Flightless Words

Since having started my two week midyear (study) break, all I have been wanting to do is to complete the seven incomplete drafts saved in my blog account.

After looking at each of the drafts, I realized it's going to take more than one hour per post to decipher the individual notes I'd made under each post. This can be attributed to the fact that I've been trying to write two posts at once, which leads to my brain reaching a point where it is unable to brain any further, and to the fact that it's been difficult trying to formulate actual sentences from the notes I've made during study breaks. I mean, what on earth am I supposed to make of 'Atholl Fugard, Miskien, sparse setting'?

In the past two and a half hours, I have jumped from misogyny (I can feel the eye-roll of the internet) to Absurdism, to birthdays, to the cycle of judgment, to franchising and book-burning (eye-rolls from my Twitter and Facebook). On top of that, I've got my mother yelling domestic chores and kitchen duties at me, followed immediately by her doing the actual tasks and then giving me the usual "How-Are-You-Going-To-Run-Your-Own-Household-Your-Children-Will-Starve-Who-Will-Marry-You-Your-Mother-In-Law-Will-Think-I-Didn't-Bring-You-Up-Properly" speech. Followed by the "You-Need-To-Study" closing argument.

Just one question I'd like to ask before the topic becomes stale:

Why has South African Twitter become a burnbook?

Times like these make me yearn for pre-2010 when Twitter was undiscovered and I could Tweet all about Harry Potter without being chirped by my friends about it. People say offensive things on the internet constantly. It appears, though, that those who have raised certain 'Twalebs' to their social media status are now the ones lighting the flame of the Roast. This can all be summed into two, Twitter speech, words: No Chill.

Ironically, by creating hate-induced trending topics, more hype is created, centered around the person. They then actually become famous - i.e.: beyond Twitter - and efforts to reduce their popularity has basically backfired and their social media pages are now doubling in hits.

Find your inner chill, go to their profile and click "Unfollow". Unfollows speak louder than trending topics!

I had so much more to say about my passion for writing, how much I miss Afrikaans, English and Drama and how I plan to make my true theatre debut in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, but my mother just gave me another "How-Will-You-Prepare-Your-Sehris-When-You're-Married" speech and has sent me to go prep for tomorrow morning. Just a few more words without wings, I suppose.

Fanfiction.net/gameofthrones

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, said Jojen. The man who never reads lives only one.”
― George R.R. Martin, A Dance with Dragons.

In light of the disgusting deviations of Game of Thrones in respect of the books, I believe this quote sums up the difference between the books and the television series quite perfectly. We are at the end of Season 5, and by now, the only light exasperated book-fans have is the fact that certain theories are now being confirmed. Apart from that, this show has become a fanfiction, and we all know GRRM's opinion on fanfiction.

Today, I was told that 'the show is based on the books, so it doesn't have to follow them directly'. Did book readers expect changes? Yes of course, we're not illogical. We know that adaptions are often tricky and it's difficult to include everything in the adaptation. Did we expect the producers to respect the source material? Yes. Did we expect characters, especially key characters, and their character developments to follow the same line as in the books? Yes, of course. Why on earth wouldn't they?

Have they portrayed key character's developments as in the books? Not. At. All. They have white washed so many characters simply because they are fan-favourites or because the actresses have really nice breasts. 

D&D clearly favorite Dany over everyone else, including the true heir to the throne, Stannis. This is why they seem to have swapped the roles of madness between the two characters. Let's talk about the logic of Shireen's burning. Had this series not been based on a set of pre-existing books with pre-existing characters and pre-existing storylines,  one would say say Shireen's burning is an indication of change in Stannis's character, in that he's willing to sacrifice everything for his cause. It would've been a poignant change in character. But this is a series based on the pre-existing - so to have this change is not honouring the books, but rather another example of D&D's lazy story telling by having Stannis go all Dany on his own child rather than finding a way to show Stannis's true character in the most concise way possible. There are lots of ways of doing this. Exhibit A: DONT BURNER SHIREEN BARATHEON. 

