First: Got a message from a recruiter who found my resume somewhere and described a position that really piqued my interests. Called back and left a message. Recruiter calls me back and says the position they are hiring for requires someone with more experience and wanted to know if I knew anyone I could refer them to. Told them to “shove it and thanks for giving me false hope and wasting my fucking time” (in my head).

That was OK, because I was in Borders when they had called me back. I got The Oz Chronicles Vol. 2 by L. Frank Baum… took it to the register and it turns out it only costs me $1! This is a book marked as $19.99 on the sticker, but it rang up as $1! The register lady was as pleasantly surprised as I was but gladly accepted my payment. I never thought it, but buying a book unexpectedly for $1 really brightened my day.

After that I went to my favorite store which I dearly missed from my time in Florida, and saw that they had some awesome new shirts. The employees there were more than accommodating, even going so far as to show me some sweet 7 Diamond shirts that just came in.

Alright, this could be nothing, but it was a brief thing that left me smiling but thinking about how I could have done it better… the girl (very cute, I might add… you’ll have to take my word for it) who rang up my purchases at the store asked me for my last name (which they have always done to put into the computer), smiled, and said, “That’s a beautiful last name!” To which I’m sure I was blushing furiously and said, “Thank you!” She started a little conversation about how two of her coworkers were getting married and their old and soon-to-be-new last names were boring like Thompson, Jones, and such. “Aw, well, it’s wonderful that they are getting married at least! That’s great for them!” I said. So anyway, my transaction was completed and I thanked them for their help, wished them well, and went on my way.

Right, so I was saying that could have been nothing, but I have no idea if that was flirting or not. I mean, she could have been just really friendly… but if a girl is comfortable with a stranger to carry a conversation like that, shouldn’t I act on that? I won’t deny that I’m inexperienced and shy in flirting and making friendly conversations with the ladies… because I sort of am when I’m not in a bar or club somewhere buzzed after a couple drinks. But looking back, I should have said something like, “Well what’s your last name?” and learn something about her. Just anything to show that I was interested in talking to her.

But I won’t say it was a total bust. I left a happy camper, not grumpy at all. I love that store. I go there a lot, so hopefully she’ll recognize me next time. And the more I experience and have moments like that, the more capable I am to handle them.

So let’s go through each characters’ chapters… I did try to predict their outcomes, but seriously, who would have thought that the book would end in cliffhangers?!

SPOILER ALERT.

The Ironmen. I seriously couldn’t care less about these guys. Boooo. Asha and Theon are the only ones I’m remotely interested in. Who cares about the rest? I don’t. But the slight mention of Dany in the end… hmm…

The Dornish. Slightly better than the Ironmen. Actually, it was either hit or miss. I was actually entertained by the bit of intrigue and betrayal in the plans to try and make Myrcella queen. Arianne seems like a character I want to learn more about too.

Cersei. Wow. She is really doing a great job as queen reagent, huh? hahaha, not really. She is horrible at it. Her little arrangement with Qyburn was also disturbing…. *shudder* I was actually kind of close in predicting what would happen with her. Although she didn’t get pregnant, I was just as surprised at her last chapter when she was taken prisoner for her conspiracy against Margaery. She did seduce a Kettleback, but her overall plan failed. And she did grow frustrated with Jaime, but I love how in the end she’s so desperate that she sends a letter for his help and…

Jaime. HAHAHAHA. HE. IS. AWESOME. I never would have pictured the Kingslayer like this when I was reading A Game of Thrones. He’s really got his shit together… even though he’s lost a hand. He still has his wit and he hasn’t let his handicap stop him from being an all around bad ass. The way he handled the seige at Riverrun was pretty much brilliant as well as chilling… I mean, he actually threatened to launch Edmure’s unborn child with a catapault at the walls. Just, wow. Hehehe and I just love his ending where he just has Cersei’s letter for help burn… it seems he’s seen what Cersei truly is, and he’s realizing that he’s better off without her.

Brienne. She was an interesting read. Definitely better than the Ironmen. And her last chapter… like OMG. I remembered the shocking epilouge from A Storm of Swords; but for Brienne and us as the readers to finally see Lady Catelyn back from the frickin dead… AND DAMMIT. CLIFFHANGER. Is Brienne dead?! Did they really hang her?! WTF?!

