Wednesday, February 23, 2011

This, That And Some

When you've reached legendary status in the Lankanosphere been blogging for a hell of a long time things can start to tail off a bit.

It worries me. Is this the beginning of the end? Will I eventually blog so infrequently that no one will read anyhow? Is Facebook taking over the world? Are blogs being superceded by Twitter and Facebook? Was "superceded" spelled correctly? Should I ask more questions?

These are some of the things going through my mind. And, as all you bloggers know, there comes a point where you can't be arsed to sit down and write a blog post. Unless of course you're an intellectual like The Auf, then you can write and talk endlessly about world politics and brainy things.

So, in a random way, here are some odds and sods that have been happening and have caught my eye and also a few snippets I've been up to.

Two new blog related things have grabbed me. Firstly, perhaps secondly but I'm going to write about it first, there's Drama Queen with her poignant and constructive initiative. I can best describe it as a campaign to increase awareness of the amount of violence against women in Sri Lanka. DQ tells us, and I have no reason to doubt her but can't verify the fact myself, that sixty percent of women in Sri Lanka have suffered from some form of domestic violence in their homes.

Yes, you read it right. Sixty percent!! That's almost six out of ten. Seriously it's a statistic that disappointed me yet, when I thought about it, didn't surprise me. Life shouldn't be like that and you too can do something about it. There's a Facebook group here that you can join or you can get in touch with DQ on her blog. The chances are that you probably know her anyhow. Do it. Or DQ'll come round and bust your balls and smother them in fish.

On the lighter side of life Naz Sansoni, one of Dominic Sansoni's daughters, has started a new photoblog. It's called "An Image a Day" and it pretty much does what it says on the tin. I've seen these people doing 365 images in a year and whatnot. My own version is called "A few photos put up on various social sites throughout a year or so" and seems to be taking off nicely.

Naz's new place depicts photographs of random things that go on in her life, much of which is Barefoot centred. There are people, places, things and baths. If a photoblog could be classed as honest then this would be one. Why? I dunno really, it just strikes me like that.

SL2G, the diasporic group I told you about, held our Talking Pictures photo event a couple of weeks ago and it was a resounding success. Attendance was, well like, huge and a good, yet I hope meaningful, time was had by all. In a matter of mere days we'll have a Flickr site and more info up online to show you what happened and exactly what The Auf really looks like. You'll love the first bit and be scared at the second.

I've been mamboing. My new drum tutor has moved me into the Latin arena, which sounds a bit gladiatorial but isn't at all. The mambo has been the first Latin groove to suffer at the hands of the RD drum skills. If you turn up at RD Towers any evening you're likely to hear the sounds of Tito Puente's Japan Mambo with me attempting to drum along with any one of the about eight different mambo patterns I'm learning.

It all sounds a bit like a bull in a china drum shop at the moment but progress in these things is always slow and sure but enjoyable. Tito Puente, were he still alive, would be turning in his grave and demanding to be let out. Then he'd go straight round to my place and beat seven shades of shit out of me. Then I'd dress up as a woman and get in touch with Drama Queen and tell her all about it. Then she'd go round to his place and beat the crap out of him after smothering his balls with fish. Then he'd be sorry. I'm doing my best after all.

Tomorrow, possibly today if you're reading this tomorrow, I'm test driving a new car. I won't tell you what it is yet as things are a bit uncertain. But the test drive is going to start with me taking my bass drum out of my current car and seeing if it will fit in the new one. If it does, then we move onto step two. Then the further steps, involving things like discovering I can't afford it but figuring what the hell I'll buy it anyhow. It's exciting, yet sometimes I wish I were a lead singer who only ever had to worry about remembering a microphone stand and perhaps a tambourine or two.

The gym is my new friend and I go there about two or three times a week, sometimes even doing some exercise there too. There's one weird blonde girl who always seems to be there when I am. I thought this was strange until I realised that she could be saying exactly the same thing about me.

That's about all I can think of. Oh yes, the mindmap experiment continues with eagerness and interest. I think it's improving my enjoyment of day to day life, something I must class as a positive thing.

I feel the beginnings of manflu coming on. There's nothing more serious but I'll do my best to fight off a full scale attack of the much dreaded illness. I'll leave you with a bit of advice; if you buy tickets for a dinner at a literary festival then try not to arrive an hour late and expect to be welcomed as if you're Jesus himself returning to play in goal for FC Barcelona.

Laters all

RD x

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Another witty update from Sri Lanka's 'legendary' blogger. Perhaps you should only write when you have something constructive and non-dickheadish to say. Here I refer to the male genitalia in the same annoying way you keep refering to the female genitalia in your super-mundane facebook status updates. Please go away and hibernate until Spring.

Rhythmic Diaspora said...

Oooh - get you Anon!

Anonymous said...

The widely accepted U.S. statistic for domestic violence is 25%, and that's from a survey conducted in 1998/9. I suspect the U.S. number is much higher than 1 in 4. Perhaps more like 50% in reality. And perhaps the SL number is higher than 60% as well. A survey is just a survey. Think about the number of women sexually assaulted (grabbed, groped, molested etc.) in public transport (buses) in SL. Of the women and girls who've used public transport regularly to include rush hour travel, I'd say it's 100%. That same disrespect transferred to the home front, and compounded by the new Indian cinema and tele-drama culture that's overtaken Sri Lanka, which is dragging Lankan society back a few centuries, and introducing new concepts of disrespect that were never present in SL history to begin with, it's easy for me to believe a percentage much higher than 60% for SL.

dramaqueen said...

RD, I love ya.

In a COMPLETELY platonic way.

Spank you muchly for promoting the initiative.

Anon... can I quote your comment on the FB page?

Rhythmic Diaspora said...

DQ - Honoured, I'm sure! Your request to the last anon made me chuckle. I'm not sure on the blogging etiquette, does one have to ask an anon to quote them?

Unknown said...

heh what politics! And nothing intellectual either! Your posts are what edify us all!