Interesting thought

[the mortal elf]

First of all, I had no idea where to put this thread, so Estelyn is more than welcome to move it.

The other day while reading the "ooh la la, Luthien" thread, I was impressed with the in depth answers and showed them to my mom. Her immediate response was to roll her eyes and tell me that, "you and all the people on this site have no lives." Before you try to find out who my mom actually is and inflict serious pain, (don't worry, I already did. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] not), consider it. If we barrow downers are able to memorize countless quotes, see the movie tons of times, name all the close family of Ingwe, Finwe, Olwe and Elwe, and have complicated discussions on minute details that no one pays attention to, do we have "real" lives, in the perceptions of non-obsessees? I know I don't. My life is LotR and music, but what about everyone else? [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]

[Nuinatariel]

Life? What is this 'life' you speak of?

[gilraën]

It's because I have a real life, work, home, kids etc, that I 'escape' with Tolkien. If not his work then something else. It is 'safe' because it's not real. At work my colleagues are all obsessed with 'real-life' documentaries, dramas, etc; no escape there for me, life is drama enough.

[Lindolirian]

First of all, I had no idea where to put this thread, so Estelyn is more than welcome to move it.

I'm guessing Novices & Newcomers


Anyways, I know what you mean. I do a lot of other thing besides studying Tolkien. In fact, many people wonder how I have time to know all that I do about it, considering time that marcing band and pep band, and activities with my church and friends take up. I know that for one thing, reading and knowing LotR in my school is pretty cool. I get people that I don't even know asking me questions about LotR. When I saw the Two Towers, i went with a group of people from school of about 70 (ya I know huge). Anyways, I didn't know everybody, but it was so much fun being the resident LotR knowit all. To sum it all up, yes we do have lives, and our Tolkien fanaticism works into them nicely.

[Arvedui III]

Music is cool. I like reading, and writing, and having heated debates with my dad on politics sometimes. But LOTR ocupies most of time. I dunno, I don't think barrow-downers have no life, we're just dorks; incredibly smart dorks with a lot of time to kill. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

[the mortal elf]

we're just dorks; incredibly smart dorks with a lot of time to kill.

I'll buy that. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

[Nuinatariel]

Yes, I think that sums it up.

When I'm not on this site I'm probably either reading, playing video games or at school.

[Eru]

i have a life. i go to school, hang out with my friends, enjoy nice long walks in the woods looking for stuff to climb and dreaming about Elves. i really wish i could meet one. doubt that will ever happen though. oh yeah, girlfriend. video games. sword fighting.

but seriously, i read late at night, at school, during my walks, and stuff. the only reason i get on the internet is to get on this site. that is all. oh yeah, shop for medival outfits.

basically, my life revolves around Tolkien's works. i just make time for everything else. not the other way around.

anybody else do that?

[Kalimac]

If I may quote a non-Tolkien related author [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img] - Jane Austen once said that there is nothing in life more mysterious than other people's pleasures. Tolkien is, for 99% of us, a way of relaxing; of filling in the empty corners of our lives, not taking them over. Most of sound like fairly busy people; for myself I do library translation, study languages, write and submit stories, travel, keep up with friends, take care of the house, cook...well, you get the idea. But for relaxation, especially in the evenings, I read books, and Tolkien's are among my favorites. If you enjoy a book, you're going to read it multiple times and soon will remember a good deal about it; I doubt anybody sits up late at night cramming names from the Silmarillion into their heads as if they're prepping for an exam. They just love relaxing with the Silmarillion, and because they're interested and love the story, the names and stories stick in their heads.

It's one of the more unusual pleasures (hence Jane Austen, there), but hardly less indicative of a life than people who spend their evenings watching basketball, are devoted to a certain TV show, or who enjoy quilting, all phenomena that I personally find fairly mysterious. These are all corner-filling activities. It's just that ours involves rather more trivia, that's all [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img].