Samwell. OK, he’s an off and on character for me. I definitely see that he has really grown as a person, he thinks himself craven, but he doesn’t give himself as much credit as he deserves. I’m also glad he hooked up with Gilly. Woo hoo! Of course, that conflicts with his oath as one who took the black. But he really tries his best to do what he thinks is right, which really is what counts in my book. I’m kind of wondering what sort of exciting chapters lay for him though as he trains to be a maester…

Arya/Cat of the Canals. Spunky kid. I still don’t see what her overall role is in the grand scheme of things. I mean there are wars, conspiracies, dragons, and rebellions all about, and she’s just a little meek thing training to be… I have no idea. And her final chapter… she ends up blind? Wha? OK, you know what would be sweet? She grows up to be this awesome swordswoman and seriously gets revenge on all those on her list, The Count of Monte Cristo style; like she’ll grow to the ranks of high nobles, no one is the wiser to her true identity, and she’ll mercilessly take down every single person that has ever affronted her and her family. That’d just be so awesome.

Sansa/Alayne. Well, she really is better off than when she was in the company of Cersei and *shudder* Joffrey. While I have no idea of Littlefinger’s true intentions for her, at least she is not that terrified for her life as she once was. I mean, yeah the fear of her identity being discovered is there, but she has learned to really adapt to her situation. I’m still rooting for her to be saved and somehow live happily ever after (hah! tough chance!).

The A Song of Ice and Fire series has been awesome so far… but it has yet to be completed! ARRGH!!! Come on, George R. R. Martin! Finish it up! LOL… check out his latest blog entry:

lol. What a great guy. He’s even more awesome for being an NFL fan too! See? Sci-fi guys can still be interested in sports! And oh yeah! He’s actually making an appearance here on the east coast, at the World Fantasy Convention! I really wished I had gone to Comic-con this year… so now I vow to try and meet this guy at the convention! I don’t care if I have to spend my whole day waiting in line; I seriously want to shake his hand, get my picture with him, have him sign my ASOIAF books, and just tell him personally how much of a fan I am of his. LOL… wow… I’m such a fanboy…

OK. So that’s it… geez… how the hell am I gonna get my ASOIAF fix? I know! Fan art! Yay!

I was trying to look for some awesome work of Daenerys, and then came across this by Mark Evans. Which lead me to the rest of his A Game of Thrones card game illustrations. Although his Arya Stark looks like a dwarf or something… lol.

OK. Time for the next book! I’m looking at you, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone!

My friend said that Cersei is totally crazy… and she is! I can’t believe she is the queen regent… she’s paranoid about everyone, doesn’t care about the welfare of the kingdom, and only wants to control and kill everyone. I wish she would be more trusting, but then she wouldn’t be such an interesting character! But when she started hanging with Lady Merryweather, I had a sneaking suspicion… and then here we go, one of the craziest passages from the book…

Cersei cupped the other woman’s breast. Softly at first, hardly touching, feeling the warmth of it beneath her palm, the skin as smooth as satin. She gave it a gentle squeeze, then ran her thumbnail lightly across the big dark nipple, back and forth and back and forth until she felt it stiffen. When she glanced up, Taena’s eyes were open. “Does that feel good?” she asked.

“Yes,” said Lady Merryweather.

“And this?” Cersei pinched the nipple now, pulling on it hard, twisting it between her fingers.

The Myrish woman gave a gasp of pain. “Your hurting me.”

“It’s just the wine. I had a flagon with my supper, and another with the widow Stokeworth. I had to drink to keep her calm.” She twisted Taena’s other nipple too, pulling until the other woman gasped. “I am the queen. I mean to claim my rights.”

“Do what you will.” Taena’s hair was as black as Robert’s, even down between her legs, and when Cersei touched her there she found her hair all sopping wet, where Robert’s had been coarse and dry. “Please,” the Myrish woman said, “go on, my queen. Do as you will with me. I’m yours.”

LOL. Of all the passages I could have picked from the book, I had to share this one. Oh Cersei, what crazy shenanigans will you get into next?

On a more serious discussion… I’m wondering who would actually be a decent king right now. Tommen has the heart and enthusiasm, but he is way too young… and his mom is really, really scary. -_- Euron Greyjoy, or any of the Ironmen for that matter, not even Asha, don’t seem like the type to control so much land. Myrcella… I don’t know her that well, but she’s obviously too young to rule, even though some Dornishmen thought to use her in that capacity. Personally, I think either Stannis or Daenerys seem like strong, fair rulers compared to the others. Stannis actually answered the call to the Wall and seems to work more for the common good rather than for his own ambitions. I’m still kind of wary of Melisandre and her intentions though… But really, I think I’m rooting for Daenerys. She started out so meek and pitiful when her brother was around, but she has grown to become such a strong and powerful woman. She has the growing power as well with her dragons and Unsullied army. And she always seems to have a more caring nature about ruling…

I still have to finish this book and the series has yet to see an ending. I can only guess what new players and twists will occur. Anyone… anyone… is pretty much susceptible to death. It’s great.

