Squawk Report: Game of Thrones : Winter is here and it’s on HBO

I have been meaning to read this epic series A Song of Ice and Fire written by the great master storyweaver, George R.R. Martin. I even bought the art book. Unfortunately, I have to blame Tolkien for lost reading time. It actually took me ages to finish half of the Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Ring. I could not get my brain around the name of the places and characters plus the Elvish language. He threw a couple of poems and songs in there too which did not help my flailing interest. By the time I reached Misty Mountain, my brain battery went dead. I eventually gave up reading the book  and decided to watch the movie instead. I kind of knew that if I could not hack Tolkien, it would be difficult for me to hack G.R.R. MArtin so I conceded. I decided to be content with the Song of Ice and Fire artbook and just peruse the beautiful illustrations.

Last year, there were rumours about G.R.R. MArtin’s novel being made into a tv series under HBO. It turned out to be true. It was named the Game of Thrones, which is the title of the first book. I saw the first episode and it was really good. It can be challenging to follow especially for someone like me who never read the fantasy saga. Just like JRR Tolkien, there were a lot of Characters and Houses ( i can only do four like in Harry Potter..ahaha!)

Armed with my artbook and my Game of Thrones Twitter Apps (Yes Virginia, it is available and I have two..lol), I watched the first episode and immersed myself in the land of Westeros filled with people being decapitated, names that were hard to pronounced or remember and some incestous love here and there.

All in all, it is a tv series worth watching and I survived the onslaught of unfamiliar names of the characters.  There were probable minor changes from the original story but that happens all the time for cinematic purposes. This I can say, some of the scenes from the first episode resembled the pictures from my  artbook

Check out the preview if you haven’t yet. Follow @GameofThrones on Twitter for news and upcoming episodes  and let the winter begins….

Squawk Report:Harry Potter The Deathly Hallows Part 2.. and the Journey Ends

One of the most anticipated movie of 2011. To all Harry Potter fans all around the world, it is going to be a bittersweet farewell to the boywizard we have known and love.

Squawk Report: The LOVE Isosceles

When I was growing up, I used to read  a lot of comic books. My favorite then and even now would be The Archies. I still follow his silly exploits at Riverdale High with Jughead Jones and yes, his relationships with his girlfriend Veronica and his bestfriend and sometimes girlfriend Betty. The comics have been in publication since the 1940′s and the storylines did not change that much except for the popculture trend that caters for that particular era. The core of the story  that stood the test of time would be the Love triangle between Archie, Betty and Veronica. I have to admit, that got me hooked into reading.

Love triangle. A relationship often played on film and books. From Gone with the Wind to the Great Gatsby, Sixteen Candles to Some Kind of Wonderful..My Bestfriend’s Wedding to Bridget Jones’ Diary.. Twilight to True Blood. All these movies and novels have one common denominator.  One character will have their  heart shattered and we, the readers will either lament with the jilted or cheered the lovers.

I think it’s a perfect concoction for a good book and a  screenplay. You have one person who’s feelings is torn between  two people and two people  vying for the effection of one lucky person. Even if the reader does have a pretty good idea which person will stand the winner, it does not matter. There is still that pathetic urge to watch it unravel. I have to say,this type of plot  stimulates the  sadist and the masochist within me depending on which side I am going for (obviously with Archie and Veronica, I am a sadist for  enjoying  Betty’s misfortune).

Sad to say but I had a taste of this love triangle conundrum way back post-uni years. I would say ours was more like an Isosceles triangle for it started with him liking us both equally for our differences. There was this friend of mine, Jay  who had a thing for this girl named Kay and I kinda played as their “bridge”. We often hung out together, like Three’s Company until the two decided to move their relationship to the next level. I have to admit, I did feel a pang of jealousy but not because I had a thing for Jay. I was more concerned about the abolition of the pizza and videogame session every Thursday  at his place because  of the obvious reason. Although Kay tolerated my  presence with  cool disdain, I did feel that she was trying to take my friend away from me.   For the first few months of their relationship, there was this unspoken struggle, the silent tug-of-war  between me and Kay wherein Jay is our rope. I liked to think that Jay was oblivious about what was going on but I am pretty sure he was well aware of it. He just did not want to get involved. Between us three, it was clear that I was the Betty Cooper of the group. I was his friend and confidante and Kay was the love of his life. At this point, I did establish the clear winner.

