Read/Watch: The Game of Thrones dilemma

I recently started reading the Game of Thrones series and I am absolutely savouring it. Now that I have a basis of comparison, I realize how pitch perfect the adaptation of the first book was to the first season of the HBO show. I am fully up to date with the show which is two seasons in, with the third season  starting on March 31st. I am giddy with anticipation! But here is my dilemma; once I read the first and second books to catch up with the show, should I stop and wait until I have finished the 3rd season before I start the third book?

Normally the answer to this is easy because with movie/book adaptions, I prefer to read the book first. This way, I can imagine what the characters and scenery look like in my own head before seeing how someone else envisioned it. But with a serialized show like GoT, I am having a hard time deciding which version I want to treat as the 'master' version. The show is just that good. Knowing that GoT is my absolute favourite show on TV right now, I am torn about whether or not I want the read ahead and ruin the surprises that will come with each episode. I was told that the story veers so much in the second season that I probably won't have to worry about plots being ruined, but I will undoubtedly be making comparisons throughout the show. For example, during the break between the first and second seasons of The Walking Dead, I went on a blitz and read all of the comic books without really thinking it through. This put me way ahead of the show and I'm guessing this made for a frustrating experience to watch the show with me (I know Marc, I know). I have no ability to restrain myself from constantly comparing my interpretation to what is on the screen. Com-puls-ive.

Does this sound totally neurotic, or are there other bibliophiles out there that struggle with the same (first world) problems?? It's like I'm trying to pre-empt my own idiosyncratic behaviour. I have a few hundred pages to read before I make my decision, but I'm leaning towards waiting until after the third season is over...

BTW, if you respond to this, PLEASE don't ruin any of the story lines, spoilers and Heather don't mix!!

Shop: Banana Republic's Monique clutch in Coral

Another day, another sale at Banana Republic. Every email evokes a Pavlovian effect in me to scour the site for new goodies. I have been better about my retail spending but it's got less to do with a conscious effort to stop spending and more to do with the fact I'm not feeling particularly attractive these days (bloated and ouchie from my lovely UC*). Being in a UC flare up tends to have a direct correlation to my disinterest in clothing. You can always tell when I'm not feeling the self-esteem because my purchasing turn towards accessories. Lovely items that do not require a Small, Medium or Large size to fit into my life. One size fits all....and will continue to fit whether or not my belly bloats. So.....a 40% promo code and no interest in clothes? Jewellery, scarves and purses, oh my! I have already beaten this point to death but winter is getting to me.  I really wanted something that said 'Spring' to me so the colour of this pretty little thing really caught my eye. I love the lattice work of the leather as well as the gold tone of the hardware. At 40% off, the Monique clutch was too hard to resist. Is it too much to hope that it's arrival will bring with it some spring weather as well?

* NOTE: I will forever after refer to Ulcerative Colitis as UC, so that I avoid having to spell it and make a million typos. Besides, even typing ulcerative colitis is yucky. Boooooooo....UC sucks.


Photo courtesy of BR

Photo courtesy of BR

Eleanor Binky Wigglebottom

Just a small sample of the oodles of bunny photos that reside on my iPhone. I can not stop gushing about how cute she is. Don't get me wrong, she's naughty and at times, just pure evil. But she can win you over with a simple hop in the air or nibble of hay. It's really interesting to see how people react when they meet her. I can see the sckepticism at first, but after watching her binky and play, I can tell people are pleasantly surprised by how fun she is.

I am in love with this little bun and boy, do I have the scratches on my forearms and chest to prove it ...she doesn't love being picked up nearly as much as I like holding her.

