The Old Gods convert one more! Possible spoilers!!

[Needle]

No, they have satellite but no HBO. When it comes out on dvd her grandson has said he will get it for her, if he doesn't, I will but I think he will, he loves her very much, which is fortunate, so many have no one. I find myself spending a lot of time coloring pictures for their walls. I can't draw a stick figure but give me a coloring book and I become an artist!

 

[Wiggum]

You do good work Needle

 

[Timba]

You do good work Needle

Indeed, my mother spent her final 7 months in a nursing home and while I was able to visit for lunch every day she felt alone and abandoned and, really, there was no one coloring pictures for her walls. well done, your caring is shining through.

 

[Needle]

Thanks you guys! I find myself sleeping less and less but the look in their eyes when they get the smallest thing makes it all worth it!

 

[NenadBulaja]

Don't over do it. What you do is truly great, but, like with everything in life, you must find the fine line when to stop.

Give my best to Miss Elise!

 

[The Imp]

Thanks you guys! I find myself sleeping less and less but the look in their eyes when they get the smallest thing makes it all worth it!

I used to do Social Work at a nursing home, and my wish for every resident in any such facility is that they have caring staff people such as you. Some of these elderly people have no one other than the people who get paid to care for them, even though they may have family that lives only minutes away. I remember people being visited only on their birthday (if they were lucky). Miss Elise is blessed with at least one caring relative and you,

 

[Timba]

I used to do Social Work at a nursing home, and my wish for every resident in any such facility is that they have caring staff people such as you. Some of these elderly people have no one other than the people who get paid to care for them, even though they may have family that lives only minutes away. I remember people being visited only on their birthday (if they were lucky). Miss Elise is blessed with at least one caring relative and you,

So true, when I saw my mom for lunch we use to intentionally pick a table with someone eating "solo" just so we could chat a bit. I am not much of a polite chat kind of person but it always felt very rewarding and my mom was of course happy to share her "son." Or perhaps that was brag on her son, whatever, I think we all enjoyed ourselves.

 

[Needle]

Well all, I should have seen this coming! I got a call today at 7:00 am, a nurse I work with asking could I please come in and speak with Miss Elise. Says she is very upset, all she can get from her is something about a book and that poor little girl and asking for me. Oh geez! So I went.

As I sure you have guessed by now, she had come to the Red Wedding! And worse yet, Arya and The Hounds axe!

I was forced to break the no-tell rule enough to tell her Arya is not that easy to kill! It was that or valium!

I managed to get her calmed down but she is super pissed at Mr. George! And I thought I was obsessed!

 

[Timba]

You know it is probably not much solace but she should be aware she is not alone. Each of us enthused by this grand tale have had a favorite character suddenly eliminated, been appalled by a sudden turn in the story. In this way the story seems much like real life where the good die young and the wicked seem to run for office over and over again. She has been around long enough to have seen all the highs and lows in real life, I am sure she will find a balance.

A little anger at Mr. George may be a good thing, anything that might light a fire under him would be a plus in my book Besides, there is always "the list" and the promise of retribution it represents

 

[Mesanna]

Aw Needle that's so sad, I hate to think of the poor soul traumatised by our story! I think it's wonderful though that she was able to talk to you about it. When I first read the books, I didn't know anyone else who had (though I've persuaded a few people since then) and I was bursting to hear what others thought. It's good to be able to bond with someone over a shared experience, even if it is just the love of a story.

Why not try to distract her with some of our crackpot theories? Has she thought much about Jon's parentage or whether Tyrion's a Targ?

PS I think you asked somewhere else, but yes, I did take my screen name from WoT (though I spelt it differently cos no-one ever seems to spell Mesaana correctly). I loved the idea of Mesaana being the serpent in the tower, and hiding in plain sight, plus I just like the sound of the name. (Though I'm not so keen on what eventually happens to her in the books, which I won't discuss for fear of spoiling for anyone! )

 

[Eulalia]

I hope that, should I live in a nursing home one day, that I am reading a series as compelling as ASOIAF, and have a staff member such as Needle to talk to about it!

The Red Wedding is pretty intense. GRRM does much too good a job on the suspense, don't you think! You could always tell Miss Ellise that Sandor is really a True Knight! Perhaps she will forgive Mr George, when she reads that Cateyn is on the warpath and Arya is still ticking.

It's funny, I gave a book to an Auntie at a senior's residence. It was on Women in History. She said that she, and the residents quite enjoyed it. Later I looked at it more closely, I noticed it was full of sex and violence, although it was okay to them because it was non fiction. Check out Bouadicca sometime, or Empress Irene. Just because people are old doesn't mean they don't like some passionate topics. Don't know why it surprised me, except that my Aunt seems so straight-laced.

