Oxonmoot 2006

[Roa_Aoife]

There are relatively few smials of the Tolkien Society in the U.S., and Texas does not have one. Just curious, but is any Yank out there a member of one of the state smials? I have always wondered how those work. I know there's a very active one in New York State.

The only one I know of is the Gathering of the Fellowship, which happens in different places every year. I don't know much about it, though. It was a grapevine mentioned among some friends of mine. (It's probably more movie related than book related.) I do know that Tolkien fans in the states tend to "bunny off" sci-fi/fantasy conventions. Of course, those are now bunnying off the anime conventions since the sudden rise of the otaku* sub-culture in the States and the gradual decline of the Trekkie. (So sad.)

*Yes, I am aware of what otaku means in Japanese culture. In American culture, however, it's no longer negative. In fact, most anime fans here think of it as a badge of honor that must be earned.