The Tolkien Middle Age Club

[Laitoste]

Originally Posted by Farael

don't worry Rune, I'm still far from married... Perhaps we should start the "Tolkien Singles (and not looking to get married soon) club"

I heartly agree! Anyway, I'm 19 and have been reading the Hobbit since I was 12. LotR and the Sil followed shortly after (I had read them both by the time I was 14), and next the UT, the Tolkien Reader and a few failed attempts at reading HoME. Occasionally, I'll pick up Letters, when I feel so inclined. My goal for this year was to read at least one of the HoME, but now that I'm back in school, the chances of that happening are slim to none! Seeing as I have SO much to read, constantly...well, we'll see.

[JennyHallu]

But then we'd have to start a married club and pester you with St. Valentine's Day greetings.

I'm aware I married rather young: it's sort of a tradition in my family. My mother was nineteen, my grandmother 20...but I have plenty of much older friends who haven't married and show no signs of nuptials in the future. It just ended up being the right decision for me at the right time. And my hubby's all sweet and cuddly and lets me buy things and schtuff!

I'm all excited because he bought be $140 worth of fabric last night to make a slipcover for our couch. It's a hand-me-down from my parents, with upholstery that's much the worse for wear. I bought this beautiful old-gold material with a lovely soft suede texture, and the finished product is going to have dark brown trim. The package says "Mocha", if that means anything to anyone.

I think I've checked individual volumes of HoME out of the library two or three times--and never opened the covers. The Canon, the Hobbit, and the Silmarillion remain (and are likely to continue to remain) the only Tolkien reading I've done.

OH WAIT!!!

I just remembered I read "Roverandom" as a very little girl. Years before I'd ever been introduced to the Hobbit. Tee-hee...if that counts I could qualify for the old-peoples' club in maybe three years. Not that I'll likely leave here unless kicked out. I may be the "old married woman" according to my still-single friends, but I don't intend to ever count as an old fogey.

P.S. My husband, Neal, is 25 and all old like dirt and stuff. My mother refers to him affectionately as the "cradle-robber". When I turned 21 last summer I think he was more excited about it than I was! Finally he could look for live music or whatnot without feeling guilty about it!

P.P.S. If I ever move back to Indy I am so going to the Vogue. And the Neon Cactus. Thing that sucks about turning 21 so far from where you think of as home...I've never really wanted to go to any of these bars, even if I did live in a city big enough to have a music scene to speak of. Which I don't.

[Gothmog]

Hello people! Here's an other member that qualifies for the Middle Age Club!

I'm now 21, but how old I was when first introduced to the Tolkien world I can't remember. Like so many others, I started off with Bilbo. But I can't say that I was thrilled. It was an interesting story, sure, but it wasn't until I read LotR that I was caught by the magic of the professor. I'd guess that I was something like 12 years old when I read Bilbo and LotR followed soon after.

I rememer lying in the couch, reading and having Enya playing in the background... I read whole days and could hardly put the book down to eat. I tried reading the books in English when I was done in Swedish, and got through them all even if I can't have understood everything. I even made an attempt to read The Silmarillion in English, but gave up. I was to young then, but now I read mostly in English.

Since then I've read Silmarillion, UT and BoLT, but haven't tried HoME yet. "Roverandom", what is that? And how can I not know what it is?

What can I more say? Rune can take it easy, I'm not close to getting married either Even if my girlfriend says that she's going to marry me sometime...

Belonging to a club now, right? Yipee!

[JennyHallu]

Well, fellow Middle Agers, I think it can be declared official.

We're really boring. Has anyone done anything interesting lately?

I've lost 3.6 lbs (yay), gone to the beach (yay, there were dolphins), and am eagerly awaiting the reappearance of fresh spinach in supermarkets (it was declared safe on Monday...so impatient...)

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

mmm fresh spinach. . .

I actually ment to write, I even wrote a note about it. . .I must see if I can find it, as I cannot remember all I wanted to say.

