I suppose you can find a silver lining in everything, and in the case of COVID-19 shutting down large swaths of the world, it’s that A Song of Ice and Fire author George R.R. Martin is apparently spending a lot of time in Westeros — good news for those of us waiting for The Winds of Winter, perhaps?
Martin posted an update of sorts on his NotABlog on March 17, letting readers know that he’s shuttered his Meow Wolf arts and entertainment company, the Jean Cocteau Cinema, and his non-profit Stagecoach Foundation. The venues, all based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, will remain closed until April 15 as a precautionary measure.
Martin also assured readers that — despite being in the “high-risk” category for the virus, given his age — he feels fine and is taking “all sensible precautions,” including self-quarantine. So how is he spending his time? The answer is heartening (in a way) for ASOIAF readers:
“I am off by myself in a remote isolated location, attended by one of my staff, and I’m not going in to town or seeing anyone. Truth be told, I am spending more time in Westeros than in the real world, writing every day. Things are pretty grim in the Seven Kingdoms… but maybe not as grim as they may become here.”
Spending more time in Westeros than the real world, you say? WRITING EVERY DAY, YOU SAY? We’ve all been fooled before when Martin makes any indication that TWOW is being worked on, but in these uncertain times, we’ll take what we can get to lift our spirits.
Meanwhile, we found out that truly no one is safe from COVID-19, including our boisterous freefolk fav, Tormund Giantsbane. Actor Kristofer Hivju posted on Instagram on March 17 that he has, unfortunately, tested positive for the virus:
It doesn’t sound as though it’s affecting him terribly, and he only has “mild symptoms of a cold,” so here’s hoping for a speedy recovery for Hivju and his family!
That’s great to hear. He should ask Mr. Benioff and Mr. Weiss to help him. They can give him good advices.
This would be the perfect time for The Winds of Winter, alas, it’s not to be. I also don’t want to re-read the other volumes for fear that the series will remain unfinished. Any other suggestions?
dee,
You can read the first three books of ASOIAF. They pertain to S1-4, the time when literally everyone agrees the show was at its apex from a writing perspective, (though I love S5-8 as well). Together they represent essentially the first half of the story. George was apparently in a certain writing mindset when he wrote those three, because after he finished SoS, he was never able to write that quickly, effectively, or concisely again. Everything after SoS has been comparatively bloated, aimless, and constipated.
The LightKing,
I would actually love to see D&D team up with someone like Matthew Stover – who wrote the Revenge of the Sith novelization, widely considered among the best Star Wars books ever made – and create an official novelization of GoT S7&8. I’m about 90% sure it would be the closest thing to ADOS that book readers will ever get.
Poor Kristopher! I hope he recovers quickly without lasting issues. 🙏🏻
Happy to hear that George is writing again.
Cue fan reactions:
• “Words are wind.”
• “Oh, sweet summer child.”
The LightKing,
No.
Aodm444,
Oh yes
Aodm444,
George should’ve continued to write GoT scripts.
Perfect time to release the book George. Everyone will isolate themselves reading.
The real world GoT its own “the great other”.
How is it possible that Tormund has the virus!?
He fed on giant’s milk!
It is indeed very grim in the Seven Kingdoms…
I want to believe… but I’ve been burned too many times… 😭
😂
Iul,
The only problem is he hasn’t written it yet.
Real life sulfuric acid lake is keeping GRRM at home. I am forever the optimist, so I will stay with my 2020 Winter prediction of Dec 21, 2020 for TWOW release. Hopefully the sulfuric acid will subside by then for all of us…
Btw Adrianacandle, i only have 20 pages left to finish book 2 of HDM, so tomorrow I should be starting book 3! I am about to do some remote classes with my students before getting back to it tonight.
Sorry to be the party pooper, but whatever. He’s been “in Westeros” for god knows how long. Doesn’t really mean anything 😕
This whole thing has put a monkey wrench into my prediction that if TWOW isn’t released before kickoff of the first game of the 2020 NFL season, it never will be.
Now…who knows if and when there will be another NFL game?
Tron79,
One less excuse for the Big Kahuna.
“COVID. I fucking hate COVID.”
Be well, Kristofer, and godspeed George.
Efi,
as of ~ 3:30 pm today, 3/18/20:
“Florida coronavirus updates: Confirmed cases skyrocket to 314; South Florida continues to be epicenter.”
“The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Florida jumped by almost 100 cases, up to 314, according to Wednesday’s advisory from the state Department of Health.
The number of deaths in the state remains at seven.
The largest number of cases continue to be in South Florida, with 80 in Broward, 76 in Miami-Dade and 19 in Palm Beach. Those counties account for more than 45 percent of the statewide COVID-19 cases.”
https://amp.floridatoday.com/amp/5076042002
Geez. It feels like I’m just waiting for the Doom of Old Valyria down here. 😷
Ten Bears,
“Now…who knows if and when there will be another NFL game?”
Lol, see, the universe is working for you! You’ll win your bet.
Ten Bears,
I’m sorry to see that. You’re only just beginning, I’m afraid. If Florida has high turism rates it’s likely that it’ll suffer more than other states.
In Italy it’s worse in the north, where Milan, Florence and Venice attract much more turism than Rome. (I feel for them so much; every day they are counting hundreds of deaths -close to 500 yesterday).
Here the doctors say that it’ll last for two more months, and we’ve started taking measures 20 days ago already.
One has to be patient.
(I think I’ll join my internet pilates classes tomorrow; perhaps I’ll order some books on line)
Frankly, if Martin decided to sell some of his finished chapters now, I’d buy them.
The problem with this situation is not really the virus (because I go out very conservatively); it’s not boredom (because I have too much work).
It’s that I don’t know if I have to work any harder than before or just as much as needed to only fulfill my typical obligations, since all my obligations in Paris in May might be cancelled. Why should I work more even in this situation if everything will be moved to September?
(I’m ashamed to ask my Parisian friends, honestly).
Ten Bears,
Stay safe. I live in a city that lies 15 miles northwest to the first epicenter of Covid-19 in Portugal. I’m home since saturday. Fortunately, I can work from here. Apart from people who need to leave home to work, we should do the effort of staying home to limit propagation. It can literally save lives, even if the numbers are rising. Portugal jumped to 642 cases and had its second death confirmed. It was the president of Santander bank in Portugal. As for Kristofer, I wish him a quick recovery.
I liked the statement of GRRM on this. This kind of science fiction translated to reality sucks. And continuing to pay his employees, despite the closure of the cinema and the foundation, is the right thing. I wouldn’t be too optimistic about the writing of Winds, even in this time of isolation, but remaining safe and healthy must be the priority for a person that belongs to the most vulnerable population.
The LightKing,
You must be joking.
Efi,
”You’re only just beginning, I’m afraid. If Florida has high tourism rates it’s likely that it’ll suffer more than other state.”
• Yes. F*cking tourists. Not only are there substantial segments of the population who aren’t taking this seriously, but there are thousands of idiots down here on Spring Break who are partying like they don’t have a care in the world – and very soon they’re going to return home and spread the virus there too. Meanwhile, our moron governor had not ordered beaches closed; only yesterday did he get around to shutting down bars. There are still throngs of oblivious tourists packing the streets and hotels. The whole state should be on lockdown already.
The Army of the Dead will be here within two weeks. By then it’ll be too late. (Did I mention we’ve got lots of retirees and other senior citizens?)
• I know I should remember…Where are you?
Tiago,
Thanks for the kind words.
Efi,
”Frankly, if Martin decided to sell some of his finished chapters now, I’d buy them.”
I’ve said previously that he ought to serialized chapters and release them once a week or so, like Charles Dickens did with most of his novels.
The upside is that he could satisfy the fan base who’d certainly subscribe or buy each installment as it comes out, while he wouldn’t be tempted to keep re-writing chapters or trash them all and start from scratch. The downside is that he wouldn’t be able to keep re-writing chapters or trash them all and start from scratch. 🤓
At this juncture I figure the fandom would gladly read whatever he’s written, and wouldn’t mind if he releases additional portions as they’re cranked out even if they’re not “perfect.”
Ten Bears,
Gosh, did I scare you? I meant other US states, not other countries.
However, bars, restaurants, caffees etc should stop working for about 15 or days or so (they say). I think our PM’s locking down the organized beaches is a bit too much -and inadequate, because these are few compared to the length of our shores and public beaches. We also closed the borders and everyone who’s accepted in (nationals only) are quarantined for 15 days.
But of course my rebellious compatriots moved to their villages, to enjoy an extended vacation until Easter, bringing their viruses to that part of the population that needs to be protected… We don’t need the enemy at the gates, we’ve been betrayed from within, lol.
And I know I’d buy most anything if it came out even half finished. I remembered your Dickens example when I was writing that comment. Who knew it would come to this? I tried to imagine how it would be to read sth every week, waiting for the magazine to come out, collecting and re-reading. It would be fun.
My city is empty and boring; we’re usually out until very late at night, especially when the weather gets warmer, as it is now. Spring has really set in over here -didn’t have much of a winter this year, but curiously enough we’ve had lots of snow in the mountains, so skiing centers are closed too.
As for where I am, I haven’t said. I’m close to Italy (very close).
Ten Bears,
“Geez. It feels like I’m just waiting for the Doom of Old Valyria down here.”
No, it’s not like that. The scientists are expecting a volcano to explode over here. (I’m having a hard time believing them, tbh)
You only have the virus and your lovely president. Don’t complain.
Ten Bears,
Hey, a fellow South Floridian, sweltering in paradise!
Efi,
I’d rather have the volcano.
Yeah, there has to be a real question for this season. And now I really want to see how Brady will do with Tampa Bay! And I’m from Cincinnati, and it’s likely we will pick Joe Burrow. I suppose your prediction could be right if the season is cancelled and NFL starts next year, but I’m still hoping from Dec 21 Winter is coming…
You speak of “Monkeys”. Well that shamelessly gets me back into a brief HDM comment. (Mrs. Coulter’s daemon happens to be a monkey!) The books have some similarities to GOT because they have some shocking deaths.
I think Kevin was reading the HDM books too if I remember. I remember he got all of them in one large volume.
Adrianacandle
I’ll leave it for there for now and start book 3 tomorrow. I can’t wait to see how they turn book 2 into season 2 for the screen. It’s not going to be easy!
The good news:
Spending more time in Westeros than the real world, you say? WRITING EVERY DAY, YOU SAY?
The bad news:
Taking inspiration from the COVID-19 global pandemic, he decides Westeros will suffer a greyscale plague. Luckily, this change will require rewrites only for the stories of 28 of the 32* (and counting) POV characters, and will require just one additional book** to finish the series.
—————–
* GRRM is secretly excited his readers will soon get to meet Arlyn Martell’s third cousin (twice removed) by marriage!
** Well, more like two. Or maybe four, after the two books split into their own books, like the fourth and fifth in the series. Hey, who knows? He’s a gardener!
I think I’m also infected with the Corona virus. Spoke to the doctor on the phone (we cannot go visit anymore), but here in Belgium only those who are very ill are tested. It strange how I got it because no one I know has it. So I must have got it while shopping.
When I read a book or watch a show everything is alright. But when I’m doing small things like laundry I have difficulty breathing and pain in my chest. I live alone so I have to keep doing things.
And the other problem is I can’t go shopping. And those who are healthy and can go shopping don’t find anything anymore in the shops because the lucky few who did find something are hoarding.
I’m ordering things online, but only the expensive companies still have food.
Tron79,
Yeah, I think Kevin is reading HDM but I don’t know where he is in the series. I hope he stops by this thread and offers his thoughts if he’s gotten far enough into the books.
Lee Scoresby, right? 🙁
Ooooh, that is a great takeaway, I think. I’m going to have to mull that over. Nice point.
I think that is Pullman’s view on organized religion in a nutshell, or at least Christianity (particularly Catholicism — I grew up Roman Catholic but I don’t hold strong opinions or allegiances to a certain )
You’re talking about Will’s dad, right?
And maybe, like in ASOIAF, one of these points is choice? We have free will but we are also responsible for the choices we make and the consequences of such. Both choices come with good and bad and also, perhaps the idea that good and bad mean different things to different people depending on the individual.
But maybe I’m phrasing it too simplistically…
Oh, there are some great developments with Mrs Coulter in book 3 🙂 🙂 🙂 Very excited to hear your thoughts on that!
Chilli,
Chilli, oh no. I’m so sorry. What a terrible, terrible situation. Are you still able to call an ambulance if you need to? Do you have anyone who can help you? I’m in Alberta, Canada but if you think of something I can do for you, please let me know. I can give you my contact info if you like.
*** He’s not writing TWOW at all, he’s writing Fire & Blood v. III! Psych!
😉
It’s crazy in these times where most of the Western World is either in lockdown or preparing for lockdown that one potential up tick maybe that Winds of Winter finally gets concluded. Seriously though I hope GRRM can stay safe as he’s in that age range which there is a high mortality rate if you contract it.
Also best wishes to Kristofer, this virus is nasty and hopefully he can avoid hospitalisation and recover well at home with his wife and family.
Chilli,
Oh, I hope you get better soon!
Directions for the infected:
– eat hot soups. The virus doesn’t survive over 25 degrees. Make them with lots of garlic that is antiseptic and disinfective. Add sth that has lots of vitamin C, like celery. Spices like peper and hot paprica are also antioxidant, they help. I make soups like that with a bit of potato and carot; the garlic and the spices burn the lungs and soothe the cough (!)
– drink lots of water; the virus doesn’t survive in the stomach.
– allow your fever to reach its climax once; then try to keep it down with anti-fever drugs (preferably not anti-inflammatory).
You’ll be fine in a few days.
Have you read Dunk & Egg? That’s what I’ve been doing in the long night until the eventual Winds of WInter release. The books are pretty short though and a different tone to ASOIAF.
Hi Chilli, I have a team member who lives in Mechelin just outside Brussels. If that’s anywhere near you and you require help let me know.
On a serious note it seems the virus is pretty mild for 20-30% of people who contract it and can show either no symptoms or a simple cold. About 15-20% get severe symptoms and need hospital care. The rest it’s similar to heavy flu but with breathing issues.
Adrianacandle,
Making a GOT connection to HDM…. GRRM has alot of “fakeout” deaths in the books.
Other than Ned, it’s hard to tell if someone is really dead in the books. Brienne was a good example. Even the show scene with Jaime sinking in his armor at the end of Spoils of War feels in line with GRRM. I thought it was ridiculous that he lived after sinking in all that armor and holding his breath for 10 minutes while swimming out of harms way. But it does fit with how GRRM liked to do fakeout deaths in the books. Perhaps HDM will be the same way with….
Yes, you’re right that I was angry about Will’s Dad not keeping his word to Lee. He felt his obligation to the “Great War” (keeping this thread a little about GOT!) was stronger than his word to Will, but I disagree. I think that’s part of what Pullman is saying about following what Grumman thinks his religion is saying he must do.
Lord Asriel’s blind righteousness thinking that what he’s doing is for the greater good is the kind of logic that leads to things like the killing of Roger. When in fact in the 10 commandments, you’re not supposed to take G-d’s name in vain. That’s exactly what Lord Asriel did by justifying his actions of killing Roger by thinking he knew what G-d would want him to do (or maybe it’s the other way around in this story). Thinking you know what G-d wants is something that causes so much violence and tragedy in the world. People read into the texts what they think G-d wants and justify their horrible actions. I see this theme all over HDM. Texts were written thousands of years ago, but still many take them literally or put in their own interpretations and do obviously unethical things. Thinking in the Jewish world, you can point to the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. The murderer justified his actions saying that Yitzhak Rabin was a threat to what G-d wanted because Yitzhak Rabin signed a peace agreement with the Palestinians (I wont’ go into the whole reasoning). The bottom line is that the murderer felt justified in assassinating Yitzhak Rabin because he thought he knew what G-d wanted him to do because of his interpretation of the ancient texts (can someone say Alethiometer misreadings) I taught a class called “Rock the Planet” that examined Israeli Jewish rock music and other Israeli music to discuss what was going on in Israeli society at the time. I wrote a song for the class about thinking you know what G-d wants. Yisthak Rabin was actually singing a great song about Peace at the time of the killing. The words of the song were found in his pocket covered with his own blood. The song was Shir LaShalom… Here’s the English translation:
“Let the sun rise
light up the morning
The purest of prayers
will not bring us back
He whose candle was snuffed out
and was buried in the dust
bitter crying won’t wake him up
and won’t bring him back
Nobody will bring us back
from a dead and darkened pit
here,
neither the victory cheer
nor songs of praise will help
So just sing a song for peace
don’t whisper a prayer
Just sing a song for peace
in a loud shout
Allow the sun to penetrate
through the flowers
don’t look back
let go of those departed
Lift your eyes with hope
not through the rifles’ sights
sing a song for love
and not for wars
Don’t say the day will come
bring on that day –
because it is not a dream –
and in all the city squares
cheer only for peace!”
For me, I’m not going to kill someone based on ancient texts. G-d’s going to have to come back and verify things out loud before I take horrible actions based on how others interpret an ancient text. If G-d really wants me to do it, G-d will need to tell me now. If G-d thinks it’s OK to kill Roger or separate children from their daemon souls, then G-d may need to do it G-d’s self (I’m trying not to say he or she when talking about G-d..himself or herself) The Angels are not G-d either and just because they say something doesn’t mean I would do it. In some ways John Lennon’s song Imagine may also sum up how Pullman feels about religion. Even though I am a believer in G-d, Lennon’s words ring true for those who take the texts so literally that they will kill for what they think G-d wants them to do.
In the Jewish religion we’re COMMANDED to Love G-d. That’s a tough one. How can someone command you to Love something. But in the ancient world, Love meant something different than it does now. It was more of a word about commitment than romance. But also it can be a blessing to be commanded to love G-d, since often times it easy to be angry at G-d. But still, it’s a difficult concept. I gave my students an exercise to think of themselves as Vulcan’s without emotion. How would you do the commandment to..”Love G-d with all your heart and all your soul” if you were from vulcan. Would you rephrase it?
Anyway, I think many of us know what’s right because our inner daemons help tell us. No matter what a ancient text says, our gut tells us that killing a child isn’t the right path. Lyra knew this. Our daemon tells us that keeping your word to a man who gave his life for you is the right thing to do no matter what you think might be happening in the “bigger picture” of G-d’s battle.
In Jewish lore, there is a final battle between Gog and Magog (between good and evil). The victory feast will feature eating a Leviathan sea monster. This Leviathan is often depicted as a symbol on many Jewish ornaments. The important thing to me isn’t the myth of the battle. It’s about the coming of a time of a new age when everyone lives in peace. It’s a time when people don’t read ancient texts to come up with new ways to kill each other. You don’t need borders any longer because people just get along and there is enough for everyone. Unfortunately in today’s world everyone still wants to kill everyone to fight for resources or because they think their religion tells them they are superior or the other person is an abomination. It’s really f’cked up. So, alot of Pullman’s messages do resonate with me. It will be interesting to see how it’s done on the screen.
I loved Lee’s final scene with him thinking back to playing defending the Alamo. This is going to be a great scene for the actor Lin-Manuel Miranda. It was heart breaking with his hare daemon snuggling close to him at the end. Actors are always looking for the ultimate death scene! But I’m still hoping the Witch may make it a “fakeout” death, but I’m guessing probably not.
Hopefully we get the books as soon as possible, then we can finally get a journey to the endpoints that makes sense without inconsistencies, instead of what we got with the show.
But I fear with Caronavirus, that I think will take more than a couple of weeks. That there is little chance even if he finish the book next week that the book will be published in 2020. Everything has a slower process now, shows are being pushed back, less people working, so that means that even products like books are getting delayed. And even if the books are printed we are looking at transport to the stores which also got delays. So I think if we’re lucky we get it December but I don’t think before that. I hope GRRM and the production prove me wrong, but health before everything.
And get well soon Kristofer.
Chilli,
Get well soon. Hopefully it stays mild with you. (Don’t take ibuprofen if you think it’s Covid-19. It somehow helps the virus, better use paracetamol)
I’m also getting worried a bit here, my sister is already forced to stay at home, her symptoms are much worse than a normal flue so I think it’s Covid. My mother is also forced to stay at home. And now I get also some symptoms, like headaches, tired, nauseous. But no fever or other symptoms, so I hope it’s just comes from muscle tensions in my back/ribcage.
Let’s hope we all get better soon and the world turns to normal again.
Adrianacandle,
Oh I am not yet reading the books. But they are on my book-tower (A tower of books that I want too read). First I will finish Feast and Dance. After that Fire and Blood. Then HDM is the book I’m going to read.
Jon Snowed,
The problem is not perse how worse the virus is when looking at symptoms. The problem is the dead-toll that comes with it compare to the normal flue. And that there is a high chance (compare to normal flue) of physical permanent damage. People who are healthy who had the virus return to the doctor after the flue and found out that the virus did permanent damage to the lungs. And also in the west it’s not the old but the young that seem to contract this virus more. Also a bigger problem is, because the virus is probably natural instead of man made, this virus will return every year. Meaning every year we get the influenza virus and the Covid-19. So it’s important that countries work together to find a cure or a vaccine and not trying to gain profit from it (We all know which president I’m talking about).
We don’t need to overreact as people about the virus, we don’t need to hoard things what some people did. We need to stay calm about it but we need to take the virus seriously.
Chilli, I am sorry that you are unwell – I’m laying low but that’s mainly because of my age. Likewise, I wish Kristofer well soon.
Tron, no disrespect to P Pullman but I listened to a radio adaptation of one of his stories (or at least started to) and it freaked me out so he’s on the list I don’t read (like I don’t read Dennis Wheatley’s black magic stories. The idea of curiosity and the fall being a recurring theme in works by various writers may be correct. The medieval English carol “Adam Lay Ybounden” (from the Sloane manuscript) makes an observation that it was fortunate the apple in the garden of Eden was taken because if it had not been plucked from the tree Our Lady would not have been Heaven’s Queen (the carol would have been written in a time when most people were religious)..
“Adam lay ybounden
Bounden in a bond;
Foure thousand winter
Thought he not too long
And all was for an apple
An apple that he tok
As clerkes finden
Wreten in here book
Never had the apple
The apple taken ben
Ne hadde never our lady
A ben Hevene Quen
Blessed be the time
The apple taken was
Therefore we moun singen
Deo gracias.”
Dame of Mercia,
I too wish Chilli a speedy recovery. There haven’t been as many cases in my home area, but we’re all on lockdown with extreme social distancing when in public at all.
My daughter is one who hardly goes out and has many anxieties (she’s in her mid 20’s) and now she’s holding her shirt over her mouth alot when sitting on the couch. Once things hopefully get back to normal, we may never get her out of the house out in the world after this. The good thing is that she’s used to staying home all day, but it’s adding to her anxieties in a major way.
I haven’t really thought about the idea that Eve may have made the right choice to listen to that serpent! Other ideas on Pullman’s works resonate with me more. It’s actually really struck a nerve with me which accounts for my long spoiler post earlier.
I for one will pray for healing for everyone and that we make it through these times sooner than later. The world will be forever changed because of this.
Efi,
”Directions for the infected:
– eat hot soups. The virus doesn’t survive over 25 degrees. Make them with lots of garlic that is antiseptic and disinfective. Add sth that has lots of vitamin C, like celery. Spices like peper and hot paprica are also antioxidant, they help. I make soups like that with a bit of potato and carot; the garlic and the spices burn the lungs and soothe the cough (!)”
Lady Crane?
kevin1989,
Oh, get better soon! Rest and eat the soup above! Tell your sister and your mother! There is muscle ache with the virus and also exhaustion, but I haven’t heard anything about stomach problems. If you have those the best you could eat is boiled potatoes; the warmer, the better. They soothe a bad stomach.
[also rice simply boiled but not completely dry, not without fluids. Springle it with lots of lemon; lemon kills everything]
Ten Bears,
Someone calling? Yes? Hello? 🙄
I’m an expert in that stuff because doctors never take me seriously. I almost never have fever, but I can get all the other symptoms of a flu or a virus every year. I can take pain, exhaustion, fever and other symptoms without complaining. But even with complaining without fever they never give that much attention to me.
The result is they always send me away with general directions; rest, eat sth nourishing, drink tea. Funny thing is I don’t really enjoy food (I don’t understand what all the fuss is about, it’s only for surviving), so getting sick is never an opportunity to eat what I like. But I discovered that soup which is to my liking (the garlic and hot paprika do the trick, the celery covers smell of the garlic and balances its taste) and I’m eating that whenever I am sick.
If feeling unwell a lemon and honey drink can work wonders, I would definitely recommend that!
On the symptoms I have read some people may suffer cramps, cold, fever and upset stomach (although that’s more uncommon), a dry cough is pretty much certain for most people. My daughter is unwell suffering from cramps, cold and cough, I just hope she doesn’t have it – she is currently self-isolating in her bedroom.
Jon Snowed,
Oh, I hope it doesn’t get worse. Try camomile with honey and lemon, it’s better for the throat than simple tea. (lemon dries the throat and my doctor doesn’t recommend it for coughing, but it’s anticeptic and honey soothes it, so…) I can’t even begin to imagine how is it that one isolates from the rest of the family inside the same house. Lots of gadgets all around, I guess, and a good stash of books.
Chilli,
Sorry to hear you’re not feeling well. I’m assuming you’re registered with a local doctor, so try to contact them so they can double-check your symptoms, even if it’s just over the phone. It may be Coronavirus, or it may be something completely different. But it’s best to get a professional opinion if you can.
Friendly suggestion: Arrange to phone a close friend or relative at a set time every day (or ask them to phone you daily) while you’re unwell. That way, there’s someone who can check regularly how you’re doing and keep an eye on your condition.
Efi,
Oh, I was not doubting your expertise at all. I was commending it. I was (lamely, I guess) trying to use a GoT reference.
Your description of your soup (e.g., “the garlic and the spices burn the lungs and soothe the cough (!)”) reminded me of…
Arya and Lady Crane’s soup, S6e8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7h2B6roXenQ
at 5:05
dee,
If you’re looking to get your GoT-style fix while we wait for more news about the prequels, I strongly recommend Bernard Cornwell’s Warlord Chronicles trilogy. It’s a brutally realistic take on the King Arthur myth; the general vibe is similar to GoT’s earlier seasons, minus any supernatural/fantasy stuff. It’s certainly a lot grittier than people may expect, so be prepared for that.
The whole story is from a very eloquent first-person perspective. A clever twist is that while he’s a very intelligent and generally sympathetic character, sometimes he’s also the classic “unreliable narrator”; his descriptions of people’s personalities doesn’t always match their actual behaviour, especially when his perspective is distorted by his own biases or naivete. Astute readers will sometimes find themselves noticing things about characters that the narrator himself does not; Cornwell’s writing style makes it clear that this is something he’s setting up deliberately. It’s a nice touch and adds another layer of nuance to the reading experience.
Anyway, it’s a great trilogy. People here should enjoy it if they want something that has the best aspects of early GoT/ASOIAF.
Chilli,
Oh dear. Please keep us apprised. At the risk of sounding corny, lots of us (like Jon Snowed, Efi, Adrianacandle, Jai, Tron79, Kevin1989, Dame of Mercia, and others who’ve replied already) won’t hesitate to help however we can from wherever we are.
Not all heroes wear capes, or wield Valyrian Steel daggers.
Tron79,
A lot of great food-for-thought! I’m going to mull this over and respond later!
kevin1989,
Yes, your book tower! I had forgotten! At least you’ve got lots to read in this coronavirus quarantine 🙂 And I have a few recommendations… (coughWitchercough) ;D
Yup! 👍
Jai,
”If you’re looking to get your GoT-style fix while we wait for more news about the prequels, I strongly recommend Bernard Cornwell’s Warlord Chronicles trilogy. It’s a brutally realistic take on the King Arthur myth; the general vibe is similar to GoT’s earlier seasons, minus any supernatural/fantasy stuff.”
I’m still wrestling with whether to read the (incomplete) ASOIAF books, especially when I’ve had gathering dust on my shelves a whole bunch of James Clavell books I bought over 20 years ago after reading – and really enjoying – “Shogun” and “King Rat.” (Now that I’m over at my bookshelf I see more highly recommended books I’ve been intending to read for the longest time, like “Lonesome Dove” by Larry McMurtry, and “A Brief History of Time” by Stephen Hawking.)
The Samurai of medieval Japan depicted in “Shogun” might have similarities to the “general vibe” of medieval fantasy world in GoT’s earlier seasons. It’s been so long since I read “Shogun” that I really couldn’t make a fair comparison. Maybe I will read it again…
Sorry, Big G. Too many other authors who completed their books are ahead of you on my “To Read” list.
Efi,
Stomach problems I have already for months so probably nothing connected to Covid-19. What helps for me is drinking Ginger-lemon-tea. Luckily I also like the taste of it.
And thanks for the recommendation of the soup.
Adrianacandle,
Yes. And I will take my time with it. I can’t read hours like I use too. So maybe I will finish feast and dance and Winds is already in the stores.
And yes witcher books will also be on my list, but I do those after my tower I already have.
Ten Bears,
I know. Spices remind me of this dialog though (Alayne I, WoW)
“Say something, she urged herself. You will never make Ser Harry love you if you don’t have the courage to talk him. Should she tell him what a good dancer he was? No, he’s probably heard that a dozen times tonight. Besides, Petyr said that I should not seem eager. Instead she said, “I have heard that you are about to be a father.” It was not something most girls would say to their almost-betrothed, but she wanted to see if Ser Harrold would lie.
“For the second time. My daughter Alys is two years old.”
Your bastard daughter Alys, Alayne thought, but what she said was, “That one had a different mother, though.”
“Yes. Cissy was a pretty thing when I tumbled her, but childbirth left her as fat as a cow, so Lady Anya arranged for her to marry one of her men-at-arms. It is different with Saffron.”
“Saffron?” Alayne tried not to laugh. “Truly?”
Ser Harrold had the grace to blush. “Her father says she is more precious to him than gold. He’s rich, the richest man in Gulltown. A fortune in spices.”
“What will you name the babe?” she asked. “Cinnamon if she’s a girl? Cloves if he’s a boy?”
That almost made him stumble. “My lady japes.”
“Oh, no.” Petyr will howl when I tell him what I said.
“Saffron is very beautiful, I’ll have you know. Tall and slim, with big brown eyes and hair like honey.”
Alayne raised her head. “More beautiful than me?”
Ser Harrold studied her face. “You are comely enough, I grant you. When Lady Anya first told me of this match, I was afraid that you might look like your father.”
“Little pointy beard and all?” Alayne laughed.
“I never meant… “
“I hope you joust better than you talk.”
For a moment he looked shocked. But as the song was ending, he burst into a laugh. “No one told me you were clever.”
He has good teeth, she thought, straight and white. And when he smiles, he has the nicest dimples. She ran one finger down his cheek. “Should we ever wed, you’ll have to send Saffron back to her father. I’ll be all the spice you’ll want.”
He grinned. “I will hold you to that promise, my lady. Until that day, may I wear your favor in the tourney?”
“You may not. It is promised to… another.” She was not sure who as yet, but she knew she would find someone.”
kevin1989,
I have stomach problems since 2013. Maalox will ease your discomfort if you have reflux but in any case you need to check it out in case you have something more serious (that will need medication, Maalox is not exactly medicin).
You also need to follow a diet. Try dry food, no soups, no fat, no coffee/tea (but only moderately); no eggs, no chocolate, no tomatoes/red sauces. Make sure you don’t eat anything and you don’t drink tea before going to bed (I’m saying this because I know europeans love to drink tea after dinner). Milk is also heavy on the stomach.
please don´t!
i always love some good satire, and i love black humor. but not now. because there are too many people around who have lost the ability to separate information from bullshit.
even when it comes to the question “how do i chill down my body temp to 26°C?”
please, everyone, be careful with irony and satire right now! death is the enemy, and the enemy always wins.
Adrianacandle,
Thank you for your answer. At the moment I still can call an ambulance if necessary. A bit afraid it gets worse, but at this moment it’s stable. I have friends who live nearby, but the problem is that it’s contagious, so they cannot come in my house.
Efi,
Thank you for the directions. I hadn’t thought of soup, I still have that at home. The rest is a bit difficult to buy right now with the shops all empty thanks to those hoarders who buy everything the moment the shops open. But I guess that will be better after a while.
Jon Snowed,
Oh you know someone from Belgium. Mechelen is not far from where I live. At the moment I can manage on my own, but thanks for the help. At the moment it’s pretty mild for me too. Apparently in Belgium most people in hospitals are my age (around 40), in Italy it’s more older people. That’s what makes it a bit scary, but I do my best not to panic because that makes it harder to breathe.
kevin1989,
I’m gonna answer in Dutch, that’s a bit easier: Ojee, bij jullie in Nederland waarschijnlijk ook Corona? Zonder tests gaan we het nooit zeker weten, maar het positieve is zolang ze niet testen is het teken dat het niet al te erg is. Maar ondanks dat vind ik het wel enger dan de griep door die ademhalingsproblemen. Schrik dat ik op een gegeven moment niet meer kan ademen. Ik heb ook geen koorts tot nu toe. Het is vooral hoesten, ademhalingsproblemen en pijn op de borst. Hopelijk zijn we er snel terug van af, want zo verplicht thuisblijven zonder dat je veel kan doen is toch niet leuk! Veel beterschap voor jullie ook!
Dame of Mercia,
Thank you. The age thing is indeed difficult. My parents are 70-80 years old, so they cannot visit me. If they get sick, there’s always the risk they don’t survive. So I stay in quarantine.
Tron79,
Oh that must be hard for your daughter right now. I also have a friend with psychoses and I had seen right before I got ill, so she’s been panicking too right now. Hope this will all be over soon and that your daughter gets at least over her Corona anxiety.
Jai,
I did call my local doctor, but at the moment all doctors are busy, they don’t have much time for anyone. That’s the big problem with Corona that everyone is sick around the same period.
Thanks for the suggestion. I’ve told my friends I’m ill. Two of them have a key to my house, so if they don’t hear from me they can enter and check on me.
Ten Bears,
It’s stable right now. But it warms the heart to read that people across the world are concerned about me and try to help. It’s true, there are all kinds of heroes. All the doctors and nurses are heroes. They keep working while there is a chance they get ill too. And also the friends I know that offered to help and the friends I don’t know in person, who also offered to help. Thank you all so very much!
Well maybe George being stuck at home and not having other distractions is one of the few marginally positive outcomes of this horrible situation. For the record, for me this is a nightmare, I am an Italian working in China and I am reliving now through my family everything I went through myself since jan 20. Stay safe everyone☺
Dany(ela) Targaryen,
We’re reading many stories that doctors in Italy are forced to close who livre and who does as the ICU’s are overwhelmed. I hope you and your family are ok. I wish quick recoveries to the users of Wotw and their family members who are ill. We’re all in the same boat.
Thanks efi for the advice. In holland when somebody is sick most of the time people make a big pan of chicken soup for the one that is sick.
Chilli,
I agree about the nurses and doctors are heroes. And don’t forgot people working to make sure we still can get our food and other things we need.
And about your text in dutch, well I will do it also in our secret languages XD
Ja, is hier ook en best veel nog ook. Stijgt per dag aardig wat de hoeveelheid die het hebben. En dit is alleen die getest zijn, dus hoeveel daarbuiten hebben het maar zijn niet getest? En hier ook verplicht thuis blijven, nu a 4 dagen en moet zeggen, vind nu al goed zo, verveel mij nu al. Baal van verplicht thuis zitten, voel niet als vakantie.
I don’t know if it needs to be translated for the rest. If so I will do it. (don’t take it too google translate because then the translation doesn’t make sense)
Dany(ela) Targaryen,
That’s a lot to get through. First China now Italy. I hope things get well soon for you, and I hope your family is safe and well.
Actually, Rome is Italy’s most-visited city, more than Milan & Florence together. If it was related to tourism, Rome would have seen the most cases, followed by Venice and Florence, but they’re far from the top. The cities most affected by coronavirus are Bergamo and Brescia, not exactly touristic cities… not at all. Milan is the only touristic city heavily affected by coronavirus, but I strongly doubt that’s the reason…
Lombardy is basically the heart of Italy’s economy. Lombardia, Veneto and Emilia-Romagna are the most industrialized regions in Italy and they’re also the most affected, especially Lombardy which is the most industrialized and probably the region most connected to China, economically. I presume many people travelled between Wuhan and Lombady for work before Italy stopped the direct flights (but people could avoid the ban with intermediate stopovers…).
