The One Ring Forums: Off Topic: The Pollantir:
What's the first big news story you remember?

Poll: What's the first big news story you remember? Pearl Harbor 0 / 0% Kennedy assassination 11 / 16% Watergate 4 / 6% Fall of Saigon 1 / 1% Fall of the Berlin Wall 2 / 3% Challenger explosion 4 / 6% Oklahoma City bombing 4 / 6% 9-11 19 / 28% Indonesian tsunami 1 / 1% Other (please explain) 22 / 32% 68 total votes

Aunt Dora Baggins Immortal Dec 7 2011, 3:08pm Views: 4311 What's the first big news story you remember? On this anniversary of Pearl Harbor (my great-uncle Eddie Fiddock was there), I got to thinking about this topic of conversation that came up at a family gathering one year. My parents said Pearl Harbor. For me it was the Kennedy assassination (more RFK than JFK, though I barely remember the JFK assassination when I was seven.) For my son it was the fall of the Berlin Wall, and for my daughter the Oklahoma City bombing. These things really mark the generations, and I got curious. I'm sure I've forgotten some in my list, so feel free to add others. I realize that my list is pretty USA-centric, since it's based on my own experience. I can't remember if I've done this poll before, but if so, I'm sure there are more people here now. Also, how old were you at the time? In my family, the age seems to be about 6-11. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories leleni at hotmail dot com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (This post was edited by Ataahua on Dec 7 2011, 10:35pm)

Annael Immortal Dec 7 2011, 3:35pm Views: 3367 Eisenhower's re-election I was almost 6. My parents were really happy - they were Republicans until the party took a giant step to the right in the 70s and left them stranded. Soon after, I remember going outside one night to look up and see Sputnik pass by overhead, the first satellite ever. When I was 10, the Beatles hit big in the US with "I Want to Hold Your Hand." I was 11 when JFK was assassinated and I remember every detail of where I was and what was going on when we heard. That was the defining moment of our generation for sure - the assassinations 5 years later of Martin Luther King Jr. and RFK, along with the escalating Vietnam War, made me feel pretty hopeless for a long time about our country, although the first walk on the moon in 1969 was a bright spot. The way we imagine our lives is the way we are going to go on living our lives. - James Hillman, Healing Fiction * * * * * * * * * * NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967

Aunt Dora Baggins Immortal Dec 7 2011, 3:54pm Views: 3371 The first election I remember was LBJ My dad went to the county convention and came home with a can filled, supposedly, with gold water. But he was a liberal Republican and not too happy with Goldwater. My grandmother idolized Ike. She had one of the Eisenhower dollars made into a necklace and wore it for years, setting off the alarms at airports wherever she went. I think growing up with the Vietnam War on the evening news every night really shaped my generation. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories leleni at hotmail dot com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Arwen's daughter Half-elven Dec 7 2011, 4:33pm Views: 3327 Probably the first Gulf War I would have been about 8, but I remember watching some of the footage on the news. How will you get to the Lonely Mountain? Help TORn log enough miles to get us to Smaug's home by Dec. 2013 Walk to Rivendell - Thursdays on Main My Costuming Site TORn's Costume Discussions Archive

Ethel Duath Half-elven Dec 7 2011, 4:50pm Views: 3392 Kennedy--and not just from the news-- I was 6 years old in first grade and sometime in the early afternoon the principle came in with a very grim look on her face and spoke to our teacher. At some point after that we were all herded into a larger classroom where they had us all sing America the Beautiful or the Star Spangled Banner (can't remember which) and then they told us Kennedy had been shot--possibly that he had died (this was in eastern Nebraska, so I suppose we'd have been an hour later time-wise). About an hour later when school was out at 3:15 I walked the mile back to my house and found my mom sitting on the edge of my bed with the strangest sad look on her face as she tried to smile at me and soften it a bit while she tried to explain it to me. Nobody really knew what to do--certainly not at my school, although it was obvious they were trying to give it some thought. The worst was the next day on the playground where some second grade boy was telling everyone rather belligerently how his dad said he was glad Kennedy was shot because Kennedy was a Democrat, or something to that. effect Very odd week, that was. I even remember it was sunny on the day it happened, and cloudy the next on that playground.

Ethel Duath Half-elven Dec 7 2011, 4:53pm Views: 3382 And what does it say about our Demographic here (or our interest in the question?) that almost everyone is saying Kennedy? Hmmm, very interesting . . . Thank you Aunt Dora, for a chance to remember that day with all of you here. I certainly have never gotten over it completely.

dernwyn Forum Admin / Moderator Dec 7 2011, 5:44pm Views: 3320 Sputnik. I don't know if it was the first Sputnik, which was launched in 1957 - I would have been only 3 at that time - but I remember my Dad taking my brothers and me outside late at night, to watch as it passed overhead, like a tiny star. The Kenneday assassination: they let us out of school early, and as we walked home some kid kept saying that Kruschev was going to come and take over... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "I desired dragons with a profound desire" "It struck me last night that you might write a fearfully good romantic drama, with as much of the 'supernatural' as you cared to introduce. Have you ever thought of it?" -Geoffrey B. Smith, letter to JRR Tolkien, 1915