[Farael]

Well, there's not much new at this end of the line... school and work take up most of my time, and that's not fun... I think we should start a tolkien-related discussion that only we "middle agers" can join. It should be something interesting and fun, so that all the other age groups envy us.

DId the balrogs have wi.... no, wait, I've got it... Who's Tom Bo.... done already, huh?

Well, I'm out of ideas. Any bright minds around?

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

well we have talked about it before, but never come to an agreement. Maybe that should be the quest of our club, atleast it is a long-term quest. . . .

[Laitoste]

But agreeing isn't any fun!

And my life has always been rather dull...even college hasn't changed that!

[JennyHallu]

Now, now kids...if the Old Folks' Home is any guide, we can chat a little here. It is after all a place to get to know eachother better, and build a stronger community here on the Downs.

Of course the Old Folks have little to speak of other than quilts and gardens...but we're young, vibrant individuals! Surely we can do better!

[Brinniel]

And my life has always been rather dull...even college hasn't changed that!

I can't agree with you more. I continue to live the same boring life....the only difference is I'm doing it across the country.

I have a question for everyone. Is there such thing as a college student who can receive a proper amount of sleep? Just wondering because I have failed to drag myself into bed before 2am ever since school started...

[JennyHallu]

That depends...how much sleep are you aiming for?

4-6 hours? Easily.

6-7 hours? Sure. On weeknights. Which include Sunday, but not Thursday. Especially if you don't have many morning classes.

8-9 or other amounts actually recommended by doctors and other health professionals? Why would you want to? So many other things to do...except on Sunday mornings. Sleep until like 1 on Sunday if you want.

[Farael]

Originally Posted by JennyHallu

8-9 or other amounts actually recommended by doctors and other health professionals? Why would you want to? So many other things to do...except on Sunday mornings. Sleep until like 1 on Sunday if you want.

But Jenny, by the time I get home on Saturday evenings (or rather, Sunday mornings) if I sleep until 1 I barely get 6 hours of sleep! =p No... I'm not a party animal, I just haven't quite lost my Latino-ness and I love staying up at night, even if I'm home already.

I'm thinking of a good Tolkien idea for this thread, but I'm at work... I'll expand on it when I get home.

Edit: I just saw your other post... I ne'er said we can't chat, I just thought it'd be a good idea to have some Tolkien involved... let's face it the old folks tend to take up a lot of space on the interesting discussions... and after their elaborate, comprehensive posts, what is a young'un like myself going to say?

But here they are shut out looking in, MWAHAHAHAHA.

[Celuien]

Originally Posted by Jenny

We're really boring. Has anyone done anything interesting lately?

Not really. My life is boring. Most of our patients were no-shows this afternoon. Not that I do anything here anyway. It has been decided that students for the outpatient office on this rotation - even those of us who are seniors - get to sit in a corner and watch. Borrring, and fortunately over on Friday.

Highlight for the day is getting home, checking my inbox, and finding two more radiology interview invitations! That makes three so far.

Originally Posted by Farael

I'm thinking of a good Tolkien idea for this thread, but I'm at work... I'll expand on it when I get home.

Can't wait to see it.

[Brinniel]

That depends...how much sleep are you aiming for?

4-6 hours? Easily.

6-7 hours? Sure. On weeknights. Which include Sunday, but not Thursday. Especially if you don't have many morning classes.

8-9 or other amounts actually recommended by doctors and other health professionals? Why would you want to? So many other things to do...except on Sunday mornings. Sleep until like 1 on Sunday if you want.

I'm not really aiming for anything...just asking out loud if any other college student here sleeps...or not. In high school, all my friends went to bed around 10- I had a hard time getting them to do anything late. Now in college, I have yet to find a student who will go to bed before midnight. I usually go to bed 2:30-3 and have to get up around 7 for classes and work. With so little sleep, I have don't have enough energy, so I stay burrowed in my dorm napping, doing homework, watching TV, and of course chilling out here at the BD. Ah, the pathetic life of a college student.

