Godiva Otakon 2010

I bought these at the end of Otakon 2010. There are Key lime, ice cream truffles (Neapolitan, orange and creme, and mint), the bag holds a roasted almond truffle, and the box is a surprise (from buying so much).



The first on the line is Key lime.



Kiwii went ahead and ate one, because we were leaving before she did and she wanted to try them. Her conclusion: delicious.



I personally love Key limes. Whenever I can, I try and get Key lime pie for dessert. Its something about that sourness.



These were just like all Key lime-flavoured foods: delicious, just as Kiwii said.



These are interesting because there is a ganache and a filling. The filling is definitely the main lime event.



Kiwii mentioned that there was a layer of crunchiness, with smooth filling. The crunchiness isn't extremely crunchy, but more subtle. Its a very pleasing texture. These were a great start.



The next on the list is from the Ice Cream Parlor line, oranges and creme.



I like oranges and creme. Except in soda form. Its weird. My father gets some really tasty popsicles.



These were quite good. A little sweeter than I'd like, but, then, they're white chocolate truffles.



These were, however, very successful.



And pretty.



Now on to Mint Chocolate Chip, part two of the Ice-Cream Parlor series.



These have a bit of a story to me. Last year they had them, and last year, I bought them at Otakon. I left them in my hotel room. 12 of the little things just sitting there. I was so pissed because they were really GOOD. Finally, I have them again.



And not a surprise is that they're still good.



I personally LOVE mint. I also find them on the right par of sweetness. They have a white chocolate layer and an inner milk chocolate one. I'm presuming the white is for looks (to make it green) and, perhaps, to correct its flavour.



Total success.

[Photo notes: The knife in the Key lime truffles is actually part of our silver flatware set. They have little Ks on them, for my last name. Exciting. The mandolin is a necklace charm (a HUGE one), that we got from my grandmother.

The faux ivory cat was from one of my birthdays. My father gave it to me. It was how I learned what the word faux meant. The copper rock was also a present from my father. Its from the Caledonia mine in Ontonagon Missouri. (I have several sets of rocks.) The spoon is from the Chicago World Fair 1933. Its a goldware spoon.

The black replica cat, used for the mint photos, has a silver M written on its shoulder. I HAVE NO IDEA WHY. However, it entertains me because of Fritz Lang's movie, M, in which the main character gets the letter M written his shoulder, to show to the cops, who are chasing him, that he is a murderer. GREAT classic, by Fritz Lang.]

[More later]

Teavana Tea Infused Chocolate Truffles

Forward: I've recently really gotten into truffles and chocolates. For Christmas, I received a chocolate making book, for instance. However, overall, I'd buy chocolates whenever I could, some Neuhaus when in D.C. or a lot of Godiva. I liked studying how they taste, for better and for worse, and what tasted the best. I finally entered the Teavana shop at the Westfield's Annapolis Mall the other day (always been afraid of store clerks jumping on me--I have a really high fear of that, especially in Godiva, yet I still have to brave that fear every month). Anyways, we were staring at this box of chocolates. Kiwii got pretty excited about these. She's been thinking about tea-flavoured chocolates for a while, and so I bought them. About 30% off. Frankly, I think they're a little expensive. At least until I started making my own chocolates. A pound of chocolate is about $10. Considering that this is tea-flavored, that's a lot more expensive ingredients. I love expensive hobbies. I like to pick them up. It's fun. It means I never have any money.

Anyways, without adieu...

First thing I've gotta say is that these things are BEAUTIFUL. LOOK.










Snow Geisha
Tea Type: Snow Geisha White Tea



Before tasting, I was pretty confused about what this would taste like. Frankly, this is my first Teavana product. I have no idea what any of these teas would taste against these. I have no idea what Snow Geisha White Tea is. So, what IS this? Well, apparently it's rose, cherry, and white tea. I've never had rose flavour before. Usually it seems to be paired with raspberry.



My first response was how strong the cherry taste was. It wasn't bad. One of the worst things for me was bad or strong tasting cherry. Bad cherry is really bad. However, this was really, really good. The cherry is strong, but... Yet not completely cherry. I believe whatever fruits are in it along with the rose calms it down. The tea flavor is hidden on first taste, but as the cherry fades, you get that tea flavour sneaking in. Very good. There is a bit of a grainy texture, but I don't mind that kind of thing.



You may not really be able to tell, but there are two layers. One jam and one... Er... I think ganache flavoured with tea. These are hand-dipped chocolates.