 



 

Listen: Not quite the soundtrack of Silver Linings Playbook

Last week I went with a friend to see Silver Linings Playbook. I enjoyed the film, particularly the awkward dynamic between the two main characters and the cadence of the dialogue. Well, that and fact I could stare at Jennifer Lawrence for nearly two hours....that girl is downright luscious. I was really hung up on a song that they used in the film. It was a song I can remember listening to a million times over as a teenager and I was 100% sure it was Led Zepplin...but how could I have forgotten about such a good song? It was killing me that I couldn't place it.... what album? what song? I was angry with myself for having forgotten it. When I got home I searched iTunes for the soundtrack only to discover that there were no Led Zep songs on it. I couldn't be THAT wrong, it had to be a Led Zep song. After a few key word searches, I discovered that I was correct; the song, which was excluded from the soundtrack was 'What is, and What Should Never Be". What a relief it was to have found the answer, I thought my brain was going to explode. I thought I was all 'Led Zep'ed out' after years of listening but I think I need to add Lep Zep IV back to my music rotation. 

Shopping (and Reading): Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

I recently decided that I absolutely had to have an Amazon Kindle. I already have a Kobo and I make Amazon book orders with some regularity so it's not as if I needed it; although that argument could be made for any device these days even though we find life increasingly difficult to go with out them. In the ended I rationalized the purchase in this manner: at 139$ it was less expensive than a dress at Banana Republic, which I have a tendency to buy without a moments hesitation and considering how much I read, the price per use would be worth every penny.

I have been increasingly disgruntled with the Kobo. I bought my first Kobo a few years ago and I had no end of trouble with downloading content (books that wouldn't transfer) and software updates. One software update crippled my Kobo, forcing me to exchange it for a new one at Chapters. I was grateful for their willingness to exchange the device but it was worth noting that they already had a number of returns for the exact same reason. Apart from the very slow on/off response, I lived in harmony with my Kobo for a while after that (refusing to update the software unless I absolutely had to) until my company gifted everyone in my department with a new Kobo Touch. At that point, I was in a good place with my Kobo Classic but I decided to move on and embrace new technology. It was an improvement to use WiFi connectivity to download books rather than having to download via the kobo application and then use a USB cable to transfer content to the Kobo itself. There are usability issues however; the touch screen is so sensitive that every move I make while reading in bed seems to trigger a page turn, sometimes numerous pages. Accessing the ToC and other menus while within a book is not without frustration. First world problems, right?

The aspect that really made my decision to try the Kindle was the Kobo store. Seriously, it's horrendous. There's no such thing as a wish list or 'save for later'. You can only buy one book at a time, meaning that a promo code for 40% off is only good for one book purchase and lately you can't even apply a promo code to a best seller so you may as well forget about a discount altogether. The store inventory is simply flooded with erotica. If the navigation and categorization was better I wouldn't complain but when I search in Fiction & Literature and and end up sorting through pages and pages of 50 Shades wannabes, I get annoyed. I know that sounds like a minor detail, but I just can't get past a bad interface (it's the reason I dumped Netflix). Kindle has the advantage over Kobo, considering you can buy content on the device or from the Amazon site. In my opinion, Amazon is one of the best sites out there for navigation and browsability; a definite boon for Kindle to be able to piggy back on that success.

My Kindle arrived on Monday, one day after I purchased it. Set up was non-existent; it was already linked to my amazon account. Book purchase and transfer is both easy and instant. The protective case I bought is a perfect fit; functional and attractive (I chose Honey, which ended up being very nice). You simply open/close the lid to turn the device on/off and it takes mere seconds to load. Marc gifted me (through Amazon, so damn easy!) with a set of the first four Game of Thrones books; needless to say I'm psyched to dig in. Even better, the Paperwhite version illuminates the screen so that you no longer have to keep a light on to read at night, which means you don't have to disturb the person you sleep next to. I was psyched last night when I settled into bed to read in the dark. I will say that the Paperwhite screen is not as easy on the eyes as the Kobo. I can already tell that my eyes will fatigue quicker with the Kindle as the glow of the screen is a bit more intense and less natural than the Kobo screen. For all my complaints about the Kobo, I think they did a great job with the look & feel (i.e. contrast) of the screen. I think I will hold onto both the Kindle and Kobo and alternate usage based on book price, availability, etc. It's totally normal to be giddy over a book reader, right?