Ataahua Forum Admin / Moderator Dec 7 2011, 6:36pm Views: 4096 The Erebus disaster. I was nine, and remember the TV news stories that a plane with 257 people on board had disappeared on its way back from Antarctica and had so many hours of fuel left. The hours counted down, then the deadline passed as there was still no word about the plane. The wreckage was found on Mt Erebus a few hours later. Celebrimbor: "Pretty rings..." Dwarves: "Pretty rings..." Men: "Pretty rings..." Sauron: "Mine's better." "Ah, how ironic, the addictive qualities of Sauron’s master weapon led to its own destruction. Which just goes to show, kids - if you want two small and noble souls to succeed on a mission of dire importance... send an evil-minded b*****d with them too." - Gandalf's Diaries, final par, by Ufthak. Ataahua's stories

Nightingale Rohan Dec 7 2011, 6:43pm Views: 3368 The death of Princess Diana I was about 8, and I remember everyone being really upset but I didn't really understand why she was so popular (I also remember disliking 'Candle in the Wind' intensely for some reason. Odd). Then the internet began to really take off for the 'ordinary man on the street', and presenters began to start giving email addresses and websites for the audience to contact programmes with, complete with the ninja like 'forward slash' hand gesture. So 90s! My first 'big' news story would have been the war in Afghanistan (I think - it was definitely a military invasion, and I was about 10). I remember seeing it on 'Newsround' (a children's magazine news programme) and seeing all of the footage of tanks - quite scary. I went on the BBC news site afterwards to try and understand it more - I am ashamed to say that I still don't fully understand all of the motives/consequences. "You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me" - C. S. Lewis (This post was edited by Nightingale on Dec 7 2011, 6:50pm)

Alassëa Eruvande Valinor Dec 7 2011, 6:45pm Views: 3337 Well, if some nice admin would change my accidental "Other" vote to "Watergate", I'll be all set. I accidentally hit "other" before I saw "Watergate". Anyway, I was age 5 when it started, and age 7 when Nixon resigned. Mostly, I just remember a lot of hullabaloo on tv that I didn't understand, and lots of Nixon. The thing that cemented this memory, though, has more to do with some little things my grandma made. She made "Watergate Bugs" out of polished rocks and jewelry findings and sold them at local craft fairs. My brothers and I even played with some she gave us. The next big memory is Jimmy Carter's inauguration. I mostly remember how he and Mrs. Carter walked up Pennsylvania Avenue during the parade, and sometimes their daughter, Amy, walked with them. I think I was more impressed by the fact that Amy was only a year younger than I and was going to get to live in the White House. And suddenly the Tornadoes saw afar off a greenlight, as it were a cloud with a living heart of flame; and they knew that this was no vision only, but that PJ had made a new thing: The Hobbit, the Film that Is.

Gimli'sBox Gondor Dec 7 2011, 6:53pm Views: 3300 9-11. I was pretty young, around 6-7 and I just remember my mom and dad watching tv at my grandparent's house talking about a plane that hit a big building. Quote Also, how old were you at the time? In my family, the age seems to be about 6-11. Seems like that's when most people have their first big news story. I wonder if that's when you really start listening to the bigger things going on around your little world of play and fun. Some who have read the book, or at any rate have reviewed it, have found it boring, absurd, or contemptible; and I have no cause to complain, since I have similar opinions of their works, or of the kinds of writing they evidently prefer. Good becomes great. Bad becomes worse.  This is why you were chosen.  Because a strong man who has known power all his life may lose respect for that power.  But a weak man knows the value of strength and knows compassion.

RosieLass Valinor Dec 7 2011, 7:09pm Views: 3283 Watergate. Which would have been when I was 7-8. It is always those with the fewest sensible things to say who make the loudest noise in saying them. --Precious Ramotswe (Alexander McCall Smith)

RosieLass Valinor Dec 7 2011, 7:11pm Views: 3309 I remember when they announced in our class... ...that Reagan had been shot, and one jerk in the class laughed, and I thought that was pretty abominable. It is always those with the fewest sensible things to say who make the loudest noise in saying them. --Precious Ramotswe (Alexander McCall Smith)

taekotemple Grey Havens Dec 7 2011, 7:32pm Views: 3395 Definitely the Challenger explosion I was home sick from school, watching the news footage. It was such a shock to me, and I'm sure to many others as well, especially because of the teacher on board. What a tragic, tragic event. I can't remember how old I was, I could probably calculate the year if I look it up, but I think I was in 4th or 5th grade. “Tell me one last thing,” said Harry. “Is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head?” “Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”

Ethel Duath Half-elven Dec 7 2011, 7:49pm Views: 3874 Oops! I spoke way too soon . . . //

