Disappointed after Sri Lanka loosing to Pakistan? Don't be.

I would have love to see a Sri Lankan win. They had the edge - but things got messy and strengths became psychological traps. Every match is as fresh as a new day.

Good thing, Sri Lanka did show some resilience at the end of the innings to be just 11 runs short. Net run rate is stable. I felt we could win even with 8th man down. That exposure to batting line up very early in a world cup is priceless. It makes every team member to think and reflect " we are not bullet proof".

Thanks to ICC lackluster grouping and scheduling, Sri Lanka, for that matter the other 3 heavy weights in group A (Pakistan, Australia & New Zealand) need not worry. Why?  Zimbabwe, Canada and Kenya will not challenge other top 4 countries in group A. Hence the top 4 moves to quarter finals unharmed.

Fact is, Sri Lanka can even afford to loose to Australia and New Zealand, and still be in quarters. Same applies to group B. South Africa, India, England and West Indies will be in. So basically first round of world cup is warm up for quarters. Funny, ICC should not have added OFFICIAL warm up matches before 19 Feb kick off, teams have plenty till quarters.

I remember how Australia bounced back after loosing to Pakistan in first round in 99 world cup. Then Australia was beaten by South Africa in super 6 stage too. But Aussies made their mark when it mattered, drowning South Africa and Paksitan in semis and finals respectively.

So relax guys. It's just a practice match. The world cup is yet to start.
India Vs England match was also a practice match, with substantial excitement. But Sanga and his mates will have plenty to learn looking at how brits chased an impossible 330 +.


photo credit: cricinfo.com

Is Shahid Afridi way too much?

26 Feb 2011 - Sri Lanka Vs Pakistan - Group A, ICC world cup 2011.

Shahid Afridi, the skipper, came to field with his team to defend 277. Wasim Akram, the former captain of Pakistan, a crucial member of world cup winning 1992 team, was now a commentator.

Afridi was very vocal and animated. He shouted to encourage his team, had a constant chatter with every bowler, between every delivery. Wasim was upset. He said " Gul, Razak, and Akhtar are all seasoned bowlers. They shouldn't be told each ball, how to be bowled. Afridi may think he's helping them, yet it will put extra pressure on bowlers". Wasim went on to say " I ll be very upset if I was told every ball like this, I know my field and I would bowl according to my field".

This was the first 15 overs. Sri Lankan opening pair had put on 70 plus runs. Things were not good for Pakis. We could see Akhtar was panting in his very first over. The bowlers seemed agitated, exhausted very early on. May be humidity, may be crowd pressure, may be their internal team problems, who knows?

That 15 overs Afridi kept his vocal chords in charge. Then the first wicket felt. Then Afridi took his first in his first over, the priced wicket of Dilshan. Sooner Mahela was bowled by Akhtar, and then Afridi striked again removing Thilan. Sri Lanka struggled there onwards, with 4 down, before reaching 100.

That 4 wickets changed the flow. I don't know what Wasim would tell right now. Towards the end of the innings whole Pakistan team was vocal and Afridi achieved 300 wicket mark.


Moral: Leading a team is always difficult, when you have commentators buzzing. At the end of the day, when the voice of commentators are faded, when the dust on the pitch is settled, the result is written in history. Afridi did just that. This applies to our lives too.

photo credit : cricinfo.com

Floods in Sri Lanka: How Social media helped Sarvodaya's relief efforts.

Picture courtesy Sarvodaya Media unit

It was around 10 AM on Wednesday (12th January). I was writing a report, at my office, when suddenly a twitter alert popped up, mentioning my name. It was from one of my friends, wanting to donate his money to Sarvodaya's efforts, but worried because the online payment gateway of Sarvodaya website was not responding.

The tweets from @AmiSampath that got my attention.

Normally I would wait a while until I finished the report. That's how I manage twitter updates. But this one took my attention. I visualized the affected millions, and the ever so compassionate Sarvodaya field team with many volunteers, trying to help.
I got up, called few numbers from my mobile, and the technical matter was resolved in minutes. Thanks to Diyath Ariyaratne for speedy response !

@AmiSampath spreading the message after successful donation.

I updated, replied, retweeted the new link, and my friend Ami Sampath was able to do the donation. Not only he donated, but was kind enough to Retweet and spread the message.

Later in the day, few close to Sarvodaya, yet in different time zones, hearing the need from Sri Lanka, rallied on their twitter pages to spread the " need of the moment". Thanks Aparna Ashok, Isabelle Finateu, And Daren Forsyth for passionate tweeting.


Tag Development, the organization Daren works for, also joined in with a campaign.

On Friday (14th Jan) Sarvodaya joined in with a FaceBook page to spread the message on the rising demands. So Facebook friends also came in to help, in their smallest efforts, which at the end of the day, goes a long way to help millions !

I am still sharing and retweeting all #flood updates that I lay my eyes on. Thank you friends, I salute all of you on behalf of Sarvodaya, and in the name of humanity.

You can still join compassionately by clicking and donating at http://www.sarvodaya.org/wp-content/themes/arzel_gray/donate.html
AND sharing this story to 10 of your closed ones will be of greatest merit.

