ya ok

"some of the most interesting people I know still dont know what they want to be at 40." - the sunscreen song

well, I know what I want to be, and that is ,in a word : PUBLISHED!

hello out there

Im Chandrika.
Well I used to be someone else but now Im Chandrika, and I want to write.
Hey Ive wanted to write since I can rememeber.
Hey wait a minute - the nice thing is Im writing now. ...
I ve also wanted to ride a motorbike since for as long as I recall and Im doing that.(Ill give you the detials in time-)
So- what can I say - Im one happy cow!
meanwhile, the next thing I really would like is for you, the dear gentle reader to actually read what I write.
If you need to know what sort of stuff I write ,well, it has to be fun.
I have never written horror, although I love to read horror and love watching horror movies, the sillier and more grotesque the better...
MY favourite authors? Terry Pratchett, Alistair McClean,Herge, Stephen King and Enid Blyton.
Theres more about me in this blog , why not just go to the main page www.aljuharawrites.blogspot.com
ENJOY!

murder in the library

Speaking of feeling silly - here are the two emails which pretty much had our staff in hysterics this week - I got some polite enquireis as to whether this can be a periodical occurance


Will the CPA Staff member who willfully took a box of new library books and threw them all over the library table ,during the weekend ,please identify him/herself without delay.
We will be pleased to organize free counselling for you if there are unresolved childhood issues - however if this kind of behavior is repeated my simple solution will be to lock the library during the weekend so no one can even access the nice clean loo upstairs.
thanks and best regards
Chandrika Gadiewasam
Librarian

Dear Valued Staff,
My apologies for causing a furor this morning - apparently the large scale
vandalism during the weekend has an innocent explanation - good old Aunty
mallika is involved ....and one of the cleaner kids who has tried to wipe
the fan blades and fallen onto the library table...sigh...sorry guys, its
been one of those weeks for me and the last straw is to have walk in on a
battlefield with my precious book lying around dead and dying...you do
understand...
thanks and best regards,
Chandrika Gadiewasam
Librarian

Friday the 24th

this entry has been deleted becos I changed my mind.
Guys, I reserve the right to change my mind,ok?
its a fundamental right as my friends at CPA would say

FRIDAY

Newbie called me yesterday. He often calls me in the evenings , since I met him, just for a chat.Just to see if Im ok. He asks nothing from me,not even that we ever meet, expects nothing, but talks to me and listens to my problems , advises me ,although he is years younger than me , most of his advise is very useful. And he always winds up by saying that he appriciates me and wishes me the best and reminds me that Im a valuable person to know. Which is heartening. Its not flattery because he has never tried to extract anything from me .

He is a bit of a character, there is more about him in my website. I think he is a viglante

In retrospect - I have met lots of colourful people in Colombo in the last 5 years - some of the really cautious hypocrites are placid professional goody two shoe characters who have "DECENT " all over them, regular "accepted " members of society, bankers, lawyers, accountants "tie -coat johnies" what have you with their detailed codes of ethics - lying, finger pointing and secretly fornicating like there is no tomorrow- and then I have met the slightly "underworld" types-social "misfits", "hippies" and women of "ill repute" and outcasts but do you know what ?-they actuually have principles!

And...By the way Nubie has told me hes looking for a nice girl ,probably a bit older than him, who understands him. hm, brown eyes, a lovely singing voice and a hot bod to die for....not to mention a kind and genuine personality...wonder who the lucky girl will be and if she will even know how lucky she is!

the week to thursday

What a wonderfully wild week I had.Half of it is self censored ,sorry.