Darkstone Immortal Dec 7 2011, 8:10pm Views: 3285 The Gary Powers U-2 incident I was seven years old. I remember the newspaper being full of stories and pictures about it. ****************************************** Brother will fight brother and both be his slayer, brother and sister will violate all bonds of kinship; hard it will be in the world, there will be much failure of honor, an age of axes, an age of swords, where shields are shattered, an age of winds, an age of wolves, where the world comes crashing down; no man will spare another. -From the Völuspá, 13th Century

Faenoriel Tol Eressea Dec 7 2011, 8:38pm Views: 3443 MS Estonia sinking in 1994 Yeah, probably not big in the States or even elsewhere in the west, but huge here in Northern Europe. The ferry cruiser MS Estonia sank in September 1994 in Finnish waters in the Baltic Sea when sailing from Estonia to Sweden. 852 people died, 137 survived. I was 7 years old when it happened. I still remember the news images of the storming cold, grey water and the orange lifeboats, the hypothermiatic survivors and the stories I heard of what happened on the ship. I might have only imagined the dead bodies based on the news and the stories, or maybe they were seen too on the news. Anyway. The ship sank in the waters off the coast of my home city. Ferries and ships are a huge industry here and part of the continuing heartbeat of the city. Sea is just out there, with its gentle waves and the innumerable islands of the Turku archipelago. I love it. The sea. Now when I think about it, that incident might have been part of me growing to have such respect for nature - Not the approving respect of the superior who allows his inferiors to live because it happens to please her, but the fearful and loving respect of someone oh so very little who understands how dependant she is of the mighty universe around her. Oh, and I fear sailing. Even though I've traveled by the ferries to Sweden and Estonia many times. I wonder why... <3 Gandy, Raddy, Sharkey, Ally & Pally <3 (This post was edited by Faenoriel on Dec 7 2011, 8:42pm)

Faenoriel Tol Eressea Dec 7 2011, 8:41pm Views: 3324 Pretty sure now the bodies were seen on the news. I have utmost respect for death too. Taking death slightly, no matter who's death, is my Berserker Button. <3 Gandy, Raddy, Sharkey, Ally & Pally <3

Aunt Dora Baggins Immortal Dec 7 2011, 10:01pm Views: 3245 The murder of the athletes in the '72 Olympics made a big impression on me too. I didn't list it, because it was around the time of Watergate, but I remember being grief-stricken. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories leleni at hotmail dot com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aunt Dora Baggins Immortal Dec 7 2011, 10:02pm Views: 3266 I remember a few years later going out in the yard to watch a satellite go over. And that reminds me that I forgot to list the 1969 moon landing! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories leleni at hotmail dot com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aunt Dora Baggins Immortal Dec 7 2011, 10:07pm Views: 3330 I had a Jackie and Caroline paper doll set and I had the same reaction to Caroline, being my age and being so famous :-) "Watergate Bugs!" That's hilarious. I remember our minister reading from Nehimiah 8, "And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate." :-D ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories leleni at hotmail dot com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ataahua Forum Admin / Moderator Dec 7 2011, 10:35pm Views: 3274 No nice admins around so I did it. Celebrimbor: "Pretty rings..." Dwarves: "Pretty rings..." Men: "Pretty rings..." Sauron: "Mine's better." "Ah, how ironic, the addictive qualities of Sauron’s master weapon led to its own destruction. Which just goes to show, kids - if you want two small and noble souls to succeed on a mission of dire importance... send an evil-minded b*****d with them too." - Gandalf's Diaries, final par, by Ufthak. Ataahua's stories

Elizabeth Half-elven Dec 7 2011, 10:43pm Views: 3329 VE-Day. Only a year old when Pearl Harbor was bombed, but I have a lot of memories of wartime, and fairly clear memory of VE-Day (when Germany surrendered). Subsequently, when Japan surrendered I was very confused, because I thought the war was already over and didn't understand why everyone was celebrating again. Join us in the Reading Room as we discuss the LotR Appendices! The real stories behind the Numenorians, Rohirrim, Elves, and Dwarves! Elizabeth is the TORnsib formerly known as 'erather'

Magpie Immortal Dec 7 2011, 11:57pm Views: 3287 JFK I can remember quite a lot about JFK's assassination (I was 11). The event, the lying in state, and the funeral procession. And my dad bought the Time Life book about the event so I grew up reading it and looking at the pictures over and over again. Those images are burned in my memory. LOTR soundtrack website magpie avatar gallery ~ Torn Image Posting Guide

Alassëa Eruvande Valinor Dec 8 2011, 12:09am Views: 3242 You'll have to do, I guess. (Thanks!) And suddenly the Tornadoes saw afar off a greenlight, as it were a cloud with a living heart of flame; and they knew that this was no vision only, but that PJ had made a new thing: The Hobbit, the Film that Is. (This post was edited by Alassëa Eruvande on Dec 8 2011, 12:10am)