I really need to get out and do something.....

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

One of the things I loved about Argentina was the fact that people went out to eat around 10-11 PM. . .

Once I was leaving this club at 4:30 AM and people was still in a hughe line to get in. (we of course was allowed to skip the line because we knew the password, "we bring Scandinavian girls" )

I am having seriouse problems getting to bed before 3 AM and it is your fault!

If I was to buy a minor work of Tolkien, what would a bunch of middle aged people like you sugest ?

[Laitoste]

This may be rather pathetic, well, actually, it is, but I rarely stay up past midnight on weekdays, unless I have a paper due. Usually, on the nights I don't work, my roommate and I are in bed by 10:00PM. I like to stay up, but if I don't have any homework, I'd rather sleep!

[Farael]

Originally Posted by Rune Son of Bjarne

If I was to buy a minor work of Tolkien, what would a bunch of middle aged people like you sugest ?

If you haven't read it yet, I think Tales of the Perilous Realm is pretty decent.

Originally Posted by Bjarne's son

Once I was leaving this club at 4:30 AM and people was still in a hughe line to get in. (we of course was allowed to skip the line because we knew the password, "we bring Scandinavian girls" )

I am having seriouse problems getting to bed before 3 AM and it is your fault!

Don't hate me for being so cool *ahem* but yeah... more often than not, people will meet with their friends around nine, have dinner by ten, decide what to do by midnight and get there around one in the morning.... and some people go to more than one club each night so that's why you see long lines pretty much until closing although... I could never understand why someone would want to pay eight bucks to go to yet another club when... they are all mostly the same thing! But then, I'm not big into clubbing, so maybe that's just me.

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

Oh actually I got that one. . . sorry
Other than that, what do you recomend ?


Yeah it is pretty much what we do as well, only it is not always we procede to the next club/bar/whatever. I never liked clubs and I still don't go to them at home, but in Argentina I was clubbing like crazy. I loved the place. . .I would not mind spending a year in BA! (What is up with those bars that serve free beer and don't charge anything in the door ?)

[Celuien]

I recommend Smith of Wootton Major and Farmer Giles of Ham. Smith is my personality double, after all.

I think I can beat everyone on early bedtimes. 9:00 sometimes. I'm not that bad right now since I don't have to be in to work until about 9 in the morning, but when I had to be in at 5 AM, 9 o'clock was definitely lights out time.

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

I feel like a little school-child with all this talk about bed times. . . Was that never the major talk of your class ?

Smith of Wootton Major it is. . . I once got Farmer Giles of Ham from the libary with alot of other books, but was frightened away by the aweful Danish titel. "Niels Bonde fra Bold" It is not really different from the English titel, but it just sounds really silly and Roverandom had two dogs on the cover so I did not even bother to open it. (Mind that I had borrowed more books than I could read)

[Celuien]

Originally Posted by Rune Son of Bjarne

I feel like a little school-child with all this talk about bed times. . . Was that never the major talk of your class ?

We frequently commented that we felt like 6-year-olds, but 6-year-olds who had become their own parents.

Smith of Wootton Major it is. . . I once got Farmer Giles of Ham from the libary with alot of other books, but was frightened away by the aweful Danish titel. "Niels Bonde fra Bold" It is not really different from the English titel, but it just sounds really silly and Roverandom had two dogs on the cover so I did not even bother to open it. (Mind that I had borrowed more books than I could read)

Giles is a very good read too, in a different way. Sly humor.

[Laitoste]

Originally Posted by Rune Son of Bjarne

I feel like a little school-child with all this talk about bed times. . . Was that never the major talk of your class ?

Not until college! Now, we brag either about how late we went to bed (I had a friend, who, last year, would run up and down the stairs in his building until 4:00 AM, just because) or how early we got to bed (I have friends who are known to go to bed at 7:00PM and not get up until 12-1PM the following day). No, I seem to recall arguing about official nicknames when I was in elementary school. All my friends wanted to call me Brussel Sprouts and I didn't want them to.

