Why do you love the Downs?

[Ibrîniðilpathânezel]

I agree with a lot of what's already been said (even though I don't participate in the RPGs, I find them very entertaining to observe, when I have a chance). Finding a LotR forum in which both intelligent discussion and intelligent humor were common and Peter Jackson is not worshiped as God was, I thought, impossible. I have dearly loved LotR for most of my life, and while it had a profound influence on me, I also enjoy poking fun at it (having a firm belief that a certain amount of irreverent humor is necessary for one's sanity; God invented humor, after all ). I love the fact that in a serious discussion here, people can suddenly find humor in it, discuss that for a bit, and then go back to the main discussion without being chided for haring "off-topic" (which, on other forums, usually results in a long off-topic argument about what constitutes OT). I never get a sense of "class structure" here, the feeling that people who have been around longer or have a bazillion posts somehow feel themselves superior to those who don't post as much or haven't been members as long. There's no hazing of the newbies, and no cliques that I can perceive. The cliques are a major part of what drove me away from sites like tORn (and Morth, as a former tORn admin, I couldn't agree more about the signature limits ). There is a sense of easy acceptance here, that all are equal as fans of what we all love, in our own ways -- a diversity that is accepted, not broken into little splinter groups. Something to be thankful for, to me.

[Lalwendë]

Well, people do make a site and one thing that is great is that most of us are decent to newbies, whereas on most other forums they get made mincemeat out of.

There might not be Legolust, but:
1. There is plenty of lust for LEGO amongst several members.
and
2. There are many crushes, just not on the obvious characters

[Mithalwen]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

Well, people do make a site and one thing that is great is that most of us are decent to newbies, whereas on most other forums they get made mincemeat out of.

That I second... I'll never forget how encouraging Dave, Heren and Fordim were back in the day when it took ages for me to venture into Books (Canonicity was raging). How different to another forum I used to frequent where there are a couple of posters who remind me of Statler and Waldorf on the muppets and who if you say something they agree with you are repeating them and if you disagree you are a wrong and being inherently disrespectful to the memory of the great man, his family, possibly his non-existant cat, garden gnome etc. Blah di blah.

What do you mean it isn't obvious to have a crush on Elrond?

[Thinlómien]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

2. There are many crushes, just not on the obvious characters

And not just on the characters, but also on fellow members, eh?

Btw, this thread reminds me of an earlier thread of TM's: Thanks Downers!.

[Lalwendë]

Given that this is not some monster sized forum, it's got to be one of the best dating agencies in the world?

[The Might]

Yes, I do seem to like threads like that. I actually started a similar one on another forum as well, not a LotR- or Tolkien-related one though.
And yeah, the part about the dating agency is true, I wonder what new pairs will be created in time. I have a feeling, but I won't say it out loud, lest I be attacked with pitchforks and axes.

[Rumil]

In a hole in t'internet there lived a Barrow-wight. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms, an oozy smell, flamers and trolls, nor yet a dry, bare sandy Leggie-fangurl-infested hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was the Barrow-Downs hole, and that means comfort.

[Groin Redbeard]

Prior to my knowledge of the Downs it was difficult for me to find anyone, other than my little brother who I annoy with Tolkien, who shared a passion for Tolkien's writings. I stumbled upon this site purely by accident, but when I found out that it was a site devoted to the Lord of the Rings I thought that I'd join.

The knowledge of some of the members scared me a bunch, but I soon got the gist of things and have learned many things from the memebers. *couchlegatecough* Everyone one is accepting of the other members purely on the grounds of if you love Tolkien you are welcomed here.

We got Finns, Swedes, British, Czechs, Russians, Americans, Texans, even people from the Phillipines. The Downs is something extremely special to me, an outlet were you can vent your passion for Tolkien, or just be silly with fellow Tolkien fans.