The Winds of Westeros

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

55 days left!!!!!!

Just received the "Game of Thrones: Second Season Essays" by Pearson Moore and "Logic cuts Deeper then Fear" book by Henry Jacoby. I am a very happy camper.

In the midst of marking, sorting and inputting marks in for the various classes I teach, it was nice to get something delivered to me that wasn't a bill! I am looking forward to reading these two books in the next two months' time.

Because we all know (especially those on my Twitter feed and Facebook account) that I am looking forward to the Season III premiere of Game of Thrones. I, and about a million other fans!

Happy that I read on George's "Not a Blog" blog spot that he has completed another chapter in the next novel, "The Winds of Winter." Keep at it, George R. R.! We all look forward, with great anticipation, of the release date for this book!

Still wondering when I am going to read "A Dance With Dragons."

Okay. I saw the BEST Game of Thrones inspired cake EVER!!!!

My birthday is basically a week after Season III premieres (actually, my wedding anniversary is the day before my birthday). So, it's only fitting that I have a three tiered cake, with the top layer being dedicated to House Targaryen, the middle layer being dedicated to Arya, Jon, the Wall and House Stark and the bottom tier being dedicated to House Baratheon and Tyrion Lannister.

Top layer: double chocolate with chocolate butter cream filling.

Middle layer: marble with chocolate and strawberry butter cream filling.

Bottom layer: lemon with strawberry filling.

I just gained 20 pounds and my birthday is not for another 91 days!!!!

I finished Pearson Moore's "Game of Thrones Season One Essays" a while back and I ordered the next one. Patiently waiting for Amazon to deliver it to my door step.

85 days to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy New Year!

I am so pleased...88 days left to go! Just finished writing another Game of Thrones article for the fabulous site, http://hbowatch.com/.

In addition to driving everyone around me a little bit bonkers about how Season III is approaching, I finished my "Game of Thrones Season One Essays" book by Pearson Moore. When can we expect the next book for Season II?! I also put the next installment of the GoT graphic novel on my Amazon wish list. I have to wait until June 2013 like everyone else but that's alright. By that time, I will have watched the third season (like millions of other fans), so I will be placated.

I wonder if there will be another teaser trailer coming out anytime soon? I seem to recall that last year, around this time, the "Cold Winds" teaser promo was out on YouTube and on HBO. I remember the first one, "The night is dark and full of terrors." I remember freaking out and saying to my husband and friends..."WHAT?! That's it?! 15 seconds?! Nooooooo!!"

A year has passed. I am a little calmer where Game of Thrones is concerned. I have learned to be a little more patient. Of course, it totally helps that I now have in my possession the "Inside the Making of Game of Thrones" book by HBO. Amazing read, by the way. And yes, I bought two copies of it. One for me, that only I get to read. The other, for anyone else who wants to look at it. It's a silly little kink of mine. Hey, it keeps me happy!

88 days until Game of Thrones on the tele....88 days to go, cross on off the calendar now, than it'll be 87 days until Game of Thrones on the tele....

:D

Um, did I mention that I am up to almost 3000 pins on my "A Song of Ice and Fire: Game of Thrones" board on Pinterest?

Now that the holidays are upon us (and I have two glorious weeks off of work), I am going to start reading "A Dance With Dragons." (I read about 155 pages....but have been sidetracked with professional development and two jobs)

I can't wait to curl up and start that book!

99 days left until Game of Thrones Season III premiere!

Happy holidays & Merry Christmas! :)

We are now down to 165 days and counting. I've read a lot of articles about the filming of the infamous 'Red Wedding' scene. There's been all sorts of pictures of set designs and productions over in Croatia. I can't wait!!

I also read that the Red Wedding is going to be episode 9 in the first half of A Storm of Swords next year.

If memory serves correct....episode 9 in Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings were really intense and action packed. Is it just me, or does George R R Martin like the number 9?

I was born of the ninth of April. So of course, you know I'm not biased! Right?! (*wink wink nudge nudge*)

I love weddings and all....but this is one that I would've skipped...had I been invited! Yikes!

HBOWatch has published another one of my character pieces. Bran Stark is close to my heart. Why?

