Top Ten Signs You're Addicted to the Barrow-Downs

[dragoneyes]

I was going to bed at 11:00 on school nights

Oh dear, school tomorrow and it's already midnight. I am expecting my dad to look somewhat dissaprovingly at the screen and rush me off to bed, unless he's fallen asleep infront of the TV in which case I can stay up much later [img]smilies/evil.gif[/img].

I must come here more often than I realise, even my sister who is currently at university knows of my extensive visits here. I suspect that she thinks it's a fad and will soon go away, ah ha! I think not!

[Lady_Galadriel]

wanna know whats really scary? when your orchestra teacher informs the class that this years t-shirts are gonna sya "orch - dork" (meaning the abbreaviation for orchestra) on the back, you think she ment "orc - dork" and instantly dream of adding a little pic of an orc to the back.

[InklingElf]

eek! Let's hope that never crosses my teacher's mind...

[Hirilaelin]

I am homeschooled too, (have been for eight years!) and it is the life! You can get on the computer at anytime! Bwahahaha!!! But it's not so good when your three siblings are all clamouring to get their turn at the computer... And your mother takes away your computer privilages... And your are stuck with your family every...single...day! Not so good.

Another sign: You start calling yourself by the name of your current RPG character, and start refering to all the heroic battles you have taken part in.

[Lush]

Lush, quite how bad must his puns have been?
*incredulity etc*

Oh they were about as bad as his attempts to woo me with his knowledge of English poetry. Anyone who confuses Yeats with Keats is, arghhh... *shuddering at the memory*

[vanwalossien]

I started to worry when I handed in a paper at school which said 'written by Vanwalossien' and my teacher didn't even have to look at the handwriting to see whose paper it was...

And I spend almost as much time on imdb as on the Downs, trying to find the answer to Eärendil's latest quote in the Actor's Quotes... And still I never find out...

[Eärendil]

Bwahahaha! That´s...funny. (Or scary, have I done it AGAIN?). [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Anyway, here are two signs I came up with:
# When you realise you have copied and pasted loads and loads of BD-conversations, and printed them out.
# You can spell Marileangorifurnimaluim. Without cheating.

[Hirilaelin]

Not necessarily for BD, but LotR in general:

You start mistaking words. For instance, we drove by a sign, and I looked at it and screamed, "ELVES!!!!" My Mom looked over at me in a very strange way, and I looked closer. It said Elders.

or...

You are typing your e-mail address. At the end, you mistakenly type "ent" insted of "net."

or...

You can make anything have a LotR connection. For instance: You are flossing your teeth. As you floss, you begin to wonder what orcs would look like if they had access to floss and a toothbrush.

Sad to say, I have done all of these. Oh what we do for the things we love! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[Manardariel]

What I´m doing right now:
Hanging around in front of the screen, cursing á la The Osbournes, because you´re waiting from a PM, behaving like other people do when they´re waiting for a loveletter.

[Lush]

Hanging around in front of the screen, cursing á la The Osbournes, because you´re waiting from a PM,

I've been there. *frowns at Squatter and Helen simultaneously*

behaving like other people do when they´re waiting for a loveletter.

Oh, sometimes there's hardly any difference between a Barrow-Downs PM and a loveletter. Rimbaud ought to testify. [img]smilies/evil.gif[/img]

[Salix]

You begin accidentally answering your friends in what Elvish you know.

Well, on Saturdays, I go somewhere and there s a signup sheet that people put quotes on, and 9 out of 10 times I put Elvish. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Here is my provision for ths topic.
*After convincing you sibling(s) to join, they become so afraid of you they make their friends join.*

Afterthought-Maybe I should try the RPG's. [img]smilies/evil.gif[/img]

*When grabbing something to eat you wonder if you have some lembas.

[ March 13, 2003: Message edited by: Salix ]

[Hirilaelin]

*After convincing you sibling(s) to join, they become so afraid of you they make their friends join.*

I'm working on it! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[HerenIstarion]

I can spell Marileangorifurnimaluim too, hehe

edit: just noticed - nice firework there, Hirilaelin! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] Firework ppl, unite!

[ March 14, 2003: Message edited by: HerenIstarion ]

[Hirilaelin]

Well, I must credit the person who inspired me! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[Maiden of the Sky]

This is so weird, I can relate with so many of these things! Its almost scary! Lets see.. what else:

Every night you write notes on your RPG character, rather than reading your wider reading assignment book which is due in 2 weeks

First thing you do when you get home is check BD

Yes, I'm proud to say, I'm Obssessed!