Magpie Immortal Dec 8 2011, 12:17am Views: 2551 the 1969 moon landing was one event I can't remember at all. I mean... when it happened, I not only was not watching, I'm not sure I even knew it was going to happen. It was the summer before senior year for me. Perhaps I was out cruisin the gut... as we used to call it. Or eating with my friends at Pizza Hut with its groovy black lights. LOTR soundtrack website magpie avatar gallery ~ Torn Image Posting Guide

Alassëa Eruvande Valinor Dec 8 2011, 12:23am Views: 2596 It was early in 1986. I was taking a college freshman chemistry test. When I finished the test, I walked over to the student lounge and everyone was glued to the tv. I just remember the newscast showing the cloud over and over, and it reminding me of a caterpillar with two antennae. Weird what sticks in your head. During the weeks after, I was regularly appalled by my fellow students' attitudes that NASA somehow "deserved" the disaster, since they hadn't had one since the Apollo incident. I remember some chick saying how NASA had gotten too "cocky" and this tragedy should bring them back to reality. Jerks. I guess they forgot that people died that day. And suddenly the Tornadoes saw afar off a greenlight, as it were a cloud with a living heart of flame; and they knew that this was no vision only, but that PJ had made a new thing: The Hobbit, the Film that Is.

Magpie Immortal Dec 8 2011, 12:24am Views: 2556 The sinking I remember is the Edmund Fitzgerald certainly not as many people on board since it was an ore boat carrying a crew of 29 (and no passengers). The night before, I'd been at the mall (in Michigan) for some reason and when I went to leave, the wind was blowing so fiercely, the stray carts were just flying across the parking lot. The next morning, I talked with my mom and she said a ship went down in Lake Superior. It was odd knowing the cause was the same wind I'd experienced. LOTR soundtrack website magpie avatar gallery ~ Torn Image Posting Guide

Spencissimus Lorien Dec 8 2011, 12:31am Views: 2554 Probably the Thredbo Landslide and the rescue of Stuart Diver This is an even that probably only Australians and New Zealanders are aware of...It happened in July 1997, when I was 7 (and only half a month before Princess Diana died, which would have doubtless been the biggest news story had Thredbo not happened first). I don't remember it 100% clearly, but I do remember hearing tidbits on the news every night for the 3 or so days that the rescue teams searched for survivors, and eventually found Diver.

acheron Gondor Dec 8 2011, 1:22am Views: 3211 That's mine too Well, I was vaguely aware there was an election in 1988. I am always disappointed in myself that I don't remember the Berlin Wall. Definitely remember the Gulf War though -- I would have been 8 too. (You a 1982 baby too? ) For instance, on the planet Earth, man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much -- the wheel, New York, wars, and so on -- while all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man, for precisely the same reasons. -- Douglas Adams

silneldor Half-elven Dec 8 2011, 1:59am Views: 2488 Sputnik I was seven. But with Kennedy's Death i remember where i was. I was a freshman in HS studying in study hall in the auditorium and it came over the speaker system ''Sam put his ragged orc-cloak under his master's head, and covered them both with the grey robe of Lorien; and as he did so his thoughts went out to that fair land, and to the Elves, and he hoped that the cloth woven by their hands might have some virtue to keep them hidden beyond all hope in this wilderness of fear...But their luck held, and for the rest of that day they met no living or moving thing; and when night fell they vanished into the darkess of Mordor.'' - - -rotk, chapter III Faerie contains many things besides elves and fays and besides dwarfs, witches, trolls, giants or dragons; it holds the seas, the sun, the moon, the sky; and the earth, and all things that are one in it: tree and bird, water and stone, wine and bread, and ourselves, mortal men, when we are enchanted." — J.R.R. Tolkien May the grace of Manwë let us soar with eagle's wings! In the air, among the clouds in the sky Here is where the birds of Manwe fly Looking at the land, and the water that flows The true beauty of earth shows With the stars of Varda lighting my way In all the realms this is where I stay In the realm of Manwë Súlimo

Alcarcalime Tol Eressea Dec 8 2011, 2:04am Views: 2578 Well, someone may guess I am old! My oldest memory of a world event was when Truman fired Douglas MacArthur. I would have been no more than 5. I don't remember exactly when that was. I remember thinking how could anyone fire a general, they were next in line after God. Having been born at the end of WWII, I grew up with news about generals, and watching news reels and war movies, I seem to have had a rather inflated idea of generals!

