Milk (2008)

Ciao (2008)

A beautiful story of how two men come together through the loss of a common friend. Elegantly filmed with plenty of heart to it.

Philadelphia (1993)

This movie is probably Tom Hanks at his best – fired from his job because he has AIDS, Hanks finally manages to hire an initially reluctant lawyer to defend his case, played by Denzel Washington. Both men deliver powerhouse performances throughout the film, and it’s amazing to see how both characters compliment each other to fight both the disease and the stigma.

Shortbus (2006)

It’s hard to describe Shortbus eloquently. On the surface it seems to be a movie about everybody sleeping with everybody, but at its heart it’s a movie about living and truly discovering your place in this world. It’s not censored in any way, so prepare for all kinds of kinky revelations. After all, where else will you see someone singing the US National Anthem into @jaybrannan‘s ass?

You Should Meet My Son (2010)

An adorable little film about a mother who really just wants the best for her son. Drag queens, Christians, strippers and more make this a hilarious film for those lazy weekends at home.

Saving Marriage (2006)

A landmark court decision in Massachusetts allows gay people in that state to marry – forcing activists, legislators, and ordinary people to reconsider how they view same-sex relationships. A poignant view of both sides of the argument for and against same-sex marriage.

Albert Nobbs (2011)

I was absolutely dumbstruck when I saw the trailer for this movie – this is Glenn Close as you’ve never seen her before, and she gives one of the most amazing performances of her career. Set in late 19th century Ireland where women aren’t encouraged to be independent, Nobbs poses as a waiter in a posh hotel to earn a living, where her secret soon begins to get the better of her.

Latter Days (2003)

An adorable film about two complete opposites jumping headfirst into lord knows what. A cute cast along with some frisky dialogue moves this film along at a well-matched pace.

Angels in America (2003)

While technically not a film, this HBO original features an amazing cast with the likes of Meryl Streep and Al Pacino leading the pack. A poignant look at the AIDS crisis during the mid-80s, this film does a wonderful job of casting each character in multiple roles, and never fails to take you on a complete emotional roller-coaster.

To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar (1995)

This movie certainly has the longest title, but it’s one of the funniest I’ve seen in a while. Wesley Snips and Patrick Swayze swap bayonets for bras in this hilarious drag comedy, alongside John Leguizamo. The three men put together a spectacular performance as they roll into a sleepy little town and turn it from drab to fab.

The Birdcage (1996)

It’s got Robin Williams in it, what more do you want?

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)

An absolute classic, Priscilla follows two drag queens and a transsexual as they travel to a cabaret gig in the middle of the desert. Fabulous costumes and music make for a truly unforgettable flick.

Were The World Mine (2008)

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” comes to life in this gay film laced with humor and music. If you had a love-potion, who would you make fall madly in love with you? A small town with a few close-minded people gets a major facelift thanks to cheeky Timothy who just wants everyone to get along.

Weekend (2011)

An amazing film that really tugs at your heart – two men who meet in a club have just 24 hours to spend together before one of them moves away. The resulting day is a race of emotions as they struggle to truly define what’s between them before it’s too late.

Love and other disasters (2006)

While technically not a LGBT film per se, this hilarious comedy is one of my favorite films of the late Brittany Murphy. Love plays a complicated hand in the lives of a group of friends, often with some side-splitting results. Look for a cameo from Dawn French in an unforgettable therapy scene!

Got a movie suggestion you think I should watch? Leave it in the comments below!