I have worked with students with special needs in the last decade and I have found that there is something special about those kids. I am drawn to them like a lodestone. I am looking forward to Season III and seeing how the writers are going to fit in several major events for Bran.

I think this young wolf pup is going to have several challenges ahead of him BUT I think he's going to persevere!

:)

Happy birthday! Or should I say, happy name day, George R R Martin!

Maybe I'll celebrate with a cupcake in his honour.

I also missed a few of the Game of Thrones actors and actresses' birthdays in the summer months! I apologize for that, so happy belated name days to all I missed!

Only 193 more days until the premiere of Season III. But who's counting?!

And just like that, happiness is when HBO Watch publishes another one of my Game of Thrones related articles.

Happiness is HBO. Only 199 days left to go until the Season Premiere in March 2013.

But hey, who's counting?!

Hubster installed some kind of awesome sub woofer speaker system. When I watch Game of Thrones now...the quality of the sound makes me feel like I'm in the middle of a movie theatre!

:)

Well, I asked my cake lady if she could make me 2 Game of Thrones themed cakes for the season premiere next year. Yeah, yeah. Laugh all you like, but she gets incredibly busy and I like to book her in advance. http://www.thevanillabean.ca

So, obviously I will have a House Stark and a House Lannister cake. I was thinking, they should definitely reflect the geographic areas of Westeros. What flavours? What colours?

Hubster says that the House Lannister cake has to be red and gold. Okay, I suppose that's a given. He also said that a nice combination of flavours would be lemon sponge cake with strawberry filling or raspberry filling. So that means one cake is going to be light and fruity. The lemon sponge cake, as he pointed out to me, would be very rich, just like the Lannisters of Casterly Rock. I told him to calm down and if anyone is going to come up with those awesome ideas, it was going to be me!

As for the House Stark cake, I am inclined to go with blue and white, reflecting on the northern climate of Winterfell. I was thinking about a dark chocolate cake with fudge filling. Hubster totally disagreed with that option (um....should I remind him who is paying for set cakes?!). He said I should go with a nice vanilla cake and blueberries/strawberries/blackberries for the filling. I don't know. I'm not too crazy about the idea of doing a fruit medley for the House Stark cake.

I like the idea of a chocolate and vanilla swirl with chocolate icing and maybe some blueberries in there somewhere, in order to include blue as a colour, to give it that wintry feel. Besides, seeing as how he made suggestions for House Lannister's cake, I feel it only fair that I get what I want and have a chocolate fudgey ooey gooey kind of cake to eat.

Oh wait. I have to share it with my guests. Winter is coming, indeed!!!

Like everyone else out there who enjoys reading the "A Song of Ice and Fire" books by George R R Martin, I consider myself enamoured of the series - the books and the HBO show.

So, what to do during these long seven months to get by?

Well, I have A Dance with Dragons and have just started it. I also have Pearson Moore's Season One Game of Thrones Essays to read, as well. Something else that will keep me occupied is getting my hands of the Tales of Dunk and Egg. That's a compilation of three books to keep me busy. The second Game of Thrones graphic novel comes out  in November, so you know that will end up on my bookshelf.

I also have this blog. I also have character pieces to write for HBO Watch. Maybe throw in a Comic Con in one day! My Pinterest board will be updated every month. At last count, I had 2346 pins on my "A Song of Ice and Fire: Game of Thrones" board. Apparently, I have something like 44 followers because of that board. That's pretty flattering.

I can also have Season I and II viewing marathons. Of course, I do not share the burden alone. Millions of fans eagerly await what Season III has in store for us.

At least we can all surf on the Internet and read the latest press releases about the upcoming season.

I need a job! For real! Full time employment would definitely keep me preoccupied. That way I won't endlessly drone on and on friends and family. Not that I drone on, but if someone brings up Game of Thrones, well, naturally I get a little enthusiastic about the topic.

Well, wouldn't you?! :)

Yes.

I actually had the nerve to email a few of my friends on Facebook and invite them to a little get together that I'll be having on March 31, 2013. (imagine that...me planning things way in advance!)

Oh, wait. What's so special about that date? It's seven and a half months away!

In case you haven't read my blog, followed me on Pinterest, haven't read my character profiles on HBO Watch or don't have me as a Facebook friend, then you've been living under a rock! (just joking). I am a HUGE Game of Thrones fan. March 31, 2013 kicks off the season premiere of the third season, known to us all as "Game of Thrones: A Storm of Swords."