I also discovered a cousin of mine who I never knew existed and he turns out to be the cutest little hunk you ever did see (where have you BEEN all my life ?) (ok not exactly little - hes six foot and must be about a hundred kilos and adorably podgy )- ...and he sounds almost as happy to discover me as I am to meet him- its nice to be discovered and I never actually had cousins , since we were so busy avoiding my relations - this is fun, even if Im about 20 years too late for it...

and then yesterday I got into a friendly tiff with a very important friend of mine who was being terribly old fashioned and told me sanctimoniously that I should never marry again but should look after my kids and focus on them.She told me that my daughter would probably never forgive me if I did so and would become a lost case* like me...blunt honesty like that I value but I do beg to differ

Now just to get this clear, I love my kids like any mother does. Neither more (and Im not interested in competing in that sanctimonius sri lankan competition titled MS PERFECT MOMMA 2006) nor less than the fantstic maternal parents next door , and I would do anything I can to help them if they need me.They know this.
But stay alone and be a martyre just to prove that I want to FOCUS on them ?
I sure hope that I have not brought up kids who are selfish enough to WANT their mother to live her whole life alone , what a burden I would be to their consciences if they later turned around and found me limping around behind them dribbling humbly for scraps of their attnetion when they are busy executives with families of their own....
No I would actually prefer to seek happiness my own way (either married or spunkily and drunkly alone -) than FOCUS all my energy on PUSHING them around in dierctions I think is correct and desiging their lives for them which Im sure they have every right to do themselves. And hey I have this feeling that the cherubs would actually be happy for me if I were happy ....

But of course Mouse told me one word of caution about it all " Sis, "he said calmly at dinner "My good niece is at a stage where she is so wrapped up in Bollywood and getting her hair tinted and straightened I dont really think she would NOTICE if you married again, let alone complain. But one thing she would NEVER forgive is if you deleted the Need For Speed 2 Game from your hard drive "

thank goodness someone agrees with me ;-)

ps *Personally and honestly, I dont think Im a "lost case ", although many Sri Lankan people assume that because Im a divorced lady in Sri Lanka Im a total ruin. Im actually very cheerful , happy when left to my own devices and I honestly think these last two have been the best years of my life. I also would actually think it a bit of a victory if my daughter grew up to be a bit like me , a person who dosnt have any enemies , who never lies to herself (if you're true to your self it follows that you usually cant lie to other people !) and who would help anyone (or animal ) who needed it and tried to cheer up anyone who crossed their path .....
Look carefully if you will at the faces of the married ladies you see in the passenger seats of many luxuirious vehicles cruising around Colombo in the mornings . They are neat , clean and fashionable and they are not talking to their husbands or even looking at them. ...and they dont smile.

virginity monologue

Stumbled across a rather fun article ,today it starts like this ....

I have a confession to make. Although I am the birth mother of two grown sons, I never lost my virginity.
No, I know exactly what I did with it....
http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-20040520-000002.html

Thursday again - so fast!

....That was Ash, in case you didnt get a chance to actually make eye contact - and I think he could actually be useful ,when he actually is around. He left saying he thought you were a " very nice fellow".I got more detail on the atrocities our uncle has committed on him ,poor chap, and he has also damaged a knuckle in an LTTE grenade attatck (he CLAIMS)(i personally think it really looks like he hit something that didnt actually give way -high spirits,them forces boys)He also claims he got a promotion to CI(Chief Inspector )...kind of interesting eh what...he wanted the number of the bus , but Im afraid to give it to him.I dont mean that kind of revenge....

Thursday- my favourite day

Quote of the Day :
Just when you think you've made it- your towel falls off.

Urban Dictionary Term for the Day :
Mouse Abuse ; thats when a computer is fundamentally real slow but some silly people think that double clicking things like mad will actually get it to respond.

its often easier to get a characther with pen than pencil although you have more flexibility. "you have got the eyes perfect " was what Newbie him self had to say. ..