Raspberry Riot Lemon Mate
Tea Type: Raspberry Riot Lemon Mate Tea

Mate is a type of tea. Someone explained it to me, but, for the life of me, I cannot understand tea. I like it, a lot more than coffee, but I'm stupid in the tea department. That may be because it's not really my hobby. Although, obviously, it should have a raspberry and lemon taste.



My first impression? "Wow, that filling is very runny," then, "Wow, that is a deep flavour." What do I mean by that? I dunno. I guess that it's not at all light. With a combo like raspberry and lemon, you imagine this really strong fruit flavour. But it's more... Musky? It's quite enjoyable, but totally not what I was expecting, which was one of those über sweet and overly bearing herbal teas.



But boy jeewiz is it good. And it's a miracle that the white chocolate doesn't overpower everything--a major issue I have with white chocolates. They're always so damned sweet and painful. (Note, my teeth actually hurt from things too sweet. It's really, really painful.)



SO. This? It's good. Rock on.



Blueberry Bliss
Tea: Blueberry Bliss Rooibos

Rooibos is another type of tea.



Blueberry is supposed to be a pretty hard to work with filling. It's very watery, which means that it has a lesser shelf life. I've always wondered why I don't like blueberry chocolates. I think that's why--in order to make sure it's not moldy, you have to try strange methods to get the taste, which often seems to run in with failure. And frankly? This isn't a very good one either.



It's very beautiful. But it's gritty and not very blueberry-like. There's a tea taste, which is fine. But that makes it a little boring, actually. Especially when you're expecting a blueberry hint.



It's just bland, overall. And... Not really interesting, at all. Which is very disappointing.

[More later]

Product Info

Brisingr

Misha -- Sorry, this is the same as on my Facebook.

Paolini's writing has not changed, which thankfully does not disappoint. It's about as bad as ever. He never truly writes about the scenes, but merely summarizes them. Constantly he uses passive writing when active would be so much more appropriate. It feels more as though he doesn't want to take the time to write out the story then that the scene's dialogue is not very important. Just as he uses passive writing when he should use active, so does he as well use passive tense when it is not needed. At times I wonder if he knows where the delete button is, or how to erase. For example, in the prologue: 'It is into this tense political situation that Eragon finds himself thrust.' There is no need for passive, and while I do like passive tense, there are times when it should not be used.
As I'm on the topic, the prologue itself was, while useful, annoying. He did not seem to know what who was saying the prologue, whether it was a narrator or Eragon. For a recap, there should not be point of view changes. It is sloppy and why his editor or publisher did not push him to rewrite it is a mystery to me.
I never liked his series, however I find it a wonderful teaching tool. It is a wonderful example of what not to do when writing. It is always a good idea to read, bad or good books. As a writer, you can learn what is and is not a good idea. In Paolini's instance, it is to always think ahead. Plan your stories, otherwise you slip up, and you don't know what you're doing anymore. Also, there is always a delete button. Always look over what you have written and change what is necessary. Learn from your mistakes. Do not give in to what 'sounds cool'. His series has much posturing and posing, as though everyone is trying to look cool. What's worse is that the villain is much more respectable than the main character--who is alive merely because the story would end if he died. Eragon is a stupid, reckless boy.
It is always a good idea to make your story believable in some way, particularly if it is a fantasy. Within the first chapter, we are shown a cult of amputees. Every member is missing a limb. By the end of this scene, we find that it is because in order to show fealty, they hack off one of their limbs. The reasoning behind this, I do not know. I suppose it is to make Galbatorix's world seem more evil, vile, and horrifying. To me, it shows that his subjects are highly lacking in IQ. Yes, it sounds cool to have this evil cult of self-mutilators, but to actually cut off whole limbs, it goes too far. This goes the same when, later on, there is a trial for control over a tribe, and to do so is to slice open your wrist. The two contestants for leadership start at the elbow and cut until they are a few inches away from the hand. What Paolini does not understand about basic human anatomy, is that no matter where you cut on the underarm, there is an artery, two actually. If these people were giving themselves shallow cuts, there'd be blood, but they'd be fine. However by how much blood he describes them to lose, they should have bled out. What's worse is that they did it on both arms, and weren't allowed magical healing. And yet, they continue to move around as though they never lost a fatal amount of blood for weeks after the event. Paolini has no sense of how the world works. Real or his.
Besides unbelievability abound, the 748-so pages are a giant list of things to do for the Dragon Rider. It's actually even the subtitle: The Seven Promises of Eragon Shadeslayer and Saphira Bjartskular. There is no climax or exciting point of the story. It's Eragon running around the world completing everything he promised to do. It'd be best to just read a summary, as you would get the same information and in less time. Also, you wouldn't have to buy the book and save the $20-something for a different book. Maybe a real fantasy, like George R.R. Martin or The Wheel of Time series.
There were, as well, too many scenes that had no point, and never will. They may add to the world, but literally have nothing to do with the story. Eragon finds an old man, who we find out later that he knows a friend of Eragon's, and that's the end. There is no point whatsoever to the scene but wasted pages. Or wasted potential. There is large mystery behind Angela, or the werecats, or spirits, but the mystery is wasted; it's not exemplified upon. I have a feeling that Paolini does not know what to do with these things.
It's obvious that this all started out as a kid's fantasy, because that's still what it is. It doesn't deserve ththeree praise and popularity. It's just not well thought out. It has too many weak points, and most certainly not enough strong ones--and many of the strong points are not his original idea, as he has taken too much from D&D, Wheel of Time, Martin, Tolkien, Dragonheart, and much more I am unfamiliar with.