[Amanaduial the archer]

Even though you´re REALLY sick and can basically think, you drag yourself in front of your computer and say to yourself: "I am not dizzy. I will not through up. I will write an RPG post!"

Nigimph...

-Going on when your parents are out on a Saturday night, and your sisters are elsewhere, and staying on til, ooh, about 4 in the morning? Then realising Church Choir practise is in 4 and a half hours....lucky Brinniel, going to Church at 10:00... [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

-When truly bored, playing name games with the downs and seeing whether eg. you can think of a member of the downs, or an RP character etc, for every letter of the alphabet.

-At lunchtimes, and in lessons (mainly latin I think), instead of working, drawing up a new avatar...

I promise you that is not me. The Daughter of Gollum and Shelob, hang your head in shame...nah, tis a very cool avatar.

[Elanor]

I like your new sig HerenIstarion!

[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

Haven't been here all that long (as you can see by my dismal pile o' bones...), but already I've spent so much time on here that it's caused problems with my roommate over time spent on the computer [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img] ...

I have hanged around the site for quite a while... but just joined yesterday... DOSNT MEAN IM NOT ADDICTED

[Maeggaladiel]

My sisters were playing "Who am I describing?" and I cought "really bad eyesight" and immeadiately I said Maeggaladiel (sp?) and The Nearsighted Elves Foundation!

You... you remembered ME?

I'm *sniff* so touched!!

And yes, you got the spelling right. Kudos for you!

[Sirithheruwen]

Originally Posted by Maeggaladiel

You... you remembered ME?

I'm *sniff* so touched!!

And yes, you got the spelling right. Kudos for you!

Of course I remember you! Your Nearsighted Elves Foundation is a valuable contribution to society! Why, I too was once nearsighted, though I am, in fact, not the slightest bit elvish (Ent, I be). I have discovered a wonderful thing called by the name of "contacts" and now I never have to worry about glasses falling off again! (Yes, I read your post in the "Deaths" thread. Elvis impersonators on squirrels gave me nightmares. *shudder*).

Anyways, back on topic...

...When you constantly roll your eyes, stick your tongue out, wink, grin really big, and pretend you're smoking a pipe!

[THE Ka]

Originally Posted by slotff

I have hanged around the site for quite a while... but just joined yesterday... DOSNT MEAN IM NOT ADDICTED

Ah, yes... i remember when i was just like you... Soon, soon you will be swepted in. And after that, there is NO return...

[Hirilaelin]

Well, here at my house, there are always at least four other people wanting to use the computer, so I get a lot of complaints about my obessesion. But hey, they play endless battle games, so I don't see why I should get my share, even if it is an hour longer then theirs, right? [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img]

[Eressië Ailin]

You know your'e addicted when:

1. You have a seven page long Word document consisting of BDer's siigs.

2. You don't really even need it because you've memorized everything on it.


Sadly, both of these are true....

[Eressië Ailin]

You're REALLY REALLY REALLY MAD!!!! [img]smilies/mad.gif[/img] [img]smilies/mad.gif[/img] because you just accidently deleted the whole seven page document!!!!!! And that's all you can think about even though you only have 1 paragraph done of the 3-page report due in 10 hours!!!

[Amanaduial the archer]

Oh ouch! Unlucky!

. You have a seven page long Word document consisting of BDer's siigs.

Four actually. Just four...

[GaladrieloftheOlden]

#you look through your desktop calender and write a quote matching the picture in your diary everyday!#

#you lie in bed at night planning scenarios/future posts for RPGs or trying to get the tricky quiz question#

#the day before your mock exams start you sit in front of your computer with a growing realisation that, yes, you really ARE addicted to the BD!#

#you know that the day before your actual exam you will still be checking whats going on, even though you know you need the grades to get to uni. why can't they do lotr studies, thats what i want to know?#

Have you been spying on me or something? [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] I do all of those!