Newbie visualised

here he is -this is my first draft - I hope to give an impression of carefree boisterous youth. Like Meg Cabot says "Im not very good at drawing guys"
Sorry.
There will be more slight rearrangements of his features, till I get it right I can gurantee :-)

Newbies Gullarm

N
He exists and thats the bike. Now just pushing that around in a tight corner or getting it out of a drain gives you muscles so you can imagine what he looks and weighs like.
He said he lost his temper once when a tuktuk sidewinded in front of him and caused an accident at about 80 mph- he and his buddy rearranged the features of not only the tuk tuk driver but his passengers too. I told him I thought it was downright low down.
In the next post I will show you a drawing of him since he refuses to give me a photo.Sensible dude, but then would i ever post peoples photos without their permission?Line drawings are somehow clearer anyway...

Kashyapa Ge Rahasa

The cover of my second story - Kashyapas Secret - its an adventure set in Colombo -if youre interested in reading it do write , and Ill send you a copy.If youd like art like this to complement some project of yours - jut let me know.My fees are Very Reasonable....

domestic violence sri lanka

-theres a lot of it !

This is one of the illustrations I did for Shahinas Manual on WOmens Rights- this illustratres domestic violence obviously.We have to explain to some sad women why this is not necessarily part of life . Hope you like the style.

This subject is quite close to my heart- so to speak. My ex-husband thought I was property aka chattel I think its called but I did correct his presumtion in time. I did try about 9 years of negotiating but it didnt work - some guys just dont learn.
Now I find it vaguely exasperating when I have to listen to women who tolerate being pushed around just because they dont have nuts. My own domestic assistant drives me up the wall, by telling me about how she gets hammered by a drunkard each night - she has to work 16 hours a day to ensure he gets fed and watered , so she can afford this privilage. When asked why she tolerates it she says "for the sake of the children" but this cant really be true since her kids are in their 30s and late 20s.

pictures

I figured how to add images, which is important.I do believe a picture is worth a thousand words.A line drawnig is worth about five hundred but Im ok with that.Heck a smiley is worth about twenty :-)
Personally I think i look like a relation of Sammo Hung...not that hes a bad guy. I like his attitude. What do you think?

musings

The best part of a writers life is when shes actually writing - regardless of whether it pays or if anyone is reading it. based on this observation I think what i suspected all along is true and I am in fact a compulsive obsessive writer
Now as to where my current story goes a lovely friend of mine named Sundi - from austrailia - who is a fan of mine - has so far influenced the latter stages - and my own daughter laughingly gave me some good ideas(although she dosn't read my books-i complained but she said that's life - most famous authors relatives dont really read their books according to her-i cant believe that im at a stage where my offspring can have opinions !!!- shes now taller than me too - a pleasant shock -) meanwhile I met Ruffian yesterday 0 heck the guy is going through a real transformation, i think the separation is the best thing that happened to him (just like in my case- sad though it sounds-)now if only hed quit smoking - the world would be his oyster-
if he is lying to me and he isnt really seperated at all - Ill get someone I know to break his kneecaps. Honest i will.

writers blog

On suggestions from Brother Mouse, Aljuhara creates her second blog , which considering the amount she compulsivley writes, has been pointed out as a serious lacuna so far. Every writer SHOULD have a blog.Whatever that is.and if you dont know what lacuna means look it up in my ngo bullshit generator- not that you will get a real explaination but its fun.

Problems of the day

I have to get my newsletters out but Word 2000 has cracked up on my PC and i cant edit it till Alty comes in. Alty is stingy about how much it costs to install new software onto CPA computers.Thats 120 for the CD and 80/= for the trip to get it -a whole whopping 200 /- ruppees Sri Lankan for the procedure. But hes a nice dude generally.
Yup Newbie came over yesterday- he has a fantastic bike a Gullarm whatever that is, it took some reversing- and he has to sit crouched on it like a bat in a gale. He was not impressed by my photos of Gia. but why?

Im begining to think this blog idea is exactly what I needed - somewhere to write all my excuses as to why I could not contact all my friends and aunts. I have so many friends in my life and love them all but they get annoyed when I dont put time into it and think that i have forgetton them .I have not .Its just that its such a rat race and I have to keep food on the table (even if Im often trying not to eat it-)so sometimes actually I honestly dont have the time.Thanks for suggesting this ,Mouse, and oh.thanks for being such a wonderful sibling.

