Journey by Sachie Tennakoon

Writing after so long. I don’t know why really. But just recent events have led me to really make some good contributions to society, you know in general. 1.      Invest in a good mattress. Oh man! No not what you are thinking. When you are almost thirty, your body is no longer young. I feel it now. It doesn’t recover as fast as it used to. You can no longer stay up till 5 am and wake up at 8 am. You just no longer can do that. Good night sleep is essential. I just recently took a very bad fall on the streets on NYC and landed on my dierair   and my phone. Cracked the phone screen and the back. Now I understand why the guy at Sleepy’s told me, “Ma’am don’t buy the cheapest mattress, you will regret it” At the time I thought the guy was trying to get a bigger commission, and present a good sales pitch. Girl, now I know it wasn’t about the money. 2.      Invest in understanding one drink that you would like to have At almost ...

I was told that the best way to document an experience is to blog about it. I know I haven’t maintained this blog properly. Oh well lets blame it on the job J I was given the chance on visiting South Africa, which is a once in a life time opportunity for me. If someone asked me to summarize my feelings of when I was told about the trip, would be almost the same as someone telling me that I was to go for dinner with Chef Ramsey and Abishek Bachchan. Wait! Damn, I just got sidetracked thinking about that. On way from Dubai to SA, I sat next to a lady who was a native South African. After 3-4 hours in to the flight I asked her, “Are you visiting?” She turned and said. “No I am from South Africa. I am going home after a year of working in Dubai” From there the conversation started, and she seemed nice enough to tell me about her life in Dubai as a soft ware specialist (or something like that). I turned the conversation around to talk about life in South Africa. She s...

I am not much of talker about relationships, and emotions and things (pfft who am I kidding), but I realized it is a little bit like a formula. We all have different relationships that we balance on a day to day life, and all of those relationships require so much of sacrifice, effort and patience to make happen. And one day we all wake up and think “to hell with it, I am done trying”. But is that really the way to decide on giving up on a relationship? We as humans require to meet a constant need of belonging. But at some point you need to draw the line and recognize what relationships weigh you down, and what relationships build you up. You only have one life to live, and it shouldn't be wasted on things that do not help you grow as a person. So here is my formula that has helped me. The Return of a Relationship – The Effort it Requires + Your Satisfaction = Contribution to Self Growth (positive or negative) But this process also requires a tiny bit of...

As I approach closer and closer to that one mile stone, that one point in your life, you are still not sure of being a kid or an adult, that point in life you want to take charge of your future and decisions, but the pocket seems to be a little bit empty for that, that point in life you realize the change in your parents faces to see the wrinkles coming in (my mother will not be happy with that statement though), you suddenly realize “holy mother of jack fruit!.. I am growing old” Its not easy accepting that now every relationship you have you first need to think about if this person is a suitable life partner (seriously) and that you can raise kids with, and that you can’t eat everything you want without actually putting on a few pounds, or that you really can’t live without a job just on your parents money, or that every time you go to a relative’s house the first topic of discussion is marriage. You realize this and it kind of sucks. It liked my life before with fewer...

The realities of our lives consist of the different personalities that we may portrait day to day. As a mother, a wife, a daughter, an employee, a sibling and friend the list may continue. The responsibilities, the commitments, the emotions are all different according to these relationships. We live lives of so many different characters where sometimes we forget how to interconnect all of it. Or rather that we should interconnect them at all. We may come across those situations of truly embedding ourselves in to the characters that involve people or relationships that won’t work with another. We find different levels of comfort and peace in each of them, but find it difficult to intertwine them to work together. All most all of us may have that so called dirty little secret, that one person, one relationship, one true connection that others in our lives may not know about or we assume that may not be understood by others in our lives. We find pleasure in that relationship bu...

So many people think that living life on an island is so easy. The sun and the sand, and the crystal blue waters seem more than ok enough. The beautiful views, the landscape and even the good food seem heavenly. But is it really? As a born and bred in an island let me tell you, it is NOT. Here are the reasons why EVERYONE is related to you- someone you meet at the meat section at a grocery shop happens to talk to you, and she is your grandmother’s auntie’s sister’s cousin’s daughter. Seriously. There isn’t really room for a getaway: you could be in the most far off part of the island in a abandoned wilderness with wild elephants, you will definitely run it to a friend of your parents.   If you are single and is in the age of being hunted as marriage material- EVERYONE THAT MOVES FROM THE OPPOSITE SEX IS A MARRIAGE PROPOSAL You break up, hook up, get divorced, get married, has a child, gets in to a car accident- EVERYONE KNOWS within seconds, to the point you w...