Alcarcalime Tol Eressea Dec 8 2011, 2:07am Views: 2511 Yep, Eisenhower! I remember listening to his nomination at the Republican convention in 1952. I was 6, not quite 7 at the time.

silneldor Half-elven Dec 8 2011, 2:36am Views: 2466 I remember watching Eisenhauser on the tv but i do not remember anything specific. ''Sam put his ragged orc-cloak under his master's head, and covered them both with the grey robe of Lorien; and as he did so his thoughts went out to that fair land, and to the Elves, and he hoped that the cloth woven by their hands might have some virtue to keep them hidden beyond all hope in this wilderness of fear...But their luck held, and for the rest of that day they met no living or moving thing; and when night fell they vanished into the darkess of Mordor.'' - - -rotk, chapter III Faerie contains many things besides elves and fays and besides dwarfs, witches, trolls, giants or dragons; it holds the seas, the sun, the moon, the sky; and the earth, and all things that are one in it: tree and bird, water and stone, wine and bread, and ourselves, mortal men, when we are enchanted." — J.R.R. Tolkien May the grace of Manwë let us soar with eagle's wings! In the air, among the clouds in the sky Here is where the birds of Manwe fly Looking at the land, and the water that flows The true beauty of earth shows With the stars of Varda lighting my way In all the realms this is where I stay In the realm of Manwë Súlimo

dernwyn Forum Admin / Moderator Dec 8 2011, 3:21am Views: 2475 Do you remember the paper doll of him that was in MAD Magazine? This is Gary Powers. Cut him out and trade him for other spy paper dolls. Or something like that... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "I desired dragons with a profound desire" "It struck me last night that you might write a fearfully good romantic drama, with as much of the 'supernatural' as you cared to introduce. Have you ever thought of it?" -Geoffrey B. Smith, letter to JRR Tolkien, 1915

dernwyn Forum Admin / Moderator Dec 8 2011, 3:31am Views: 2548 I was in a motel outside of Denver. With my mom and dad. We had flown from Massachusetts out to Colorado to visit my brother, who was spending the summer as a camp counsellor in the Rockies. We'd taken him to the rodeo in Cheyenne (Wyoming) (where I bought a "Frodo Lives" button), and when we took him back to the camp they had a TV on for the campers, as the lunar module had just landed. We hung around for a while waiting for the crew to step onto the Moon, but it got late and we had to leave. We got back to the motel room in time for the "small step/giant leap". ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "I desired dragons with a profound desire" "It struck me last night that you might write a fearfully good romantic drama, with as much of the 'supernatural' as you cared to introduce. Have you ever thought of it?" -Geoffrey B. Smith, letter to JRR Tolkien, 1915

Ataahua Forum Admin / Moderator Dec 8 2011, 3:36am Views: 2506 Yes, I remember Thredbo. I had forgotten about Stuart Diver though. Thanks for the reminder Spencissimus. Celebrimbor: "Pretty rings..." Dwarves: "Pretty rings..." Men: "Pretty rings..." Sauron: "Mine's better." "Ah, how ironic, the addictive qualities of Sauron’s master weapon led to its own destruction. Which just goes to show, kids - if you want two small and noble souls to succeed on a mission of dire importance... send an evil-minded b*****d with them too." - Gandalf's Diaries, final par, by Ufthak. Ataahua's stories

Aunt Dora Baggins Immortal Dec 8 2011, 3:43am Views: 2476 I remember that clearly too. I was in my office and the physics lab across the hall had TV, and I heard people gasp, and went in to see what was going on. I still remember the looks on people's faces as I walked into the room. I heard so many awful news stories when I was in that building. I remember hearing about the Columbine massacre there, as I listened to the radio in my office. I never saw more shell-shocked students than the ones in my classes that day. And there was the Oklahoma City bomb. And I remember hearing about 9/11 as I was driving to work, and coming to the door of that building and being met by a wide-eyed coworker who said "Have you been listening to the radio?" We went over to the student center and watched it all on a huge TV there; the students weren't on campus yet, and the faculty and staff were supposed to be in meetings, but we huddled in front of the TV instead. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories leleni at hotmail dot com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aunt Dora Baggins Immortal Dec 8 2011, 3:45am Views: 2475 You were? Wow, I was just an hour north of you, in our basement watching on the TV. We went outside afterwards and looked up at the moon and tried to imagine the people walking on it. My husband says he did the same thing. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories leleni at hotmail dot com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Silverlode Forum Admin / Moderator Dec 8 2011, 3:45am Views: 2551 I remember sitting in class and watching Challenger explode. I remember the shock and confusion, and thinking "Wait....that did not just happen!" and the teachers being just as shocked and horrified as we were but trying valiantly to pull themselves together and continue on with the school day with a bunch of stunned or crying children. To make it even worse, our class had a field trip scheduled to the NASA/Ames research center a week later. It was the most depressing school field trip ever. I look back and feel sorry for our NASA docent, trying to answer questions about the disaster from a bunch of elementary school kids. Silverlode "Of all faces those of our familiares are the ones both most difficult to play fantastic tricks with, and most difficult really to see with fresh attention. They have become like the things which once attracted us by their glitter, or their colour, or their shape, and we laid hands on them, and then locked them in our hoard, acquired them, and acquiring ceased to look at them. Creative fantasy, because it is mainly trying to do something else [make something new], may open your hoard and let all the locked things fly away like cage-birds. The gems all turn into flowers or flames, and you will be warned that all you had (or knew) was dangerous and potent, not really effectively chained, free and wild; no more yours than they were you." -On Fairy Stories (This post was edited by Silverlode on Dec 8 2011, 3:46am)