So I’m quite sure the coronavirus in Italy is not related to tourism. It has more to do with economic relations and globalization… But this doesn’t exclude it can be related to tourism in other countries, yes. I remember weeks ago, whenever a new country discovered their first cases, most of the times they were italian tourists… Sorry. 😔
death by chickenfire,
It’s no bullshit or satire with Efi’s soup, but it only works somewhat with bacterial infections, not with viral ones. Chickensoup, garlic etc is little anti-bacterial, so it can help in case of fx. cold, but SARS-CoV-2 is a virus.
In the beginning with mild symptoms it isn’t possible, to differ a cold, an influenca from Covid 19 without a test.
With (relativley) unspecific symptoms it’s no mistake to take a soup. In case of doubt at least it will fill Your stomach, feed You with wholesome food and warm Your heart.
:o)
Ser Creighton Longbough,
It doesn’t matter, Mr. Creighton.
Sooner or later… we all live in one world, the same world.
Tiago,
kevin1989,
Thank you for the kind words. I am in Shanghai and here is probably the safest place to be right now. My family lives in north east Italy, in a province that for now is not being hit too bad. Still the situation overall is tragic, I worry for my people, even the small hospital where I was born is receiving people from other regions, because it is true that the icu units are overwhelmed in some cities. Having experienced it first hand before here in China I cannot describe how I was feeling when I saw that many countries weren’t doing much about it, frustration, anger don’t even start to describe it.
On a lighter note, please allow me to give some insights on how to go through the quarantine: do your best to keep a positive attitude, group chats are great, you will improve your cooking skills and your homes will never be cleaner. And GOT marathons and re-reads are always a good idea😂
Tiago,
”We’re all in the same boat.”
Why do I feel like Mr. Magoo is at the helm of mine?
Do you have fever? Here the doctors say to worry only if your temperature is 37,5°C or higher. And yes, the other common symptom is shortness of breath.
I hope your case is like mine. 2 weeks ago I didn’t feel very well, I woke up with headache for 2 or 3 consective days and felt like I had a small fever… I measured my temperature on saturday and it was 36,9°C. So i thought: “Oh shit, did I get it?”
Even tho I must admit that my younger cat decided to sleep on my chest/belly exactly in that moment, so part of my temperature might have come from her, hehe…
Anyways, I avoided to go out that night (we still had no restrictions here), cause I didn’t want to put anybody in danger…
The day after I did my chores at home, as always, but I had the feeling my breath wasn’t as usual… So I started worrying a little more… But that evening I measured my temperature again and it was just 36,5°. I still didn’t feel very well tho, like a very light fever… But maybe it was just an impression or just the effect of my headaches and neck pain. The day after I woke up without headache and I felt good, I didn’t feel any fever… And breath as always.
So my theory is that it was nothing. Just… psychosomatic. Maybe just some headache and neck pain (and too much computer time) and my mind did the rest… It was the beginning of the pandemic and they were about to lock the country, so maybe my brain fooled me… It happens. Even if you have a rational mind.
I hope your temperature is normal and your breath too. If you don’t have fever, consider that maybe your mind is fooling you, as mine did to me… I also didn’t know anybody with that virus and the cases in my city were still a couple or so… I just got worried because I was working in a museum and people came from everywhere, Lombardy included, so my thoughts ran fast… I hope it’s your case too. I wish you the best! ❤️
Chilli,
Sending you my best wishes, Chilli! Whether it is COVID-19, or another virus or illness, I hope you feel better very very soon.
Dany(ela) Targaryen,
I am so sorry! So sorry for everything that is going on in Italy. It’s heartbreaking.
We’re close and lots of people from my country work there, and lots of doctors in your hospitals, so we know first hand the situation and every night there are different reports from them. I wish it’d stop; I wish everyone gets better quickly.
Be strong and take care of yourself.
Ser Creighton Longbough,
Right. On the other hand, the accumulated traffic in northern Italy with the museums of Florence, Milan and Venice is a hot spot for spreading the virus, since none of the churches, museus and other monuments closed when they had to, neither did the fashion shows stop at Milan. There’s a specific story about how the virus spread at Bergamo, which I do not remember now. In my country people were infected after a trip to Milan for business reasons.
Ten Bears,
Try to think positive. Maybe you, citizens of USA, are able to take him out of presidency in November, even if Mr. Magoo has his loyal fanbase. For now, limiting casualties as much as possible is the job to do. After the storm, maybe the country is ready to think about health care and a system that pledges to keep its citizens safe all the time. But I’m no expert in American politics or health care systems.
I don’t want to make this political but one thing which is obvious is that this crisis seems to be exposing charlatan politicians like Trump and Johnson. I saw in the US that Trump is now a big favourite to lose the election later this year, here in the UK meanwhile public opinion is turning on Johnson who seems to change his tone every few days on how best to deal with the virus. Notably the inaction in the UK has put us on a path to potentially be hardest hit of all European nations (our current data model suggests higher cases than Italy). Noticeably both leaders are prioritising the economy over lives and only taking action when given no other choice.
Efi,
I read an article in which an italian doctor claims the escalation of the outbreak in Bergamo was the result of a football match of the local team, Atalanta. They hosted Valencia in the round of 16 of the Champions League, in February 19th. Due to the lack of conditions of the local stadium, the game was played in Milan to 44.236 spectators. The doctor said that, as Atalanta have won 4-1, the celebrations of people sitting apart an inch form each other have favored the replication of the virus. 44.000 is a lot of people for a city with a population of 120.000, that has an airport. It also must be said that 35% of the Valencia staff tested positive.
Lombardia population density and the role of Milan as a financial, business and fashion center made the propagation easier. Here, the virus has started spreading by businessmen of the footware industry that attended a fair in Milan.
Dany(ela) Targaryen,
I hope you have contact a lot with your family through videochat. And watching some tv sounds good. I wanted to read but how I feel today, better watch some TV.
I also hope the goverment here is going to do more, I think we should at least do a lockdown for at least one week (or more) until the hospitals are back to strength. Doctors and nurses work in overtime because without the lockdown we are infecting each other more. Not that it will stop the virus but it will at least put less retrains on the people working in the healthcare sector.
Ser Creighton Longbough,
You can always have a virus/flue even without fever. I only forgot if that was a good or a bad sign. (temperature rises when the body fights back, it’s not because the virus make your body rise temperature)
But even if you have don’t have a fever, try to avoid contact with others to make sure that you carry nothing over.
Together we will get through this.
Tiago,
Let’s hope but they will see that as “socialism” or “communism”. It’s a shame that they have that “me”, “me”, “me” mentality. No working together, everyone only works for themselves. It’s a shame that that is rooted into the mindset there with many. Healthcare shouldn’t be a commercial, where prices rises sky-high. And the most ironic thing is, that system that they have the working people pay for (the one with lower wages) while in a system where the healthcare is done through taxes, that group will benefit the most, while in the US they keep on attacking that system where they would benefit the most from.
I hope Caronavirus is a wake-up call for them, but I doubt it.
Jon Snowed,
Begin of march he states the Caronavirus is nothing to worry about and it will not hit the US. Now he states he knew it was serious since the beginning of the outbreak and he is preparing (which he has not).
But Trump is not a crook, what he is, is a pathological liar. And I’m wondering why people keep on following him.
And for me it has nothing to with left/right. I mean the US has 2 rightwing parties (democrats are even more rightwing than the most rightwing party in my country the VVD). What they have is a conservative rightwing party and a progressive rightwing party. Republican are maybe a little bit more rightwing but in the end economical wise neither is left.
Tiago,
We’re already in our third week of severe measures against this thing. When the government of my country decided to cancel all meetings, congresses, social events all over the country, it was seen as too extreme, given that in Italy the situation was still manageable. A few days later, it was decided that sports games would take place without audience but hardly a day went by when they cancelled all games because players and their support teams tested positive.
I believe that apart from Italy and us, no one else had taken measures in Europe. Spain started after us, about a week-ten days, silence reigned to the North. If we have contained it, we’ll be far too lucky.
Jon Snowed,
As I saw it last night death rate is already at 2,7% in the UK (it will rise in the next days). The stubborn insistence on inactiveness is hardly understandable.
One of the doctors from my country working in the UK said that they decided at first to allow immunization and allow for the people to catch the virus for that purpose. Apparently though, the high death rate made them change their minds.
Which is… eh, if immunization worked, then why do we have vaccines? If natural immunization did the trick, there would be no motive to find vaccines for any disease. People (children and adults) would be left on their own while nature did all the work. The problem is, not all people are capable of coping with sth like that; people die because they are weaker.
In our time, we have forgotten what it means to live in the 21st century; and we don’t really appreciate that we live in the “western” world.
In the past (like 60, 80 or 100 years ago) people died like flies in winter. We have forgotten what that’s like, but it hasn’t ever, ever been the norm to die over 70 (let alone over 80) years old. It hasn’t been the norm that people with heart diseases, diabetes, asthma, and others, lived long and healthy (as much as that is possible per case) lives. Everywhere people with underlying diseases are at risk, no matter their age.
So the question is for all governments: will you take the risk to see who lives and who dies? Will you allow for the weaker to die?
Chilli,
I wish you a speedy recovery. Be mentally positive – the majority of infected individuals recover. With luck you will be one of the many.
We are all in this thing together! Jiayou (Keep strong!)!
Efi,
I was surprised when I read the plan that Boris Johnson and the British had – just do nothing and let people die, whoever lived would carry on. This is what herd immunity seems to be about – survivors of the first outbreak should be immune to the next outbreak (if there is one!). He actually addressed the nation and said many of you will die, get on with it.
What.the.hell?
As you point out, this is – why bother with any vaccine or even medicine for these types of illnesses. Just let it work its way through the population and see who makes it.
As some pointed out this plan was a version of : “Some of you will die but that is a sacrifice that I am prepared to make”.
Hmmm. I wonder why.
kevin1989,
Q: Who said it better: Beric Dondarrion (to Thoros) … or this bird?
https://mobile.twitter.com/kvedegas/status/1226280500475682817/photo/1
Ten Bears,
hahahhahhahhahhahhhaaaaa!

Ten Bears,
Re: 12:22 pm comment.
Sorry. Please click on top image in linked series above for full photo with “the bird.”
Ten Bears,
That is even funniier…………hahhahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaHhhhahhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Mango,
“I was surprised when I read the plan that Boris Johnson and the British had – just do nothing and let people die, whoever lived would carry on.
This is what herd immunity seems to be about – survivors of the first outbreak should be immune to the next outbreak (if there is one!). He actually addressed the nation and said many of you will die, get on with it.
…..
Just let it work its way through the population and see who makes it.
As some pointed out this plan was a version of : “Some of you will die but that is a sacrifice that I am prepared to make”.
————
To me, this plan could also be a version of:
LC Mango: “Men, women, and children will die by the thousands if we do nothing.”
Boris: “Let them die. We’ve got ourselves to worry about. Less sacrifices for the rest of us.
Stannis: “Fewer”
Davos: “What?”
Stannis: “Nothing.”
Mango,
I haven’t even read the books, and I roared when I read that caption to the image: “Are you my mother?” (I was familiar with that Beric-Thoros passage from the books.)
kevin1989,
USA is an enormous country with more than 320 million people, I think. Surely, many americans are open for a discussion about an universal health care system (that could work state by state, for example). I don’t believe all US citizens rely on a “me, me, me” mindset, but striving for success through individual effort is certainly an american trademark, at least as the country is viewed outside. And that doesn’t have to be bad. Lool at the quantity of cultural and entertainment work the US produces for the rest of the world to enjoy. It’s tremendous.
However, America has its flaws in my point of view. The lack of a system able to provide the most essential health care to all its people, as soon as they need to, is one of them.
However, this pandemic is bringing doubts about some things that many of us took for granted. Covid-19 won’t kill as much people as the Spanish flu 100 years ago, but human rights, which includes life and dignity, are much more valued. Ir remains to be seen how humanity will be changed by this event.
Efi,
”….If natural immunization did the trick, there would be no motive to find vaccines for any disease. People (children and adults) would be left on their own while nature did all the work. The problem is, not all people are capable of coping with sth like that; people die because they are weaker.
In our time, we have forgotten what it means to live in the 21st century; and we don’t really appreciate that we live in the “western” world.
In the past (like 60, 80 or 100 years ago) people died like flies in winter.
…….
So the question is for all governments: will you take the risk to see who lives and who dies? Will you allow for the weaker to die?
————-
[My last GoT reference… for now]:
About letting “the weak” perish, and how people used to die like flies in winter, the question for for governments is:
Like the misanthropic version of Sandor Clegane, will you adopt a survival of the fittest attitude to thin the herd, deprive the needy of sustenance, and see who lives and who dies?
Will you simply allow for the weaker to die?
Or will you embrace an egalitarian, Arya-like, compassionate approach?
(S4e3, Sandor, Arya, Rabbit Stew Sally and her father)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AXZi0mdAbM
at 5:41
Arya: “What did you do!
***
He took us in. He fed us!”
Sandor: “Aye. He took us in. He’s a good man. His daughter makes nice stew. And they’ll both be dead come winter.”
Arya: “You don’t know that!”
Sandor: “I do know it. He’s weak. He can’t protect himself. They’ll both be dead come winter. Dead men don’t need silver.”
Arya: “You’re the Worst Sh*t in the Seven Kingdoms!”
Ten Bears,
– “What do dragons eat, anyway?”
– “Whatever they want”.
Stark sisters forever, lol.
Ten Bears,
Seriously, that scene made my stomach turn; but if Paris gets cancelled in the end I might engage myself in a marathon re-watch of GoT.
Desperate times call for desperate measures. I don’t have to watch season 8; I’ll stop at the end of 6 and then I’ll make my own fanfiction.
Tiago,
Amen.
You’re right when you say that many Americans are open to a universal health care system, and that you ”don’t believe all US citizens rely on a “me, me, me” mindset.”
The problem is bulls*it propaganda that has too many people believing a universal health care system would be prohibitively expensive, and “we can’t pay for that.”
And unfortunately, there are some ultra-rich selfish pr*cks and their bought-off politicians who, under the guise of faux patriotism, advance an “anti-socialism” agenda that really translates to (in the words of Pink Floyd):
“I’m alright Jack
Keep your hands off my stack.”
On the subject of whether to recommend GoT to friends, I’ve said in the past (with considerable pushback from the “Mr. B & Mr. W can do no wrong“ faction) that S6 ended on such a high note for so many story lines that it could constitute a logical stopping point.
Ten Bears:
I’m still wrestling with whether to read the (incomplete) ASOIAF books,
I’ll give you much the same advice one my acquaintances, a Dean who is also a former Professor of Medieval Literature, did: the first three books are well worth it, but the fourth and fifth are a slog. I would add the prologue and epilogue of the fourth book are very well-written. Unfortunately, the sub-plot they invoke was not included by D&D, so no part of those two scenes made it onto the screen. (You can read that prologue as a stand-alone short story; it’s one of the best tavern scenes I’ve ever read.)
Another note: the books are very dark when compared to the television series; D&D simply had to “clean up” some of GRRM’s work, which is very faithful to the callous brutality of the Dark Ages. For example, it’s broadly hinted Baelish procures boys for high-value clients. However, other characters fare better: Jon Snow is a scheming, snarky politician; Tyrion is (to quote his creator) “the grayest of the gray” in morality, and Sam Tarly masterfully manipulates the Nights’ Watch into electing Jon their new Lord Commander.
Anyway, if you do take the plunge, I hope you enjoy the books (well, the first three, anyway) as much as have I.
Efi,
”Seriously, that scene [in S4e3] made my stomach turn…”
Mine too. The Hound really deserved Arya’s opprobrium when she yelled at him, calling him “the Worst Sh*t in the Seven Kingdoms.”
However, to the show’s credit, it did portray Sandor’s remorse for his past sins (e.g., in S6e7) and his guilt for what he’d done to the farmer and his daughter (in S7e1).
Tensor the Mage, Who Knows A Tavern-Told Tale or Two,
From: Ten Bears, Whose Words Carry the Same Iron of Life…and Death
I appreciate the advice.
I’d been considering reading what Tron79 and I have referred to as “the Boiled ASNAWP” version of ASOIAF, i.e., only Arya chapters. I did read the TWOW “Mercy” sample chapter that GRRM had posted on his website and really liked it. I thought it was beautifully written. Also, I read two other passages quoted online: Internet surveys asked book readers to cite their favorite scenes. Two common responses were: Arya’s “Needle was Jon Snow’s smile” internal monologue on the Braavos docks [wordlessly and wonderfully acted by Maisie Williams in S5], and Arya’s “Harwin, you have to know me!” scene with the BwoB [which didn’t make it into the TV adaptation]. I admit I’m biased because from the outset of GoT I was impressed by the character of Arya, and the gifted child actress who portrayed her.
So, I take it you feel that even if GRRM never writes another word, the first three books are still worth the investment of time, and the fourth and fifth books are a “take it or leave it” proposition.
You called those last two books a slog. Lots of book readers have used words like “bloated” and “meandering” to describe those two books. Are there any story lines or chapters that stood out as exceptional?
Now that it’s looking like I’m going to be cooped up at home for the next month or longer, perhaps I ought to put Books 1-3 on my “To Read” list….
If you’re okay with the possibility of the books never being finished but feel a compulsion to read them, I’d say go for it! You can draw your own conclusions about differences between the books and the show, the situations, characterizations, etc.
Or if you just want to read Arya chapters, I’d suggest getting the eBooks and in addition to her chapters, doing searches for her names and aliases to read whenever she’s mentioned in other chapters 😉
For the most part, I found the broad strokes between most of the main characters to be about the same — except maybe for Tyrion in book 5. He does go quite dark in book 5. Jon is certainly smarter (but not smart enough to avoid getting shanked), Sam is able to come up with a scheme where Jon is elected Lord Commander (as Tensor said) to prevent the possibility of Janos Slynt getting elected when support is divided between two other candidates (Cotter Pyke and Denys Mallister), and you can get inside these characters’ heads, see their memories, their thoughts, their inner monologues.
But I do find parts of the book drag a bit when GRRM introduces a character and goes on for several pages… and then we never see that character again. And the new POVs in latter books. Admittedly, I didn’t love those because I was already so invested in many different existing characters that I felt like my room for engagement was limited 🙂
But I find the looks into these characters’ heads worth the read. Some great stuff in their thoughts, memories, inner monologues, and inner struggles.
Tron79,
Still thinking on your post! Part of the problem is that I possess no expertise in religion so I’m afraid of saying something wrong and I think some of these concepts require some deep thought from me. I want to be careful! 🙂
Here’s an informative article, in narrative form, about the symptoms and progression of viral infection.
Caution! ⚠️ Some parts are … unsettling.
NY Magazine 3/18/18
“How the Coronavirus Could Take Over Your Body (Before You Ever Feel It)”
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/03/the-story-of-a-coronavirus-infection.html
Adrianacandle,
So…I’m interpreting your comments to be an endorsement of Books 1-3. That settles it. I’m going to order them from Amazon, and decide whether to continue on with Books 4 & 5 after I’m done.
Ten Bears,
*When I said, “Sam is able to come up with a scheme where Jon is elected Lord Commander (as Tensor said) to prevent the possibility of Janos Slynt getting elected when support is divided between two other candidates (Cotter Pyke and Denys Mallister),” I should probably mention that Jon was unaware of this scheme. Still, Sam’s actions here may likely have prevented a Night’s Watch under Janos Slynt and that’s probably a good thing 🙂
Though the situation at the end of book 5 at Castle Black isn’t… great…
I like that idea!
Hopefully, when you reach the point of deciding whether or not to continue with book 4 or 5, we’ll have more news about TWOW but 80% of me is expecting an announcement for a new ASOIAF history book rather than TWOW if there is an announcement at all…
And on that note, time to go house hunting. Coronavirus hasn’t stopped the search for a (preferably concrete) condo just yet…!
Efi,
They try that also here, I hope they stop that way of dealing with it. For the reasons you state and also it puts more restrains on the doctors and nurses. I hope they announce full lockdown except for important things like food.
But still I have high respect for my countries goverment, the minister of healthcare even collapsed because he worked too hard on the crisis. He stopped because of it and somebody else takes over.
Ten Bears,
hahahahahaha thanks for the laugh.
Tiago,
Oh I don’t wanted to sound that every american is like that, if that’s how it was perceived I am sorry for it. But even if you’re country is about i”striving for success through individual effort” it could also be done with universal healthcare, it’s in the end cheaper for the people who work. My country has a “working”-mentality. You work for success, but we don’t forgot about thinks like healthcare in our country. It could be done both. And I hope in the end the US get’s there.
Ten Bears,
This is what I mean. The propaganda. And that it’s too expensive. In the end it’s cheaper and cost less for the citizens. It’s like what do you want to pay: 100 dollars extra in tax or 200 dollars in healthcare cost per month. Universal healthcare can help lower the cost of the system. They do it in the EU where pharma can only ask a max on a certain medicine. And profit should be used for research.
Adrianacandle,
“And on that note, time to go house hunting. Coronavirus hasn’t stopped the search for a (preferably concrete) condo just yet…!
If you must go out….
Please keep your distance from people, wear latex gloves, wash your hands before and after you touch anything, and do NOT go into elevators unless they’re empty. (I would have suggested holding your breath in elevators to avoid breathing in residual mists; that’s probably unrealistic if you’re looking for a unit in a high rise building.)
Absolutely! Thanks for the tips! Got my hand sanitizer with me too 🙂 Thankfully, the units I’m looking at are in low-rise, walk-up building with only four floors.
Ten Bears,
I will be the one that would say, the complains about Feast and Dance are overrated. I would even say that boiled leathers (the combined version of Feast and Dance) is better than the first 2 books. Not better than the third. Those 2 books are a bit of the beginning of the puzzle of the endgame. Things are set into motion for the endgame that are written the beginning of the puzzle. (like for instance you get a scene of Children of the forest in Kings Landing and I think most reader would have missed it).
Also the argument about bloated and expending of storylines is also not valid. In the first 3 books all those new storylines are hinted that they were coming, and once they arrives people felled that martin expended his story too much and that wasn’t his first plan. Well it was, he only didn’t know how to implement these storylines yet.
I would say read the books if you could stand that the saga is maybe unfinished. You will like the first 3 books, and with the fourth of fifth, it depends. You either going to love it, or going to hate it. But the way you felled about later seasons of GoT I think it would upgrade your experience of those books. It’s like you see these storylines of the show that she show messed up, written into a much better way, and the storylines making more sense in the books and not contrived like some storylines in the books, also they are really part of the story instead of: boxes to check off.
ps. Not saying that people who dislike the books were wrong. Just that I personally like them, and I like the mysteries in those 2 books better.
Ten Bears,
The season 6 finale is my favorite episode, and I agree it has many high quality moments, but I can’t say it’s a natural stopping point. So many things still needed to be resolved.
To Anyone Who Has Movie Recommendations
I’m thinking that with much of the world on lockdown for the foreseeable future, many of us are soon going to be looking for movies to watch at home – in addition to or instead of what’s available on cable. (I only have HBO and the selection is…quite limited.)
I’ve been offering recommendations to friends of mine who are accustomed to spending most of their waking hours at their workplaces, and need diversions now that they’ll be home-bound.
I’ve also been asking family and friends to exchange with me lists of our respective:
• Top Ten Favorite Movies of All Time; and
• Top Ten Guilty Pleasure Movies; and
• Top Five Overlooked Gems; and
• Top Five Favorite “Half Movies”*; and
• Unforgettable Performances in Otherwise Forgettable Movies
* By “Half-Movie” I mean a movie in which some of the characters and storylines were really enjoyable, while others were not. For example, in “Crazy Stupid Love” I liked the scenes with Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, and some with Annaleigh Tipton. The rest of the movie … not so much.
A better example is “The Notebook.” I liked the portion with movie
Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling. The other half with James Garner and Gena Rowlands … not so much.
🎥 Anybody want to play along???? 🎥
Young Dragon,
You’re right. I’m not suggesting there weren’t things left to be resolved as of the end of S6. I was referring to a hypothetical question whether I’d recommend GoT to someone who’d never seen it. My answer was a qualified yes: I have no doubt that person would enjoy the first six seasons in general, and the high points of S6e10 in particular, eg, Jon Snow’s coronation, Dany setting sail with her fleet & wavetop-skimming dragons, Cersei blowing up her antagonists and ascending the Iron Throne, and of course, our little murder teen back from vacation, paying old Walder a visit…
I’d want to alert a potential viewer that there was divisiveness among the fandom when it came to the last two seasons. (I’d also probably give a heads up that some aspects of S5 were controversial.)
Don’t worry. We’re just sharing opinions on relevant issues at the moment. And I agree with your views on health care: the social benefit of paying taxes for is higher than the cost of the sum of money you can’t spend. The fun thing about this is that I’m not american nor I’ve ever been in US. I’m an european like you, from northern Portugal.
Ten Bears,
I want to play!
I’m more into series than movies because I can spend more time with a multi-part series or TV show than a movie (I have some recommendations there!) but off the top of my head (well, I spent the past several hours thinking about this), the following are all stand-alone movies I earnestly love. I don’t know if they’re guilty pleasures, overlooked gems, or whatnot… and it is an eclectic mix! But I love them all! 🙂
I tried but I wasn’t able to figure out any kind of categories for them. It totally depends on how I feel from minute to minute.
Heathers
Edward Scissorhands
A League of Their Own
Donnie Darko
Clueless
Mean Girls
My Fair Lady
To Kill A Mockingbird
Anne of Green Gables (*1985* version, not the 2017 series! Oh man… there is a scene in this movie I only have to think about and I cry. I deeply, deeply love this movie and have all of my life! I think this might count as an Overlooked Gem for me)
The Secret Garden
A Little Princess
The Little Prince
Prince of Egypt (animation. This might be an odd choice but amazing soundtrack, great animation, great story, great voice acting)
And there are probably more! But these were the ones I managed to come up with over the past several hours!
Now, as for the best BAD movie ever…
The Room.
Always The Room.
Adrianacandle,
I forgot Pan’s Labyrinth and Labyrinth!!
I think Labyrinth might be a guilty pleasure because my blood starts to heat up… three guesses why 😉
Adrianacandle,
– Clueless ✅ Always worth a rewatch
– Anne of Green Gables (1985):
Now on my To Watch List (and I’m sure I’ll cry
when I get to whatever scene you’re referring to)
– A Little Princess (we’ve talked about this?):
Davos: “Sarah!” 😥
– Wait… What’s a “best BAD movie”? (The Room?)
Ten Bears,
If you have trouble finding it, let me know! I can hook you up! 😉
It’s shot on location in Prince Edward Island and Ontario, Megan Follows is the definitive Anne, lovely soundtrack — it’s a great adaptation 🙂
I must have watched that scene to death! When I was a kid, my dad got so sick of this movie because it was practically on repeat. Ditto The Little Mermaid.
So bad that it’s good! It’s… surreal.
But even more than that, the making of this film is an even better story (one of the actors in The Room, Greg Sestaro, wrote a book on the making of The Room and The Room’s writer/creator, Tommy Wiseau. It’s downright strange and fascinating. So many questions. This book was turned into a movie itself entitled The Disaster Artist).
Several celebrities have enjoyed this movie too in the so-bad-it’s-good way. I was introduced to the movie via word of mouth from a friend telling me to watch Nostalgia Critic’s review of this movie and I highly recommend it. It’s a great way to get familiar with The Room without having to watch the whole movie. I don’t think you’ll believe how this movie is real and what’s more — it’s earnest. It’s not satire. It’s… yeah. It’s strange and hilarious.
The Room is now shown around the world as midnight audience participate viewings ala Rocky Horror Picture Show.
It’s a fun rabbit hole to go down! 🙂
EDIT: Started rewatching Nostalgia Critic’s The Room review and I can’t believe I forgot — Back to the Future! I LOVE those movies! I’d like to add those to my list…? 😀
Adrianacandle,
I listened to (some) of ‘Anne of Green Gables’ as a radio adaptation on BBC Radio4 Extra and I thought the part where the kids confused the raspberry wine for a raspberry soft drink was hilarious. I’m not familiar with any of the AoGG sequels. I’ve been looking on YouTube to see if I could find uploads of series/serials from when I was even younger than I am now but it seems that some of the old BBC ones weren’t saved. There was a very small audio clip of ‘Man of Straw’ with Derek Jacobi in an early(ish) TV role but as someone on IMDB observed the opportunity to see a star in the making had disappeared. It was an English adaptation of ‘Der Untertan’ by Heinrich Mann with DJ as the unpleasant main character. I wanted to see if I thought it (and other series I liked when they were first aired) had stood the test of time. I don’t know why the BBC didn’t archive some of their series in days gone by – I’ve heard an argument that the British actors’ union Equity didn’t want too many repeats of series in case it cut down on opportunities for its members. But then the 1960s BBC version of ‘The Forsyte Saga’ can be found online – bits of it anyway. Things have changed now – The BBC factor out their drama now (since Maggie Thatcher’s days as PM) and there are no end of BBC repeats.
Ten Bears,
The books are an intricate embroidery. If you read carefully, by the end of ADWD all the pieces are set in position for a full fledged confrontation to start everywhere, north, south, east immediately with the first chapter of the next book. WoW will be very dark and chaotic and shocking and I can’t wait for it to come out.
A small example: Jamie ordered the prisoners of the Freys to be taken to KL. It’s a very small detail, but among them is an Umber who witnessed Robb’s will. Chances are that they’ll head north though because LSH has plans for the Freys.
The structure of ASoIaF is such that you can very easily read Arya’s chapters first. When you finish them, you might choose another character you like, e.g. Jon, or Jamie or Daenerys. You may fill the blanks via the show, at least to a point.
If you like reading, Martin’s language is a good one, easy, descriptive, and meaningful. Every word counts for something, it was chosen to tell you something. His descriptions are wonderful and vivid and the dialogs are carefully structured for giving something that is of significance for the overall story; they might look as if it’s small talk at first, but they’re not.
Arya’s chapters are… simply wow! Some of the best.
Ten Bears,
Gosh, my favorites are already very old. See, random order:
As good as it gets. (Good old Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt)
Enemy at the Gates (Jude Law, Ed Harris)
Shakespeare in love (Joseph Fiennes, Gwynneth Paltrow)
Elizabeth (unbelievable Cate Blanchet)
The English patient (Ralph Fiennes, Juliette Binoche)
Lanthimos movies: Lobster (one of my very favorites in the past few years, a dark allegory on human relations, Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz); also The Favorite; and The killing of the sacred deer. While you might always like to see Colin Farrell and Nicole Kidman, this last one is… I don’t know, I didn’t get the point (but Lanthimos has the capacity to draw you in even if you resist).
Also, The Hours I believe is one of the best movies of Nicole Kidman.
Pan’s Labyrinth is an unbelievable movie; it should have gotten the Oscar instead of The Shape of Water.
I also like Pedro Almodovar very much. Try Los ambrazos rotos (with Penelope Cruz) and Talk to her. Still older but very enjoyable is Tacones lejanos, with some great music to go with it.
Also, I like Christopher Nolan a lot. I’d suggest his Batman trilogy, but I don’t like the first movie too much; The Dark Knight and Batman rises are far better.
Lastly, I don’t like thrillers, like, not at all, because they’re predictable and I tend to laugh nervously whenever I should be scared.
But, The Sixth Sense is perhaps the best imho. I didn’t see it coming, no I didn’t!
“I see dead people”
“Ok. You might want to talk to Jon Snow.”
LOL.
Efi,
Ten Bears,
Top 10 Movies of All Time
Ranking as of my mood today (can change the order daily)
1) Alice in Wonderland (2010, Tim Burton director)
Stars Mia Wasikowska with a great performance. This has many parallels to Arya’s quest of self discovery). Amazing score by Danny Elfman. Amazing “look”. Memorable performance by Johnny Depp as The Hatter. And much more. Love it, love it, love it…
(I watched the sequel “Through the Looking Glass” yesterday. It has it’s moments, but a totally different feel and wouldn’t get into my top 50)
2) Grosse Pointe Blank
I may have to watch this today!! John Cusack is wonderful as the hitman in love attending his high school reunion. Great performances by Dan Aykroyd, Minnie Driver, Alan Arkin, Jeremy Piven, and John Cusack’s sister Joan Cusack. Also a great soundtrack!
3) Star Trek IV The Voyage Home
The band’s back together in the funniest and the best Star Trek move of the original cast. Follow Kirk and crew going back in time to bring back Hump Back whales to save humanity.
4) Kick Ass (not the sequel, but I still watch the sequel sometimes)
I’m not sure why I like this movie so much. Probably it has to do with the scenes with Nicolas Cage and his on screen daughter Chloë Grace Moretz as Big Daddy and Hit Girl.
5) Me and Earl and the Dying Girl.
best in this genre and very original. .
6) My Name is Emily
I think I’ve written about this one before in another post. This can be my number one in some weeks depending on my mood. (starring Evanna Lynch of Harry Potter fame)
7) Doc Hollywood
Probably my favorite feel good movie with Michael J. Fox, Julie Warner, and others…
8) Little Miss Sunshine
9) Hereafter
Matt Damon movie that gripped me. I’ve watched it probably 5 times.
10) Gold
This is one of Maisie William’s early movies. I really liked this one with Maisie getting reacquainted with her bio dad. Her step dad is a hoot. Maisie has an excellent performance. I’ve watched this 3 times I think. Also look for Maisie in another early movie “Heat stroke” in more of a stressful going to die any minute movie… But Gold is fun and heartfelt.
Those are the first 10 that came to mind today! It can change daily.
Dame of Mercia,
I love that part! It’s one of my top scenes! I think two other of my top scenes include:
When Anne wants to introduce herself as Cordelia:
When she smashes her slate over Gilbert’s head for teasing her about her red hair (which, for all those unfamiliar with Anne of Green Gables, Anne is initially very touchy about, calling it her “life long sorrow”)… and then, for three years, she reigns as the Queen of Grudges when she refuses to forgive Gilbert about it for three years XD
I think I’ve got the BBC radio reading of Anne but I’m not certain. If I find it, I can put it on Dropbox for you! 🙂
Efi,
Tron79,
Dammit! I should have included notes with my list like you both did! I’m so lazy…
(Tron: I also enjoy Alice in Wonderland and Danny Elfman’s scores. He did an incredible score for Edward Scissorhands. I think Ice Dance is my favourite, especially when it’s combined with the finale track *__*)
(Efi: I’m glad to see another rec for Pan’s Labyrinth! It also has an amazing soundtrack. I too enjoyed Enemy at the Gate and Sixth Sense! When I saw it in theatres, I remember my stepfather jumping out of his seat at one point XD)
Adrianacandle,
It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Edward Scissorhands. I’ll watch again soon. I love Danny Elfman’s work.
Ten Bears,
Ooh, me! 😄
1. Pan’s Labyrinth (yup, my #1…surprised and very glad to see other people loving on it! 🙂)
2. WALL-E
3. Arsenic and Old Lace
4. The Princess Bride
5. Call Me By Your Name ❤
6. Tropic Thunder 🤪
7. The Others
8. Lock, Stock, and 2 Smoking Barrells
9. Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang
10. To Kill A Mockingbird
There are just so many though. Any well done horror movie…one of my goals in life is to find a movie that genuinely scares the bejesus outta me. Hee. And I’ll watch anything with Viggo Mortensen, Daniel Craig, or Rachel Weisz.
Adrianacandle,
Pan’s Labyrinth was such an amazing film! I was prepared for a fairy tale or sth, and yet it was totally unexpected and somehow Del Torro made me feel like I was out of breath throughout the film. I should watch it again, come to think about it, and compare it to The Shape of Water.
But of the others, I’d say that As good as it gets was the best. A light comedy where humanity is manifested where you don’t expect it. No matter how many times I watch it, I still laugh the same and the ending leaves me satisfied and hopeful each time. Perhaps the world isn’t such a cruel place after all.
