiser opinion, or may it simply be her playful Sinhala accent - she's all the good I see in this world.

Paradise is the state of being happy, without reason for doubt or concern. It really is a beautiful emotion, worthy only to the one's who have chosen to wait for joy to slowly permeate in to their lives. For anything that's worth the wait, is worthy of Paradise.

Losing control

The smoke was fuming in the gaze of the headlamps, the musk of burnt rubber and metal hung pungent over the air, as my brain regained awareness of the situation. Reality seemed like a dream that I needed to wake up from, as the policemen came running towards the crash. My thoughts were transfixed on what was to happen, and not what happened, for what happened was well and truly beyond my 'control'

I lost control...

Just 5 minutes earlier, I was tailing behind Danusha's car on the way back from Senanayake Junction. It was 4.00 in the morning, and dawn was still waking up, as a light drizzle wet the road. No cars on the road meant that my speed was a fraction above the absolute necessary. I could see the turn off a few metres away as Danusha slowed down to let me turn... And that was when the sands sifting through the hourglass stood still. I blacked out for a second, and the car skidded off the turn, the front left tire immediately blew up as my car nosed down tilting to the left. The steering wheel was shaking wildly at my hands as I tried to steady it. The car spun around a few times, crashed into several light poles, lifted itself off the curb and hit the fencing next to McDonalds. Stillness overwhelmed for a second, and reality gushed back in. Lord Buddha's spirit, the Dhamma, my father's love, luck and the seat-belt was what saved me. For I was now looking at our Corona that sat on the curb, a good 20 meters away, turned in the exact opposite direction to which I was driving. 

The policemen said I was lucky to have survived without a scratch, and so I was. 

Nothing objectifies the need to regain control of my life, than physically losing control, and dealing with the emotions that follow.

Seeking the sub-atomic, Forgetting the massive

I won't deny it. Hearing the news about the discovery of the 'Higgs Boson' was a refreshing spark, to end the monotonous string of news about murders, rapes and pillaging. This tiny particle held it's edge over the usual culprits in news worldwide on the day it heralded it's arrival. Many depict it as the opening of a portal to the unknown mysteries of the Earth, a revolution in the field of science and a victory to mankind. But if you ask me what I really think, I'd put it this way - A bunch of well-funded cranky old scientists have spent almost 50 years in search of a tiny blip on the radar that lasted for a zeptosecond (a thousandth of a billionth of a billionth of a second), and now that they've found it, the old hoots can die happy, while millions of human lives around the world, 1/10th their age die unhappy.

"Nothing" has never been more glorified in the history of mankind!

When the finest willow meets the leather

"We're all artists and we all have our critics. Luck, chance and destiny is all in your hands. No one else's" 

- Kumar Sangakkara

Inspiration

When you set out on a journey, with little knowledge of the destination, let alone the dangers that lie ahead, you seek for a source of inspiration to keep you surging forward through the quicksands of time. The biggest motivation undoubtedly comes from parents, specially from my father in my case, but many a times, these sources of motivation have different faces, each with a story to tell, a story so powerful that it transcends time and makes your heart gallop in spirit. A story so divine that you stop and ponder how you can absolve your unworthy deeds and polish your soul, striving to take the path of success they once tread on. The path of bravery, hard-work, honesty and humanity.

Lord Buddha, is my ultimate inspiration, not merely because I'm a Buddhist, but because I believe in the power of the human mind. Gautama Buddha traversed a million eternities in search of freedom from bodily attachment, crossing hurdles goliath in nature. It is but a foolish act to pray and ask for forgiveness or for blessings from the Buddha, for he was only a human who achieved the greatest heights possible, but his body has long since been decomposed, enriching the soil of this Earth. Yet, it is divine to hold faith in the spirit that lingers by understanding and following the "dhamma". I draw "Inspiration" from the feats of the Buddha, the supreme power of understanding and righteousness.



General Sarath Fonseka, the man who personified the final frontier of victory. The man who achieved a feat that was dubbed impossible by many, and the man who took not a bullet, but a bomb in the name of the motherland. General Fonseka is symbollic of the Lankan Lion who refuses to heed to totalitarian beliefs, accepting even the dirty chambers of the prison grounds, against the odds. General teaches me that you can break a man in physique but you can never break his spirit. "Inspiration", the ability to carry out any task you set your mind to. Braving the tyrants who dare to disbelieve.