Annael Immortal Dec 8 2011, 3:48am Views: 2468 we did that too! Went outside, looked up at the moon - as I recall it was full - and said "there are people up there." Amazing to think. And then we had a toast. My aunt gave me a tiny glass of creme de menthe. First and last time I ever drank that. Bleagh. Tasted like alcoholic toothpaste. The way we imagine our lives is the way we are going to go on living our lives. - James Hillman, Healing Fiction * * * * * * * * * * NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967

Aunt Dora Baggins Immortal Dec 8 2011, 3:48am Views: 2484 This exercise does separate people by age, doesn't it? So often on TORn and the Internet in general, age isn't at all apparent. So it's kind of startling to do this once in a while. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories leleni at hotmail dot com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Elizabeth Half-elven Dec 8 2011, 6:54am Views: 2493 Gotcha. I was 11, and remember it well. My parents were appalled. They certainly shared the notion that firing a General was like firing God. They were among those crying, "Unleash Chiang Kai-shek," although it turned out later he was both incompetent and corrupt. Join us in the Reading Room as we discuss the LotR Appendices! The real stories behind the Numenorians, Rohirrim, Elves, and Dwarves! Elizabeth is the TORnsib formerly known as 'erather'

Elizabeth Half-elven Dec 8 2011, 6:57am Views: 2470 I was watching it live, ...while eating breakfast (I lived in CA). First I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Then, I did. I went into the office and told everyone, and they were equally shocked. I don't think many of us got much work done that day, and I'm sure that was true all over. The only other day like that I remember was 9/11. Join us in the Reading Room as we discuss the LotR Appendices! The real stories behind the Numenorians, Rohirrim, Elves, and Dwarves! Elizabeth is the TORnsib formerly known as 'erather' (This post was edited by Elizabeth on Dec 8 2011, 6:57am)

Elizabeth Half-elven Dec 8 2011, 7:01am Views: 2545 My husband and kids went to Florida to watch the launch. I stayed home. The most wonderful vacation in years, with all of them gone for 2 weeks! The actual landing occurred while I was out with my dog, but I watched the moon walk live at home. Join us in the Reading Room as we discuss the LotR Appendices! The real stories behind the Numenorians, Rohirrim, Elves, and Dwarves! Elizabeth is the TORnsib formerly known as 'erather'

zarabia Tol Eressea Dec 8 2011, 9:10am Views: 2516 I was fascinated by the election of John Paul II as Pope even though I'm not Catholic It's strange that this story has always stood out in my memory. I was fascinated by the pomp and ceremony, and waiting for the white smoke to announce the election of a new Pope, as well as everyone's excitement that he was Polish. The fact that John Paul II's election as Pope was one of the first news stories that spoke to me as a kid made it especially meaningful that I was in Poland when he died.

Maiarmike Grey Havens Dec 8 2011, 12:27pm Views: 2526 Some of you guys have lived through some pretty important stuff! Some of them were probably horrifying though. Me? I tend to remember pop-culture events in history a lot better that were big news stories. Like the OJ Simpson chase and trial, I remember seeing on TV, when my parents would watch it. Of course 9/11 was the one I most remember clearly, and understood what was going on, but I was 13 at the time. "I warn you, if you bore me, I shall take my revenge" --J.R.R. Tolkien

Darkstone Immortal Dec 8 2011, 2:23pm Views: 2506 Oh, yeah! I also remember their parody "East Side Story" about Khrushchev ("Nikita! I just met a Red named Nikita!") that had something about him. I remember the government trying to pass the flight off as a NASA research flight. Of course Khrushchev had set a trap and let the US government deny everything before revealing that Powers was alive and had confessed. I remember being very upset that the US government had lied. Innocence lost at seven years old. I mean, we were supposed to be the good guys! ****************************************** Brother will fight brother and both be his slayer, brother and sister will violate all bonds of kinship; hard it will be in the world, there will be much failure of honor, an age of axes, an age of swords, where shields are shattered, an age of winds, an age of wolves, where the world comes crashing down; no man will spare another. -From the Völuspá, 13th Century (This post was edited by Darkstone on Dec 8 2011, 2:23pm)

Darkstone Immortal Dec 8 2011, 3:10pm Views: 2565 I remember... ...being very disappointed he didn't take the name Pope George Ringo. Always seemed rather unfair. But similarly, I remember being very impressed with the selection of Pope Paul VI in 1963. Of course back then there was a lot more solemnity without all the flashing color graphics or the need for constant analysis by talking heads. I think the world community was better served by the simplicity of "Show, Not Tell" over today's "Say Something, Anything To Avoid Dead Airtime". And dunno why, but I always felt some connection between the death of Pope John and that of President Kennedy a few months later. To a seven year old both seemed part of a larger tragedy, an unthinkable shaking of the foundations of the world that had seemed so permanent. But I still think there should be a Pope George Ringo. ****************************************** Brother will fight brother and both be his slayer, brother and sister will violate all bonds of kinship; hard it will be in the world, there will be much failure of honor, an age of axes, an age of swords, where shields are shattered, an age of winds, an age of wolves, where the world comes crashing down; no man will spare another. -From the Völuspá, 13th Century

