User Profile

Nay, this was but his dream

Iago from Othello



As you probably can guess I like Orlando Bloom and Legolas but I'm not insane over them nor do I await the day that Orlando will come to my doorstep, wonder "Where have you been all of my life?!" and sweep me off to his chateau in France. I prefer to think of myself as somewhat realistic in this sense. That's all. Anyway just thought I'd write the disclaimer that my love for Legolas and Orlando Bloom does not mean I'm an idiotic fangirl. I am a fangirl and I'm sorry.

Anyway I'm a normal girl I think. You can see what kinda stuff I like from my list below. I don't role play, I don't believe in magical princeses or faeries, I don't believe in most of a lot of fantasy stuff but I like reading it and writing it because I think it's interesting. I want to publish a book. I really want to and won't rest until I do.
I have a website that has my stories on it which is the website I have linked above.
If you dont' like Orlando Bloom then don't befriend me, it'll be a waste of space on your friend's list.

If anyone wants to befriend me that's cool. Just lemme know I don't care if you say, "Hey wanna add me?" or "Please God let me be your friend" either way or in between is great. Or not at all. Feel free to stalk my journal and never mention anything about befriending me. I don't care about that either since I don't post anything of great value to me anyway.



Part Four: The Hardcore fans
Am I a hardcore fan? Many people think I am but the truth is that I'm not. I haven't been reading Lord of the Rings every year of my life; I haven't been scoffed at for only reading the appendices three times; I can't remember the charcter's names from the Silmarillion to save my life and I haven't made any attempts to learn elvish.
Still...I have read the Lord of the Rings, the Silmarillion and I'm working on Unfinished Tales. I am reading these books because I think Tolkien's writing is the most beautiful I have ever read. That's why I'm reading them.
Does this make me hardcore? To think Tolkien was a superb author to go into such detail and invent languages and maps that are accurate and names that actually mean something? I don't know. Hardcore apparently means you have to be a trivia geek, which I refuse to do.
I suppose that also raises the question of, "Do you have to be a geek to like Lord of the Rings?" My answer is, no. You just have to be intelligent. There is definitely a difference between intelligence and being a geek.
Hardcore fans tend to be very kind and accepting of your mistakes and will actually answer your questions should you have any (and without snickering at you, though they will brag on occassion about how many cross-references they had to do in order to make sure their response was correct). They are very up-in-arms about preserving the book EXACTLY as it is. This reminds me of Funadmentalists in that they take the Bible very literally. I think that's why I draw the line. The Lord of the Rings books will always be what they are to me and no one can take that away. Why are we advocating that the book was better than the movie? That's rather obvious if there's even a saying of "The book is always better than the movie".
I suppose another reason why I'm not a hardcore fan is that I don't stalk the Tolkien estate, I don't plan on attending a college based on their offering of a Tolkien course and I don't RPG in the least. Obviously, not every hard core fan is like this or does any of what I listed but to me that's why I'm not a considering myself a hard core fan.
One thing that bothers me about hard core fans is that they have to brag about how long they've liked Lord of the Rings in order to prove they aren't just "Jumping on the bandwagon" and they're "purists". My response: Who the hell cares? We've all jumped on bandwagons. I just don't see the point of bragging about something like that. Maybe someone could explain it to me sometime.
Overall hard core fans tend to be fairly nice once you get past the shock that they can resite some of the books by heart. Think of them as hard core football fans who know every member of the NFL. For some reason people understand this analogy better.
I also wonder where the assumption came that if you aren't a hard core fan then you MUST like the Lord of the Rings because of the hot actors. This just pisses me off, end of story.
I'm not sure what the point of this little essay is but here it is in all its glory. The point I tried to get across was:
I'm not a hard core fan and I'm happy.
There, I've said it.
Oh, and the way to reach these hard core fans is at lordoftherings Don't worry, they won't bite as long as you don't proclaim your marriage to Elijah Wood or Orlando Bloom on it.

Part Three: About the public
How have the public reacted to this sudden public popularity of fantasy? A lot of people have freaked out. They hate Harry Potter because it's telling little children to like witches and wizards. Classic fear that hides another fear that I'll discuss in a moment.

I, personally, didn't want to read them for a long while just because I wanted to wait until the popoularity of them died down and there wasn't still a ringing in my ears from people shouting, "Harry Potter RULES!" to me. But then I became curious about the fifth Harry Potter book etc...so I started to read them.

Anyway that's not the point. The real point of it is that the "normal" half of the population of the world think it's crazy that the other half would want to be escaping from reality all the time. That's the real reason why they're so nervous about admitting they like Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter and that's why they are so quick to denounce both.