My perception of Jayasuriya is completely based on the boots he fills once he crosses the boundary rope and steps into the playing field. Pure, unadulterated power crafted with a passion for excellence. My life is forever entwined with beautiful, beautiful cricket, and the hero in my match will always be Jayasuriya. "Inspiration"  lies in the ability to single-handedly take on a challenge and succeed in style. Someday, my life will leave the same mark that a Sanath-slash-over-point leaves in the hearts of us Sri Lankans.


Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, born to a poor family in the village of Gamsar in the impoverished Aradan district of Iran, Ahmadinejad rose a simple man in the village school, to a simple man in the premier position of the country. I like to sum up Ahmadinejad's truly remarkable personality in two words, "Bravery" and "Simplicity". One of the few men left who can defy the bloody American dominance, with a tool that the Americans have no knowledge or experience of - Simplicity. "Inspiration" is drawn from his ability to stand tall amongst brute forces, unfaltering, and abiding by personal policies at all times. Silently, far unknown to the Americans, Ahmadinejad, as depicted in the photograph, conducts the orchestra of the world.

She will be Mrs. Kumudini Hettiarachchi to the world, but to me and all who work at the Sunday Times, she will always be beloved Ms. Kumi. The pen is indeed mightier than the sword, and there is no better personification of that phrase than Ms. Kumi herself. Being a journalist for over decades, she has always given justice it's rightful place in society. A powerful woman, who balances life with the beauty of her humbleness, loving care and genuine nature.   Miss. Kumi is my first inspiration in the professional world, and I draw "Inspiration" from the ability to find your way towards the answer you seek for in life, overcoming the many sticks that are thrown at the bountiful fruit garden of a righteous  life.

Professor Seneka Bibile's story does not come from the life of an impoverished family, rather from an aristocratic family. Obtaining his medical degree from the prestigious Colombo Medical College in 1945, Professor Seneka Bibile distinguished himself as a pharmocologist, a world-class medical scientist, a truthful politician and a social visionary. Professor Bibile is in fact everything that I want to be - A graduate of the Colombo Medical School, and a Politician who would eventually strive for change. Professor Bibile is widely known as 'the greatest medical benefactor of humanity that Sri Lanka has hitherto produced', and this is because of the revolutionary National Drugs Policy, aiming to ease the burden of the ailing poor man and woman. Prof. Bibile would ultimately face a mysterious death at the hands of Multinational powers whom he bravely stood against. He may have lost his life, but not his cause. "Inspiration" standing up for what is right, even when the odds are heavily against you, and fearlessly treading the long road ahead.

The beautiful and mesmerizing queen of modern pop, Katy Perry.  The one and only female artist who succeeds in keeping me glued to her music. Although I'm not an avid pop music lover, there's something about Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson, that divulges to the deepest corners of my heart and ignites a spark that lights up my playful side. Katy Perry is an absolute natural with the guitar and has been gifted with a voice that's raspy in it's uniqueness. "Inspiration" is drawn from realizing a dream that you've held so close at heart that not a single night passed by without you embracing it in sleep. Her music, and general attitude towards life is one that shows me how it should be done. Live it.

Keeping the family together

Take the remote, sit back, preferably with a homemade lime juice and turn on the television to a plethora of drama series' and sitcoms, some of which are extremely entertaining, while others fail to combine wit, humour and morality in one capture. I won't deny it, most TV series' have had me hooked, "Friends" being right at the top of it for so long, and then "Lie to Me", "HIMYM", and "Supernatural", but there's two out of the lot that takes the cake, Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan's "Modern Family" and none other than our very own Ranjan Prassana's "Sihina Puraya".