Currently Reading: Heretics of Dune by Frank Herbert
Currently Watching: X-Files Season 3
Currently Listening: Mamma Mia! in the background (family is watching it)

The Gay Parade - Shadow Hearts: Covenant

This series wasn't entirely well-known, and doesn't have the god-like reputation that the FF series have, but, in a lot of ways, I'd say it was one of the best RPGs I've played (for the PS2). I wouldn't say that the story was the best thing written in the world, in fact it's a little strange, but it's very clear as to what's happening. It's set during WWI (if I remember correctly), and besides knowing that, forget any history you learned. The clothes, the people, the technology are ALL completely wrong. I would hazard a guess that the designers had no clue what Europe and its cities looked like.

It's weird to say how much I enjoyed this game, even though I didn't really care about any of the characters. The female lead is a German soldier named Karin (and she loses her nationality pretty quickly). She's relatively normal. There's nothing that really matters about her; she's just THERE. And I actually like the fact that she isn't another dumbass blond moron (as the FF series LOVE to have as their main character as of late). The male lead is a Japanese-Russian hybrid who turns into a demon (and eventually demons). His name is Yuri and he's a typical Japanese; brown hair, darker skin tone, brown eyes, etc. The two of them are interesting enough, I just didn't really care about them. I cared the most for a white wolf, Blanca, a freaky bad superhero wrestler, Joachim, and the ever enigmatic Russian princess, Anastasia. I hated Anastasia at first, as she's the typical whiny brat girl who's way too excited about everything and thinks she owns the world. However I quickly found that when placed with Joachim, they're hilariously weird. (Joachim, in general, is a large douse of strange.) I originally like Blanca the best (followed by the creepy puppet-master Gepetto), however as the story continued, he slowly lost his favour. Originally he was the only intelligent one and hated everyone, so he usually had interesting thoughts. But I figure it's hard to write for a wolf and he got a little boring (and it also probably had to do with the fact that he kept sucking in battle). The only character I completely hate is Roger Bacon, who is a very annoying old man.

The battle system uses something called the Judgment Ring. In order to attack, a hand spins in a clockwise circle and you must hit the orange sections correctly. Sometimes, for magic, there are green, which you MUST hit. If you don't hit any section, you wasted your turn. Also, there is a small (normally) sliver of red after orange sections and they produce criticals. For a normal physical attack, and you hit all the red slivers, you get a perfect. This system isn't at all complicated, just a little wordy to explain. I like using the rings, but if you don't like them, you can turn them off. The battles work well, and there is no such thing as leveling. You have levels, of course, but you don't need to worry as if you're playing, say, an FF. You never need grind. I found a hard spot at one of the dungeons, but it just took a little more strategy than the last. As well as to magic and physical attacks, every character has a specialty. Yuri has fusions, which let him to turn into a demon (there are three levels of each 7 elements and 10 levels in each of the three). Karin has sword arts. The only character I found extremely useless was Lucia, a fortuneteller of strange lineage, huge breasts, and a horribly bubbly, yet moronic personality. Her specialties are Tarot, which you choose a card at random (not knowing what it is, of couse), and Aromatherapy, a bunch of potions you mix together (in battle), but you don't know what characteristic you will get.