I haven’t gotten that far yet in A Feast for Crows. I’m still in the middle of Sam’s first chapter. Hmmm… you can never really tell what’s going to happen in this series. I’ll try to predict how each character’s chapters end though.

SPOILER ALERT.

The Prophet. Not really sure about the Ironmen. His first chapter wasn’t really all that. Drowning men and kiss them back to life? Eh… I can’t really say what’ll happen to this guy since I hardly know anything about him. Maybe Theon somehow comes back…?

The Captain of the Guards. Don’t know a lot about the Dornish either. The Red Viper that fought the Mountain was pretty awesome until he was abruptly torn to shreds. The Dornish are new players in the book to me, so I can’t say what’ll happen to them either.

Cersei. Ooooh… I was eager to see more of this character. Hmm… I predict she’ll seduce some guy with power in an effort to control him. She’ll try to get into Jaime’s pants again, but I think she’ll grow frustrated at his new found sense of honor and his stump of a hand. I’m pretty sure she’ll kill someone. I wonder if she’ll somehow get pregnant again… that’ll be crazy. She’s crazy. This whole damn series is crazy. hehehe.

Brienne. She was a pretty neat character. It’s cool how she was given Oathbreaker from Jaime too. I hope she does find Sansa. Maybe she’ll save her, and cut off Littlefinger’s head in the process… that dude is really crazy and manipulative. I guess Brienne will make it all the way through the book as a maiden, but knowing the craziness of this series… it’d be too horrible to think what could happen to her.

Samwell. He’s a trooper. At first a pathetic craven, he’s really grown more bold ever since his trek back from beyond the Wall. He seems a little bit more buff too. Hahaha. I predict the Slayer will pull out the Sword of Godric Griffindor out of the Sorting Hat and chop off some creature’s head… lol! jk. Sam reminds me a little bit of Neville. He still has doubts about his abilities, but I’m pretty sure he’ll grow more confidence by the end.

EDIT: More characters… geez.

Arya. What’s her role in the overall scheme of things? I love how she’s just a little 10 year old who’s already a cutthroat killer. Hehehe. I guess she’s supposed to end up as this awesome, yet hardened and cold-hearted, swordswoman.

Jamie. Yay! His chapters are awesome. And it presents a really nice contrast to Cersei. He seems so haunted by his past actions now and is really trying to make up for it. And he seems more resistant to his twin sister… especially now that Tyrion said that she fucks other guys. I really hope he doesn’t die. I mean, I really hated him in the first book for throwing and crippling Bran, but he seems to really have changed for the better. I think he’ll continue his dedication to the the white cloak to some bitter end…

Sansa. I really pity her. It seems nothing will go right for her, and she’s just so innocent! She’s really held herself together all this time though… anyone weaker would probably have killed themselves after going though what she had to. And I REALLY hope Littlefinger doesn’t do anything… harsh with her. If only Brienne reaches her sooner!

The Kraken’s Daughter. Hehehehe… when she was first introduced in book 2 in Theon’s chapter, she was downright awesome. I mean practically seducing him and making him look the fool… lol. Again, I’m not familiar or attached to the Ironmen at this point. But she seems pretty cool. Maybe she’ll be the one ending up killing her rivals at the kingsmoot…

The Soiled Knight. That was an interesting intro chapter for Ser Arys. But it really looks like he’s being manipulated from the get go by that woman. And Myrcella hasn’t had that much of a big role… but now she’s launched into one of the many in competition to rule and wear the crown. Arys seems like such a weak willed character, too. I can’t imagine him doing something really noble as of yet. I imagine him being betrayed and killed by the books’ end.

That’s where I’m at now. I know there are other characters left, but I haven’t reached them yet. I’ll probably edit this post once I get to them.

Oh yeah, and speaking of books, I added a Library page to keep track of my books. I moved my Wishlist link to the Misc page. The Library runs on the Now Reading plugin. I had to modify the code a bit to fit in the layout, but I’d say it’s a pretty cool app.

And of course… SPOILERS AHEAD. I mean, really… any real HP fan should have finished the book by now.

Hehe, 2 out of 7 predictions isn’t that bad. Actually, I’m actually relieved that Snape and Dumbledore aren’t evil. At first, it was beginning to look like Dumbledore was evil, but really, it was just a little peak into his past, revealing that even the great wizard himself isn’t perfect. And Snape… oooh poor Snape. He died, but the chapter where we look in the pensive to see his memories… eep. It was so romantic that he cared so much for Lily, even scrounging up the courage to approach her and tell her she’s a witch. Snape gave up so much and dedicated himself to her completely. Kinda makes me think what could have been—Harry Snape. hehehe. And the potions master, James Potter, kills Dumbledore. lol. Bizarro world, dude.