I decided to concede and moved on. I met a new guy whom I really liked. We started going out and when we became steady, I introduced him to Jay and Kay. Kay was overjoyed (obviously for now she knew that I won’t be snatching Jay from her) and Jay was well, shocked!  He did not say a thing that time. He just kept giving us the stare.  I swear, if he ever placed his index fingers on his temple, I could of sworn he wanted our heads to explode.

Jay never liked my boyfriend. He saw him as a conceited, jackass! I asked him pointblank if he was jealous and he just scoffed and laughed (yes and yes). So now I became the Archie in my own Love Triangle but this time its no Isosceles. It was more leaning towards  Scalene..lol

Just like Jay, I never tried to get in the middle between my bf and him. They did the same routine. The whole Tug of  War thing ( yes even if Jay was still going out with Kay). I guess, what he was trying to win this time was my attention. He probably loved the idea of being loved by two girls:) He felt special.  Unfortunately for him, between him and my bf, he was my Betty.

And so says The J. Geil Band,“You love her, but she loves him. And he loves somebody else … And so it goes until the day you die. This thing they call love, it’s gonna make you cry.” .. surely Love STINKS!.

Squawk Report: Blessed Singleness

Back in  the 90′s, I used to view the year 2000 as the year of the second coming, the Armageddon, the rise of the cyborg but I was wrong. It was more of the rise of the Empowered singles.

Yep, there seems to be a rise of people opting to be single than taking the”death plunge” or marriage. I can’t blame them. There’s the steady rise of divorce , economic recession and diminishing  number of good gene pool.

Narrow minded people who often bunkbed with people living under a rock should realize that being single is a lifestyle and a choice. Okay, fair enough, I admit, some singles remain single  because they had a hard time finding a suitable mate because the “supposed suitable mate” do not think that they are suited  for each other (lol). Well, it happens. I am not saying that it’s easy to find the right person. Most likely, the ratio is 9 idiots:1 good guy/girl tops. There is also the factor of THE LOOK. Before you start branding me as “Shallow Hal” let me explain. Let’s face it, we are attracted to anything that is visually stimulating.  So, in the game of love hunt, we look for something that is “soothing” to the eye. We zero in on them and pounce. Now the next step would be the deciding factor. The personality.  This varies depending on the hunter. Provided that the “huntee” has a thing for you too, you  try to cox her/him to talk or what I call the “getting to know you” stage.  Sometimes if you find the person too dense or too intelligent for your liking, that’s where it ends. Then the cycle begins again.

Some  single people are career driven. The profession is their better half. I do not see any problem here as long as they are genuinely happy.

Some single people opted to be single after a really bad breakup. For how long ? Until they are ready to go back on the saddle again? Perhaps. Maybe they will remain single forever for they do not want to be hurt again, who knows. The important thing is that they are surrounded by people who understands them and would not judge them.

Whatever the reason  might be,  as long as it is a personal choice and one is happy, just go for it. The time has change. The “old maid” is a thing of the past. One should not  be forced into a relationship just because one is in a certain age group. The ladies from the hit tv series Sex and the City did put blessed singleness on the star map.

Thirty- something and forty-something single people,step out of the dark, this is your era:)  For those backward people who still think otherwise, you can go and  hide under a rock …lol

Squawk Report: Dear Puck

Here ye, here ye!  Iron Fey fans, this is your chance to write a letter to your favorite fey. Deadline to post your letter will be on the 30th April. Win a signed copy of Iron Queen and handwritten letter from the character you wrote to. SO start scribbling…. http://juliekagawa.blogspot.com/

I was glamoured to write a letter to Robin Goodfellow…just kidding. I don’t need to be glamoured by Puck. He is my favorite fey.:)

Hi Puck !