As with ultimate weapons, you can collect various items to enhance the specialties of each person. Yuri collects the souls of the monsters you kill in battle and you can level up the fusions with that. You collect the Nibelung opera for Karin's sword arts, tarot cards and oils for Lucia, battle a great wrestler named the Great Gama for Joachim, win wolf battles for Blanca, Kurando is just like Yuri, take and collect photographs of the monsters you battle for Anastasia, and collect gay porn for mannequin dresses for Gepetto. Yes, you read correctly. You give them to a gay shop-keeper, who makes the dresses for you. However, I found that what was weirdest of all, was how to get Joachim's last weapon. You participate in something called the Man Festival. It's a wrestling competition (don't worry, you fight normally, it's just against a bunch of weird guys). However the stakes are, apparently, whether to bugger or to BE buggered. If you lose, you're on the receiving end; if you win, you get to show your male dominance. Yea, it's weird.

There is a lot of collecting in this game. I like it, as I like collecting things. I'd suggest a walkthrough though, as for one of the collections, you can mess it up if you're not careful.

As far as the story goes, it's relatively straight-forward. It's also very lengthy. I don't even think I remember the beginning arc. There's a lot, and disc one is quite a long haul, but it's a plot that one can ignore easily, but still have fun. There are also two endings, a good and bad. Also, after you beat the game, you can rewatch the cut scenes except the ending you didn't choose. (Once you do both endings, you can have both at your disposal.)

All in all, this was one of the few RPGs that I enjoyed a lot, and while that's not saying much (I've only played FFVII and Legend of Dragoon), it's something that's quick and easy and very, very weird.

Currently Reading: Death Note: Another Note--The Lost Angeles BB Murder Cases by Niosisin
Currently Watching: Stargate Atlantis, Season 1
Currently Listening: Silence and the Sound of Crickets

Monthly Book Wants

I am, frankly, bored and as entertaining as American tellie is (and how I SHOULD be writing or at LEAST preparing myself for the new semester), I have decided to do a monthly list of books I want to read.

List: Choices from various monthly listings

1. House Lust: America's Obsession with Our Homes; non-fiction, by Daniel McGinn
2. The Dead Father's Club; fiction, by Matt Haig
3. Homecoming: A Novel; fiction, by Bernhard Schlink
4. Trail of Crumbs: Hunger, Love, and the Search for Home; non-fiction, by Kim Sunee
5. Brisingr; fiction, by Christopher Paolini
6. The Astoning Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation Vol. 1: The Pox Party; fiction, M.T. Anderson


List: Snipits from my personal list that is ridiculously long


1. The Zen of Fish: The Story of Shushi, from Samurai to Supermarket; non-fiction, Trevor Corson
2. The McDonalization of Society; non-fiction, George Ritzer
3. Organic, Inc.: Natural Foods and How They Grew; non-fiction, Samuel Fromartz
4. Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think; non-fiction, Brian Wansink
5. Food Fight; non-fiction, Kelly Bronwell

Currently Reading: Twinkies, Deconstructed by Steve Ettlinger
Currently Watching: Misc TV, History Channel
Currently Listening: Kyrie, Death Note OST

Dangerously Disarming Dexter

There is a series about a serial killer forensic anthropologist named Dexter. It is a series of books, Darkly Dreaming Dexter is the first of the series. It is also a TV series on Showtime (called Dexter). I am in the middle of the first season and am loving it.

Dexter first strikes me as a little too forceful of his non-feelings, however above all, I like him. He's enchanting, disarming really. Haha. He solves crimes during the day and at night, he kills those that deserve justice, people who got away with murder. He puts on a front so people are not suspicious. He has a personal charm in that way. There is only one man that is not fooled by his charm and that is Sgt Doakes, a policeman that works with Dexter.

I love the music for it. It is rather western with some Spanish variant and an eeriness to it (think Donnie Darko). The theme is relatively nice. I like the theme, Tonight's the Night and Blood Theme. I do not often comment about music and soundtracks but this one is one I must own. Along with the season DVDs.

The opening to Dexter is very weird. It's just... strange. It reminds me of House in that it doesn't show the characters so much but representations of what the show is about/like. There are things such as a blood lemon (which is a lemon that has red pulp and juice) that has been squeezed. It looks like gore. He ties his shoes and it reminds you of tying people up or choking someone. He eats breakfast and puts ketchup on his eggs, which then looks like blood splatters. Things such as that. It's weird and I relatively like it. Much so more than the opening with the characters and the actors' names.

It is a mystery/crime and probably some horror to it, but it is great. Disturbing but great. If you're not fond of a lot of crime, then I would still give it a try. I personally do not like a lot of crime/mystery/horror. There's a lot of it that repulses or bores me. Dexter is such an intriguing character. He kills those that deserves it, but not for justice. He kills because he needs to. He has this need or lust that has to be satiated and so he does that.

