I met a fellow BDer!!

[Formendacil]

Independence Moot, if I may call it that, is actually still ongoing, but the Formendacil and Nienna portion has run its course, and I will get my thoughts out now, while they are still fresh, even as the remnants of our party are literally awaiting NYC's Fourth of July fireworks.

This thread has been fallow for a while, and it has been even longer since I was part of a real moot--four years, since my wedding. I think the meeting of people who met on the Barrow-downs is an ongoing thing, but most discussion of it has moved to the up-to-the-minute stream of Facebook. There is nothing wrong with that, but I still think it's a good thing to post here. This is still the "Paper of Record," you might say, and there are excellent Downers who are not quite part of the "friends on Facebook" crowd that might, nonetheless, be inspired to meet other Downers someday.

Anyway, Nienna and I drove down from our home in the greater Boston area on Friday afternoon, expecting the worst of the holiday weekend traffic, to New York City, where dwell Encaitare and Thanleon. Boromir88, Aganzir, and Rune son of Bjarne were already there and upon our arrival the seven of us formed quorum for a Moot and headed out to Long Island, where Encaitare's parents very graciously hosted us for the weekend. Giddy with company, busy with cake-making, and full of downpour driven adrenaline, we were up until the wee-est of hours.

Unlike some of the more international moots--or the more international parts of this moot (Boro and Agan were around for quite a while before we got there)--this was not a particularly touristy moot, which suited me fine: I was there for the people and got a lot of them. Saturday was devoted to a day-long barbecue celebrating Encai's birthday: gorgeous weather and good company outdoors from morning until long past dark. Sunday was a visit to the beach and the Atlantic Ocean, after which we lost Boro to the airport. The Moot reconvened, a member fewer, for Thai food supper, another late night, and finally a morning of breakfast food, a lazy afternoon, and then the departure of the Massachusetts Chapter of the Barrow-downs Mutual Appreciation Society.

Simple enough details to recount--do people really cross oceans for this, you ask? Yes, I must answer. A moot isn't really about WHAT is done, but WHOM it is done with, and in the grand tradition of old posts on this thread, let me put out some thoughts for the stalking-but-oddly-not-using-Facebook-minded among us:

Encaitare: This was her party and her moot, so she shall have the honour of going first. I have met Encai thrice now, so it does not feel quite right to call these "first impressions"--maybe refresher impressions. This was her home turf, though, and she was both the hostess and mediatrix with her parents, as well as the mastermind (mistressmind?) of the operation. As it happens, she is both an efficient and gracious hostess: everything needed was present and then some, and she never seems to tire of making sure people are fed and watered and happy (a trait she demonstrably has inherited from her parents).

Rune son of Bjarne: I have actually only ever met Rune at moots at which Encai has been present (the reverse is also true), though I think the total amount of time I have seen him has probably been greater. His hair length has varied over the years, but his personality has not changed. Rune continues to be indefatigable in his desire to talk to everybody about everything. As usual, I come away from a moot both well-entertained and somehow more knowledgeable about Danish politics.

Thanleon: This is the second time I have met Encai's Significant Sea-bear, but for some reason I was very busy at my wedding, so there was plenty of unexplored getting-to-know-Thanleon territory to cover. He is an excellent complement to Encai: laid-back, helpful, and willing to accommodate the incessant need of the European Downers to catch trains. Without his skills, nary a bottle of beer would have been opened, I fear.

Boromir88: was my roommmate for a year and a groomsman at my wedding, so I'm not sure there was a whole lot of surprise to be found--but I haven't seen him since he moved back to his native state and it was great to catch back up.

Aganzir: My only "new" Downer (I think this brings my total to... *counts on his fingers*... 21? I think? Let me get back to you...). Agan didn't feel like a new Downer. Whether that's because we've met on Skype, been on the Downs and Facebook together for years, or because she looks vaguely familiar to me for subconsciously unknown reasons, I couldn't tell you. It probably helps, though, that she's outgoing and direct--so exactly the same as her online persona. She was a true ambassador of Mooting spirit, bringing tales of other Downers and probing for Downer memories and making certain we partook of group activities.

Nienna: well, I took her home with me. I don't know if I learned a lot about her this weekend, but it seems likely enough she learned more about me.



In summation, Independence Moot was thoroughly enjoyable and I regret completely that Nienna and I had to go back to being functional adults with jobs this week. It had a different spirit than what I remember of past moots: it didn't have that elixir of "wow, I'm meeting new people!" so much as a reunion. But not a bad reunion, like a television high school reunion. As someone who both likes his family and now lives far abroad from them, it reminded me of nothing so much as a family reunion. Here's hoping it doesn't take four years for my next one!

[Encaitare]

Originally Posted by Formendacil

A moot isn't really about WHAT is done, but WHOM it is done with

Hear, hear! You are too kind. I'm not great at these recap things, that's more Aganzir's talent, so hopefully we can expect a further write-up from her on the goings-on after you and Nienna left. But it was so wonderful to see you both again!

[Faramir Jones]

Thanks for your account of what you and Nienna got up to at Independence Moot 2016, Formendacil!

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

Originally Posted by Formendacil

Rune son of Bjarne: I have actually only ever met Rune at moots at which Encai has been present (the reverse is also true), though I think the total amount of time I have seen him has probably been greater. His hair length has varied over the years, but his personality has not changed. Rune continues to be indefatigable in his desire to talk to everybody about everything. As usual, I come away from a moot both well-entertained and somehow more knowledgeable about Danish politics.