[Lush]

While I never memorize my quotes (I look 'em up, is that bad?), I find this site to be a nice distraction from the many (unprintable) pitfalls of my life at the moment. This is the place where I can fully expose the bookish side of myself, without having to adhere to the the usual pressures of the academic life. Do I operate within the nebuluous medium that some people refer to as "a life"? I suppose I do. But what's your definition? A job, the beginnings of a career, a slew of relationships, the tendency to go club-hopping on the weekends, saying "no" to the ugly face of sobriety every once in a while? Do I have all the bases covered? [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

*EDIT*

I forgot to mention smart books, classes, ethnic affiliations, and pretty, pretty boys (that I call friends).

Furthermore, looking at this list, I think that being a BD member is no less fun and worthy and exciting as all the above-mentioned things, as well as the things I'd rather not mention. I feel that we are all here united by our love of beauty, and I wouldn't trade this membership for a spot on any illustrious guest list.

[ February 15, 2003: Message edited by: Lush ]

[The Squatter of Amon Rûdh]

That's right. I have no life and no friends. I don't do all of those fascinating things that other people do for fun, like washing cars, mowing the lawn or spending hours shoe-shopping. I don't watch all those eminently fascinating soap operas on television or gossip with my colleagues at work about changing nappies. All I do is read Tolkien and write about him. And read other authors and write about them. And go to the theatre, and rock concerts, and the pub, and Glastonbury Festival. And Florence.

I'm such a boring person.

[MLD-Grounds-Keeper-Willie]

Yes we do have lives. Even if this was the only thing we would do, it still would be a life. It's just an empty stereotypical way of insulting someone whether it be a insult in a joking manner or an insult intended to hurt one's feelings. This is a part of our lives and some people can be obsessed with it at times, but it is a part, not a whole. So that means we do other things besides this. I'm pretty sure everyone does, and if you don't then that's fine too. I'm not going to list what I do besides go here, but there are a good deal of other things I do besides go here.

And I think what people mean by life is a life that has many different aspects and parts to it all balanced healthily. Maybe at times they are not all balanced, and maybe at times it is not always healthy, but I assure you that we do have lives. And it can show how shallow a person can be if they truly mean we have no lives since they pay more attention to the things we do that they really disapprove of. Just because we enjoy something and in turn becaome wise with it or good at it doesn't mean we have no lives.

Oh, and one more thing. It's kind of hard to answer this question since everybody is different.

I know I'm kind of rambling on, and I could keep this up for a while. But you see my point. If you don't, tell me and I'll clarify it. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

[ February 15, 2003: Message edited by: MLD-Grounds-Keeper-Willie ]

[Bêthberry]

Right. No lives. Just minds.

[Rynoah, the Overly-Happy]

If we barrow downers are able to memorize countless quotes, see the movie tons of times... (etc.)

Who said all "barrow downers" can or have? I can't, and I've only seen TTT twice. I've seen FotR on the verge of 7-8 times, which is less than I can say for X-Men (I'm going on 40 or so with that movie... and none of you get to say anything about that...) or The Haunting (I forget how many times I watched that movie. I haven't seen it for two years now).

But as for having a life, I would say that I do. Many times, people have said to me, "You're on that computer too much. You need a life." or "You and X-Men/Lord of the Rings/Hugh Jackman/Sean Bean/insert one of my 'obsessions' here. You need a life!" but I believe that I do have one and that all these elements, however horribly I obsess over them, are very much a part of it.