EDIT: cross-post w/ Celuien

[Brinniel]

Originally Posted by Laitoste

Usually, on the nights I don't work, my roommate and I are in bed by 10:00PM. I like to stay up, but if I don't have any homework, I'd rather sleep!

What?! How does that happen?

I still don't know how any college student manages to go to bed at 9-10. It's too noisy in the dorms, besides that's when all the excitement occurs. Right now, it's after midnight and I'm still powering through. The latest I went to bed was at 4:30 and that was for a paper (groan)....shows how terrible of a procrastinator I am. Seriously, I would never survive if it weren't for naps. No, naps aren't just for pre-schoolers.

[Laitoste]

Originally Posted by Brinniel

What?! How does that happen?

Yeah, I don't know either...last year I went to bed really late nearly every night, but I think that was because it was my first year and I wasn't prepared for the workload. This year, so far, I haven't actually had THAT much homework, for some reason. It's going to start picking up now, so I'll start going to bed later to compensate. It also might be because all my friends live across campus, and I'm too lazy to walk over there and they're too lazy to walk over here except on weekends. So, since all the people I know who live in my building go to bed at 10:00, I tend to, as well. And it's hard to stay up and do stuff when your roommate's asleep. Though I do kind of like it...

[Farael]

Originally Posted by Brinniel

. No, naps aren't just for pre-schoolers.

Reminds me of a funny story. During first-year I'd see people napping on some couches there are at the lounges at University and I'd think "what a bunch of loosers... sleeping? at University?". Then during second year it happened that I was just laying down, listening to music and i'd pretty much pass out on the couch... "Ok," I'd rationalize "it was an accident". By the end of the year, I was already going for a nap... and I couldn't be happier about it =P

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

So I have returned from England and with me I have brought the 2 first books in the HoME series and an Ilustrated hardback copy of the Silmarillion. I am really happy about these buys as you cannot get that copy of the Sil in Denmark and I saved 2.5-5 £ per copy, compared to the prize back home.

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Rune Son of Bjarne

I am really happy about these buys as you cannot get that copy of the Sil in Denmark and I saved 2.5-5 £ per copy, compared to the prize back home.

And what did the flight cost?

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

well I was going to England anyway. . .my errand was not to buy books. I was there to visit family and watch football. I went to Middlesbrough v Everton and Man U v FC Copenhagen.

(The ticket ended up not costing anything for me, my grandmother decided to pay for it as a pressent.)

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

And what did the flight cost?

I wasn't so serious about it, really... My sister lives in London (In Vauxhall) and I don't think I would count the costs of the tickets anyway when I visit her and find a few bargains on the way from somewhere there...

Sorry. A bad joke.

But a thinkable one, at least...

[Laitoste]

Originally Posted by Rune Son of Bjarne

(The ticket ended up not costing anything for me, my grandmother decided to pay for it as a pressent.)

I wish my grandma would buy me a plane ticket somewhere...or send me some money. As it stands, I am cashless, and am going to need money soon. Oh well. Such is the lot of the college student. Moral is, Rune, I'm jealous.

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Laitoste

I wish my grandma would buy me a plane ticket somewhere...or send me some money.

I would love that kind of Grandma's too... many of them!

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

well it is not something that happens often, infact this is the only time it has happened.

[Macalaure]

Originally Posted by Rune Son of Bjarne

So I have returned from England and with me I have brought the 2 first books in the HoME series and an Ilustrated hardback copy of the Silmarillion.

The one illustrated by Nasmith? If so, then I have the same one.
The landscapes are so absolutely beautiful.

It is precious to me.

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

That is the one. . .

It is so lovely, good drawings, hardback and with nice big letters. . .what more could a guy want? (In a book that is)

[Farael]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

I would love that kind of Grandma's too... many of them!