I happen to agree to an extent with their fears. Escaping is bad, if you don't come back. It's a completely normal habit to escape into a book or movie or video game and pretend you don't have the life you do. Life will always be that anchor (whether you want it or not) that will bring you back from your little fantasy and remind you of what has been dubbed as real (I won't get into that, if you want a philosophy discussion go to fromtheshadows). But what happens to those that don't come back? Fantasy is not a stable anchor to bounce off from or to live in. That's what makes the "normal" half nervous. People that don't come back from their fantasy.

I saw on Insomniac this cult-like role playing game that he went to concerning vampires. They were sitting around in the basement of one of the guy's houses with black curtains pulled up to act like walls. It was around midnight and these people were dressed in black, with fake teeth in their mouths and were talking "eloquently" as they were trying to figure out things from one another. They said they tried to remain in character as much as possible to avoid life apparently. That's depressing to me. Kind of pathetic really. No life is so horrible that you have to escape it quite like that. At least theirs wasn't. They said their lives were boring and maybe they were, doesn't mean it couldn't be changed. Favorite quote of mine, "Vision without action is a daydream". That's all it is.

But enough rambling aside.

The other part of this debate is that everyone escapes. No one really likes to admit it but even the most normal of people love to escape their lives for a few hours and pretend they're not themselves. It's called bar hopping, dancing wildly. Even in groups we don't act like ourselves, we just kind of blend in and act like someone else now don't we? I think people are afraid of fantasy films, video games like the Sims and fantasy buffs like all those you would find on the lordoftherings community frightening because it's finally coming out (well maybe it's happened before) that everyone likes to escape and large companies are just trying to make a profit from that desire. Nothing more I think. But it scares people to admit that they like to escape. Almost like it's cowardly. I'm not so sure it isn't.

I think the entire point of my entry for this time is that escaping into fantasy is great as long as people keep in mind that it's fun and games. It's not real life because real life isn't all fun and games now is it?

Part Two: About the books
I began to read anything Lord of the Rings I could get my hands on. I was shocked to learn that there were series and volumes of everything. Right now I want to read about the Peoples of Middle-Earth. It's no wonder people can just dedicate their lives to this one story idea. And it's also no wonder Tolkien never stopped working on it.
And so, completely floored by how many books there were out there, last summer I decided to buy just a couple of books and read them to see what I thought of this whole thing. I bought The Silmarillion and The End of the Third Age, not knowing that this book was included in the Silmarillion. Oh well.
Let it be known now I don't like role playing. I can see why people do but I don't like it. I like living in the present and I like how I'm living. Also let it be known I love fairy tales, writing them or reading them. And so that is where I stand on these books. They're the best fantasy books I've ever read but I have no inclination to go role playing or believe they were real. Even Tolkien said his intent was just to give England a work of literature it could be proud of. A history no one knew of. Like the Knights of the Round Table. I wonder what America has. I don't know many Native American tales.
I think I want to go into this whole thing. Myths, legends, fairy tales. I love them. I also want to learn languages. All of them if I could. I'd love to know all of the languages of past and present. Don't think that'd ever happen though.
And so with this in mind I loved the Silmarillion. I had problems at the beginning just keeping track of the names. Often I had to flip to the appendix which became my fast friend. I had to check the map it provided a lot of times too despite how I never found anything. I could never find Gondolin or Angband or anything they were talking about. That map was lost on me.
My favorite story was of the dark elf and the she-elf. I still don't know her name but I liked her tale. Loved Luthien. And Beleg. Those three the most. They were awesome. I liked Turin's tale a lot too. It all just blew me away. I read it all in English class basically. I took me forever, though. I started last summer and just now ended. I don't think I'm a slow reader it's just the utter lack of time.
And so I finished it and suddenly most of what they spoke of in The Lord of the Rings made sense to me. I'm now on to The Return of the King. It's a good book too obviously. I can just picture it on the big screen. I like being able to picture the actor's and actresses' faces. I know people hate that but I sometimes enjoy picturing Billy Boyd in Gondor or Viggo riding through paths he shouldn't ride through. Things like that.
I can't wait to get my hands on all sorts of other books by Tolkien. I'm inspired to paint one of the elves or something like that. I don't know that I'm any good at painting but I'm inspired all the same.
Anyway I hope that the books will not be simply considered as Dungeons and Dragons fodder but works of art as they were meant to be. I read them and am dismayed and yet encouraged. Dismayed that my writer is so much the worse and encouraged to fix things in my book. I'm always influenced or inspired by works of art and try to make my story inspiring. Dunno maybe one day it will all come together for me and I could do something great like Tolkien did. I don't know. I'd love to.
In the meantime can someone let me know what these books of Lost Tales are about? And the People of Middle-Earth. Are they good like the Silmarillion? If so I'm all for reading them after I read Return of the King and then The End of the Third Age.