Aunt Dora Baggins Immortal Dec 8 2011, 5:31pm Views: 2699 That *would* be awsome. //   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories leleni at hotmail dot com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

tolkiennerd Lorien Dec 8 2011, 5:42pm Views: 2242 9-11

Annael Immortal Dec 8 2011, 5:58pm Views: 2171 I agree! Friends and I are also holding out for a Pope Buster. The way we imagine our lives is the way we are going to go on living our lives. - James Hillman, Healing Fiction * * * * * * * * * * NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967

Annael Immortal Dec 8 2011, 6:14pm Views: 2392 *creaky voice* why, I remember . . . black-and-white TV with only 3-4 channels, rotary dial phones (we were on a party line at first but because my dad was a doctor, we got a private line which was a big deal), all cars were stick shift and didn't have seatbelts, no interstate highways so it took forever to drive anywhere, no Internet so you had to do all your school research in the library or using the encyclopedias everyone had, "snail mail" was your only option, drive-in theaters and bowling alleys and skating rinks everywhere, no "shopping malls," no one in the US played soccer, women could be nurses or teachers and that was about it, black people were "colored," and the Russians were going to bomb us out of existence any day now. Then I think about my folks (still kicking at 86 and 92) and all the things they've seen and lived through, including the Great Depression and World War II. What a lot of changes the 20th century brought! Wonder what I will see by the time I'm their age. The way we imagine our lives is the way we are going to go on living our lives. - James Hillman, Healing Fiction * * * * * * * * * * NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967 (This post was edited by Annael on Dec 8 2011, 6:15pm)

Arwen's daughter Half-elven Dec 8 2011, 7:09pm Views: 2218 Yep, fellow 1982 baby here //   How will you get to the Lonely Mountain? Help TORn log enough miles to get us to Smaug's home by Dec. 2013 Walk to Rivendell - Thursdays on Main My Costuming Site TORn's Costume Discussions Archive

Darkstone Immortal Dec 8 2011, 7:44pm Views: 2274 The one I remember was the Thresher. I remember hoping for days that the submarine would be found and men rescued. ****************************************** Brother will fight brother and both be his slayer, brother and sister will violate all bonds of kinship; hard it will be in the world, there will be much failure of honor, an age of axes, an age of swords, where shields are shattered, an age of winds, an age of wolves, where the world comes crashing down; no man will spare another. -From the Völuspá, 13th Century

Annael Immortal Dec 8 2011, 10:24pm Views: 2870 I remember that! //   The way we imagine our lives is the way we are going to go on living our lives. - James Hillman, Healing Fiction * * * * * * * * * * NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967

zarabia Tol Eressea Dec 9 2011, 3:11am Views: 2374 Pope George Ringo:) Maybe one day that injustice will be remedied:) Even not so waaay back in nineteen-ought and seventy-eight, we didn't yet have the 24hr news monster to keep fed with constant nattering. Graphics didn't yet fill the screen so that there was no room left for the announcers, so there was still a solemn, respectful feel about the story. (BTW, I know his real name was Karol Wojtyla, and that John Paul II was the name he chose. In my previous post, it sounded like I thought the Cardinals voted for someone conveniently named JPII. Just clarifying) I was living in Poland without a TV at the time that John Paul II was on his deathbed so I didn't see all the talking heads and graphics, etc. but I remember walking around Krakow and seeing all the lights and cameras set up for reporters to give their updates and make the big announcement as soon as the news came down. I was spared all the constant analysis by talking heads, as you say, during that time, but saw behind the scenes in a way. However, I did watch the funeral with a Polish friend; the coverage was very tasteful and respectful. (This post was edited by zarabia on Dec 9 2011, 3:17am)

Donry Tol Eressea Dec 9 2011, 4:21am Views: 2282 Oops.. empty-voted.....I think my first big news might have been Reagan getting shot???? I'm not sure, I may have to give this one more thought.... What's the matter, James? No glib remark? No pithy comeback?"

Finding Frodo Tol Eressea Dec 9 2011, 6:42am Views: 2285 Does a presidential election count as a big news story? I was only about 6 years old when Jimmy Carter ran for president, but I remember I wanted him to win. I thought he was cuter than Gerald Ford. Over the next few years, I became more aware of world events. The energy crisis, the Iranian hostage crisis, two new popes in rapid succession (J.P. I and J.P. II about a month later), and especially the assassination attempts on Reagan and on Pope John Paul II are the big stories that stand out from that 6-11 year old age range you mentioned. I wonder what my kids will remember. My oldest was only 3 years old on Sept. 11, and I'm thankful she won't have memories of that. Where's Frodo?