(Narcissistic Note: I am bemused by my alliterative title. It's a pun because Dexter is dangerous, Dexter is disarming AND he probably disarms people... physically.)

Stardust - What Do Stars Do?

They shine is a very good (and correct) answer. I have been apprehensive about watching Stardust, Neil's second movie (the first is Mirrormask for those who have forgotten). After all, I read the book. Stardust was not a favourite story of mine, I like his American Gods, Sandman and short stories more, but I was not going to pass up a chance to see a Neil movie. I feel a little bad, but I liked the movie better.

The prologue brought a lot of fun for me. Dunstan was, of course, very amusing. His 'It's a field.' bit seemed very Gaiman-esque. I love how it starts with a letter, too. But mostly it had Sir Ian (McKellen) as narrator. Some my know or remember, but I am a great fan of that man. He is wonderful. To hear his voice again in a movie is great.

The movie went on and I positively loved it when Yvaine fell. I love how her falling pulled the characters together. The King and his sons (Primus, Tertius, Septimus and Secundus) was wonderful and funny. I was rather fond of them in the book and they were great in the movie (my favourite being Septimus). I love their costumes, the number pertaining to their name being sewn into it. The brothers must kill each other for someone to succeed to the throne, leading to the accidental poisoning of others, such as the bishop. However I loved the scene when Septimus is asking a soothsayer questions (the soothsayer casts runes). I am rather fond of smart yet wittily amusing 'evil' characters.

Something I was very afraid for when I looked at the stills, was the costuming. In the stills, everything looks plain or cliche. During the movie, the costumes were great. Lamia's (the main witch) being the most intriguing. I would say I hate it, but it worked very well. I quite liked all of the costumes, even the one Tristan wears closer to the end. That one looked quite terrible in the stills, but it worked very well in the movie.

Along with the stills, the poster and trailer was not very helpful to the promoting of the movie. None of them were very good. I don't like the poster's colours (dark blue and orange). The trailer does not promote the feel as well but is better than the stills or poster. If you looked at them and thought 'not seeing this movie, rip-off of fantasy' then go see the movie. Much better than the promotions.

As with adaptions go, things need to change. The strangest I thought was of Tristran. In the movie, the main character's name is Tristan. In the book, it is Tristran. Apparently it is for the R impaired. The ending was a major change, and if you've read the book, it makes a lot of sense. They leave a few things out, like the Tori Amos tree or the leprechaun, but that I don't mind so much.

What did NOT change was the feel of the book. They got the feel very much spot on. The characters were the same, the feel was the same. Like Lord of the Rings, it is one of the more successful movie adaptions.

My dad, who knew nothing of the book and had no opinion of the movie before hand (he only saw it because of us), immensely enjoyed it. He prefers movies that are not over-ridiculous fantasy-wise. He said, and I agree, that once it started playing, you could get into it very easily. It began playing and that was it, you were listening. I believe that to be one of the greatest compliments, especially for Neil. One of the most important things for storytellers to do is to make their story easily listened to. If someone starts listening, reading or watching, and they cannot tear away, then that is marvellous. He said that even my step-mum would probably like it, and she is not a fantasy type at all.

I agree with my dad in that this is not what you would call fantasy so much as fanciful. You accept that some where in England there is a small town named Wall and that at some point, a boy crossed the wall into a land that was not England but Stormhold, a country filled with magic. Unlike a lot of fantasy, which tends to take place (with the exception of Lord of the Rings) on an Earth-like planet with dragons, fae and magic, Stardust takes place on Earth, sort of. Neil is not trying to convince but just stating that this could have happened.

See this movie. It is fun and amusing. Smart and witty. Enchanting and fanciful.

Other reviews:

VFXWorld on CGI
Stephen Bissette
Metacritic Collection
NPR - Audio
Thompson with Princess Bride
Pre-Thoughts on It
SFGate
Mike Caprio's Blog
BadMouth's Take
Denver Post's Article
Movie Cafe's View on Its Flaws
Daily Texan's Article
Tulsa World's
SFGate's 2nd

If you get a chance to, go check Rottentomatoes.com. I'm not able to connect right now. They tend to have a lot of nice reviews and I like their rating system. At the moment, I think, it's supposed to be at 73% (out of 100).

FINALLY:
Stardust's Official Site
One of the Better Posters I've Seen

...

Currently Reading: Twinkies, Deconstructed by Steve Ettlinger and Showcase Presents: House of Mystery (comic)
Currently Watching: various episodes and seasons of House MD
Currently Listening: the soundtrack previews on Stardust's site