Top 5 GoT Males

If I were stuck on a deserted island, and that island happened to be westeros, and there were only 5 males left on westeros, who would I wish them to be?

Here they are, in order:
#5:  OK YES!  I admit it.   Theon Greyjoy.  It isn't Theon the book character, it's Alfie Allen.  Whatever.  I'm embarrassed ok?  I mean Theon, he's so damn hateable.  But Theon without a shirt is so...so...melty.  Let's move on.

More my vision of Snow than HBO

#4:  Jon Snow. Duh.  And Robb Stark.  Double Duh.  /sigh.  Team Robb or Jon?  Who are you?  I'll take both, but only because #3 I lose on just by picking him, but I would not have known it because MARTIN SECRETLY WROTE GAY characters.  He tricked me for like, 5000 pages.

#3:  The Knight of Flowers.  Before I knew he was gay.  And even after.  It's fine.  He can hang around on the island for me to look at (oh, and btw, tv show Loras is not at all like Loras in my head.  Loras in my head is beautiful and much better eye candy than tv show Loras-the-wimpy-i-can-barely-hold-a-sword-guy).

#2:  Jaquen H'ghar:  I mean, who doesn't like your everyday awesome assassin dude?

#1:  Rhaegar.  He really doesn't seem as bad as they make him out to be.  I mean, the poor guy was just trying to protect his dad.  Sure his dad was a crazy burning son of a bitch king, and Rheagar was a proud asshole but he wasn't inherently evil.  At least I don't think he was.  That's my belief and I'm sticking to it.

Robert Baratheon and Rhaegar at Ruby Ford

Yet another reason to love goodreads....

Cut and Paste reviews!  It's been forever since I've done a book update, here are my top 5 in the past...long time:

A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I am very sad to think that I won't be returning the the world of westeros for another few years.  Opening this book (or in my case turning on the kindle) felt like coming home after a long time away. I really dragged out finishing this because I was happy reading it.



This is no FfC.  Every chapter was engrossing, every story moved the plot forward.  Things started to come together - but not in the way you would expect -- In a way that smacks purely of Martin.  Several surprises even though you know the parallel timeline in FfC.  Several shockers as only Martin can do.



Fantastic read! 











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Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


First book I've read from this author and there is some pretty cool stuff in it. 



The good:

amazing depth of characters

well developed world

stand-alone fantasy

well written

nice pacing

emotional

a lot of "grey" or in between actions and morals, very interesting perspective on all manners of good and evil



The not so good:

I want more of this world!!  Give me more than one book, please!!!

A little formulaic/predictable in places but did not detract from enjoyment

Some "too tidy" threads



This one got added to my all time favs.  Very easy to read quickly, it's a page turner.  Interesting and new fantasy themes with easy to relate to characters, and ones you really care about.  Fans of Martin's series would enjoy this book a lot.



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Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The only bad thing I can think to say of this book was that it was too short.  Quite possibly the most enjoyable read I've had in years - an allegory tale yet one that is completely entertaining, lovable, and fun as it stands.  Reminds me a little of Oz and Where the Wild things are with adult wit and insight.



I read one review that stated this is for hardcore Rushdie fans and I couldn't disagree more.  I've cracked a few of his books and haven't been intrigued so when a friend handed me this one I felt obliged to try it out.  I am now looking for more Rushdie to read.  Fast paced, fantastical, extremely well written (the kind of book that reminds you that there are REALLY amazing authors out there) and with a lot of heart, I recommend it to anyone who needs a reprieve from serious but still needs a book with a lot of brain.







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Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I will echo Naz's sentiment on this one which is, "why haven't I read this book until now????"



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Eleanor of Aquitaine: A Biography by Marion Meade

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Reality TV has nothing on Royal England.  I'm convinced that any King named Henry is destined for an amazingly scandalous tenure on the throne.



When I started reading it I felt the material was a little dry and academic.  As it got into the meat of the drama I forgot that I could not hear Eleanor's voice at all (she left no letters, poetry, etc. so the author does not try to recreate her tone as she has no proof of what it was).  By the end I appreciated the succinct and very meticulously researched and detailed account of her life.  Without overtures or guesses into how Eleanor really talked, spoke, or interacted I have in my mind a clear picture of her - the author succeeded in making this a well documented and accurate account of her life.