Part One: My background with LOTR
First maybe I should explain where I'm coming from fan-wise.
I liked the Fellowship of the Ring and read it a while ago. I did a project on Tolkien when I was in the 9th grade and decided not to read any of his books for a while until my mind had matured enough to actually understand better what the hell was going on.
I actually wasn't looking forward to the movie. I saw the teaser poster for it when I was in the theatre in october of last year and I basically sighed to myself and declared that they were gonna screw up the book like every movie always did. The book is always better so what the hell is the point?
It was my mother who dragged me to go see the Fellowship for the first time in December. Probably like the 27th. My first impression of Legolas? That he was annoying. He just leaps right up and said who Strider was. I didn't think that was a really intelligent move personally. And so I can proudly say that I didn't fall for his looks right off the bat. I didn't just like him because he was sexy. Dunno if I should be proud of that or not actually. Hmmm...
Anyway as the movie went on I grew to love how incredibly brilliant he was at whatever he did. He saved everyone's asses more than once and it was a thankless task other than they were still alive.
By the end of the movie I vowed to see it again and again.
At home I scoured the internet for any and all information available about Legolas and then about who was the actor. I was actually afraid that I'd find the actor to be a pain in the ass. So I refused to fall head over heels into an "obsession" until I had found out if he was worth it or not. Most actors aren't and so I think they're beautiful but not worth pining for or whatever. Orlando was and still is worth it. I read accounts of how wonderful he was and how he treated everyone with such warmth and kindness. He liked photography like I and everyone else does and speaks French like I do. Not exactly a match made in heaven but at least we had something in common though it is really...small...

I have Orlando to thank for opening up different worlds to me. He's the most influential person I have never met.
Because of him I love Oscar Wilde, the movies in general, Lord of the Rings and obviously Legolas.

Before the movie my favorite character was Strider actually. I always loved the man of mystery type of person. The ones leering at you from the shadows. Obviously this changed though I still love Strider the character. Not in love with Viggo but he's a hell of an actor.

I started buying entertainment magazines with the hope that maybe Legolas or Orlando would be in there somewhere. I really think I conditioned myself so that every time I see an entertainment magazine I become happier with the thought of Orlando being within it. It's just this extreme happiness I can't quite define.
Anyway I started to read the articles that weren't about the Lord of the Rings and suddenly I began to know about upcoming movies months in advance, sometimes years. I learned about actors and what movies they were doing, what the directors were doing, what risks they all were taking. What was the predominant movie at the box office. It was all facinating to me. I still love to keep track of it all. I'm also interested in the biographies of actors and actresses. It helps to remind me that they're just employees without a permanent boss. Some are in it for the art, others for the money. It shows in their performance I think.
I'm really not interested in gossip. I don't give a damn who's marrying whom, who slept with whom, who stole, killed or whatever. I don't care. I really think it's unfair that we think we have this undeniable right to rip whatever privacy they had to shreds because they could put up a good mask in front of people. We just have to know that they're horrible too. Maybe it's supposed to bring comfor to the people reading these mind-numbing articles that theses gods and goddesses on the screen were actually human with faults of their own. Maybe that's the reason.
Anyway I'm going to stop writing for now. Thank you for reading and feel free to comment about whatever I said. Please don't make it a crappy comment like, "You're stupid, messed up or insane". Say something like, "Please enlighten me as to why you said...etc etc...because I think this". Just something like that. I dunno I'm always looking for good conversations.

That's it for now. Sorry to take up so much space and all but this is, after all, my profile space. I can do whatever the hell I want with it.

Like below, for example.



Brought to you by http://www.geocities.com/lithorose/transcript.html

Come on Gimli!

They may yet be alive.

Come Gimli! We are gaining on them!

The Orcs turn Northeast. They are taking the hobbits to Isengard!

They run as if the very whips of their masters were behind them.

A red sun rises. Blood has been spilled this night.

You would die before your stroke fell!

Hiro îth ab 'wanath. ('[May they] find peace after death'[?])

This forest is old. Very old. Full of memories...and anger.

The trees are speaking to each other.

Aragorn, nad nâ ennas! (Something is out there!)

The White Wizard approaches.

That is one of the mearas Unless my eyes are cheated by some spell.

A scout!

Aragorn?

You lie!

[in elvish] (would love the elvish of this if someone knows it) You’re late.

You look terrible.

Or too few. Look at them. They’re frightened. I can see it in their eyes. (Boe a hûn: neled herain dan caer menig?) And they should be. 300 against 10,000?

[Aragorn, men i ndagor. Hýn ú-gâr ortheri. Natha daged aen.] Aragorn they will not win. They are all going to die.

We have trusted you this far and you have not led us astray. Forgive me. I was wrong to despair.