How’s it going? I keep bumping into you in my dreams lately. The funny part is, whatever we talked  about, I tend to forget when I wake up.  I did remember asking you about the Iron Knight. I remember your wicked grin and you obligingly did a no holds barred, tell all, spoilers galore dream sequence and then I woke up and I was like, “holy amnesia,  Batman! what just happened??!!” :O

I know I should be asking about you and not about them or the book,  so I do apologize.

That’s why, I decided to write you a letter so I can get to know you  better and promise, no Iron Knight queries:) Taking the wrath from you is one thing, upsetting the author is another so we will leave it at that.:)

I do hope you get to read my letter and reply to  all my burning and quasi- annoying questions honestly and in writing, okay! Not a reply wherein I will wake up covered in spiders (oh, the horror!) just because you find the questions not to your liking :/

Okay, here I go… Puck, you have been a popular mythological character in time in memoriam. You have been a toast among writers and minstrels. Artists tried bringing you to life in sketches, paintings and even in  sculptures. So my question.. what do you really look like??? When I googled you (for research and not for stalking purposes), there were a lot of YOUS’..lol There’s the Satyr/Goatboy you, The Peter Pan you, The goblin-looking you and Link from Zelda you! ( Do you play videogames by the way? Oops, bonus question. <– you can answer it if you like)  Will the real Robin Goodfellow, please stand up! ahaha!:)

See, the question wasn’t that bad, huh. So, are you ready for the next one? Right then, before you decide to turn me into a cane toad (I prefer fire breathing dragon but…), I just want to know, what held you back from telling Meghan your real feelings towards her?! It could of been you and not “ASH cube” dwelling in Meghan’s heart. Anyway, the wheel of time  keeps turning and as long as there are fanfics around, there will be stories of you and Meghan being more than friends and doing and I quote, “suck face”! ahaha!, I mean Ho, ho, ho!

This brings me to my last and very important question of all. Since you are magical in more ways than one and nothing is impossible for you.  I know that you are the great Puck. “you do their work and they shall have good luck” so they say.  Do you happen to know a Trod that will lead me to another magical world like say, Hogwarts Castle or Diagon Alley perhaps? Puck, if you are thinking of zapping me to Orlando, Florida I swear… I will challenge you to a duel …ho,ho, ho! Just kidding:)

Actually, I want to know why you chose to turn into a Raven when you shapeshift?  Can you shapeshift into another animal? That is so cool! Way cooler than a vampire or a were

Anyway, I gotta go before you decide to cast a hex on  me:) I hope to hear from you soon. Please tell Grimalkin I said hi! If you can pass a message for me to IronHorse, please tell him that I ADMIRE HIS COURAGE AND HE WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED FOR ALL ETERNITY!!!!!!

Yours Truly,

The RedBaroness

Squawk Report: Percy Jackson and the Olympians : The Lightning Thief trailer

Here it is, Percy Jackson fans ..   a new trailer of the upcoming movie slated for next year … A little bit disappointed with the actor playing Annabeth (the character is suppose to be blonde.. oh well) Here’s hoping that the movie would be as good as the book.

