What do you assign to Orthanc?

[The Saucepan Man]

We have Mordor, where we may assign the things we hate. We have the Shire, a veritable repository of the things we love.

But what about the things that we hate to love? Or, more accurately, the things that we know we should hate, but which we secretly (or not so secretly) love?

Should they not be assigned to Orthanc? OK, I was inspired by the "rooting for the bad guys" thread. We know we should disapprove of Saruman. And yet it surely cannot be denied that he is a facinating character. Perhaps the most interesting "baddie" that Tolkien presents us with. Apart from Gollum, perhaps, but the "below Goblintown, the Misty Mountains" is rather too unspecific as a location.

And Saruman had his gulity pleasures too. The Halfling weed, for example.

So, I'll kick us off.

- Cigarettes (obviously)
- Big Brother (the reality show, not the Orwellian creation)
- Reality TV shows in general ... :rolleyes:
- George W Bush (I know I should disapprove of him, but I can't help finding something endearing about him :D )
- Intolerance towards shtoopid people
- Intolerance towards people who dawdle (eg, the "zombie shuffle" in tube stations at rush hour)
- Checking the Barrow-Downs at work
- Playing Werewolf (and making lists pertaining thereto) at work.

OK, that's enough from me for now.

Let's hear those confessions ... ;)

[Durelin]

Your hometown.

Cartoon shows like "Spongebob Squarepants." (The classics should just be a pleasure and not a guilty one. ;))

Taking part in too many roleplaying things at once and dividing your attention and then wearing yourself out...and then doing it all over again.

Procrastination.

[Bêthberry]

Oooh, great new scope for list-lovers.

CSI--Miami

happy hours at bars

the reports of all those mangy guys who claim to be the father of Anna Nicole's baby daughter

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Guilty pleasures, eh? What a fun idea, Saucy! I suspect guilty pleasures may tell us more about a person than outright hates/loves do...

*chocolates from Peter's Confiserie (the finest our town has to offer, and known much farther than only locally)
*nacho-flavored tortilla chips
*sudokus (good exercise for the brain, but what a time-waster!)
*lots and lots of fabrics (all eminently practical for new patchwork projects, of course, but I do have a suspicion that I can't possibly live long enough to sew them all into quilts!)

*Georgette Heyer novels used to be in that category for me, but after coming back to reread them, I've realized how excellently written they are and have stopped feeling guilty about them. Perhaps they should go to the Shire - I bet Hobbit ladies would love them!

[Lalwendë]

Meh.

I could fill up the whole thread...but for now...

I assign cars. I do not like 4x4s, these are merely expensive vans unless they are upper crust Land Rovers. No, I like sports cars such as the the Aston Martin Vantage; I like 70s cars like the Ford Cortina seen on Life On Mars (that car is seriously cool), or the purple Capri that my mother had; I love retro cars such as the Anglia; I love hot hatches like Golf Gti Mk I, and I also like chavved up, modded cars as they amuse me. I even had one once, a Ford with a full body kit, spoilers, loud stereo, the lot. Spotty oiks would stop and look at it admiringly. Strange really, as I'm always ranting about lazy people who don't catch the bus to work! I also like Top Gear now it's become some laddy humour programme.

I assign gadgets. Not for me living offline without electricity, oh no. I'm what they call an early adopter because I love my toys. I have to be surgically removed from my Zen M:Vision, and the new Nintendo DS is becoming as addictive. I've had Sky digital for 9 years - 1,000 channels of utter tripe but I love it. I have a sincere addiction to The Sims. Technology is awesome. Except for sat nav, that's naff for an expert map reader. ;)

Tobacco is the nectar of the gods. Except I'm cutting down with a view to cutting it out. :(

I assign daytime TV. Trisha especially, and Jerry Springer. And all those property shows. Richard & Judy. Paul O'Grady. Countdown.

I assign the following juxtaposition of sentences:

- George W Bush (I know I should disapprove of him, but I can't help finding something endearing about him )
- Intolerance towards shtoopid people

Heh, heheh....

And laughing evilly. ;)

[ninja91]

Runescape.

I have asked everyone I know to kidnap me for a year if they see me with World of Warcraft. I have made a vow not to touch that game.

[The Saucepan Man]

I assign the following juxtaposition of sentences:

Quote:
Originally Posted by SpM
- George W Bush (I know I should disapprove of him, but I can't help finding something endearing about him )
- Intolerance towards shtoopid people


Heh, heheh....Hehe, I spotted that seeming inconsistency just after I posted. :D

Actually, I think that Bush is a lot less stupid than popular opinion would have it. Although there is still an inconsistency here, since seeming stupidity is part of what endears him to me ... :rolleyes:

Anyway, this issue is probably veering into areas which are probably best left alone in a Downs discussion. Suffice it to say that, by "shtoopid" people, I meant that everyday, mundane stupidity which we come across in our daily lives.

[Elmo]

The Sun

Irish 'Rebel' Music (Hey it's catchy alright)

Tony Blair (He has done at lot of good stuff you know...)

'California' by Phantom Planet (California, here we come...)

Scottish independence

Lord of the Rings Messageboards :p

[Mithalwen]

Jeremy Clarkson. I love TopGear and all its presenters - the Hamster is second only to Jon Stewart in my pantheon of small but perfectly formed adorable men on television and James May may be a terrible fusspot but he is erudite and proves that the harpsichord and the internal combustion engine are not incompatible interests .... but theoretically Jeremy Clarkson represents so many things I hate .. but I think he is brilliant.... :rolleyes:

[Lalwendë]

I'll second that one. Why is he so funny?!

Even the residents of Rotherham agreed with what he said about the town!

I assign John Prescott. He's not popular with the press but his Yorkshire "I call a spade a spade" approach always raises a smile in our house, especially when decking egg-toting Welsh farmers with mullets.

In fact, I assign Yorkshire to Orthanc. It cannot possibly go to The Shire or I would be hung for being a traitor. But you've got to admire that inherent sarcasm, cynicism and mean-ness.

*waits for davem to see this and say something sarcastic*

I also assign typos involving the word Shire and the letter t. I'm surprised I've picked up on this regular mistake so far...

[Volo]

Pessimism. That's a bad habit if any.

[The Sixth Wizard]

The Barrow-Downs! Tolkien!

Western society. You know there are a heap of starving children in the world, you know there's global warming, you know there are people who end up in accounting, but you just can't turn off that air-conditioner or stop using a gazillion litres of water a day...

[Mithalwen]

Toothpaste. Obviously it can't go to Mordor since it has a vital function on a dental hygeine routine ( and yes to a certain American downer who once expressed disbelief on this subject, even English people do have these :rolleyes: ), however it seems to be attracted by clothing especially dark clothing and won't sponge out necessitating irritating last minute changes ....

[Mattius]

Guilty pleasures huh? Now let me see...

-Prentending to like high culture and then watching people falling over on Youtube...

-Pulling a sicky and watching daytime TV especially The Jeremy Kyle show- "Scum!! You're scum- GET A JOB!" Hee hee

-Pretending to take the high ground in arguments about not being a fanboy/zealot, then in the same breath becoming said fanboy/zealot...

-KISS

-Dancing to Korn and Limp Bizkit in Corporation when I make out that I only like cool stuff (whilst drinking ludicrously cheap double vodka and red alerts)

-Ludicrously cheap double vodka and red alerts....

:cool:

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Egocentrism. "Yes, I am actually arrogant enough to believe that I hate being sick, rodents, administrations, and the NCLB Act more than anybody else in the world."

Starbucks. Yep. I can watch them take over the world. Sure can. But when I'm on my way to a truly crushing class or work first thing in the morning and Jaime's working and I order a hazelnut latte, bring on the corporate stranglehold.

Or how about that hazelnut latte? Zilch nutritional value so it goes against my usual inclinations, but oh it tastes so good.

The smell of toxic fumes. Yes, I'm aware this isn't a good thing. But if it's gasoline, it reminds me of spending a childhood playing hide and seek in a garage and if it's paint or paint-related it means I'm probably painting and if it smells vaguely like vinegar, I'm happily transported to a darkroom somewhere.

Carving out writing time haphazardly. Usually it means I don't get all of my schoolwork done. But when you look at a solid 70+ pages that you adore, who cares if you get a 'B' instead of an 'A'?

And the Justin Timberlake song 'Sexy Back.' Guilty, guilty, guilty.

[Elmo]

And the Justin Timberlake song 'Sexy Back.' Guilty, guilty, guilty.
:eek:
Feanor, I don't think the pope himself could get into heaven if he liked that song

[Roa_Aoife]

AMV's (Anime music videos)

Country Music

Sailor Moon

Cheesy Romance Novels (Someone help me.)

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Cheesy Romance Novels (Someone help me.)Only if you can keep me and my notebook away from them. I adore the titles. I have a running list of my favorites for use in parody.

I'll assign sushi. I'm supposed to be a vegetarian. ;)

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Cookies, definitely cookies! And coffee too. These comprise my Achilles heel, and I can honestly say it would be easier to pass up a $100 bill lying on the ground than a plateful of cookies with a steaming mug of joe.

[Meneltarmacil]

Posting here, playing games, watching stuff, etc. when I should be doing my homework or doing something important...

[Glirdan]

Posting here, playing games, watching stuff, etc. when I should be doing my homework or doing something important...

Ooooo!! I'll second that(^)!!

Alchoolic beverages :p

Siblings :rolleyes: (Like I love her, but I hate her all at the same time....)

Hypocricy! :p

[Celuien]

Loudly singing along to the radio while driving to work. Especially assigned when I have passengers in the car, though I will stop if they ask me. :rolleyes:

It's just so much fun to sing along.

[Glirdan]

Agreed with that Celuien!! And of course dancing alone in your room and then people randomly walking in on you. :o

[Salacia Deloresista]

For some reason, the Administration Building at school always comes to mind when I think of Orthanc. One never can tell whose side the administraters are on. They tell you they're your friends, then take away four days from Spring Break.

[Mansun]

I assign politicians to Orthanc (the White House).

[Volo]

Bus line 79. It never comes on time and when it does, it comes full. But it's the fastest and easiest way to get around.

[Lhunardawen]

the Hamster is second only to Jon Stewart in my pantheon of small but perfectly formed adorable men on television
I adore Richard Hammond!