Books vs Show

Let's not even talk about how out of character it was off Davos , who saved Gendry,  a boy he barely knew, to not save Shireen, the little girl whose been teaching him how to read,  the little girl with whom he has spend much time with and grown fond of. But hey, D&D's budget constraints (see 'lazy story writing') couldn't have that in either.

You know who HAS gotten crazy at this point in the books? Dany! D&D's beloved. You know who HAS become bitter about everything and experienced an interesting turn in character development? Tyrion! But Tyrion being a fan favorite and Dany bring D&D's precious angel basically means no interesting character developments for these two. Nope, we shan't ruffle any feathers or show full characters on this show because budget constraints. Let's just make Stannis crazy because hey,  he won't fill our nude quota and no fans seem to like him anyway (given than we've portrayed him as a megalomaniac. Oops). 

Dany Apologists

D&D have said they're sticking to the books as much as they can - how is this even remotely true when Stannis wouldn't have anyone else burned just because they were experiencing difficulties? How is this true when Stannis names Shireen heir to Storms End before he marched onto Winterfell? 

I used to dislike Stannis when I first watched the show. But once I'd started reading the books,  I realized D&D made him out to be this crazy,  power - hungry leader when he was really the opposite. He's one of the few players on the Game week wishes to serve the Realm. I realized then that if characterization had been cut out for one major character on the show, how many more could this have happened to?

I think by choosing not to read the books simply because they are too long or because the show will portray the end result anyway, book-burners and show apologists are doing themselves a disservice, You are entitled to whichever form of entertainment you choose, but why settle for a Chomp when you can have Lindt? You are allowing D&D insult your intelligence with sudden, illogical changes in character and plot-holes deep enough to fit Drogon, Viserion and Rheagon. Firstly, why on earth would Stannis take his child, wife and Melissandre down to Winterfell with him when he is on the brink of war?

Lancel Lannister, at the beginning of Season five, stated that he had confessed his sins when he became a part of the Faith - so why didn't the High Sparrow imprison Cercei as soon as they had the power to do so? Why wait for Littlefinger to present him as a means of getting back at Cercei? It doesn't even make chronological sense - unless Sparrow has been acting selfishly,  which we all know is nonsense. But then again, given D&D's disregard for audience intelligence, they probably expect you to believe everything they feed you.

Also, how are you forgetting the Greyscale saga? Show Jorah even says that one touch of someone with Greyscale can cause you to contract the disease. So how is it that Tyrion,  Dany etc have not yet contracted it when Jorah has been freely shaking hands with people?

Friendzone? Here, have some Greyscale.

To maintain its viewership, D&D have resorted to attacking the good, sweet, quiet characters (Sansa,  Shireen and to a degree, Myrcella - although we already knew her shroud would be gold) for shock value. This is precisely what GRRM doesn't not like about fanfiction. But why did they have to resort to these non-existent happenings when they had two whole, 1500+ pages worth of fantastic storytelling that includes action and a water-tight plot?

Do yourself a favour - read the books. Because things have changed to the point where it is not following the books anymore, but rather going on their own path. Jon Snow said two roads lead to the same castle - in this case, I believe the show's road is more likely to end up Sothoryos than in Kings Landing.

Game of Woes

(This post initially started as a post about the increase in blatant misogyny in general - however, the rant about its underlying presence in Season five of Game of Thrones went on longer than I expected.)

If you follow me on Twitter, then you will know that I am currently incredibly passionate about and incredibly annoyed at the progression of the Game of Thrones storyline. Apart from the fact that it detracts from the books in respect of the general storyline, there have been several changes that have strong undertones of misogyny. The exclusion of two strong female characters, Lady Stoneheart and Arianne Martell (who is a point of view character), for me was the worst because, apart from the fact that they're two of my favourite characters, their presence in the story is significant as issues that GRRM explores in the book cannot be explored through other characters. Lady Stoneheart isn't a vengeful ghost - she represents the aftermath of someone who has lost all that is dear to her in the most brutal way possible. All the prettiness is stripped away to reveal the cold, hard and bitter truth. She is justice and she gives the Brotherhood a worthy cause. Arianne isn't another insignificant player in the games - she represents those who have attempted, and failed, to play the game based on manipulation and emotion rather than viewing the game from a birds eye view. She had, as she put it, played the Game of Thrones 'like a drunkard'. But she, unlike many others, has been given a chance to make up for her mistake and is guided by the mentorship of her father. This is where we start to see the combination of character growth and flaw, and I am so excited to see what GRRM has in store for her in The Winds of Winter.