Modern Family, is undoubtedly one of the most talked about shows going around, and has proven a point when Barack Obama pronounced it his favorite TV show. It's flawless to say the least; humour, wit, drama and just the right touch of morality every TV show needs.  To pick a favorite character out of the lot would be like asking yourself to choose between chocolate and ice cream. An amalgamation of different lifestyles in the same family tree, coupled with the thirst for love makes it complete, but what really stands out is the fact that we can relate to it in many ways, may it be Phil's forgetfulness and cocky nature, Claire being the bossy  mum holding it together, Hayley - college, no college, or college what? The characters live amongst us in every way, making it a series' that goes that one step closer to our hearts. I'd certainly watch that than pretend to be in awe at brothers averting apocalypses or wait for the girl with the yellow umbrella. Modern Family has never had a dip in it's 3 season tenure, it's always a new experience cause after all that's not just what life is about, that's what 'daily' life is all about. The mockumentary style is new to television, and Modern Family have indeed mastered it, with every character speaking out to us in their very own goofball charm.


Sihina Puraya, is a Sri Lankan drama series that breaks free from years and years of soppy, parent denied, villain intervened love stories. It's a refreshing splash of water to all Sri Lankan television viewers, and is one of the few drama's after the likes of Ananda Abeykoon's "Ramya Suramya", that have found the perfect balance between weaving a good story with natural humour. Sihina Puraya too like Modern Family is a tale intertwining different families and their approach to life in general. Living together in one housing scheme, fittingly named 'Sihina Puraya' or the 'Land of Dreams', they all have dreams of fulfilling their lives. The binding factor here is the chase in search of money, every family tries their best to buck up the quick bucks to somehow keep the boat of life sailing, somehow managing to stay happy through victory or indifference. Isn't that always the case, to us Sri Lankans, money is half of everything, the other half being humanity. I can personally relate to this, seeing how our family too goes through the ups and downs of having and losing money. Sihina Puraya brings together an ensemble of young talent who successfully coalesces humour, struggle and a hint of romance which is like the garnish topping of a very fine meal. Personally Nimal, Vinod and Cena are my favorites while Chandani, and Himashi too give out near perfect performances. Maybe it be at Samare's office, or at Cena's palace, life and the beauty of the struggle of life is what wins. It takes a lot to keep a family together and sometimes life is a television series after all.

Relief wrapped in lyrics

SO it's that time of the year again, when you're faced with a challenging exam and feel like you're on the verge of disintegrating with unnecessary pressure. What better way to ease that pressure than to sink your free time in the ocean of music. Here's a list of my top 10 favorite songs.

No 01 - "Wasanthaye Mal" by Pandith W.D Amaradewa.

My first memory of this song goes back to the year 2001, when my dad bought a special edition audio compilation of Pandith Amaradewa's songs made in honour of the Ramon Magsaysay award. This song stood out from the rest, the simplest of melodies and divine interpretation. A song for a soul soothing revival.

No 02 - "Sulan Kurullo" by Haroon Lanthra and Angeline Goonetillake from the 1966 classic film "Sensuma Kothanda". To say that Haroon Lanthra's voice is magical would be a clear understatement, even magic can't seem to comprehend the grandeur of this song.

No 03 - "Asha Desin" by Devananda Waidyasekara from the 1965 Sinhala film "Sama". I first heard this song in a telecast concert where a university student sang it along with Devananda Waidysekara, and time seemed to freeze over like ice above a pond bustling with life.

No 04 - "Sulanga Obada" by Kasun Kalhara

The one and only Kasun Kalahara; in my opinion the voice of the new generation. I've listened to this song on loop over and over again, yet every time is a new emotion.

No 05 - "Atha Ran Wiman" by Priya Sooriyasena

If you're Sri Lankan, and if you love the guitar, this song would definitely make your top 10. A song that has the power to cross boundaries and bring people of all walks of life to the same arena, woven in harmony. A simple song that can be sung by anyone at any time.

No 06 - "Malak Wune" by Amarasiri Peiris

A song that binds nature to the unwholesome but beautiful emotion of unrequited love. Mesmerizing music combined with a powerful voice gives you a song that will remain in soul whenever you're sulking in thought, of a love that is mischievously playing with your heart. 

No 07 - "Suwanda Danee" by Rookantha Goonetillake from the 1993 film "Saptha Kanya". One of the first songs I learnt to play on the guitar, and to this day is the best song I've strummed. Rookantha is a legend in the Sri Lankan music industry and you have to be deaf to argue with that.

No 08 - "Sathuta Vilai" by Devananda Waidyasekara from the 1968 film "Dahasak Sithuvili". If a song could trap the lovely emotion of happiness within it's lyrics, this song would be it.