1. I’m a little annoyed that I can’t find my original list.
2. I love to bake but rarely eat what I make.
3. I don’t have a fucking ‘great recipe for curry’.
4. I have a weird relationship with my parents.
5. I have an even weirder relationship with my siblings.
6. I much prefer the company of my friends.
7. I tend to ramble a lot when I speak.
8. I love being gay.
9. No really – I don’t think I would trade it in for anything.
10. Though at one point in my youth I wished I was straight like my friends.
11. I cried a lot over being different from other boys.
12. In time, I would learn to embrace my sexuality and celebrate being different.
13. I could knit a scarf at age 9.
14. This worried my mum quite a bit.
15. I’ve learnt that even a really good friendship can have a sour moment.
16. My friends are the family that loves me for not being straight.
17. I owe a lot to the people who’ve brought me back to sanity.
18. I frequently use the word ‘dahlink’ in conversation.
19. I get utterly frustrated when I have to explain to people what it means.
20. Just fucking Google it.
21. I am a Facebook junkie.
22. I’m also a gaming nutter and spend too much time on my consoles.
23. After 9 years I finally deleted my gaydar profile.
24. And I’m having withdrawal symptoms.
25. I christened my car “Bubbles”.
26. I’m as camp as they come and a true bitch at heart.
27. But I’m a terrific ‘people person’.
28. Do you doubt that, bitch?
29. I believe in the power of prayer.
30. I’ve been praying for a husband for about 6 years.
31. I love chocolate.
32. I was often bullied at college because of my sexuality.
33. I have learned to forgive those people.
34. In school, I was the person who sat right in the front and answered every question.
35. My friends loved me for that because that meant the teacher never picked on them.
36. I once slapped a boy in school for calling me a girl.
37. That guy is now on my Facebook.
38. But he is in my limited profile bit.
39. Sometimes I wish I was straight for a day so that I could show a few of my girlfriends just how special they are.
40. I have a fetish for men’s low-rise underwear.
41. I grew up with my friends saying gay people would burn in Hell.
42. I no longer call those people my friends.
43. I don’t remember names – I remember outfits.
44. I have at one point in my life confronted a religious bigot. It was hilarious.
45. I’m Indian, gay, and Catholic – could life get any more complicated?
46. According to my mum, I have a wedding fund in the bank.
47. I wonder if she would let me have the money even if I wasn’t getting married.
48. She would probably give it to Mother Teresa than to her gay son.
49. I have met some truly amazing men in my life.
50. And a variety of psychos.
51. Psychos currently outweigh amazing men 7:1
52. As a Gemini, I don’t believe in savings – only spending.
53. I love music and singing in a choir.
54. Yes, I was an altar boy once.
55. I think that was a phase I was going through.
56. George Michael use to be my favorite artist – now he’s my favorite junkie.
57. Growing up I never could decide what I wanted to do as a career.
58. To date, I have dabbled in interior design, art, marketing, IT, and even massage.
59. That last one was just something to bring in extra pocket money.
60. It still does bring in extra pocket money.
61. I finally settled on being an IT and Marketing guru.
62. But I quit that after 5 years to play videogames full time.
63. Growing up we had to keep our clothes in a 4-drawer filing cabinet.
64. No, I’m not kidding.
65. I long for the day when I can take part in a Pride parade.
66. At one point in my life I tried to commit suicide.
67. I’m glad I survived just to see what a dumb idea that was.
68. I’ve planned out my wedding before even finding the right man.
69. For the longest time I held onto the idea of a ‘soulmate’.
70. Now I’ll just settle for any man who’s single.
71. I think gay men are just as scared of commitment as straight men.
72. I’ve been called a commitmaphobe on several occasions.
73. A part of me knows that it’s probably true.
74. I love cats.
75. I don’t mind dogs but I don’t think I would keep one of my own.
76. Scratch that – I now live with three dogs and a cat.
77. I own a pair of stripper jeans.
78. You’ll have to imagine what those are.
79. I once told a bartender to ‘bring me a virgin mary – hold the Jesus’.
80. He gave me the drink for free.
81. I have realized how hard it is to love someone and for them not to feel the same way.
82. I don’t particularly worship Cher or Madonna.
83. I hope to learn how to ride a bike one day.
84. My biggest fear is dying and not having told the people closest to me how much I love them.
85. I have never watched Bambi.
86. Yes, you read that right.
87. Despite being Indian, I am not a fan of Bollywood.
88. Neither do I lust after Hrithik or Salman Khan.
89. I dislike people who are a homophobic and have no particular reason for it.
90. I am an insane shopaholic.
91. I have the memory capacity of a grapefruit.
92. My first ‘boyfriend’ treated me like a paying guest.
93. So I flushed the contents of his wallet down the toilet.
94. But I left the wallet for him on the edge of the seat.
95. It was made of really good leather.
96. I’m trying my best to take life one day at a time and not worry so much.
97. Like most people, there are things in my life I regret doing.
98. But the less I think about them, the better I feel.
99. My wardrobe ranges from business exec to camp go go boy.
100. I am, on many occasions, thankful that I’m me.

Having some free time today I decided to stroll down to the nearby shops and have the morning to myself. A few blocks from my hotel at one of the intersections was a middle-aged couple standing near the traffic light handing out flyers and holding up a sign. The sign said “Jesus wants to enter your life! Believe in Him!” Now it’s not hard to recognize a Bible-thumping person, and sure enough this couple was doing the Christian thing and educating the masses on Jesus’ bountiful love. I crossed the street to get to a store I was going to, and the lady swung around to speak to me.

The following is what happened:

“Just a moment Son, do you believe in Jesus’ ways?”
[I ignore her and try to continue walking] “No thanks honey, I’m fine.”
“Now hold on, hold ON – are you a FAG?”
[I stop and address her] “I’m sorry, what?”
“Are you a fag, are you a homosexual?”

Clearly she’s picked up on my use of the word ‘honey’, so rather than backtrack or deny anything, I choose to play along.