1.Your math notebook consists to one quarter of unfinished problems, the rest is new sigs you want to try, unfinished characters for RPGs, "Barrow-Downs rock" in elvish etc, etc

2. You spent time wondering what would happen if you would recognize a BDer if she/he came to your school as a new kid/teacher

3. You annoy your friends you´re actually InstantMessaning with by saying "Wait a sec, I have to finish an RPGpost" or "Do you know who said _______"

4. You lie on your bed, mortally depressed because you can´t find a picture nice enough to send on the MemberPics page

5. You care more about a good rpg post then a good grade

6. Getting a higher member status is one of your natrual highs

7. One of your new-years resoloutions is "Yet a QQ answer before Beren87 does", and another is "Stop making spam posts"

8. You rename your computer into "Barrow-Wight 2", but go back to "goddamn-crap-thing" because one can´t be mad at the BW

9. You make your friends register here, and then continue pestering them untill they jump in an RPG (right, Sindae?)

10. When people REALLY annoy you, you call them "stupid, chat-language using, Orlando-swooning newbie"!, and collect odd looks

80%!

You've just spent at least fifteen minutes discussing with your friend over instant messaging how like you all this is, copying and pasting each point which is relevant to you. At first they fully agree but when you go back and read the conversation you realise they got bored and you've actually been talking to yourself for the past ten minutes.

Yep.... just it was much more than 15 minutes. [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img]

1. Your BD nickname is printed on the back of your favorite sweatshirt.

2. You constantly beg your best friend who likes Tolkien to join the BD.

3. You spend hours searching for the perfect avatar.

4. When you read about a name or place from The Silmarillion, you automatically think of someone from the BD.

5. No one ever calls you anymore because you are constantly online.

6. Your Tolkien books are torn and abused from constant use.

7. You're never completely satisfied until you have been on the BD for at least once each day.

8. You hardly ever go outside anymore. What's the point?

9. You begin to dream about being on the BD in your sleep.

10. Your favorite quotes come from the sigs of other members on the BD.

I swear, I've done every one of those, except print GaladrieloftheOlden on a sweatshirt...how come i've never thought of that?

and I always check BD before homework! I am obsessed...

Certainly! Me too! I actually go on the BDs during homework...*grins guiltily* I have dreams about Tolkien related stuff about every other night, and about one third of them have to do with either someting I read on the BDs or people on the BDs or *shudders* the haunted black screen... [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]

Being that I don't have a spouse or kids and I'm not Christian, some of them didn't apply to me.

Me too...maybe that's why it's not 1000% yet...hmmm... [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

* You find yourself saying, "That reminds me of when Aragorn_Isildur on the Chat said..." or "You know (fill in Barrow-Downs member)? Well, I saw his pic, and he's really hot..." more than you find yourself making real-world conversation.
* You have actually convinced at least one of your friends that was previously not a huge Tolkien fan to come to the Chat or Forum.

* You begin accidentally answering your friends in what Elvish you know.

* You begin taking notes in the language you came up for your fanfic about some races of Maia not discussed by Tolkien (you make up the races, of course, but you have a way to fit them in).

* You have two languages that you've made up that you do that in.

* You begin carrying your Lord of the Rings characters to fantasies about living other stories.

* You argue that "The Silmarillion" is a history of sorts when you begin trying to explain the entirety of the book in history class.

* You start yelling at anything fantasy-related that you read or see that has anything remotely connected to Lord of the Rings (Harry Potter has a character named Wormtail...coincidence? I think not! Couldn't come up with an original idea, could she? Nooooo...had to steal...).

* Before you speak to your friends, they now say, "We know, we know: In Lord of the Rings..."

* You have spent an entire 55 minutes giving an ad-libbed speech to your friend about how the fact that he hasn't read Lord of the Rings nor seen any of the movies will seriously affect his life.

* Whenever you Improv in Theatre Club, you think of a character from Lord of the Rings and take it from there, creating a modern version of the character.

* You begin to laugh hysterically in the middle of class just remembering some of the threads on the Middle-Earth Mayhem board and some of Lush's threads.

* You compare anything to a thread in here, even if the thread was not really Tolkien-related (The "How Many Barrow-Downers Does It Take to Screw In A Lightbulb?" thread gets brought up a lot, as my friend has a similar thing in her locker that a group of her friends wrote about their camp).

* You've converted at least 9 people (two of which are your mother and father) to Tolkien fans.

* Not only that: you have your mom now bringing up obscure Tolkien references when she hasn't even read anything other than Lord of the Rings because you talk about the other books so much.

* Your dad mentions when you haven't talked about Lord of the Rings for more than 20 minutes.

* You rant about how they ruined Arwen anytime anyone even says the name "Arwen" now.

* You spend time writing ways you know you're addicted to the Barrow-Downs and/or actually fall into all these categories.