Oops. :o

Reading back on very old blog posts (mine or anyone else's). Not only is it a waste of time to hunt down deep into blogs to look for posts that for some reason stand out in your memory and make you want to read them again, which inevitably leads to reading all posts you have to go through to get there, but it also leads to blank, wistful, or melancholic moods. Not a good state to be in if you're supposed to be writing a project proposal for Biostatistics.

The Princess Diaries. But oh, how can I resist Mia Thermopolis's rants that so mirror the ones that go through my mind! Just in form, though, definitely not in content. Well, except for those schoolwork-related ones.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

My first ever failing grade. Not just my first bad grade in college, but my legitimately first ever 'F.'

It's in Orthanc because usually I'm told people feel guilt or shame or other such feelings about nasty marks on their transcripts.

[the phantom]

Well, there's the obvious guilty pleasures- twinkies, soda, and fried foods. But that's not all. There's also....

Figure skating! I looooove figure skating! I tell my buds that I only watch it because the girls are smokin' hot (which they are), but secretly I'm actually interested in the sport itself, which is a big no-no for testosterone filled football loving men like me.

[Brinniel]

-Ben and Jerry's ice cream (way too expensive and way too fattening)

-swear words (yes, Brinn admits she can have a foul mouth...)

-pulling all-nighters for no good reason

-napping during the day

-sleeping til 4pm

-over-the-top films that are ridiculously violent and gory *coughGrindhousecough*

-buying new dvds (I buy on impulse and now own over 100)

-singing, rather loudly, to the radio as I'm driving my car (and I should mention I'm a terrible singer...)

-In junior high and high school, I had this knack for persuading my teachers to play certain movies in class, even if they only had a slight relation to the subject (just ask my French teacher, heheh).

And yes...I know I am a film geek. :rolleyes:

[Lalaith]

I assign John Prescott. He's not popular with the press but his Yorkshire "I call a spade a spade" approach always raises a smile in our house, especially when decking egg-toting Welsh farmers with mullets.

Yes, I know exactly what you mean.
And on the subject of politics, I assign Max Hastings. All good liberals need one token right-winger to approve of, and he's mine. In fact, I find myself so often nodding in agreement with the stuff he writes, it's scary.

[Mithalwen]

And on the subject of politics, I assign Max Hastings. All good liberals need one token right-winger to approve of, and he's mine.

PJ O'Rourke is my fave right winger - so funny and my fave lefty is Tony Benn... barking in some respects but you know where you are with him...and at least he is consistent..and sometimes quite right.....

[Meneltarmacil]

I'm assigning the following:
Staying up really late
Sleeping in until 11 AM

These tend to be very much related to each other ;) .

As for the latest discussions, I can't say I have a lot of right-wingers I secretly or openly approve of, probably because most of the right-wingers here in America tend to be seriously misguided at best and downright looney at worst. In fact, I think British conservatives would appear downright liberal if you compared them to somebody like Rush Limbaugh or Ann Coulter.

[Roa_Aoife]

The left-wingers aren't that great either, Menel. *shudders at the thought of Michael Moore*

I assign Art Day at school. On the one hand, clean up is awful, and I come home covered in paint. On the other hand, the kids adore it.

I also assign ignoring chores and spending the whole day doing nothing. A guilty pleasure if there ever was one. :D

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Redefining deadlines.

I know I'm going to have to write the two papers eventually, it's just that I don't right now.

[Laitoste]

I second country music! Especially the stuff from the early 90's, the stuff my parents listened to when I was a kid, the stuff I grew up with. So cheesy, and yet so endearing. I probably drive my roommate up the wall.

Also old pick-up trucks. And Westerns, particularly The Man from Snowy River.

Returning to the 'Downs after a protracted abscence.

Political and single-issue blogs (really!). Nothing like being worked up into a proper idealogical rage.

And, of course, procrastination. Yes, I have exams tomorrow and Friday, as well as a paper, but I don't feel like working right now :rolleyes: .

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

Esty you should try "Dorito's" then, they are the best nacho flavourse tortilia chips around. . . I hate to say it but they beat any of the Danish alternatives.

[Lalwendë]

The left-wingers aren't that great either, Menel. *shudders at the thought of Michael Moore*


Heheh, he's one of my heroes! I assign him to Orthanc for making people feel uncomfortable, but especially for the stunts on TV Nation, Roger And Me and his work on Rage Against The Machine videos.

Esty you should try "Dorito's" then, they are the best nacho flavourse tortilia chips around. . . I hate to say it but they beat any of the Danish alternatives.

"Nachos! I need TP..." Which reminds me, I assign Beavis and Butthead to Orthanc - it's years since I saw any, but they were funny! And I assign South Park which I have been overdosing on lately (with heartfelt thanks to Paramount Comedy Channel) - and especially that new episode about World of Warcraft! Oh and the Lord of the Rings episode which I finally saw recently. Butters as Gollum - brilliant!

[Thinlómien]

I assign Eurovision song contest.

It's so horrible, poor and grotesque but funny, amusing and entertaining the same time and I'm ashamed to confess that I and my frinds still listen last year's songs from my friend's iPod... :o :D

[Volo]

I and my frinds still listen last year's songs from my friend's iPod... :o :D
You can't do that! It's out of fashion! :p

Well, I'll assign Idols for about the same reasons.

[Oddwen]

I assign the smell of paint and permanent markers...they kill your brain, and I probably shouldn't profess my affection around any authorities lest they think I'm getting high off of them, but yeah I have nice memories associated with those smells.

[Elfchick7]

I assign checking this forum and my e-mail during school, and debating with stuck up people.

[Volo]

Alarm clocks for obvious reasons.

[Elmo]

How can you have a guilty pleasure in alarm clocks???

Kirsty Wark on the other hand... :eek: :D

[littlemanpoet]

I assign:

Coffee - lots of it

Giant chocolate bars .... with almonds

"She's a Brick House" by the Commodores (love dancing to it) :D

'Dancing With the Stars' :rolleyes:

Being deeply involved in my church's inner workings because knowing secrets is fun. :p

[Lalwendë]

I assign not choccie but huge bacon butties with mushrooms and fried eggs on. :D

The look on the face of one of my cats after I released him from a day inadvertently shut in the attic - he glared at me and it wasn't me who shut the door! So wrong, but cute, especially as he had crossed his legs all day... ;)

Giant chocolate bars with almonds? Is that not a Toblerone???

[littlemanpoet]

Giant chocolate bars with almonds? Is that not a Toblerone???Not the version I eat. I'm just an American commoner and eat the 'Hersheys' version.

Speaking of breakfast, I love to make "scrambled breakfast" - gobs of hash, eggs, butter butter butter, ham/bacon/sausage, cheeeeeese, all fried up together - - stick to the ribs transfat heaven. :p

[Lalaith]

Those magazines that can be best described as "property porn".

We get loads of them through our door. All these amazing-looking flats and houses - so beautifully designed, so beautifully situated, so preposterously unaffordable....

[littlemanpoet]

Blogging. :p

That says it. :rolleyes:

[Roa_Aoife]

I assign a moment at school to Orthanc. (Can I assign a moment?)

Allow me to elaborate *ahem* :

Girl A and Girl B are playing on the see-saw. Girl C wants Girl A's seat, so she tells the teachers that she was there first. We, the teachers don't buy it, since Girl C is known for such behavior, and had she truly been there first, Girl A would be sitting in her lap. (Girl A is about half the size of Girl C, so it's unlikely Girl C was forced out.)

Foiled, Girl C resorts to her next idea. She calls Girl B and convinces her to get off the see-saw to another part of the playground. Girl A, who was playing with Girl B, gets up to follow them. As soon as Girl A has moved, Girl C rushes back and takes her spot on the see-saw, and Girl B, not really caring who she plays with, gets back on as well.

On the one hand, that was a dirty trick. On the other hand, it was an impressive display of cunning and problem solving from a four year old.

And of course, we teachers were struggling between amusement and shock at the sheer brass of it all, and deciding how best to explain the word "manipulation" and why it's wrong.

[Mithalwen]

Surely a career in politics awaits?

I assign using your mobile phone as an alarm clock then getting text messages in the small hours from a friend in Singapore who has forgotten about the time difference and who manages to leave just enough time betweeen the messages for you almost to get back to sleep. Bless him.... :rolleyes:

I need to find my alarm clock..and see if I can silence the text alert...

[Lalaith]

Akon.

He's got the most amazing voice, and he uses it to sing sexist crap.

[Nogrod]

Taking a print of the last few posts from an RPG or the last action from a ww-game at school and then dropping into my corner Czech pub (pivnice Hádanka - quite a nice place) on my way home to have a beer or two (or three) to read them through and think / write my responses.

I love it and I hate it.

And as some have already noted: cigarettes... I can't be without them and I hate them so much at the same time.

Also all the (quasi)historical spectacles: Gladiator, Troy, Alexander, The Passion of Christ, The Kingdom of Heaven, The Last Samurai... and PJ's LotR certainly. How bad they are as movies go! But I love to watch them anyway... 300 is already on the theaters but maybe I'll wait for the dvd. I'm pretty sure I will disapprove most of it but will still jam to my sofa to watch it.

[littlemanpoet]

And on that note, "graphic novels", especially by Frank Miller.

[Lalwendë]

And on that note, "graphic novels", especially by Frank Miller.

I'll second that - they perhaps are too 'graphic' for the Shire...

I'm a late comer to this area of fiction, much to the hilarity of many people I know with my novice knowledge of the comic world, but all hail to Neil Gaiman's Sandman ("We're not worthy! We're not worthy!") series for reeling me in, Hook, Line and Sinker. Plus the very marvellous V For Vendetta - "Alan Moore knows the score...can you dig it?" Indeed. Shame they are sooo expensive though.

Plus, the X-Men films. My very favourite super-hero films of all. But Magneto? Why???

Also another addition to Orthanc for me is Wayne's World - I can watch those films over and over and over and still laugh my pants off. Aurora Illinois just looks like the coolest place to live...Denied!

[Imladris]

I assigning listening to (and enjoying) Aqua.

=}

[the guy who be short]

I assign the song "beautiful liar" by Beyoncé and Shakira.

I know, on the one hand, that it's by Beyoncé and Shakira, so it must be crap. It is actually, there's not really much you can say about the song. But I always turn it up when it's on the radio. Reason? They way they repeat their names in the third person makes me think of Pokémon and collapse in laughter.

Go Beyoncé! I choose you!

[Brinniel]

Tattoos!!!

