Friday, June 27, 2008

Elmo - The Everyday Hero

Yes, a writer, who started off by writing between flights. Watch the simplicity again. "An apple (the fruit not the brand), a laptop, a do not disturb sign," was all it took to get him going. He'd write anywhere in the world. Unlike many other writers, he wasn't bound by the constraints of the study or the desk. Work was done wherever his flight took him, and where he has been, recognition has followed him. The former Singapore Airlines Captain, current pilot trainer for Sri Lankan Airlines-cum-award-winning writer - and as he reminds me, a grandfather too as well - has been pronounced an 'Everyday Hero', for when he wasn't writing or flying, he was steering the Association for Lighting a Candle (AFLAC) in Sri Lanka, a charity that has drawn the attention, funds and time of people from all over the world.

Deepika Shetty catches up with Capt. Elmo Jayawardena who will be appearing at MPH's Breakfast Club in Bangsar Village 1 at 11a.m. tomorrow and at Seksan's in the afternoon.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just wondered if you've seen the letter by Andy Hamilton in the Independent condemning Ian McEwan for his narrow and misguided views on Islam.

bibliobibuli said...

no! will go look.

bibliobibuli said...

poor mcewan is constantly sensationalized and taken out of context. he was defending his friend, martin amis. maybe i will blog this later but there is a fair bit of backstory to factor in.

Anonymous said...

There is indeed a ton of backstory to this debacle -- but I agree with you, Sharon. If you do manage to find the time (though I myself don't know how you would!!), I think this is an issue well worth speaking out on. First of all, Amis's original comments, while thoroughly insensitive and tactless, were taken entirely out of context and blown up beyond all proportion. And then McEwan, who has the whole time merely been defending Amis's right to freedom of speech, gets accused of all sorts of nonsensical crimes of his own. All he's been saying is that McEwan's rants have been greatly exaggerated. Of course McEwan is anti-religion - but he's not more against Islam than he is against any other religion. He's equally critical of all religion -- indeed, of the concept of religion in and of itself -- so calling him anti-Muslim is inaccurate and sensationalist.

-- Preeta

Anonymous said...

Sorry, I meant: All McEwan has been saying is that *Amis's* rants have been greatly exaggerated.

gnute said...

Back to the pilot story, I think you'll find that successful people are often successful at many things at once. If you're a manager and want to get things done, delegate to the busiest person in the room...