Another character we see growing in the series to become a strong player with a different strategy is Sansa Stark, or rather Alayne Stone. She grows from the victim we saw her become in Kings Landing to a player who stays under the radar, much like her current protector Petyr Baelish. She plays the quiet, intelligent game and in the Alayne chapter from The Winds of Winter, we see her start to beat Petyr at his own game. We see POSITIVE things from Sansa!!!

So why the on earth do D&D ship her off to Winterfel to marry one of the most cruel characters in this series? To revert her to the victim she was in Kings Landing? We needed the Jeyne Poole storyline, we get that. But why Sansa? Because she's conveniently nearby? Why have we reduced Sansa to a plot device? Apart from the fact that this is incredibly lazy script writing, D&D have once again trampled over another female character's development and storyline to convenience themselves.

GRRM about Fanfiction.

This show is now so uncanon, it's a fanfiction; you can read all about GRRM's opinion on fanfictions here.

While we're on the topic of D&D's disregard for female significance in the series, can we please talk about how they've reduced Dorne to some tropical Southern paradise and the anti-climatic Sandsnakes. One of my book-burning friends comment on the Sandsnakes was that they were lame. Honestly, I don't blame him, given their portrayal in Season five. In the books, the Sandsnakes are such a force to be reckoned with that Doran has them locked up before they can avenge their father's death. In season five, we got this anti-climatic tug-o-war between Bronn and Jaime (wth is he doing in Dorne) and the Sandsnakes over Myrcella and an excuse for nudity. WHY ARE WE REDUCING THE EPIC SANDSNAKES TO LAME FIGHTERS AND 'SEDUCTRESSES' TO FILL D&D's NUDE SCENE QUOTA? Oh, and Ellaria has been reduced to a bloodthirsty, vengeful woman who lost her lover in the series, because that's easier than portraying her as a woman who loves her children and would rather keep peace to ensure they are safe and that some sanity remains in Dorne. More lazy screenwriting and female character reduction, curtesy of D&D.

Back to the topic of Dorne, the 'Kingdom of Acceptance', where base-born children are loved and not looked down upon. Where next in line to the throne is not determined based on gender but rather on age. Where the Martells are actually 'Nymeros-Martells' due to the significance and influence of Nymeria of Rhoyne. Why have D&D given us a summer island holiday resort instead of the only kingdom that didn't bend the knee, but joined the Seven Kingdoms through marriage. Why aren't we shown why the Martells, who rule Dorne, are 'Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken'? 

Why is it so difficult for the show to portray the women of the series as strong individuals, instead of reducing them to victims, manipulators and nude scenes, incapable of being worthy players in the game of thrones?

PS: Please do not use Dany to defend D&Ds misogyny. Half her storyline for this season has been cut, meaning book-burners don't get to see her full descent into madness (yaaaay for more female plotline reduction). Plus, in the tv series, she watched, with a straight face, her dragons burn alive and eat a fellow human being. She has no claim to the Iron Throne. Apart from the fact that she lost that claim after Robert's Rebellion, she knows nothing of Westeros or its people. Granted her own ancestors conquered Westeros with the aid of their dragons, so anything is possible - however, she would fly to Westeros with vengeance in her heart and claim that which she believes was taken from her. There are other, less selfish players who would serve the realm better than she would.

Tawakkul

Tawakkul is that moment of sanity in a succession of madness. 

It is the moment of relief in the hours of hardship.

It's the soothing balm against the sting of life. It is more than hope. It is complete submission and faith.

It is knowing He Will Look after you, despite how daunting and impossible the future may seem.

It is light. It is life.