Tattoos are a wonderful thing, at least in my opinion. Though, I won't deny there are some downsides to them. For example:

Good side: If you have a good artist, they look awesome. :cool:

Bad side: They're expensive. Of course, it's always a bit depressing when money disappears from your bank account... :rolleyes:

And I'm sure you other Downers can come up with some more reasons.. ;)

[Lhunardawen]

Fast food deliveries at one in the morning. And months ago I said I'd never eat fast food again... :rolleyes:

Talking. It's like this: have you ever been to camps, when it's so late it's early and you're with a group of people, talking about anything and everything under the sun (or moon), and your eyes are starting to droop and you know you SHOULD get to bed but you just can't get out of your seat?

It can be sooo hard to choose sleep over fellowship.

Kilig. It's a Filipino term for something, quite hard to translate, but the nearest English word I can think of is...giddiness. It kind of makes you want to giggle endlessly and shoots electricity up your spine and kind of gives a tingling sensation. It's usually a very shallow romantic feeling.

Now I have nothing against feeling kilig on others' behalf, but when it's for myself... *shakes head*

And reminiscing about the past. There are just some things which are better off forgotten.

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

Finding a set of 1 edition Lord of the Rings and getting the put aside for you, but them being so pricy that it would not be wise economically to buy them.

[Lalwendë]

Finding a set of 1 edition Lord of the Rings and getting the put aside for you, but them being so pricy that it would not be wise economically to buy them.

Didn't you invest then??? :(

I assign to Orthanc - The Master - wow, he was so awesome and scary, staring into the Untempered Schism and hearing the drums of war....

And Gallifreyan fairy tales.

And the Paradox Machine.

:cool:

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

No. . . I really wanted to, but my economy was in too bad a shape.

I might be buying that 2. edition of the Hobbit though as my economy does not have to improve much for me to afford that.

[Lalwendë]

No. . . I really wanted to, but my economy was in too bad a shape.

I might be buying that 2. edition of the Hobbit though as my economy does not have to improve much for me to afford that.

Oh that's a shame :( But, at least you know you can get them round your way, when you get a bit more cash and as davem showed with that ridiculous bargain he got, you can get very lucky now and then. That copy of the Hobbit does sound like a good buy to me though - so you can at least have one treat - you know you deserve it ;)

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

That copy of the Hobbit does sound like a good buy to me though - so you can at least have one treat - you know you deserve it ;)

I do, don't I . . . . :cool:

[Andsigil]

I assign appeasement and denouncing of one's own land to Orthanc (in the form of Wormtongue's "advice" to Theoden).

[Mithalwen]

Being ill whenever you get some time off - obviously I am grateful that it is just some bug that is going round which is why this is an orthanc not a Mordor designation - but as an agency worker I seldom have time off when I can relax knowing I have work coming up but I finished one assignment on Monday and next day got a booking for next monday - perfect I thought, get to catch up a bit on house and garden and maybe take a trip to London. Wednesday get suddenly hit with headache, fever etc..... But at least I seem to be on course to be fit for work on Monday.....

[Lalwendë]

I assign the angry vindictive faces you get from pets when they have just made a fool of themselves. Lemmy fell off the bed this morning when she was trying to kill a shoelace and was fuming mad - she knew it was funny to her humans and decided to glare, growl and hiss to reassert her place as a wild beast. Then on the way to work we found a kitty stuck up a tree and tried to help him down - in the end he scrabbled down and half fell, stood up and looked hopping mad with his tail puffed up. My dad's old dog used to jump up and bark at you if he fell over. Soooo funny....:D

[Mithalwen]

and had losing face - a cat who has been made to look silly is not a happy feline generally ..especially if they can't pretend it was all a figment of your imagination. My cousins' cat failed to walk on water (ran across a pond covered in not quite strong enough lily pads with inevitable consequences) and tried to play it coolwhen he scrambled out -as if fallling in and getting covered with weed was all part of the plan...

[Lalaith]

Harry Potter spoilers on the net.

I want to wait until Saturday morning. I really do. But the bad thoughts keep coming back. Must not look. Must not.....aaaaaaaaaargghhh..........

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

Then imagine if you insisted on waiting for the Danish tranlation before reading it. . . .

[Lalwendë]

Harry Potter spoilers on the net.

I want to wait until Saturday morning. I really do. But the bad thoughts keep coming back. Must not look. Must not.....aaaaaaaaaargghhh..........

This is why I had put myself into exile from news, papers and internet for a few days - so as not to let anyone spoil the last book for me! I also made sure I'd read the last couple to get 'primed' for it. And now I've finished it, it's well worth exercising that discipline for, oh yes! It keeps going right to the very last page...

The question is, What Will Rowling Do Next? I assign her to Orthanc for being such a master of the evil plot twist...:cool:

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

Actually I assign Rowling. . . She is a good writer, but she also has a lot of room for improvement.

She leaves a lot of loose ends or at least things that does not makes sence when you think it over in her books (regarding magic)

Also the way she descriped the feeling Harry felt in situations regarding Ginny. . .to be honest I found it kind of pathetic.

And still she is very skillfull, so skillfull that one cannot put down her books when first starting.

(this is not reffering to the latest book as I have to wait come October for the Danish version)

[Lalwendë]

Yes, she's nothing like Tolkien or Pullman for lingering descriptions or that kind of poetic beauty - and there's too much "he said" and "she said". But you cannot fault her for pulling off a gripping plot! The characters are much more developed in this one anyway - Harry is much less of a 'pouty Potter'...much less SHOUTING...

I shall avoid telling you too much though :D

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

heh I just went to see the latest movie and I was worshiping those subtitles. . .otherwise it would have been very confusing.

Even though the main names are the same as in English some of the lesser charachters (especially their surnames) are different in Danish, but the worst part is the curses and spells. . .only few are the same.

Come to think of it LotR would have been worse had I not read them in English as most names and places has a Danish tranlation. . .only when having read the books in both Danish and English do you realise how brilliant the tranlations really are.

[Lalwendë]

Why did they translate the spell names? They're in a kind of cod-Latin so they may as well have left 'em? :confused:

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

Most of them are exactly the same, but the Cruciatus curse is called the Doloroso curse. I expect there are a few others that has been changed as well.

[Durelin]

Finishing the last Harry Potter book. A great read, I *had* to know, but...it's over...

[Lhunardawen]

Plants. *groan*

[Thinlómien]

I assign the latest HP book because it was both very rewarding&intriguing and at times dull and disappointing (the loose ends etc).

[Lhunardawen]

Film adaptations of well-loved (by me) books. I can imagine what happens all by myself, yes, but one just can't help wondering how some scenes would look like on-screen.

The sad part here is that most of the time I end up being disappointed. Sometimes I even find the 'film' I create using my own imagination better.

The worse part is when I'm re-watching that film, and I wonder 'Where's that scene?' and I wait until the end of the film, which is just when I remember that it was something I just made up in my mind after all.

[Mithalwen]

I suppose I should be more observant, but I assign people who don't put the photocopier setting back to 1 after printing some vast number of copies ......such a waste of paper when you find you are getting about fifty copies of an invoice ( yes I use it as scrap then recycle...but it still seems a waste)

[Lalaith]

The food of Italy. So very delicious, so very fattening.
Luckily we were only there for five days - the amount of calories consumed was terrifying. Mr Lalaith put on a kilo for each day we were there. I haven't even dared step on the scales but the skirt I'm wearing feels a lot more snug than it did when I last put it on.

Actually maybe the food of Italy should go to the Shire and my lack of self-control should go to Mordor.

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

I don't think that Italian food is particular fattening at least not if you are divers enough in your selection. . .unfortunately we turist does not know all there is to know about Italian dishes.

In fact I think I will assign our knowledge to foreign cooking, each regions cooking was pretty balanced so you got what you needed, but now we mix the whole lot and thus increasing the chances of lacking something in our diet.

But I would hate to live with out Italian and Spanish food. . .

[Lalaith]

unfortunately we turist does not know all there is to know about Italian dishes.


Unfortunately I do know. I think I ate most of them while we were there.
In fact, I don't think the Naples region has much left now in the way of edibles...they'll probably be asking for food parcels soon. :o

[Lhunardawen]

Writing something completely fictional but, you realise along the way, is actually art disturbingly imitating life.

Upside: You're inspired to write. Sort of.
Downside: Writing it depresses you, because it forces you to think about your own situation.

[Thinlómien]

Procrastination. Ouch.

[Mithalwen]

I assign forgetting to pick up your cellphone on the day you really need it... ie a day on which your ancient parent is consigned to hospital in an ambulance by a pharmacist because he kept dozing off while the pharmacist was trying to talk to him about his prescription (" I was just tired" :rolleyes:) )and because your maternal aunt is his quack's receptionist and your cousin another pharmacist and your paternal aunt an ex-nurse witha hospital obsession, and because you work through an agency and none of them know where you actually are, you are finally alerted by email and IM and get back to discover a million messages which you have to listen to in chronological order in order to get the latest and most important news - that the old buzzard is ok. Which of course is why this is an orthanc not a mordor designation.

Believe me I am going to be careful next Tuesday ... last Tuesday my sister breaks her elbow, this Tuesday Dad went on the blink again..... of course I may just be a nervous wreck....

[Lalwendë]

Definitely an Orthanc assignment is the Earthquake the night before last! It was cool and kind of exciting, but of course is not really a 'nice' thing for The Shire ;) It was a bit spooky being waken by the bed violently shaking about and smashing my head on it, and hearing the cats run away in sheer terror, but it was also fascinating next day! The sound was the oddest thing, like a roaring noise and a crashing! And I dismissed it as just a night terror!

[Rikae]

OK, do half bad and half good things count here? Because in that case, I'll assign turning 29.
I mean, it's almost 30! :eek: But then, at least it's under 30. :D

Plus, you get presents.

[Groin Redbeard]

Were Wolves!:cool:

[Eönwë]

Staying up late at night on the barrow-downs (like now) on schooldays (like now)

[Groin Redbeard]

Hmm... would the Downer fit into this catagory?:D What do you think Hookbill?