I've invited six people so far. Five are coming. I am going to order two cakes from my fantastic cake lady to commemorate the auspicious occasion! One will be a blue and white cake with the Stark dire wolf sigil on it. I'm thinking chocolate vanilla swirl for the House Stark cake (I always order chocolate from my cake lady for my cake flavours so I'll be bold and try something different). As for the second cake, it will be red and gold, as it will represent House Lannister. Flavour? Hm. Strawberry might be a good choice. Lemon is always a crowd pleaser, too.

And NO, I won't be dressing up as Arya, as someone had previously teased me about. Although one day I will go to a Comic Con and I will dress up in a Game of Thrones costume. I've see legions of dedicated fans do it countless times and who says you can only dress up in costumes on Halloween?!

Of course, it goes without saying that the guests I've invited were told to watch Season II before coming by for the Game of Thrones get together (I actually got one of my friends hooked on the series and he totally thanked me for it).

I am totally stoked that one of my favourite actors (not to mention older man crushes) is going to be a part of Season III: A Storm of Swords!! Ciaran Hinds is joining the Game of Thrones cast for Season III as Mance Rayder, King Beyond the Wall.

If you are not familiar with who Ciaran Hinds is: go to Internet Movie Database. You'll see that he has a long history of stage and theatrical productions, not to mention he's been in a lot of motion pictures. I watched Rome a few years back and thought he was brilliant as Julius Caesar.

That tall stature, that handsome face, the deep voice that delivered lines laced with authority or a quiet menace: what's not to like about Ciaran Hinds? If you've read the novels, as I have, you've probably come to understand that Mance's character is a bit younger. At least that is what I've read on many Game of Thrones related websites. I like the fact that the good folks at HBO cast Ciaran in the role of Mance Rayder. I think it takes a certain amount of wisdom and experience to become the King Beyond the Wall, to once be a Brother of the Night's Watch and turn your nose up at it all and head North to seek freedom, to rally people - Wildlings - to your vision and sick to it.

Not only that, but you are living in frigid, winter like conditions all year round. Would you rather have your freedom and live as you please or would you rather be down South, in one of the many cities in Westeros, where treachery and betrayal are a part of everyday living?

It'll be interesting when Ygritte takes Jon Snow to meet Mance Rayder. So far, I was very interested in meeting Lady Olenna Redwyne and Ser Brynden Tully, the Blackfish of Riverrun, in Season III. Add one more intriguing character to the list! 

You CANNOT POSSIBLY TEASE ME WITH THIS KIND OF LEAK!!!!! Not fair!

I heard an interesting rumour. HBO, as we already know, has green lit Season III (also known as "A Storm of Swords"). But.....I heard that because A Storm of Swords is so majorly action packed and contains so many story lines and arcs, that Season III will be split into two Seasons! As in Season III Part A and Season III Part B!

OMG! This is better then Nutella! And for those of you that know me, you know I LOVE my Nutella! Saying that Season III's "A Storm of Swords"  is better then Nutella, on my part, is absolutely out of this world! If this is the case, not only is it a major bonus for fans, it's also fantastic for HBO and their screenwriters. Not to mention, the wonderful George R R Martin gets extra time to keep plugging away on "The Winds of Winter."

If I could ask for one thing, it would be that this rumour turns out to be true!

It just occurred to me: George R. R. Martin wrote the first three books of "A Song of Fire and Ice" in the late 1990's and early 2000s. Which means that when book number four and five came out, people began to flock to those ones just as quick! Of course, with HBO creating and producing the hit series "Game of Thrones" in April 2011 and 2012, the audience for his literary works has now doubled, or perhaps tripled. I am a fan, no doubt.

Soon, there will be a new member in my family, a nephew (who is due anyday now) and you know what that means, don't you? I'm going to have to purchase his first Game of Thrones t-shirt, lunchbox, bottle, etc. When I was little, both my older brothers and I were major "Star Wars" fans. We had the bedsheets, the toys, the lego and the lunchboxes. Three cheers for "Star Wars" & "Game of Thrones!" May the fans carry on all the funny and silly traditions that go along with popular films and book series!