* Your aspiration in life is to be as Elf-like as possible, as people always tell you that you would make a perfect Galadriel.

* You see any movie with anyone from the Cast of Lord of the Rings, just to see their acting style in other movies.

* You name anything you have to name with names in Sindarin, Quenya or Westron.

* Friends actually approach you for name recommendations, asking you to translate.

* People seem to assume that, because you are so into Elves, you will actually meet one of the actors that played one of the Elves one day and will really marry them (some of my friends are planning my wedding with Orlando Bloom, others with Craig Parker, and actually some with Sean Bean...although: judging that they are all at least 10 years older than I am...)

* Your teachers all know how much you are addicted to Tolkien and fear you for it.

* You think that they should have Tolkien Language Studies at your school, even though they are, after all, made-up languages.

* You run out of ideas, but keep mentioning anything that you've ever done or keeps happening to you that is related to Tolkien, in the hopes that, if you keep typing, you'll think of something really good...*sigh* oh well, no such luck...

All of them except 3 or 4! Go me! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

When writing essays for English, you accidently place smilies in your paragraphs.

Yeah. I'm not the only one?...

[Lady Iverin]

Wow! And I thought I was addicted. I mean I can't say as much as the rest of you can because I have a mother who sets stupid time limits on the computer!!! [img]smilies/mad.gif[/img] And, I've only been here for a little over a month. Anyway, trust me, if I could get on first thing in the morning, I would! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] But since I can't, I just have to be satisfied with being addicted offline. *sigh* [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]

[Ithaeliel]

Another sign you're addicted:

Whenever you see Shrek and Princess Fiona comes on, you jump up, pointing, shouting "It's Estelyn!"

[Amanaduial the archer]

Tis true, I will never be able to think of Princess Fiona in the same way again...

[Beren87]

You have two languages that you've made up that you do that in.

I'm actually on three now! With a new alphabet for two of them.

[Eressië Ailin]

Whenever you see Shrek and Princess Fiona comes on, you jump up, pointing, shouting "It's Estelyn!"

I did that once! I got some kinda weird looks... and then I sat down... it was really embarassing...

About an hour ago on the Oscars, I saw Cameron Diaz. I pointed and said to my sisters, "Look! There's Estelyn!"

[ March 23, 2003: Message edited by: Eressië Ailin ]

[Maikadilwen]

About an hour ago on the Oscars, I saw Cameron Diaz. I pointed and said to my sisters, "Look! There's Estelyn!"

How can you be so cruel to Estelyn? [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img] [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

[Eressië Ailin]

As soon as I said it, I took it back. I was like, "Never mind! Forget what I just said! She's way too evil to be Estelyn!"

I'm sorry, Estelyn!!
[img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[ March 24, 2003: Message edited by: Eressië Ailin ]

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

and I always check BD before homework! I am obsessed...

I check BD before and every five minutes while I do my homework (That is, if I even am workin on it!). Honestly, how interesting can the Stardust Space Mission or Gregorian Chants (I hate General Music...) be when you can have the Barrow Downs on your screen?

My General Music class was watching Shrek (For the Music...my teacher loves the end credit songs...I think?), and when I saw Fiona, I whispered to my friend, "Look! It's Esty!" Needless to say she gave me a wierd look and shook her head.

Many of the other ones apply to me too, but laughing out loud during class at random times thinking about something someone on the BD said or one of Lush's threads gets me into trouble a lot. Teachers don't like laughing during the middle of tests.

Aylwen

[ May 06, 2003: Message edited by: Aylwen Dreamsong ]

[Amanaduial the archer]

I missed it! I missed the bleedin Oscars! I missed Adrien Brody! Good god, the world is a cruel place without that face...

[VanimaEdhel]

I don't have 7 pages of signatures, but I have 4 pages of the best Chat quotes. Now remember, this is type in Times New Roman size 7 font, single spaced, with three columns per page and the margins adjusted to .5 inches.

And I can relate to almost all of the new ones...sad...especially the waiting for a PM like a loveletter...*whimpers pathetically*

[Scott]

Uh oh, I've only been registered for a month or so, and can already relate to the PM thing!
I've got it bad!

[Beren87]

PMs are annoying, because I have it set to email me whenever I get one, but now I get 5 or 6 a day which is filling up my inbox!

[Hirilaelin]

Sorry you missed the Oscars Amanaduial! It was so funny when Adrien Brody went for Halle Berry. She was shocked! So was I... [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img]