But I swear next time I’ll hear a man repeating “you make wanna be a better man” I’ll do what Anne did to Gilbert in the quote above.
Seriously? Get your own lines, guys. Be original.
[thank god the “Jack I’m flying” line doesn’t come as often]
Pigeon,
Yeeeees! Daniel Craig in Casino Royale is veeeeery good. Rachel Weisz was one of my favorites ever since I saw her for the first time ages ago (I think in the Mummy), I don’t know why. She has a magnetizing quality when she appears on screen without being flashy at all; she’s so normal and yet so perfect.
So, add to the list: The Constant Gardener, with Ralf Fiennes and Rachel Weisz.
[I also adore Daniel Craig, especially since I learned they were married, hehehe]
Pigeon,
Oooh. I’m going to have to check out Pan’s Labyrinth.
I’m not in the mood to read yet today, and the synopsis looks really interesting…
Here are my favorite GOT actor movies that pop into my head first…
I admit I haven’t seen all of their movies, so these are based on what I’ve actually watched!
Kit: Testament of Youth (he looks so young without the beard. This is a great role for him)
Maisie: Gold (as I mentioned before), iBoy , The Falling (bizarre but good performance)
Emilia: Me Before You (I liked it…I haven’t seen all of her other movies)
Peter Dinklage: The Station Agent (loved it loved it loved it!!)
NCW: The Shot Caller (I really liked him in this movie)
Aidan Gillen: Bohemian Rhapsody (a slimy character again!)
Pedro Pascal: Prospect (Sophie Thatcher (not Sophie Turner!) as Cee was excellent as another young tough girl character who starred with Pedro. This has some vague similarities to the Hound and Arya journey but on another planet. Sophie Thatcher would have been great in GOT as some character that GRRM could have dreamed up for her.
Bingeable TV Shows I liked with GOT folks:
Deep State: Joe Dempsey (he is still not a big talker! but I got into this one)
Bodyguard: Richard Madden “Yes Mum”
That’s all for now. I know there are a ton of movies and TV from GOT actors. I haven’t nearly watched them all. I enjoyed all of these.
Efi,
Daniel Craig + Rooney Mara in (vastly underrated) The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Their scenes together were 🔥
Pigeon,
Viggo M: “A History of Violence.” His best film, in my opinion.
Ten Bears,
I know, but I’ve seen (over and over) the original trilogy in Swedish. The English-speaking one is a good adaptation and closer to my models (visually) since I’m bombed with american films since birth like the rest of the planet, but the Swedish is European and therefore more down to earth. I recommend the second and third one strongly but I have to caution you for the amount of violence, which is over the top.
I have not seen a lot of Viggo – but he was excellent in this one.
In solidarity with Italy, let me add two oldies – Cinema Paradiso and The Leopard to this list of movies.
I first saw Daniel Craig in Layer Cake, and was like “Whoooooo is thaaaaaaat????” Lol. He’s also the only Bond that I care for (didn’t really get into the previous ones, although I like Sean Connery and Timothy Dalton. I like Pierce Brosnan as an actor but his Bond movies were some of the worst.)
The Constant Gardener is such a good movie. I really like Ralph Fiennes. Rachel has such a quiet, sad beauty. Loved the Mummy movies (well, 1 and 2). I almost included them in my picks.
It’s a gorgeous movie (as most of Guillermo’s are – even the not particularly successful Crimson Peak was a masterpiece in visuals), and at the same time leaving you feeling completely punched in the gut (as most of Guillermo’s do, lol. Hello Devil’s Backbone and The Orphanage.) The young actress who plays Ofelia was incredible.
More people need to see this movie, he is just so good!!!
I’d put it at #1 as well, although Eastern Promises was also a very strong candidate.
I will always have a particularly soft place in my heart for Viggo, as he is a true gentleman and took a moment during an insanely busy time in his life (when the first LOTR was about to blew up) to communicate with a Canadian girl who at the time was simply an admirer of his artwork and didn’t have a clue that he was Aragorn. 🤦♀️😆❤📃
• “Pan’s Labyrinth.” Yes. So beautifully made – and so powerful how the girl passes the test at the end. Guillermo del Torro’s fantasy creatures are amazing. I’ve often wondered what he would’ve done with GoT’s CotF. WWs, dragons, ice spiders… not to mention grumpkins (?) and snarks.
I also liked del Torro’s “Hellboy” and “Pacific Rim” – though both may fall in the Guilty Pleasure category.
• I’ve never seen “Labyrinth,” which you say may be a Guilty Pleasure.
However, I take it that your blood temperature rises watching that movie because…David Bowie.
Which provides a segue to one of my Guilty Pleasure movies: “Bandslam” (2009).
Per Wikipedia: “In a brief cameo, this was David Bowie’s final film appearance before his death in 2016.”
***
Plot: “Will Burton is a music enthusiast and a David Bowie fan. Throughout the movie, Will writes journal-like e-mails to Bowie every day, although Bowie never answers.
***
Bowie has a vital role as Will Burton’s idol, to whom Burton frequently writes e-mails. He makes a short cameo in the end of the film.”
“Bandslam” is a battle-of-the-bands, Pitch Perfect kind of movie. Admittedly, my “blood starts to heat up” because: Vanessa Hudgens. She’s really good in this.
So is another actress, Aly Michalka (spelling?), who’s singing in the clip below:
Ten Bears,
Here’s sort of a spoiler-free intro to “Bandslam” featuring Vanessa Hudgens.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMnWBohZ9VY
———
Pigeon,
Side note: Ever since my three brothers and I watched “A History of Violence” we’ve incorporated into our lexicon William Hurt’s incredulous line, “How do you f*ck that up? HOW do you f*ck THAT up!” any time one of us screws up a ridiculously simple task.
(Fun fact: William Hurt got a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for this one scene in the movie.)
—————
From “A History of Violence” (2005):
William Hurt as mob boss who shoots his own henchman for botching a hit:
“How do you fuck that up? HOW do you fuck THAT up!” (Shoots)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgjaeHGi9IA
——-
Longer version: Spoiler Warning ⚠️
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WA11gnz9eBA
—
Awww. Nice story about your encounter with Viggo Mortensen!
It’s hard to think quickly on my top ten. I’m not the most knowledgeable person there is about cinema. I didn’t watch many of the films stated above . Still, there are movies that I liked very much or that kept me thinking about them after I’ve watched them.
– LOTR trilogy (with The Fellowship of the Ring above the other two): I saw it when I was about 15 years old and I loved the adaptation of this simple, but epic tale. It made me play LOTR-related videogames and read part of Tolkien’s work. It will always have a special place in my heart.
– Good will hunting: I liked the dynamic of Robin Williams and Matt Damon together.
– Alien and Blade Runner: visually, these Ridley Scott’s films are mesmerizing. And the suspense is very well done in this blurred duality between mankind and the beings which they fight. Even if the plot runs kind of slow in both films, they made me think about what it means to be human.
– I agree with Efi on the Batman Trilogy.
– At last, I leave here a film that puzzled me more than made me feel good: Mulholland Drive. I would be dishonest if I said this is my favourite movie, because it’s hard to understand it all on the first time you watch it. And yet it is an intense watching experience. Dream or reality or both, it is a grotesque and eerie piece, with surrealistic tones, but the tragedy of it is still palpable in the very end. Naomi Watts and Laura Herring are great leads.
Indira Varma (Ellaria Sand) is also fighting against Covid-19, she confirmed on her last Instagram post.
Wish Kristofer and her a fast recovery.
nicnavfer,
May she recovers fast!
Tron79,
Re: “GoT Actor Movies”:
I’ve raved* about this movie before: “Hear My Song” (1991), with Tara Fitzgerald (GoT’s Baratheon) in her first film. The movie is hard to find. There are only one or two clips on YouTube. (I’d provide a link to the trailer, except that unfortunately it kind of gives away the whole movie. 🤬)
You also mentioned “Gold” (2014) starring Maisie Williams. I have not seen it, though I understand that the actor James Nesbitt played the role of “Frank.” James Nesbitt also co-starred in “Hear My Song” in what I believe was his first film role.
* “Hear My Song” is in my Top Ten Favorite Movies of All Time.
Tron79,
🗡👸🏻
Maisie Williams News
http://www.playbill.com/article/hampstead-theatre-offers-free-recording-of-i-and-you-starring-game-of-thrones-maisie-williams
March 20, 2020
“Hampstead Theatre Offers Free Recording of I and You, Starring Game of Thrones’ Maisie Williams”
Lauren Gunderson’s play will soon be available to watch on Instagram.
A full recording of Lauren Gunderson’s I and You at London’s Hampstead Theatre, starring Game of Thrones Emmy nominee Maisie Williams and Zach Wyatt, will be available to watch for free beginning March 23 at 6 AM ET. The stream will be available until March 29 at 6 PM ET on Hampstead’s (@hampstead_theatre) and Gunderson’s (@lalatellsastory) Instagrams.
The Hampstead production was specifically performed, filmed, and edited for Instagram’s mobile video platform IGTV during its run at the theatre October 18–November 24, 2018, and was previously broadcast for free later that year.
“We at Hampstead Theatre are watching these unprecedented events unfold and wondering what we can do to help,” said Hampstead Artistic Director Roxana Silbert. “We are an industry that seeks to bring people together and tell stories that resonate. I hope this particularly tender and funny story offers some much-needed entertainment and connection right now.”
The Edward Hall-directed production features sets and costumes by Michael Pavelka, lighting by Matt Haskins, sound by Paul Groothuis, music by Simon Slater, and casting by Anna Cooper.
——
Note: I thought this performance was already available on YouTube.
You have to see GOLD!!! Maisie is great and it’s a funny and touching movie. Her step dad is hysterical as her running coach trying to make it big selling his motivational system, and her lovable but loser bio dad drives around in an old car with a couch on the top… Maisie is wonderful. It’s definitely worth finding it.
I’ll look for Hear My Song! I watched Pan’s Labyrinth today. Thanks everyone for the tip!!! I also finally watched the finale of GOT today on my season 8 DVD. I had watched the other episodes but not the finale. I won’t get everyone started again on whinging!! I will just say that Tyrion….. NO I WON’T SAY ANYTHING and get people started again…
Edit: Yes I’ve watched the finale several times, but just not on the DVD….until today.
Tron79
Do!! I think it still plays really well! I think Elfman scores most of Burton’s movies, hey? He always does such a fantastic job.
Efi,
Me too! The end guts me and gives me hope at the same time XD!
And that soundtrack. So haunting.
I’ll put As Good As It Gets on my own list! I don’t think I’ve seen it.
Growing up, I did always enjoy a good Sandra Bullock and/or Hugh Grant romcom ;D (Two Weeks Notice, Miss Congeniality) and I have a huge guilty pleasure for the Pitch Perfect movies.
Ooooh! Sister Act!! That’s another guilty pleasure!!
*slate drop!!*
Pigeon,
Princess Bride! Wall-E!! How could I forget those? 😭
Oh, and The Last Unicorn! How could I forget that??
Ten Bears,
Oh god, yes. I mean, the Palm Eyeball monster [shudder]. God knows what his ice spiders would look like. 😨
Will add those!
Yes.
I do recommend Labyrinth. It’s a very creative movie — and it has muppets, great music, interesting design, costumes ,and makeup (there is a scene in the movie that Nostalgia Critic insightfully describes as ‘girl porn’ — it features a princessed-up Jennifer Connelly dressed in this white ballgown with huge puffed sleeves and sparkly hair ornaments dancing with David Bowie 🤩🤩🤩🤩), I find it a lot of fun! It is a kids’ movie but it’s a little bit on the maybe-darker side of kids’ movies (although I don’t think it can get any darker than Return to Oz, which still haunts me to this day. Dad went for the really creepy kids movies and I almost think that 80s kids’ movies had a mandate to scar kids. The Witches. The Secret of Nihm. Dark Crystal. Labyrinth. Watership Down. Neverending Story. Return to Oz. Return to Oz. Return to Oz… Even The Last Unicorn. Just…)
Thanks for the clip! And Bandslam added! I loved the Pitch Perfect movies… ;;
I’ve lost two comments to the ether – on an online board before Boris Johnson became Prime Minister in the UK someone American observed he (Bo-Jo) looked a bit like the Donald (there was some reference to POTUS upthread).
Somebody had mentioned the ‘first two’ Mummy films earlier on this thread. Would that be the 1999 reboot? There have been so many mummy films over the years https://moviesorder.com/the-mummy/ – the 1959 version with Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing and Yvonne Furneaux was entertaining albeit it may seem a bit cheesy to younger viewers raised on modern CGI.
Ten Bears,
I had thought Vanessa Hudgens might have suited as Princess Arianne in GoT but she was one of the characters cut in adaptation.
Regarding what I mentioned upthread about BBC deleting some of their series in former days I am still able to find versions of the 1967 “Forsyte Saga” on YouTube. There are even some (excerpts only unfortunately) clips of “An Age of Kings” which was basically the same idea as “The Hollow Crown” only dating from 1961. I think I fancied Robert Hardy (Prince Hal) in a celebrity crush way when I was 11/12. There are also supposed to be Patrick Stewart and Sean Connery in supporting parts though I’ve never been able to notice them.
I’m sorry that Indira Varma is ill – well the theatres in the UK are being closed temporarily in the Covid-19 crisis anyway
Adrianacandle,
”Growing up, I did always enjoy a good Sandra Bullock and/or Hugh Grant romcom ;D (Two Weeks Notice, Miss Congeniality) and I have a huge guilty pleasure for the Pitch Perfect movies.””
Hugh Grant romcom? I assume you’ve seen “About a Boy,” which has:
• GoT connection with Natalia Tena (Osha)
• Rachel Weisz
• Young Nicholas Hoult (the “Boy”)
Adrianacandle,
First of all, I don’t really believe you haven’t seen As good as it gets, but it’s already an old film (1997) and perhaps that’s the reason.
It’s a film of many oscars, perhaps because it’s not just a romantic comedy, there’s a human story in there (Helen Hunt is a woman with serious problems and no time for romance and games until Jack Nicholson decides he can’t afford her not serving him in his favorite diner; he will go out of his way for pleasing himself and in this process he becomes “better” by helping her). You should definitely put it in your list. (you’re gonna love the dog).
I love Hugh Grant. He was at his peak when I was in my twenties. My top films with him:
– Notting Hill (gosh, what a movie!)
– Love actually (also veeeeery nice)
– Mickey blue eyes (it’s really funny)
And of course there’s the Bridget Jones’ Diaries; having all my adult favorites together in these movies is awesome. And Two weeks notice, and About a boy.
Hugh Grant also had a surprising role in Cloud Atlas (which I am the only one I know who actually liked that movie); not a romance but ending on a high optimistic note.
And if you want to see him in something totally different but still deeply romantic I’d suggest Florence Foster Jenkins with Meryl Streep.
But. Top. of. the. top. romantic comedies, still unsurpassed:
– Sleepless in Seattle
– You’ve got mail.
Did I mention I adore Tom Hanks?
Dame of Mercia,
”I’ve lost two comments to the ether.”
Did you burn something and offer a prayer to the Lord of Light before pressing “Post Comment”?
(Just kidding…)
Are you familiar with an actresses, Shirley Anne Field? Apparently she was big in the U.K., though relatively unknown here in the U.S.
I ask because she co-starred in “Hear My Song.” She was delightful. She plays “Kathleen,” the mother of Tara Fitzgerald’s character, “Nancy.”
[Each has a scene in which another character serenades her by name: Frank Sinatra’s song “Nancy with the Laughing Face,” and then a Josef Locke song, “I’ll Take You Home Again, Kathleen.”]
More on that movie in a few minutes…
Ten Bears,
Really???? Time to go on a YouTube hunt!
By the time I saw About A Boy, I had seen Toni Collette in United States of Tara, which also features Brie Larson, who was in yet another favourite of mine, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, which stars Michael Cera, who was amazing in Juno, another movie I love.
I should have thought my list through better…
Efi,
Admittedly, at that time, I was a tween and wasn’t really drawn to As Good As It Gets’s synopsis :/ Let’s see… in 1997, I was pretty entrenched in the worlds of Sailor Moon, Harry Potter, Buffy, Spice World… I confess that based on the synopsis and genre (which I know don’t tend to do many movies justice), I didn’t seek the movie out later, unfortunately.
Usually, romance movies that I’ve seen and liked from that time were because I happened upon them while my parents or aunts/uncles were watching them. And if I liked them, I’d rewatch them a few times 🙂 My dad is the one who is more into romance (he’s a Love Actually fan, so I’ve seen that thanks to him!) while my mum likes them but her favourites are A League of Their Own (which stars Tom Hanks!), Fried Green Tomatoes, and Joy Luck Club — all movies I really love too.
A romance movie that I sought out on my own was For Keeps because when I was in college, I discovered John Hughes movies, really liked them, so I looked up a few Molly Ringwald films 🙂
However, I’m not the biggest Renee Zellweger fan so I haven’t seen the Bridget Jones’ Diary movies but I thought she was good in White Oleander (I love that movie too) and Chicago 🙂
The Jack Nicholson movie I did seek out was One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, which I loved! And I was able to relate to ;D But yes, I’m going to give As Good As It Gets a try! I looked up a few clips on YouTube and saw that it has Julie Benz, who was Dexter’s girlfriend and played Darla in Buffy and Angel!
I did love About A Boy! That’s a movie I discovered while going through my dad’s DVD library later to collect a few movies to watch while I did projects for school.
I vaguely remember Notting Hill — but not well so I’ll give that one a rewatch when I’m hunting for something to watch while I do a project!
I haven’t seen Sleepless in Seattle but now I have ‘When I Fall In Love’ stuck in my head 😉 That is a song that evokes strong nostalgia. However, it’s a nice change because for about a week and a half, I had ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’ as the earworm in my head X_X Great song but… earworms…
I haven’t seen Mickey Blue Eyes, or Cloud Atlas, but I’ve seen You’ve Got Mail and I remember liking it! I also really love Tom Hanks.
Thanks for the suggestions! Your mention of Meryl Streep made me think of Kramer vs. Kramer and Devil Wears Prada — two great great movies!!
Efi,
”…I love Hugh Grant. He was at his peak when I was in my twenties. My top films with him:
– Notting Hill (gosh, what a movie!)
– Love actually (also veeeeery nice)
– Mickey blue eyes (it’s really funny)
And of course there’s the Bridget Jones’ Diaries; having all my adult favorites together in these movies is awesome. And Two weeks notice, and About a Boy.
Hugh Grant also had a surprising role in Cloud Atlas (which I am the only one I know who actually liked that movie); not a romance but ending on a high optimistic note.”
——-
• You’re not the only one who liked “Cloud Atlas.” It was daring, and there were so many interconnected plots and players throughout the many shifting timelines that I could understand why some viewers felt it was disjointed. I got confused at first. And it took getting used to the actors playing different roles, different ethnicities and even different genders in the various timelines. I got a case of sensory overload the first time around.
However, on a second and third viewing I really liked it. Hugh Grant was great in his multiple roles – especially as the savage warrior leader.
Tom Hanks was really good in all of his multiple roles – especially those in the early timelines in which he went against type and played not-so-noble characters.
Also, while you’re right that “Cloud Atlas” wasn’t a romance, I thought it was a nice touch that in two of the timelines in which Tom Hanks did play “good” characters, he had a romance with Halle Berry’s character: After their first budding romance was abruptly terminated (he was a whistleblower assassinated by bad guys), they “reunited” again in a future timeline that did end on “an optimistic note.” [Grandpa Tom ❤️ Grandma Halle].
And let’s not forget GoT’s Maester Ebrose himself, Jim Broadbent.
• I enjoyed “Notting Hill” and it’s always good on rewatch.
Plus it’s got Tim McInnerney (spelling?), GoT’s Lord Glover. (The show’s character I most love to hate.)
• Have you seen the 1995 Hugh Grant movie, “The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain”? Tara Fitzgerald (Selyse) co-starred in that too.
Efi,
I’ve replied! But my response has been withheld for moderation 🙁
If you want to check back for it later, it should appear under my March 22, 2020 8:31 am reply to Ten Bears!
I add yet more movies to my list of faves…
Adrianacandle,
Yes! “Juno”!!! 💖
If that’s not in my Top Ten of All Time, it’s one of the runners-up. Ellen Page was fabulous. So were J.K. Simmons as her loving dad, and Allison Janney as her stepmom. Great script by Diablo Cody too. (I think she won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.)
Have you ever seen Ellen Page in the thriller/psychological drama “Hard Candy” (2005)? She was…extraordinary. I’d say she was br*ll***t, if that word wasn’t prohibited here. 😎
Just the way she delivered the line: “Play time…is over.” was…chilling.
There were shades of Arya
in her performance.
Here’s a summary of “Hard Candy” I cut and pasted from the internet, spoiler-coded for anyone who hasn’t seen it.
Description:
This description doesn’t really do justice to the film, which I watched after Roger Ebert gave the movie – and Ellen Page‘s performance in particular – a glowing review.
100% to everything! And yes, Hard Candy is excellent. That deserves a rewatch. I’d second a recommendation for this!
(In addition to loving Juno for the movie itself, I also love the soundtrack of that movie too — I just love soundtracks…)
I need to save this thread for whenever I’m in the, “There’s nothing good on Netflex…” mood 😉
Adrianacandle,
For anyone who’s interested, here’s an excerpt of Roger Ebert’s print review of “Hard Candy.” (I could not find a video clip from Siskel & Ebert that convinced me to watch this movie.)
Ebert:
Now commences an extraordinary acting performance by both actors, especially Ellen Page. Although she plays 14, I understand she was 17 when she made it; to involve a 14-year-old in this material would be wrong. As an actress, Page makes Hayley into a calm, methodical, intelligent girl who announces she is going to castrate Jeff. She has medical textbooks, instructions from the Web, scalpels, antiseptic, and he should look on the bright side: He’ll only have to go through this once.
Before she carries out her threat, however, she plays mind games with him. She has followed him into other chat rooms, she says. She suspects he may have been implicated in the death of a young person. She explores his home and finds his stash of porno. He begs for mercy. She lets him beg.
How it all turns out you will have to discover for yourself.”
Adrianacandle,
”In addition to loving Juno for the movie itself, I also love the soundtrack of that movie too — I just love soundtracks…)”
Soundtracks? Then please stand by for my follow up comments about “Hear My Song.”
Adrianacandle,
Here’s Natalia Tena in “About a Boy”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOCd1HQ8vr0
——
Efi,
”But. Top. of. the. top. romantic comedies, still unsurpassed:
– Sleepless in Seattle
– You’ve got mail.”
——-
What about Meg Ryan in “When Harry Met Sally”?
Still unsurpassed….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNEX0fbGePg
————
Tron79,
Adrianacandle,
I found a link (below) to the entire, full length video of “Hear My Song.” (1 hour, 40 minutes)
Caveat⚠️: I’d suggest watching it soon if you’re interested. This link should be considered time-sensitive: A few months ago a link to the full movie was posted, and was taken down soon thereafter.
In addition, the linked video below appears to be the UK version of the movie. It contains a roughly three minute, black & white prologue (of the main character, “Mickey,” as a boy) that was excised from the U.S. version. That deletion is understandable: I’m not sure the prologue added much to the movie.
Note: “Hear My Song” won “Best Comedy” at the British Comedy Awards. It was nominated for BAFTAs for Best Original Screenplay and Best Original Score.
Cast: Adrian Dunbar; Tara Fitzgerald; William Hootkins; Joseph Nesbitt; Shirley Anne Field;
Ned Beatty; David McCallum
——————
Hear My Song (1991)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wO4rjO4Vl-g
Tara Fitzgerald (Selyse Baratheon on Game of Thrones) plays “Nancy” in Hear My Song. She first
appears at 3:55. Nancy is serenaded by Mickey at 7:00 – 8:29.
Ten Bears,
Thanks! (And for all the other clips too!) I’ll look for something to extract that video in case it’s taken down (thanks for the warning!)
I’ll reply in more detail later! Hoping to get a bunch of lasering done today (using proper safety precautions to prevent catching/spreading) while conditions at the space are good and in case we’re confined to our houses by mandate so I can do some work at home.
Ten Bears</s
Ten Bears, I thought I had copied your question about Shirley-Ann Field but no luck. In the last few weeks I've dropped my laptop twice and one of the plastic stands holding the screen has broken. I might be able to do some remedial work with super glue but haven't tried yet. Yes, I have heard of Ms Field. She's been in films which featured some well-known British names. When she was an ingenue she played opposite Albert Finney (in his first, well certainly one of his first, starring role(s) in a fil called 'Saturday Night and Sunday Morning' and later was in 'My Beautiful Launderette' which featured one of Daniel Day Lewis's (Lewis' ?) early appearances on film. I heard her give an interview during the 1980s and she had auditioned for (but lost out to Stephanie Beacham) for a part in 'The Colbys' – an offshoot from 'Dynasty'. I didn't like 'The Colbys' very much even though it featured some good actors. S-AF's real name was Shirley Broomfield (or Bloomfield?) and she was brought up for some of her young years in an orphanage. She thought her mother was dead for a long time but with the vicissitudes in World War II her mother had married again and gone to live in the States. When she came back looking for her English daughter at first S-AF didn't want to meet her but her (S-AF's) daughter said something about never having had a grandmother and wanting her mother to meet the grandma. S-AF said she had three half-sisters who speak with a southern American accent.
Ten Bears,
You called those last two books a slog. Lots of book readers have used words like “bloated” and “meandering” to describe those two books. Are there any story lines or chapters that stood out as exceptional?
You can read the prologue and epilogue of Book 4 as a complete short* story. They introduce two plot lines which were left out of the television adaptation:
2. The Maesters have a plan to remove magic from the world.
Book 4 also has the “Broken Man” speech. This speech is surrounded by lots of world-building filler as the speaker, Septon Meribald, his dog (named “Dog”) and Brienne wander about the Riverlands, which have been devastated by the War of the Five Kings.
Septon Meribald travels the countryside, dispensing ecclesiastical services to the small folk. With Brienne in tow, he eventually returns to his sanctuary on the Quiet Isle, run by another religious figure, Elder Brother. (These two characters were combined into the one character whose portrayal Ian McShane slept through during his one-episode wonder on Game of Thrones.) Another inhabitant of the Quiet Isle is their gravedigger (they have many corpses to bury after the war). You see him only from a distance, but he seems to be a large fellow with many wounds…
Also during Brienne’s travels, you get to see (from her POV) Lord Randyll Tarly rebuilding the ruined town of Maidenpool and dispensing his tough justice to the inhabitants. He is revealed to be a rigorously fair, if unimaginative, upholder of the feudal order. He lectures Brienne on the dangers of what she is doing, but as she has a letter of safe-conduct from the King, Lord Tarly cannot remand her to her father on Tarth.
Those were the good parts of Book 4, IMHO. As Kevin1989 shows, YMMV. Either way, please have a great literary journey!
————
* By the standards of GRRM in A Song Of Ice and Fire
one of his earlier movies is one of my favorites: “The Reflecting Skin”. just mindblowing and hereby recommended to anyone.
actually, i have to think hard to find a movie with him that sucked. he can not save any crappy movie, but his acting even carried a dumb story like “Hidalgo” over the line between dipshit and entertainment.
also, “Alatriste” is a pretty underrated spanish production featuring him as lead.
i´` ll play the game, of course. here are my recommendations / favorites, completely unsorted:
1) The Crazy Family
it´ s about lockdown so it´ s in pole position here.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087377/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
2) Badland
don’t watch this after or before your Covid news update. this movie is absolutely heartbreaking in the worst meaning of heartbreaking.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0493395/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_10
3) The Fox and the Child
positively heartbreaking. just effing wonderful. narrated by Kate Winslet.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0756648/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_5
4) A Man Called Horse
simply the best western movie of all times, end of. this trailer is completely in english. still, i prefer the lakota / english version provided on dvd. 30 more watchings, and i’m fluent in lakota.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066049/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_6
5) Crash / Magnolia / Babel
three excellent movies following the same concept. because i cannot make up my mind, i list all three of them. for the case you haven’t seen any of them, i leave you with IMDB, trailers and the order to effing see them all.
Crash
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0375679/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Magnolia
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0175880/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
Babel
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0449467/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
6) Princess Mononoke
this anime has been mentioned here many times. for good reasons…
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119698/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
instead of a trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f53ZCld72FI
7) Frozen River
Melissa Leo can bomb any screen into molecules, easily. here, she does so, definitely.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0978759/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
8) Apocalypto
we all know Mel Gibson is sort of nuts. still, this here is a masterpiece other directors can just try to stretch to. i really mean “masterpiece”.
spoiler: youtube clip contains Ramsay references.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0472043/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
as the name Mel Gibson is written all over it, this masterpiece (i stand by my word) has some… well… flaws? still, it’s nice entertainment and has made it cross the line i mentioned in the beginning.
9) Iris
Judy Dench. Kate Winslet. Vinnie Jones. and it´’s the Vinnie Jones scene which will finally make you cry. believe me!
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0280778/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_6
10) On The Beach
when i watched it on german TV in something 1983, at the peak of the cold war, it made me sick. so sick that i had to vomit before going to bed. therefore, it’s at least an excellent movie. beyond this, it might be one of the most important movies of all times.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053137/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
these are my ten+ answers to your challenge. sorry for all the 400+ movies that didn’t make it onto this list.
btw, when i called “on the beach” somewhat important, disturbing or whatever: the nymag-link you provided surely out-disturbs the movie. any movies.
Pigeon,
Recommendation for a nice distracting movie with good performances all around. (Maybe not in my All-Time Top Ten; excellent nonetheless.)
Silver Linings Playbook (2012) – Comedy*/Drama
Cast: Jennifer Lawrence (Best Actress Oscar); Bradley Cooper; Robert DeNiro; Jacki Weaver; Chris Tucker; Julia Stiles. Director: David O. Russell
* A “comedy” based on managing mental illness. Go figure.
———
Favorite scene [Spoiler warning]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og36vWGn5CU
—-
Dame of Mercia,
I didn’t realise my post upthread (most recent one was all emboldened – put it down to me having problems with my laptop).
To those asking about the books, I was one of those who found AFFC and ADWD something of a long and winding road. That’s not to say I hated them and I keep meaning to try the tandem read to see if I like that version better. Really, it’s hard to say to someone that they absolutely should read the books or conversely that they shouldn’t touch them with a barge-pole. I HADN’T foreseen Dany going full metal Targaryen (though I had been aware she had a temper and by ADWD I had reservations about book Dany) and as I think that plot point comes from GRRM I’ll give him credit for surprising me. Anyone wondering about the books could give the first one a try and if they like what they read carry on, if it’s not their cup of tea and they prefer a dramatized version, well they can stop reading. I wouldn’t say people shouldn’t read the books because some folk like myself have reservations about books 4 and 5 – another reader might like them, we are all different.
Tensor the Mage, Who Knows A Tavern-Told Tale or Two,
– Hey, thanks for the commentary about Book 4. I appreciate it.
– You wrote that if “also has the “Broken Man” speech. This speech is surrounded by lots of world-building filler as the speaker, Septon Meribald, his dog (named “Dog”) and Brienne wander about the Riverlands, which have been devastated by the War of the Five Kings.”
The “Broken Man” speech was another one of the handful of passages I read, since it was quoted so often on fan sites.
I thought it was a br*****nt piece of writing by GRRM. I was disappointed that S6e7, titled “The Broken Man,” didn’t even try to adapt the speech from the books. I thought Brother Ray’s speech scripted for the show didn’t capture the message of the book’s speech*, and didn’t come close to the richness of GRRM’s writing.
I still wonder why the showrunners didn’t use the speech from the book and thought it was a good idea to write their own version.
* In fact, I thought the S7e1 scene of Arya with the friendly Lannister soldiers came closer to capturing the tenor of the book’s “Broken Man” speech, e.g., the homesick soldiers missing their families, and lamenting how boys are often forced to leave home to “fight someone else’s wars.”
Dame of Mercia,
”To those asking about the books…”
– That would be me. 🤓
”…I was one of those who found AFFC and ADWD something of a long and winding road. That’s not to say I hated them and I keep meaning to try the tandem read to see if I like that version better. Really, it’s hard to say to someone that they absolutely should read the books or conversely that they shouldn’t touch them with a barge-pole.”
– Well that settles it. I’m going to order the first three books, and read them at some point during the approaching Long Night. I’ll hold off on books 4 and 5, unless I decide to fillet them to extract Arya chapters to read. (Since I read, and really enjoyed, the TWOW “Mercy” sample chapter, I’d like to know more about Arya’s Braavos/HoB&W storyline in the books.)
Lasering? I’m jealous. 🤢
Yes, I think you would enjoy your “Boiled Chicken” journey of reading the last two books.
I watched Gold again today. It was a little hard to find. It was on Google Play! It was also on some obscure Amazon Prime channel called “Fandor” that I got the 7 day free trial, and I watched it that way today.
We just got a “shelter in place” order in Ohio, so I will have lots more time to watch things, and I’ll probably dig into the last HDM book “The Amber Spyglass”. It’s the longest of the three at almost 500 pages. I feel like that’s nothing now after making it through all of the 1000 page ASOIAF books!
https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2020/03/19/emilia-clarke-didnt-like-the-game-of-thrones-ending-either/#421a470c39d1
Oh, but I guess are only Reddit trolls who shit on the series ending.
Tron79,
As long as you’re “sheltering in place” indefinitely, you might want to watch “Hear My Song” while the link [above] is still active. If nothing else, you can see a young and adorable Selyse Baratheon (Tara Fitzgerald) looking like Audrey Hepburn.
Cool. I will do that…
death by chickenfire,
I just saw your comment. I think it was held up for a bit because of the multiple links. Thanks…I’ll go back and check out your recommendations – and the embedded clips.
Re: Viggo Mortensen – I have not seen [the recent movie] “Green Book” yet. He was supposed to be really good in it. Do you know anything about it?
death by chickenfire,
• Good choices! Some I’ve seen; others I haven’t, and I’ll add them to my “To Watch” list. Unfortunately, I have a feeling the “stay home” mandate is going to last months, not weeks. 🥵
• However, I beg to differ on your assessment:
”4) A Man Called Horse
simply the best western movie of all time…”
“The Outlaw Josey Wales” holds that distinction – in my opinion, of course.
Sorry for late reactions, I was really ill (even without fever) last days. Finally feeling a bit better now.
Tiago,
Hope everything is fine in Portagal at the moment.
And to say about healthcare, I’m happy healthcare in our country is pretty greatly handled, I never need to worry about healthcare, only when it comes to some things that aren’t in basic package like physiotherapy or glasses.
Tiago,
I like that you named Lord of the rings triology first. It’s my favorite movie (I see them as one big movie of 12 hours) ever made.
I also love the Dark Knight trilogy. 3 great movies. Same as other Nolan movies like Interstellar.
I will try to think about movies later on
Tron79,
“I watched Gold again today. It was a little hard to find. It was on Google Play! It was also on some obscure Amazon Prime channel called “Fandor” that I got the 7 day free trial, and I watched it that way today.”
• You know, all of these streaming services and platforms should get together and figure out how to make all of their shows available to everybody. I don’t want to have to sign up for Amazon Prime, Hulu, Netflix, CBS All Access, Disney+, Google Play, Sky TV, Apple Meets Godzilla, etc. etc. – even if it’s just for a “free trial.”
At this juncture, with everybody stuck indoors, we should all be able to watch whatever we want and pay into a central billing system.
• For that matter, movie studios should release movies online or on cable, instead of postponing release dates indefinitely until movie theaters re-open.
F*ck it. I admit it: I’m passed off that after finally getting a release date (4/3/20), Maisie’s movie “New Mutants” has now been delayed indefinitely.
Seriously though, I’d pay good money to see Arya kill Joffrey with a chicken bone … I mean, to see “New Mutants” at home.
The studios have a captive audience. I’m surprised they haven’t yet adapted to the new reality.
And Viggo adopted the horse, so it wasn’t all bad. 🤪
Apocalyptico was a fantastic movie, and I’m not a Mel fan. Rudy Youngblood did a fantastic job – the running scene had ME about to collapse, lol. And using the Mayan language was something.