[To the woman] “Yes, I am gay.”
“Well you’re going to go to hell then if you don’t let Jesus save you!”
“No I really don’t think I’m going to hell because I’m gay.”
“Yes you ARE! It is a SIN! AN ABOMINATION!”
“Who said so?”
“Jesus said so! The Bible says so! You’re going to go burn in the fires of hell!”
“Jesus said that? Really? Can you really quote me one verse of the Gospel where Jesus says that gays are going to burn in hell?”
“I don’t need to tell you anything – the Bible says that you are going to hell and that’s where you’ll go if you don’t let Jesus heal you”
“So are you going to heal me?”
“What?”
“You, are you going to heal me from being gay?”
“Oh I will pray for you, I will pray for your SOUL!”
“Okay, you do that. But here’s some things you need to know first. I am God’s creation and he created me this way. No amount of your stupid preaching or screaming is going to make me change. Don’t stand there and throw that Bible bullshit at me – you want Bible quotes? Here’s a few – ‘Judge not others lest you yourself be judged’. Or how about ‘Beware the false prophets, they are like wolves in sheep’s clothing’. Or even this one, ‘The false messiahs and prophets will come, and perform many miracles to deceive even God’s chosen ones’. I was raised Catholic, I donate to the Church, I attend Mass, I sing in a choir, I pray, I give thanks, I do every fucking thing that any other Christian would do. Don’t you ever try and tell someone else how you think they should be living their lives and then bring God into it. Do you honestly think that I believe in a God that would create me just to send me to hell? Do you know how ridiculous and stupid you look standing here trying to ‘save people’? If you really do believe in Jesus’ saving love as you say you do, then I hope to God that it hits you one day just how IGNORANT and how much of a bigot you really are. Don’t pray for my soul, I’ll do you a favor and pray for yours because I sure hope to God that no one takes your shit seriously.”

After which I put on my swishiest walk and left her standing there handing out her stupid flyers, just as ignorant as before.

Heaven help us.

A few weeks back was the first ever GeekFest Sharjah, at the Al Maraya Art Centre located in the “you’re hip if you’re seen here” Qanat Al Qasba. It didn’t help that at the same time the Al Qasba ‘Food Festival’ was also going on, so the area was swamped with families and people stuffing their faces (I eventually succumbed to some delights from Feras Sweets).

At the Al Maraya Art Centre I found Mr Rupert Bumfrey, poised at his laptop while waiting for the venerable @alexandermcnabb to arrive. When he did show up a little while later, all I could make out was a faint blur as he whisked around the venue putting up posters for GeekFest (what’s GeekFest without posters!!). I on the other hand set about unpacking what seemed like millions of cables to get GamesFest underway, something that proved to be a hilarious challenge as we had a limited number of power extensions that actually worked. But we got there in the end, and soon the various workshops were all set up.

Right next to me was Catalin Marin who was giving an excellent workshop in retouching your photos professionally, and I’m not talking about slimming your waist or getting rid of spots. With just a few clicks he was able to alter the depth of a photo (is that even the right lingo?) or magically extend a boardwalk so it cut into the shot properly. Next to him was the team from the Japan UAE Kizuna Initiative, who were demonstrating the beautiful art of origami with some paper cranes and other wonderful little creations. I really thought this should have been given more attention than it got, as it was remarkable to see the mix of cultures sitting around the table all chatting away and getting creative with paper.

On the other side behind drawn curtains were the GeekTalks which roused quite a healthy little audience. Manga, music, and art were some of the topics of the night, and it was a cozy little experience for GeekFest novices. I of course had to keep popping out to tend to our little Kinect display, which was showcasing Kinect Sports Season 2 as well as Just Dance for people to check out. Mind you, I did get all four members of my team dancing to “Pump It” which was an achievement in itself. Nokia made a brief appearance to supposedly talk about their new phones, but five minutes later when I turned around they had vanished into the ether.

While this was the very first GeekFest Sharjah, I have to say that it would have been nicer if we had some of the GeekFest Dubai crew popping over to support it. Considering that I live in Dubai and I drove over to Sharjah (which took me about 50 minutes overall in the Thursday traffic), I don’t think it’s impossible for people to attend future GeekFests or events in Sharjah. I saw a few familiar faces at the event which was great, but most of the people who attended didn’t quite ‘get’ the whole idea behind GeekFest. One gentleman asked me if he could go around and give people business cards, and I gave him a sharp look – networking at a GeekFest? THE NERVE OF SOME PEOPLE!

But again, this is the very first time there’s been a GeekFest in Sharjah, so I’m going to lighten up. Alas I didn’t tag any of the gents as #Hubby4Nick as I usually do at the Dubai GeekFests, but there’s hope for the future.

Also, I am happy to confirm that GeekFest Sharjah 1.0 was indeed, an #Olives-free zone.

The reason I’m having this bra flashback is because bras take on a whole new meaning when you’re pregnant. You look at your bra with a sense of loathing; trying to get it off and on again is about as comfortable as asking a tattooist to decorate your clitoris. I eventually just stopped wearing a bra for a while, which of course my husband didn’t mind, but I found I got weird looks from other people when I waddled through the shopping malls with what looked like two loaded pistols under my top.

It was then that a friend introduced me to the magic of the ‘maternity bra’, something which you won’t see at Victoria’s Secret any time soon. What’s important is that when you wear a maternity bra, you think you look like this:

but in reality it’s actually this:

Seriously, a maternity bra is some NASA-grade shit. I seriously think they used them in the dark ages to launch satellites into space or as a primitive form of weaponry. Just don’t try to do something like this:

/

The other beautiful thing about being pregnant is that your stomach, like a porn star’s vagina, becomes public property. Every goddamn person under the sun wants to touch your stomach like they’ve never seen a pregnant woman before. What I really can’t stand are the people who come up and start rubbing my stomach like I’m some sort of laughing Buddha bringing them luck. What am I supposed to do, drop money out of my ass?