January 23rd

Name: Chandrika (more at www.chandrika.biz)
Sex: Female, but I don’t accept any of the weaknesses attributed to the state.
Age: 34 looks a bit older, but feels a lot younger due to having lived life back to front.
Civil Status : Divorced in December 2004 after 4 years separated mother of two a lovely and cheeky daughter aged 14 who is mad about Hindi films, and a naughty but sweet son aged 9 who likes to cook. The kids however want to stay with me and my mother in law is still a good friend as are all my sisters in law, so they are very much a part of my life and always will be. Reason for divorce was among others domestic violence at the time so it really wasn’t something I could negotiate .
Physical appearance: 5 ‘5’ 65 kg, 38-32-38. fair skinned, hirsute, frizzy hair, short sighted, a few teeth missing but so far all toes intact. Podgy nose. Excellent behind, I’m told.
Profession : ACCA finalist works as a Librarian, currently studying graphic design, and a bit of French in limited spare time.(the language)
Education: till 13 schooled at various foreign schools including Norman Gordino in Kampala and a primary school in Manchester , Lindsay in Colombo, and from then on the world is my teacher. Would love to go back to school
Religion: Humanist, Buddhist upbringing, admires all religious leaders, disagrees with Islamic ideas of practised degradation of women. (Willing to argue on this topic for hours.) Gets along well with Christians Catholics, and vegetarians.
General Disposition: Cheerful, jovial, indulgent, honest, laid back, sympathetic, broadminded, understanding except where it comes to smoking
Vices : flirts a bit too much . Somewhat unhygienic, lazy and occasionally mean to small children, (only if trapped with them.) leaves used tea cups lying around and throws clumps of fallen hair and sometimes used underwear, behind book shelves etc. suddenly laughs and screeches loudly. Jumps to conclusions. Very bad singing voice. Useless at gardening – any plant dies if I so much as touch it.
Advantages : a very good telephone voice, good at massages, anything I touch gets well soon- animals live- Excellent English , sense of humour if understood is guaranteed to bring cheer .
Likes: Sunshine, clean flat surfaces, sun dried kittens and animals of any type, milk, murunga, vaathathel, small onions, garlic, books and that row of second hand book shops in MacCallum Road, horror movies, Famous Fives, Tintin, Wilbur Smith, Alistair MacClean, Enigma Enya ,Spanish and Arabic Music, jungles, old monuments, a good cuppa tea, travel, writing and my motorbike.
Dislikes : cleaning up after cooking, stuffed buses, cold rainy mornings , hypocrisy, being restricted ,confined or incarcerated in anyway, being suspected of lying (but to be honest it’s a long time since anyone dared to do so) & government offices .
Odd habits: taking tea and a magazine to the loo, smiling absently at no one in particular in the middle of a crowded bus, dressing in flannel.
Social Habits: avoids parties like the plague, vaguely disapproves of drinking and gambling- strongly disapproves of smoking and drugs, prefers to stay home with good music and a second hand book. Likes to go to temple but not on crowded days
Seeking : a partner in crime. He should be : kind , intelligent, honest, dependable,caring,artistic at least 80 kg and 5’5’’ , preferably mid thirties, should be divorced or widowed , preferably with kids, and he should understand everything in the above profile(even the murunga) even if he doesn’t agree. He should be willing to put up with lots of weird unsanctioned laughter and a few hippie friends, and actively support my cat farm and 2 dogs. .. He doesn’t have to have much money but a good bike would be much appreciated. but he must never make the mistake of borrowing money from me because I don’t respect that in a guy. He obviously has to be a person who appreciates good writing. Long hair is ok, dark skinned guys welcome, beards are no problem but nose and ear hair and mustos are OUT. Letters and calls and even meeting a few ex girlfriends will be tolerated even encouraged if it makes him happy. But, lying-never! There is just no need for lying in my home.
Oh and he has to smell nice.