Vinnie Jones is one of those vastly underrated actors (and also makes beautiful furniture!). I love him in Mean Machine, Lock Stock, etc. I had no idea he was in Iris.
I loved Silver Linings Playbook! Book and movie (I’m a fan of Bradley and Jennifer, they work really well together.)
Ten Bears,
I’m exited to know your reading journey once you start reading. And if you like the first 3 books I would just do the Boiled Leathers (or one of the other combined versions of Feast and Dance), you had some issues with some parts of the show that I think you may like the book version better (or not).
As for movies I don’t really have a top10 movies I like but for me Lord of the Rings remains nr 1 of all the movies I watched, I watched them many times (Can’t count that on my fingers and toes how many times).
I also like the Dark Knight trilogy and the Harry Potter saga.
Other movies I think are great: Interstellar: great story and the father/daughter story hits hard (emotionally), brilliantly done.
Green Mile: The characters are great in this story and also very emotional movie.
I liked the godfather trilogy even when somehow I forgot a lot about those movies. But I still remember the ending of the last movie that stayed with me. Maybe even going to watch those movies again.
Logan: Even when I found x-men trilogy mediocre (still love to watch them) this movie had a great character driven story. It had a great father/daughter storyline.
But I’m more of a series-guy. Like AdriannaCandle stated you can live more with the characters.
But with tv-series in a lockdown like these I rather watch a nice comedy show instead of a serious show with that I like the following:
– The Office (US)
– Parks and Recreation
– Seinfeld
– Golden Girls
– Brooklyn 99
– Community
I like more but these are my favorites.
Ivan,
She never said she didn’t like it. All she said was “Jon got away with murder”. That article is false.
Yeah I would pay for the Arya vs. Joffrey chicken bone battle.
New Mutants should be released to home. I want Maisie’s Sky TV show 2 Weeks to Live. They need to figure out a way for me to see it in the USA!!
We joined a free trial of Disney+. I have older kids but they both really like disney stuff. My daughter is 27 but she loves animation movies. I thought she was thinking about being an animator. She ended up doing e-media with video production in college, but I think she would still love getting into animation. I know that Adrianacandle knows alot about animation!
But I get you. Every second there’s another fr’kin streaming service that I have to have! I did break down and get CBS All Access for awhile too, because I had to watch Picard. I was going to wait until the season ended and binge them all in one month, but I couldn’t wait anymore especially with the lockdown. It is great btw. I plan on cancelling all of those once I finish watching the series I wanted to see. I’ll definitely cancel Disney and CBS All Access. I’m much more a star trek fan than star wars, so I haven’t watched Mandalorian yet (you have to have Disney+ for that one!!) But I read Pedro Pascal is the star, so I may have to watch it while I still have Disney+. I will say though I was disgusted to see ads for Disney+ on Facebook. I think they are going to get plenty, plenty, plenty of business during the lockdown without encouraging more people to order it, so if my kids didn’t really like having it temporarily, I would have cancelled it as soon as I saw that ad yesterday.
I cancelled my HBO and I cut the cable cord so I no longer have a cable subscriber so that’s something.
kevin1989,
I forgot “It’s always sunny in Philladelphia.”
Tron79,
I also like some good animation movies. I loved Madagaskar both movies. Kun Fu Panda. How to train your dragon trilogy. And of course older movies like Lion King, pinnochio etc
The only animated series I really liked was: Avatar the last airbender and it’s sequel: Legend of Korra.
This Public Service Message from The Queen in the North
“Stay inside, don’t be f–ing stupid, even if you count your freedom over — I don’t know, what is it — your health… I don’t give a F about your freedom. You could be infecting other people, other vulnerable people around you, by doing this. So stay inside, guys. It’s not cool and it’s not big and it’s not clever. And that’s the tea.”
– Sophie Turner
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7kTijHKLWg
🧝🏻♀️ “My name is Sansa Stark and I approved this message.”
🗡👸🏻 “Can I lop off their heads if they don’t listen?”
🧝🏻♀️ “Arya, we talked about this —“
🗡👸🏻 “You never let me have any fun!”
———————
(text below excerpted from 3/22/20 comicbook.com):
“Game of Thrones Star Sophie Turner Drags Evangeline Lilly Over Refusal to Self Quarantine”
Last week, Ant-Man and The Wasp star Evangeline Lilly made a controversial post on Instagram indicating that she wasn’t going to self-quarantine to help stem the spread of COVID-19, noting that “some people value their lives over freedom, some people value freedom over their lives”. Now, Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner is chiming in with an Instagram Live video that appears to drag Lilly over her “business as usual” approach to the deadly pandemic.
In the video, Turner tells people to stay inside and reminds people that by prioritizing their “freedom” over health, they are potentially infecting others, something that is “not cool”.
Stay inside, don’t be f–ing stupid, even if you count your freedom over — I don’t know, what is it — your health,” Turner said. “I don’t give a F about your freedom. You could be infecting other people, other vulnerable people around you, by doing this. So stay inside, guys. It’s not cool and it’s not big and it’s not clever. And that’s the tea.”
Last week, Lilly posted a photo to Instagram with a caption that sparked controversy.
“Just dropped my kids off at gymnastics camp,” she wrote. “They all washed their hands before going in. They are playing and laughing.” In comments on the post, Lilly went further, dismissing COVID-19 as simply a “respiratory flu” though it’s worth noting that COVID-19 is not the flu, which is itself an illness caused by a different virus.
“Some people value their lives over freedom, some people value freedom over their lives,” she wrote. “We all make our choices. Where we are right now feels a lot too close to Marshall Law for my comfort already, all in the name of a respiratory flu.”
*****
As of the time of this article’s writing, there have been 294,110 confirmed cases and 12,944 confirmed deaths in 187 countries, areas or territories worldwide according to the World Health Organization
Ten Bears,
She’s right. However, I do hope that she’s stopped pulling on her juul every 10 minutes now that she has a wee one on the way. Or just because that’s fucking stupid, too.
Ah, rich privileged people bickering at each other.
Dammit I forgot Equilibrium. Seriously underrated movie with Christian Bale, Sean Bean, and Taye Diggs. Best gun fu evaaaaaar.
All the best to Kristopher and his family! Stay safe, stay healthy and good luck in all things! Remember the Free Folk ara not kneelers, and sure as shit they won’t do so before this COVID-19 fucker,
And good luck and goodspeed to George, I hope spending more time in Westeros is rewarding for him and for us readers…at least at some point….provided “The Walking Dead” doesn’t become reality….
I might see if I can find “Derry Girls” – I’ve heard by word of mouth it’s quite funny – it also has the Ser Barristan actor playing the grandpa of one of the girls. I missed “A Very English Scandal” when it was on TV – someone who doesn’t particularly like Hugh Grant told me it is worth a watch. It’s a ‘based on a true story’ type of drama. I might try to seek that out.
Ten Bears,
I have that book too. Very immersive read; something to savour over several months; great escapism.
The Akira Kurosawa movie “Ran” is also very good for people who enjoy the whole Samurai thing. A nicely remastered version was released on DVD a couple of years ago, so it’s even more visually stunning now.
Tron79,
I really like Disney still! I still love Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Lion King — all those Golden Age of Disney movies 😀 Thanks to death by chickenfire‘s recommendation of Miyuzaki’s Princess Mononoke (great movie!), has your daughter seen his films? They include Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle! They are really fun, imaginative stories, and so beautifully done.
Oh yes, my adventures in animation! I spent a lot of my undergrad with animation and did three animations as support for my thesis when doing my MFA! One was a stop-motion animation and it took me two years to do. Much screaming.
Ten Bears,
Oh, it was really a learning curve yesterday to see what woods do well with engraving and what don’t so much. Ash seems to be the worst for what I was doing (and it gets sticky with sap), paduk is okay, but cherry is the best! I had spent a few days doing a weirwood tree design and it’s pretty detailed so I was afraid it was going to look like crap. I couldn’t get it quite as small as I wanted for it to still look sharp and crisp but it’s about the size of a luggage/backpack tag now! Cherry is a great wood 😀
I typically use birch plywood but I wanted to experiment with 3mm thins to see how those engraved. I’ll try black walnut and purple heart next!
But my rocket ship shelf worked out! That one was my major fear — that I had measured my notches and slots wrong and wasted a bunch of wood and laser time — but it worked! However, I need to retool a design on a smaller project 🙁
Ten Bears,
I agree with: stay at home.
But I have to react to this:
– First I can’t take Sophie serious with that face-filter. Does she really think people take her serious like that? I find even when I agree with her message, stay at home, a bit childish for doing that, especially when you want to raise something important like: Stay at home to safe lives.
– Why use the F word? I don’t know but after this video I really don’t take Sophie serious anymore. Using the F word, using a face-filter for a serious subject that is busy right in the world. I would have expected more maturity from somebody who is 24 years old.
– I did some research and search for Evangeline Lilly’s comments. I could find the first comment that she posted at her pics. If you google search her name with that first part you see that you are redirected to her Instagram. That way I’m certain that she said that. Do I agree with her choice: No.
– The second part of the comment that about: her freedom over her health. I can’t seem to find anything that she stated that on Instagram. And also not a serious tabloid stating that she state that only some gossip tabloids. I wonder if she really state that. I can’t find the source (her Instagram) or another trustworthy source about that.
Lastly, it’s very easy to blame Evangeline Lilly for her view. It could in fact bring people in danger (especially her father is currently on chemo, yes I did some extra research), but people need to take into account that Evangeline Lilly is also a human being, who went through multiple mental breakdowns (which I think is right on the corner what Evangeline Lilly goes through now and as a mother she needs to make certain that doesn’t happen). A self-Quarantine can for her trigger another meltdown. So before we all go onto a bandwagon and start hating Evangeline Lilly, the world is not so black and white, I don’t agree with the “not staying at home”-mentality but that doesn’t mean that there maybe another side to it that we didn’t know off.
As for Evangeline Lilly Instagram, I really feel old now. I remember when I begin to watch lost and she was 17 years younger in the first season than now. How time flies.
Since we’re recommending books, films etc, here are a few more from me:
+ The extended director’s cut DVD version of “Kingdom of Heaven”. Far better than the theatrical release, beautiful cinematography, some artistic liberties taken with historical facts but it’s still wonderfully atmospheric escapism. You’ll also recognise a few faces from GoT, especially early on (hello Jaime!). I think the movie’s cinematographer later worked on GoT too.
+ “Black Sails”. If you miss the best aspects of GoT, get the DVD box set for Sails. It was only 4 seasons, but what a masterpiece. Very clever bait & switch showrunning too; it starts off appearing to be one thing, but if you stick with it, from Season 2 it begins noticeably transforming into something else entirely, and from the start of Season 3 onwards it’s extraordinary. Yet when you watch the whole thing again, you notice that the seeds were planted right from the beginning. I can’t overstate how good this show is — it’s very nuanced, layered and intelligent, with outstanding production values and attention to detail — but you’ll need to make it through the first season and a controversial plot twist in the second season. As long as you do that, you’re in for an incredible experience. Eventually it also consistently has the most eloquent dialogue I’ve ever heard in any TV show; I wish the writers responsible had been hired for GoT’s last few seasons. The finale is ingenious too; the implications all hinge on the viewer’s perception of a certain major character; the showrunners have confirmed that the ambiguity was deliberate.
And there’s a special bonus for GoT fans: In the final two seasons (ie. 3 & 4), Luke Roberts, the guy who played Arthur Dayne himself, has a huge role as the charismatic main antagonist (a real-life historical figure). He turns out to be a truly gifted actor. Some official promo shots of him in the bottom two rows of pics here (click them to expand): http://www.farfarawaysite.com/section/blacksails/gallery4/gallery11/gallery.htm
+ Non-fiction: The British historian Marc Morris’s books on medieval Britain are superb. You learn preconception-changing new facts on practically every page. “The Norman Conquest” is probably the best one for GoT fans; “A Great and Terrible King” is about Edward I “Longshanks” (yes, the villain in Braveheart), who seems to be the basis for Tywin; “King John” is about, well, King John, who really was a jerk but again more complex than the stereotype. Morris’s next book is about the Anglo-Saxons and will be published this September. He also has a very informative and pithily amusing Twitter account @Longshanks1307
+ More non-fiction: The “Baburnama” is the memoirs of the first Mughal emperor of India, written 500 years ago. India was still in its medieval era at the time, so you get a well-written first-person narrative by a real-life feudal prince and conqueror as his forces journey from Central Asia to northern India and establish a new empire there. Plenty of descriptions of medieval warfare etc, but he had quite eclectic interests so there’s a lot of “world-building” cultural and social stuff too, some of which will challenge stereotypes. The writing style is clear, eloquent and succinct; it’s also sprinkled with wry humour (mostly sarcastic asides about people he knows). Best version of the book is the “Modern Library” edition, translated by Princeton’s Wheeler Thackston and with a foreword by Salman Rushdie, available on Amazon.
kevin1989,
To Sophie’s defence, 24 is still very young. People know nothing at 24. And, what should be taken into account is that professional spaces do have particular codes of communication that don’t apply to others. The f-word must be very common among actors and singers (I know, it bothers me too, but whenever they’re caught off guard they’re always like this, and quite often without reason; they think it’s cool). She’s an actress, her husband is a singer.
In a few months when she’ll become a mother her world view will be turned upside down anyway.
Jai,
I’m totally convinced about Black Sails! I found it and I’m going to download it.
Arthur Dayne was very impressive in GoT. I wanted to see sth more from him, his face is familiar, but I can’t remember where I’ve seen him before.
Did Nicholai have a role in Kingdom of Heaven? I totally missed that. It’s one of my favorite movies about a Middle Ages event.
I anybody has a recommendation about Benjen Stark, please let me know.
[those legs of his are unforgetable, lol; also one I’ve seen before, don’t know where]
As some posters talk about watch lists during social distancing measures has anyone seen Last Christmas with Emilia Clarke? I wouldn’t normally go for RomCom type films but I have to say it’s pretty funny and Emilia (often maligned for her lack of acting skills) is superb in a comedic role. A number of GOT actors have landed some big movies which have failed at the box office (Solo, Xmen etc.) but I can certainly see this being a route for on-going success for Miss Clarke.
I would suggest giving it a watch if you can.
Efi,
” Did Nicholai have a role in Kingdom of Heaven? I totally missed that. It’s one of my favorite movies about a Middle Ages event.”
• Director’s cut of “Kingdom of Heaven is longer and better than version released in theaters.
• I liked the movie anyway. (Disclosure: I ❤️ Eva Green.)
• Jorah Mormont (Iain Glen) was in “Kingdom of Heaven.” In the last few minutes of the movie he appears as King Richard/Richard the Lionhearted.
• Alexander Siddig (Doran Martell) was also in Kingdom of Heaven.
• Was Jaime Lannister also in Kingdom of Heaven??? I don’t recall.
Emilia “Ray of Sunshine” Clarke is a natural for comedy roles. (I must have watched her “Where are my dragon!” spoof video fifty times.)
I have not watched “Last Christmas.” Upon your recommendation I shall add it to my “To Watch” list. 🤓
I have “Me Before You” recorded on my DVR. I have not watched it yet. I’ve heard she’s good in it.
She was really good in a supporting role in “Dom Hemingway” starring Jude Law and Richard E. Grant (Izembarro/faux King Robert
of Braavos theater troupe in GoT).
Emilia Clarke sings in that movie. And she’s really good!
Jon Snowed,
(Cont. from 11:17 am)
In case anyone hasn’t seen this already…
Emilia Clarke spoofs her line, “Where are my dragons!”
• “Where are my dragons!” (from GoT)
• “Where is my wig!”
• “Where is my Orange Mocha Frappuccino!”
• “Where are my kale chips!”
• “Where is my accent?”
• “Where is the toilet paper?”
• “Where is the plunger?”
• “Where are my Spanx?”
• Where is the remote?”
• “Where is my Uber!!!!”
• “Where is my cleavage?”
• “Where is my boyfriend?”
• “Where is my butt plug?” 😝
• “Where is my privacy?”
Jai,
Black sails was a good watch. And don’t forget that Tom Hopper (Dickon Tarly season 7) had also a role into that show.
Efi,
That’s true 24 is not really mature but I think mature enough not to use a face filter when talking about something serious like Covid-19, for me that doesn’t come over as 24 but more as 16 years old, I think even most 16 years old who love face-filters know that when you talk about something serious you do it serious without any childish adds to it. As for the F-word I think professionals in music/actor industry would use the F-word less on important videos than the average person. You learn to behave more “courteous”. I’m all for speaking your mind and making a point for the defenseless (what Sophie did with trying to achieve with her video) but the way she did it is not something that gain my respect in fact the other way.
And that’s true, I think once she becomes a mother her live will change a lot, she will gain lots of life-experience and she will mature very fast with being a mother.
Efi,
Also try Vikings. I think many GoT fans would love that show.
Ten Bears,
Thanks for the share XD
Yikes. Dude, do you have any idea how many people have been through bad times and can be “triggered” in a myriad of ways? That is no excuse to make the ignorant statements that Evangeline made. Evangeline is yet another dope who uses “freedom” as an excuse to be selfish and do whatever she wants without regard to consequences. She doesn’t seem to realize that her version of “freedom” actually encroaches on other people’s rights. It’s just a selfish mindset. She’s prioritizing her “freedom” over other people’s health. There’s nothing ok about that.
Personally, I don’t have any issue with Sophie swearing. It’s not the best way to make a point, but sometimes it’s understandable. She was obviously frustrated with the idiotic mindset of people like Lilly.
I cannot disagree with this comment enough. People should know plenty by 24 years old.
I don’t think swearing necessarily means someone is acting like a child. There are plenty of legit reasons to swear. it just depends on the situation.
I knew more when I was 12 years old than I do now. 🤓
kevin1989,
It’s alright as much as possible at the moment. I haven’t seen Interstellar yet. I have to give it a try, as I have to other suggestions in here.
Mr Derp,
Well, on the other hand she now knows less than she will when she’ll be 40!
(Contrary to what TB thinks)
kevin1989,
She’s a very young person who’s shaped at this age by her husband, who’s ten years older if I’m not mistaken. I don’t want to downgrade Sophie’s volition and independence of opinion, but this is probably at least partly true considering that young people are easily influenced and much more so by one whom they admire. While they have an admirable relationship and Joe is “good boyfriend material” as one put it once on the internet, I think they simply got carried away and tried to laugh the gravity of the situation off. I’m not saying it was a good thing, just that it’s their m.o. In addition, their audience and their followers are probably also very young people. Apparently they’re still to learn that such m.o. does not command much respect but among their own audience that’s, idnk, 15, 16, or 18?
Thanks for the suggestion. I’ve seen… glimpses of Vikings, and at first I couldn’t stand it. But everybody says that it’s good, so perhaps I’ll give it a try.
At the risk of igniting a fan war with my dear friend Kevin1989, I respectfully differ with him on “Interstellar”(2014). I thought it blew. Big time. I am sure we can civilly debate its merits some other time in the near future during the Long Night.
For a much, much better space travel movie starring Matt Damon and Jessica Chastain (who also co-starred in “Interstellar”), allow me to recommend Ridley Scott’s “The Martian” (2015). It was smart, witty, and engaging from start to finish.
Bonus: Sean Bean co-stars in “The Martian” as the honorable Ned Stark – I mean the honorable NASA Flight Director.
That’s just me. I’ve been regressing into a second childhood ever since I was 15. 🙂
first of it your previous answer: no, i haven’´t seen “The Green Book”. it´s on my buy-the-dvd-list, just for the case we’´ll ever find open stores again one time.
i regret that i haven’t seen Josey Wales by now. saw some fragments on youtube which looked good to me, and it is on my get-the-effing-dvd-as-cheap-as-possible-list. social welfare cheap, you know…
the thing with “A Man Called Horse” is special. i could and nearly would have nominated “Jeremiah Johnson” instead. or “The New World”
it’s: the movie touches my idea of people wrecked or just bored by european civilisation entering a not yet “civilized” and seemingly “in touch with nature” world. i watched it with spoken german language, and this version does not translate what the Sioux say. i watched it without subtitles, so i faced the same challenge the main character had to face: wtf are they saying?
after some 20 watchings since i have the dvd, i imagine to understand more and more of what they say. if i’m wrong with this, i expect losing my scalp pretty one of the next times i watch it.
i’ve had a strange interest in the history of west for a long time. for reasons, or with cheap excuses.
– i live in the country that sent some Karl Bodmer on his way. the guy who painted the most beautiful pictures of how the west may have looked like at the time the movie displays.
– i grew up in a big city with no legal access to the rural areas around it. most probably west berlin. desire for anything that looked like nature is my pre-existing condition nr 1. what could serve better than images of nature not yet touched by goldminers and iron horses?
– my complicated family history says i might be the grandson of a member of the US troops who saved germany in 45. my mom´’s (who has been born in 46 far away from the catholic south where her mom actually lived and got adopted in 48) cheekbones have always said her father might not be irish… so do mine.
i never found out about where she came from, where i come from. but the idea of an indian probably freeing the country of my birth is still very present.
– in 1984, i picked “bury my heart at wounded knee” from my mom´’s books. it needed no longer than the Sand Creek massacre until i cried the shit out of my heart. i was nearly 16 then.
in this book, there’s been a small passport-sized photo of a man who looked pretty… well, cheekbones. i never asked, and i never will as contact is on cut since 1988.
i think i’m the classic type of romantic good-old-days-worshipper. just substract my complete disdain of superstition and tribalism 😉
i got lost a bit. i never had to dive into my past so deep in this community in order to make my point clear (or fail at it). what i want to say is: i actually don’t know shit about what makes a movie a good movie. but i do know when a movie touches something inside me. and art that doesn’t touch me deep inside can co eff itself over and over.
kevin1989,
Hi Kevin! I regret that we disagree on “Interstellar.” (See my 4:24 pm reply to Tiago.)
However, I really liked Nolan’s trippy “Inception” (2010), as well as “The Dark Knight Rises” (2012) – I loved Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle. I’ve also heard great things about “The Prestige” (2006), though I have yet to see it.
Nobody ever mentions the superb
The Last Kingdom
Based on Bernard Cornwell’s Saxon novels. Set in the time of Alfred the Great.
It’s excellent. Season 4 is due to arrive on Netflix on 26 April, so there is time to catch up. It has somewhat in common with Vikings, but is better written IMO, and has more humour. No fantasy, but a bit of witchcraft here and there, and some wonderful characters.
Treat the first episode as a prequel. A lot happens in it, and the main character grows from child to man. By Ep 3 the story has set in nicely. (Keep an eye out for Game Of Thrones alumni!)
death by chickenfire,
“I regret that i haven’t seen Josey Wales by now. Saw some fragments on youtube which looked good to me, and it is on my get-the-effing-dvd-as-cheap-as-possible-list. social welfare cheap, you know.”
Oh, I think you’ll really like it. If you check back here in the next day or so*, I can give you a spoiler-free rundown. For now, I hope you won’t settle for the chopped up, “edited for time,” TV version.
* Real world responsibilities intrude on my time. 🤢
death by chickenfire,
”…but the idea of an Indian probably freeing the country of my birth is still very present.
– in 1984, I picked “bury my heart at wounded knee” from my mom´’s books. it needed no longer than the Sand Creek massacre until i cried the shit out of my heart.”
Let me just add that some of the plot lines in “The Outlaw Josey Wales” involve the genocide of Native Americans, broken treaties, theft of their lands, and forced relocation to Reservations (e.g., “The Trail of Tears”). Also, Native American actors
Chief Dan George, Will Sampson and Geraldine Keams have prominent roles in the movie playing a Cherokee, Comanche, and Cheyenne.
… To be continued…
Mr Derp,
I have to say that what I though this afternoon changed a bit how I looked at her. I won’t go into personal with EL. I could feel for her about that, I went through mental issues and I know how it is to take care of somebody who has cancer and what comes with that. To say about that, I hope she doesn’t give the virus to her father who lives with her and has stage four cancer. Which I think would make her think twice about protecting his life (I would so somehow even when I could resonate with her situation, I can’t resonate with her resolution). And I hope for her that she comes to her senses before it’s too late.
As for her statement, I look up how far Canada really was the day that she made that statement, somehow I though that Canada had less people having the virus compared to the Netherlands. Well I was wrong, when EL made her statement it was already at 600 I though it was at that moment just starting it’s first cases and it was not so known it Canada yet. And I start to feel more to her like I do know to the people who disobey measurements in our country (which I can say I’m happy the government start fining people who disobey the measurements).
For me what it was, is that I though back to when the virus was not yet in our country where I was still ignorant about it. Which I though Canada was last week.
Also it made me think about another famous Dutch person who also made a stupid comment last week (He states that we should start hugging and showing compassion to each other, little bit dumb comment) who got a lot of problems because of it, luckily his comment was dumb and not selfish, so we didn’t dislike him for it, just found his comment dumb in the Netherlands and out of place. But it made me think that EL is also famous. It comes with people who listen to you and maybe make dumb decisions by following her.
Hereby I want state: I was wrong what I stated in the other comment.
This is something I also feel. When I was a teenager I felled I knew everything. Now I doubt everything, even my own statements.
Tiago,
We had one day that it goes better than the one before. Hope tomorrow is the same, but I think it goes up again tomorrow with more than today. I really hope we will get to the max soon enough.
As for the movies it’s a great movie interstellar.
As for a TVshow: I also though of Peaky Blinders. 5 seasons of 6 episodes of an hour per season. 30 total right now. It’s an amazing show.
Efi,
I think Sophie is her own person. She has her own voice even before she met her husband. And as you state maybe she did that clip like that because of the people watching her clips. I just wish people would listen more to officials (doctors, the WHO, CDC)
As for Vikings. It took me a couple of episodes to get into. It get’s better (even very fast a big change happens, I think episode 5 or 6 already). I think overal it’s an amazing story that progressed amazingly. And it has a lot in common with GoT. Which I think some things GoT did better some things Vikings (one thing I think Vikings did better was female characters)
Ten Bears,
I would love to talk to you about it in the near future :D. I never watched the Martian, I should put that one on my list. Looks interesting. 😀
Ten Bears,
I also liked Inception. But somehow I liked Interstellar better. I loved the emotion behind it. Also what I love how true it was to science. Neil Degrasse Tyson made a FB comment about it a while back that it was true except one thing
. But that was done on purpose by Nolan for story reasons. For the rest the science was on par. Time changes, the bridge in the end etc.
I also love the father daughter bonding. And the emotional story about them being apart, which really got to me.
Grandmaester Flash,
I have that on on my list, but I wait till Vikings is done, because some characters overlap. Which for me is difficult to keep track of when 2 characters are in two different shows. I heard it’s great 😀
kevin1989,
Father-daughter bonding? After returning to her when she was an old woman…he said hi and then left.
Like Groucho Marx (as Captain Jeffrey T. Spaulding) sang 90 years ago in “Animal Crackers”
🎼 “Hello, I must be going.
I cannot stay, I came to say,
‘I must be going’.” 🎶
kevin1989,
I just saw your 7:16 pm reply. Yes, we can discuss “Interstellar” some other time. (Lord knows we’re going to have enough “indoor time” during the next several weeks or months.)
As for “The Martian,” you’ll love how “true it was to the science.” In fact, that’s what the movie’s all about: “Sciencing the sh*t out of a problem.”
“The Martian” won the Golden Globe for “Best Comedy or Musical,”* and Matt Damon won the Golden Globe for Best Actor.
* Kind of an odd categorization. The movie had smart, snappy dialogue – though I’m not sure it was a typical “comedy.”
Here’s the set-up of the movie:
Ten Bears,
I loved The Martian. I’ve seen it a couple of times. It shocks me that it was in the comedy category. It was mostly suspense and drama. I guess a few situations were amusing but I wouldn’t call it a comedy.
Efi,
You really are in for a treat with Black Sails. Enjoy.
Exceptional acting from most of the leads. Especially Luke Roberts, of course, but also Luke Arnold as “Long” John Silver (the character goes through the biggest transformation during the story, and it’s a testament to Arnold’s acting skills that he manages to pull it off), Toby Stephens as Captain Flint, and HBO Rome’s Ray Stevenson, practically unrecognisable as Blackbeard. Others were superb too, but I think those guys were probably the best.
Efi,
Ten Bears,
Yes, he played the village sheriff during the parts set in Europe early in the movie. A number of shots actually focused on him, including the eventual fight in the forest. He’s easy to spot once you realise it’s him.
Ten Bears,
Yes but that was the point, she was old. She had a life, her life now was her own children and her Grandchildren and she was about to die, something she didn’t want her father to say. He didn’t belong there anymore. He saved her life in the end and she had a long life. But their bonding already showed through out the whole movie. It starts with a half an hour them together as father and daughter. Then we see that the reason he leaves is because of his daughter he wants to safe her life, that’s why he goes into space. Into space we see him how missing his daughter’s life, missing her grow up effects him, the reason why he is fighting he is missing, his daughters life. On earth we see how the absent of her father shape her into the woman she is, she is different than if he would have stayed, she misses him constantly and wishes that he would be there. And in the end he saves her (his goal was her not the human race) but she is already at the end of her life and about to die, he just arrived back on time, but not soon enough that he could see a part of her life again (bittersweet the forbidden word), he just arrived on time to say goodbye (she will die, but he will still live a live). It’s still an ending that makes me cry my eyes out. He saved her life but wasn’t part of that life.
The whole movie is build up the love of a father for his daughter, and how far a father would go to safe his daughter’s life, even missing her life and going far away on a mission to safe her. More than half the scenes are about them being a father and daughter, first having scenes together then missing each other and showing the audience how that effects him, and in the end the whole clue of the plot was: Fathers-love-saves-humanity.
Ten Bears,
I put it on my list. (I read that it’s also very scientific accurate. I like that.
No, you don’t need to worry about that. There are no overlapping characters (unless you count the brief appearances of Alfred the Great as a child in Vikings). You may be thinking about a character called Ragnar, but the Ragnar who appears at the beginning of TLK is not the same person as Ragnar Lothbrok in Vikings.
TLK begins in the reign of Alfred the Great, whereas Vikings is mainly set in the earlier reign of Egbert. That said, I haven’t watched S5 of Vikings as I felt it had peaked.
https://deadline.com/2020/03/game-of-thrones-indira-varma-tests-positive-coronavirus-for-life-1202888042/
Hope she gets better soon.
Grandmaester Flash,
Oh true, and Althestein is in both I think? But for me with the same name and same historical figure I can get confused. Then when watching Vikings I would see the Ragnar from TLK for instance. And otherwise the same, I connect a name with a face.
But it’s on my list and still have 2 series on my list who are already finished (or are busy with their last season) so those 2 comes before a show that still will get a new season. And maybe I wait with this show to watch with my partner (It will take a while then) but maybe much more fun.
I know it’s been said before but stay well and safe, folks. Someone has kindly said they’ll get some bit and bobs for me and after Bo-Jo* addressed the nation with something not far off a lockdown last night I took them up on the offer to get some cans of veg and cat food in (no the cat food isn’t for me – I’m a vegetarian and will improvise some soups or something with the vegetables). The person doing the shopping was kind to offer – of course I’ll have to work out the logistics of paying for it. Maybe go down to the nearest ATM donning a pair of Marigolds** during the night when not to many people are about.
* Boris Johnson
** A brand name of some rubber washing gloves in the UK. Although we sometimes talk about ‘marigolds’ about rubber gloves generically here. Like my vacuum cleaner is a Panasonic but I still use it to hoover. In fact (now I have no proof for this – it’s just me surmising – I wondered if in the recent adaptation of “The Witcher” the Polish name Jaskier was retained because of the connection with Marigolds (I THINK Jaskier is Polish for Marigold – I’m sure I’ll soon be told if I’m wrong). Jaskier is Dandelion in the Witcher games I believe. I was surprised to find out that one of the actors in Chicago Fire (not sure if he’s still in it because I haven’t seen it for some time) in his youth played Alf Garnett’s (like a British version of Archie Bunker) support assistant. Alf’s nickname for the character was ‘Marigold’ – who used to take the P out of Alf also calling him ‘Bwana’.
kevin1989,
I loved Interstellar, I also enjoyed The Martian very much. The Martian was very entertaining, Interstellar was very optimistic in the end, bittersweet, yes, but you end watching it with a smile, like, it was worth it -both watching the movie and what the main character went through in his adventure.
If anyone’s interested, Ad Astra with Brad Pitt was also surprisingly good, even though not even close to the aforementioned movies. It’s supposed to be fiction, I guess, man has conquered Mars and is about to conquer all the rest, but it turns out to be a psychological exploration of the relationship of the main character with his long missing father. I found that twist interesting and the way it ended satisfying.
If you (or anyone else) is into space movies, I’d recommend it with an asterisk –it’s not Star Wars, or Star Trek, not Alien, not Solaris, not as complicated as Interstellar.
On a different level, I believe one of the best movies I’ve ever seen is The Departed. Leonardo Dicaprio and Matt Damon in their best. What a movie!
Speaking of space movies…
Has anyone here ever seen Spaceballs?
I looked on Ebay today and a brand of gluten-free soup (I’m coeliac) that normally sells for £1.80 or so was retailing for £24. I’m not supporting that kind of greed though I did buy some rubbing alcohol which has had its price hiked up. A large bottle of Dettol was going for £29. So you can see why I decided to take the chap who offered to do some shopping for me up on his offer. To be fair I have had a few people say they will help me if they can so while there are some folk being reprehensible by charging over the top prices for items which are currently in demand there are others who are going the extra mile for kindness. I can’t be a**ed to do the conversion into dollars or Euros at the moment. I’ve never been able to find the first of the Bernard Cornwell books about Uthred to read the books in the order they were published/written. Somebody told me they are best read in order. People will probably know or have guessed (I may have said it on this forum before) that my name is taken from Aethelflaede of Mercia, daughter of Alfred the Great. She founded my hometown (she founded a few towns in the English midlands so I’m not doxing myself by saying that).
With regard to Sophie, she may have reacted in the heat of the moment. I was going to say something about redheads being reputed to have a fiery temperament but of course real life Sophie is blonde. I think it’s sensible to count to at least 10 before one reacts to something but even at my advanced age I have been known to react in the heat of the moment though less than when I was younger.
I have some forms to fill in – I always like to keep a record of what I say so I’ll have to force myself to master the photographing application on my smartphone so I can photograph them.
I had worried that if things didn’t improve Indira and Emilia’s play (well they weren’t the only people in it but they are the ones associated with GoT) would be cancelled and of course I hope Indira improves rapidly.
Jai,
Thanks for that. I didn’t remember seeing Nikolaj Coster-Waldau in “The Kingdom of Heaven.”
To be honest, it becomes difficult to recall early scenes after listening to Jorah Mormont’s mellifluous voice near the very end, and then seeing Eva Green rocking a Lyanna Stark look in a hooded fur parka:
Kingdom of Heaven –
Closing scene
0:57 to 1:28 Ian Glen as Richard the Lionheart, King of England
1:52 – 2:03 Eva Green
Yes! I howled 🤣 at this scene…
Spaceballs – Alien at Diner Scene
at 1:14
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uf7KKRnpv5U
———
Ten Bears,
Yes! Talented from birth ;D
And combing the desert…!
Dame of Mercia,
Bo-Jo: needs to remind that nickname.
And that’s very nice of that person. Eat healthy and stay safe.
How is your Cat doing?
Efi,
Yes same here, was also my feeling.
And you also sold me further to watch the Martian. Thanks for the tip Ten Bears. It also looks interesting.
And I will look into that other movie.
Adrianacandle,
Spaceballs? Sounds a bit chewy to me. 🙂
What is it about? 😀
Dame of Mercia,
I’m also a read-head so I think you’re right. I’m also sometimes a hot head 😀
Ten Bears,
And my other favourite moment: the system is jammed! (spoiler: it’s raspberry).
It’s a parody of space movies, mostly Star Wars! The first two paragraphs from Wikipedia ;D
….Pizza the Hutt….