[A Little Green]

Disney films. Though I disagree with most of their moral teachings, I just love them... Also I generally dislike music like Elton John's but almost start crying in the first music scene of the Lion King (Circle of life... aww...) :rolleyes:

[Thinlómien]

Disney films. Though I disagree with most of their moral teachings, I just love them... Also I generally dislike music like Elton John's but almost start crying in the first music scene of the Lion King (Circle of life... aww...) :rolleyes:Could I possibly second everything you said? :D Also, I don't like how commercialised they are but they're just so amusing and nostalgic... and it can be seen that they have been done well (or at least most of them have).

[Lalwendë]

Could I possibly second everything you said? :D Also, I don't like how commercialised they are but they're just so amusing and nostalgic... and it can be seen that they have been done well (or at least most of them have).

It has to be the old ones though (apart from Pirates of course) because the music was sooo much better. I must know just about every song from Jungle Book word for word.

I'm not having any of this modern Disneyfied Winnie The Pooh though. How Very Dare They!

[Rikae]

I'm not having any of this modern Disneyfied Winnie The Pooh though. How Very Dare They!

Indeed... Disney Winnie the Pooh is just wrong.

My favorite Disney films were always Robin Hood and The Sword in the Stone... I suppose there's a theme there somewhere... :D

[Volo]

Indeed... Disney Winnie the Pooh is just wrong.
Yes, it has to be the Soviet one! ;)


Like Marx once said, downhill skiing is the opiate of the people.

It must be the worst form of physical activity ever imagined. I mean, it is ridiculously refreshing, calming, fun, addictive, expensive and nature-wasting, not to forget that it's quite rarely possible.

[Aganzir]

Disney films. Though I disagree with most of their moral teachings, I just love them... Also I generally dislike music like Elton John's but almost start crying in the first music scene of the Lion King (Circle of life... aww...) :rolleyes:
Thirded (or sixthed, however you take it).

I assign identifying with a book character who is so much like me in every way, only to see a few pages later that another character realises something about this character. No problem with that, only it's a thing that applies to me as well, and I wouldn't maybe have wanted to realise it.

[Rikae]

If no one else has done it yet, werewolf definitely needs to be assigned to Orthanc.

[Volo]

Having so much work that you don't have time to use the computer. *hides*

[Nerwen]

The really scary high winds that are making it dangerous to go out today...:(

...causing class to be cancelled.:D

[Holbytlass]

I assign to Orthanc....

potty humor, grosser than gross jokes, the dhiarria (cha-cha-cha) song etc.-It still cracks me up!! I'm 35 next month and a mom so I should be mature about these things.

another secret (well, not now) love is the smell of coffee and freshly lit cigarette. This is significant because both are against the doctrines of my religion and while I practice it, I can't help but to smell.

I love "supposed to hate music" like John Denver, Barry Manilow, Kenny Rogers

[Estelyn Telcontar]

I assign to Orthanc those great discussion threads that I'd love to participate in, but they're active during those weeks when I don't have the leisure for them. cough*MicrophonesinMiddle-earth*cough*CbC*othergoodstuffonBooks*cough*Entish BowRPG*

[A Little Green]

I assign the idea of a film you have been making for a long while going to be distributed in Paris from tomorrow onwards. The idea is very intriguing but the bad part is, I will not be in Paris to see it. :(

[Nerwen]

Really? Details, please!:)

[A Little Green]

Really? Details, please! It's a long story...

There's a Finnish theme week in Paris now. There is a square where all sorts of young Finnish artists and designers and such are presenting their things. The city of Helsinki made a request for a few upper secondary schools, including mine, to make short films that somehow relate to Helsinki.

I took part in our school's film project (I was a camera(wo)man and did loads of editing and some of the script). Unfortunately since the trip to Paris to present the films was paid by the state of Finland, they could take only five people from each school in order to keep the expences tolerable. Our group had thirteen participants, I think, and all of them had done their share really well, so the ones who got to Paris were chosen by the amount of extra work they had done. They (the two teachers responsible for our school's film) managed to choose four quite easily, but the fifth was a choice between me and one other. Since they couldn't make up their minds on which one they'd pick, they decided by lot. Knowing my luck, the result was no big surprise.. :rolleyes:

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

I assign Internet, overall, and inexplainable blackouts of its connection, which lead you to realise how horribly you are dependant on this media - which is actually both for good and bad! (And I am not mentioning at all the connection of this to Downs.)

[Aganzir]

Breaking nails and aching muscles.

In any other situation they would go straight to Mordor, but when they have been caused by riding for the first time in ages, cool yet a bit uncomfortable horseback stunts, fencing and carrying a lance, they are almost bearable. :smokin:

[Mithalwen]

Footwear that is beautiful but crippling (those pink boots Lal!)

[Groin Redbeard]

Math tests! :mad: I hate math, but it's also nice to know that there is a formula for getting the answers, there is no looking up of rederic and opinions.

[Riewë]

Guilty Pleasures?
Hmm...let's see...

-Procrastination. I'm terribly lazy in some things. :(
-Video games, books, and the internet. Even when I know I should be doing homework or chores, I'm usually doing one of those three things instead.
-Junk food of coarse. Even when I know it could possibly be the worst, most unhealthiest thing that my body could digest, I can't help but eat it. It just tastes so good.

[Thinlómien]

These dear old 'Downs. I really should be working right now.

But.

:(:D:D

[Volo]

Just like a year ago, Eurovision. It's so total junk and a horrible waste of money, but it's one rare thing that I do have to know about. :/

[kementari]

-Procrastination. I'm terribly lazy in some things.-Riewe.

Definitely. That is the main thing that I shall assign to Orthanc right now!

Got to go and do essay...See what I mean by procrastination? Gah!

[Lhunardawen]

I can't believe this hasn't been assigned before: Facebook. It's pure evil, and it's taking over the world. But oh it's just too hard to resist.

Loud, almost undignified laughter. It feels so good to let it out, but I'd hate it if someone ends up recording it and making me listen. *cringe*

[kementari]

[QUOTE=Lhunardawen=QUOTE]I can't believe this hasn't been assigned before: Facebook. It's pure evil, and it's taking over the world. But oh it's just too hard to resist.

Ooo, I second that! Evil Facebook...I had recently made a profile, then 2 weeks after disabled it, because I was spending too much time on it. Then this week my friends peer pressured me into activating it again!

There should be a forum for Facebook Anonymous

[McCaber]

There should be a forum for Facebook Anonymous
Or at least a Facebook group for it...

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

I see the things assigned to Orthanc are generally things which one likes, but which are bad for him in something. Quite logical. However, I am probably to bring somewhat different thing this time - a kind of unpleasant thing with something good about it. Although...

(Bad: ) I assign the fact that a professor all of a sudden wishes you to write a paper about something in order to make the course you attended finished, although it seemed before that he does not want anything. However...

(Good: ) ...however, there is the thing that it's supposed to be a review, where you pay attention to some ethical aspects you pick; in, for example, some book you have read *ahem* ;) :D

(Bad: ) However, it's supposed to be only one or two pages long :rolleyes:

[Groin Redbeard]

I assign WW games to Orthanc. They're so much fun to play and a great chance to get together with your fellow Downers, but they slow the production of RPGs!

[Eönwë]

I assign WW games to Orthanc. They're so much fun to play and a great chance to get together with your fellow Downers, but they slow the production of RPGs!

So, so true (and the thing is, I barely have enough time to post on WW, let alone the RPGs)

[Thinlómien]

I assign WW games to Orthanc. They're so much fun to play and a great chance to get together with your fellow Downers, but they slow the production of RPGs!Sorry Groin. :D I can sympathise with that assignment...

[Volo]

Eating breakfast at 2AM. Well, that's just a part of it, of course.
Sleeping, sometimes. It does make my family quite annoyed. Few days ago I slept from 8AM to 6PM. Does make one do stupid things when one has too much free time and the philosophy of "why not".

[Thinlómien]

Staying awake very late just to finish a book.

It's awesome to just read on, without paying attention to clocks or any other silly things, finishing books is satisfying, books often "taste" best when consumed in large chunks and the gradually increasing light is just beautiful.

But a habit like this really doesn't make your life easier if a) you have to wake up early (11am ;)) next morning, b) if it makes you get up outrageously late (2.30pm) if you don't have to wake up early, c) you've done it on three subsequent nights and fear it's becoming a habit and c) it is combined with playing a werewolf game the deadline of which is 2am your time.

[McCaber]

Staying awake very late just to finish a book.
Seconded, with a vengeance. That's how I've spent my last week instead of sleeping. Now I need to go back to the library.

[TheGreatElvenWarrior]

Staying awake very late just to finish a book.

It's awesome to just read on, without paying attention to clocks or any other silly things, finishing books is satisfying, books often "taste" best when consumed in large chunks and the gradually increasing light is just beautiful.

One of my very bad habits too! :o I guess that it is a good thing that I read so many books, but I read straight on through the night sometimes when I have to wake up at 5:30 the next morning... which is not good for a girl who needs at LEAST 8 hours of sleep to function properly. Just last week I was staying up until 2:30 am reading The Silver Chair and then I decided to resist the temptation to read The Last Battle, I won!:D

[Thinlómien]

Can I second my own assignment? :rolleyes:

[Eönwë]

Staying awake very late just to finish a book.

Fourthèd (looks more old-fashioned and soubds better like that).

Anyway, yeah, I have been known to do that.:eek:

[Groin Redbeard]

Staying awake very late just to finish a book.

But the feeling you get when you finish the book is so gleeful that it erases all bad stuff. When you finish you close the book with a powerful clap, you take a deep sigh, and then jump into bed and sleep till morning light. :)

[TheGreatElvenWarrior]

But the feeling you get when you finish the book is so gleeful that it erases all bad stuff. When you finish you close the book with a powerful clap, you take a deep sigh, and then jump into bed and sleep till morning light. :)Unless you live in Alaska in the summer-time, then morning light happens at 1:00 in the morning! But in the winter would be great! I love staying up late to finish a good book, after you put it down, you can go to sleep in about a minute!

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

I assign Le Mans

I do like this race, but at the same time it is a perfect showcase for Danish sports hystiria that shows whenever we are slightly good at any sport.

I guess it is because that save from Speedway it is the only motor sport we really win anything in (Tom Kristensen being the first to win it 7 times),

Anyways it is really crazy, it is estimated that between 25-30.000 Danes are down there watching it.

[Mithalwen]

I assign seeing one of my best lecturers from University (Prof. Sue Harper) being on a television programme

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00c144x

but not speaking!!!