Squawk Report: The Boy Wizard and the Demigod

I always love kiddie fantasy books. I guess everyone who knows me knew that I am a big fan of the boy wizard Harry Potter. Another book that I love is the Percy Jackson  and the Olympians series written by Rick Riordan. The protagonist Percy, is a demigod. His dad is the Greek sea god, Poseidon. The books are cleverly written. They are actually making a movie based on the series.. It will be released next year and hopefully it wont disappoint us fans. Here’s a little sampler…

Squawk{box} Report: Taking on the Transformers

Squawkbox

I vaguely remember the day when the very first Generation one Transformers episode came on TV  but i do remember the day  I accidentally (accidental is the operative word) stepped and broke my cousin’s favorite toy Transformer – his Optimus Prime – poor bugger, I scarred him for life! Well, not really.. the accident actually triggered him to start an impressive and expensive hobby. He decided later in life to  tracked down the  original Optimus Prime that I “smashed” (his word not mine) and he ended up collecting every single autobot and decepticon on the planet. I am talking about Generation 1 and 2 plus Beast wars et.al. A “prime” (pardon the pun) investment indeed!  The guy owed me a lot.:)

During the 80′s, Transformers, GI Joe, Ghostbusters, SuperFriends and He-Man to name a few are just some of the cartoons that dominated the Saturday morning show. By the early 90′s, some of these cartoons were either canned or re-invented to suit the new breed of cartoon couch potatoes.

The Maximals

For the Transformers, they created  Beast Wars.. Now, I kinda like this version of Transformers.

The Predacons

I do remember watching the show and loving the computer generated graphics (geek!). From the old vehicle mode (autobots against decepticons) to beast mode(maximals against the predacons). It’s the same characters just totally different looks. You still have the same level headed leader Prime (Optimus Primal who is a Gorilla), the wise cracking Bumblebee (Rattrap) and a team of mammals/reptiles (Cheetor, Rhinox, Dinobot). On the predacon side, you have Megatron who’s beast mode is a T-rex (awesome!) and his minions of insects and arachnids: Terrorsaur (pterosaur), waspinator (wasp), Blackarachnia(blackwidow), Tarantula and ..wait for it … Scorponok!.. Sounds familiar?? But of course, they included him in the 2007 Transformer movie.. remember the desert scene battle in Transformers 1 (woohoo). That’s Hollywood for you:)

Ratchet Gen 1

I know we have to keep with the times and that explains the subtle (yeah right!) changes

Prowl Gen 1

Hollywood  did to our favorite autobots and decepticons in the movie. Bumblebee is a classic example. In gen 1 cartoon, he turns into a Volkwagen but in the 2007 movie version, they made him transformed into a Chevrolet Camaro but they kept the colour yellow. Mind you, just  to please the fans, in the scene where Sam and his Dad were shopping for his first car – at the car yard sale… we all saw the Camaro Bumblebee parked right beside a Volkwagen beetle.:) Like rubbing salt to the wound, just kidding:) Medic Officer Ratchet who is a Hummer H2 EMS rescue vehicle in the movie was a former ambulance (think  Ghostbuster’s ride ECTO 1, more or less like that) and poor old Autobot Prowl the police car. Yep, he became a decepticon  and attacked Sam in the movie. Where oh where is my red Lambhorgini Sideswipe?  Ah, they changed him into a silver Corvette Stingray! No wonder I did not recognize him.  Don’t get me started with Soundwave? Heck, i know that cassette tapes and boomboxes had been replaced by cd’s and mp3 players but still…! I wanna see my SquawkBox! (its not going to happen)

Sideswipe (automode Lambhorgini)

Soundwave

I guess that is the price of “keeping with the times”. I am down with it really. I mean, we can’t expect to see a highly intelligent robot transforming  into a classic ’76 beetle, can we?:) What about the storyline? For me personally, i am not bothered.  Movies like this are all about none stop action. I will be more disappointed if the story focused more on the people than with the bots. I believe Shia LeBouf is the perfect choice for the  role of geeky Sam Witwicky and Megan Fox, well, you need a bit of eye candy in the movie so she will do (ahaha).

