a shot on bliss’ Neighborhood

• 06:03 Merry Christmas!! #
• 12:23 Feeling sick on Christmas is no fun. But at least I'm not bedridden. Family is about to arrive. #
• 17:35 @ycgonzalez it sure seems like it at times. That used to happen to me with one of my exes over and over. #
• 20:30 If Star Wars had Facebook, statuses might have looked like this . . . bit.ly/7qZeen (via @aplusk) #
• 20:31 @girloncamera what book? #

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I almost went to bed and forgot to do this whole writing thing. Now, I could have coped out and cited my earlier work on this wedding website of ours as my writing of the day. I managed to conquer the elusive 'our story' page as well as the 'yes we are getting married way the fuck in croatia, here are the details' page. So, that was a plus.

"Love changes everything, how you live and how you die"
"Nothing in the world will ever be the same"
"Love changes everything, pain is deeper than before"
"Love makes fools of everyone, all the rules we make are broken"

Love this rendition:

Why is it that I've never realised how true and wise and meaningful this song is whenever Dad plays this song in the car?? I must have been daydreaming.

Fort heureusement nos amis ailés sont moins dépourvus que les sans-abris humains quand l'hiver pointe son nez car ils disposent d'un plumage digne du meilleur des duvets montagnards. Par contre le froid leur impose je suppose des dépenses caloriques plus importantes nécessitant une recherche de nourriture plus active. C'est en ces moments que les oiseaux d'ordinaire plus farouches se rapprochent des maisons.

Une bergeronnette grise s'est enhardie au point de venir picorer en terrasse sans que la présence humaine l'effarouche outre mesure. Le rouge-gorge habitué au casse-croûtes ne fait pas le poids devant cet oiseau au coup de bec vif qui n'accepte aucun partage.
Le rouge-gorge assiste en spectateur au festin de la bergeronnette.

I've always felt Christmas isn't Christmas if it isn't celebrated in a church, or if it isn't in remembrance of Jesus. But this Christmas, I'm reminded of how little I know about the origins and the history of my faith. Guess I better start reading.

When I say that I'm going to Sri Lanka this December, the typical response I get is "Wow so exotic!" or "Are you going there for CIP?". I have to say that any preconceptions I had of Sri Lanka is now shattered (as we all know, preconceptions are hardly true and can be damaging). Maybe it's because we associate Sri Lanka with India, or because of the media focus on their civil war. But no, I found Sri Lanka to be a beautiful country, where nature is mostly left untouched and there is a healthy respect for religion. If you had imagine Sri Lanka to be a place where there are beggars on the streets, smelly roadsides and poor living conditions, then you are misinformed (and probably imagining India). Far from that image, in my 8 days there, I hardly saw beggars on the streets, I didn't have to hold my nose when I stepped out of the bus, and I barely saw any sign of abject poverty. Even farmers in rural areas have electricity and running water and basic sanitation. Sri Lanka's HDI is comparable to Thailand and even higher than Indonesia. Considering that they've been mired in civil war, I'm very intrigued by their reasonably high standards of living.

I found most Sri Lankans to be friendly and polite, and most of them speak English well (it's a compulsory school subject). What struck me the most is their dedication to their faith. With most of the population being Theravada Buddhists, there are many Buddhist Temples both modern and ancient. I've never stepped into that many Buddhist Temples nor learnt so much about this religion. And while some Christians might be uncomfortable visiting the sanctuaries of another religion, I've never felt that way. Part of understanding your own faith comes from understanding other faiths. In fact, there are many cultural influences found within all the religious sites, from the Chinese ancient warrior statues outside a Buddhist temple to the Hindu influences found in temple art and architecture. Like when I visited Pompeii in Italy, I especially loved visiting the ruins of the ancient Kingdom of Polonnaruwa.
 
Though a part of me still wishes for a holiday somewhere colder like Japan or Europe, I'm glad I've had this unconventional experience. Like all places, there were good and bad experiences in Sri Lanka. But the bad is best forgotten, so here are some of the good:

This Christmas was very good to me. I can tell, 2010 is going to be epic! Stay tuned for new music, blogs, photos, vblogs, and more gigs! And with the new year, comes a slightly different layout- I think it's structured a bit better, and makes it easier for the eye to take in. Enjoy!

Prosper,

E v a

• 09:47 @amalah I've always wanted to try red, but have been too scared. You are much braver than I am. #

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