 Millennium
next
Recently I was reading a book on prophesies, when I realized that quite
a few people had predicted the world would end in the year 2000. Well,
after all the hype about the coming millenium, that would be quite a bummer
wouldn't it? By nature, I refuse to get my hopes up about anything until
I'm sure that it's actually going to happen. Every logical bone in my body
tells me that the year 2000 will follow 1999, and things will go off without
a hitch leaving only hangovers behind. But if you look at history, the
dawn of a millennium has always been a cue for mass paranoia and weirdness.
Although I don't believe that the end of the world is at hand, I must admit
that the pessimists have got to me a bit.
To many people the new millennium is nothing more than a darn good excuse
to have the New Year's party of their lives, but to some it is the herald
of doom. Just before the end of the last millennium, people were convinced
that the world would end in the year 1000 and that triggered large-scale
weirdness around the world. People have become slightly more reasonable
since then, but I'd still rather not trust too much to the intelligence
of humankind. Now I'm just being silly, this is just a whole bunch of nonsense.
But then why am I hyperventilating? This is not good. I've got to get myself
out of this. I should talk to myself make me see reason.
So what's the problem?
Many people, who claim to be prophets, have prophesied that the world
would end in the year 2000.
How credible are these prophets?
Well, I can't say really. It's all in the interpretation. Depending
on how you look at it some prophets like Nostradamus have predicted World
War. Or it could have just been a recipe for bean soup that someone found
after he died (...beings [Beans] will be plunged into the simmering cauldron
and things will be brought to a boil...). Like I said it's all in the interpretation.
But not all the prophets have agreed on the World War theory. The other
hot favourites at the moment are natural disasters.
What are the chances of either of these things happening?
Pretty darn good actually. We do already have weapons that could completely
destroy the world if it came to war. And well, who can rule out natural
disaster? Earthquakes, floods, cyclones are all on the cards. El Nino last
year, and just last week we passed through the Leonid asteroid belt. Although
only a hallucinating handful of the people who got up at 2:00 in the morning
claim to have even seen anything, there might be a large asteroid somewhere
with our name on it. Impossible? Explain that to the dinosaurs.
And what about Y2K?
Ah yes, the infamous millennium bug. Well reactions seem to be mixed.
The people who know anything about computers aren't taking any chances.
Those who know nothing about them will probably be on a plane somewhere
over the middle of the Pacific at 12:00 am on the 1st of January 2000.
But aren't the best people working on that?
Well if that's what you heard, then you must have better information
than me, 'cos the last time I checked Microsoft was working on it. Well,
it's not that I'm dissing Microsoft. But after all, they did create Crash
95/98. Oh, I'm sorry, do you still call it Windows? Anyway, what I've saying
is, you try catching Bill Gates on a plane on the 1st of January.
What's the solution?
I've decided that castrating myself and then committing suicide so that
an alien spaceship can save me is a bit too drastic (But who am I to say
that it won't work for some?). What am I going to do? Well now that I'm
vented my spleen on my fears I feel much better. I don't know what I'd
do really. Maybe I'll think more happy thoughts. Like party. I wonder what
I'll do for the millennium...?
What the hell is wrong with you?!!
I can see it now. Those who were planning to castrate themselves and
wait for that spaceship are going to be on my case big time. Tons of junk
e-mail threats in my in-box. Hey guys (hmm...), I'm not trying to diss
you - it's just that I don't think that your approach would work for me.
Remember, this is a personal opinion column. This is my opinion. You don't
have to take me seriously. You do whatever you want.
There's no business like show biz
By Wathsala Mendis
In movies she's played many roles, even of the im- moral woman who ends
up in jail. But in real life  she's
loving, family-bound, and very religious. Yes, that's Sangeetha Weeraratne,
the teenage heartthrob, summed up in three words.
She had to choose between acting and her studies at the tender age of
16. Now looking back, she doesn't regret her choice, except maybe for the
occasional "I wish I had completed my studies." But as they say, "There's
no business like show business." She loves every minute of it, both the
good and the bad, and treasures the ability to portray a wide variety of
roles.
Sangeetha's idea of a perfect mate would be someone who's smart (not
necessarily in dress) and who can keep his feet firmly on the ground, someone
whom she can have a decent conversation with.
Movie
English Patient. Beautiful film. Beautiful dialogue. Brilliant performance.
It's the kind of movie that can really move you.
Colour
White. I like it because it's colourless. Besides, I like soft shades.
Song
"You're Still the One" by Shania Twain. It speaks of true love and is
very romantic.
Person
My Grandma.She's always been there for me. A very nice and inspiring
person. It's mostly what she's taught me, about religion and life in general.
She never scolds me.
Pastime
Definitely sleeping. You see, I get so little of it that it's very precious
to me.
Item of clothing
Jeans and T shirts. Very comfortable. They never go out of fashion.
I mean, it's always OK to wear them.
Sportsman
Our cricket team. I'm not very much into cricket, but when they win
I feel so proud of them. I also like Pete Sampras and his brilliant play.
Food
Oooooh! Chocolates. I love them. A chocoholic. Yeah, you can say that
of me.
Animal
Horse. It's such a graceful animal. So beautiful, I mean, the way they
run and gallop and all that. I love riding horses. (Every year she makes
it a point to go to Nuwara Eliya just for that.)
Smell
The smell of my Teddy Bear. Why? .....
Place
Home. That's where I can be myself. I love being surrounded by my family
and spending time with them. We're very close.
Possession
My Teddy. My father gave it to me on my 16th birthday. It has been with
me ever since. It's rather huge. But I make sure it's stuck in my suitcase
wherever I go, even when I go abroad.
Memory
The day I won the Film Critics' Award for "Best Actress" for my role
in "Dorakada Marawa" in '96. It was a lovely experience. You work very
hard, give it your best, and when you're being rewarded, it makes it all
the more endearing.
Journey
My recent visit to Japan for a film festival. It was the first time
I went abroad all by myself. I spent seven days there.
The Japanese are very well-mannered people and very polite. I mean,
even if you bump into them on the street by accident, they would apologise
profusely. It's the people who make a country a pleasant place to live
in.
More Mirror Magazine * Vineyard Vintage Collection
* Be glamorous in saree
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