Amazon website



Shop: Gap Fitted Boyfriend Cat Print Shirt

I'm a few kitties short of being a crazy cat lady, but it's not for lack of trying. I just want to share a couple pictures of today's work shirt, which gives me joy. I guess this is what they call 'dressing for women' because I bet there's not a guy in the office that thinks this shirt is a good idea. No matter, me likey.



Photo courtesy of Gap Fitted boyfriend cat print shirt in Navy



Photo courtesy of Gap - eeeek kitties everywhere!!!!

I've been delinquent. At first I had a hard time figuring out why I wasn't inclined to post but I think I've figured it out. You see, when I started writing a blog again it was with the intention of writing about my hobbies and interests; steering clear of topics like daily stresses that can leave me with quite a negative frame of mind. I wanted to write about things that I love or that interest me while avoiding the stuff that makes me surly. But it's hard to write about hobbies and interests lately because my head just isn't into it.

As you may or may not know, I have ulcerative colitis, a rather unpleasant disease of the bowel. I had symptoms as far back as high school, but it was only diagnosed in the last 10 years. I have flare ups and periods of remission, but lately it just seems like a never ending flare up that won't go away no matter what pill or vitamin I take, no matter how I alter my diet or stress level. I have been left feeling frustrated and depressed. I've never been so uninspired or so lacking in energy. I'm trying very hard, I really am, but if I am left to my own devices I would stay in bed or lay on the couch in my pyjamas and do absolutely nothing. I can't be terribly easy to live with right now.

I realize that the crap-tastic winter weather probably has something to do with it. I had vacation time during the 40+ cm snow fall, which justified (to me, at least) my hibernation. But after the snow was cleared, I still felt like hiding out while. And then a horrible cold snap (at some point it was -39C with wind chill) had me scurrying from my home to work to home, with zero interest in venturing outside for any other reason. I've been taking SAD to a whole new level. During my isolation I didn't even pick up a book, post a blog update, try a new recipe or even organize my closet (a personal favourite); I ate ready-to-eat food (and we know how great that is for your stomach!) and cut through shows/movies on the PVR. At least I had the courtesy to shower and change my yoga pants daily.

But the other day I went to a scheduled appointment with my therapist  (I call it my bimonthly tune up) and although I did not want to go, I found it (as always) extremely beneficial. I was getting so weighed down with options that have failed me. It felt good to sit down with someone and explain the symptoms in detail without worrying about how personal it is. I have held back on much of the detail regarding my tummy woes because I don't think my friends and family need to hear the gritty details. But this ends up putting up a barrier when I try to explain how I'm feeling while omitting key details. I guess this is probably a result of not divulging explanatory details but I am so weary of all the dietary suggestions I get from well meaning people that only partially understand the disease; I know they mean well but many of these mainstream diet trends are really not nutritional supportive of a disease of this nature.

All that to say, I'm going to go about things a bit differently and see if this improves my mood and my health. My battle plan consists of:

- Quitting the use of ineffectual medication: I am on daily anti-inflammatories that just do not work. I have been taking 3 pills a day for over 2 years now and I think it's time to see how my body functions without them
- Finding an Acupuncturist to see if this helps with any of my symptoms, specifically energy and pain management
- And the big one; accepting my illness and body as it is now, instead of fighting against it. I've gained weight due to lack of activity and energy, both of which are by-products of UC. I have been feeling pretty low about my appearance and lack of initiative to do anything about it. But as my therapist pointed out, I need to heal, and that requires being gentle with my body. Apart from walking and perhaps some yoga when my abdomen is not swollen, aggressive exercise is a no-no. There is no point in beating myself up over not going to the gym right now. I think this one is actually the hardest thing to do, because I have been upset with myself over this last year about the weight gain.

I guess these kind of look like some belated New Years resolutions. I gave myself an extra month in coming up with them so I better stick with them a bit longer than most.