Devastator showing Scavenger,Scrapper, Hook,Bonecrusher, Long Haul, Mixmaster

Ravage

I saw Transformers 2 last Friday and I am glad that they included a few of the bots from Gen1. On the decepticon side, there’s Ravage (jaguar beast mode), the Combiners who bolts in to form Devastator. Devastator is the gigantuan bot made up of 6 decepticons (Scavenger,Scrapper,Hook,Bonecrusher,Long Haul and MixMaster). On the Autobot side, it was a big treat  for me to see Arcee, a female autobot in the cartoon. They re-jazzed her up by changing her into a motorbike. They have included  new bots too like the Twins – Mudflap and Skid, the Doctor and Wheelie to name a few. Again, to keep with the ever changing time.:)

Arcee Gen1

After seeing the movie, I thought about my cousin again. I wonder if he still crazy about

The new Arcee

Transformers as he was before.  Maybe I should give him a quick visit to check his collections. Don’t worry, I will be careful this time and if I ended up breaking one of his toys again. I promise, I will let him smash my collectible Harry Potter wand and let him burn one of my priceless first edition harry potter books. How is that for an exchange!

Note: As I was doing my research on Transformers, I chanced upon a Decepticon with a very familiar name .. SQUAWKBOX.  Squawkbox is a combination of two decepticons – Beastbox and Squawktalk. It was Soundwave himself who combined the two “cassette mode” decepticon. So, without even knowing it, I have been channeling Transformers in my Blog thanks to Squawkbox:) By the way guys, for those who doesn’t know what a cassette tape is ..Google is your friend:)  Ciao now

Squawkbox

Squawktalk

Beastbox

**I don’t own any of the photos.  Thank you to all you  people who is nice enough to share their Transformers pic online thus making my blog looks interesting:) ***

Squawk Report: Best Friend…Best (choice of) Mate?

It’s been exactly 3 years since Paul, my bestest friend (there’s three of them actually) decided to buy a one way ticket to Canada to stalk his on again off again girlfriend of 4 years. He hasn’t been back in Oz since then. I never knew  I will see the day dear old playboy Paul would turn putty in the hands of this Bit%*…ok, i promised i will be nice;) Anyway Trish, as Paul fondly calls her, (I prefer calling her Trash but out of respect to him, Trish it is), is from Canada. She came here for a holiday and they, as bloody fate would have it, met (unfortunately).  Apparently, Paul was on a date that time and his date had a mild altercation with Trish (tsk tsk)  and the rest is history.

When Paul broke the news to me about his plans of  moving to Canada to be with her, I thought he was kidding. When he showed me his one way ticket, i felt like beating the daylights out of him.  What the hell is this guy thinking? Is he losing his mind? He hates poutine for Pete’s sakes! Okay, before you guys  start  bagging me for being spiteful, I don’t hate Trish, I loathe her (just kidding). All jokes aside, I knew Paul since the good old days. I know him so well that I can say on behalf of him that she is not his type. He actually admitted it himself while we were bushwalking. I think that explains the intermittent and very tumultuous relationship between them. Obviously, they are two opposite poles. They don’t have anything in common. They have different tastes in music and movies. Their political  views is north and south.Paul is gorgeous and Trish is *yawns* whatever… Why did he go for her and not ….  me? Oops, did i say that out loud?:P

I guess its time to come out clean. Yes I did carry a torch for him since the dawn of Grunge music, post long haired rock and roll  era. We shared the same interests in arts, music, movies, food and just about  anything except I am a stick-to-one-person-kinda-chick and he is more the typical wham-bam-thank you-ma’am kinda guy. I think that was the reason why i decided to put my feelings for him on hold. He was never faithful with any of the girls he dated. His impressive track record of breakups  related to commitment issues speaks for itself. But when it comes to me, he is like a diffrent person. He is always there when i need him. He never forgets my birthday which is quite annoying because it is the only day that I tend to forget. Whenever he goes overseas, he often leaves messages on my msn or sends me a text messages or two. I am sort of his confidante.  I get to hear all of his juicy escapades some are downright raunchy than the other.

