With which Middle Earth Race do you most identify?

[Estelyn Telcontar]

As far as I'm concerned, this question calls for a complicated answer. When I chose my nick, I consciously chose a human name - though a Telcontar would have partially Elvish blood, of course. On the other hand, both names are in their Elvish forms; otherwise I would be called "Hope Strider".

I have never been a great fan of the Elves, have never had the desire to learn their languages, and the Silmarillion is not my favourite Tolkien book. However, I am an artisan and feel an affinity for their emphasis on arts and crafts. And with increasing age, I feel closer to some aspects of Galadriel and would love to have someone describe me with Sam's words:

Sometimes like a great tree in flower, sometimes like a white daffadowndilly, small and slender like. Hard as di'monds, soft as moonlight. Warm as sunlight, cold as frost in the stars. Proud and far-off as a snow-mountain, and as merry as any lass I ever saw with daisies in her hair in springtime.

Alas, I am nothing like her in appearance and do not look Elvish at all.

In appearance I would be closest to a Hobbit. I am more short and well-rounded than tall and slender, and I do love the creature comforts of daily life. I'm not fond of spending time in water unless it's well-heated in a bathtub. However, I dearly love to travel, so that would not go with a typical Hobbit.

I do like Gimli and his love of beauty, but I need sunlight too much to see myself as a Dwarf. Riches as such do not matter to me, so that's not my race either.

That brings me back to (Wo-)Man. I know that Tolkien intended his races to show various aspects of humanity, and as a mixture, I guess that's where I belong. Not high and lofty, not only down-to-earth, not concentrated too much on the past nor the present, but looking toward the future as well. Less Rohirrim, to be sure, as I am not terribly fond of horses and a warrior life-style; not Numenorian either, so Gondor would be the place to find me.

There - I've talked myself into the proper placement of my vote!