No - 09 "Unmadini Hanguna" by Bathiya and Santush
Bathiya and Santush were indeed the turning point in the new age Lankan music, although I am not all in favour of their latest songs, this will be one of their evergreen hits. A lovely video to go along with it as well.

No 10 - "Perum Puragena" by Senanayake Weraliyadda
"Diviya mona tharam sundara dho, dukama koi tharam sathutak dho" : "How wonderful is life, so wonderful that even sadness surrenders to happiness" What else can I say about this song.

First Publication (Sunday Times, 02/10/2011)

Destruction in protected areas sounds death knell for eco-systems

By Kumudini Hettiarachchi and Shaveen Jeewandara

Endangered seem to be the so-called Protected Areas (PAs), as huge cultivations, attempts at land-grabs, cutting of public roads and sand-mining are carried out sans consideration for the drastic consequences not only for Sri Lanka but also the world. Reports from across the country are flowing in fast and furious about the massive destruction of PAs. Taken in isolation, they seem like sporadic instances but as a whole they sound a red alert for our very survival, said a conservationist, a view underlined by many others. The tragedy is that it is in breach of the law, another perturbed environmentalist pointed out, explaining that the PAs come under the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance (FFPO), the forests under the Forest Ordinance and Sinharaja alone under the National Heritage Wilderness Areas Act. The PAs come under the stewardship of the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC), while forest areas are under the Forest Department. No one, stressed many a conservationist, is against development. But development must encompass conservation, and respect laws enacted to protect the environment, for ill-planned development will end in disaster, they said. Conservationists also pointed out that Sri Lankans seem very proud that the country is a “biodiversity hotspot”. Although it means there are many endemic species, it also means that there is an exceptionally high level of danger to them. Some countries have landmasses that are more diverse, but they are not “hotspots” because they are not under threat. Did you know that to be a “hotspot” more than 70% of the landmass should have faced destruction in the past few years, a conservationist asked. As many conservation activists and groups such as the Environmental Foundation Ltd., (EFL), Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS), Environment Conservation Trust, Wilderness and Protected Areas Foundation (WPAF), Wildlife Conservation Forum, Young Zoologists’ Association, Ceylon Bird Club and Galle Wildlife Conservation Society spoke up against the degradation and denudation of Pas and forests. The Sunday Times turned the spotlight on them and the very first World Nature Heritage Site in the country to uncover what ails them. The Sunday Times has taken this major destructive strand running throughout the Pas and the forests to weave the big disastrous picture that will toll the death knell not only for Sri Lanka’s animals and plants but also for its diverse eco-systems. Somawathie National Park Banana cultivation at Somawathie National Park. Pic by Vimukthi Weeratunga of EFL A commercial banana plantation is being set up on a large parcel of land in this National Park, alleged environmentalists, providing satellite images as proof of park encroachment. It has a very sensitive flood plain area, stressed others, while an EFL spokesperson was perturbed that a large acreage seems to have been “written off” for bananas under a memorandum of understanding signed between the Army and ‘Letsgrow’, the local partner of the international company, Dole Food Inc., based in the US. Many environmentalists disclosed that ‘Letsgrow’ established in 2009, is managed by the brother of a well-known Sri Lankan bowler along with another cricketer. As of July 2011, nearly 500 acres of the National Park are under banana, the EFL spokesperson pointed out, adding that the story being spread is that it is the abandoned Kandakadu farm of the National Livestock Development Board (NLDB) on the park’s boundary. However, the EFL showed the Sunday Times satellite maps which indicated that part of the clearing and cultivation is within the park. When Somawathie sanctuary was declared a National Park and expanded, a part of the NLDB’s abandoned farmland fell within its boundaries, said environmental lawyer Jagath Gunawardena, adding his voice to the outcry against PA destruction. “This is very much a part of the park and should not be touched under the law,” he said. Delving into the demarcations, the EFL spokesperson said that it was in 1966 that the Somawathie Chaitiya sanctuary was first declared. In 1986 it was upgraded to National Park status, due to the importance of the animals and plants in the area. Once again in 1987, more land was added to the National Park, as Block 2. The serious issues with regard to boundaries need to be addressed urgently, she said, refuting claims that the eastern park boundary is the Mahaweli Ganga. “No it’s not. The boundary is the Kandakadu ela,” she said. While the flood plains (flat land beside the Mahaweli Ganga that becomes flooded in the rainy season) of Somawathie are home to over resident 200 elephants, the National Park is also the epicentre of other PAs such as Kaudulla, Minneriya, Chunnakkadu and Wasgamuwa and should be treated and maintained as a contiguous habitat, was the view of many.Small human settlements are also being set up within the park, another activist pointed out. Flood Plains National Park The flood plains along the Mahaweli Ganga within the park are falling victim to mechanized sand-mining, which ironically is prohibited, raising questions about the DWC’s abilty and willingness to take action, was another grouse of conservationists. The authorities are turning a blind eye to the mining with backhoes, a source