That is no orc horn.

Your friends are with you, Aragorn.

Shall I describe it to you? Or would you like me to find you a box?

(does anyone know this in elvish?) Their armor is weak at the neck and under the arms.

I’m on seventeen!

Nineteen!


Hmm...odd to believe that his last word was nineteen...



I love fairy tales. So I loved this book. It was just so damned good. All must read it. It's boring somewhat at the beginning but when the Simarils get stolen it leaps off to wonderment. I loved especially the tale of the woman elf and the dark elf. Geez if I could remember her name...
Favorite characters
Finarfin
Feanor
Fingolfin
Melian
Beren
Beleg
Luthien
Turin
Aredhel
Maeglin
Thank you to celtic4, sylvie, and heliodromos for all the information on Aredhel, Eol and Maeglin.




Translated by siriel as was my username.

Princess of Light: Calaranel
Fallen Princess: Aranelantë (moral fall), Aranelanta (physical fall)
Princess of Life: Cuilaranel
Life has fallen: Cuilë alantië
Life is forsaken: Cuilë ná hehtaina
Fell Winds: Aicë súrer, aicë vaiwar (two words for wind)
Fell Waters: Aicë neni
Fiery Winds: Uruvoisi súrer, Uruvoisi vaiwar
Fiery Princess: Uruvoite aranel (you could probably run these together - "Uruvoitaranel")






What kind of Legolass are you?
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You're a Bloodthirsty Lass! You love it when Legolas kills things - especially when he does it with style and finesse. You get turned on by Amon Hen, and probably will be by Helm's Deep also.

I have to admit that's true. I'm grinning like an idiot every time I see Helm's Deep. I just love sword fighting. Dunno why.


Nimrodel - lost voice of Lorien. You're a bit of
shy little flower, but with secretly strong
views. Mysterious, they call it, and the boys
must love you.


Which Silmarillion / Tolkien elf-girl are you?
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Hmm...who was she? Nimrodel...hmm...


He'll sing you to sleep ever night under the moon
and stars, with his arms wrapped tightly around
you to keep you safe and warm. He'll love you
til the end of time and beyond, as you do him.
Your soul and his soul are entwined for
eternity, that is, if you had an eternity.
Eternity doesn't apply to you. As time catches
up with you, he'll watch you wilt, like a
flower under the sun too long. He'll still love
you with all his heart, but sadness will fill
his days as he watches you fade away?Your love
will be evergreen, but you will pass on, like
the rest of us, leaving him heart broken and
utterly alone in this world. He will spend the
rest of eternity living on the memories of you.
Even the wind will echo with your laughter.


How will you break Legolas's heart?
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Wow who wrote that? Tad too sappy for my tastes


When I was messing around with the answers:

I don't know what to say. You just utterly
pulverized Legolas's fragile heart by being
unfaithful. He can't understand it. He gave you
his EVERYTHING: his money, his food, his love,
his shelter, even his precious arrows!! And you
STILL think its not enough. Why play him like
that and act as if you love him when your heart
is somewhere else? He's vowed never to love
again, and will spend the rest of eternity
trying to figure out the female psyche.


How will you break Legolas's heart?
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What rating is your journal?
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disneyworld For all you Disney fanatics
Pros: Great place to find out a lot about Disney World, like who works there and how to get a job.
Cons: Not many people will really tell you what their job is. Not in full detail anyway.

fromtheshadows For all you philosophy finatics
Pros: I run it. So you know it's going to be good ;) Nah ok seriously so far you can ask just about anything intelligent or remotely intelligent on here.
Cons: Not many people will reply and hardly anyone except myself will post a new question. Maybe people are scared?

orlandobloom For all you raving Orlando fanatics
Pros: Find out a lot about Orlando Bloom. Post about your obsession and learn where to find his pictures or see him on TV.
Cons: I mean you could find out a lot. Nowadays it's been reserved for girls squealing about how hot he is and *drool* this and *drool* that and I *heart* him. I mean, come on now this community used to be less annoying.

lordotherings For all you raving LOTR fanatics.
Pros: Find out about anything you ever wanted to know about LOTR. They also ban people from posting, "OMG, Elijah is soooo hawt!" That's always a plus.
Cons: Slightly geeky only in that the most obscure questions they know after referencing their twenty copies of LOTR and cross-referencing Tolkien's personal notes.

slashfreelotr For LOTR slash free fanfic fanatics
Pros: No slash. I think the genre has been slashed to death really.
Cons: Not posted in very often. Hmm...

lotricons For LOTR icon fanatics
Pros: Many icons. Many, many icons.
Cons: Updated so frequently it's hard to catch up if you don't check it very often.

All of these pics courtesy of Orligasm. Odd name.

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