WTF, George R.R. Martin?!

Two precursors to the main content of this blog, my thoughts on the series finale of Game of Thrones: one, MAJOR SPOILER ALERT. I know how touchy fans can get over spoilers so if you're one of those people, read no further. Second, if you know nothing about Game of Thrones (you know nothin' Jon Snow!) like that parenthesized reference, for example, this post will make less sense to you than listening to an alphabet recited backwards in a foreign language. So, if you aren't familiar, you should probably spend the time it would take to read this blog doing something else. Literally, anything else. Can't think of anything? Some suggestions: clean the floor under your fridge, or organize its contents and chuck the expired stuff. Can't think of the last time you did those things? Yeah, that's what I thought. Get crackin', or that ten-year-old salad dressing growing mold in the back of your fridge will make someone sick.

Okay, you've been warned. Spoilers start below this line.

So, Jon Snow is dead. Jon. Snow. Come ON, George R.R. Martin! Man, that guy doesn't just break our hearts like your first significant other in your teenage years (trust me all you adolescents reading this, that's just the beginning), he really reaches in there slowly and gruesomely removes your heart through your chest and then does a Mexican hat dance around it while laughing maniacally. That is one of his major skills as a storyteller. It's quite vicious actually; he makes us love his characters as if they were real, and then he rips them our of our lives in the most horrific ways imaginable. Thankfully, I knew from the get go about the upcoming demise of so many beloved Starks in The Red Wedding episode. No one's death shocked me after that, but for some naive reason, I figured our beloved Jon was immune. He was too good, too pure, too wonderful, too compassionate and far too sexy to ever die! George Martin wouldn't be THAT evil, would he?! Oh yes, it seems, he would. I guess he likes to make people cry. Watching his death was sadder than watching those depressing, homeless pet videos featuring Sarah McLaughlin.

Jon Snow after a bunch of assholes stabbed him in the gut. R.I.P., I love you.

 George R.R. Martin also makes us put up with the scummiest, most twisted villains imaginable for far, too long (Ramsay Bolton, anyone?!). At least Joffrey got it.

The other skill at which Mr. Martin excels is making us pity those we never thought pitiable. If you told me that I would EVER feel bad for Cersei I'd never have believed you until the season 5 finale. I mean, she CRIED and had to walk naked back to the castle while people called her a slut and other variations of that word while throwing food at her. Come ON, you can't not feel bad for her! Same goes for Theon Greyjoy, now Reek- sorry, but if someone gets tortured in that way, even if they are your worst enemy, you feel bad for them. 

Anyway, after all the emotional bullshit watching Game of Thrones has put me through, I've decided to throw in the towel and root for the White Walkers. I hope that their first victims are the High Sparrows and the members of the Night's Watch. That I'd like to see.

Rootin for you guys!

Winter is Coming

I feel like I’m in a never-ending episode of Game of Thrones where everyone constantly reminds me that winter is coming. Just like in the show, I feel like I am waiting in suspense and starting to wonder if it is ever going to come. Everyday is full of foreboding comments like “oh no… it’s starting to get cold already…” (to which my mind automatically attaches an ominous “dun, dun, dun!”). Japanese artwork is full of depictions of people’s excitement over the return of spring, because it means an end of the dreaded winter season. There are countless symbols of springtime that are all seen in an overwhelmingly positive light for this same reason.

On the plus side, the arrival of the cold, snowy season means the coming of exciting things like Christmas carols on the radio, pretty lights on trees, and Starbucks Christmas Blend coffee (even in Japan). Yet, it also signifies the coming of horrible weather, as I am constantly warned. The way Japanese people where I live speak of the oncoming season with dread and expressions of fear as if they were discussing a forthcoming zombie invasion fill me with anticipatory nerves. Perhaps my one jacket, scarf, and pair of mittens will not suffice after all. When I packed my modest amount of winter clothing in preparation for my stay in Japan, I did so intentionally, figuring I wasn’t about to head into a Siberian wasteland. The way a teacher at my school described winter here was particularly concerning. He said “oh yes, big, big wind from Siberia blow down. So cold in winter, people no go outside. Stay inside with book.” Oh, dear…

Perhaps I will discover that, similar to my being horrible at living in a rainy climate, I will fail completely when trying to deal with the cold in a place where central heating isn’t really a thing. Foreboding visions of myself with clattering teeth shivering beneath an unsubstantial number of blankets plague my mind daily.

Bad grammar aside, this will be me

Not so much...

On that note, maybe everyone is overreacting. In Northern India there was no central heating in my home stay and I managed to do just fine by constantly wearing thick socks and a sweatshirt even indoors. However, that was spring, and temperatures often surpassed 60 degrees on good days. Here, the average winter weather involves harsh winds, snow, and bone-chilling cold. Or so I hear. At least, unlike in Game of Thrones, I don’t have to worry about any ice zombies heading for my town. At least, not that I know of…

Not the ice zombies!

Love for Game of Thrones

I am in awe by the increasing number of Game of Thrones references weaseling their way into my everyday conversations with everyone. And I mean, EVERYONE. It's no longer "so, anything interesting in the news these days?" but rather "did you see the new episode of GOT last night!?" (people can even abbreviate the title now, that's how popular it has become).

What a lovely show over which to bond. I've delved into in deep conversations with baristas at coffee shops, guests at the hotel, Facebook friends and acquaintances, friends, and friends of friends and even mothers of friends... maybe that is what the world needs to put all of their problems aside. Every single human being should watch Game of Thrones and then we could all have engaging conversations with each other! Boom, just solved the grand issue of world peace. On second thought, the fact that Game of Thrones is a borderline porno may not go over to well with a good portion of the world's inhabitants...

I had to laugh as yesterday was my first day of my internship, and we were waiting for someone to arrive who was coming in late, and so some of the employees decided we should do some of those horrible ice breaker activities to "get to know each other" that every single person passionately hates. Maybe those are appropriate for toddlers to elementary-aged kiddos, but I'd say the cut off for those atrocious activities should be around age 15 at the latest. We all groaned in sync at this suggestion, so just sat in silence for awhile until someone asked if any of us had seen the most recent episode of Game of Thrones. The room erupted instantaneously into boisterous conversation regarding our thoughts on the show. It seems that is the only common ground among us interns.

I mean, I have never watched something on TV that is so engaging, so shocking, so intriguing, and so suspenseful. There are so many characters and you don't know if you should love or hate them. There are some characters that you start out hating and end up loving, and vice versa. The acting is fantastic, and the shock value unparalleled. Waiting a whole week between episodes is torturous.

Well, it's good to know that if nothing else, the other interns and I share a love for Game of Thrones.