All the characters pretty much stepped up to the plate and took it up a notch. Ron finally was taking his courting of Hermione seriously and did a damn good job of it. Fred and George were funny and awesome as always—The “Holey” joke was hilarious. Now I’m glad the latest movie had Kreacher. It turns out he was a very loyal house elf and it was so great of Harry to treat him like a decent living being for once. OMG, a friend and I thought we had read a spoiler earlier that said “Voldemort kills Hermione” and I was pretty much dreading that moment. There was even a line in the book where she mentions herself possibly dying. I was all like, “OMFG, FORESHADOWING.” It turns out that spoiler rang false, thank goodness.

But geez… the deaths. There were so many. The first death (actually the second one in the book, but who cares about that muggle loving teacher, lol) pretty much set the tone… Hedwig? I mean, sure, it’s just an owl, but DAMN. Not even the owl is safe! Mad Eye didn’t really affect me that much… but Dobby! I really didn’t expect him to die, but he went out like a hero! That whole scene at the Malfoy’s was too tense. And damn… Tonks and Remus both died! How irresponsible of them! Getting themselves killed with a new baby just brought into the world. There were a lot of deaths, but my friend and I agreed that the one that was the toughest to swallow was Snape’s…

My favorite part of the book? Well, there were two most bad ass moments. The first was when Harry is walking to the forest to meet Voldemort, and he realized what he needed to do. Kissing the snitch and saying my favorite line the book, “I am about to die.” That was pure awesomeness. Harry—bad ass for life.

The other “fuck, yeah!” moment? Neville, after getting tortured and lit on fire for pretty much telling Voldemort to shove off, pulls the Sword of Godric Gryffindor out of the Sorting Hat and cuts off the snake Nagini’s head off! FUCK. YES. Neville goes from winning the House Cup by 1 point in Sorcerer’s Stone to destroying Voldemort’s last horcrux. NEVILLE KICKS ASS.

The whole battle at Hogwarts felt epic to me. Everyone rallied around Harry. I pretty much was jumping for joy in my seat as I read that chapter. Even Percey showing up and making up with his family was perfect. Rowling really set up the whole series just for this book. Everything from the past 6 books is referenced… I love it.

There’s just so much about this book that I enjoyed. I really feel like reading the whole series again…

Okay, here’s some HP stuff to share:

– CNN article that features some questions answered by Rowling. I find the part where she talks more about the character’s futures after the book really interesting.
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in Fifteen Minutes. Hehehehe… someone sent me this and I laughed so hard. “I think I saw a porno like this once.”

Fan Art!

]]> http://www.battlerobo.com/2007/08/hp-spoilers/feed/ 2 http://www.battlerobo.com/2007/03/harry-potter-predictions/ http://www.battlerobo.com/2007/03/harry-potter-predictions/#comments Tue, 20 Mar 2007 19:15:14 +0000 Jay http://www.battlerobo.com/?p=199 Continue reading →]]> Well, the latest Harry Potter is coming soon; the release date has been set at July 21, 2007. I can’t wait to read it. There are way too many plot threads to get into, but I’d like to take a jab at trying to possibly guess the outcomes. I really don’t mean to try and spoil the book; they are such great reading that what I’m trying to do is probably spark some debate or discussion. Get the book all ‘hyped up.’

I haven’t read the books for a couple months now, but I think I’ll pick up Philosopher’s Stone and re-read it and the others real soon. But based on what I remember, I’ll try and shape up a story that I wouldn’t mind seeing happen in Deathly Hollows (the title of the last book).

So, if you haven’t read the books yet, I’m taking this opportunity to give you a big ol’ SPOILER ALERT. So, let’s get started shall we?

Assuming you’ve read the books, I’ll make a prediction and my reasons for why it should, could, or possibly will happen.

1. Harry Potter will die.

Okay, maybe this is one of the most obvious predictions. But have you thought of how he will die? I’m going to say that Harry’s life is forfeit in the fight against the Dark Lord, Voldemort. But I’m going on a limb here and say that Voldemort will NOT kill him. I think I need to read over Goblet of Fire when Voldemort is resurrected, but I think it’s totally possible that Voldemort does not wish for Harry to die just yet. Now where am I going with this?