This isn't a Subtweet, not really...

Nymeria of Rhoyne

We are under a day short of being halfway through the year and this scares me. Seriously, where have these six months gone? Oh yes, I've spent them either procrastinating or "studying" (see staring at my textbook with a blank expression, thinking of Nymeria of Rhoyne).

On the plus side I am currently on a four week holiday, during which I intend to increase my reading time, sleeping time and cooking time. The last one is because I love food and I'm tired of relying on my mom to make my favourite dishes for me - not because I'm trying to impress a boy or his mother for marriage purposes. Yeah boys, WE LIKE SANDWICHES TOO.

I tried my best to minimize my social media usage for the last few months now and control my addiction. Quite frankly, it sucked. Cold turkey methods do NOT work. Don't try this at home, kids; the withdrawal symptoms just worsen your condition. 

During the time I spent trying to avoid Twitter, I pondered on why we publish our thoughts on a public platform such as Twitter or a blog. Is it purely to express our creativity or a need to stroke our egos with affirmation from others? Why is a tweet only as good as the number of retweets it gets, or an account as prominent as the number of followers it has? Is what we think not good enough for ourselves that we have to seek affirmation? 

There's a week and a day left till my twenty-first birthday and I'm quite happy to be celebrating this milestone during the month of Ramadhaan. Speaking of Ramadhaan and my Twitter addiction; over the last two and a half years (i.e.: the time when people began to believe my rants about Twitter being amazing), I have noticed two 'types' of Muslims on Twitter. These types tend to come out during this month in particular; the cynical types that hate on Ramadhaan Muslims and the self-righteous types that hate on those who aren't Ramadhaan Muslims. 

In respect of the cynics who won't stop subtweeting that Muslim girl with a hijab avatar during Ramadhaan; I cannot deal with their judgement. This judgement of people who are, in their own way, trying to make a positive change in their lives; even it is for a short period. At least they're trying. Also, Ramadhaan is a wonderful opportunity to start making positive changes in your life. Perhaps they see it this way too.

(OH, and while we are on the topic of cynics on Twitter... (Warning: Blunt rant ahead. You might want to stop reading).

It appears there is this belief that cynicism gains popularity. Perhaps it does, given the number of retweets cynical tweets receive. But then again, maybe it's just an appreciation of dark humour. There is, however, no need to be cynical to the point of dissing people who post inspirational tweets.

Constant cynicism doesn't allow you to enjoy anything life has to offer and essentially desensitizes you in respect of other people because one is so caught up in their own life. Apart from ignorance, insensitivity is also a sign of bitterness; one can't be happy with what one has, so one is cynical about everyone else to create this false sense of superiority to mask the fact that one is unable to accept something about one's own life.

If one cant see the sunlight streaming through the clouds, it's one's personal business. But one should not eclipse someone else's rainbow because one chooses to be swallowed by their own storm.

Also, has anyone else noticed the people-hate on Twitter? I don't understand; if you can't stand people so much, why are you on Twitter?  Because you enjoy the false identities that some people create? If that's the case, you'd be better off with a book. I get that the internet allows you to come out of your shell and give you the confidence that you might not have in person; but good God, do you have to be mean? No wonder no one wants to be your friend in person, because all you do is complain about everything.

Okay, wow. That was mean and it's Ramadhaan. I'm sorry.)

Moving on.

The other 'type'of Muslim are the self-righteous who think they're better than the man without a beard or a woman without a scarf. Ladies and gentlemen, this is counter judgment to 'type one' Muslim and it doesn't make you any better than they are.Self-righteousness stems from pride, and, in case you've forgotten your Tahzeeb lessons from Primary School Madressah, "A man with an atom of pride shall not enter Jannah.". Everyone is on their own spiritual journey, so shift your focus to self-improvement.

It is impossible to avoid these types of people, be it in Ramadhaan or any other time of the year. Clearly it is difficult to please anyone, so worry about your own contentment and that of your Creator. 

I wish you a Blessed Ramadhaan :) May the all positive changes you make this month become permanent changes thereafter.