(Not really related, Needle, but I just read a very cool book on Insomnia called "Tired but Wired". )

 

[Needle]

Aw Needle that's so sad, I hate to think of the poor soul traumatised by our story! I think it's wonderful though that she was able to talk to you about it. When I first read the books, I didn't know anyone else who had (though I've persuaded a few people since then) and I was bursting to hear what others thought. It's good to be able to bond with someone over a shared experience, even if it is just the love of a story.

Why not try to distract her with some of our crackpot theories? Has she thought much about Jon's parentage or whether Tyrion's a Targ?

PS I think you asked somewhere else, but yes, I did take my screen name from WoT (though I spelt it differently cos no-one ever seems to spell Mesaana correctly). I loved the idea of Mesaana being the serpent in the tower, and hiding in plain sight, plus I just like the sound of the name. (Though I'm not so keen on what eventually happens to her in the books, which I won't discuss for fear of spoiling for anyone! )

This is an awesome idea Mesanna! Have to find a really crackpot one. Probably one of the Imp's!!

P.S. I knew the name could not be a coincidence from a fantasy fan!

 

[NenadBulaja]

Sorry to break the optimism but you are making mistake. Present her crackpot theories for distraction, and you are just dragging her down the spiral of ASoIaF addict.

Miss Elise sounds like very sweet old lady, coming from the world bit more naive than most live in. Maybe try to explain to her that it is all fiction, and as distraction use some interview from GRRM, to show her he is also just likable older writer.

 

[Needle]

She does know it is fiction, I think just with little else to do she has become very attached to the characters. Reading (listening) is her distraction. I am already discovering that those who continue to read stories of whatever kind, seem to keep their minds clearer, longer. Music seems to have the same effect. I will however try to record some of his interviews for her, it may be just the thing to keep her from hunting him down!

 

[Mesanna]

Sorry to break the optimism but you are making mistake. Present her crackpot theories for distraction, and you are just dragging her down the spiral of ASoIaF addict.

Hehe I don't think we in this forum get to judge anyone for being an ASOIAF addict!

I only suggest discussing the crackpot theories because there are so many understated plot lines that most people will never pick up on during their first read, and hearing about them is a revelation!

 

[The Imp]

Sorry to break the optimism but you are making mistake. Present her crackpot theories for distraction, and you are just dragging her down the spiral of ASoIaF addict.

Miss Elise sounds like very sweet old lady, coming from the world bit more naive than most live in. Maybe try to explain to her that it is all fiction, and as distraction use some interview from GRRM, to show her he is also just likable older writer.

Sorry if i sound a bit harsh, but I think it's presumtous to assume that a trained professional (Needle) is making a mistake in how she is treating one of her patients (Miss Elise) whom you have never met and really know nothing about. There's also no indication that she thinks any of aSoIaF is anything but fiction.

I'd encourage the discussion of any and/or all crackpot theories. If you want my current favorite it's that varys is connected to the FM and maybe a Targ. I know from my own professional work with the elderly that keeping people's minds engaged and active is crucial to good mental health and "agility" as the years pass.

Keep on keeping on Needle. Tell Miss Elise that The Imp STILL thinks there's a slight chance that Ned is alive

 

[NenadBulaja]

Many other members gave their opinion on what to do to help miss Elise. If it is presumptuous to give advice to trained professional for all others then it is for me too. Not flashing around with any experience in working with elder people doesn't mean I don't have any. And Needle accepted it in good faith, as it was given, so there is no need to play devil's advocate here. Never dream counseling Needle about therapy for miss Elise, but this is not part of therapy, and if it makes her so agitated to call for her in the middle of the night, maybe it is better for Miss Elise to pass on some of genius work from The Imp, if it will make her feel little less upset.

 

[The Imp]

Many other members gave their opinion on what to do to help miss Elise. If it is presumptuous to give advice to trained professional for all others then it is for me too. Not flashing around with any experience in working with elder people doesn't mean I don't have any. And Needle accepted it in good faith, as it was given, so there is no need to play devil's advocate here. Never dream counseling Needle about therapy for miss Elise, but this is not part of therapy, and if it makes her so agitated to call for her in the middle of the night, maybe it is better for Miss Elise to pass on some of genius work from The Imp, if it will make her feel little less upset.

Agruing, snarkiness and sarcasm aren't part of this forum. If you'd like to discuss/debate this further I'll be happy to do it via PM

 

[NenadBulaja]

Maybe little sarcasm, other things I don't find in my post, but no argument on continuing via PM.

 

[Mesanna]

I will however try to record some of his interviews for her, it may be just the thing to keep her from hunting him down!

If you decide to do this, the interview he did earlier this year at Google was very good. It's on YouTube (I don't know if she has access to a laptop or the internet), or you could just convert the video to a sound file and put it on an MP3 player or CD (I could help you with this if you need it). I can't remember offhand if he gives away spoilers for ADWD though, but the video is here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTTW8M_etko