This woman is brilliant and funny but she was just there with a glass in her hand
.. I can assume that she outshone the presenters. :(

[TheGreatElvenWarrior]

I assign Facebook, that lovely crazy site that my parents don't know that I roam...

[Brinniel]

I assign not being able to find a summer job. Normally it'd be assigned straight to Mordor, but it is kind of nice not having to be anywhere or do anything. Though at the same time, I REALLY need the money. Desperately. Plus after over a month of not being the slightest bit productive, my existence is starting to feel rather pathetic. :rolleyes:

[Volo]

I assign not being able to find a summer job. Normally it'd be assigned straight to Mordor, but it is kind of nice not having to be anywhere or do anything. Though at the same time, I REALLY need the money. Desperately. Plus after over a month of not being the slightest bit productive, my existence is starting to feel rather pathetic. :rolleyes:

Oh, I'll assign that to the Shire. :p

[Thinlómien]

Brinn - I second you absolutely. So true. :D

[Brinniel]

Oh, I'll assign that to the Shire.
But I can't...not when I owe my parents $2,000 for my England adventures (apparently traveling can get expensive :rolleyes:). It's nice being lazy (especially since the job market is not exactly great right now), but I really do have to get a job for survival (and it doesn't help when your family reminds you everyday that you need to make a better effort...then your credit card bill shows up). Anyways, I've found that having a job is really not that bad (and even sometimes enjoyable) as long as it's a job you like. Once I do get a job, I'm sure I'll be assigning it to Orthanc...

[Volo]

But I can't...not when I owe my parents $2,000 for my England adventures (apparently traveling can get expensive :rolleyes:). It's nice being lazy (especially since the job market is not exactly great right now), but I really do have to get a job for survival (and it doesn't help when your family reminds you everyday that you need to make a better effort...then your credit card bill shows up). Anyways, I've found that having a job is really not that bad (and even sometimes enjoyable) as long as it's a job you like. Once I do get a job, I'm sure I'll be assigning it to Orthanc...

1. Ouch!

2. Interesting way of seeing things.

3. Good luck!

[Lhunardawen]

I assign ruined sleep cycles. While it was fun to stay up until 4 to 5 in the morning, catching up on a week's worth of what I missed online one night and watching Chuck the next, and the stormy weekend was good for sleeping in the afternoon and early evening, the headache it caused was definitely not good. And now I have to bully my body clock into getting back to the normal scheme of things lest I find myself falling asleep in class.

[Mithalwen]

The voicemail settings on my work telephone.

I like the fact that the Accounts manager did the message and since my name )or at least the bit that is used at work is androgynous, anyone who is thrown to be speaking to a woman instead of the owner of the light baritone has clearly not spoken to me before. This is useful.

I dislike the fact that the password is 9999 and on collecting about the 20th message of the day I forgot to hit the voice mail button... now as with most office networks you have to dial 9 to get an outside line..... The Brits at least will see where this is going.... :o

Fortunately the operator accepted it was a mistake .....

[Thinlómien]

Semi-accidentally staying up too late. I always do it, and it's not nice because then the first half of the next day is spent sleeping, but I actually enjoy this and feel probably most creative at night, so no can do... and no, it's not more than 4am here yet, but I'm toying with the idea of writing to some RPG instead of going to sleep...

[Groin Redbeard]

Semi-accidentally staying up too late. I always do it, and it's not nice because then the first half of the next day is spent sleeping, but I actually enjoy this and feel probably most creative at night, so no can do...
Same here, except I don't regret staying up late. It's so much fun when your brain seems to function to it's uttermost limits. :D


Family reunions! It's so much fun to get together after so long of not seeing everyone, but you always have that one aunt, or uncle, that gets on everyones nerves (especially when you're together in the same house for a week). They always pull some prank that use to get their siblings mad when they were young, and then thing start going downhill from there! :(

[Lindale]

Semi-accidentally staying up too late. I always do it, and it's not nice because then the first half of the next day is spent sleeping, but I actually enjoy this and feel probably most creative at night, so no can do... and no, it's not more than 4am here yet, but I'm toying with the idea of writing to some RPG instead of going to sleep...

Same here. I love working at night. Usually during the afternoons I take long naps, which last until eight inthe evening, and from then on until five in the morning I'd be reading or working on a paper. Sometimes, I take my nap in the public transport on the way to the campus, and I miss my stop, which annoys the hell out of me. But then I couldn't sleep in my first class during Tuesdays and Thursdays, lest the professor metamorph into some hideous cross of a Balrog and an Uruk Hai and send me out of the classroom. Then again, nobody could sleep in his class anyway, given his darling disposition...

Another thing: gaia online. My, I think without it I would spend only a quarter of what I normally do in front of the PC--papers and reading online texts included. Damn that Fishing!

And I thought of something else. JRR Tolkien. I just couldn't resist rereading at the wrongest moments, like before exams. Beren and Luthien in particular. T_T

[Mithalwen]

Getting soaked to the skin scampering about 30 yards to your car.

Being a raingoddess has its off days ;)

[Eönwë]

Getting soaked to the skin scampering about 30 yards to your car.

Being a raingoddess has its off days ;)

Well I was in Cornwall for the last week and it always rains there (It's August!).

That can go here too.

[Nerwen]

When you take an instant, completely irrational dislike to a new acquaintance... and later it turns out you were right.

[Nogrod]

I will assign to Orthanc the beginning of school after 2½ months of holidays...

It's great to be on vacation when you do not need to pay heed to the clock or any "civilised rhythm" of the society around you, but in the end it wears you down indeed, and it's nice to meet the students and colleagues after a long while for they are dear to me. But waking up at six o'clock is just impossible after you have woken up at midday the earliest for the last months... :eek: ... even if I can see it will do me good to get myself organised after the lazy summer...

I really love to hate it and hate to love it. :D

[Mithalwen]

Well I was in Cornwall for the last week and it always rains there (It's August!).
.

I would say it didn't when I went there as child but I know it did - one year in particular we drove for about an hour to the nearest leisure centre which was about the only thing under cover. And I remember watching the rain drops trickling down the car windows which were steamed up from hot cornish pasties. But I also remember loving it and I can't wait to go back. So Cornwall can't go to Orthanc.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

I will assign to Orthanc the beginning of school after 2½ months of holidays...

Ditto. I haven't had a legitimate class since early April, and that was finals week. So really, it's been since March... The idea of sitting still for the duration of my classes is freaking me out a little.

[Oddwen]

I would like to assign a part-time job which involves working very early in the morning.

It's not a fun thing, but hey, getting off in the middle of the afternoon and still having eight or so hours off? It's like I'm doubling my weekend. And the several dead hours which I use to read don't go amiss either.

Plus, it almost seems to reset my internal clock and for a while, I can actually get to sleep.

[FeRaL sHaDoW]

I assign, going to the dentist I know I have to but there is always that dread of going.

[Thinlómien]

I assign reading through a couple of Book threads after not having the time or the enthusiasm to do so before and ending up with having a list of 17 reps I would like to give out while being unable to give any reps at the moment... It's a bit annoying but rather amusing too, and the threads were most interesting. :D

[Laurinquë]

I assign reading the Downs until late at night (like right now) and thinking "Oh well, a night with only three hours of sleep won't kill me!".

I also assign my teapot, it doesn't hold nearly enough tea.

[Lindale]

I assign my violin E string, which has snapped again for the nth time. Quite annoying, because sometimes the store where I get replacement strings don't have them. Oh and my violin recital a couple of weeks ago, where a very lovely mezzo-soprano sang a Kundiman while I played. She was magnificent, but when I looked at the audience I got a bit nervous and paused, but she still sang. Good thing I was able to catch up. :D

[Eönwë]

I assign reading the Downs until late at night (like right now) and thinking "Oh well, a night with only three hours of sleep won't kill me!".

Know how you feel! ;) :D

[Brinniel]

The Boston T (or what others would know as the subway). When I first came to Boston, I loved how convenient public transportation is and the T is easy to use. But during my time in Europe, I must've gotten spoiled by some really good public transportation (particularly the Underground)...because while I still love the convenience of the T, there's a few things that annoy me that didn't before:

1) The sound the trains make...it resembles nails on chalkboard and makes you want to tear your ears out. For those who have used the T all their life...I don't know how they haven't gone deaf yet.

2) The inconsistency...one thing I loved about the tube was that I didn't have to wait long for a train. In Boston, I'll sometimes wait a few minutes and other times 25 minutes...there's no set schedule, or at least not one I can see.

[Laurinquë]

I also assign Winter. It's terrible in Alaska. And frost too, killing all my lovely flowers before many have even bloomed. And my poor pumpkin! It will never ripen before the first hard frost.

[Boromir88]

-The 1960's Batman starring Adam West

-Speaking of Batman, the 90's animated TV series

-I can't believe I'm going to admit this one, Tila Tequila. She makes anyone who watches her lose brain cells, but she's always on right when I want to go to bed, and no one knows how addicting that is.

[Mithalwen]

*googles*, Boromir, REALLY!:rolleyes:

But I remember the early Batman with affection (though not from the Sixties !)

[Lindale]

-I can't believe I'm going to admit this one, Tila Tequila. She makes anyone who watches her lose brain cells, but she's always on right when I want to go to bed, and no one knows how addicting that is.

My God! Finally I found someone who admitted that. Every male I know has denied such things, when all along I know that they're too embarrassed to admit to such. XD

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

-The 1960's Batman starring Adam West

Zowemjee. I spent like an hour last night talking to my father about Caesar Romero's Joker laugh. =Awesome.

[Boromir88]

Mith, it's a classic. :p

Lindale, it's just one of those shows I can't stop watching, but I can't figure out why it's just so blasted entertaining.

I spent like an hour last night talking to my father about Caesar Romero's Joker laugh. =Awesome.~Fea
And Burgess Meredith as the Penguin = priceless.

[Lalwendë]

Listen, 1960s Batman rules.

Without it I'd have lost one of my methods for feeding the baby. Because I sit there with the spoon going "Dinner, dinner, dinner, dinner! Dinner, dinner, dinner, dinner!" to the Batman theme tune and he opens his mouth to laugh and in goes the spoon. :cool:

[Mithalwen]

[B]Lindale, it's just one of those shows I can't stop watching, but I can't figure out why it's just so blasted entertaining.



