Awakening. "Under the Crescent Moon"

Mood of the moment: profound awe and wonder of the world we live in
Song that i can't get rid of: Wonderful world, James Morrison
Movie on my mind: Paradise Now
Newest infatuation: Cultural education
Secretly craving: peace. for the world and myself.
Wish i were...making a difference in the world

A long weekend. You would expect the lazy bum attitude from a candidate like me. That definitely is on the agenda buut Friday was to be an inspiring day. I finally went down to the National Museum to take a look on the exhibits from the middle east. Under the Crescent Moon documented the evolution of Arabian and Islamic civilisation. From the nomad to the modern cities. It was more of an urban and architectural study with amazing models made of plasticine, clay and straw. A real eye opener on what it was to be in the middle east then compared to the shattered and torn area it is now.

Life size models of the kasbah were on display. You can see, almost hear, and feel the life that they lived. An amazing experience. When you walk into them there is a sense of peace. The simplicity of the architecture is what brings out its tranquility. Islamic architecture revolves around the Islamic way of life, thereby making space important. The action takes place. The space is merely a container for it.
As each region developed, the concepts were applied, experimentally, to the apartments and city houses. What has evolved today remains to be seen, if there's anything left to be seen at all.

The second part of the exhibition, Nazr, was a photographic documentation of life and culture, past and present in the middle eastern region. It mostly depicted the fall of peace and tranquility. The destruction in Palestine & Beirut... unimaginable. The past carefully documented by scholars to be preserved for mankind to see in the years to come was sitting in the other room, while today's brutal reality was the subject of the installation artwork Strange Bridges Games. Depicting the fall of civilisation during our time. People's lives crumbling along with the buildings they attach their memories to. Lives played with, transformed from hopeful youth to fickle existence. Now they hope for a graceful death; we only see, we hear and we watch.

learning to breathe on my own

"So I don't want to be the last, I don't want to be the first,
Don't want to be alone with my thoughts tomorrow,
And I don't want to be afraid, don't want to look away,
I'm learning to breathe...

... I just need a hope and a light to follow,
Like sailors look to stars to find their way home,
I'm learning to breathe on my own."
Nerina Pallot

"When there's only one way that you can go.
No thoughts. No questions asked.
Dreams do not inspire. They haunt.
Your world is full of people.
But they pass you by.

The only way is forward.
Perhaps the thought could be left for later.
Dreams go on; remembered or not.
Look a little harder.
The people are in your heart."

Its a stupid way to come to terms with growing up. It's easy to depend on other people. There's no easy formula to wisdom or adulthood. Some of us, who have only seen the world with childish eyes can't seem to grasp the depth of real existence. Where accounts must balance. Boring tasks must be done. Excitement is not always an option. Security, feasibility and rationality rule your life.

It is hard for people to suddenly accept these things. It is harder to practice them. There really is no 'stepping' into the real world. Its just out there, waiting, to slap you in the face.

One of those days again.

Mood: lonely
Song: Sophia. Nerina Pallot
Newest infatuation: nothing actually
Secretly craving: a magical money tree
Wish i were... an intellectual celebrity

I've been having many of these 'one of those days' lately. I guess because the quality of life drastically deteriorates when you start to work. Especially at this part of the world. So ill have to keep trudging along hoping something important will come out of my lonely existence.

Last week was a good one. There was a birthday celebration. Practically everyone is born in march at work. So yea i ended up emptying a good part of my pockets on dinner. But in the end it was fun, and a good way to bond with colleagues.
Friday was ayam pennyet with Babbling Banshee. That was a hilarious. Yummy, freaking spicy but hilarious. We wanted to try out a new place at Orchard. So we went around looking for this shop on the 4th floor. Eventually we just sat down at the first restaurant we saw on the first floor. Too embarrassed to get up and walk around to see if this was the place we intended to go to, my accomplice went out to see if this was the place indeed. Eventually we were satisfied that this was the only place that had ayam pennyet! :)
I think it is my love for food that keeps me going.

So yea, in 8 hours the weekend will be over and the cycle will go on. This week is a four day week. So at least that is something to look forward to. But sri lanka at this time of the year is the place to be. Tomorrow is a holiday, Friday is a holiday, and the week after is avurudu.... Sometimes you wonder why you bother to leave home in the first place.