Random Musings

Villains, 1 Million Dollars, and an Island

Week 56 / Prompt 2 -  Who is your favorite villain?

My favorite villain is easily Melisande Shahrizai, from the Kushiel Legacy series by Jacqueline Carey.  I probably mention this book way too much, but when you've got a favorite book, it's not a surprise that so many characters from it keep popping up as a favorite. Melisande Shahrizai is a noble within Terre d'Ange, wealthy, powerful, and influential. She plays the Game (of Houses) better than anyone else within the world. Her political intrigues are so deep in scope that it takes three books for Phedre to untangle them all. She taught Phedre's teacher the skills that he eventually taught her, and as a Scion of Kushiel, she is the epitome of the perfect antagonist for Phedre to struggle against. I love that this character is portrayed as intelligent as she is, without simply going out and saying "she was the smartest woman in all of Terre d'Ange", because it becomes incredibly apparent throughout all of her political intrigues and plottings. Never does the character seem weak or forced, she always has a reason for what she is doing, even if it is just "because I can", because to her, to play the Game of Houses is a way to make life interesting, and you never play to lose - you always play to Win. And she plays the Game exquisitely.

I also love her role as the ultimate Scion of Kushiel. Kushiel is the God of ultimate punisher. In this series, Kushiel is the god that some worship when they need to atone for their sins. Phedre is "kushiel's dart", an anguissette who both enjoys and can handle pain that others would find unbearable, while Melisande is the ultimate in providing punishment. Again, a perfect match up. Melisande's ability to artfully practice bedroom punishment is exquisitely written and portrayed, while not overtaking the book at all.


Week 56 / Prompt 5 - If you won a million dollars what are the top five things you would do with the money?

First thing I would do is buy a house. A house is already on the agenda for this year, but to be able to get one without a mortgage, and get one the size and quality that I would like would be amazing. I wouldn't go overboard and spend all of my money on it, maybe just a quarter of it. But I mean.. no mortgage would be incredible.

Second thing I'd likely do is buy a new car, maybe two. My SO's car was just in a wreck, and we're currently waiting to find out if it is totaled. And my car is slated to be replaced this year. If I could put enough down on two cars and get 0% financing, I might just do it that way, and continue to pay on the cars for a few years, so that a larger amount of money could be put away for investing (see below), but that would require some tax chat and money math.

Third, I'd give a chunk to my parents and to my brother. Not certain how much, but I'd give them some of it. My parents were absolutely amazing to me while I was growing up, paid for my college out of their savings so I didn't have to take out loans, and all around giving me almost anything I could have wanted. I'd at the very least pay them back for all of my schooling so their retirements were a bit more lucrative with maybe some interest. And while my brother is doing better for himself, I'd feel terrible if I didn't at least share some portion of it with him.

Fourth, I'd pay for my wedding, because it would mean I could actually have a full wedding again, if I wanted it, without stretching the bank.

And finally, I'd put at LEAST half (if not nearly 2/3rds) of the money into saving/investing/money making ventures. I'd have to learn how best to invest money, obviously, but I'd want to somehow make the money make more money for me down the road.


Week 56 / Prompt 6 - What five books would you bring with you to a desert island?

Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe -- because if you're gonna get stranded, might as well have a book about a guy that's been there done that - right?  Okay, no, not really.. I've got better book suggestions than this one.

Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey. By far my favorite book, and I'd probably read it over and over until the pages all fell out. But it's a staple for me if I'm going somewhere where I can only have so many things and I will need to be able to handle re-reading a book over and over as I'll have pretty much nothing else to read. It's got enough hardship and trials to make the book interesting, and plenty of hope to keep my spirits up.

The Survival Handbook by Colin Towell. If I'm stuck on a desert island, I'm assuming I'm there without any modern conveniences. And I know that I am far from capable of surviving anywhere on just my own skills, no matter how many survival shows I may have watched. I'll need some sort of a guide, and might as well be in book format, if I can't have Bear Grylls there with me.

Okay.. third and fourth books I'd have would be Kushiel's Avatar and Kushiel's Chosen. Cuz.. I really really really love that trilogy. And I can't right now think up two other books I'd want with me. Grins.


And finally, (warning, some of you may consider me a blasphemer for this one) a copy of the bible, preferably one of the expanded editions, because it's got enough pages to provide me with toilet paper for a good long time.