I would have thought the attractions were obvious... they seemed so from what google revealed.:p


Lal, I remember in School Orchestra the second violin part for some piece was exactly the theme tune ..... of course we couldn' t resist when we rehearsed it as a section.. they couldn't throw us all out:D

[Lalwendë]

Did anyone else used to run round the school playground when they were a kid shouting "Dinner, dinner, dinner, dinner! Dinner, dinner, dinner, dinner! Batman!", with your anorak hung by the hood from your head, like it was Batman's cape?

[A Little Green]

I assign being so absorbed in writing that it makes you neglect your schoolwork. Writing is lovely, and it's great to have inspiration for once, but I think it deserves to be assigned to Orthanc because nowadays it's pretty much everything I do on my free time (and even on times when I'm supposed to be studying and not writing nonsense)... :rolleyes:

[Lindale]

Lindale, it's just one of those shows I can't stop watching, but I can't figure out why it's just so blasted entertaining.

Well, if I try to think as a male, I'd think she is gorgeous and that gorgeousness may make up for the lack of sense. But the very idea still makes me laugh. See, I live in a society where men are still pseudo-conservatives (read: hypocrites :rolleyes:).

[Eönwë]

I assign being so absorbed in writing that it makes you neglect your schoolwork. Writing is lovely, and it's great to have inspiration for once, but I think it deserves to be assigned to Orthanc because nowadays it's pretty much everything I do on my free time (and even on times when I'm supposed to be studying and not writing nonsense)... :rolleyes:

I second that. Except that my inspiration comes randomly and in large quantities.

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

I assign the paper I have to do in my class "Historical Method B" (or maybe it should be tranlsated "History Method B")

It is about the mutiny on HMAV Bounty and it is actually extremely interesting, but also extremely confusing. After reading the log of Captain Bligh, James Morrison and Alexander Smith you don't know what to belive. . . and Edward Christian of course also add to the confusion. So even after having written 11 pages, I still feel like I am missing something.

[Lalwendë]

I assign the paper I have to do in my class "Historical Method B" (or maybe it should be tranlsated "History Method B")

It is about the mutiny on HMAV Bounty and it is actually extremely interesting, but also extremely confusing. After reading the log of Captain Bligh, James Morrison and Alexander Smith you don't know what to belive. . . and Edward Christian of course also add to the confusion. So even after having written 11 pages, I still feel like I am missing something.

What an odd thing to write a paper on! Just avoid watching the Mel Gibson film if you don't want an unbiased account as like everything else with Mel Gibson in it, it's less than the 'truth' :rolleyes: Though the ships are nice.

[Groin Redbeard]

What an odd thing to write a paper on! Just avoid watching the Mel Gibson film if you don't want an unbiased account as like everything else with Mel Gibson in it, it's less than the 'truth' :rolleyes: Though the ships are nice.

Unlike many Hollywood producers Mel Gibson has a love for freedom, entertaining movies, and a mind that knows what to believe. Unfortunately, that stuff makes you a criminal in Hollywood. :smokin:

I assign college professors to Orthanc. I have several that I love working with and they are really helpful, but then I have my chemistry professor who is absolutely worse than useless. Last class he gave us the wrong dates for test day, and I would have missed it if I hadn't glanced at my syllabus.

[Lindale]

I assign college professors to Orthanc. I have several that I love working with and they are really helpful, but then I have my chemistry professor who is absolutely worse than useless. Last class he gave us the wrong dates for test day, and I would have missed it if I hadn't glanced at my syllabus.

Poor you.

I assign the pre-hell week. Today I had to walk a kilometer and take the non-aircon bus to reach my mother's office to ask for lunch-money plus more to get more of my readings. I didn't realize that my readings and the books I need literally drained my wallet until I was left with only fourteen pesos, and I left my darling credit card at home. Good thing my mom gave me more than enough money today (after some ad-misericordiam). So it's just to Orthanc :D

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Having to go to a huge party where I don't know everybody, and where I'll probably still have the lingering end bits of a stubborn cold, and which is outside and will probably be somewhat chilly.

Only to Orthanc, not to Mordor?

As one of the hosts, if anybody irritates me I can send them packing. :cool:

[Boromir88]

I would have thought the attractions were obvious... they seemed so from what google revealed.~Mith
But, it's a bad trade off, and like anything that can be debilitating to your health you have to wonder is the reward worth the risk? The world likes balance, take chemistry, a balanced equation = good, and as Lindale says I don't think Tila Tequila balances.

Alright, so she's good eye candy, but is it worth her obvious lack of sense, and my loss of brain cells by watching her? And I have to ask myself do I really need to turn on the tube and lose intelligence if I want to see an attractive woman? The answer is no, but I still do anyway.

Also, I've been thinking any kind of rip-off belongs in Orthanc. Saruman after all did try to mimic Sauron, but we all knew he wasn't the real deal. Anything that tries to mimic the real deal (Mordor), but in truth is just a fake rip-off, I assign to Orthanc. So, yes I would assign ambulance chasers and chiropractors to Orthanc.

[Aganzir]

Bookstore sales.

[Diane C]

Cream cakes & chocolate - not so much a hate thing but a very naughty couple of things that I find very hard to resist because inwardly I love them so much, but morally I should really hate!

[Lindale]

that our college has almost no straight guys, and if there are, they're either ugly or taken.

[Thinlómien]

that our college has almost no straight guys, and if there are, they're either ugly or taken.Sorry that I'm laughing at your problem, Lin, but that sounds exactly like our school :D, (except that we don't actually have that much any kind of guys at all because we are a school into which mostly come people who are interested in arts and good at school...) Not that it's too bad anyway - my experiences and the stories I've heard suggest that fewer boys = quieter and more motivated classes... and also, it seems that in general gay guys are less noisy and disturb lessons less, so maybe you should be happy with your situation? ;)

[Lindale]

Oh I forgot. Don't let Nilp read that... he comes from my college too, although I think he's neither and, he's older and he belongs to the Department of European Languages, whereas I come from the Department of Comparative Lit. I don't know about the DEL, but in DECL and the Institute of Creative Writing I know only two straight men. Both... pangit. Most of my crushes in school are attractive-by-default. :D

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

(except that we don't actually have that much any kind of guys at all because we are a school into which mostly come people who are interested in arts and good at school...)
Now now now. If this wasn't quite nassty chauvinism.

[Thinlómien]

Now now now. If this wasn't quite nassty chauvinism.Aiaiai, I swear you're watching me extra closely when it comes to gender stereotypes. :D But, anyway, it's a pure fact that girls do generally better in school (at least in this country) and most of the people who have drama, dance or writing as a hobby are girls, so it's really no wonder. And also, I guess many boys don't apply to our school because they think it's such a "girly" school full of girls... (or then some of the guys apply just because of that... ;):p)

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Aiaiai, I swear you're watching me extra closely when it comes to gender stereotypes. :D But, anyway, it's a pure fact that girls do generally better in school (at least in this country) and most of the people who have drama, dance or writing as a hobby are girls, so it's really no wonder. And also, I guess many boys don't apply to our school because they think it's such a "girly" school full of girls... (or then some of the guys apply just because of that...)

:D
Okay, okay, well... but the way you formulated it before was quite bad.

But let's leave this and let the thread get back to its topic :)

[Thinlómien]

But let's leave this and let the thread get back to its topicHey, it was you who got side-tracked in the first place... :p

Ahem, anyway, since we're speaking of it, I would assign getting side-tracked. :D Mostly it's just fun and often even more interesting than the original topic, but some people (mostly teachers) are horribly bad at it and if the subject they're supposed to be talking about is more interesting than the one they start rambling about, it can be rather frustrating... (I assure you I find the history of ancient Egypt far more interesting than the German translations of the guides in my history teacher's Egypt-trip sometime back in the 80s, for example... :rolleyes: )

[Lindale]

I assign the Epica Road to Paradiso photo sound book thing my dad got me as his pasalubong from the Netherlands. While I consider myself a very happy symphonic metal girl, all the text in the book are Dutch, and unfortunately I can't read it. :( Oh well, at least the album is in English! Yay!

[TheGreatElvenWarrior]

I assign beans. They taste SO GOOD, but feel so bad.

As lal's signature once said "Beans, beans, the musical fruit."

[Lindale]

I assign Yoshinoya. Very delicious beef gyudon! And at an affordable price, too--even cheaper than McDonalds, the amount of rice they serve! Only I have to ride a bus and two jeepneys to reach it from school or home. And I keep getting irritated by the fact that I can't figure out how to cook it, because I think some of the ingredients are things I can't find in my country.

[Thinlómien]

The fact that about 90% of the people in our school can't use a printer.

It's rather annoying that about everytime you try to print something, the printer says there's no paper and when you add it, there comes dozens of pages of stuff other people have tried to print (but onbviously haven't been able to put paper in, or worse, even figured out that the printer needs more paper :rolleyes: ) before you get what you want, and mostly the people have printed the same stuff several times when they haven't got it. (What a waste of paper.) On the other hand, this "technical disability" really amuses me :D and never before has such a basic thing as using a printer made me feel incredibly smart. ;)

[Volo]

The fact that about 90% of the people in our school can't use a printer. Hehehee... :$

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

The fact that I finally have a writing teacher who doesn't automatically tell me I'm awesome. She's just like "Yeah, you screwed this up. Again. Seriously, Laura, just admit that you suck, will you? Just admit it and move on..."

Sigh.

I like being challenged, but I also like being lavished with praise. Is it too much to ask that she lavish me with praise while challenging me?

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

I like being challenged, but I also like being lavished with praise. Is it too much to ask that she lavish me with praise while challenging me?

No of course not, it sounds quite reasonable to be honest, but it is seldom that teachers posses the ability to do so.

[Lindale]

I like being challenged, but I also like being lavished with praise. Is it too much to ask that she lavish me with praise while challenging me?

They don't do that at school, but maybe at home or in an amorous thing. The family does that all the time on my cooking. Specially if I forgot to add salt: "Consuelo wth is this? Beef stew without salt, are we that poor now?!" If I remember all ingredients properly I make the best Filipino beef stew ever, but if I forget it's my head on the guillotine, it's like they never want me in the kitchen again. But in that case, who would cook for them? :D

Also the fact that I am a closet romantic. I keep all my Nicholas Sparks under my bed, so my dad won't see and mock me for the rest of m y life.

[Lalwendë]

I assign Rorschach. He should not be so cool. He is an absolutist, an extremist, right wing and incredibly violent. But all the same, he is probably one of the coolest characters ever to grace a comic book.

He's definitely not for The Shire though.