(I won’t tell you what happens to Pizza the Hutt but… I’d say it’s b*****s****)
Adrianacandle,
Sounds funny XD
As parody comedy movies with silly humor I also love the “Naked Gun” Trilogy. Leslie Nielson is just brilliant in that.
I loved him as Oskar Schindler and the voice of Aslan!! 😭
I’ll give Naked Gun a try, thanks!
Adrianacandle,
I think you will like it. It’s a parody on police movies. And a bit of the same humor. It’s my favorite comedy movie.
Oh and that’s not Leslie Nielson, that was Liam Neeson.
Leslie Nielson is this guy:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leslie_Nielsen
He only did comedy.
As for Shindler’s list. Great movie. But hard to watch. Still a master piece.
Nick20,
No. Mr. Benioff and Mr. Weiss gave us a proper ending and since GRRM seems to struggle finishing his books, he should ask them for some advices.
kevin1989,
The cat seems to be doing okay. To be honest before my hair turned grey I was brown haired with red highlights. I say I was brunette with red highlights, then brunette with grey highlights then grey with brown/red highlights and now I’m just grey!!! My late mother was a redhead in her younger years though in later life she had become grey haired. I’m half Irish and Irish people are reputed to (possibly) have a fiery temper.
Athelstan? No, I don’t think there’s an Athelstan in TLK (so far), but many of these Saxon names are pretty similar.
And you can forget about Ragnar. I don’t want to spoil anything, but the Earl Ragnar in TLK only appears at the beginning, then there is a big time jump. The first episode is largely a prequel to the main story, and Earl Ragnar is not part of the main story.
Dame of Mercia,
Auburn is that called right?
Dutch people are known for down to earth and calm but still I’m fiery so now and then, but luckily I know that of myself.
And enough Wiskey at home? (because your Irish :D)
Grandmaester Flash,
I though that the priest Athelstan was also in the last Kingdom but it seems that’s not true.
I have the show on my list and in the future I think I may try it with my partner. Watching together is more fun.
But I read that Alfred will have a major part to play in Vikings the final 10 episodes. So I think I will wait after that. So that I don’t have problems keeping the two Alfred’s out of each other. (Which would be December when that show ends). The Premise of the Last Kingdom sounds promising. How many seasons are there ordered? Or is the show already finished? (I rather watch finished shows right now too many shows that are still busy)
kevin1989,
It depends on the shade of reddish-brown, Kevin. There is the auburn shade and also ‘chestnut’ – like the shade of the horse chestnut fruit (the one you play ‘conkers’ with) – not the sweet chestnut – nobody should eat the fruit of the horse chestnut. I don’t have any whiskey in the house but I bought some gin recently with the intention of making some homemade (DIY) hand sanitiser but it isn’t strong enough to kill off the Covid-19 virus. I have learned that you need a stronger spirit to make the hand sanitiser – that’s why I’ve bought the ‘rubbing alcohol’ (surgical spirit). I gave myself a drink of gin and orange earlier this afternoon but am lying down now because I’m a bit like the subject of the song ‘I belong to Glasgow, dear old Glasgow town’. I’m not in Glasgow as I’m in England not Scotland but like the bit of the song that says ‘There’s something the matter with Glasgow ’cause it’s going round and round” – my habitual intake of alcohol is very small so the gin and orange has had an effect on me even though it was not a large drink so I’m resting up till the effect of the booze has worn off. I’m not too badly off for soap so at present don’t have a problem with my 20 second hand washes.
As my old lady/over 60s activities (which include a Spanish class) are on hiatus at present I’ve been looking at the Los Siete Reinos site to get some practice in Spanish. However it is my aural and oral Spanish which is ‘pants’ – my written Spanish may not be fantastic but it is better than my ability to listen to and follow a conversation in Spanish.
Oh, you joker you. I didn’t mind the show ending personally though Messrs B&W have said themselves they were taking a different route to wind up at the same ending (as GRRM). It’s not necessarily (in Sincerely Thine’s opinion) wholly a bad thing that the books (hopefully when they are published) may have some different plot points to the show because if they were going to be EXACTLY the same as the show then why bother reading them. If people hate the show ending one isn’t going to change their minds so I think (not that anyone takes any notice of me) it’s best to agree to disagree.
Ten Bears,
I have to see both movies. And give my verdict on what’s the best then.
kevin1989,
A friend of mine told me good things about Peaky Blinders. I’ll try it. At this moment, I’m rewatching The Wire. It’s a very dense series in which the main character, a bit like GoT, is not the people portrayed by actors but the world they are in; the city of Baltimore and its society in that case.
something about fifteen times between 1988 and 1992. now comb the desert for asking such a question!
speaking of space movies, comedy section:
death by chickenfire,
Here’s a relatively spoiler free scene from “The Outlaw Josey Wales” featuring Chief Dan George.
——-
Lone Watie meets Josey Wales
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atzmdijMfRY
—-
I don’t know, and I haven’t read the books, but I’m told that each season covers roughly two books in the series. So with the upcoming S4 we must be up to eight books now, and so far twelve have been published. We know that Uhtred, the main character, is going to live to a good age as the series is the story of his life.
I didn’t know about Alfred’s reappearance in Vikings. They have altered his story considerably though.
[Cheap Segue…]
Bill Pullman (Lone Star in that scene from “Spaceballs”) stars in “Zero Effect” (1998).
“Zero Effect” is one of the films in my Top Ten Favorite Movies of All Time.
Dame of Mercia,
Best to use is handsoap, try to wash enough with soap when you need to, in the end soap works better than hand sanatizer, at least that is what the RIVM told our country. And try to use enough handcreme to restore the skin. And if you use handsanatizer don’t cook on gas directly after it. Some people are in hospital with burned hands.
Still learning, that’s great. Spanish is a beautiful language. I sometimes wish I was better at languages. I’m ok-ish with dutch and English but other languages I always have difficulty with.
Tiago,
The wire, what an amazing show. Watched that show I think 2 or 3 times. Love the characters, the city everything. Brilliant piece of art. Which season are you in? Is Aiden Gillen already shown up? Did you know they wanted Dominic West first for the role of Mance Rayder but he declined?
As for Peaky Blinders. It’s an amazing show, and one of the best cast there is. It’s about a gang-group: The peaky blinders. It started right of when WW1 ended, every season shows a time in their lifes (I think the show ends when WW2 starts). It’s about the power the main character gains through it and the means he goes for it. The characters are brilliant. And it shows points in history which are very interesting. Season 2 is especially when the season gets great, where Tom Hardy gets into the show. Also some GoT actors are in the show like: Lord Locke, Littlefinger, Doran Martell and some others.
If you like a good character driven story that focus on family combined with showing the criminals side of things set into the beginning of the 20th century this show is for you.
EDIT: What stands out with Peaky blinders is that when the episodes are written all by the same person. Every season has it’s own director who only does that season. So every season has it’s own vibe but every season stands out on it’s own because every director has it’s own take. The only downside is if you don’t like a certain director you won’t like the whole seasons direction.
Grandmaester Flash,
Oh sorry didn’t knew you watched Vikings. Me neither but I wanted to make sure that Alfred stayed away from Vikings before starting a show with his character, but the writer told he will be getting back in the final 10 episodes. (which I like, it shows the writer wants to finish all storylines properly).
But somehow it feels amazing to watch the Last Kingdom after Vikings is done, that means that I still have a show that sets in that timeline over once Vikings stops. I find such tv-shows interesting.
Well okay, if nobody else is going to mention it, here’s one of the best Guilty Pleasure movies of all time…
“Dirty Dancing” (1987)
#NobodyPutsBabyInACorner
Ten Bears,
Great guilty pleasure movie Ten Bears.
Question about the Martian. Did you watch the extended cut and is the extended scenes worth it?
Tiago,
Both among my favorite series (The Wire is my top 1 of all times) !
The photography in Peaky Blinders is sooo beautiful. Enjoy!
In a different style, I enjoyed La Casa de Papel, especially season 1 (both suspenseful and funny), in my country it’s on Netflix
Efi: The Departed is also among my favorite films.
Someone (sorry, too many posts to catch up with, I can’t remember who) quoted Ran by Kurosawa : great film, too (lots of other Kurosawa are, but I’ don’t know their titles in English).
I loved Inception, too (and enjoyed Ad Astra); not sure about Interstellar (too… scientific for me, black holes and worms baffle me).
One of my favorite western is by Wellman (Westward the women…1951)
I love old films and my top 10 list would probably be before 1970 or somewhere around the 1980s-1990s., so I won’t try.
kevin1989,
• Good to know you agree about Guilty Pleasure movie “Dirty Dancing.”✅
Honestly, I did not think I would like it based on its description. Yet from this early scene (below) I was hooked. And the music! And Cynthia Rhodes dancing! [She’s the blonde dancing with Patrick Swayze in the scene below. Instant celeb crush for younger me.]
Scene from “Dirty Dancing”:
Francine (“Baby”) meets Johnny
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijK0WTB_-RY
———
• I am not sure if I saw the “extended” cut of The Martian. Frankly, I didn’t realize there were two different versions. I saw it on cable about a year or two ago.
Dame of Mercia,
I recently watched some rewrites on YouTube for season 8 and I can’t believe how bad they were but the people in the comments sections call them “amazing” and better than the original. Bad plots mixed with bad fan service, fan theories and a pretty bad fairy tale end. Every rewrite had a completely different plot than the original version. So much for it that the main issue is the “how” and not the “what”. This fandom is hypocritical and the worst ever.
The amount of nasty hate Mr. Benioff and Mr. Weiss getting on social media again because of their cameo in Westworld makes me ashamed of this fandom.
The Wire is extraordinary TV. Besteva!
And space movies…..Does “My Life as a Dog” count as a space movie?
The Children Of Men is a great movie. I really like Clive Owen – I thought he would have had a bigger career than he seems to be having at the moment.
Any list of movies worth seeing must include The Godfather.
I watched “Snatch” (2000) tonight with my friend before she sets off home to England (eek, airports), and although I hadn’t forgotten how much I love that movie, I’d forgotten how much I love Brad Pitt and Vinnie Jones in it. And of course my reason for seeing the movie 20 years (?!?!) ago to begin with, my crush Benicio del Toro. Has anyone seen “The Gentlemen”? I thought it looked like a bit of a throwback to the Guy Ritchie movies of old (sigh), but I am prepared to be disappointed. I’m such a pessimist. 🤪
Children of Men was a great movie! I had read a number of PD James books before I even clued in that she’d written the one that the movie is based on. Clive Owen is a fantastic actor who has had a few movie bombs, for sure. I really liked the campy “Shoot ‘Em Up” with Paul Giamatti and Monica Belucci. 😁
Pigeon,
PD James is a writer* who continued actively writing into old age – she was 94 when she died in 2014. She’s one of the examples I give sometimes as a hope ‘Winds of Winter’ may be published and appear in book shops.
* Do I hear a collective rendition of “You’ve said that before Dame” from other readers/posters on this thread?
Regarding mention upthread of soap, I have hand soap (not the liquid variety). Although I’m limiting leaving my home to the absolute minimum at present sometimes cakes of soap in public lavatories get stolen or if they are in liquid containers those containers are allowed to run out. That said I haven’t been to a public loo for a while in the present unusual circumstances. I was thinking of carrying hand sanitiser with me in case I needed to touch a surface that had been touched by all and sundry. For instance I want to combine my one allowed exercise period per day (a walk) with going to a cash machine to get some money to pay the person who will be shopping for me. I can ‘glove up’ of course – I did mention about the ‘Marigolds’ yesterday. I could use a piece of Kleenex* to cover the keypad at the ATM I suppose.
*Another word where a brand name has become synonymous (in the UK anyhow) for any paper handkerchief made by any manufacturer.
I found out yesterday that the supposedly refined Victorians had a rather descriptive slang word for a handkerchief skittishlibrary.co.uk/victorian-slang-of-the-week-snobstick-and-a-lot-of-snot (If people don’t want to click on the link the work is ‘snottinger’). And to think I thought GRRM was a bit crude with ‘the more she drank the more she sh*t’ and his sometimes liberal use of the word c*ck – and he wasn’t talking about Chanticleer.
In my hometown I’ve seen on the borough website that public loos are closed at present so my remark about lack of soap therein (cakes of soap people sometimes steal and not just in the current epidemic) doesn’t apply at present.
Ten Bears,
I think that was the normal cut, they most of the time go for that version.
I think I will go for that version and look online the extended scenes.
I love the Wire, it’s one of my favourite shows of all time. I’ve not seen Peaky Blinders but here in the UK it has a cult/fairly large and positive reception.
Thinking of other shows I would suggest as follows:
1) Sopranos
2) Breaking Bad
3) The Wire
4) MindHunter (Netflix)
5) Marvel series (Netflix)
6) Narcos (Netflix)
I guess my genre is more crime related!
I’ve been using anti-bacterial surface wipes when I go to a town. Wipe down trolley handles with one, and cover my finger with one when using keypads etc. I’ve got some hand sanitiser, but it’s hard to get so I’m only using it sparingly.
A lovely film which always lifts my spirits and provides plenty of laughs is “Waking Ned”. (in some countries the title is “Waking Ned Devine”.) It’s a comedy about a lottery win in a small Irish village. I have it on DVD, but I think it may be available to stream somewhere. Check it out and thank me later.
Grandmaester Flash,
“Waking Ned Devine” has been compared to the movie I’ve been yakking about, “Hear My Song.” Thanks to your recommendation I shall put it on my “To Watch” list.
Bonus: I looked up the cast. James Nesbitt appears in “Waking Ned Devine.” James Nesbitt also appeared in “Hear My Song” – his first movie.
James Nesbitt co-starred in “Gold” with Maisie Williams.
…Proving once again the ancient Roman adage:
“All roads lead to ASNAWP.”
🗡👸🏻
Dame of Mercia,
Grandmaester Flash,
Q: Although I’ve been trying to educate myself on anti-virus countermeasures, one thing that hasn’t been clear is what kind of soap is best for hand-washing?
I’ve got (blue, liquid) Dawn dishwashing detergent, as well as Ivory bar soap. (I’ve also got some gift boxes with perfumed cake soap and perfumed liquid.)
Does anyone know which is best?
Great. Now six days later (as of yesterday, 3/24/20) there are 1,467 cases in Florida.
F*cking Spring Breakers. Dummy MAGA Governor. Clueless tourists.
https://www.fox13news.com/news/florida-covid-19-cases-increase-by-240-tuesday-bringing-total-to-1467
Dame of Mercia,
It’s frustrating that my state governor and putative President seem to be willing to sacrifice people to save “the economy.”
We need a leader like Lord Commander Jon Snow to inspire and unite the people…
________
Jon Snow speech to Wildlings in Hardhome (S5e8)
at 3:36
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Qxutn-AJ2o
“The Long Night is coming and the dead come with it. No clan can stop them, the Free Folk can’t stop them, the Night’s Watch can’t stop them, and all the southern kings can’t stop them. Only together, all of us, and even then it might not be enough but at least we’ll give the f*ckers a fight.”
– Jon Snow
Pigeon,
Clive Owen was good in one of my Guilty Pleasure movies: “Sin City” (2005).
Ten Bears,
I think all all good. Best is using soap, handsanitizer only works if you also use soap. And try to buy a bottle of handcreme too help your skin when using soap.
kevin1989,
What kind of soap? Liquid dishwashing detergent like Dawn?
https://www.google.com/search?q=dawn+dish+soap&client=safari&hl=en-us&prmd=sinv&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjJy9Gr2bXoAhVBgK0KHQWdCp4Q_AUoAnoECBQQAg&biw=414&bih=606&dpr=3#imgrc=LhsGeGrSSZ8KLM
… or bar soap 🧼?
LOL 😆
Ten Bears,
That’s a GREAT one!
So, I really just realized that the main reason the gov’t wants us to shelter in place is to save the hospitals. They want to avoid the run on the hospitals. It’s not necessarily to prevent us all from getting it eventually. But the problem is that as Sansa said, ”
Sansa: How much do we have?
MW: 4,000 bushels, my lady.
S: What does that mean?
LR: For the current occupants of the castle, it’s enough food for a year, perhaps more.
S: And what’s the longest winter in the past hundred years?
MW: Uh, I’m not entirely certain. I’ll check Maester Luwin’s records. He kept a copy of every raven scroll.
S: You’re telling me we don’t have enough food, especially not if the armies of the North come back to defend Winterfell?
MW: No, my lady, most likely not. “…
So even at Winterfell, they couldn’t survive a siege forever. In the USA there’s plenty of food, but society breaks down at a certain point when people can’t work and they have no income to buy supplies. The Gov’t can send some money, but it’s never going to be enough to pay for 350 million people to live for long periods of time.
If we’re waiting for a vaccine before people can go back to normal, that could be over a year inside.
I think the decision is how long of a long night is long enough before the hospitals won’t be overrun. I don’t think they have an answer. In fact, I heard the doctors saying we need herd immunity, which means that lots of folks have to get the virus before it will go away. And eventually in more than a year they will have a vaccine (for next season).
So, I don’t know if it’s as cut and dry as if we let people out people will die. Yes, I might die as well. I’m a year away from the high risk group. But at some point you have to go out and say “not today”. It’s just a matter of when that day is. Easter seems too soon, but I don’t know how much difference another month makes on the hospitals being overrun. Maybe it does make a huge difference, but in the end, people have to get back out there or they may be like the lords dying in their castles for other reasons. Ok I can see the arrows coming at me…. but I was thinking alot about this yesterday, and it really just dawned on me that the main reason for sheltering in place was the hospital overrun and not necessarily to keep us from all getting it.
New tinfoil theory: GRRM started world-wide virus to give himself time to write:
Favourite comments from thread:
😆
Here’s another GoT-related, fun movie (featuring Mark Addy, aka King Robert):
The Full Monty (1997)
—-
Mark Addy as Dave:
“Anti-wrinkle cream there may be,
but anti-fat bastard cream there is none.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unHyQfN0ucg
——-
kevin1989,
kevin1989,
Apparently any soap is good, hand soap, bar soap, fancy soaps, dish soap etc. Hand sanitizer is good for when you can’t wash your hands but do so as soon as you cannot 20-30 seconds. 👍🏻
Tron79,
“In fact, I heard the doctors saying we need herd immunity, which means that lots of folks have to get the virus before it will go away…
***
Ok I can see the arrows coming at me…. but I was thinking alot about this yesterday, and it really just dawned on me that the main reason for sheltering in place was the hospital overrun and not necessarily to keep us from all getting it.”
No arrows, Mance.
If (when) hospitals are overrun, non-COVID patients will die, along with doctors and nurses. Then we’re truly f*cked.
Orange Walder already squandered two months that could’ve been spent nipping the problem in the bud. Now he’s intimating that we should just let millions of people join the Army of the Dead. F*ck ventilators. F*ck respirators. F*ck grandma and grandpa. Save the Dow!
🤬
Adrianacandle,
I’m not sure Pitch Perfect 2 makes any one of my lists, but I did enjoy Birgitte H-S (Karsi in GoT S5e8) in a comedy/song and dance role.
————
from Pitch Perfect 2
The Kommisar (Karsi) & Beca
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=195eZr56-F0
—
Das Sound Machine (starring Karsi) – “Fire” Song
“So light ’em up, up, up
Light ’em up, up, up
Light ’em up, up, up
I’m on fire!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzccYDfVWqQ
——
Tron79,
… I should add – in partial agreement with your conclusion but for slightly different reasons – that after weeks or months in seclusion, I fear that many people will just throw up their hands, venture out, and dare the God of Death: “Not today.”
Or alternatively, channeling S4e10 Sandor:
“F*ck it. I’m ready.”
This is a good tip! Most (including myself) wash hands for like 5 seconds or so before rinsing and drying. 30 seconds seems like forever but the CDC explains why 15-30 seconds of washing cleanses microbes and germs from your hands 🙂
I love those clips! I’d say the Pitch Perfect movies makes my comfort-movie list, wait– Karsi is in Pitch Perfect 2?! Omg, she is!!
Those are good clips XD
Somebody (not here) said that as secondary bacterial infections can follow if one’s system is weakened by Covid-19 bacterial killing hand sanitisers could be useful there.
I liked The Wire though I had to wait till it was on a terrestrial channel to watch it.
I suppose there is no harm done if people like ‘Kingdom of Heaven’ as long as they remember it isn’t particularly true to history. I don’t want to watch it – I suppose similarly to how some people wanted to stop watching GoT when they veered away from the book Dorne plot. Then (although I was only a little girl when I first watched it) I did like the Charles Laughton film about Henry VIII which didn’t tell a 100% accurate tale about Henry VIII. So I myself have liked some films that weren’t necessarily true to history. I’ll give the Sybilla actress a pass on her accent in KoH as the nobles in Outremer did speak with a variant of the Norman French accent. It’s a bit strange when a naturally blonde actress is playing the part of a historical blonde (pictures I’ve seen of Sybilla depict her as blonde) noblewoman with dyed dark hair but that could be down to the director/producer I suppose.
Yeah. And the danger could be from within. My wife today said she wasn’t talking to me. I asked if I did something or I didn’t do something and she said she’s not talking to me about it. The longer we are shut in it’s going to be interesting. I honestly have no clue what I did but that could be the problem!
Yes! That’s Karsi in Pitch Perfect 2 as “the Kommisar” (of the Bellas’ rival group, Das Sound Machine).
Hard to believe that’s the same actress who portrayed the valiant Wildling chieftainess in “Hardhome” – and was the runaway winner of the WotT Award for Best Guest Actress of Season 5.
She’s unrecognizable as the snarky blonde German singer in Pitch Perfect 2 who’s so attractive to Beca she can’t help complimenting her when she’s trying to criticize her. 🥰
Adrianacandle,
After rewatching the Pitch Perfect 2 clips (in my 10:34 am comment) and the “Hardhome” scene (in my 8:32 am comment) back to back…
I’m still finding it difficult to accept that the same actress who played the Komissar also played Karsi!
did anyone notice this thread might have been the longest thread anywhere since GoT ended without half of the comments fighting about whether the ending was ok or not? corona is pushing us to things we couldn’t have imagined a year ago. like, helping each other, acting responsible, understanding the difference between experts and loudmouths, not categorizing D&D into “br*ll*ant” on one side and “worst job ever” on the other. did anyone notice?
“there is only one reality that matters. and it’s here.” (Dr. Fauci, expert)
anyway, i add another two recommendations.
and as we cannot get enough of comedy these days, and surely not of Peter Dinklage:
Tron79,
“So, I really just realized that the main reason the gov’t wants us to shelter in place is to save the hospitals. They want to avoid the run on the hospitals. It’s not necessarily to prevent us all from getting it eventually.”
Forgive me to jump in the discussion. At first, I also had the same thought. “they’re only protecting themselves; they’re doing it for the healthcare system”.
Then the doctors in Italy went public on our TV and said specifically that they are keeping the older people out of the ICUs because they have to put the younger people in them. They have to give the younger generations, meaning those who are in their 40s, 50s or 60s a chance, even if that means that 70 year old people will die. And so they do, in Italy, in Spain and elsewhere.
The truth is that no country, no matter how large, rich, or powerful, has enough ICUs to help all people who will get sick and keep them from dying an agonizing death.
A doctor from Spain said last night that they keep the older people out, sedate them, and then hold their hand as they die because they have no one of their own near them.
So this is not for the doctors not working too much, or not wanting to overburden the system.
It’s for us to stay safe and healthy. It’s for our chance not to die.
One of our doctors said in yesterday’s press conference (there’s one every day) that the ICUs do not cure people. The ICUs basically keep the main organs from failing, in this case, the lungs, and provides them with air for avoiding suffocation and buys them time while the inflicted fight the disease on their own. They’re trying combinations of medicine on each of the patients, but since no cure has been found yet, there’s not much they can do apart from what they’re doing already.
All this put things in the right perspective for me. The point is to not get the virus; if we do (heaven forbid) and we get sick, then we’d like for the system to be in a position to support us, and our own, no matter the age.
Now that the virus is spreading it’s clear that younger people are not safe either. 18-20 year olds died (not to mention 40y-o, that’s established already), and in the US a minor. (so they said, I don’t know if it’s true).
Better to be safe than sorry.
Also, I have to wonder. Boris will go down in history as the one who allowed for the royal family to be infected. Wtf?
(or perhaps I shouldn’t wonder that much; Merkel is quarantined)
Adrianacandle,
Well, the Olympics already moved to 2021…
Ten Bears,
Any type of soap will do. That for dish washing is also very good. And you can always check the internet to see how to make handsanitizer yourself. It’s very fashionable over here, because anti-bacterial soaps and liquids are exhausted. Also, our pharmacist made handsanitizers himself. Perhaps yours does too.
GRRM SPREAD VIRUS TO POSTPONE THE OLYMPICS TO GIVE HIMSELF MORE TIME!
(On a serious note: Yeah, I saw that… 🙁 I really feel for everybody who spent so much time, training, and money making preparations)
Ten Bears,
“Your sweat smells like cinnamon!…. Dammit!”
Anna Kendrick and Birgitte Hjort Sørensen were both great in those scenes!
She made me a bit flustered as well… 😉
I know! She’s awesome!!
Efi,
Re: sheltering in place:
“It’s for us to stay safe and healthy. It’s for our chance not to die.”
Thank you for stating this so succinctly!
I’ve shut myself in, partly because I want to be a good citizen and don’t want to be a “spreader.”
Selfishly though, I do NOT want to get sick. I have a very low threshold for pain and discomfort. Even if I’d get “mild” symptoms, I would most certainly not enjoy a hacking cough, fatigue, shortness of breath, etc.
I’m a whinger, not a trouper.
Dying wouldn’t be a picnic either. It’s not as if you drift off peacefully. Drowning in my own fluids is right up there with what Mance called “a bad way to go.” 🔥
Survival after an extended stay in ICU (assuming there’d be a bed and ventilator available) with scarred lung tissue and other permanent damage – nope, that’s not palatable for me either.
This 3/18/20 New York magazine narrative was enough to scare the sh*t out of me. (I’ve posted this before. Let me warn again: Parts are kind of graphic.)
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/03/the-story-of-a-coronavirus-infection.html
So yeah, I do not want to die. I do not want my brothers and sisters or their children to die. I do not want to be the one who spreads the virus to other people and their families, and causes them to die. And I do not want to suffer either.
Sitting on my ass and being bored out of my mind (or watching movies and reading books) – that’s not so terrible compared to the alternative.
– End unintended rant –
Ten Bears,
Bar soap. or Liquid handsoap like: https://www.amazon.com/Softsoap-Liquid-Hand-Fresh-Breeze/dp/B079FV6PRH
Never use soap that you use for either dishes or your clothes, it really is bad for your skin. But if you don’t have hand-soap better go for ones for dishes (if you do it with hand, never use dishwasher liquid) but make sure afterwards you use a handcreme.
Adrianacandle,
”Your sweat smells like cinnamon!…. Dammit!”
Anna Kendrick and Birgitte Hjort Sørensen were both great in those scenes!
She made me a bit flustered as well… 😉“
I’m still finding it difficult to accept that the same actress who played the Komissar also played Karsi!
“I know! She’s awesome!!“
Yes! Both actresses were fabulous in those scenes! And Birgitte Hjort Sørensen got the accents down perfectly for both roles.
One of my regrets about S8’s “The Long Night” is that we didn’t see any recognizable, deceased characters return as wights. (I was so hoping Lord Glover would be wightened so someone could bisect him and torch him…)
After seeing undead Karsi’s blue eyes snap open at the end of “Hardhome,” I had been hoping we’d see her again – vs. Jon Snow or Tormund. (Having Karsi’s daughters confront their wightened mom 🧟♀️ would’ve been too ghoulish for me though.)
kevin1989,
Thanks for the tip!
(And not surprisingly, the hand soap you linked is “Currently Unavailable” on Amazon.)
I’ll use Ivory or Safeguard bar soap. They’re fragrance-free. Moisturizing lotions make my hands feel greasy though.
Adrianacandle,
Do you like Reese Witherspoon? Another movie recommendation from me is on its way: A Reese Witherspoon movie that’s in both my Top Ten Favorites of All Time and my Guilty Pleasure movies lists.
While she deservedly won the Best Actress Oscar for “Walk the Line,” she should’ve gotten it for an earlier role – in a twisted take on Little Red Riding Hood.
(to be cont.)
Mango,
Space movies?
One of my favorites is the (underrated) “Alien Resurrection” starring Sigourney Weaver, Ron Perlman, Winona Ryder, and a bunch of good character actors.
Here’s a one of my favorite scenes. Slightly spoilerish, though it can kind of serve as an introductory synopsis of the movie.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxDfECfLlF8
—
Tron79,
Herd-immunity will take 8+ years for our country (with the resources we have). We need to do what China and South Korea did. They did a full lockdown (means only food stores and pharma are open.). They did this 2 months now they are slowly open the country from lockdown. I don’t know what I’m going to say is completely right but what I remember from what some virologist said from South Korea is that how the virus works is: Person A gets sick after a while he gets either better or he dies. Both cases the virus dies in that host. So to survive the virus needs to infect another virus before either the host dies or b the host is immune to the virus.
The lockdown helps because it stops that the virus can spread and infect others. If we know the time between getting the virus and the longest it takes for becoming immune. And we have a lockdown that is a bit longer than that, we can make sure the virus dies out because either everyone is dead who had the virus or is immune.
The only thing is this only works when you closed the borders until the whole world have done that. That means we can’t do flying until it is over everywhere. I think this method is also done with many outbreaks of Ebola where we quarentine the whole group where the infection is and wait out who survives.
This is why it’s important that everybody stays home unless you need to buy food or get medicine. I also hope that the medicines and vaccines we are producing will work and help a lot of people. The virus is bad (a friend of mine got it and it’s not pleasant and much worse than the normal flue, even for the mild version he had).
Adrianacandle,
hahaha brilliant.
MotherofWolves,
I only know from myself but I always get irritated and blistered skin when coming in contact with dishsoap. That’s why I think it works, it kills all the bacteria, but I don’t think it’s that good for your hands. I’m not a dermatologist. As for soap that we use for clothes (how is that called in english). I know that that can be use to destroy fungal nail (right word?) but that you need handcreme to soften the skin else it can give problems. So I only meant as: take care of your skin, it’s a shame if you wash your hands to get rid of the virus but in the end your hands are irritated from it.
Adrianacandle,
Luckily I already need to do that when at work. When at work I at least need to wash 3 times my hands and wrist, so I’m probably one of the few young man of 30 who use handcreme to make sure my hands keep healthy.
Dame of Mercia,
Thank you, now I understand the handsanitizer hoarding. But we get so much information lately that somehow I can’t really keep things seperated what was said.
Also the big news outlet on tv state something of an advice. If you notice you read the news too much. Keep your phone at the outlet the whole day. Don’t touch it. Overload of news can make you depressed and feeling more isolated. I like that they did that.
Tron79,
Oh boy Tron. What did you do? Was it a special day that you forgot? Maybe wedding day? Maybe you said something in your sleep?
Maybe ask some woman here what to do.
I think trying to get it out of her won’t help. Maybe try to make her day more comfortable like, giving her some space and maybe putting her favorite chocolates on the table for her, show her you give her room but still are there for her when she needs you.
Is it a bit like this tron?
https://i.pinimg.com/474x/95/c6/28/95c62857e7ab7009b55f75113dd9805b–the-day-the-ojays.jpg
But I hope your wife feels better soon.
Efi,
I didn’t knew that yet about the doctors making a choice. Damn that literally just made me have tears in my eyes. That’s the hardest decision a person can ever made, making that choice, and it’s happening now. Also that family members can’t say goodbye that was even here, you can’t touch the love one who has passed away. I remember when my grandparents all died who I had a great bond with, one thing that helped me with the grieving process was that I could touch them and say goodbye to them. The though that people can’t do that, well that just breaks my heart. It’s not only losing a loved one, it’s losing a proper way of saying goodbye.
Ten Bears,
Stay healthy ten bears (and everyone here).
What do we say to the god of death? 🙂 :'(
Ten Bears,
Ow yes it was more for visual reference. But try to buy one with a pump. That way you can use one hand under it. Use your wrist to push it in (most people have I think a sweater that still remains over the wrist tis time of year I think). That way your hands won’t touch the bottle. This way is how I do it.
Also the RIVM here say best to use paper towels so you can throw them away.
death by chickenfire,
”…did anyone notice this thread might have been the longest thread anywhere since GoT ended without half of the comments fighting about whether the ending was ok or not?”
I had not noticed. I’m glad you did. Good observation!
”Corona is pushing us to things we couldn’t have imagined a year ago. like, helping each other, acting responsible, understanding the difference between experts and loudmouths, not categorizing D&D into “br*ll*ant” on one side and “worst job ever” on the other. did anyone notice?”
At the risk of sounding like I’m trivializing an existential threat by alluding to GoT, I can’t help but think back to Davos’s speech to Lyanna Mormont in S6e7 about “our war” being more important than “a few squabbling houses,” how there’s no escaping this threat, and how fighting it “together” is paramount.
Similarly, after acknowledging each side’s long-standing enmities and prejudices, when Jon Snow and Tormund addressed the Wildling chieftains in S5e8 (which I linked and cited above) they implored them to focus on the big picture: survival.
We’re all facing this once-in-a-generation global threat. It kind of renders insignificant the debate over “I’m forever grateful for the brilliant Mr. Benioff and Mr. Weiss” vs “”I’m disappointed D&D f*cked up the ending.”
There’s no silver lining to this worldwide clusterf*ck. At least it’s bringing out some of our common humanity. Hopefully, it will signal the beginning of a rejection of the anti-science, wealth-hoarding, xenophobic, “f*ck you, Snowflake” mindset that’s infected too many people.
“Helping each other” has somehow become looked down upon. “Personal responsibility” has become a dog whistle for “You’re on your own; it’s your problem if you can’t take care of yourself” (or as pre-remorseful Sandor Clegane said, “He’s weak. He can’t protect himself…Dead men don’t need silver.”)
Though I’m not old enough to remember the 60’s, my older brother indoctrinated me in its optimistic, egalitarian worldview. I thought we’d build on that and progress from there. Instead, a dog-eat-dog, misanthropic selfishness emerged.
How did that happen?
I’m a bit late for the answer, but I’ve just finished season 2, the one centered at the port. Ainda Gillen appears from season 3 onwards. This rewatching has been good to notice some things that I didn’t at the first time. And I know that Jimmy McNulty was approached to be Mance Rayder. His Mance would have a physical appearance more in line with the one in the book. Ciaran Hinds was very good though.
AnnOther,
Good choice to be your top series of all time. Mine are The Wire, Breaking Bad and GoT. I don’t like to put one over the others. It’s good that you mentioned The Departed. It’s one of my favourite movies as well. The best one from Scorsese in XXI century IMO.
kevin1989,
[About liquid hand soap]: ”Oh yes it was more for visual reference. But try to buy one with a pump. That way you can use one hand under it.”
Unsurprisingly, a few hoarders have wiped out the stocks of hand soaps and disinfecting wipes. Stores post large signs in their windows that they have none of these items. Again, more of the “f*ck you, I got mine” mindset where a selfish few disregard the needs of the many.
A handful of stores got it right, and I hope others follow their lead:
On the shelves for hand sanitizers, they‘ve posted price signs, e.g.:
“$2.99 for one. Two or more for $39.99 each.”
🤓
Ten Bears,
Agree with that Ten Bears in the end those debates don’t really matter do they.
Tiago,
Great season the dock. The smuggling season.
Yes I agree, I think that he would have been an amazing Mance, I think he can also sing. But still I’m happy with Cirian hinds, we can be grateful to have had such a great actor playing Mance Rayder. I think what Cirian Hinds did right was portrait Mance personality, I really feel what Mance made Mance in the books was also in the portrial of Cirian Hinds.
Tiago,
There seems to be a consensus that “The Wire” was an amazing show. ✅Added to my “To Watch” list. Same with “Breaking Bad.”
kevin1989,
”I didn’t knew that yet about the doctors making a choice. Damn that literally just made me have tears in my eyes.”
It’s a day or two away from happening in New York City, and it will soon happen here in Florida too. 😖
Ten Bears,
They both are amazing.