I will have you know that I actually attempted to sit quietly and read Die Leiden des jungen Werthers in the garden, but people kept coming over asking me about details of Danish parliamentary proceedings...

Anyways, thanks for writing this recap of our adventures, I might go do something similar if I feel inspired.

[Faramir Jones]

Nice to see you knocking around, Rune!

If you feel inspired to write your own account, I can say in advance that I'd read it...

[Galadriel55]

Yesterday I met Eonwe and Pomegranate, in so doing doubling the number of Downers I have met face to face. We went to the cafe where JK Rowling wrote Harry Potter (the bathroom is all covered in fan thank you notes and character tributes), and then they showed me around town. Thanks to yesterday's tour, I managed to find the grocery store without a map today, and even find a post box . You guys are awesome!

[Faramir Jones]

Glad to read about your meeting with Eonwe and Pomegranate, Galadriel, and that they were able to help you get your bearings!

[Oddwen]

I had a surprise visit from a Downer today - TGEW and crew were travelling through my town and stayed the night. Then today we had a nice late breakfast of crepes, partially dropped hash browns and a vicious monster pancake. Now they have driven into the West in a swan-white vehicle.

[TheGreatElvenWarrior]

Originally Posted by Oddwen

I had a surprise visit from a Downer today - TGEW and crew were travelling through my town and stayed the night. Then today we had a nice late breakfast of crepes, partially dropped hash browns and a vicious monster pancake. Now they have driven into the West in a swan-white vehicle.

I am so bad. I was so caught up with moving that I forgot to post my picture! Here's Oddwen and me hanging out! I'm the one in red.

20170826_142654(0).jpg

In other news, Laurinque, my boyfriend, and I went to visit with THE Ka since we live around the same parts these days. It had been a year since we had seen Ka, so it was nice to catch up. I didn't take any pictures, but I do have a funny story. We figured out that both of our boyfriends haven't read LotR (crazy because I always figured I'd fall in love with someone who already loved Tolkien, but I digress). Anyway, my boyfriend said that he wanted to join the Downs right then and there. I was like, "You can't join the Downs, you haven't even finished The Hobbit yet!". My boyfriend proceeded to pull the Downs up on his phone and tried to open an account. The security question was "What was the name of Gandalf's horse." He didn't know the answer and as I was crying out, "Don't give him the answer!", Ka had already spilled the beans. So yeah, my boyfriend will be joining the Downs at some point, but hopefully he actually reads Lord of the Rings before he joins. We have no immediate plans to hang out with Ka again, but it's definitely in the cards for before Christmas.

[Boromir88]

Last weekend several Barrow-downers were able to get together in NYC to explore the Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth exhibit that was put on at the Morgan Library. It was an amazing exhibit, and good to see some friends I don't know half as well as I should like. Including meeting the 3rd Downer baby, William.

The question being, is William named after?
A. William Huggins
B. Bill the Pony
C. Bill Ferny

It began Thursday, with Wilwa flying in and then me a few hours later. Then we went to Encataire's and Jon's (who has a BD account by I forget what it is) new place. A more homely place than their previous one, with prime real estate (for a metropolitan area) - access to a roof top, complete with a grill and outdoor furniture.

Friday the 4 of us went to the New York Public Library and we had the most excitable, lovely tour guide Karen. You can tell she loved the library and the subject, she was full of wonderful stories and knowledge about the library, which just made it a fun experience (despite the dreary rain that day). Then Friday night, we went out to hear Enca's Funkrust Brass Band which was like no other brass band I've ever heard or seen and they were a blast. We returned and now joined by Form, Nienna and a sleeping William who came in Friday night.


Front Row: Myself, William, Jon
Back Row: Enca, Formendacil, Nienna, Wilwa, Celduin.
(Photographer, Celduin's husband who was also able to join us for this Saturday)

There were many highlights to this trip, but the exhibit was by far the top. There were so many people wanting to get into the exhibit, there was a feeling there just had to be other Downers there. I don't know about the others, but what stood out to me, Tolkien's artwork and map drawing, it was great to see in person. And his penmanship. Of course the exhibit had some of the cleaner examples of his writings and letters on display, but the way he wrote is like an art form on it's own, so tiny, but so precise and beautiful.

Then the group went out to Central Park, since after the previous day was a bit dreary and soggy, but Saturday was sunny, warm and beautiful. It was the first time wilwa and I had been to Central Park, I'm not sure about any one else.

Even though it's a rather crummy picture of me, it's a really good one of baby Wiliam, so after some encouragement and approval to post, the "Back bench boys" of Central Park:



Wilwa and I stayed for a few extra days after, to explore some other places in NYC (and have a nice barbecue on Enca's and Jon's roof top). And I would probably be in trouble if I failed to mention their adorable dog Topanga, she is a sweetheart (and I hate to say it to Form and Nienna, but she perked up over the next few days after the baby left ).

One of the last things I was glad Jon and I were able to do, was go to the NY Natural History Museum and see the new Titonosaurus dinosaur they discovered. That museum being another place that's a must see if you're in NYC. I tried to get a panorama, but this dinosaur was so huge, they didn't even have a room large enough contain it in (part of the head and neck were poking out the doorway of the room it was in. It really gets you thinking about ancient cultures, and the myths that were inspired if those peoples came across remains of dinosaurs, and mammoths, and 40 feet alligator fossils.

[Inziladun]

Very envious. I've been stuck with the unenviable position of having no other members near my location, and having too many commitments to travel. One day!