said, adding that squatters in the area are also engaging in this illegal activity. Hakgala Strict Nature Reserve (SNRs) One of only three SNRs in the country, Hakgala which is of immense value with regard to biodiversity, is threatened by potato, leek and cabbage cultivations and settlements continuing to encroach on the SNR, the EFL spokesperson said. Two cases filed by EFL against the DWC for inaction against encroachers were settled on the basis that certain terms laid down by court would be met. A major challenge is also the encroachment into Hakgala by the Ambewela farm, EFL sources said, adding that the DWC was dragging its feet by excluding the farm in its demarcation of the SNR’s boundaries. This was while the farm had taken the law into its own hands and electrically fenced itself in. The EFL is considering initiating legal action once again to get the DWC to evict encroachers, the Sunday Times learns. Wilpattu National Park World famous in the past for startling images of leopards on white sands, in recent times what has been highlighted is the rape of the pristine Wilpattu National Park to cut two 60 foot roads, one close to its unique villu system and the other hugging the coastline. Wilpattu’s plight is being fought in the Supreme Court, with the case against the DWC, the Navy and the Ministries of Economic Development and Tourism, filed by EFL, WNPS and WPAF, going in for argument next January. There was large-scale felling of valuable timber trees such as weera, palu and karuwala to make way for the “interior” road from Eluvankulam to Mullikkulam, while the road cuts across the Kala Oya flood plains, an activist lamented, adding it has harmed the villu system and led to many road-kills of animals. Attempts have also been made by the military to fence off certain areas of Wilpattu, he said. Many visitors to Wilpattu informed the Sunday Times that the coastal road has collapsed destroying many archaeological treasures. Yearly flooding of the interior road for nearly nine months makes it impassable, a fact that those clamouring for “right of way” have not taken into account, a source pointed out, while another added that the Kala Oya flood plains are the largest in the country and should not be decercrated by a public road. Meanwhile, large-scale sand-mining has also dogged the Moderagam Aru on the park’s northern boundary, with the matter being brought up in Parliament and Wildlife Minister S.M. Chandrasena denying allegations and explaining that dredging of the waterway is done to prevent flooding. Ruhuna (Yala) National Park Development of the buffer-zone activity prohibited under the FFPO, is taking place at this National Park. The one-mile buffer zone is meant to ward off the effects of untoward development activity close to the parks, said activists. There are also serious concerns about military activity within Yala, with many sources pointing out that especially during the Pada Yatra, stalls had been erected along the devotee-trail within the park. It was like a circus with much pollution, a source said, stressing that nobody including the DWC had thought about the consequences on the animals and plants. “People forget that these National Parks are meant for the protection of fauna and flora,” a disgusted animal rights activist said. Sinharaja, the World Nature Heritage Site It may not be in the heart of Sinharaja, but this World Nature Heritage Site considered the “jewel” in the crown, is facing imminent danger with the latest attempt being to cut a road on its boundary connecting Ilumbakanda village to Suriyakanda.Twice started and twice stopped, if a road is cut on the eastern side of Sinharaja known as Morning Side, it will spell disaster to both fauna and flora, stressed EFL’s Vimukthi Weeratunga, showing the repercussions of a “new but bad frontier” being opened up. The argument that the villagers of Ilumbakanda are isolated doesn’t hold water as they already have an access road, a conservationist pointed out. First will come a road, followed by local politicians either ignorant or those looking for quick votes, grabbing land for distribution, Mr. Weeratunga said harking back to the past when Sinharaja became the experimental toy of high-level politicians who first attempted to feed a white-elephant plywood factory by stripping this natural wonder and later allowed large-scale mechanized logging here. Once again, the plea is that Sinharaja, home to many unique and endemic species couldn’t and shouldn’t be taken in isolation but as a contiguous habitat and protected as such. Roads, settlements or tea and cardamom cultivations in any of the 14 forest areas identified as the 11,000-hectare Sinharaja Adaviya, which includes the National Wilderness Heritage Site, will lead to fragmentation and loss of both animals and plants, said another conservationist. Another explained that Sinharaja is the most vulnerable hotspot and any dabbling with it or its environs, where the critical mass would be reduced, could lead to the extinction of many “point endemic” species. Point endemism is when a species is confined to one local area within a site, he said, adding that there may be many more undiscovered species within Sinharaja. Many were the questions raised why it has taken so long for the authorities to acquire the areas around Sinharaja coming under the Land Reform Commission (LRC). The Sunday Times learns that under Articles 9 and 10 of the World Heritage Convention (WHC), it requires the evolutionary process to continue for a site to be considered of “natural” importance globally. Once a Natural Heritage Site is declared due to its “uniqueness and universal value” with world biota being identified there, after competing heavily with many other sites, the authorities of the country where it is located have to abide by the WHC. It no longer belongs to the government of that country but to the global community and nothing should be done to endanger it, a source said.