Ten Bears,
I hope it won’t get that bad in any part of the world. I really hope they can keep control in NY and that the measurements did it’s work and that it will give it’s result before it comes to that 🙁
kevin1989,
Somebody withheld money from Ukraine to extort personal, political favors. That somebody ignored warnings of the approaching pandemic for two months. That somebody has been withholding federal aid to New York for testing, respirators, ventilators and protective gear – whether out of vindictiveness, delusions, or selfishness.
People are going to die as a result.
Down here in Florida, the lack of testing snd failure to lock down – while allowing Spring Breakers, tourists and dummies to congregate and party on beaches, in pubs, and in airports – is going to cause a massive eruption in Coronavirus cases over the next two weeks. Italy 2.0.
I wish I had reason to be optimistic. 😣
kevin1989,
So “The Wire” and “Breaking Bad” were amazing?
I’ll have to see how many total hours of binge-watching I can get out of them.
I was a latecomer to Game of Thrones. I binge-watched Seasons 1 to 3 when I was laid up in bed, looking for a distraction, and HBO was having its pre-Season 4 marathon. I figured I’d have a look and see what the hoopla was all about.
As soon as that little girl zinged the arrow into the bullseye and took a bow, I was hooked. Thirty waking hours later, I was all better and ready for the premiere of Season 4.
Needless to say, I was not disappointed with the season premiere, “Two Chickens” — I mean “Two Swords.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwQAZ7_SjgU
I hope “The Wire” and “Breaking Bad” will be as engrossing.
Yes exactly that picture! She never did tell me today and she had the same look as the picture so I was on edge all day too. Stress is building. She’s checking things out online most of the day with things such as the best way to return from the grocery and disinfect everything… she’s making her own DIY masks (which are actually pretty creative!). I’m sure it will come out at some point what I did or didn’t do. I didn’t push things at this point. She usually writes me a long email eventually, but nothing popped up today.
Oh, Tron! Oh, that picture! I feel for you, dude.
I’ve… done that…
Oh man, that’s stressful.
Tron79,
• If it’s any consolation, you’re not alone. Most couples I know are not used to being together 24/7 in the same place. They tell me that the time they are used to spending apart each day (e.g., at work) would make them look forward to their evenings together. Now that’s all gone, and little idiosyncrasies they overlooked in each other before, are now grating on them big time.
• [This is NOT directed at you]: My best friend is an attorney specializing in family law. He had to shut down his office. He’s concerned his business will dry up.
I told him not to worry. I assured him that in a week’s time, he’ll start to get a flood of new divorce cases from clients who’ve realized they really can’t stand their spouses and can’t bear to be around them for another minute.
• This is a new reality for couples and families. I’m not sure anything could prepare any of us for this abrupt change from normal life to indefinite isolation.
• Some of my married friends have said four hours of “alone time” for each of them per day helps soothe their nerves. If they have kids, they take turns watching them. I have no idea if this is a workable long-term solution.
• If I’m being too forward please forgive me: Does your mate know what a good writer you are? I’d be thrilled if my spouse wrote stories with a semi-fictionalized version of me as the protagonist.
Done what?
Ten Bears,
Thanks to you and those clips, I’m watching Pitch Perfect now. Singing Karsi has it all.
Who can blame Beca?
Beca: Okay, just because you are making me sexually confused does not mean that you are intimidating me! We have nothing to lose! We have literally nothing to lose!
Beca: You are physically flawless.
Kommissar: Thank you.
Beca: But it doesn’t mean I like you!
Kommissar: Have you abandoned your foolish plans to face us at World’s?
Beca: Sorry to disappoint you, you– gorgeous specimen!
Kommissar: Thank-you.
Beca: She’s really in my head.
Agreed. And it would have been nice to see Karsi making a second appearance, reminding Jon and Tormund of Hardhome and the losses there.
YES! I’ve watched Pleasantville, Cruel Intentions (with a Buffy-era Sarah Michelle Gellar!), and Legally Blonde way too many times because of her!
Refused to talk to somebody while giving them these looks from Kevin’s meme here… All day…
It must definitely be stressful for the target of such looks.
I’ve probably lost points for that, pushing me ever closer to the Bad Place (Good Place reference! A GOOD SHOW.)
(I did laugh way too hard at that picture though. Good find, Kevin!)
Adrianacandle,
At 5:37 pm yesterday, I asked…
”Do you like Reese Witherspoon? Another movie recommendation from me is on its way: A Reese Witherspoon movie that’s in both my Top Ten Favorites of All Time and my Guilty Pleasure movies lists.
While she deservedly won the Best Actress Oscar for “Walk the Line,” she should’ve gotten it for an earlier role – in a twisted take on Little Red Riding Hood.
(to be cont.)“
———————-
Here’s the recommendation…
Caveat: It was one of those love it or hate it movies. Now it’s becoming a cult classic, primarily because a young Reese Witherspoon was so dynamic in it. I think she was 18 or 19 when she filmed it.
The movie is…
Freeway (1996), written and directed by Matthew Bright
Starring:
• Reese Witherspoon as white trash teenager Vanessa Lutz
• Kiefer Sutherland as child psychologist Bob Wolverton
Co-starring:
Amanda Plummer as Vanessa’s hooker mom, Ramona
Bookeem Woodbine as Chopper, Vanessa’s fiance
Brooke Shields as Bob’s wife Mimi Wolverton
Michael T. Weiss as Vanessa’s crackhead stepfather, Larry
Dan Hedaya, as Detective Wallace, heading the search for “the I-5 Killer”
Wolfgang Bodison as Detective Breer, Wallace’s partner
Brittany Murphy as Rhonda, a heroin aficionado and jailhouse ally of Vanessa
Alana Ubach as jailhouse gang leader Mesquita [Alana Ubach also co-starred with Reese Witherspoon in “Legally Blonde” as Elle Woods’s ditzy sorority friend].
Here’s a clip of Siskel & Ebert reviewing “Freeway” [“Two thumbs up”]. They both commend the performance of young Reese Witherspoon.
The review is kind of spoilerish…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ulBqBhWf-g
(I may post a few clips from the movie itself in a little while.)
Adrianacandle,
I was typing while you were replying.
Anyway, “Freeway” was before Reese Witherspoon became a big star. She’s a hoot in it.
I liked her in “Legally Blonde,” and I liked her in “Cruel Intentions” partly because I crushed on Selma Blair when she was in “Hellboy.” I was not too enamored with “Pleasantville.”
Ten Bears,
“Freeway,” Clip #1 of 4.
[Spoiler warning. Plus graphic language and content.* ⚠️]
Vanessa (Reese Witherspoon) in car with Bob Wolverton (Kiefer Sutherland).
(9 1/2 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RchALwE0AAg
—————
* If you were okay with GoT S5e10
, you’ll be okay with this. 🗡👸🏻
Ten Bears,
“Freeway” Clip #2 of 4
(Spoiler warning ⚠️)
Vanessa (Reese Witherspoon) with detectives.
5 min 33 seconds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_N2oFAmnpM
Vanessa: “Well y’all can all just take a big old f*cking cruise ‘cause I took full on care of that piece of sh*t.”
Detective Breer: “Mr. Wolverton is in critical condition. But he isn’t dead.”
Vanessa: “Oh yeah right. I shot him so many times.”
——
Ten Bears,
“Freeway” Clip #3 of 4
(Spoiler warning)
Courtroom scene excerpt
(1 min 28 seconds)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUo7mjW2D3M
Public Defender: “Are you out of your mind?”
Vanessa: “You are so ugly, Bob!
Ten Bears,
“Freeway” Clip #4 of 4
(Spoiler warning ⚠️ )
Vanessa seeks to generate funds
3 min 18 seconds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guCePlNQM0U
Vanessa: “Because I’m pissed off and the whole world owes me. Now gimme your goddamn money!”
———
Needless to say, Reese Witherspoon’s foul-mouthed Vanessa is not the bubbly Reese Witherspoon in “Legally Blonde” or the innocent good girl in “Cruel Intentions.”
This is a really good article on the only real proven way to beat the Corona Virus, https://medium.com/@tomaspueyo/coronavirus-the-hammer-and-the-dance-be9337092b56
Essentially those countries who are putting their economies first (or led by idiots) like the US, Brazil and to a lesser extent UK/Netherlands will suffer the worst from this. The only real thing we can do is lockdown and perform mass testing then gradually reopen with a staggered restart. It will take weeks, if not months for most places but Italy is now showing results two weeks after their lockdown and China is almost back to normal five weeks after theirs so we know it works.
Ten Bears,
I don’t particularly like Reece Whitherspoon. However, her Legally Blonds are great. If I have a guilty pleasure list, it’s in it! 😀
I also like those movies with dancing. (Not so much Dirty Dancing though)
Flash Dance though…
Efi,
Unbelievable! I found an Italian traslation! lol 😂
Let’s say it’s a tribute to our Italian friends who are battling against the disease right now.
Tron79,
The safest way to get through this situation is to tell her that you love her and that you’ll wait for her anger to go away and explain to you what is it that you’ve done so that you apologize properly, or talk it away as you should as a couple.
When in a situation like this it’s best to show her your emotions, thus appealing to hers.
In other words, you humble yourself. It’s the most meaningful thing to do in a loving relationship.
[my brother always does that, and they have some serious problems; it works every time]
kevin1989,
It’s heartbreaking and the more you watch it on the news the more it becomes unbearable.
As I’ve said earlier, my country is one that took measures at about the same time Italy did, a month ago already.
Congresses/social events have been cancelled all over the country
The carnival festivities were cancelled
There are no sports games
Schools/universities shut down, it’s already twenty days
Commercial shops shut down apart from farmacies, supermarkets and groceries stores, twenty days
Then they closed down organized beaches and skiing centers 🤣
Public services work only with the bear minimum of their staff
Most are working from home in private businesses and the public sector, already from the beginning of this thing
They restricted the number of people that could enter the supermarkets, it’s already two weeks (1 client for every 10 s.m., then it became 1 for every 15 s.m)
The borders are officially closed since last week. The major air companies of the country have suspended flights to and from other countries unless the state requests their help to bring back natives.
Churches are also closed. No liturgies (and we’re in the midst of Lent)
Natives return only after the embassies’ mobilization abroad; our planes bring them back and then they are confined to hotels until they are ckecked negative for the virus. If they are checked positive (which they have, mostly returning from Spain and England) their quarantine continues either in the hotels or in their homes. The comittee for infective diseases monitors them; those that have been found positive and, despite instructions, have been found to have left their confinement have been fined 5000 euros each. (several did).
Since this Monday, all meaningless movements have been banned. Literally. This is how it works:
There is a 5-digit number, and a catalogue of permitted activities, specifically:
– going to work
– going to the pharmacy/doctor
– going to supermarkets/groceries
– to the bank
– to provide aid for someone who needs it (e.g. an elder, relative or not)
– to go to a ceremony (e.g. a funeral; my mom’s cousin died, only the close family attended though; large gatherings are not allowed for any reason since the beginning of March)
– to exercise/walk the dog; if in twos, then the two need to be two meters apart.
– to go home once (as in, you live somewhere else and you must reach your home after your journey)
So, for moving, we need to send a message to this number, stating reason of movement, name and address and get the permission by sms on our phone.
In case people don’t do this, the police can fine them. It’s been raining fines since Monday, 150 euro per person. There’s police roadblocks e v e r y w h e r e.
And, there’s more.
You can always order a delivery; they bring your order to your building door but won’t come up; you have to go down and take whatever it is you’ve ordered. I ordered shoes ( 😉 they are never enough) and books, I had to go down.
Entire villages have been quarantined.
It looks bleak. For me, that I am a historian, this phenomenon is certainly interesting. (unfortunately, images/reports from Italy and Spain, soon from France do remind me of my sources describing past plagues)
And then there’s always the imbeciles with two functionning brain cells that don’t get it.
Someone told me yesterday “I don’t give a flying sh*t if you get sick”.
For some reason, I know it was the most honest thing to hear from that person. In my age you really understand who cares about others and who’s in it only for himself. And that person knows I’m in the high risk groups. (Sigh)
So, TB, you’re doing well to protect yourself, because people like the above surround us. It’s not even about being afraid to get sick. It’s about not wanting to risk it.
All good points. I write more about my daughter. She’s the one that seems to fit the Alice in Wonderland and Arya unique Don’t call me a lady model. She’s home too but she’s used to being in her room most of the time. Anyway thanks for the good thoughts. We will get through things somehow. Some also is I’m doing a lot of Facebook live and zoom things from home for the synagogue and it’s a bit frustrating we are running a tv station from home too.
Good advice. Thanks Efi
Tron79,
Here are some tips for surviving self-isolation from a recent Washington Post article. There are five tips. I only excerpted the text for #4 (“Plan for the future,” i.e., visualizing better times to come rather than focusing on those you’ve already lived) because the rest seemed obvious. I’ve included the link to the article if anyone is interested in reading the whole thing.
“I survived solitary confinement. You can survive self-isolating.”
by Jason Rezaian
March 24, 2020 Washington Post
—-
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/03/24/i-survived-solitary-confinement-you-can-survive-self-isolating/
Imprisoned in Iran, Jason Rezaian had to cope with panic and anxiety. In this video, he shares how these lessons apply to the fear of coronavirus today.
———
“Over the past several days, as many people began confronting the reality that they’d have to stay holed up at home for the foreseeable future, friends around the world reached out to me for advice. They wanted tips on how to deal with prolonged social isolation.”
“Suddenly my own experience of being held for 544 days, including in solitary confinement, in Iran’s Evin Prison has become more relevant than I ever imagined possible.”
“While the self-imposed isolation we’re going through is vastly different from the harsh conditions of prison, prolonged captivity did teach me a few useful lessons about how to make the best of it. So here are a few pieces of advice:
#1. Don’t spend all your time online…
#2. Read books …
#3. Exercise …
#4. Plan for the future
“There were many days in prison that I thought it would never end. You may feel something similar in the weeks ahead, or you might have that feeling already. But this will pass. Maybe it won’t happen as quickly and as smoothly as President Trump likes to insist — but relatively soon we’ll be able to return to our normal routines.
Think about what you want that to look like — where you’ll go and who you want to be with. In uncertain times like these, few things are more comforting than thinking about better times. I suggest focusing on the ones to come rather than the ones you’ve already lived.”
#5. Laugh…
———-
Efi, I’ve twice lost a post saying that person was out of order saying that to you. I messaged (not from this site) someone the other day trying to make peace and got a reply that they hadn’t bothered to read my message – well I tried. They did say for me to stay safe and well.
Tron, I hope an equilibrium returns to your family shortly.
I was supposed to have a delivery of antiseptic today – it’s 16.49 and nothing has come yet.
I’m getting off the subject of this thread. Who knows? Maybe as I type GRRM is describing Daenerys and her followers preparing to leave Essos for Westeros. (I try to be a glass half full rather than glass half empty girl [old trout] but who knows?).
Efi,
”I don’t particularly like Reese Witherspoon. However, her Legally Blondes are great. If I have a guilty pleasure list, it’s in it! 😀”
Well, if you have the time and you’re so inclined, and you don’t mind spoilers, check out the Siskel & Ebert review of “Freeway” and the four clips I linked above. Or maybe watch the full movie if you’re willing to invest the time and take a chance.
I can understand if you don’t particularly like Reese Witherspoon’s films except for the Legally Blonde movies. Some of her big budget Hollywood movies pigeonholed her into sanitized, goody two shoes roles.
I’d be curious to know what you think about the 18 or 19 year-old, pre-sanitized version of Reese Witherspoon as Vanessa in “Freeway.”
[P.S. If commenter JackBauer24 is still lurking around, I’d like to know what he thinks about Kiefer Sutherland vs. Reese Witherspoon in “Freeway.” 😝]
Ten Bears,
Thank you!!!
Efi,
Blasphemy I tell you! Sacrilege! Liking “Flashdance”…but not “Dirty Dancing”?
(J/K 🙂)
Dame of Mercia,
Thanks! It’s ok. I’m not particularly upset, or I was, but it was only because my righteousness was choking me. Anyway, it’s settled.
Some people just don’t get it.
It’s not about showing fear, but they think that conforming to instructions is all about that; they also think that the situation is not that serious.
I am not afraid. I’ve been through worse than most people. I can take a serious illness, I can take pain. I just don’t see why would anyone subject oneself to the possibility.
What would be the point to prove? That I’m brave? Lmao, I know I am, I don’t need to be stupid to prove it.
But I think that in this particular case there’s an underlying psychological situation that is manifest in this passive-aggressive behavior.
It’s of the type “I am not sick; I’ve been at home all these days; I cannot take your sh*t –I have more serious problems than this” and ends up with “why don’t you want to see me?”
Thus she (it’s a friend) turned the situation against me. Typical passive-aggressive. Of note, the “stayed home and safe part” is a lie which she blurted out in her effort to draw attention to herself once again.
When you see such behavior you immediately understand that this person doesn’t give a f*ck about you*. It’s always about them; what they want, what they need. You can go to hell and back, they don’t care about you. Hence the exclamation “I don’t give a sh*t if you get sick”.
Of course. I knew that. But I know this person a loooong time, so I wasn’t surprised, or hurt.
* And you don’t know if they ever will. On the surface it’s because of their psychological condition, but if that is tempered there is the possibility that they become a totally different person.
I’m sorry to hear this happen to you. I know you weren’t surprised or hurt but it sounds like such a sucky situation to me. I’ve had a similar thing happen to me about a year and a half ago. A friend I had known since I was in junior high cut me off over a disagreement. Several months later, we tried to work it out but when I was going through some hard times four months after that, I told her I will probably not be very responsive for the following month because of my difficulties but I will respond… she never talked to me again and was very chilly with me when I contacted her about a web domain issue. She made it clear I was cut off again. I think she was upset with me all over again.
It sucks. I confided in her so much over the years, we spent so much time together, had been through so much, but some of those words exchanged in our first confrontation before we tried to work it out — she revealed and said some pretty harsh stuff she had been stewing in. That was tough. I tried to fix it, alter myself in a way, but I couldn’t get that trust back for her again. And she couldn’t for me, it seems.
It sucks.
Ten Bears,
Shame on me! I’m one of THOSE persons!
To my guilty pleasure, I enjoy a good fairytale even though I’m a grown up and have no excuses anymore. Any version of Cinderella will do. Especially that one with what’s her name (can’t remember right now, no time to search for her) and I’m sure there’s a fairytale with Ann Hathaway and a wolf too. And there was another fairytale with Dr. McDreamy. That, too.
Anyway, this is a big hit where I’m from. Enjoy folks!
Adrianacandle,
I know. I’m sorry you went through that. Even though this is not a similar situation because there’s no way I can interrupt communication with that person (because of her condition), I know it’s painful.
But I’ve had a similar situation a few years ago –a huge misunderstanding and lots, lots of lies. I can’t forgive lies, much less so if the person who has lied to my face does not recognize it and treats me as if I’m an idiot. So it’s over. It was extremely painful because it was my best friend since second grade, but there’s no turning back. After I thought about it a lot, I’m in peace.
At one point in our lives we come to realize that not everything is as it was when we were younger. It’s not “fight and make up” because with time we all become different imo, so there’s things we can take as grownups and things we can’t. Each person has a different level of emotional intelligence and maturity, and if this isn’t close to another person’s, then a friendship or other type of relationship can exist only with great difficulty.
Of course this doesn’t mean that our own level is higher than anybody else’s; there’s always people who stand even higher. It takes a high level of emotional maturity to admit your mistake, apologize and fix it. We think we have it, but we can be immature too. So when others fail us in such a way I think it depends on the each situation what to do next, make up or cut all contact.
Efi,
”To my guilty pleasure, I enjoy a good fairytale even though I’m a grown up and have no excuses anymore. Any version of Cinderella will do. Especially that one with what’s her name (can’t remember right now, no time to search for her) and I’m sure there’s a fairytale with Ann Hathaway and a wolf too.”
Fairy Tales? Guilty Pleasures? Any version of Cinderella will do?
Alright then. Let’s start with…
“Ever After: A Cinderella Story” (1998) – Drew Barrymore, Dougray Scott, Anjelica Huston
Clip 1 of 5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chBVj94zYDM
Clip 3 of 5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J03lpGKZ0xc
—-
Efi,
…. Next up
——-
“Ella Enchanted”* (2004) Anne Hathaway, Hugh Dancy
Roadside
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STg2VaGDJuA
Ella sings “Somebody to Love”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SN8hW7AeoQI
——
* Not my favorite; Anne Hathaway was really good though.
Efi,
… and Anne Hathaway again
The Princess Diaries” (2001)
Anne Hathaway, Julie Andrews
Full movie ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KmA7FaVPLU
—-
Makeover scene (3 min 33 sec)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUjlBP5gUrQ
———
Efi,
You may want to take a look at….
The Prince and Me” (2004)
Julia Stiles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2atr8aQ0zg
… I thought Julia Stiles was really good in this Guilty Pleasure move. She was smart and engaging.
[Warning! Do NOT watch “The Prince and Me 2.” An airhead actress with a Valley Girl accent took over the role played by Julia Stiles in the original. Not sure why Julia Stiles didn’t return. If I were to guess, I’d say it was because the script sucked.]
Efi,
Finally, although this isn’t really a fairy tale, how can we exclude….
“Clueless“ (1995)
Alicia Silverstone
Opening scene (4 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UOcp9ydcM0
Cher gets mugged (56 seconds)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znsg-ysSAX8
Christian meets Cher’s dad
Ten Bears,
I consider both series amazing, although they’re structured in different ways.
BB has a plot much easier to follow, since everything that happens gravitates around the protagonist. It was slow at the beginning, however. I felt the show only lifted off at the penultimate episode of the first season.
The Wire is more alike GoT. It has a vast set of characters that shows you different angles of that universe. In my first viewing, it was quite hard to know who is who, as the story progressed slowly. Don’t be surprised if you feel bored in the first episodes. I felt it myself. If you can get along with it, you don’t want to stop.
I’ve felt exactly the same thing when I started watching GoT. My viewing experience was similar to yours: I binge-watched the first three seasons in june and july 2013 in the channel which broadcast the series here, Syfy. I heard about the show, knew some friends who have seen it and gave it a shot. I was unsullied. I didn’t know the characters or the plot. For me, the show only entered in its full steam mode in “The wolf and the lion”. I knew I wouldn’t stop watching since then. I think I rewatched the first three seasons three or four times before season 4 airing. It was a exhilarating experience. Maybe that’s why I consider season 3 my favourite one. I made the mistake of buying the first three books before season 4. Maybe that was the reason why I didn’t enjoy so much watching season 4 week after week. I liked it better on a rewatch.
Ten Bears,
Yeeees!
I swear I feel very guilty whenever I watch the princess diaries. Why do I like this movie so much? I had forgotten it was Anne Hathaway very, very young, but I liked her in Echanted too, very much.
And of course, the guiltiest of all is Cinderella with Drew Barrymore! I so enjoy that goof of a prince, lol.
And the prince and me was also very good. I’ve seen both.
I’ve seen clueless too but I don’t remember any of it, perhaps I should put it in the to-watch-during-the-lockdown list.
What is it with fairytales? I’m supposed to be an adult. Or my reality is really that bleak, I need an escape.
Ten Bears,
I know, and the worse thing is he wants the US back to work next week. Luckily he won’t get to do that.
Stay strong Ten Bears and US citizens and the rest of the world.
Ten Bears,
It are a bit more slow burn series, but the story is amazing of both.
Tron79,
I think it could be that she build up to much stress and emotion about the Covid-19 virus, with trying to stay strong.
And about looking thing online all day, best not do that. Listen to the who/CDC(or which institute does it in your country) and make sure you follow what they say. Too much what other say and you could do can stress you out, especially if it’s done the whole day. Look things up, make a to-do list about it.
That’s very creative making own mask. And I think in the end she will come to you about it.
Ten Bears,
Agree make sure you take alone time. And also space-time like: I want the room for 2 hours can you please stay in the kitchen/bedroom/office room. And after 2 hours maybe change rooms.
Adrianacandle,
You’re welcome, and how did you get the link like that, in the word meme?
Jon Snowed,
I agree, this method works the best, it’s what I also found this week what I talked about. With this we can make sure the virus dies out. If no new infections come, the infected are either immune after it and can’t give it to somebody else or they are unfortunate dead, but in that case they can also not infect others.
And also what some state in my country in the opposition, you maybe think about the money needs to keep flowing for the economy, but in the end what is happening now also cost a huge amount of money because we don’t do a full lock-down, and it takes longer this way until the virus is gone (well it won’t be gone and only getting worse I think). So in the end maybe this method even will cost us more than a full Lockdown.
As for the Hammer: Does that mean you are locked up for those weeks and food is delivered so now and then? or are supermarkets and pharma still open? I though China also left those 2 open, but you need mask when going outside to get food, but I could be wrong? Do you know that?
I mean as long as we can get our food and eat, and our medicine. I think people need to be fine with 5 weeks of lockdown, be happy that after those 5 weeks you and your love ones are probably all still alive because of the lockdown.
Efi,
Yes, I really try to avoid the new very much at the moment because else I think I will break down of all the bad things happening. I try to get an update once a week by watching 25 minutes of news in the evening.
What I try to do is keeping myself to the measurements, they are there for a reason. I even felled guilty today for going to the supermarket for getting some food because I aready was gone yesterday. Luckily now I had gotten food for 4 days. (I don’t have car or bike and only have a backpack so once it’s fuel it’s fuel and I can’t share too much because of upperback problems)
Same here off what is closed but still they should also closed the economical stores. People already have had enough time to get enough things at home like books, games, puzzles etc no need for them to be open. One of my friends still needs to work for a car-building company, only because it’s not closed because of economical reasons. And guess what there is where you get chance of an infection outbreak. Lot’s of people working in the same building, why is it still open? Only food and healthcare should be open.
Here also limits in supermarkets. You need to take a cart with you because it makes sure people keep their distances. Some other stores have the policy of get a basket like only this amount of baskets are available.
Here they also give fines for people who don’t keep their distances, and for good reason.
Same here with delivery.
I hope that someone is not somebody you are friends with?
Ten Bears,
Thanks. Also an advice from here (was on the TV somebody who did an research about staying at home, he needed to stay at home for 1 full year), at home means your own premises. Go to your garden or balcony and sit in the sun. The sun makes you happy because of vitamine D. You can feel the wind and more.
kevin1989,
”I know, and the worse thing is he wants the US back to work next week. Luckily he won’t get to do that.“
But he’s extorting New York City! He’s withholding desperately needed ventilators and protective gear. Because of his self-aggrandizing stunts, the greatest city in the country is facing an apocalypse.
Hundreds will die.
Stannis: “Thousands.”
”Stay strong Ten Bears and US citizens and the rest of the world.“
Florida’s next. It’s happening as I write. Our nitwit governor defied calls to close down beaches and tourist attractions, and has refused to order a lockdown. Unfortunately, there are lots of retirees down here, and many of them believe Orange Walder’s science-denying propaganda. They dismiss this deadly plague as a “hoax.” They’ve been dancing the foxtrot, throwing parties at Mar A Lago, and congregating in bingo halls like they don’t have a care in the world.
They’re going to start dropping like flies this weekend. The 🦠 has already been spreading like wildfire in nursing homes over the last 48 hours. Hospitals are going to overflow in less than two weeks.
There’s been no widespread testing. People don’t know if they’re infected yet asymptomatic. Doctors and nurses are going to get sick too.
The stupid visiting Spring Breakers, departing tourists, and disembarked cruise ship passengers have not only accelerated the rate of infection here; they’re spreading the contagion throughout the country. It’s a total clusterf*ck.
I’m not merely whinging.
(Voice of Sandor: “You’re fingers are moving and you’re complaining about something. That’s whinging.”)
While I’d like to “stay strong,” I can’t disregard the urgent warnings of real scientists, real doctors and real experts (as opposed to Cousin Orson 2.0 and his know-nothing dweeb son in law).
It’s unfathomable that it’s progressed this far so fast, but here we are. And here I am.
So Kev… Know any good movies to help me pass the next two months entombed in my home?
kevin1989,
Oh it’s not all bad. I’ve got enough model rocket building and painting supplies here to last five years as I regress (further) into my second childhood. 🚀
Binge-watching S1-S3 of Game of Thrones kept me immersed and distracted when I was laid up at home a couple of years ago. That’s why I’m looking to assemble a playlist of recommended movies, shows and books to keep me occupied for the next month or two.
Efi,
”And there was another fairytale with Dr. McDreamy. That, too.“
Are you referring to “Enchanted” (2007) with Patrick Dempsey and Amy Adams? I may have seen bits and pieces of it. I don’t remember. Was it any good?
Efi,
Efi said “What is it with fairytales? I’m supposed to be an adult. Or my reality is really that bleak, I need an escape.”
Efi, my own feeling is that as well as taking history as inspiration GRRM used elements from myth, legend and possibly traditional ballads for ASOIAF which may account for it appealing to a cross-section of people with various personalities. Some fairytales are quite dark (some of the Brothers Grimm ones were anyway). There’s a YouTube channel which covers the “Messed up Origins” of certain tales which can be interesting. I never warmed to the stories of Hans Andersen (sp?) when I was a child though I’ve been told they may have lost something in translation (the early translations anyway – being made from Danish to German and then from German to English).
I think I mentioned at some time that there are some online translations of various myths – I might have a look at some of those during the self-isolation. I find that some of the translations of myths are rather ‘dry’ though. I get confused as to the difference between a myth and a legend.
kevin1989,
I’ve found the news depressing from long before the Covid-19 outbreak. Sky News (they have a YouTube channel) offer, or at least were offering, two version of the news, the version with reference to Brexit and a variant without Brexit. I wonder what effect if any the coronavirus crisis will have on the implementation of the B-word.
Someone mentioned that there are people who believe the coronavirus is a hoax, or man made. It surprises me that people would think that way but it is true – not so much people I know in real life but I’ve seen some strange comments on forums. They seem to be people who think the world is flat, famous people are secret transgenders, vaccines are bad – that kind of thing. I listened to an episode about the coronavirus by an anti-conspiracy podcast “The Paranoid Strain” recently. I liked the podcast. Yesterday I listened to an upload of a BBC radio play based on the 1949 film “Kind Hearts and Coronets” (an Ealing comedy but a dark one).
Another thing I can try and do is try to get to grips with my Elonex (rather like Kindle’s less posh cousin). After all, I can’t go to the library to borrow books at present.
The hammer “or hard lockdown” essentially means everyone stays in home apart from critical workers (essentially emergency workers or those in food/pharmaceutical sectors). It’s happened in China, Italy and Spain and I believe France have a relatively hard lockdown too. I know in China one person per household was allowed out every 3 days to food shop but they had to wear a mask and there were temperature check points outside to ensure adherence and increase testing. Bottom line this is proven to work.
Here in the UK we have mixed messages, I’ve been staying and only going out 2-3 times a week (as I can work from home) but I can see people congregating in the streets, increased dog walking etc. There seems to be some push back with many people also going to work in construction and self-employed jobs and net result is our figures are likely to top Italy so we’ll probably get a harder lockdown later.
Ten Bears,
No, I wouldn’t recommend it, it’s just… McDreamy, you know?
I’d stick with Cinderella with Drew B., Enchanted, The Chronicles of Narnia, and Maleficent I and II.
Also, The Smurfs! (talk about guilty pleasure! 😊)
And the Asterix movies.
[at the end of Asterix and Cleopatra there’s a selection of football stars, where Zizou is the best: “I’ve got hair!” 😂]
Efi,
Yes. And it’s true, people do change, sometimes grow apart, and decide what they can tolerate vs. what they can’t. Anyway, thanks for your response 🙂 I’m sorry for what you’ve been through with your once-best-friend since second grade too. That’s rough 🙁
Tron79,
Easter’s the arbitrary target date.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbPQCJtnT6o
—
Ten Bears,
I really can’t see how people still are behind him. He is playing with the citizens of the US as if they are his chess pieces. His actions shows he really doesn’t care. The job of the president is to keep his citizens safe, which he fails to do and the worse part is it’s not because he can’t do, but that he won’t. As you said he is withholding life-saving attributes to NY.
Or even worse was the state Governor Dan Patrick who state that old people should sacrifice themselves for the economy and that he is will to do that, and even tries to state that that makes him a hero. How can it that people like that are Governor.
What? They are doing parties in Florida? The Governor should know better, it’s his job to keep the citizens safe. I hope that majors are having power to execute a lockdown themselves or at least extend some measurements?
Yes even with our measurements the amount of infected is getting higher, I hope it will drop this weekend. Luckily we have breathing machines that can help 2 people at once (can only be done in events like these because it’s not ideal but better than dying). Germany who could keep the death’s low is willing to help us if we need help. So I think next week we maybe are sending our patient to Germany. And they don’t even have a full lockdown, but the citizens listen and what also helped was that the German goverment didn’t think of money first. They tested everyone, so they could control who had it and don’t. Not like here that people are guessing if they had the normal flue or Carona. Luckily the testmaker Roche finally gave away how their test worked and now every hospital in the world can make the tests themselves instead of buying from them. That’s also something we should do, not keep solutions to ourselves so that we can make money of it, share every information we have with each other about medicines test etc.
Yes and the worse part is, the goverment makes it so that those stupid people can spread it. Give high fines, it seems to work here, even when people don’t agree with the measurements they are keeping themselves on the measurements for fear of the fines. Still I feel the fines are way to low. max 400,- per person which means less than half a month salary. It should be 2 months at least like they are doing in easter-Europe. fines like 1200,- are in place there.
You’re far from whinging. You’re expressing real concerns that will happen if the government doesn’t act. You listen to virologist and you see that the right measurements are not being set in place. What you are saying is what the government should be saying. At least you care for the situation and the citizens.
As for movies I don’t really know that much, it seems that you already watch a lot of good movies. But I maybe having a great tv-show that you probably like. It’s currently in it’s last season (Which contain 12 episodes) 8 are out and I’m on the fifth. And it’s heading into a great climax, it doesn’t fuck up it’s last season like GoT did.
It’s called homeland. It’s one of the best shows out there and ever made, characters are great, but the character moments are greatly interchanged with some high thriller scenes with great action. It shows like it really does look at current event and tries to be as accurate to the truth as possible. It’s about the war against terror.
Synopsis: Carrie Mattison a CIA operative gets information that a US soldier has been defected to the Islamic terrorist organisation Al-Quada from a Iraqi (if I remember the country right) prisoner who is about to be executed by Iraqi Soldiers. 3 months later the CIA rescued an American Soldier Nicolas Brody out of the hands of Al-Quada. Carrie is the only one who believe he is the US soldier who is gone over to Al-Quada. Is she right? What makes matters more difficult is that Carrie Mattison is carrying a secret of her own about her mental health that the CIA doesn’t know about, so that also raise the question if Carrie doesn’t delude herself on her quest to find the truth.
This is a bit of synopsis of season 1. The show will progress into more interesting parts, it doesn’t keep focusing only on the Islamic terrorist but also on Russian, Israeli influences in the war. The US goverment and other goverments and they do all this as truthfull as they can be. It also doesn’t show Muslim people as terrorist, they are showing two sides. They are also showing Muslims themselves are against the terrorist, the show doesn’t devide people. Also interesting in the show is Carrie Matisons character, her character is one of the most well written characters ever shown on television. I know a person with the condition of Carrie Matison and I see that they portrait it as close to how it is than any other show ever did.
As for do I have a trailer? No, the trailer doesn’t do justice to the show itself. So don’t look up a season 1 trailer, because they could do a well worth trailer because it would spoil to much.
Dame of Mercia,
People should just listen to the virologist instead of making up their own version of the events. They have the truth.
Jon Snowed,
Yes I’m all in for that. I mean as long as we can get food for 3 days and have our medicines, I think we will be fine for 5 weeks.
Efi,
McDreamy? You watch Greys anatomy?
Hey, just checking in to see how you’re doing? 🤞
Efi,
” Anyway, this is a big hit where I’m from. Enjoy folks!”
[Embedded music video of “I Got You” by Cocoon/Lola Marsh]
————
• I watched and listened. I had never heard of Lola Marsh. I thought at first that was the name of the female singer. (It’s the name of the band.)
I like her voice.