[ February 16, 2003: Message edited by: Rynoah, the Overly-Happy ]

[Meela]

i never actually did anything before i came here, so this is just a way of filling my time, although i seriously enjoy coming here. outside of site life, i go to the cinema (to see lotr, mainly), and i write fantasy stories and books and whatever, and i practise sword fighting, i go out ranging (as in a ranger), and i dress up like an elf or whatever. just about everyone would call me an unsociable reclusive obsessive, including my mum who practically has, but i dont see why this doesnt count as an interest or hobby that fills my time

[Elanor]

It's only because our interest is not the norm that it is portrayed as 'weird' or 'nerdy' or whatever. I have a friend who is seriously into baseball, and knows all kinds of statistics and dates, can name every player in every team, etc etc [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img] Now, if he didn't have a dozen other friends who do exactly the same, (not to mention millions of others around the US) then I could say that was a bit geeky. It's us poor Tolkienites that are singled out as 'sad' because the others (sad fools that they are) haven't seen the light. What is different is always the subject of mockery. So I say, just laugh at these poor deluded fools, and enjoy your harmless hobby. [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img]

Oh, and of course we have lives [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img] - and they probably are a lot more interesting than many.

[burrahobbit]

Scholarlyism is a life of itself. I spend a lot of time on the downs, but I have a lot of time to spend. I've spent the past 2 hours in the chat room since about midnight, but all day before that I was running around like a madman getting things ready and then acting on that readiness. I actually don't remember when I got on the chat room but 2 hours is how long ive been online. About half of my awake time is time that I don't have anything in particular to do, though things often come up. I'm only hardly a full time college student, and I never have any homework that isn't just reading. I'm in class about 2.5 hours a day, and I have about that much reading. that's 11 hours a day of free time. Even if I had a rousing life, that's still a ton of time to spend hours at a time online. I have plenty of time to construct clever replies and do all of the things that "having a life" entails. Being clever doesn't preclude being fun, nor the other way round.

[edit]My life is only interesting in that it is uncommon. I don't do many things that are "fun".[/edit]

[ February 17, 2003: Message edited by: burrahobbit ]

[Gorwingel]

My mom is kind of like that, she says that if I didn't spend so much time reading and going on the web, learning about Tolkien, that I would be a very good chemistry student (which I think you would guess I am not). My newfound love of LOTR is something that I have not had for a very long time, just since the first movie came out. But, yes, I do kind of have a life, in a way. I was never your very popular center of attention kind of person, I don't have a boyfriend (don't know where that came from, but all the geeky boys always seem to have girlfriends), I am involved in some school things, I like reading, music, rollercoaster (which rollercoaster enthusiasts are very, very similar to Tolkien fans, since we have the "purist" who want a unique thrill experience, or they love the older rides. Then we have the people who just want a cheap thrill, also known as a design of rollercoaster or ride that has been used way too much) My love of LOTR has also brought out interests that I had been kind of nearing being into, but I really did not have a reason to do it. Like costume, I always loved it, but I did not have a reason to go out and buy wonderful fabrics and design a dress, now I do [img]smilies/cool.gif[/img]

[Neferchoirwen]

I used to have obssession about this place, and what I absolutely love about is the varied age among the members. That is pretty much connected to the very very informative discussions that I have actually printed out (Now doesn't that say a lot about me!).

But I must say that my obssession has diminished---a sign of maturity, not of a growing disinterest. I can say though, that reading the whole trilogy can make one scholar enough, though the Silm proves to ba a very delicious reading on the LORE of ME.

Most of my online life was based on the BD out of an obssession of being a wight. Well, I'm in no rush, but before I even knew it, I'm about so close to having 400 posts!

[Liriodendron]

I think she just said that, because she couldn't relate to it! I bet she does something I might find boring! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] I'm a very busy person, but I like to wind down by posting on a couple Tolkien forums. What's wrong with that! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] I find bopping in and seeing what's being said, to be a good way to "destress". I take five or ten minutes, during the day, breeze into my favorite forums, and forget some of the hassles of running a household and being a mother.(Cooking all those meals, and doing all that laundry, year after year.... [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img] listening to the kids squabble!) At night, while the others are watching (IMO) boring TV, I'll come back to the forum, compose my thoughts, maybe make a few posts. It's great to spend some time relating to really interesting people! (without having to get dressed up and drive somewhere) I really don't see anything negative about that, heck, I think it's great! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

I love Tolkien, and I enjoy communicating with people. This is a perfect way to socialize with all sorts of interesting people, in the safety and comfort of my own home. What is boring about that! There are not that many places for a grown woman who lives in a rural community to get together with people of like mind and socialize. I find TV quite boring. This gives me someplace to go and relax while the others watch the "boob tube". I usually only watch late at night when I'm ready to fall asleep.