2. Harry is a Horcrux.

What? A horcrux, you say? Well, I’ll admit this is really a long shot, but I’m trying for that ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking. Voldemort probably made Harry a horcrux the moment he murdered the Potter parents. Thus, the scar on Harry’s head is probably a mark of him being a horcrux. Now, do you get where I’m going yet? I think Harry will discover this revelation; but as we all know, Voldemort can not be truly defeated until the horcruxes are destroyed. So, Harry will have to make the ultimate sacrifice…

3. Harry kills himself

Again, possibly waaaaaay off base and probably wouldn’t happen. But I’d like to think it does. I really would like the last book to get really really REALLY dark. You’ll see how dark I want it to be in the upcoming predictions. But really, how’s that for being a young adult book? Harry committing suicide. Once he’s bought the farm, all the horcruxes should be destroyed, and ol’ Voldey should be ready for a big swift kick in the balls. Who will defeat him?

4. Snape kills Voldemort and is revealed to be… E V I L

YEEEAAAHHH, now we’re talking. Snape’s true nature comes to light: he’s… a MURDERER. What, you thought Snape was being a hero for defeating Voldemort? Yeah, Voldemort is evil and all, but couldn’t Snape be evil too and kill the Dark Lord? I’d say so. It could possibly be a power struggle. I think Snape pulls off a great hidden behind the scenes villain… but maybe there’s a better one out there. More on that later.

5. Sirius Pulls An Obi-Wan

I miss ol’ Sirius. He was a bad ass you could trust. He’s dead though. However, I think he might speak from the realm of the dead. Maybe via the Mirror he gave Harry? I’m not really sure what advice he can give. Maybe reveal who R.A.B. is?

6. Malfoy is murdered.

Eh, I wouldn’t know how I feel if theis were true. Malfoy is a jerk, yes, but a villain deserving death? I don’t think so. Maybe he decides to turn to good, but Voldemort or Snape snaps his neck before he can join Harry and crew.

7. Dumbledore is… E V I L

People will probably die in real life out of frustration if this theory were to come to fruition. This has already been put out there, but I can’t help but feel that a twist like this really would get the media’s attention. I mean that line from Book 4 about a ‘gleam of triumph’ in his eye after hearing of Voldemort’s return and him being able to have contact with Harry… you can read it that Dumbledore is a supporter of Voldemort. This could be a well heated debate when Hollows comes out and it turns out to be true. I personally would love it to be true… hehehe…

This article about a help line being set up for grief stricken readers kind of makes me wonder how attached people are to these characters. I feel like I connection to them when I read the books; Rowling is just such a talented writer. All in all though, I can’t wait for Book 7…

]]> http://www.battlerobo.com/2007/03/harry-potter-predictions/feed/ 1 http://www.battlerobo.com/2007/03/holding-back-them-tears/ http://www.battlerobo.com/2007/03/holding-back-them-tears/#comments Fri, 02 Mar 2007 21:03:48 +0000 Jay http://www.battlerobo.com/?p=191 Continue reading →]]> I saw Bridge to Terabithia yesterday. I had read this book in like 6th grade, and even saw the old movie on it in class. I totally forgot about what happened. Probably because it was too dramatic for my child mind to handle. Seeing it again last night, I suddenly remembered it all, and it hit me really hard. Not to spoil it for anyone, but what happens is a tragedy. I still feel bad right now as I write this. Needless to say, SPOILER ALERT.

“Discover a place that will never leave you,
and a friendship that will change you forever.”

I am so sad that Leslie dies. She obviously brought so much happiness to Jesse. I was extremely jealous too. They were real friends, who loved each other as friends should. They weren’t afraid to let their imaginations run wild, and they had no problems confiding in one another. Their bond was truly something to behold. Then to abruptly take all that away? I was choking up bad. Jesse eventually learns to cope with his loss, and he should be commended for it. I couldn’t imagine the pain that he felt… but I sure did feel like I did lose something close to me.

My friend pointed out that Pan’s Labyrinth was just as heartbreaking. Yeah, the the end was sad as well, but I really felt Terabithia was more personal. Leslie really shows the viewers how to be happy and brings joy to Jess life. Then she is suddenly taken away with nothing to fill that void. Ofelia’s death in Pan’s Labyrinth was also tragic, but I really didn’t feel the connection with her was as deep as the one with Leslie. Her death is still terrible, don’t get me wrong; it’s just not as heart felt as Leslie’s. Both movies are still very good and I would recommend watching them. I’d go on a little bit more on Pan’s Labyrinth and my interpretations of the ending, but I’ll save that for another time.

And there you go: a post coming straight from the heart. This blogger ain’t just all about the boobs, violence, and just plain tomfoolery. I got feelings, too, ya know. Okay enough of that… I can’t wait for 300 now. Mmmm… that one looks like fun.

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