• 🐇🕳 ⚠️ Rabbit Hole Warning!
When I first clicked on the video and saw the title of the song, “I Got You,” I thought it was going to be a cover of the 1980 song of the same name by Split Enz, featuring a young Neil Finn (later of Crowded House).
…. Damn! Gotta jump off line. To be continued later with a bunch of links to interconnected songs spanning 36 years.
Ten Bears,
“There’s no silver lining to this worldwide clusterf*ck. At least it’s bringing out some of our common humanity. Hopefully, it will signal the beginning of a rejection of the anti-science, wealth-hoarding, xenophobic, “f*ck you, Snowflake” mindset that’s infected too many people.”
there is a silver lining. the tragedy is we don’t know how many of us will reach it. it depends on how long we can keep this surprising outbreak of empathy and sense of responsibility going on before too many people have the feeling of having contributed enough.
some seem to see lockdowns as some sort of game contest where it doesn’t matter if they just end on the mid section of the ranking. “hey, at least i followed the rules for one week. now i’d like to go back to normal life and have my easter days in a jampacked place full of people who are not alright with science by tradition…”
just one week ago i was happy how people here seemingly have understood what’s going on and what they have to do. today left me sobered. our biggest local forest was crowded with joggers, pairs holding their hands, bikers, families… and nearly none of them made any effort to give me the safe distance we all need to keep now. since my times as a forest worker, i never went into the bushes as many times as today.
these people will fuck it up. and they don´t mind. “well i do not belong to a risk group” is one of the statements from these potential virus launches i’ve heard a good dozen times today. when being dumb and being a sociopath meet, someone else has to take care of their grannies until death…
i see you are right. there is no silver lining. there’s a black line on black background, and i don’t even know where exactly it is. but i want all of us to get there.
For the US and some countries, this episode is unspeakably sad. Selfishness, moral corruption, incompetence, stupidity, dishonesty, graft – not only among the highest level of leadership but also among many regular folks.
What kinds of folk cannot restrain themselves from group/social activities for several weeks? What kind of country even considers choosing the economy over public health? What kinds of people support a morally decrepit poser?
It is sad.
Ten Bears,
How is the situation there Ten Bears? I hope you’re doing well.
Mango,
Look up what governor lt. Dan Patrick of Texas said about the situation. It’s just unspeakable what he said. I really can’t understand how he can be in power and be chosen as the protector of the people.
kevin1989,
I’d rather die destroying capitalism than die propping it up, myself!
Paradoxically, the most moral people of them all: Evangelical Christians! They also are the least ethical people in the world…..
“Karsi” isn’t the only one of the GoT alumni who has another string to her bow (singing) besides acting. Here’s a clip from 2013 of Carice van Houten singing. I think she has a pleasant voice (but horses for courses, that’s just my opinion). I’m not struck on what she’s wearing – but I have a dislike of skirts with strappy bit attached (because my uniform at senior school was in that fashion except the straps crossed over the back and buttoning at the waist rather than finishing at the shoulder). https://youtu.be/ZmMWKipihtY
Adrianacandle,
[re: your replies to Efi]
“Growing up, I did always enjoy a good Sandra Bullock and/or Hugh Grant romcom ;D (Two Weeks Notice, Miss Congeniality) and I have a huge guilty pleasure for the Pitch Perfect movies.“
• Did we mention “The Blind Side” as a Guilty Pleasure movie? Sandra Bullock won the Oscar for her performance. She made that movie eminently rewatchable.
———————
“But I swear next time I’ll hear a man repeating “you make wanna be a better man” I’ll do what Anne did to Gilbert in the quote above.”
Seriously? Get your own lines, guys. Be original.
*slate drop!!*
• I have not seen Anne of the Green Gables (?), so I am missing out on the reference.
I take it you are suggesting that Jack Nicholson’s line, “You make me want to be a better man” in “As Good As It Gets” is a rip-off of something said or done by Anne to Gilbert in “Anne of the Green Gables”?
…. Contrived Segue to…
• [Syrupy Spoiler Warning! ⚠️]
There is a similar line in one of my “Guilty Pleasure” movies:
“She makes me want to be different. Better.”
That’s from the movie, “A Walk to Remember” (2002). Formulaic? Probably. Predictable? Maybe.
Still, I thought (a young) Mandy Moore and Shane West were excellent.
Dame of Mercia,
Here’s Emilia Clarke singing, in “Dom Hemingway” (2013).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUH9R_aq53o
Here’s the full, 4 minute version of that song from the movie’s soundtrack
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eyTT-fzI_M
——
Just reporting back. Thanks for all of the advice. I never did find out what my wife was going through but it worked out cuz I didn’t push it. Thanks Efi and others for the advice. I just asked her if there was anything I could
Do to help around the house. She didn’t come up with anything right away but eventually she gave me some things to do for her. And I tried to communicate more with what was going on with all my live zoom and Facebook live broadcasts for synagogue and just gave her more warning about what was coming up. I also helped her find a few items online she was struggling to get shipped. Anyway the mood has cleared and the key I think wasn’t to take it personally and try to put myself at her disposal. We are both very independent people so it actually takes effort to be more open and communicate more. We have been married 36 years partially because we are independent and have separate interests so we are not doing everything together. But opening up more definitely helps. Now if only she would become a GOT fan but no luck there so far. But she supports my obsession. She got me a cool tiny music box that plays the GOT theme and Jon Snows FUNKO figure stand on it to give him a little more height :). Everyone is staying healthy so far. My wife has been busy making DIY masks. Thanks again everyone.
Ten Bears,
Since “As good as it gets” the line has appeared in many movies and series; it is a good line. So I’m saying that it’s become really trivial. In the movie she walks out on him, because he f*cks up immediately after that.
But the movie is really enjoyable; it is very funny and tender and when it ends it leaves you with a sense of fulfillment. I strongly recommend watching it if you haven’t.
This is the scene (the longest version I found, with Spanish subtitles).
• Thanks for asking. I’m doing well. So far. (I shut myself in at home over three weeks ago. I listened to the scientists who were warning of the dangers, rather than the stupid politicians who were ignoring them.)
I worry about my family and friends, the under equipped doctors and nurses on the front lines, and everyone who’s going to suffer and die. It’s f*cking heartbreaking – and tragic – since most of the deaths were and will be avoidable.
And even after squandering two months of lead time, the governor here in Florida and Orange Walder in Washington are still depriving hospitals of ventilators and other life-saving equipment, while continuing to ignore the pleas of scientists and doctors. (How comforting that science-denier Mike Pence and slumlord Jared Kushner are in charge of the federal response. 👿)
• That moronic Lieutenant Governor of Texas, Dan Patrick, is both heartless and oblivious. Sacrificing 2% of the U.S. population for the sake of “the economy”? What a jackass. That would be millions of people.
Worse, his premise is based on the fallacy that the virus only kills the elderly. It’s becoming apparent that younger patients are dying too. And it seems that anyone with a history of asthma, treatment with immunosuppressive drugs (e.g., for anti-arthritis therapy and organ transplants), smoking, or exposure to pollutants, is at heightened risk of dying regardless of age.
Let him go first. Why doesn’t that self-aggrandizing nitwit Lieutenant Governor volunteer to work in a hospital ICU without gloves, gowns, face shield or mask?
Let him test out voodoo remedies hawked by Fox News, or home remedies like guzzling fish tank cleaner.
Efi,
I’ve watched “As Good As It Gets.” Pretty good movie. Jack Nicholson’s self-centered character’s lack of a “filter” in saying things that were hurtful to other people reminds me of someone else…
🐓🐓
Tron79,
”…We are both very independent people so it actually takes effort to be more open and communicate more. We have been married 36 years partially because we are independent and have separate interests so we are not doing everything together. But opening up more definitely helps. Now if only she would become a GOT fan but no luck there so far.”
• That’s the biggest challenge arising out of this abrupt change in lifestyles: Independent couples having to adapt to isolating with each other, entirely apart from the outside world.
It may require new means of communication. (For a few years, my [adult] sister lived with me. For a time, whenever I did something that displeased her, she’d toss the contents of the refrigerator on the kitchen floor and give me the silent treatment. Eventually, I persuaded her to be more open – yell and scream at me if necessary – so I could know exactly what sin I had committed instead of trying to guess.)
• No luck recruiting your wife into the GoT fandom? I assume you’ve tried an introductory compilation of Arya scenes from S1. That’s worked wonders for me in persuading non-believers – like my sister and niece – to get on board.
Tron79,
“…But she supports my obsession. She got me a cool tiny music box that plays the GOT theme and Jon Snows FUNKO figure stand on it to give him a little more height :).“
Funko figures? Hmmm. Thank you for providing me with an admittedly flimsy pretext for re-posting links to a video of a post-S3 Maisie Williams Thronecast interview + S6e6 Lady Crane clip:
Sky TV Thronecast interview of Maisie Williams
(at 5:32 – 7:01, with Arya Funko Pop)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AASqKKgSndo
at 6:07: “We’ll, I’ve got pretty good eyebrows too.”
—
S6e6, Lady Crane and Mercy (Arya)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZbiNiDsk48
at 0:08
Lady Crane: “You have very expressive eyes, Mercy. Wonderful eyebrows.”
Wimsey,
Indeed.
These people are closer to diabolical than evangelical – no matter what they call themselves.
Jesus (or whatever your concept of good is!) must be weeping again.
kevin1989,
”How is the situation there Ten Bears?”
I don’t know Kevin. Looking back over my own prior comments, I see that coronavirus cases in Florida have increased ten-fold from 314 on March 18, to over 4,000 as of yesterday, March 28 – with an increase of close to 1,000 in just one day alone (yesterday). Waking up to this morning’s headlines [see below] has got me feeling quite glum.
The reported figures reflect that the number of cases has been increasing exponentially, and as the experts have been warning, the virus will continue to spread virtually unchecked without the lockdown that should have been ordered well over a month ago.
The chronology isn’t very promising:
Wednesday, March 18, 2020: “Confirmed”* coronavirus cases in Florida = 314 cases (including 80 in Broward County (Ft. Lauderdale, etc.), 76 in Miami-Dade County (Miami, Miami Beach, North Miami, etc.)
… eight days later…
Tuesday, March 24, 2020: 1,467 cases in Florida
… four days later…
Saturday, March 28, 2020, 9:30 am: 3,198 cases in Florida; 46 reported deaths
… by later that night…
Saturday evening, March 28, 2020: over 4,000 cases; 56 deaths.
—————
Excerpts from previous comments upthread:
March 18, 2020, 5:39 pm
Ten Bears:
as of ~ 3:30 pm today, 3/18/20:
“Florida coronavirus updates: Confirmed* cases skyrocket to 314; South Florida continues to be epicenter.”
“The total number of confirmed* COVID-19 cases in Florida jumped by almost 100 cases, up to 314, according to Wednesday’s advisory from the state Department of Health.
The number of deaths in the state remains at seven.
The largest number of cases continue to be in South Florida, with 80 in Broward, 76 in Miami-Dade and 19 in Palm Beach. Those counties account for more than 45 percent of the statewide COVID-19 cases.”
https://amp.floridatoday.com/amp/5076042002
Geez. It feels like I’m just waiting for the Doom of Old Valyria down here. 😷
——-
* [3/29/20 note: No doubt the real numbers were ten times those reported “confirmed” figures. Without public testing – still – there were probably ten infected people running around for every one who had been hospitalized and tested.]
———-
March 18, 2020, 8:24 pm reply to Efi
Efi: “You’re only just beginning, I’m afraid. If Florida has high tourism rates it’s likely that it’ll suffer more than other state.”
TB: Yes. F*cking tourists. Not only are there substantial segments of the population who aren’t taking this seriously, but there are thousands of idiots down here on Spring Break who are partying like they don’t have a care in the world – and very soon they’re going to return home and spread the virus there too.
Meanwhile, our moron governor had not ordered beaches closed; only yesterday did he get around to shutting down bars. There are still throngs of oblivious tourists packing the streets and hotels. The whole state should be on lockdown already.
The Army of the Dead will be here within two weeks. By then it’ll be too late. (Did I mention we’ve got lots of retirees and other senior citizens?)
***
———————
March 19, 2020, 10:41 pm reply to Tiago
Tiago: “We’re all in the same boat.”
TB: Why do I feel like Mr. Magoo is at the helm of mine?
———————-
March 25, 2020, 8:14 am
TB [after quoting verbatim my 3/18/20, 5:39 pm comment above; omitted here to avoid repetition]:
Great. Now six days later (as of yesterday, 3/24/20) there are 1,467 cases in Florida.
F*cking Spring Breakers. Dummy MAGA Governor. Clueless tourists.
[link omitted]
——————-
3/25/20 10:27 am reply to Tron79
If (when) hospitals are overrun, non-COVID patients will die, along with doctors and nurses. Then we’re truly f*cked.
Orange Walder already squandered two months that could’ve been spent nipping the problem in the bud. Now he’s intimating that we should just let millions of people join the Army of the Dead. F*ck ventilators. F*ck respirators. F*ck grandma and grandpa. Save the Dow!
🤬
——————-——————
————————————-
Updates since 3/25/20 Comment above:
COVID-19 Florida Statistics (per Florida Dept. of Health):
as of Saturday, March 28, 2020, 9:30 am:
Total Cases: 3,198
Fla. Residents: 3,054
Non-Residents: 14;
Deaths: 46
———————
Miami Herald headline (Sunday morning, March 29, 2020, around 5:00 am), front page:
“Florida Cases Surge Past 4,000”
Subheading: “State’s pandemic death toll rises to 56” [as of Saturday evening]
First paragraph of article:
“Saturday marked Florida’s steepest increase in coronavirus cases, with the total number of infections passing 4,000… By Saturday evening, 56 people in Florida had died from complications with [sic] COVID-19.”
also on front page:
“[Governor] DeSantis Bars Herald reporter from briefing”
Haven’t you heard about the Jesus vs. Orange Pay-Per-View special on Easter Sunday?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbPQCJtnT6o
—
Oh, that was in reference to a scene in Anne of Green Gables — probably the most famous scene from that series. This character — Gilbert — the collective crush of all the girls (except Anne) at their school and who has a thing for Anne — he’s trying to get Anne’s attention and Anne refuses to look at him, choosing to focus on her school work. Gilbert is kind of annoyed by this so, to get her attention, he ends up pushing Anne too far by teasing her about her red hair so she gets up, yells at him, and smashes a slate over his head 🙂 If it had been 2019 rather than 1899, maybe Anne would have smashed an iPad over his head…
Yes! I loved “The Blind Side”!! And I remember “A Walk to Remember”! Should give those both rewatches…
I want to say sth. I’ve abstained so far because I’m European, not American so I don’t think I have the right to speak about it; what follows is written with the reservation that I do not really know how things are in the States, so I might be wrong from the very beginning. But I have to say it either way, since I am an observer and a historian and for some reason what we are living through is so far unique and the way the different states of the world will rise to the challenge will determine what these states want to be in the 21st century.
The healthcare system in the US is notoriously problematic, and this disease will make it reach its limits. Unfortunately , this means that lots of people will die, notwithstanding their age, because they have small or no access to medication or intensive care (we’re not talking about ICUs here, just simple respirators) on account of their small income that doesn’t give them access to expensive health care programs or because they have underlying conditions, or they belong to the most sensitive groups, like people with autoimmune diseases.
I’ve seen reports from the US saying that the Healthcare providers have suspended the supply of meds to patients with autoimmune diseases, because they are saving it for the hospitals. In particular, chlorocine and similar drugs are the only med that can help lots of people (esp. those with lupus) with their daily survival.
Scarcity of meds and materials is not rare all over the globe. By government instructions, the supplies have been withheld by the states for hospital use. This in many countries (such as my own, which is a very small one) is complemented with producing the exact meds and materials by the pharmaceutical companies to cover the needs of the hospitals.
But withholding the meds from chronic disease patients is unheard of, and, honestly speaking, criminal, and more than that, it is morally criminal. It is not just the act that needs to be outspokenly condemned, it is the moral thinking behind it, which frankly, makes me wonder how is it that the people behind these decisions tolerate themselves, are at peace with themselves, and are able to enjoy a good night’s sleep.
Of course one understands here that the pharmaceutical companies in the US are ready to sell their supplies to the highest bidder. They are simply hoarding meds and materials to make more money. Disrupting the regular supply to long-term patiens who need the meds automatically makes their price go sky-high, which means that the [private] healthcare provider is not willing to continue covering the expenses for their patients. Moreover, even though the US is famed as a rich state, its confederate states are not all of equal financial capacity; buying the meds recquired will not be as easy for all of them, which means, the way that the disease will hit America will be directly proportionate to the financial situation of the separate states. And that by itself is morally unacceptable.
I hope, when this is over, that there will be statistical and qualitative analyses of the sociology of the disease in the US. I hope it makes the headlines of grand newspapers, magazines and sites. I hope it is analysed to what extent the deaths among the poor are to be attributed to limited space (such as in NY) or to limited access to meds and exclusion from intensive care and ICUs. I hope it makes fellow Americans reflect on how much poverty and its consequenses, meaning malnutrition and absence of healthcare are conditions that contribute to high death rates when diseases like this befall the US.
And I hope that fellow Americans will react and demand for a change.
Ten Bears,
A lot of fun especially when the rats and cockroaches helped her. They weren’t her usual animated cute forest friends.
Yes, twirling in this giant white puffy princess dress while pigeons, swarms of cockroaches, and rats help her clean the house as she sings ‘A Happy Working Song’ XD
A: The kind of people who give credence to the hunches of an illiterate clown over the conclusions of scientific experts.
While I can’t attribute the source, someone recently wrote an article or op-ed recalling a tale involving faith vs. science. It was based on severe floods in the Midwest a few years ago but seems appropriate now. The story went something like this…
As floods inundated his town, a survivor escaped to the roof of his house to await rescue.
When a rescue boat approached, he waved it off, telling his would-be rescuers the Lord would save him.
The floodwaters kept rising. Nevertheless, when a helicopter approached to pluck the man from his roof, he waved it off, shouting to the pilot and corpsman on board that the Lord would save him.
Thereafter, the rising floodwaters swallowed up the man’s home, reached past his roof, and drowned him. He died.
He asked St. Peter: “Why didn’t the Lord rescue me!”
St. Peter: “He sent a boat. He sent a helicopter…”
I guess the moral of the story is that even religious people should treat science as a gift from the Lord of Light – I mean from whatever God they worship – instead of rejecting science and relying on blind “faith.”
Ten Bears,
Great story to illustrate the point! Very funny story as well!
One of the depressing things is number of such persons in what is supposed to be a well-educated, developed economy. Geez!
Sometimes, I really hope there is a Hell. It seemed tailor-made for some folks. In his current mode, this Dan Patrick would fit right in. He needs to get his head examined and to develop some feeling for others. I hope he finds a better way to think and live. Soon – if he is going to continue in leadership.
death by chickenfire,
…”just one week ago i was happy how people here seemingly have understood what’s going on and what they have to do. today left me sobered. our biggest local forest was crowded with joggers, pairs holding their hands, bikers, families… and nearly none of them made any effort to give me the safe distance we all need to keep now. since my times as a forest worker, i never went into the bushes as many times as today.
these people will fuck it up. and they don’t mind. “well i do not belong to a risk group” is one of the statements from these potential virus launches i’ve heard a good dozen times today. when being dumb and being a sociopath meet, someone else has to take care of their grannies until death…”
I, too, no longer have any reason to be optimistic. It just took a handful of dummies to put everyone at risk. I fear the morons have succeeded.
Here, our governor is still resisting calls to impose a statewide lockdown. Testing still isn’t available. Hospitals are going to be overwhelmed within the next ten days. South Florida has been designated as one of the “hot spots” for imminent explosion of the virus.
I fear it is too late to halt its spread. The consequences of stupid decisions, inactions and misinformation over the past several weeks are about to manifest themselves down here over the next two weeks. In the next couple of months, thousands if not tens of thousands of people are going to die that didn’t have to die. I cannot even begin to fathom the number of fatalities across the country and throughout the world by the time this first wave has swept over the globe. It all makes me heartsick. So many innocent souls killed by others’ greed and stupidity.
“The long night is coming. And the dead come with it.”
Ten Bears,
Just last weekend, people in Washington D.C. were out in big crowds looking at cherry blossoms in the tidal basin. Two weeks ago, people in New York were packed into bars and clubs. Lines were outside some establishments as people waited to get into rooms that were too packed. In Florida people cavorting at beaches. These scenes were repeated all over. In France, in early March after the start of the breakout there, thousands of people got together dressed as Smurf to break the Guinness record. WTF?
When did stupidity become pandemic? WTF?
And now a Public Service Announcement from Sandor Clegane
“People in Utah Are Panic-Buying Baby Chicks”
from The Daily Beast, Mar. 29, 2020
Americans have emptied store shelves of toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and pasta. And now, at least in Utah, they are hoarding baby chickens. The Deseret News reports there has been a run on chicks since a large earthquake and the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. The Ogden Intermountain Farmers Association store sold 1,000 chicks in one day, the newspaper said. Katy Cox, who raises chicks as a hobby but couldn’t find any at the Riverton IFA store, fears what will happen a year from now. “They grow up and become stinky and gross,” she said.
”There may be a day when we have wild chickens all over Riverton.”
Tron79,
I’m happy that it helped between you and your wife.
And that music box sounds amazing.
Mango,
I am gobsmacked.
Americans are suffering. Americans are dying. Americans are in fear.
Here’s what our American president is thinking about this afternoon: his own TV ratings and polling numbers.
JFC! This is reality, not a reality TV show!
————
March 29, 2020, 1:48 pm 4–part tweet from “President” Donald Trump.
“President Trump is a ratings hit. Since reviving the daily White House briefing Mr. Trump and his coronavirus updates have attracted an average audience of 8.5 million on cable news, roughly the viewership of the season finale of ‘The Bachelor.’ Numbers are continuing to rise…
1:48 PM · Mar 29, 2020·
“….On Monday, nearly 12.2 million people watched Mr. Trump’s briefing on CNN, Fox News and MSNBC, according to Nielsen — ‘Monday Night Football’ numbers. Millions more are watching on ABC, CBS, NBC and online streaming sites, and the audience is expanding. On Monday, Fox News…
…alone attracted 6.2 million viewers for the president’s briefing — an astounding number for a 6 p.m. cable broadcast, more akin to the viewership for a popular prime-time sitcom…
“The CBS News poll said 13 percent of Republicans trusted the news media for information about the virus.” Michael M. Grynbaum @ NY Times.
Ten Bears,
As one commentator observed:
“This is what you are to him, Americans.
An audience.
Not his constituents. Not the people who hired him. Not even humans.
You’re boxes in a spreadsheet of his Neilson ratings.”
– Rick Wilson 3/29/20, 2:23 pm
Ten Bears,
It’s a tragic time, I always watch the news everyday but I really get depressed about it. When I hear the stories about people dying that family members can’t say goodbye (is also happening here), even the happy stories like a young guy of 16 years old who was in bad shape because of Carona finally got home, I really think how did his mother feel, and his sister, his father and the rest of the family and friends in those week. Or the people who have family members in other countries (because of work, school or just vacation) that can’t get home because plains don’t fly. It’s just too much.
Also when seeing the US segments, it’s already so bad and it only started yet, I despair how it is within a month when the CDC thinks the peak is around the first of May.
And then we have Dan Patrick with his selfish view, and as you state, if he feels like that, he should be on the front-lines helping and showing the people that he himself is willing to sacrifice his life for the economy.
And these times really made me think of a scene of lord of the rings: Two towers.
“How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened?”
Ten Bears,
I can’t believe that the Governor doesn’t close beaches, especially when it already hits that big of a number and as you state that counts only as the one that were tested.
I hope he acts sooner than later, because measurements also take 1/2 weeks of time to take effect.
Ten Bears,
Here they are pretty hard with the measurements. Like the police take patrol if people are partying at home. Yesterday a party of youngsters, total of 15 people were in the house having a party. The police intervened, now they need to get before the judge when things settled here, and they get a big fine that can rise up to 400,- For youngsters like this with the minimum wage that they get that is pretty much working maybe for 3/4 months the least next to your school to work that off. But luckily the dutch seems to take things serious overall only a small portion fucks it up.
Ten Bears,
What I though wait this can’t be true, but it’s true, it’s on his twitter. He really thinks people are watching him instead of finding out if they are safe or not, what a self-centered clown.
kevin1989,
”What I though wait this can’t be true, but it’s true, it’s on his twitter. He really thinks people are watching him instead of finding out if they are safe or not, what a self-centered clown.“
Reassuring to know that about an hour after that absurd, self-congratulatory tweetstorm, Orange Walder tweeted out this gem:
Trump, 3/29/20 at 3:00 pm:
“I am a great friend and admirer of the Queen & the United Kingdom. It was reported that Harry and Meghan, who left the Kingdom, would reside permanently in Canada. Now they have left Canada for the U.S. however, the U.S. will not pay for their security protection. They must pay!”
I am so relieved our leader is laser-focused on the pandemic crisis. 👿
Who in their right mind moves from Canada to the U.S. during a pandemic. Oh wait, royals. Bye bye!!!
(I’m sure they’re very nice blah blah blah, I am just sick to death of hearing about them. Now I have even more reason to tune out the U.S. news.)
kevin1989,
Thanks Kevin. Here’s a picture of it. It’s pretty small, but perfect size for Jon Snow to stand on it.
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2447/7635/products/Game_of_Thrones_Handmade_Music_Box_4_1024x.jpg?v=1576692803
As an outsider looking in, my friends and I have confidently predicted this pandemic must be the end of Trump. His total lack of action, his misinformation and his blame of everyone else must surely mean people begin to the see through his conman persona.
So anyway I looked on twitter last night (I do not follow him) and some of the responses were out right scary. A few dissenting voices but plenty claiming the top Dr Fauci is “a deep state asset” that this virus is a hoax by the democrats, that Americans need to get back to work and it’s the “swamp” holding Trump back from allowing that. Unsure whether these were bots but if not there were hundreds of incredibly stupid people who I feel would literally believe the earth was flat if Trump told them so.
Here in the UK we have another con man in charge, virtually everyone who has read up on the virus can see we’ve handled it poorly but there are others still believing every word which comes out of his mouth. Remember we are the country who wanted to prioritise the economy and simply let it happen until the scientists pleaded this would kill 750,000 (largely in the Johnson voter base).
Either way I hope this spells the end of unqualified leaders, especially those spinsters and shivs like Trump and Johnson.
“The CBS News poll said 13 percent of Republicans trusted the news media for information about the virus.” Michael M. Grynbaum @ NY Times.”
Ten Bears,
so, they trust… ehm… what source? anyway, how many problems could be solved if they had the same low trust in physicians.
“hey, don´t step out of that window! you cannot walk around the house, we’re on the 12th floor. gravity will make you hit the ground pretty hard, and then you’re dead.”
“keep your mainstream science fingers off my freedumb!!”
“well then…”
Ten Bears,
“Orange Walder tweeted out this gem: ”
“Orange Walder”!! you gave me hope with this, because we all know that winter will come for House Drumpf. until then, i hope Catelyn won’t open Melania’s throat hearing he’ll just have “another one” of those immigrant wives…
“#Orange Walder” has a place in the hall of fame, like #ASNAWP and hopefully #Sandorista, right?
Jon Snowed,
”As an outsider looking in, my friends and I have confidently predicted this pandemic must be the end of Trump. His total lack of action, his misinformation and his blame of everyone else must surely mean people begin to the see through his conman persona.
So anyway I looked on twitter last night (I do not follow him) and some of the responses were out right scary. A few dissenting voices but plenty claiming the top Dr Fauci is “a deep state asset” that this virus is a hoax by the democrats, that Americans need to get back to work and it’s the “swamp” holding Trump back from allowing that…”
There are some voices of reason out there…
https://twitter.com/PACRONYM/status/1244651702357295106
——
Maybe so! 🤔
I’ve been calling him Orange Walder ever since I “reimagined” this scene of Arya vs. Walder in S6e10 [clip below], except with Orange Walder seated at his desk when a waitress enters with a platter of hamburgers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tI9L0jvF_vQ
Lemme see if I can find the dialogue of that reimagined scene. (How I long for the old days, before people were actually dying in real life because of a leader’s perfidy.)
Jon Snowed,
On the contrary, Trump is becoming even more popular with the American public. While polls can be wrong, every recent poll agrees that over this last few weeks, Trump’s approval rating has risen significantly. He is more likely to win re-election than he was in December. The majority of the public approves of how he is managing the crisis. Even Democrats are reporting increased approval of Trump.
This tells me that the average person is very different from what you hoped/ expected. Me too! It is hard to understand -even allowing for the nationalist rallying of a country in a time of crisis. It is still hard to understand.
Mango,
Nah. It’s a temporary bump from the “rally around the flag” effect. The majority of the people can’t really want this sh*tshow to continue on for another four years.
…. Can they???? 😱
Ten Bears,
I read it too that tweet. And his first thing he thinks about is money, not safety and lives.
Hope that your governor has implemented some measurements to keep the people of Florida safe.
About here in the netherlands, the measurements seems to work, the new cases are lowering and the deaths per day are lowering. I hope this continues this whole week. And it seems the measurements are going to be extended which I’m happy about.
I watched the Martian (I did the extended version) and I really liked it. I’m glad I watched it.
Tron79,
That one looks amazing. I wonder if they can be bought here in the Netherlands. Maybe if at the end of the year winds is not out I maybe buy that music box instead, if it’s not too pricy.
Jon Snowed,
It’s indeed scary how people follow one person blindly without question him. And I wonder if people really will go against Trump, maybe some who voted for him maybe lose hope, but I fear most voters will stick with him. I feel only a little part of America would be willing to change parties but overall they stick with either republican or Democrats their whole lives. Instead of looking at the person. I’m left myself (left of the netherlands, even the most rightwing party in the Netherlands is more left than the democrats) but I rather have a rightwing leader that knows his Job (which I feel Rutte does right, he listens to the RIVM and change the measurements to what they say) than a left leaning leader that fails in times like these.
As for Johnson, did he state this week that the virus need to be taken serious after he got it himself? Which is still a little too late.
death by chickenfire,
… Here’s the reimagined “Orange Walder” scene. It looks like I posted this around January 19, 2019. It may be obsolete, especially the ending: It pre-dates all of the lunacy that’s transpired over the past year. Feel free to update it…
Oh, I had spoiler-coded it so as not to offend anyone’s political sensibilities.
——————-
(Orange Walder alone at his desk, scarfing a hamburger.
Orange Walder: “Not one of mine, are you?”
Waitress: “No my Lord.”
Orange Walder: “Didn’t think so. Too witty.”
(Tries to grab her by the p***y; she deftly dodges)
Orange Walder: “Where are my damn moron sons? Don Jr. and Eric promised to be here by midday.”
Waitress: “They’re here my Lord.”
Orange Walder (looking around): “What are they doing, skimming from their charities? Tell them to come here. Now.”
Waitress: “But they’re already here my Lord.
(Motioning to half-eaten burger)
“Here, my Lord.”
(Orange Walder lifts up bun, revealing small mushroom-shaped appendage)
Waitress: “They weren’t easy to carve. Especially Don Jr.”
Orange Walder (initially stunned; but then wolfs down rest of burger anyway): “This is really good!”
[Off-screen voice of chef: “The secret is marinating the phallus before making the patty…“]
(Waitress peels off her face mask as Orange Walder looks up at her)
Waitress: “My name is Chelsea. I want you to know that. The last thing you’re ever going to see is a Clinton smiling down at you, as you…”
Orange Walder: “Hold on. I like your style. Just what I need in a Secretary of Defense. A million rubles up front. Whadya say?”
kevin1989,
“Hope that your governor has implemented some measures to keep the people of Florida safe.“
Nope. We’re f*cked.
Ten Bears,
I hope you are right.
But he won, didn’t he? Acting exactly as he does now.
And his supporters have not wavered. The polls find his supporters more energized than average.
I sure don’t. I hope Trump loses the election, but I don’t feel too confident about it. The challenger, Joe Biden, isn’t exactly drumming up enthusiastic support. The Democrats don’t really have much of a strategy other than “Trump sucks”. They tried that tactic in 2016 and lost. I hope the Democrats get their shit together for 2020, but I’m not holding my breath.
Maybe one of the few good things to come out of the Coronavirus is that Trump’s poor reaction to it could turn the tide against him. We’ll see.
Mr Derp,
…”The challenger, Joe Biden, isn’t exactly drumming up enthusiastic support.“
I don’t want enthusiasm or excitement. I want normalcy. Give me Uncle Joe. Please. I can’t take any more of Orange Orson. (“Smash the Beetles!”)
(P.S. Is there any doubt in your mind that if Hillary Clinton, Uncle Joe, or even my dog were in charge, that the spread of the pandemic would’ve been nipped in the bud and tens of thousands of Americans wouldn’t be dying?)
”The Democrats don’t really have much of a strategy other than “Trump sucks”. They tried that tactic in 2016 and lost.”
They tried that in 2018 and won. 🌊🌊
Trump was an unknown in 2016. Lots of people bought into the persona they saw on TV. They fell for the bluster and bravado – and lies – of the supposedly “successful businessman.”
His three-year track record since then kind of compels a “Trump sucks” strategy, doesn’t it? So does spending his days tweeting insults and self-praise, and golfing on the taxpayers’ dime instead of doing his job. His sycophants and enablers are even worse. (Sorry. Not a fan of Bullfrog Barr 🐸, Moscow Mitch 🐢, or Lindsey 💃)
Eh, who the f*ck knows. There’s no meaningful “strategy” except to win Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. (I’d add Florida to that list except we’ll find some way to botch the election. Again.)
kevin1989,
Here you go ….
March 30, 2020, 6:22 pm
“12 states have NOT locked down (~25% of the country), including #Florida and #Georgia.
#Florida is the 3rd most populated state with a substantially large % of older people at high risk for serious #COVID19.
What is
@GovRonDeSantis
waiting for? ⁉️
https://twitter.com/DrDenaGrayson/status/1244751982629457920
Really wow, that’s jaw dropping crazy that people think he is doing a good job, even taking away any bias his total swing between it being a hoax to declaring a national emergency should set off alarm bells with the public. We even thought his own party would force him out over this. Also I saw somewhere Joe Biden is now the heavy favourite to win the next election? US politics is not something I am particularly interested in or knowledgeable on so do forgive me if I am mistaken with any of this.
Here in the UK though 63% of the public think Boris Johnson is doing a good job, all despite predictions that we will be one of the hardest hit countries in Europe and our Health workers complaining about lack of protective kit, it’s mind blowing to me especially when I researched up about the virus and it’s obvious Western Governments had time to take actions and simply chose not too.
The democrats were expecting huge victories in 2018. They did get some, but not nearly as many as they expected.
I don’t think he was an unknown at all in 2016. Trump has been a well known “persona” and scumbag since the 1980’s. Polls were consistently showing that Trump had no chance in 2016, but of course he still ended up winning. IMO, polls have become useless since then.
He’s done about as bad a job as possible, yet he still gets a lot of support from his base. To me, that doesn’t bode well, especially when you consider his challenger, Biden, isn’t particularly popular nor does he drum up similar rabid support from his base like Trump does. I really, really hope I’m wrong though.
Mr Derp,
My reading of the situation is similar to yours.
Jon Snowed,
Yes, Biden was strong. Except in the last few weeks, Trump polling has moved positively and this week I read that he was very competitive with Biden, with Trump on a upward trend.
Ten Bears,
Keep us posted when something changes there Ten Bears.
Mr Derp,
I also hope that Trump loses, but somehow I doubt it. The democrats as you say don’t really put a great candidate to the for front, they are divided. And I fear like with the last time, the Bernie voters will stay home. Look at when Obama won his second term and in 2016, it was not that Trump got more than Romney, it’s that Clinton got less than Obama, people stayed home, and if Biden got the spot against Trump, same thing will happen again. So it’s not really that Trump wins, it’s that the democrats lost. They really need to get a better candidate to the table.