Ya- are you wondering where this title will take you? No don’t worry I promise you this will not be one of those bitching moments, but rather one of those “light bulb” moments. And that line is just so appropriate on many day to day activities.  I have been slacking off recently on this blog ( I know my famous excuse) but honestly my life hasn't been that interesting. I moved back home, found a fantastic job- met so many new people, had to leave the job – found another fantastic job and is now riding that boat. Yea as much as this may sound like a fairy tale it really wasn't. It was like a mud run in a rain forest during the rainy season- except its not mud- but like poop.  Yea smelly actually. But a friend once said “always find that silver lining”. Well I think I found mine. People come in and out of your life for various reasons, some go and some stay, some go only to come back. But you find that one person, that one per...

Many people love the beach for many different reasons. Some love the calmness and the roughness of the edgy waves crashing on in to the shore of the beautiful white sand. Its like a white and black thing, they are such opposites that actually work together. Some love the happiness and the joy that mere salt water can bring just by being "salt water". Some just love being able to stare far ahead and get lost in their own Pensieve. Let me telll you why I love the beach ISSO WADE Umm yea try translating that to English right? I used my balls and gave it a shot- Shrimp Chips (not bad eh?) Forget the name and let me tell you why this is better that your first honeymoon. The moment you bite in to it you will feel that crusty chips breaking in to your mouth, with raw onions and the sour fried shrimp. While that's melting in your mouth there will be an injection of the sweet carrots and the spicy green chilli that will tickle your tongue just enough for some chills to ...

Comfort is a strange thing. Its a feeling of being able to not think at all, and just stare in to nothingness and still be completely sober. Its not about being with the love of your life, or being on your favorite mattress. Its about that moment in life, where u just stop. just stop to not think, not plan, not talk... u just stop. I recently found out that comforting moments are truly found in the most strangest things. There's a cat key holder on top of my table. And its been there since the dawn of the new age, but I find my self the most calm, when I am staring away in to the dirty notice board pin eyes of the cat. The world stops, the phone stops, the emails stop, callings for dinner stops.. everything just stops. I truly believe that comfort is not something you can find when you feel like having it. It comes when you least expect it, when you least need it. It could be in the soap bubbles you find in the shower before you get to work, it could be on the back of a motorc...

So I know its a bit late for the new year post as it is almost the end of February! But hey better late than never. Firstly I want to wish all of you a very happy 2012 and may this year be everything you wish for and more! Every one has been wanting to know so what are my plans for this year. Let see if I can list some here, just the PG-13 ones. 1. Work and work 2. Stay away from trouble- Last year ended with so many shitty issues on a monthly basis,  but lets hope that this year would be better. It will probably be a hard thing to do considering the tendency of my attraction to trouble. 3. More chill with friends: Ok this is really not happening as much as I would like it to. I have been lacking time to spend with my friends here, and in WI. But not to worry the year is only begining :) 4. No gross finger nails: Last year i realized I dont really know how to properly do my nails. Should get this fixed. 5. KEEP THE BLOG RUNNING: I know really bad at that. 6. Visit WI...

Yes I know I know. My posts are scarce as a hen's teeth but don't worry I will try to write as much as I possibly can. I am still trying to find this work life balance thing that everyone is talking about. But not to worry, it will come with time. Its been more than a month since I have stepped in to the world of suit pants and long hours. I have learnt a few tit bits that I thought could be used by most of us with .. basically a life. 1. Everyone says it but, mate could not say it enough- Make MISTAKES! I made one crucial error first two weeks in to the job (yes worse than poop) but hey now I wont do it again. This is the only way to truly learn. 2. Work with friends not with co-workers- Its tough I know and sometimes you have to draw the line. But its much more easier to ask a favor from a friend than a duty from a co-worker. 3. Ask questions, questions and more questions! - Its ok to be a pain in the royal buttocks! 4. You will be dead weight till your team can le...