May the weather be peaceful !

Getting to work early morning - An example

pic by @isura

A little while back, I was inspired by a very courageous human. On my way from Piliyandala, passing Suwarapola, I saw a tailor, in his second floor shop, with a tube light on, working attentively on a dress. Time was 0605 AM. I was totally overwhelmed by the courage and determination of a single man.

Waking up early in the morning and planning the day, is the most important thing you can do in your whole life. It clears your mind out of clutter. You the see the day in different light. By the time you mix with the world, you have worked 1-2 hours more. And that's the best time of the day.

Here I am blogging this, to share a positive note. Have a great Monday, and have a wonderful week.

At 26, person of the year, 2010.

Many would argue, Is this the right time, for this accolade to Mark Zuckerberg.
I would say, I would not mind.
He has connected 550 milliong up to now. And at the rate FB is going, they expect the 1 billion mark in 2012.
It's no small feat.

This all started of a simple idea in a hostel room of Harvard in 2003. Simple idea, a simple mind. Wow.

Sunetha's Art inspires

I believe there is beauty everywhere if you only pause to observe.  Specific beautiful moments are also fleeting and momentary,  one has to be quick to grasp and appreciate them before  they are gone.  In an ever changing world  nothing is permanent -  this is a universal law.  However,  although  there is constant change there is beauty in every facet of change. 

In my collection of paintings, I have tried to capture the beautiful  impressions  of  many such fleeting moments to  instill  tranquility & contemplation  and  to connect  people  to nature’s  beauty and rejuvenating powers. (Source http://www.sunethagallery.com/)

This is what Sunetha Kannangara is trying to say through her paintings at Lionel Wendt Gallery on 27th & 28th November, 2010 (9:00 am - 7:00 pm). Yes, the entrance is free. I accidentally step on to her exhibition and found she had a great fundamental in her character. Patience to do good things, and then spread the good will. She had a knack for painting from childhood, which got swept under the carpet of professional working life. Then she emerged from the retirement, to polish her skills, and here she is portraying how a simple idea can help many. In a time, where I see so many senior citizens struggling to cope with the solitude of retirement, Sunetha provides inspiration.

This is what she's telling in her website

The net proceeds from my art work will be used to support charitable projects in my 'HeART : Art for Social Responsibility' program.  Currently, there are three projects in this program.

• Scholarships : This project provides scholarships to needy students.  Currently, four students from Moneragala and two from Colombo are scholarship recipients.  I plan to increase the number of scholarships offered and to increase the present scholarship stipend to keep pace with the rising cost of living.

• Home for Intellectually Challenged Adults : This project provides support to a group Home located in Kegalle, Sri Lanka.  I plan to provide additional safety facilities to this Home.
  
• Animal Welfare : This project provides support to The Animal Welfare & Protection Association (AWPA) rescue, sterilization and vaccination  programs and for the maintenance of the animal shelters.  I plan to help AWPA with urgently needed funds to support these programs. 

Sunetha inspired my wife, Muditha, who also had painting skills to GET BACK to the drawing board. I asked her " any advise when someone starting over something they were good at?".

" Just start sketching something, a tree, a bird, and let the sketch guide you " She said with a smile.

Sunetha with Muditha, at the exhibition

She said to me that she was waiting to meet someone from  Sarvodaya to complement her work. I did that by connecting her with Bianca, Director, Sarvodaya Suwasetha. And I am hopeful for a synergy.

Thanks Sunetha, for the lovely evening, through your paintings !

" Guzaarish " - A movie (mind) Review

A 'Guzaarish' wall paper courtesy guzaarishthefilm.com

Yesterday through some evening rain, I found shelter at Liberty Cinema, for the 7 PM screening of Sanjay Leela Bansali's new venture - " Guzaarish (a request)". I was consuming time, till my wife returns from her annual school staff trip. She phoned me, and it will be midnight when they return.2 things: First time in many years, I am watching a movie with out my wife, and I have to consume time. Both reasons were good enough to enjoy the movie. And it turns out 19th Novemeber (day beofore) world wide release was a perfect timing for my woes.

The film was good: yes, anticipated Devdas type choreography, nice camera work, soothing music (I loved the score by Sanjay Leela Bansali), the splendor of Goa, chemistry of Hrithik and Aishwarya. Yes, it was a good movie: about life, its' gift, and its' unpredictability. Life is short, have no regrets, love your loved ones, forgive and be free, those were the messages spelled out from the movie. I am not going to give you the plot. But if you so insist click here for wikipidea. And below is the trailer.



And further down the post you will find the trailer for "The Sea Inside", the spanish movie 'INSPIRED' Sanjay Leela Bansali, though he never mention that, neither in his website nor in interviews.



I have to admit, by the time the movie was over, a tinge of love crept in to my heart, and I was waiting for my wife to return.

