American / Other TV Series's I watched - Draft :)

1. Prison Break - Liked season 1 a lot and was eagerly waiting for Season 2. Season 2 was no longer a "prison break" itself but liked it. Watched Season 3 withing one day. When it comes to season 4 I was too tired of it by that time (this time I started too early so didn't get all the episodes at once. Had to wait week by week). Also the story has become kinda elastic and was not much interesting. So I gave up!! and decided to watch season complete series's only.  - 4 seasons

2. Cosby Show - Well, it is a very old series (comedy n family) I remember some of the scenes from this series I had watched when I was a kid. I liked this series a lot as it was a funny, emotional(sometimes) and realistic family story. It was so interesting to watch how the kids grow up through out the seasons. - 8 seasons

3. Lost - I'd say I got lost in this series. It was that much interesting. The story was well built in a mysterious, thrilling  way which can blow up your curiosity but the bad thing is it didn't end well. Many of the mysteries didn't resolve. So I was kinda disappointed at the end.- 6 seasons

4. Small Ville - I loved this series during it's first few seasons. Adventurous, sci fi  super hero stories with a sense of romance. However it became bit too complicated and elastic in it's later seasons. Some interesting characters totally disappeared and totally new faces were introduced as some leading characters. Characters and environment became upside down. Anyway it is true that it is difficult to have a smooth flow for 10 seasons. In fact this is a success in that way. - 10 seasons

5. Wonder Years - This is one of the best series's I have ever watched. It is a family story built around a kid named Kevin. I am sure that anyone from any age would love this. This story will bring you to your childhood, of course if you had a really good one :) The story is so realistic and natural. You'll realize how much you love your childhood after watching this. Happiness, sorrow, guilt, fun, love, you name it...the story contains all those.  I never got tired watching this. I really like if it ran for another few seasons. This is a bit old series though. I guess it was telecast in 80's but still it is kind of a legend. - 6 seasons

6. How I Met Your Mother - This series is super fun. I don't think I should use more words to tell that. I loved each and every character in it. Liked the way that the stories have been built. Basically, it is a nicely done series. The stories are not much attached to each other so someone can even peep in the middle and enjoy few episodes too. I just completed watching season 7 and I guess there is two more season to come. Hmm have to wait another year... - 9 Seasons (Hopefully). P.S Yep, it's over. I didn't like the end though .

7. Big Bang Theory - I didn't start to like it till I watch first few episodes. However it became one of my favorites with time. It may not be suitable to watch with your kids/parents but as far as the audience fits, this is a great series. I started to like even the pretty annoying character, "Sheldon".  ..7 Seasons (so far)

8. Two and a Half Men - This is also a comedy which is bit similar to above two. It's a grate series though again, you have to choose the audience. Currently the season 10 is being telecast. Not sure how much to come...11 Seasons (so far)

9. According to Jim - This is a great comedy show which can be considered as a family show. It's kinda old but I really liked it. The show has kids in it and the show is mainly about their daddy (Jim). It is season complete...8 Seasons.

10. Breaking Bad - This is something different from the other shows I've watched so far. It is kinda violent and includes suspense. However I like the story line and the curiosity it makes. It is about a chemistry teacher who starts drug manufacturing, after finding out that he is suffering from a cancer. His original intention was to make some money for his family before he dies but it is not that simple. There is no coming back when you are inside the pit. This is season complete...5 Seasons

11. 24 - I'd describe this as a "happening" series. Rapidly changing frames, unpredictable twists and the story keep you alive from the start to end. Plots are really good for almost all the seasons. One season is a day and one episode is an hour. How much could happen within a day? You'd find everything upside down at the end of the day. The main character is a CTU agent who's devoted to protect his country. The series runs through 9 days of his life, but feels like a lifetime. 9 Seasons

12. Stranger things - If I say this series is excellent, that also maybe an understatement. I loved it that much. The curiosity and suspense it creates through out the show are simply awesome. I actually felt sad when it ended. The story is created around a kid who was trapped in a parallel dimension. 2 Seasons

13. One tree hill - I started watching this, after hearing that Sri Lankan teledrama "Deweni Inima" was created based on this series. It is a story composed of family life of few high school friends. At the end of the series, few main characters of the show disappear. Other than that, it was a nice series to watch. 9 Seasons

14. Money Heist - One of the TV series I enjoyed the most. There never was a dull moment through out the whole TV series. So thrilling and adventurous. 

15. The Outlander - I always like time travel stories, of course that are made without flows. Outlander is a good one. There is lot of romance involved apart from the time traveling but the concept of time traveling is utilized well there. I haven't read the book series but still, can enjoy this TV series.

Trip to Florida

We spent this Christmas vacation(2010) in Florida. It was a six days vacation and the first and last days were totally reserved for driving (Had to drive from Bloomington, IN to Orlando, FL. It is a 17 hrs drive). It was a really nice vacation and we visited Disney World, NASA and Sea World. Detailed posts are in my travel blog and the above links will direct to those posts. However Florida became colder than we expected in last two days of our stay.

Indiana Buddhist Temple - Kathina Ceremony 2010

Indiana Buddhist temple is located in Fort Wayne, northern Indiana. It is the place where all Sri Lankan Buddhist people in Indiana gather for special events like Sinhala New Year, Wesak...etc.  Though it takes a 3 and half hr drive from Bloomington, IN to the temple, Buddhist people here in Bloomington pay regular visits to the temple for special events and alms givings.  Actually it is the only Sri Lankan Buddhist temple in Indiana state.