At some point, we did talked about “us”. This happened after i bullied him to watch “My Bestfriend’s Wedding” with me one boring night.  That’s where we got the idea – that by the time we reach the age of  30, provided that both of us are single, we should try going out as a couple. The idea is brilliant .. I want to propose to him right there and then. But as fate would have it, it’s just wishful thinking. I ended up dating someone else and him.. well, you guys know the story…

In retrospect, I guess suppressing my “carnal” feelings for him turned out to be  a good idea after all. If, hypothetically speaking,  we decided to pursue the  relationship to the next level,  how do I  know if it’s going to have a fairytale ending. Will he hide secrets from me? Will he treat me the way he treated his girlfriends? Who knows! All i know is our friendship will be in jeopardy if a “break up”  happens.

I know I did the cowards way out. Heart of a cowardly lion (not a Griffindor material). But this i know, lovers will come and go but I will always be there with him – his number 1 girl – his best friend – and that is good enough for me.

Squawk Report: Break Up Blues

My friend just broke up with her boyfriend of 4 days.. it was a bad break up (guy “twitted” the bad news to her, direct message of course. At least that makes him half a jerk). She retaliated by removing him from her friends lists. She asked me to do the same but hey i don’t go near Friendster. She updated her Facebook and Myspace page. But this time, she  didn’t bother asking me to remove him from my facebook contacts ’cause everyone knows that i seldom add people on facebook. My Facebook is just a prop, at the moment it is in the verge of  dying a long painful death .. Okay, enough about Facebook ..that is not the reason why i am writing this blog ..hahaha

Right. So Kay(not her real name of course) spent a grueling 48 hours of boyfriend detox. She didn’t go online, didn’t answer any of our calls.. In  short, she was like a nun in a cloister, a cardinal in a conclave, a psycho in an isolation room. Two days after, i got a call from her. She sounded happy, ecstatic for that matter. Time heals all wound they say, this girl took the short cut. I remembered my own break up and it took me i dunno, 8 months before i started picking up the pieces. I guess, some people recover quick than others. Anyway, i went to meet Kay in a cafe in Surry Hills and there she was, stunning as ever, fully made up .. all natural… natural fake eyelashes, hair extensions etc.  She’s with a bloke! She introduced the dude as her “boyfriend”. I was like, “okayyyyy, here we go again…” During the interrogation, I was able to find out that they were both Facebook friends and they have been sending messages back and forth for a good 3 months. The guy told me that we were  Facebook contacts too( *gasp* when did this happen? I don’t know. i must have added him accidentally). We spent a good two hours talking, sipping lattes and stuffing myself with friands. They both seemed happy together and seeing my friend happy is good enough for me.

When I came home, i decided to log on to my MSN ..hoping to ambush Kay.  As luck would have it, she logged on. You see, while i was on my way home, i just couldn’t fathom how quickly she bounces back. With her now Ex- she used to call him as the ONE and i have to say, she was totally head over heels in love with him. I think they dated for a month until it became official and after that it went down hill. She told me that she just woke up and everything is alright. I didn’t buy that. I mean, what about the feeling of emptiness and forlorn.. the feeling of being  incomplete. What she said to me after that caught me off balance. “I can’t live without a bf.”, Kay said.  Come to think of it, she was right. She had never been boyfriend-less since i knew her. That’s her motivation!? If-I-keep-sulking-I-will-be-sulking-alone -so-better-get-back-to-the-meat-market. She did the whole “grieving period” in the shortest time possible. Was she really over him? Who knows. If she is, then she conceals her feelings quite well.

I didn’t bother asking her if this guy that she is  now dating  is Mr. Right because if  I am not mistaken,  every guy she dated is Mr. Right. I might as well not bother asking her whether she is in love with him  because …I think you get what i mean;)

I guess some people are in love with being in love. It does give you a feeling of high, no doubt about that. Whether the feeling is true love is debatable. I am pretty sure they won’t be able to tell the difference.

I hope this one lasts a little bit longer .. I will give them a week. Place your bets!