The 16 days of activism campaign got me thinking and trying to define Gender Based Violence to myself. Violence based on, or because of your gender didn't seem to quite cut it. Violence denotes aggression and aggressive behaviour, physical force, injuries, blood; but so often violence, and abuse, is not just about those things. What about the wife who has no access to the bank accounts, no money

  Cutting for Stone If you read only one book this year, let it be this one. Beautifully written, Verghese takes you on a journey spanning continents and generations. From a mission hospital in Ethiopia, to the war terrain in Eritrea, to the tough streets of the Bronx, the story moves the reader through a dizzying array of themes and story lines, all wrapped in a cocoon of medical drama

Current obsessions: 1. Pinterest: been pinning like a fiend ever since I got on it. Plus, it's a great time waster at work! 2. Party planning: The Duckling and I just got done hosting an epic Halloween party (more on that later). Next up, possibly a farewell party and then her majesty's own 25th really young age birthday party. 3. The weather. Who doesn't love the thunder and lightning

I tried out a recipe for chilli last night that was such a success that I felt I must share.  I must warn you that the quantities below are all what I think "just about looks right" (I have trouble following recipes). Pictured below is what it looked like about half way through the meal, when I felt the need to blog about it. Chilli con carne: Adapted from BBCgoodfood Prep time: aprox.

Not Your Exotic don't wanna be your exotic like some dark, fragile colourful bird imprisoned, caged, in a land foreign to the stretch of her wings don't wanna be your exotic women everywhere look just like me some taller, darker, nicer than me but like me just the same women everywhere carry my nose on their faces my name on their spirits don't seduce yourself with my 'other' ness my hair

I think of you and the continents brilliant and arid and the slender heart you are sharing my share of with the American air as the lungs I have felt sonorously subside slowly greet each morning and your brown lashes flutter revealing two perfect dawns colored by New York see a vast bridge

I miss New York. I really do. Even though the last few months I was there all I could think about was coming home, now that I am home, I miss it. I regret not making the most of it while I was there. I regret not taking more time to explore, regret not breaking the rules a little more, regret not letting it in. I regret not going downtown more often, not visiting the East

Time for an update! I bet you all are as excited as I am, which is to say, not much. I've had a busy week months? The days are starting to blur together. I often don't know which day of the week it is and wear my Thursday jeans on a Tuesday, that kind of thing. So I went to Islamabad for a conference, which was informative and inspiring and all those things civil society conferences are

If you haven't checked out the Colombo International Book Fair already, you should. I can't remember the last time I went so the sheer size of it was totally overwhelming. Get someone to drop you off because the parking looks a nightmare. They have, if I remember right, halls A  through H, brimming with books. The Lakehouse, Makeen's and Sarasavi bookshops had the widest selections of the ones I

I have just returned from a very rewarding, albeit tiring, field trip to Hambantota. As part of a new project we are working on, we did a series of interviews and photo shoots, and we did and saw things that I may or may not reflect on later, time permitting, but I wanted to put down some initial thoughts while they're still fresh in my mind.  A few things struck me quite strongly during the

It's September! One of my favourite months; as I was telling O, 3 years ago we'd be unpacking in our room in college. Sadly, that is no more, and yet my virtual mood board is all autumn colours and pumpkin pie right now. So without further ado, the ten things I love this month: 1. Babies. I jest. But I am expecting a very special brand new nephew to make his appearance in a few weeks, and then

(this poem is) to my lovers who were once the suns in my skies: i am sorry that i never ravished you enough and that there is nothing to be done about the passing of time remember your lovers but, especially, don't forget them, while they are in your bedroom with their hair disheveled and their clothes strewn make sure you notice them as they stand before you as there they lie tell them that

Yes, I am as astounded as you are. Never did I think those words would emerge from my keyboard. But as someone reminded me recently, being environmentally conscious isn't a part time job; it's a way of life. Which means if I am to take myself seriously, I need to practice what I preach. What has given rise to this epiphany? Well, I guess over the years it's become harder to ignore facts

I struggle with religion. I was born a Buddhist, raised in Science and then kind of.. set free. I think it was around A/Ls and my first few years of college that I had strong atheistic leanings; the latter part of college I was enthralled by Taoism and the Bhagavad Gita (note to self: get my textbooks back). Now, after many discussions with my very religious boyfriend, I've settled into

Maybe it was the Top Chef marathon I watched yesterday or maybe it’s cause I’m back home indulging in some delicious Sri Lankan fare, but I was inexplicably driven to cook today. That is, apart from the omelet I made for my dad, which turned into scrambled eggs for the lack of flipping skills. Hey, at least it tasted good. ...

Or a bomb to welcome us in? The more traditional would say it’s an inauspicious start to the New Year. I’d be inclined to agree, except for that well, the start of a new year is nothing but a date after all and time is linear and it’s not so much a cycle as a line. (Ok so I was ...

The end. I'm so done here. 5 weeks of R&R, here I come!!

Mid finals week, and I’m suicidal. Not really, but who doesn’t like drama? Finished off a fifteen page paper last night, on women writers in the Caribbean, a topic I know fuck all about, and I was so completely drained I couldn’t even speak. There were literally no words left, not in my mouth, not in my mind. You know ...

Also known as Disastrous Dating TalesLet me begin with an omg what am I doing writing nonsense when I have a paper due tomorrow that I am yet to start. Then let me calm myself down by saying this is just me warming up. Ok here goes.A few weeks back I went out for dinner with a guy I met ...

“I think nighttime is dark so you can imagine your fears with less distraction”- CalvinTrue that. I love Calvin. I read Calvin. I quote Calvin. But that’s another post entirely. This one's about sleep issues. More specifically, the ones I’m having right now. Let me say right away that I don’t have what people might term a ‘regular’ sleep schedule. ...