Waking Up

So here I am, trying to pump life into my long lost blog - the one true link that leads to a thoughtful part of my heart. Well that's a lie, my heart is just a complicated bicycle pump. What I'm really trying to say is that my blog has been an exterior model of my Deep Limbic System - emotions galore. The refuge I sought to when I needed to empty the weight of all the emotions in my head.

Things have changed far and wide since the last time I posted, which is roughly about 7 months ago, but time is an immaterial element in my life. Something that I've learnt to ignore and dust off my shoulder. Time, being the wretched bastard it is, constantly holds up a board that flashes "All you're friends are in college, and you're still doing A/Levels", throw in the chicken dance. I know, it's not a pretty sight, but to hell if I care. One - 'almost' all my friends are in college, almost is  the keyword here. Two - atleast I can sleep every night without the guilt of owing my education to some other country. Para suddhata naya nae api.


Back to getting back to my blog. I conjure images of myself sitting in front of the PC, putting on my intellectual glasses, holding my head up high in esteem and writing out a polished and elegant post. But in reality, here I am donning an extremely over-sized t-shirt, sipping my mug of nikan they, mucnhing murukku, and, er, listening to One Thing by One Direction. Aren't they absolutely charming. No, a lot of things have changed I said, but not my orientation, it's still in favor of the fairer sex, the fairer than One Direction sex.

Also, I'm fresh from Kolkata Knight Rider's victory yesterday. It's hard to deny the fact that even an ardent IPL critic as moi, would opt to spend an entire evening watching the Indians and a handful of foreign players bashing the white ball as if it was the last thing they did. On the plus side, I absolutely hate Chennai SuperKings - any team that dons bright yellow outfits deserve to die a yellow death, and so they did, and tell me, what's better than watching Shahrukh Khan make an absolute fool out of himself. Joy.

Now, of the things that have morphed around me,one stands out. My employment as a feature journalist, at The Sunday Times. Although my stint lasted only 6 months (I plan on going back after the exams), it was absolute bliss. Would I have seen Giant Blue Whales doing tail-flaps right in front my eyes, help save the Somawathie Nature Reserve from poachers and an unruly banana cultivation, interview Bathiya & Santush, share a cheescake with the Dean of HKUST, have tea with the director of the Medical Supplies Division, shake hands with Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, meet Capt. Elmo Jayawardena, Speak to Red Bull X-Fighter pilots AND GET FREE FOOD VIA FOOD REVIEWS, if I stayed at home? I think not.

But there is life beyond journalism for me. An opportunity to fix myself, a chance to find the spark of leadership that I couldn't find for over 2 years, a pedestal to show the world that I know when to wake myself from the dream, and live it. I am announcing my arrival at the hard worker's association, running for a post in the cabinet of the people who swore to make it big, and eventually living a life that will be remembered.

But right now, it's more than listening to One Thing on repeat. (Hurriedly deleting that song before it infects my system and my sexual orientation.....further infects)