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Top 5 Underrated Movies

1.  Dark City

Before the matrix, superhero movies, inception, or any other mind bending reality there was "Dark City."  It was brilliant in 1998 and everytime I watch it (probably a total of 30 times) i still enjoy it.  These days the images are a little grainy and the visual effects almost campy in their effort but it doesn't take away from the sheer creepiness of what you are watching.  It's fantastic sci-fi and it set the bar all by itself for the next 10 years of the genre in film.  ....sleeeep.....

2.  The Hunt for Red October

I still think this is the best put together film ever.  The sound editing, direction, the music, the fact that a lot of it takes place in the way the actors look each other in the eyes...it's true!  Just watch it.  Trust me.  Also it was the good old days of spies being just normal human beings with standard issue homo sapien muscles, strength, and a dandy does of courage.  Now it's like you need to be a mutant to even think of the CIA.

3.  Kalifornia

Anyone who was surprised Brad Pitt could actually act in Fight Club obviously never saw Kalifornia.  White trash, serial killer hotspots, and a killing spree right up there with natural born killerz.  Good stuff.  Every single line of dialogue is a gem in this movie and I am only slightly embarrassed to admit that i could probably do it on verbatim - IF - the movie was playing in the background.

4.  Drop Dead Gorgeous

Why haven't more people seen this film?  It's epic.  The scene on stage with the wooden dummy... I can't even speak about it, you have to see it for yourself.  Granted I have a soft spot for high school movies but if you liked election you will enjoy this one.

5.  The Thomas Crowne Affair

Renee Russo singlehandedly brought the sexy back to older women.  Pierce Bronson made art nerds cool.   And the movie reminded us all how damn good Nina Simone was as a singer.  This film is smart, fun, enticing, romantic, action packed, tasteful, and just one of the best snapshots of hollywood.

Back in the Saddle of Chaos

I love that we no longer have to say “thousand” when we say the year. Now it’s just twenty ten. Nice.

Happy new years my small but faithful band of reading friends! I returned to Mumbai yesterday after over committing myself to vacation plans. I drove too much, didn’t rest enough, drank a lot, ate 10 lbs. of additional body weight onto my person, got sick, talked serious life stuff with the family, got into drama with the family, didn’t get to see a few of the people who I REALLY wanted to see due to my own inability to effectively manage my time, saw a bunch of people who I REALLY wanted to see but didn’t feel like I got enough time with, and came back tired but strangely excited to be back in a world without a social life. Ha! That’s what I get for trying to cram in everything I did -- it’s truly my own fault.

Most memorable moments of being home:
1) NYE with my man
2) My bed felt like a cloud
3) Avatar in 3D imax
4) Damn it’s cold in New England
5) Reconnecting with a few family friends who lived in Mumbai and talking shop

Most unsatisfactory moments of being home:
1) My friend Joel blew off all his lifelong friends and got caught in the act! Really uncool.
 up my memory.
2) Damn it’s cold in New England
3) Family drama is llama
4) Being sick and my digestive system having a lot of issues with red meat

Things I found surprisingly pleasant to return to in Mumbai:
1) The weather is amazing! 75. Sunny. Light breeze. It’s actually the best weather it’s ever been here since I moved in August
2) People seem sincerely happy to see me again, very kind of them
3) Anand! You can’t beat having an Anand.
4) I learned I have a nickname with the office boys – they call me Madame Gevache (spelling is wrong). My co-workers informed me that they kept asking when “Madame Gevache” would return. Apparently there is a popular Hindi movie where a character is named Gevache – the movie is based off the American film “Memento.” It took me a minute but I realized it was because the entire wall behind my desk is filled with Post-it notes which I utilize for process design. The main character in Memento has to keep writing down things because he lost his short term memory which means the office boys either think I’m eccentric or a moron. Regardless kind of funny.
5)  Being away and then coming back has really offered me another opportunity to appreciate Mumbai.  While I was away I found myself missing a few things and as I explained Mumbai I found fresh perspective ain some of the ways of the country. I'm glad I'll be able to reconnect with the city now that I feel more comfortable with it instead of being stuck in some of the impressions I had when I first arrived.

Insomnia Cont’d: Top 5 Strangest Indian TV Commercials

1. The Indian Pied Piper: So the concept is obviously off nationality wise but there is something so interesting about an Indian guy with a flute dancing bollywood style, signs that become animated rodents and follow him out of the town being cheered on by townspeople in turbans and saris. The commercial completely captivates me every time it’s on.