If I were an American I would have voted for Bernie, he is not so extreme as people state, he want a system like the Nordic countries, which in this Covid-19 times shows that universal healthcare is really important. He maybe have some faults Bernie but the way he wants to go, is at least a way that I think the US needs to go, step by step and see where they want to stop it. And even if Bernie wants somethings it doesn’t mean he get there to the extend he wants to, but the US could with him finally implement the basics it needs.
Ten Bears,
“I’ve got the best tweets. Nobody does tweets better than me, there’s no doubt about it. I’m an expert on tweets. Tremendous amount of people read my tweets, billions and billions of people.”
I could hear him say that.
As for your dog, I would vote for him. What’s his view on dog snacks?
Ten Bears,
I can’t see what he is trying to achieve. Does he hope that at the end of the week the virus just disappear?
Jon Snowed,
Here they also were much too late. When the first cases hit the Netherlands they were all: Everything will be all right, no measurements needed. Even 1,5/2 weeks later they still were, it’s under control. Then the day later the opposition were forcing the coalition to act. Day after that the first measurements were implemented and they wanted to go for group immunity, which doesn’t work or at least high unlikely, the who was not pleased with that statement. Then week later they changed it a bit and now we have much better measurements, fines are given etc. Those measurements should have been implemented a week before the first case reached the Netherlands.
Now the Dutch are doing pretty well, 95%+ of the people are holding themselves to the measurements, and the amount of new cases/deaths lowered. (Hope today it also lowered but I haven’t watch the news yet.
I’m also a bit disappointed by my government that they don’t want to help Italy/Spain financially. We are all in the EU and we are there to help each other, especially in situations like this.
EDIT: It seems it once again lowered today. The measurements seem to work.
The postman knocked at the front door today. I had been upstairs so got there a bit late but I shouted and he said (socially distancing of course) he’d put the delivery through the ‘hatch’ in the back door. I was wondering if at last it would be the 10 rolls of lavatory paper I ordered on Ebay well over a week ago but as the ‘hatch’ is the cat door I thought it couldn’t be. Well it was = but the 10 rolls were rolls without a cardboard tube in the middle. They seem to have a reasonable amount of paper each and I’m not going to measure but I wondered if the seller was someone who had bought up some rolls when the panic buying was going on when things first got serious with the Covid-19. It could be to save on postage I suppose. I suppose I am getting away from Mr Martin hunkering down to finish the sixth volume of ASOIAF.
The coronavirus is no respecter of persons with the UK’s own Orange Walder, (or should that be Fair-Haired Walder?), Bo-Jo and Charlie-Boy – though I suppose at 71 he’s more Charlie-Man these days) getting it even if a mild form As someone in the Charlie-Boy and GRRM age bracket I’ve been pleasantly surprised by offers of help I have received sometimes off people who are casual acquaintances rather than close pals. Of course there are always some people who spoil it – hopefully the young person in the linked news item will grow out of the stupidity. http://oldham-chronicle.co.uk/news-features/139/main-news/133631/boy-charged-after-spitting-and-coughing-on-66yearold-woman.
Anyway fellow Watchers, keep well and safe.
kevin1989,
“If I were an American I would have voted for Bernie…”.
I would have too. Bernie was my second choice behind Elizabeth Warren. She’s a smart, sincere, progressive thinker.
Bernie’s promise of a revolution to take back the country from the 1% fat cats and rebuild it was enticing. (Funny how everyone was slamming him for proposing universal healthcare, a living wage and debt-free education because “we can’t pay for it”, and yet we somehow just came up with 2 f*cking trillion dollars to bail out big business – not to mention the trillion dollar tax scam two years ago…)
A reckoning was overdue. I cared about things like addressing climate change and income inequality. I would have been all-in for a shoot-for-the-moon Bernie agenda.
I used to care, but things have changed: I just want Orange Walder gone and sanity restored. Uncle Joe gives us the best chance of achieving that.
🎵“People are crazy and times are strange
I’m locked in tight, I’m out of range
I used to care,
but things have changed.”🎶
– Bob Dylan
Let Joe preside over a restoration of the country for four years. By 2024, a megawatt superstar will be eligible to run for president: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. 💙
#AOC
kevin1989,
<em>“I’ve got the best tweets. Nobody does tweets better than me, there’s no doubt about it. I’m an expert on tweets. Tremendous amount of people read my tweets, billions and billions of people.”
I could hear him say that.
——-
Ha ha ha! 🤣🤣🤣. How right you are.
I hate how he shirks responsibility for his own f*ck-ups, and tries to take credit for others’ achievements.
If TWOW is ever released he’ll probably take credit for that too.
“You know, George Martin is a good friend of mine. He goes by ‘GRRM.’ Not many people know that.
He came to see me with tears in his eyes and said: ‘Sir, I can’t seem to figure out how to finish my story.’ So I ghostwrote The Winds of Winter. He told me it was amazing, and I’m a literary genius. He said I wrote a very, very beautiful manuscript. It was perfect – like my phone call with Zelensky. People are saying I’m a better writer than George. The publisher is telling me the ratings for TWOW by DJT are gonna be through the roof.”
kevin1989,
”Keep us posted when something changes there Ten Bears.“
Forecast unchanged:
The Long Night is coming. And the dead come with it.
Dame of Mercia,
I never understood why toilet paper was being horded by so many in the first place. It’s not like the Coronavirus causes explosive diarrhea or something. People are strange.
kevin1989,
” I can’t see what he is trying to achieve. Does he hope that at the end of the week the virus just disappear?”
Our governor is taking a page out of the Orange Walder Playbook: Do nothing. Ignore science. And blame visitors from New York and “foreigners” on cruise ships when the sh*t hits the fan.
It appears the two of them are not overly concerned about people dying, so long as they can scapegoat someone else for if.
If the Virus tries to take Tormund Giantsbane, it is doomed! It will die off by itself. the world is a safe place again!
Dame of Mercia,
” Anyway fellow Watchers, keep well and safe.”
You too! And remember…
https://i.redd.it/fd23aeg064p41.jpg
🦠🗡👸🏻
Dame of Mercia,
Seems like a strange thing to do with the toilet paper. I also wonder why he or she didn’t just flatten the paper, it would soften the cardbox roll in it but it still can be used.
Ten Bears,
I like you’re thinking. I also like Cortez. Hope the democrats win this time. As for florida I read this news:
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/30/us/florida-pastor-arrested-river-church/index.html
Dutch scientist also find a correlation between fine particulates in the air (right word in english?) and catching corona. It seems that places where lots of fine particulates are in the air, people tend to have worse lunges so corona hits harder in those places. Clean air is important, not only for Corona but many viruses and bacteria.
Ten Bears,
I can also hear him say that XDXD
“You are fake news.”
Mr Derp,
And also why buy for 10 years? I can see that you want to buy maybe double amount to be safe, instead of 1 package, two packages. But the amount for years, I really can’t understand.
Ten Bears,
And then I’m Robert in this case: So you would counsel me to do nothing until the virus has landed on my shores, is that it? Will no one talk sense to this orange-faced fool?
kevin1989,
Robert was right after all, wasn’t he?
And now a somber projection by noted epidemiologist Sandor Clegane, PhD:
“The Dead are marching past. Thousands of them.”
at 1:43 – 1:53
Thousands of them – nearly 53 000 today worldwide… (John Hopkins University)
And we know, no wall can protect anyone of anything permamently.
I’m afraid how this will end in in social aspects.
Nowadays GoT seems to me like an allegory to our real situation.
Artists (take GRRM as an artist) are often a kind of radar, who detect and sence things, that will happen, before other people do.
It is known.
Ten Bears:
Robert was right after all, wasn’t he?
Thanks to Covid-19, my full-series re-watch may come sooner than I’d originally planned. Knowing how it ends, I suspect the following moments may look quite different this time:
— In King’s Landing, Ned and Robert argue over whether or not to have Dany assassinated;
— Dany cheats the slave lord at Astapor out of the Unsullied by using a dragon;
— Pale & blonde Dany crowd-surfs as liberator over masses of dusky former slaves;
— Any of the many arguments Varys and Baelish had over power and morality.
I’m sure there will be many more to notice!
😩 No free Game of Thrones. 😖. However…
—————-
per Variety.com Apr. 2, 2020:
April 2, 2020
“HBO Will Stream 500 Hours of Free Programming, Including Full Seasons of ‘Veep,’ ‘The Sopranos,’ ‘Silicon Valley’”
HBO is unlocking its biggest trove of free programming ever — in a goodwill gesture as people look for a diversion during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The WarnerMedia-owned premium cabler is making almost 500 hours of programming available to stream for free for a limited time on HBO Now and HBO Go services without a subscription, starting this Friday, April 3.
The list of free programming includes every episode of nine HBO series: “The Sopranos,” “Veep,” “Succession,” “Six Feet Under,” “The Wire,” “Ballers,” “Barry,” “Silicon Valley” and “True Blood.”
Also streaming for free are 20 Warner Bros. movies in HBO’s current catalog including “Pokémon Detective Pikachu,” “The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part” and “Crazy, Stupid, Love”; and 10 HBO documentaries and docuseries including “McMillion$” and “The Case Against Adnan Syed.
Notably, however, HBO megahit “Game of Thrones” is absent from the free-streaming fiesta
The move by HBO to put such a huge amount of original content in front of the paywall effectively serves as a major sampling strategy ahead of WarnerMedia’s scheduled launch of HBO Max in May. HBO Max will include everything on HBO, plus a host of originals, library titles and licensed content — for the same $14.99 monthly price.
All of the programming will be available to stream without a subscription starting April 3 by downloading the HBO Now or HBO Go apps (or by visiting hbonow.com or hbogo.com). The content will also be made available for free via participating distribution partners’ platforms in the next several days, according to HBO.
HBO content available to stream without a subscription includes:
Full Series
1. Ballers (5 Seasons)
2. Barry (2 Seasons)
3. Silicon Valley (6 Seasons)
4. Six Feet Under (5 Seasons)
5. The Sopranos (7 Seasons)
6. Succession (2 Seasons)
7. True Blood (7 Seasons
8. Veep (7 Seasons)
9. The Wire (5 Seasons)
Warner Bros. Movies
1. Arthur
2. Arthur 2: On the Rocks
3. Blinded By the Light
4. The Bridges of Madison County
5. Crazy, Stupid, Love
6. Empire of the Sun
7. Forget Paris
8. Happy Feet Two
9. Isn’t It Romantic?
10. The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part
11. Midnight Special
12. My Dog Skip
13. Nancy Drew And The Hidden Staircase
14. Pan
15. Pokémon Detective Pikachu
16. Red Riding Hood
17. Smallfoot
18. Storks
19. Sucker Punch
20. Unknown
Docuseries and Documentaries
1. The Apollo
2. The Case Against Adnan Syed
3. Elvis Presley: The Searcher
4. I Love You, Now Die: The Commonwealth v. Michelle Carter
5. The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley
6. Jane Fonda in Five Acts
7. McMillion$
8. True Justice: Bryan Stevenson’s Fight for Equality
9. United Skates
10. We Are the Dream: The Kids of the MLK Oakland Oratorical Fest
• Yes! Exactly. All of Robert’s “dragonspawn” ranting, warnings about Dothraki screamers, and insistence on whacking Dany, make him seem br******t in retrospect.
• And you’re right: There will be many more examples to notice on rewatch. At some point I should do a deep dig of Robert’s S1 dialogue…
• I may also want to revisit Stannis vs. Davos arguments about the morality of sacrificing one innocent young person (eg Gendry) for the good of the realm – or as Melisandre pointed out, had Davos not freed Gendry (maybe) thousands of Stannis’s men wouldn’t have been killed in the assault on KL.
cos alpha,
NY Governor Andrew Cuomo, April 2, 2020, 9:22 pm:
“This virus will roll across the country like a slow moving hurricane.
No state can stand alone. We need to jointly rush in and help where the need is.
I believe our nation will come together because it’s the only way to save lives.”
———
Lord Commander Jon Snow S5e8:
“The Long Night is coming and the dead come with it. No clan can stop them. The Free Folk can’t stop them. The Night’s Watch can’t stop them. And all the southern kings can’t stop them. Only together, all of us, and even then it might not be enough, but at least then we’ll give the f*ckers a fight.”
Ok, I am going to stirr the waters now.
This is from one of Martin’s podcasts:
“There are some mysteries in these books. There are some things that I’m gonna reveal later on that I’m planting clues for. There are some later plot twists that I’m foreshadowing. There are things that are gonna happen in Book 5 and Book 6 and Book 7 where I’ve planted a seed for it in Book 1. But I don’t necessarily want to give away my hand. So, what do I do when I plant the seed? Well, I plant the seed, but I try to do a little literary sleight of hand, and while I’m planting the seed, my other hand is up there waving and is distracting you with some flashy bit of wordplay or something that’s going on in the foreground, while the seed is being planted in the background. So hopefully the seed is there, the foreshadowing is there, but maybe you won’t notice it, because it’s surrounded by so many other things.”
You can find the rest of it (it’s a monologue) here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6S9wK714S3Q&feature=youtu.be&t=9m17s
In the end M. urges people to buy his book (of course) and strongly suggests a re-read to those who have, for discovering the clues.
This (is one of) the way(s) it works. The following excerpt is from Sansa II, ASoS, concerning Margaery’s wedding to Joffrey; Margaery believes that her brother will protect her from Joff. I won’t include the entire abstract, ridden with meaning and foreshadow, just the end of it, which hints at one of the last episodes of the drama.
Also, italics don’t work, so I’ll put Sansa’s thoughts in quotation marks.
And spoilers, because it’s about the endgame of the books.
Interpretation (by me of course; you can take it or leave it).
If Loras (Jon) finds out that king Joff (queen Daenerys) has (or is about to) hurt his sister (cousin) Margaery (Sansa), he will kill him (her).
The realm might have a second Kingslayer (Queenslayer), and there would be war inside the city (Kings Landing), as the men of the lion (Tyrion) and the men of the rose (Jon) made the gutters run red.
And for anyone who’s doubting that Martin’s choice of words is deliberate, I remind them that Joff dies at the end of ASoS. Tyrion on the other hand is a “true” son of Tywin according to Tywin’s sister, Gemma. So he is the Lion. [Jamie will be on Jon’s side and perhaps already dead by the endgame]
As for Loras, he is not the knight of roses. He is known as the Knight of Flowers. Martin deliberately ignores this characterization which would fit perfectly in the narrative, and puts “rose”, not roses, which would refer to Highgarden’s army, to blur the waters. The rose is the coat of arms of House Tyrell.
Why does he do that?
Because Jon is the Blue Rose on the Wall. Like Loras, Jon is a guard. Loras is a white guard; Jon is a black guard. The blue rose was his mother’s flower; Rhaegar gave Lyanna blue roses.
This little gem solved my question about Tyrion’s fate. I’ve spoken about it before, so I won’t repeat it here.
I too suggest a reread. The story is much better, one picks up things gone unnoticed the first time, and if you read through the lines and don’t get distracted by the plot, it’s amazing what you can find.
Efi,
• Great spot! Blue ROSE…
• As for G’s seed-planting metaphor…
You wrote: “Ok, I am going to stirr the waters now. This is from one of Martin’s podcasts:”
“There are some mysteries in these books. There are some things that I’m gonna reveal later on that I’m planting clues for. There are some later plot twists that I’m foreshadowing. There are things that are gonna happen in Book 5 and Book 6 and Book 7 where I’ve planted a seed for it in Book 1. But I don’t necessarily want to give away my hand….”
So what happens if he doesn’t water his garden and the seeds never germinate?
If there are “things that are gonna happen in…Book 6 and Book 7” and those books are never finished, what then?
Efi,
I think that statement is par for the course with Martin 😉 That podcast is originally from October 2006, before a lot of things have happened! Before R+L=J was even close to being confirmed (well, at least by the show but I’m 99% certain this is true for the books), a year before the show was even a twinkle in GRRM’s eye, before Young Griff, before Jon’s assassination, before all of the events of ADWD.
If I’m understanding this correctly, I don’t think it really sets up the ending to have hope for a better world but more of the same (wars between families/human factions). Furthermore, Jon’s doing something similar as to what he did at the end of ADWD — love of Arya over duty to the Watch, which culminates in breaking the fragile peace at the Wall and plunges the situation with the Others into even greater risk but this time, it is worse — this would have Jon kickstarting a civil war for Sansa, resulting in another war because of his love for her.
This feels like the same story but without added nuance… Sort of like Robert declaring war on Rhaegar because of Lyanna.
I have trouble with the idea especially after Jon’s arc centering so much on unity, recognizing there are other wars he must fight, and especially on inner conflict.
Here are some of my problems with these parallels.
a) Joffrey is straight-up villainous. I don’t think Dany is. She’s getting darker, she’s grey, but she’s not been characterized as the completely villainous Joffrey and I don’t think GRRM is going that way with her. There’s no nuance to this.
b) There’s nothing special about the conflict between Loras and Joffrey. They straight up hate each other. I don’t think there’d be anything interesting about having this be repeated with Jon and Dany in a culmination of the series, especially considering how both their arcs focus on inner conflict.
As for the rose bit:
I agree that Jon is a guard — but not just for Sansa or the Starks. He is a guard for all: “I am the shield that guards the realms of men.” I feel this contradicts the idea of Jon kickstarting a war for Sansa, compromising the lives of many.
Efi,
I’m sorry, I didn’t get to edit my response before my editing window closed.
I wanted to add that I do think Jon will kill Dany but I don’t think it’s going to be only for the love of a sister, kickstarting another war for her safety (as has happened before, plunging the realm into chaos, bloodshed, and dispute — something GRRM seems against). I believe Jon needed to learn this lesson in ADWD — the consequences of risking war for a sister, love over duty, and how disastrous that is (as has been illustrated by other scenarios for similar things in the books). This hard lesson illustrates the truth of Jeor Mormont’s words to him:
“Craster is his own man. He has sworn us no vows. Nor is he subject to our laws. Your heart is noble, Jon, but learn a lesson here. We cannot set the world to rights. That is not our purpose. The Night’s Watch has other wars to fight.”
Other wars. Yes. I must remember.
Jon tries to remember this in ADWD but he fails. Sending Mance to rescue Arya unwittingly resulted in the Pink Letter and catastrophe, potentially putting the entire realm at risk.
I don’t think Jon can make that same mistake as he did with Arya again, risking the Boltons’ wrath (and war) against the Watch for her, and have it seen as a good thing. Arya is Jon’s most beloved sibling but GRRM doesn’t exactly portray Jon’s choice here as the right thing. Even here, Jon tried committing himself to staying neutral and not allowing himself to rescue her, knowing why he must stay neutral but it was torture for Jon to stay neutral. It was only when Melisandre offered Jon the proverbial “apple”: “Take my hand,” [Melisandre] said again, “and let me save your sister,” that Jon accepted.
This decision kindled the spark to disaster (Ramsay catching Mance, sending the Pink Letter in which his threatens to attack if Jon doesn’t meet his monstrous demands) in which Jon had no good choices in response.
I think the situation with Dany may reflect a kind of impossible choice in the end for Jon — especially as his final choice and test. But I don’t think it can only be about the love of a sister. I think it needs to be about more — especially considering Jon’s arc in which he learns the consequences of these painful lessons.
Hopefully (for me), whatever choices Dany is presented with as well, they will be demonstrated as incredibly difficult for her, whatever they are — a more nuanced set of situations which may perhaps lead up to her assassination.
Efi,
Please read this message too! I’m sorry for another! This debate sparked another thought but it is a more personal one, one that you might find a bit silly but I wanted to thank you ^^;;
I was involved in a fandom debate this past month and it started out really nicely but it devolved into something pretty ugly — I disagreed with their interpretations and that’s when the situation got bad. After a series of personal, verbal attacks from these strangers — all because I didn’t agree with their interpretations — I was bummed out for days. I still am. Perhaps I’m weak but I’m wary of even adding my voice again to any place other than this site. I’ve been involved in a ton of academic debates and while they’ve left my mind churning and reeling, I didn’t feel the way I did after interacting with these people.
So the reason I’m telling you all this is that this whole experience made me really appreciate you, Efi, and everyone here. Efi, I know we disagree a ton but you’ve never made me feel the way those people did. And I kind of want to give you a big hug 🙁
Upon reflection, maybe I’m too sensitive and weak (when I was 17, a teacher was against me applying for university right away, that I wasn’t emotionally ready, calling me a “scared little girl” — probably true but I still did it and continued going to school for two more degrees in order to avoid life, probably because I was/AM scared still) but that experience was very upsetting. I’m also sorry if my tone sometimes comes across as too cold and too firm. I think I can get that way in debates 🙁 It’s a failing…
Efi,
I think the situation with Dany may reflect a kind of impossible choice in the end for Jon — especially as his final choice and test. But I don’t think it can only be about the love of a sister. I think it needs to be about more — especially considering Jon’s arc in which he learns the consequences of these painful lessons.
Well, it wasn’t “only… about the love of a sister” in the show. Dany’s implied threat to Sansa (Dany specifically mentioned Winterfell in her “Dragon Uber Alles” speech) was leveraged by Tyrion to make Jon understand the threat Dany posed to all “the realms of men.” Dany was going to keep mowing down everyone in her path, and Jon was the only one who could stop her.
Hopefully (for me), whatever choices Dany is presented with as well, they will be demonstrated as incredibly difficult for her, whatever they are — a more nuanced set of situations which may perhaps lead up to her assassination.
Television is a visual medium, and the producers wanted to wrap it up and move on, so there was definitely a feeling of “impending train wreck” to the last few episodes. Showing all of the events which led to Dany’s implosion took less time than the telling will. Assuming GRRM ever finishes his epic tale, I will be greatly interested to read about Dany’s deteriorating mental state. Given how Martin operates in these books, I would expect subtle, yet significant differences to start appearing between events as described in her chapters, and as described in other characters’ chapters. She then demonstrates decreasing tolerance toward other characters’ points of view, and increasing irritation with such (obviously) ‘wrong’ thinkers. Combine that internal dialog with the external elements in your quote, and we have the recipe for disaster which Martin planned from the beginning.
Tensor the Mage, Who Knows A Tavern-Told Tale or Two,
Oh! I think you’re replying to me, Tensor! I wasn’t talking about the show, I was replying to Efi’s prediction of what will happen in the books in her above post 🙂
Yes. I agree with your interpretation and even here, Jon didn’t decide to assassinate Dany after speaking with Tyrion when Tyrion brought up his sisters. I don’t think that decision was made until Dany said how nobody else gets to a choice in her new world. He was still wanting to give Dany that last chance for Tyrion to be wrong, pleading with her to show mercy instead.
Efi,
Ten Bears,
Re: Roses and foreshadowing.
I had some more thoughts 🙂
When a rose is used to potentially connect to Jon in those few instances, it comes with other pretty specific things that are linked to Jon (a wall of ice, a mention of Jon’s mother) but it’s specifically a winter rose or a blue flower that’s mentioned in conjunction with these other details, not just a rose or a flower. Roses and flowers are pretty common things, things that have associations to other characters/ideas so I don’t think roses and flowers in general are enough to symbolize to Jon. I think they are too loose on their own without something more specific.
I think there needs to be another detail to really point to Jon.
But just my opinion!
Hey, has anyone here ever watched Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared? The British horror-comedy web series that’s also a musical?
#ASNAWP
https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/969/932/818.gif
——
Adrianacandle,
*Sort of like Robert declaring war on Rhaegar because of Lyanna.
Crap, I realize I’m kind of mistaken here, however much Robert hated Rhaegar for Lyanna. Brain blank 🙂
What happened: After Aerys had Rickard and Brandon executed when Brandon demanded that Rhaegar come out and die (after hearing Rhaegar had abducted Lyanna) and Aerys later demanded the heads of Ned (who had become Lord of Winterfell) and Robert (who was betrothed to Lyanna), Jon Arryn called his banners, starting the rebellion. Robert and Ned rallied both the Stormlands and the North. Rhaegar taking off with Lyanna is what sparked the war, leading into the Baratheon/Lannister regime.
As for this quote from Sansa in ASOS:
It occurs to me this might have predicted Joffrey’s doom — Olenna did kill Joffrey, making Olenna a kingslayer, to spare Margaery having to suffer his true nature. They didn’t fail to see Joffrey’s nature as Sansa had thought. If Cersei finds out, and I expect she will, perhaps that may result in a war between the Lannisters and the Tyrells
Woah.
Nice editing XD
Ten Bears,
What happens if he forgets his own predictions? If he mixes them up? He’s an old man after all… Or what happens if he changes his mind?
Well, in this case the way he writes those pieces of foreshadow allow him to write a completely different story. Because after all a rose is a rose and a sister is a sister.
Ten Bears,
You’ve got a lot to watch Ten Bears.
Ten Bears,
So true.
Efi,
This is not really a spoiler it’s more of a theory, and in my opinion a theory that has the least basis to begin with, it has arguments like: I sneeze two times today, so tomorrow my dog will bark 2 times to the mailman.
Or: In the last bag of cheetos I ate, it contained 273 cheetos. Cheetos are orange, Trump is orange. Trump get 273 delegates the next elections at the end of the year.
It connects things that is only connected because they want the theory to work, not because they found connections that lead them to the theory. Even Varys is a mermaid has more basis than the Jon and Sansa being together has.
Also Martin stated at book 1. Not SoS when he said he planted the seeds for later. So only look at the first book to find the hints you looking for.
Also as somebody who read all martin’s books I still wonder why people think his bigger mystery that he hinted in book 1 is about who Jon is going to get married to in the end? Even Martin didn’t know back then, he still wanted Arya and Jon to be the end couple before he changed his mind to Jon and Dany.
No those mysteries where he laid the hints for in book 1 has nothing to do with a fairytale prince meets princess ending. That’s beneath Martin. This is not some disney story that Martin wrote. Those hints are much deeper, and looking at the first book I could already see which mysteries he has referred too:
– Jon’s parentage. Yes that is still up there, when Martin talks he doesn’t talk about: The show did reveal it already. He talks about his books. Book 1 has some hints about that.
– Daenerys past: He gave hints about Dany’s past that there is something off with it. Something he will reveal in winds or dream.
– The mystery of Ashara Dayne, and the Daynes in general.
– The backstory of the White Walkers, the Children of the forest, Weirwood trees, the pact. Which is clear Martin gave hints in the first book that what we think happened is not what happened. There is still a mystery around that that needs to be resolved.
– The Marwyn Mystery. He gave a big hint in book 1 that is going to be important in winds.
– And don’t forgot the characters of Varys and Littlefinger.
– Robert’s rebellion.
– And more
There are more subjects that Martin gave hints of in book 1 that are not yet came to fruition. That is so much more important for the endgame than: Who is Jon going to marry in the end. We need to remind ourselves this is Martin, not some fairytale writer.
As for the blue rose, there is one character that has a connection to a blue rose, and that is Daenerys. In her house of the Undying chapter. Blue rose is connected to Jon. Sansa got a Red Rose. If a rose is a connection to Jon, in the end Dany wins that match because she got the connection of a blue rose.
I’m not saying that Jon and Sansa won’t happen, if it happen and done right I would love it (if done wrong and that counts very every single thing I would dislike it). But there is no basis (or better said connection glue) for the Jon ends with Sansa theory. It falls apart very easily under scrutiny. If a house would have been build how the Jon+Sansa end together theory was build. The house would crumble when somebody would sneeze before it.
Adrianacandle,
Oh is that podcast from 2016. well than I think it’s safe to assume it’s about R+L=J.
And I agree about the rest you said, about the rose=Lyanna. And about Jon starting another war. If the books really go that way, that Jon would kickstart another war and not learn from his and his father (rheagar’s) mistake, than I really would dislike Jon very much for becoming a self-centered man, who I even would call would be a bad person. And I don’t want Jon to become a self-centered person. I like Jon too much for that. He is a unifier not one that would start a war. He also is learning a big truth in Dance. What happened when you put your family problems before your duty and honor, which in the end resulted in him getting shanked. (easy explained but the one that also explained Meereense blog explained Jon’s dance arc).
Adrianacandle,
Agree. And Nissa Nissa is also hinted in book 1. That’s how Dany dies, and how Jon end up alone at the wall (like the show but different). I also think the WW still could be a treat in the future again, don’t know how Martin will fill that in but I have my idea about that. See below. I think that’s why Jon will be at the wall (it could also be the reason why he won’t be king and that it’s his choice in the end), Jon will be the one that make sure the wall keeps manned for the next invasion.
WW: I think the thing with the White Walkers is, that the White Walker itself aren’t the source of the invasion. What I meant with this is, the White Walkers need to have come from somewhere. They came only decades after the first long war (book 1 hints about that timeline), so we need to ask ourselves if they came after, what made them? I don’t think they go with what the show gave us, that the Children of the forest made a human into a white walker, especially when the White Walkers showed after the long night started, they are a symptom of it, not the cause. So what made the White walkers then? What we do know is that magic is involved, so as long as magic is alive, the White walkers can come back. But magic is a foundation of nature in Planetos, meaning it will not be gone in the end. So what we need to know is: Who or what is the big other. Bran’s first chapter gives a clear hint that the great other exists. The only thing we know is that it’s magical.
Now my guessing comes into play, so take it with a grain of salt.
I think the great other is a big Weirwood tree. They are the living thing in westeros that is most connected to magic and that has been with us since the first chapter together with the White Walkers. We also know that the Children had connections with the Weirwood. Bran has a connection to it. And it seems (in feast and Dance we learn that) that the weirwood trees are connected to each other as one big weirwood net that the 3 eyed crow uses. (that means the roots are connected, that means even the weirwood trees in KL, Dorne etc are connected to the ones north of the wall.
Feast also give a big hint that the weirwoods are important, 2 miners disappeared and the only thing they found was earth, not even a body, that means something close to nature did kill them and dispose of them.
Back to my conclusion: Jon needs to be at the wall, even when they defeat this invasion, a new one can arise the moment the great other is ready to invade again with his new army of white walkers. And I believe the great other can’t be killed because without it, it destroys balance. You can’t kill magic when magic is the basis of life on your planet. They can defeat it but not kill it.
kevin1989,
Here is the source! October 5, 2006 — a year after AFFC was released (October 2005), 5 years before ADWD was released in July 2011 🙂
Yeah. To me, it would feel like de-evolution of Jon’s character — back to the choice he nearly made in book 1 to support his family in a human war until his friends made him realize his place was with the Watch and Jeor/Ygritte/the wildlings/et al. had Jon recognize the true enemy and the real war coming for them all over the human disputes over thrones in the south.
This is probably my second favourite passage from ASOIAF:
I think this passage is so powerful. Not just to the story but to us. That power of inclusion.
Not that Jon won’t struggle with his emotions. I think he will and I think that is what will make these tests even harder as the series goes on. In ADWD, Jon embraced the idea of unity, extending this peace even to the likes of the Weeper for the sake of unity — but he still had trouble emotionally when it came to people he had a personal hatred for (Ramsay). This results in him making a decision that ultimately endangers the realm. Jon’s mistake (as cruel as his conflict was — how can he leave his sister to the whims of a monster?) was not extending that same neutrality to Ramsay, resulting in the Pink Letter and putting all the realm at risk.
Not that Jon has to come back as nice as ever but I don’t think that means the character must go backward. I think these types of conflicts and tests are going to get even more difficult and crueler with increasing stakes.
Adrianacandle,
No! You can never be too sensitive and you’re not “weak” at all. You’re smart, articulate, creative and br*****nt.
As for that nitwit teacher who tried to dissuade you from applying for university when you were 17, calling you a “scared little girl”? F*ck him or her.
I’m picturing someone calling him or her a “scared little girl.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ll8hB7ywcYI
at 3:05 – 3:10
kevin1989,
I think these are all mysteries that GRRM might be developing because the Others are still so mysterious. They aren’t even dead. And the mysteries of magic in this universe: the magic of Valyria, the magic in Winterfell, the magic of the weirwood, the magic in the Wall, the magic in the Red Priestesses, the magic in the Faceless Men, the mysteries of the undiscovered east, who are the Others, how did they come to be, how did six kids in House Stark get six direwolves that matched them while Dany got three dragon eggs at approximately the same time? What’s up with the visions/strange dreams these kids get? Jaime’s weirdwood stump dream? The three-eyed raven? What are the maesters about? The mysteries of House Dayne? What happened with Ned, Arthur, Ashara, and the Tower of Joy? House Dayne evidently helped Ned care for an infant Jon since Arya learns Edric Dayne is Jon’s milk brother by virtue of sharing a wet nurse — yet, this was after Ned killed Arthur.
And that’s not even the half of it. The mysteries are endless in this universe.
Now I’m a bit overwhelmed on GRRM’s behalf because that’s a lot. That’s not even getting into the various prophecies, the Greyjoy stuff, Patchface or the religions.
There’s a lot of mystery here.
He still is working on what he always wanted the story to lead to. His predictions will still lead to the end result he always wanted. He maybe add some side stories to get there, and the journey takes longer. He also state he won’t change his mind where he lead his story because of backlash of the show, people founding out his answers etc.
If he wanted Jon with Dany since the beginning, he will be with Dany in the end (even when she dies he still was with her in the end). If he wanted Jon to end with Sansa, he will end with Sansa. He won’t mixed them up, or use his prediction to lead to another ending. The only thing that could change is which secondary character lives, how do the characters get to a certain ending, which characters are involved with the twist etc.
The ending will still be the same as he always planted, but the road to it could differ. So if the books will indeed like the show (Which is likely to happen, all trustworthy sources that could know about the ending state it came from George’s own mouth) that Jon falls in love with Daenerys. This is not a change that Martin did for whatever reason. That’s because he always wanted to go there with his story.
And storywise it also make sense that Jon ends up with Dany, even when I really don’t look forward too it, I’m not that invested in relationsships in serious stories only like them in comedies or shows like Greys anatomy. For me shows like GoT is more than relationship stuff. But storywise Jon’s first love is connected to his first “war”/”obstacle” to overcome. The war against the White Walkers, his love with Ygritte played a big role into how that war ended and how Jon’s relationship with the wildlings came to fruition. So his second love also need to be connected to his second war/obstacle: The battle against the WW. This love-interest needs to be needed for the battle against the WW. Which for me is Nissa Nissa.
Even the death of Ygritte and Dany are connected, they both were duty vs love, where Jon needed to make a hard choice.
Ten Bears,
They’d get the blunt end of a sword in their face of they were lucky!!
Thank-you, Ten Bears. That means a lot. Your message made me a bit weepy.
I can be better, I am trying to improve, I can edit myself better, I am prone to going on tangents, I can be more considerate, more thoughtful — oh, but your message means so so much. I’m going to save it 🙂
Adrianacandle,
Yes and I think Jon’s choice will even be much worse than we think. I think Ramsay is maybe able to send some man to the wall to kill of a lot of people of the Night’s Watch. Which will leave in the end the defenses against the WW almost zero. His action to meddle into the affairs of his family will result into the defenses against the White Walkers to be lower.
Adrianacandle,
Yes and almost all are started in his first book.
Adrianacandle,
*They’d get the blunt end of a sword in their face *if they were lucky
I need to find me a Grammarly alternative T__T
.
• I’m sure he masterfully planted “seeds” and sprinkled in subtle clues to foreshadow future events. What good is it if he never gets around to the Big Payoffs?
• My half-baked, crackpot theory has been that the showrunners sprinkled in visual and aural clues in earlier seasons consistent with GRRM’s foreshadowings – and when G did not or was unable to provide the payoffs, the showrunners abandoned G’s intricate yet incomplete storylines, and came up with their own straight shot to the finish line.
That’s why (I speculate) lots of the prophecies, mysteries, and backstories were jettisoned.
Efi,
P.S. I never finished part 2 of my reply to your comment in which you embedded the video of the Cocoon/Lola Marsh song “I Got You.” (I think I mentioned it sent me down a 35 year long musical rabbit hole…)
I’ll try to finish it later and post it tonight.
Yeah. It’s possible it could be worse than we anticipate. It remains to be seen exactly what kind of chaos has erupted because Jon’s POV cuts off as he falls unconscious but I expect the situation will be explosive.
Jon asks for volunteers to march on Ramsay, he gets enthusiastic support from the wildlings (some of whom have already personally pledged their weapons to Jon while passing through the Wall), Bowen and his men disappear,