Unlike many Hollywood producers Mel Gibson has a love for freedom, entertaining movies, and a mind that knows what to believe. Unfortunately, that stuff makes you a criminal in Hollywood. :smokin:


It does to me when you try and make William Wallace look like a saint :eek:

[Lindale]

I assign my parents.

Here's an interesting pun: In Filipino, we call them magulang, parents regardless of gender. But gulang alone is a noun,which means cheating when it comes to money. And the prefix ma- indicates that the word is an adjective, sorta when you add -eous to courage, courageous. So magulang, intoned as /MA-gulang/ cheaters when it comes to money and such, and magulang /ma-GULANG/, parents.

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

Werewolf

I have been so exited (and nervous) all day, only for it to end in a total anticlimax (the day that is).

[skip spence]

Running.

People who are into it often say it becomes like a drug after a while. Frankly, those people never did any good drugs. Running is pretty much the opposite of drugs actually, at first horrible, then it only gets worse, then a little better, and usually it has a beneficiary long term effect on your physical and mental health which is little comfort however while you're in the middle of it.

[Lindale]

Anime Sanjushi. Am I annoyed at its twisted adaptation of the d'Artagnan romances or am I amused?

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Carving rocks. It gives you a whole new appreciation for Dwarves, let me tell you.

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

I don't know if this is acually something that needs to be assigned anywhere, but since I did not know where to write it. . . .

I seem to be repping to little and not spreading it around enough.
For the last months when I have tried to rep people I am told to spread my reputation around (exept for a few times) and sometimes this comes as a suprise as I cannot remember repping that person.

I wish I could give you guys the rep you deserv, but first I will have to broaden my repping selection.

[Rikae]

Being one rep away from a second green square.

[Gwathagor]

It does to me when you try and make William Wallace look like a saint :eek:



To be fair, the screenplay was written not by Mel Gibson, but by one of Wallace's own descendants, Randall Wallace.

[Bêthberry]

We have Mordor, where we may assign the things we hate. We have the Shire, a veritable repository of the things we love.

But what about the things that we hate to love? Or, more accurately, the things that we know we should hate, but which we secretly (or not so secretly) love?

Should they not be assigned to Orthanc? OK, I was inspired by the "rooting for the bad guys" thread. We know we should disapprove of Saruman. And yet it surely cannot be denied that he is a facinating character. Perhaps the most interesting "baddie" that Tolkien presents us with. Apart from Gollum, perhaps, but the "below Goblintown, the Misty Mountains" is rather too unspecific as a location.

And Saruman had his gulity pleasures too. The Halfling weed, for example.

So, I'll kick us off.

- Cigarettes (obviously)
- Big Brother (the reality show, not the Orwellian creation)
- Reality TV shows in general ... :rolleyes:
- George W Bush (I know I should disapprove of him, but I can't help finding something endearing about him :D )
- Intolerance towards shtoopid people
- Intolerance towards people who dawdle (eg, the "zombie shuffle" in tube stations at rush hour)
- Checking the Barrow-Downs at work
- Playing Werewolf (and making lists pertaining thereto) at work.

OK, that's enough from me for now.

Let's hear those confessions ... ;)

Prank phone calls, especially those to politicians of foreign countries. (See here for reference: The Canadian Masked Avengers strike again (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbEwKcs-7Hc).

Leftover Hallowe'en candies, especially those little chocolate bars and tiny bags of potato chips. (no reference needed)

Gotcha jokes which politicians have taken out of context. (too many references available)

Britney Spears' life problems.

[Lalwendë]

Prank phone calls, especially those to politicians of foreign countries. (See here for reference: The Canadian Masked Avengers strike again (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbEwKcs-7Hc).


Good job they're not in the UK or the Daily Mail would be calling for their execution :p

I assign something I should not really take pleasure in but I ruddy well DO. Namely the crestfallen faces of the Ferrari team yesterday as Massa briefly snatched victory and then had it snatched away again as Sir* Lewis Hamilton took the championship on the last corner. Oh that was sooooo good! :D



*Surely it can't be long????



I also assign referring to Bob Geldof as Sir Bobby Gandalf. It makes me chuckle evilly, heheh.

[Brinniel]

Politics.

Oh, how much fun it is to root for your favourite candidates and debate the issues....but at the same time, I hate how differing opinions can pull people apart.

[Aganzir]

Politics.

Oh, how much fun it is to root for your favourite candidates and debate the issues....but at the same time, I hate how differing opinions can pull people apart.
Seconded. I also hate being looked down on by some people and hearing comments like "But you wouldn't be as stupid as to think so, would you?" There are people I usually love to debate with, but differing opinions makes debating about politics impossible in the long run.

I assign loving people with problems. Being hurt again and again, having to worry about them, seeing them suffer and feeling you can do nothing about it - and still knowing that if not for me, they would be in much worse a condition.

[Groin Redbeard]

I also hate being looked down on by some people

and still knowing that if not for me, they would be in much worse a condition.

I third what you say Brinniel.

[Eönwë]

*Surely it can't be long????
You do have a point. :D

[Mithalwen]

Ransacking a room looking for the wallet containing your passport, driving licence and E111 card and then remembering exactly where it is ...in a different room. I don't even need any of those items immediately but it is good to be prepared...

[Thinlómien]

David Eddings, or more specifically, his Elenium series.

It borders on chauvinism and racism, it's full of clichés, stereotypes, deus ex machinas and totally underestimates its reader.

But these days, if any book is able to make me take time for reading, it cannot be a bad thing.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

It's pretty much blizzarding snow and sleet right now, which is terrible...

But Girl Scout cookies are in and I discovered Thin Mints in my kitchen!

:D

[Lindale]

The start of our second semester. :(

[Volo]

Singing.

Seeing drunken men walk straight into walls.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Good... erm... old-fashioned debate. Specifically when you're the only person taking your own side. Because every once in a while it's fun to argue, but when it's an entire class up against you and they all seem to have been personally offended by your dismissal of the greatness of an artiste? Yeah... :cool:

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

Good... erm... old-fashioned debate. Specifically when you're the only person taking your own side. Because every once in a while it's fun to argue, but when it's an entire class up against you and they all seem to have been personally offended by your dismissal of the greatness of an artiste? Yeah... :cool:

I think that sort of stuff belongs to the shire, I do something similar in my History-Method class. They don't get personaly offended, but my classmates do have a tendency to pad each other on the back and not really reflect over the issues.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

They don't get personaly offended, but my classmates do have a tendency to pad each other on the back and not really reflect over the issues.

They yelled at me (literally) and told me I was dead wrong and didn't know what I was talking about.

Hence Orthanc. I like debate, but not when people take it personally.

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

They yelled at me (literally) and told me I was dead wrong and didn't know what I was talking about.

Hence Orthanc. I like debate, but not when people take it personally.
I see your point. . . The worst I get is 5 people shaking their heads after I speak, they might laugh depending on how I present my case and then we go get coffee, tea, soda or beer depending on the time of day.

[Groin Redbeard]

I assign vegetarians in school cafeterias who interrupt you eating your delicious quarter pounder (with extra cheese) to nag you about how you kill the cows because of it. I almost assigned this to Morder, but arguing with those guys is so much fun!:D

"Do you know that you're supporting innocent animals getting killed by eating that burger?"
*slightly annoyed I look at them* "Yep."
"Doesn't that bother you?"
"Nope."
"Don't you know what they do to those poor animals in the factories?"
"Nope, but I love the way they cook them."
"Haven't you ever heard of the four basic food groups? Try eating some salad!"
"Four basic food groups! I got your four basic food groups: whiskey, beans, bacon and lard!"

Too much fun! One almost feels guilty when they start turning purple.:D

[Aganzir]

I can quite understand also those people's point of view, but I admit it's always fun to argue with people who disagree with you on ethical issues.

I assign Jehovah's Witnesses. One came to my door today (for the first time in ages) and we had a nice little chat about God, religion and such. Unfortunately for her, I had read my Richard Dawkins well. In the end, the talk was quite enjoyable.

[Volo]

All of a sudden feeling like fainting. Although I know that it means that something is wrong with me, I can't help being mightily amused by it.

[Brinniel]

I assign vegetarians in school cafeterias who interrupt you eating your delicious quarter pounder (with extra cheese) to nag you about how you kill the cows because of it. I almost assigned this to Morder, but arguing with those guys is so much fun!
Oh, there are many vegetarians and vegans at my school. I could care less about people's diet choices as long as they don't get on my case about what I eat. I mean, hey I feel bad for the animals too, but I love meat too much to stop eating it (and besides, the cow's gonna die whether I eat it or not). As long as I don't hunt for my own food or see the animal I'm about to eat before it's dead, I'm fine. In fact, I prefer to pretend it's not an animal at all...then I can't feel guilty. :rolleyes:

On another note, I assign Boston's weird weather. It's been oddly warm here for November (apparently it's 70F now and it's already after 9pm), and while I do love the warm weather, it just doesn't feel like mid-November. And tonight there are actually tornado warnings for the New England area. Odd...I didn't know we could get tornadoes around here...

[TheGreatElvenWarrior]

I assign vegetarians in school cafeterias who interrupt you eating your delicious quarter pounder (with extra cheese) to nag you about how you kill the cows because of it. I almost assigned this to Morder, but arguing with those guys is so much fun!:D

"Do you know that you're supporting innocent animals getting killed by eating that burger?"
*slightly annoyed I look at them* "Yep."
"Doesn't that bother you?"
"Nope."
"Don't you know what they do to those poor animals in the factories?"
"Nope, but I love the way they cook them."
"Haven't you ever heard of the four basic food groups? Try eating some salad!"
"Four basic food groups! I got your four basic food groups: whiskey, beans, bacon and lard!"

Too much fun! One almost feels guilty when they start turning purple.:DWhiskey, beans, bacon, and lard? That's funny, I seriously can't stop myself from laughing!
To think that people actually follow the rubbish food guidelines! That's just hilarious. I do like those four food groups though, Groin! Best I've seen!

[Thinlómien]

The fact that snow melts. Right now, it makes me sad, but I will be gratefuul enough of it when spring comes. ;) (That is, if there will be any snow to melt then... :rolleyes: )

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Writing papers. On one hand I had fun arguing passive-aggressively to my chauvinist professor about how I "believe" that a certain sculpture is a direct reference to androcentrism in society...