Hey Nogrod, howcome you are in the Middle Age club? I thought you qualified for the oldi... *ahem* coming of age club Not that I mind you being around, just kidding around a bit.

But I'm afraid my friend that while I hold you in the highest of esteems (no joke there) you were not the reason for my post.

Originally Posted by Macalure

It is precious to me.

Taken completely out of context, it reminded me of a situation today at work to which I hope at least some of you can relate (and perhaps even humour me with a little discussion). My co-worker is an avid movie LoTR fan (and I'm working hard to convert her to a book fan as well) and since we had had yet another upsetting talk with the 'piece of work' we have as a boss neither of us felt like working. I'll save you the long rant on my bosse's shortcomings but as it happens she tried (unsuccessfully) to take a picture on her cellphone to which I responded by taking mine and making my best impersonation of Gollum and his precious.

Then I realized how true that is. I don't know about you folks, but before I had a cellphone I thought they weren't necessary. I've only had it for two months, but I have to admit that I'd be lost without it. Ok, perhaps not LOST lost, but I wouldn't want to loose it. It's mine! My precious!!

What do I mean? well, thanks to my celly I've been able to keep in touch with two friends, one in Indianapolis and another in a nearby city I hadn't talked to often for a good while, I'm able to arrange for rides much more easily (which will be really useful when temperatures start dropping below -30 C which is what I'd call COLD cold) and let's face it... All those little gadgets like the camera and what not might be mostly useless but... they are cool.

While I'd like to hear your thoughts on cellphone-dependance, I'd also like to expand the question to "what other modern-day One Ring's can you think of?" and give a bit of an explanation of why, obviously... shopping-lists are good but not for an answer here

[Brinniel]

I'm not much of a phone-talker and rarely contact friends by phone, so I'm probably not quite a dependent on it as others my age. My main dependence for my cell is for family reasons. Now that I'm away at college, I enjoy talking to my parents and sister every few days- after all they're the ones who know me best. I mostly use my phone as an alarm clock. I nap a lot and without that phone, I'd never make it to class.

My main dependency: my laptop. It has my whole world on it- my homework, my music, my pictures, my entertainment, and most of all the internet. Without my computer, I'd be out of touch with the rest of the world. From the internet, I check the daily news and keep in touch with friends. And of course, 90% of the time I'm here on the Barrow Downs. Oh boy, I don't know what I'd do without this site....

Computers are awesome.

[Macalaure]

There you have it. No cell phones here. Cell phone: nada. I don't even have an answer machine. If somebody wants to call me and it's important, they will call again later. The idea to be reachable all the time is, in fact, a little scary to me.

There were times when I wore a watch almost everytime. Then someday, some months ago now, it broke, and my second one just after it. Since I'm lazy, it took me some time to get them repaired, and in that time I was wearing none. The first days it was weird, but then I more and more realized that you don't really need one all the time. It is a liberating feeling! Now I don't wear watches anymore and it's no problem ever. My two ones still lie on my desk at home - unrepaired (I told you I'm lazy).

I feel like a modern rebel!


PS: I heard about people who wear memory sticks around their necks. What does that remind me of?

[Farael]

Originally Posted by Macalaure

PS: I heard about people who wear memory sticks around their necks. What does that remind me of?

What's a memory stick? you mean the things you plug into the computer to transfer files? (I.e; Modern-day floppy disks?)

Here's a thought for you guys. Want another "Ring"?

The Internet. And the 'downs is a part of it. Raise a hand if you have NEVER EVER procastinated and put yourself in a bad situation because of over-using the 'net (including visiting the 'downs for a bit too long ).

hmmm.... see? I thought so.

[JennyHallu]

Wow...you must have internet 2.0...I can't see people's hands.

[Macalaure]

Originally Posted by Farael

What's a memory stick?

I meant these little helpers. I have one too, of course, but I only have it with me when I know I'll need it.