I met a fellow BDer!!

[Lotrelf]

Forget Downer, there's no Tolkien fan here. Though I really, really want to meet people here. That's possible only if someone visits India.

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Lotrelf

Forget Downer, there's no Tolkien fan here. Though I really, really want to meet people here. That's possible only if someone visits India.

There certainly aren't as many downers in India as in the States, and they certainly aren't as close together as some in Finland, but there are a couple who live in India...

[Lotrelf]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

There certainly aren't as many downers in India as in the States, and they certainly aren't as close together as some in Finland, but there are a couple who live in India...

Yep! In that sense I'm as worried about my friends(and people of my country) as Frodo was about the Shire.

[Aganzir]

It was on 11-14 September at Lady Margaret Hall, and it was great fun!

The picture here features Squatter of Amon Rûdh, Poison Ivy, Kath, yours truly, Hookbill, Estelyn and Faramir Jones. Absent are Pervinca Took and Bungo, who also attended Oxonmoot.


Team Bingo Baggins (the bravest little hobbit of them all) - Esty, Kath, me and three other girls (who will hopefully join the Downs in the future) - came third in the Thursday night pub quiz. It was incredibly difficult and there were so many wonderfully knowledgeable Tolkien Society people that I'm quite frankly amazed!
Squatter and Faramir's team (which didn't score) was called Even Dimmer, which I think was great.

Friday, mostly spent with Esty and Hook (because responsible adult Kath was at work), was full of very interesting lectures, creative things and a lovely afternoon tea party. In the evening we had the reception and the banquet. We misbehaved. I finally managed to claim the Chairman's badge and carried it very proudly for hours before Kath stole it from me.

On Saturday after a short rest, we - Kath as Mr Dwalin and me as Fili Son of Dís - prepared for the Masquerade with Bungo's amazing daughters (Idril and Gimli). We had a brilliant hair dressing moment with Thranduil, and it's my favourite picture from the entire weekend. Gimli threw an apple at me, which wasn't nice at all because as you know, Fili hates apples, but we punished him by carrying him off the stage (after Idril had very kindly tripped him). However, we left a banana skin for Hookbill, who was the Fall of Arthur. Esty won the awards for the best costume and best performance with her hobbit lady, which wasn't very surprising. Esty is amazing.
We also had the privilege to see the fantastic Aratalindalë costumes that won the WorldCon masquerade!

After the Masquerade there was chilling out, pizza, Ceilidh, Telerin Circle, and a tea party. Sadly Kath and I had to move our room party elsewhere because the college had messed up the room plan, but it was fun to poison people with my self-made Finnish salty liquorice vodka anyway.

On Sunday, after even less sleep, we got up for the Enyalië at the grave. The TS chairman (who had got his badge back by now) read the Song of Eärendil which is one of my favourite poems in LOTR. Then us Downers headed to the Bird and Baby for lunch, and eventually, too soon, it was time for goodbyes.

I had a really good (if quite intoxicated) time, and it was especially lovely to see Esty again after two years.

Until next September! ♥
(or hopefully sooner)

[Kath]

Our third place in the quiz was only revealed to me when I got back on the Friday night for the banquet. I think I can safely say it was the most surprising thing about the entire event!

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Aganzir

Squatter and Faramir's team (which didn't score) was called Even Dimmer, which I think was great.

That's the best!!!

Originally Posted by Agan

We misbehaved.

That word carries a slightly... unusual connotation in my mind after watching Sherlock. Though I'm not sure you'd mind.

Originally Posted by Aganzir

We had a brilliant hair dressing moment with Thranduil, and it's my favourite picture from the entire weekend.

Oh my goodness! This is priceless!

Originally Posted by Aganzir

However, we left a banana skin for Hookbill, who was the Fall of Arthur.

And so bananas make their way into moots again. I'm so proud of you.

[Pervinca Took]

I was part of the Even Dimmer team. The name came about because I was sitting next to a TS friend who is part of the Lake Evendim smial and we were talking about quizzes or something - and I think I played on the smial name by mentioning the idea of entering the quiz even though we're dim. We came fourth, I think.