Recently my friends and I went to watch one of the most thought provoking movies of this year named Zindagi Na Milengi Dobra. It may or may not have been a good movie ( I am kind of on the fence about it) but it definitely made you walk out of the movie theater with a new out look on life (or at least a thought!) So here are some thoughts that came across my mind that made me think twice about, that night in bed. I turn back and look at my life, and sometimes wonder about all the little things that made me sad. All the fights, the arguments, the exams that failed, the times I made the wrong choices, the relationships that failed, the fights I gave up, the times I didn't speak up, the wrong times I did speak up.. all that just rushes in to my mind like my fathers maniac driving during the morning rush hour.  But all those nights that I cried in bed, all those depressing feelings, seemed justifiable at that moment. But now I seem to have started a collection of those bad thoug...

I recently went on a family reunion vacation trip to the hill country of Sri Lanka. As my father and I love to travel, we have been to these places millions of times. But this time I saw Sri Lanka like I have never seen before. Maybe or probably because I have been away for sometime. But I saw the most beautiful scenearies to fill my eyes, and the best Ceylon tea to satisfy my taste buds. The rich culture and religion of Nuwara Eliya was very soothing to see. I wish I had taken more pictures of the British influenced architecture but maybe its best I didn't. So that I have an excuse to make another trip to that beautiful paradise. Here are some  breathtaking pictures from my beautiful country. Location - Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka All unedited images.Copyrights reserved.

I know I know... I haven't written anything since MARCH! Guilty as charged! But I have good reasons as to why. I know that you dont really care about my personal life, but I am going to tell you anyway. I graduated, moved half way across the world back to my home country, and now just accepted a new offer at my dream company. Sounds like a fairy tale? Let me tell you it was the poopiest ride I have ever taken in my entire life. But during the ride it gave me an opportunity learn some valuable lessons that I thought I should share here. 1. Making a choice is hard. If it is hard enough to a point where you are up until 3 am in the morning trying to decide, there probably isn't a better choice. Just make decision and make it work. 2. Dreaming big is easy. Making those dreams come true means that you need to step outside of your comfort zone and take a risk. Not the easiest thing to do. 3. Always know that what ever you do there will always be an entourage of friends and fami...

I was in England for a couple of days, when I noticed something that I have never noticed before. The TV shows are full of sarcasm and rude comments! I mean not like joking around rude, like YOU ARE A WASTE OF SPACE IN THIS WORLD rude, in front of millions of people. The reality shows specially had participants who went completely bonkers! From drama to reality its all the same. Don't believe me? Here is an episode of Apprentice UK. As professional as it gets... no not really. http://www.youtube.com/user/sbtech01#p/c/5BFC95AA50462905/6/0CjF8Mf-65g So I wonder when British producers create TV shows here (Gordon Ramsey with Hells Kitchen and Simon Cowell with American Idol) are they aware of this? Yes they have the reputation of being "ruthless" on national TV in the US but I don't think its considered ruthless on British TV. Look at Pierce Morgan, Simon Cowell and Gordon Ramsey. What do they have in common: all British and sarcastic. In American standards quite ...

Clay Shirky in the article The Political Power of Social Media talks about how much power people can have through the wonders of social media. With the discovery of Web 2.0 people have now been given the opportunity to give impactfull feed back to various kinds of different decisions, be it political or business positions and promotions. This is not just power, this is the ultimately power. Power that could change a president or rules and regulations. This is exactly what happened in the Middle East, in the Philippines and right here next door in Madison. But is this really impactfull. Or is it more like the soda bottle that pops open after shaking and dies out in less than a minute. Yes its not easy to gather people who have the same passion for a problem, but can they really find a solution? So Malcolm Gladwell raises the same question in the article From Innovation to Revolution . He says " just because innovations in communications technology happen does not mean that ...

Random words that come in to my mind when I am working.. A promise isn't a promise Until you know you will give Give everything to keep that promise No matter what A word isn't a word Until you know That it comes from the heart And you will guard it with life A plan isn't a plan Until you stick to it No matter what goes wrong Around it Love isn't love Until you know You can give unconditionally No matter what the situation maybe So what made you think What made you think That you would be able to Make a promise Guard a word Build a plan To love If... You didn't know..

The words of a mother will always heal you, how ever much broken you are. The words that will make you see that silver lining during the storm, a storm that you never expected, even a storm that will change your life forever. This is not special because this is from my mother, but this is from a mother.. "....you'll sail through this episode proving the world again your unshakable  bravery, resilience and ability to overcome every little hurdle and glitter among other children as you always have done through out the years!!! You will always be the shining star of my life! We are all proud of you b'use we know that you are someone who would put 2 steps forward every-time when  you have  to take one step backward!!''