3 Ways to Cultivate Your Proactive Brain

pic courtesy: bowdoindailysun.com

Lot of folks ask the question of how to calm the mind, because we are living in a crazy busy world. And that is true. Meditation is the only method I have come across that touches base with my mind, and it refreshes the whole outlook of things.
And then I come across this 'Management Tip of the Day' from Harvard Business Review.
Though the facts remain true, you have to be cautious to input only the information you really need. Remember the real effect of mind comes from spaciousness. So in work, if you feel overwhelmed, take a break. Go around, see some plants, wonder across the sky, and take a ball toss it to the wall. Then comeback and get-back to where you have left. For full article click here.

Studies have shown that a good memory helps you better navigate the future. And in business, anticipating and negotiating future demands is an asset. A proactive brain uses details from past experiences to make analogies with your current surroundings. It then helps you determine where you are and envision future possibilities. We are all born with proactive brains, but these three things can help improve brain performance:

1. Give it a lot to work with. Create a richer pool of information to draw from. Expose your brain to diverse experiences and situations.
2. Borrow from others. Find out as much as you can about others' experiences by talking, interacting with, and reading about other peoples' lives.
3. Let your mind wander. Undisturbed time gives your brain the space it needs to recall and recombine past experiences in ways that help you anticipate the future.

How I learnt English – Part 2.

Pic credit Daniel Grill from GettyImages

Since there is a considerable urge to learn English these days, here I put down part 2 of my experience. Read part 1 here.

My thirst for English language was 2 fold. I wanted to speak fluently, and I wanted to read many books. Around 1996, speaking in public was a nightmare for me. This was just after Ordinary Level exams. My parents had sent me to few teachers to build my foundation. I am indebted to my parents and teachers for that.

With a foundation in place, I searched for institutes and teachers to fine-tune. I talked to peers who also sought those avenues. I found many methods, but they could not satisfy my thirst. I saw a huge gap in them. There was no sustainability of learning. Those methods were inclined towards passing an exam or help fulfilling a short-term assignments.

I decided to start with my self. My vocabulary was a mess. So I focused on words. I started from dictionary. I wrote words extracted from the dictionary. Then I tried memorizing them. It did not click. Words were just words. I could not relate to the “meaning”, hence my vocabulary did not pick up. I was getting anxious and nothing seems to cater for my thirst. Suddenly something hit my mind. “ What if I tried words and grammar in parallel, rather than attacking words alone?” Then I made it interesting. The practice I mention below is very practical, worked for me and around dozen others who took my cue.

Ingredients:

1. A newspaper

2. A dictionary

3. A 40-page notebook

4. A pen

5. Your Patience (a lot of them)

DAY 1:

1 ) Take the newspaper and turn to your favourite section. For me it was sports.

2 ) Pick an article to read.

3 ) Read it aloud, for the first time.

4 ) Read it for the second time with pen in your hand. Underline all (I REPEAT - all) words that you don’t know or vaguely know.

5 ) Take the notebook and write all the words as a list one by one.

6 ) Refer the dictionary for all the words (I REPEAT - all) and write the definition in front of each word. Now you have all the words with their definition on a notebook, yet you are not familiar with them, still.

7 ) This is the most important step. The step that will find the “meaning” of what you did up to now. Read the article for the third time. Refer the notebook when you come across the underline words, if you still not sure about it. Repeat the reading until you are familiar with all unknown words.

8 ) Cut and paste the article on the notebook.

DAY 2:

9 ) Take the notebook and read the article. When you come across the underlined words, try to recall the meaning. If you’re still not sure, refer the notebook.

10 ) Take a fresh article of your choice, and repeat steps 1-8.

DAY 3:

11 ) Read the pasted articles. Then repeat steps 1-8

The beauty of this method is that you don’t memorise words or study grammar. You only read your favourite articles. Over time you see the application of difficult words. You become friendly with words and grammar.

Technically speaking, this method installs the words and grammar in your mind, NOT copy/paste words which is found in conventional methods.

Even now, from time to time, I practice this way, because learning is till you die, It never stops. Happy Learning!

Jealousy

It was the day (early 2000) our AL results were released. We all huddled to the school early in the morning. I will not expand in to the array of emotions that crippled and aroused me and my friends. This was the moment that would condense 13 years of our efforts. All eyes were on us, at-least I was made to think that way.

One of my best friends was called upon by the school office. He was one of the brightest and a very good human. After a while he came back with a big smile on his face. He was through with great results. I was happy too...(wait a minute ! something started building inside me, it was like a splinter). I started thinking- what about me?, does this mean that my friend was the only one got through?.

While congratulating him, my mind was busy with "my self". thirty minutes later I found out lot of my friends including  "my self" were through. Yet a feeling of guiltiness spread through me for not been able to be fully happy for my friend's success just a few minutes back.

That day I felt the dumbness of jealousy. It's an acute state of mind that shrinks our mind and heart. And most of the time, my experience with jealousy has nothing to do with what I want. It's quite humorous at times.

From 2000, for 10 years I kept on contemplating on this feeling, when ever I stumbled upon it. Worst thing that happens is that it hinders the ability to see the opportunities. Jealousy induces the dumbness. That's all, there it is.

Sometimes in the journey of life I find my self ahead and some other times lagging. It's nothing but relative thinking. A thought that captivates us and binds us to the wheel of desire.

End of the day it's a waste of thoughts and an opportunity cost. !