So, I think this mom probably just doesn't understand. I must say though, I wouldn't want my child to hang out on the internet for more than an hour a day, it's easy to get overly concerned about your children's habbits, and I think I might understand where her "sarcastic" remark might be coming from. Posting on the Barrow Downs has enriched my life though!

[the mortal elf]

I doubt anybody sits up late at night cramming names from the Silmarillion into their heads as if they're prepping for an exam

*whistles nervously* I was bored, okay! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

In reading the answers to this thread, it seems like a few people were offended. Let me assure you, it was completely unintentional and I don't want anyone mad at me. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] I wasn't saying that all members of this forum have no lives, I was just curious to see what you guys thought about it.

And Liriodendron, you're right. My mom has read LotR once and isn't thrilled with it at all. She wouldn't even dream of reading the Sil.

[Liriodendron]

At least she read it once! Good mom! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

[Child of the 7th Age]

I'm a "mom", and I know a number of other posters on this site are also moms. I also know teenagers who stick up their noses at Tolkien, and others who absolutely love Middle-earth. I don't think it's a matter of age, but of interest and desire.

My youngest daughter, who is ten, saw the movies, and has become more interested in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings because I talk about them to her. (She's a big fan of Aragorn and Arwen.) She's done a book report on The Hobbit and is now doing a biograpical project on Tolkien using the Scholastic book by Coren.

I am not in the least bit worried that either she or I will lose our lives by thinking about books, even a particular series of books that happen to have been written by Tolkien.

Like another poster said, there are many people crazy about sports who have no trouble finding someone in their everyday life to share their "obsession" with. But when you like Tolkien (or the Arthurian legends, or something else along those lines), it gets a lot harder to find someone with similar interests. My husband spends many happy hours going to baseball games, hunting for collectibles, reading about baseball in magazines, books, and newspapers. I invest that same time on this site, because it gives me a chance to write and think and interact with people who have interests similar to my own.

Is it an obsession? I prefer to think of it as a healthy "passion". And our world would be a lot blander if there weren't folk around whose hearts were driven by the interests (and the people) that they love.

[Gorwingel]

Yeah, my mother likes the films, and has tried to read LOTR multiple times but finds it too "deep" of a book (It is not light reading, which is totally understandable). Even though she is a very good reader, both me and my sister (who never reads books) have plowed through them multiple times and I have even read the Silmarillion. Mothers just don't understand sometimes.

[Orual]

I have a life, that's why I come here. Because sometimes life isn't as fun as the Barrow-Downs. (Okay, more than sometimes. Most of the time.) But the Lord of the Rings is something that can be delved into so deeply that once you get in it's hard to get out, you just keep digging and digging--and turning up with gold. Aye, there's the rub. It's not like most other books, where eventually you just hit rock bottom--and it doesn't take too long, either. So once you've gotten in, it's nice to have other people to unload your thoughts on. Enter the Barrow-Downs!

But honestly, there will always be people who "don't get it." We have to live with them--and they have to live with us!

Namárië,

~*~Orual~*~

[Haelothiel]

Do I have a life? Well it depends on what your definition of a life is. I recently told my friend "I live my life through the past and through fiction." I like it, although I do have another life, this one is much better. I too listen to music, read, or am online or playing video games almost every second I'm not at school. I'd like to think that I have a mind, not a life, also but I'm not so sure! By the way, Nuinatariel, are you in a certain band where llammas are frequently mentioned? Like when they play Tequila?