On the other hand I still have two more pages before I can call it done, and then have two more papers to write. :rolleyes:

[A Little Green]

Being ill at home. Being unwell and feverish is not nice, nor is missing things I have been waiting for such as the first choir practice in a few weeks, but there's something enjoyable in just being at home and having a good reason for not doing anything proper. Gah.

[Lindale]

I was about to assign this to Mordor, when I thought the better of it. While my dad and I were having dinner and he was sipping his lovely San Miguel beers and I my non-alcoholic sparkling stuff, some girl approached us and asked us to try a new beer. Mountain silver something, brewed by the rival of San Miguel (which our family has always patronized). She seemed so pitiful my dad bought the beer, for me. And boy, was it the most awful beers I've ever tasted. I thought the Light variants of the regular beers were awful, tasting like they were diluted, but that was like drinking half a liter regular beer diluted in two liters water. But then again to be polite, and because it's almost Christmas, I pretended to like the beer all the same. :(

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

San Miguel. . .It is one of the beers I have most fond memories of, though it is far from the best beer I have had. I guess it is because most of my San Miguel memories are from holidays in Spain, although now you can get it anywhere.

[Lalwendë]

It can't be called 'beer' unless you struggle to put it through a sieve*. San Miguel is lager to me. ;)



*Give me some Theakstons any day....

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

and Theakston is an ale to me. . .

[Lindale]

Goodness me. I never thought our local San Miguel reached Europe! Most foreigners my family know think that San Miguel is Spanish, but San Miguel is one of the few things this little country can boast of. ;)

But I've never tasted the dark beer. I assign that to Orthanc.

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

Yeah, most danes think it is spanish as well, I guess it is because it is one of the most popular beers down there.

[Groin Redbeard]

I assign snow in Texas! *brrr* It has no business coming this far south, messing up everyone's lives and making everything icy!:mad: I wonder how those Yankees would feel if we sent the sun up to them in the middle of winter (not happening by the way, it's all ours and we are not sharing:D)? On the other hand I had my first snowball fight in years:D, even if it was for ten minutes, everything melted after the sun came out.

[Lindale]

Aww. I'd give anything to see some real snow.

I assign the rains just outside my window. Couldn't do the laundry because of it, but that is just as nice as doing the laundry when the sun is at its peak.

[Eönwë]

Christmas food shopping.
It's quite funny the way everyone feels like they have to be self-sufficient until New Year's Day.
On the other hand, there are huge queues.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Conversations with people who don't realize you know more about the subject than they do. On one hand, it's nice to know I'm not alone in my interests, particularly during the holidays. On the other, it's always kind of depressing to realize I'm still smarter.

Oh god, that sounds so arrogant...

[Formendacil]

Conversations with people who don't realize you know more about the subject than they do. On one hand, it's nice to know I'm not alone in my interests, particularly during the holidays. On the other, it's always kind of depressing to realize I'm still smarter.

Oh god, that sounds so arrogant...

Not the way you say it, Fea...

The way I'd say it would be more along the lines of:

Conversations with people who don't realize you know more about the subject than they do. On one hand, it's nice to know I'm not alone in my interests, particularly during the holidays. On the other, it's always kind of depressing to realise they can't keep up with me.

That, my dear, is arrogant.:p

[Lindale]

Instant noodles. It's so damn easy to prepare, add hot water and you're done, very convenient if one wakes up late and has to rush her brunch. But then again, my conscience tells me it's not a very good idea to rely on instant noodles for two big meals.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Instant noodles. It's so damn easy to prepare, add hot water and you're done, very convenient if one wakes up late and has to rush her brunch. But then again, my conscience tells me it's not a very good idea to rely on instant noodles for two big meals.

Ha! I know that. But you see, if you have just a few more things (like one egg, a bit of cheese, a bit of cabbage or something like that...), you can without almost no more effort and time make a meal which could be called "semi-perfect". :D

[Lindale]

Ha! I know that. But you see, if you have just a few more things (like one egg, a bit of cheese, a bit of cabbage or something like that...), you can without almost no more effort and time make a meal which could be called "semi-perfect". :D

During my life at the dormitory, all I ate was oats and instant noodles. I added veggies and all sorts of condiments to those, I even tried oyster sauce with oats (not recommended, it takes like hell), to make them more interesting. Oats with oyster sauce belongs to Isengard. Very interesting to make those, very hellish taste.

[Brinniel]

The parking lot I walk through on my way to campus everyday, which is covered in large sheets in ice (and has been since Wednesday). It's rather dangerous and I'm surprised no one has bother to de-ice it yet with so many cars and pedestrians passing through. Then again, it's kind of fun walking on ice because I like to live dangerously. :D

[Firefoot]

Certain music... a lot of Cascada's music (most notoriously "Bad Boy"), or that "Boom Boom Boom" song - if only it weren't so catchy.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Amazon.com's free shipping on orders over $25. It gets me every time!

Spend three dollars on something intangible? Or spend seven more dollars and get an actual book?

It never fails...

[Brinniel]

Snow.

It's so purdy....


...until the wind picks up and decides to blow in your face. :rolleyes:

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

It is always nice when a beautiful girl pay notice to you, but you always want it to be for something else than random knowledge. . . . In this case the random knowledge was the name of Swedens national antheme: "Du gamla, du fria"

[Groin Redbeard]

It is always nice when a beautiful girl pay notice to you, but you always want it to be for something else than random knowledge. . . . In this case the random knowledge was the name of Swedens national antheme: "Du gamla, du fria"Who cares, the question is did you get the girl!:D

By the way what does that mean? Is that it "You old, you free?"

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

I assign signing up for your exam on a relatively late (afternoon) term. I mean, I have at least about an hour before preparing to go, now I am here and not sure what to do, I won't revise for it anymore nor make any creative effort, so I am just hanging around, and of course I resorted to going to the Downs... :) and posting on unimportant things.

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

Who cares, the question is did you get the girl!:D

By the way what does that mean? Is that it "You old, you free?"

yep that is the direct translation. . . one could also translate it "Thou ancient, thou free"

The funny thing is that this song was not written about Sweden at all, it was part of Scandinaviasm/Nordism and is about the lovelieness of the north. Only latter was verse added that mention Sweden as such.

Norways national antheme also talk about "Three Brothers" (Denmark, Norway, Sweden), but neither the danish royal antheme or the danish national antheme mentions the other countries.

[Rikae]

The avast virus alert in German. I'm not one of those people who associates that particular language with evil, but that voice is just deliciously demonic. :smokin:

[Groin Redbeard]

Them is fighting words!

[skip spence]

The funny thing is that this song was not written about Sweden at all, it was part of Scandinaviasm/Nordism and is about the lovelieness of the north. Only latter was verse added that mention Sweden as such.

Norways national antheme also talk about "Three Brothers" (Denmark, Norway, Sweden), but neither the danish royal antheme or the danish national antheme mentions the other countries.

I believe it was written in the mid 19th century to help strengthen the then quite recent (forced) union between the kingdom of Sweden and Norway. Sweden probably harboured hopes of regaining Finland too at this time, which they just lost to Russia, but before that had been a part of the kingdom for many centuries. Sweden had wrestled Norway from Denmark, their arch-enemies, after a successful field-campain by the newly appointed king, Frenchman Jean Baptiste Bernadotte, who had no Swedish connections apart from leading an invading army against the country only a few years before receiving the crown. This happened in the aftermath of Napoleon's big defeat, which Bernadotte, once favoured by the little big man, was instrumental in achieving with his inside information. In Norway however there was little interest in being the subjects of a French Swedish king; nationalism was stirring and they desired independence but had to wait almost a hundred years to get it. "Du gamla, Du Fria", written as a Scandinavian anthem, later became the unofficial Swedish national anthem, although it never mentions the country in question.

I assign nationalism.

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

I believe it was written in the mid 19th century to help strengthen the then quite recent (forced) union between the kingdom of Sweden and Norway. Sweden probably harboured hopes of regaining Finland too at this time, which they just lost to Russia, but before that had been a part of the kingdom for many centuries. Sweden had wrestled Norway from Denmark, their arch-enemies, after a successful field-campain by the newly appointed king, Frenchman Jean Baptiste Bernadotte, who had no Swedish connections apart from leading an invading army against the country only a few years before receiving the crown. This happened in the aftermath of Napoleon's big defeat, which Bernadotte, once favoured by the little big man, was instrumental in achieving with his inside information. In Norway however there was little interest in being the subjects of a French Swedish king; nationalism was stirring and they desired independence but had to wait almost a hundred years to get it. "Du gamla, Du Fria", written as a Scandinavian anthem, later became the unofficial Swedish national anthem, although it never mentions the country in question.

I assign nationalism.

Wrestled Norway from Denmark. . .Sweden did no such thing. It was demanded by England! Norway declared independency and Denmark got the tiny duchy of Lauenburg (northern Germany) as compensation. Norway elected the danish prince Christian as king, got one of the most democratic constitutions in europe and was then invated by Sweden. . .

Anyways the song is from 1844, by this time the ancient rivalry of the north had been substituted by sense of common history and brotherhood. In the first war of Slesvig (1848-1850) between Denmark and Slesvig-Holsten (supported my Prussia), there where troops from Norway and Sweden in Denmark to defend her.

[skip spence]

Wrestled Norway from Denmark. . .Sweden did no such thing. It was demanded by England! Norway declared independency and Denmark got the tiny duchy of Lauenburg (northern Germany) as compensation. Norway elected the danish prince Christian as king, got one of the most democratic constitutions in europe and was then invated by Sweden. . .


If I remember correctly one of the conditions Bernadotte put on joining the anti-French coalition was England's support for his plans on Norway, which was given. First Bernadotte commanded the international North Army against Napoleon, but when that war was won, he marched with the Swedish army (which he had spared from most of the fighting up until now) on Denmark. He won a few minor battles and when Copenhagen was threatened the Danes gave up, and lost Norway in the subsequent peace treaties. I don't know if the English were present during the negotiations, they might have been. When Norway refused to accept the "union", they were invaded and defeated by the Swedish army, as you said. Norway got to keep their modern constitution though and was an autonomous region until 1905 when they gained full independence.

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

Surely you mean Bernadotte and not Bonaparte?

and no, the only fighting that the danes did was against the english in the so called "gunboat war". I think you are mixing up the napoleonic wars with some of the earlier Dano-Swedish wars.

Anyways we should move this talk to PMs