There are two monks, Ven Thalangama Devananda and Ven Neluwe Seelawimala devoted to the temple, serving their best to Indiana Buddhist people. There was a Kathina ceremony, which is an annual event,  in last October (2010)  following the traditions of  Buddhism. So it was the second time me and my husband visited the Indiana temple. Last time we visited there for a personal alms giving. Anyway it was so eventful this time because of the Kathina ceremony.

The very first event was a "Pindapatha ceremony" (alms round), which is one of the fading Buddhist traditions in Sri Lanka these days. In ancient days, monks used to walk in a line carrying alms bowls to get meals from laypeople. That's how the monks got their breakfast. This method has been followed by the Sri Lankan Buddhist monks till the 1950s. So this event was a good opportunity to experience it, though we served dry food and goods instead of meals.

Next event was an unveiling of a "Bosath" statue in the temple premises. It was a really nice event with all the Pirith chantings and some other chantings by Vietnam bhikkunis.

Then there was the alms giving. After the lunch all got dressed for the Kathina perahara(Procession). The tradition is to have this event before the sun rise but here it has been adjusted in a way that comfortable with everyone. Normally people carry the Kathina cloth in the procession for the religious devotions of laypeople, and arrive at the temple before the sun rise. Then they set the cloth up in a frame called Kathina and make the kathina civara(robe)  by sewing and coloring. This robe is offered to Maha Sangha (normally to the eldest monk who spent the rainy season according to the traditions) by the laypeople. However we can't do all those thing here in USA. So they take a ready made robe and carry it in the procession as Kathina civara. It is considered that this ceremony is the religious event from which we can get the most merits for the life, or afterlife.

We should be really thankful to the two monks who continue these valuable religious events , for trying their best to serve the Buddhist people in Indiana and Buddhism itself. Indiana Buddhist Temple is open for anyone regardless of their religion or nationality. They can participate for the meditation classes too. It was nice to see that many Americans participating the Kathina ceremony.

Habitat for Humanity

First, I'd tell what these Habitat people do. They build cost effective houses for families who live in inadequate houses. The family should pay back the material cost (no-profit mortgage / no-interest loans) but there is no labor cost as the labor is provided by volunteers. Some companies like Whirlpool make donations for habitat constructions to reduce the material cost. This organization (Habitat for Humanity) is a worldwide organization which does constructions in regions of Asia, Middle east & Africa, United States, Latin America  and Canada.

So..do people volunteer? Of course. The ideal work groups are teams from private companies, Student groups, scouts, etc. People from our work place participated in this last week, as a team building activity. The construction site we worked on belongs to Habitat of  Monroe county. There were three houses being constructed. Our people worked on installing insulation, pantry cabinets and trimming the ceilings and walls. Also, we had to organize two trailers full of power tools, nail buckets, concrete, I'd say everything needed for constructions. Well it was not that easy. Had to grab all those out and reorganize. But volunteers normally don't feel that way. They volunteer expecting nothing but satisfaction. At least, that's what I got.

I think people should be informed about this organization. Honestly I didn't know about this till I come to US. I wonder why we didn't know about  Habitat in Sri Lanka.  Why many of  private companies organize  team building events spending/wasting enormous amount of money? I'd rather give a hand for this at least once coz what you get at the end is lot more worthy.

Fight poverty - Build hope !!!

Our First Car

We bought our first car in last September. It's a 2006 Lexus. We have been in car hunting for couple of months and finally ended up with this :)

Hambantota Harbor Opening - New Era Begins in Sri Lanka

15th Aug, 2010 is a historical day for Sri Lanka. The water-filling ceremony of Hambantota Harbor was held in the morning of this historical day.

The constructions started based on an idea of president Mahinda Rajapakshe, in January 2008. This is the second largest harbor in Sri Lanka. The fact that made this idea a brilliant one is, the economical importance of the location. Hambantota is very closed to a key international shipping route which connects Asia and Europe. The main intention of building this harbor to provide services and resources for ships which use this international shipping route. As estimations show the number of ships that use this shipping line is about 36000 annually. So it is apparent that this would be a great source of income for Sri Lanka.

President Mahinda Rajapakshe poured the first drop of sea water into the tank  on the auspicious moment, with the Buddhist religious blessing.   I used to live in Hambantota for sometime when I was a kid. My father, Jayasiri Ruwanpathirana worked as the divisional secretariat of Hambantota. So it is a great pleasure to see the area is being developed. I still remember the calm little harbor which was near the district secretariat office. I wonder how it'll look like when I get back to SL. I just can't wait :)

Anyhow it seems like a new era begins with a revolution in development. It is a certain fact that there will be an economic revolution after a war in a country. I wish it should be the same for my country too. In Sri Lankan history, great kings are defined as the kings who protect and develop the country. Both of these tasks should be accomplished by a king to be a great king. I believe this is the our president's second phase of the path of being a great king, after completing first phase by defeating Tamil tiger terrorists. No matter what he has done in the past or who he used to be, his name is already included in great kings list. Everyone has black and white spots...so is a president, but does anybody question how many black spots were there in King Dutugemunu's character?  Who cares...so no doubt the future generations will consider president Mahinda Rajapakshe as a "great king".

Trip to Chicago

This trip was organized in a rush, in last spring (2010).  Covered Shedd aquarium, Willis tower, Fields museum and Adler planetarium. Anyway this trip was kind of ruined by the mist.

Here is the link for Trip to Chicago in my travel blog.