2. Abortion Pills: It’s nice to see how a religiously conscious country not politically beholden to the word of any religion reacts to certain issues.

3. Skin Bleaching products: There are so many of these types of commercials it’s no longer even phasing me. The variety still continues to inspire though: Dark spots, body bleach, face whitener, streaky skin, etc.

4. Namco Cookies/Crackers: I suppose this would translate better if I understood Hindi but the ad contains a house on fire, a happy woman, a sad man, a set of cookies, and then the guy decides to throw the firecrackers at the woman’s feet making her scream and dance. This makes him happy.

5. Boy turns into dog: A boy walks home from school, finds mom sad on the porch and then proceeds to get on all fours and act like a dog for 20 seconds. At first I thought this was a commercial for animal food, etc. but then the logo for the state bank appears on the screen. Hence weird.

Insomnia top 5 list for tonight (male actors)

India has given me insomnia.  When I can't sleep I try to come up with top 5 lists.  Tonight's idea was inspired by some of the very handsome Indian men on TV and movies here.  I don't know or can't remember any of their names.  But in honor of them I have reworked my top 5 male actor list.  It's important to note that this list also has bearing on an actor's ability to act as well as his looks.  For instance Zac Efron - super cute - but acting chops suck and therefore I find less attractive.  The last time I made such a list of actors I was in high school and it went like this:

Old Skool:
1) Edward Furlong
2) Eric Stoltz
3) Kyle Maclachlan
4) Leonardo Dicaprio
5) Bhaltzer Ghetty (yes, seriously)

Anyway, moving on to modern times:

New Skhool:**
1) Alexander Skarsgard
2) Jamie Bamber (thank you BSG towel scene)
3) Jonathan Rhys Meyers
4) Ed Westwick
5) Michael Vartan

God, i'm all about european white actors in suits.  Need to find some diversity. 

**Seth Green is always on the top of any list but given his given status, I didn't include him.

Top 5

Here is my Top 5 list for Mumbai!

1) Food. I love the taste, but especially the smell. If you are walking down the street and catch a whiff you almost want to clobber your way through to wherever the smell is emanating from in order to stuff it down your throat. And yes, if you happened to have caught my company news article I lied. I didn’t know what else to write, it was a political nightmare. The food here is amazing and I love it.

2) It’s very colorful here! Not only are the streets filled with people in amazing Saris and Salwars, cars and trucks are even decorated to the hilt. There are splashes of pinks, reds, purples, gold, greens, yellows – any color you can think of and it’s everywhere. And these are not the muted choreographed colors of 1st world countries, it’s a bold pop. Additionally between stall colors and posters and carts set up on the road showing off their colorful jewelry or fruit or other wares, it is surrounding and encompassing. It’s lively and it’s invigorating and it makes me happy.

3) I’m sure in a city of 22 million there are shady and mean characters. However, I have been fortunate to run into only the opposite. India has a cultural understanding of ‘hospitality’ and people are generous with their time, food, and other material possessions. If you say you like something, they ask you if you want it or if they can get you something similar. If you say, “I wish I could cook Indian food like this.” They invite you over to their house so their wife can teach you her method. They are indeed genuinely worried that you feel comfortable and happy in their country.

4) Mumbai has a lot of foreign investors paying a lot of mind to it. It is the 3rd highest growing real estate market in the world and it has a ton of cheap labor and highly skilled services available. It makes the city pulse with a clearly different type of national and international feeling. Most of India tends to be regionalized but here it seems so many people of different cultures, classes, nationalities, etc. are mixing. While the aesthetics are something left to be desired, the cosmopolitan feel cannot be. It’s easy to find a European in a coffee shop or an Australian sitting next to you at dinner. Sometimes you talk to what you think is a Mumbai native and they end up being from London or some exotic South Continent locale. It’s surprising but also educational. And people are friendly and willing to talk, not at all like the stuffy New England area.

5) I hope I don’t come off as a prick but I really do enjoy having someone to help me with household chores. I’m a notoriously hateful cleaner. I dislike it so much that I hire people to do it for me at home – and that’s just cleaning my house. I still have to do dishes and laundry myself. So having someone cook, clean, go shopping do my laundry, and bring me hot lunches every day – well let’s just say it’s nice to see how the other side lives. Even if only for a few months.