Aunt Dora Baggins Immortal Dec 9 2011, 12:21pm Views: 2253 Sure, if it made an impression on you. That might be another good question, asking people what's the first president they remember. It will be interesting to see what your kids will remember. Maybe some of the natural disasters of the past couple of years. I found it interesting that my son remembered the fall of the Berlin Wall, one of the few good things in my list. I think it made an impression on him because I was crying at the news, and he asked me what was wrong, and I said sometimes people cry when they're happy. In connection with the Iranian hostage crisis, we had a local hostage from the Lebanese hostage crisis, Tom Sutherland, and the day he came home was one of the best days I can remember. We had a parade, and the whole town turned out, and we gathered 10,000 strong in the gym and sang "Amazing Grace" while the bagpipes played, and he stood beaming and weeping and holding his wife's hand. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories leleni at hotmail dot com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aunt Dora Baggins Immortal Dec 9 2011, 12:24pm Views: 2331 Yup :-) My grandmother was born in 1905 and died in 2000, and I think what an amazing amount of change she lived through. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories leleni at hotmail dot com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

greendragon Sr. Staff Dec 9 2011, 7:11pm Views: 2289 Does the shooting of John Lennon count? I think that's the first 'news' event I remember. I was 5 at the time. My Dad explained to me that it was the man who sang 'Imagine' - I knew the song but hadn't recognised the name on the news... 'There are older and fouler things than orcs in the deep places of my fridge...' 'You never know what will happen next, when once you get mixed up with TORnsibs and their friends.'

Magpie Immortal Dec 9 2011, 7:26pm Views: 2317 That's another event I remember clearly I had stayed the night at a girlfriend's house and John had been in the news lately and we got to talking about his life choices (staying home with Sean, etc.). I had always loved the Beatles, they were my first big crush. I had followed John for years and had a lot of admiration for him. I woke up the next morning to my girlfriend coming into the room saying, "John was shot and killed." I was stunned and fairly upset. I went into work and was in the back storeroom when a co-worker came in crying. She said an old friend she hadn't seen in years just walked in, handed her a rose and walked out again and my co-worker just lost it. They had both had crushes on John when they were younger. The rest of the staff were clueless about why we were both upset. LOTR soundtrack website magpie avatar gallery ~ Torn Image Posting Guide

Aunt Dora Baggins Immortal Dec 9 2011, 7:59pm Views: 2315 Of course it counts! //   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories leleni at hotmail dot com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Faenoriel Tol Eressea Dec 9 2011, 10:04pm Views: 2330 Blimey, you people are OLD! Yeah, I kind of new that already, but still. I mean old. As in OLD. This relevant, as the uprising I received taught me to remain silent in the company of adults. <3 Gandy, Raddy, Sharkey, Ally & Pally <3

Darkstone Immortal Dec 9 2011, 10:08pm Views: 2269 I may be old. But who said I was an adult? ****************************************** Brother will fight brother and both be his slayer, brother and sister will violate all bonds of kinship; hard it will be in the world, there will be much failure of honor, an age of axes, an age of swords, where shields are shattered, an age of winds, an age of wolves, where the world comes crashing down; no man will spare another. -From the Völuspá, 13th Century

Magpie Immortal Dec 9 2011, 10:32pm Views: 2362 what fun is there in that? Quote taught me to remain silent in the company of adults. I have lots of young friends. They keep me from falling asleep in my chair. :-) and I often explain my age in a variety of ways: Older than book Frodo when he left the Shire to destroy the Ring. Elder... not to be confused with Eldar. and... Older than dirt. LOTR soundtrack website magpie avatar gallery ~ Torn Image Posting Guide

Aunt Dora Baggins Immortal Dec 9 2011, 10:43pm Views: 2220 Or as my husband says: I may be old, but I sure am slow. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories leleni at hotmail dot com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

silneldor Half-elven Dec 9 2011, 11:04pm Views: 2272 I love it when young whipper snappers say that... You wanna race? Boy, are you in trouble now ''Sam put his ragged orc-cloak under his master's head, and covered them both with the grey robe of Lorien; and as he did so his thoughts went out to that fair land, and to the Elves, and he hoped that the cloth woven by their hands might have some virtue to keep them hidden beyond all hope in this wilderness of fear...But their luck held, and for the rest of that day they met no living or moving thing; and when night fell they vanished into the darkess of Mordor.'' - - -rotk, chapter III Faerie contains many things besides elves and fays and besides dwarfs, witches, trolls, giants or dragons; it holds the seas, the sun, the moon, the sky; and the earth, and all things that are one in it: tree and bird, water and stone, wine and bread, and ourselves, mortal men, when we are enchanted." — J.R.R. Tolkien May the grace of Manwë let us soar with eagle's wings! In the air, among the clouds in the sky Here is where the birds of Manwe fly Looking at the land, and the water that flows The true beauty of earth shows With the stars of Varda lighting my way In all the realms this is where I stay In the realm of Manwë Súlimo

Alassëa Eruvande Valinor Dec 9 2011, 11:11pm Views: 2259 Eh? What's that you say? I can't hear you because I'm OLD!! And suddenly the Tornadoes saw afar off a greenlight, as it were a cloud with a living heart of flame; and they knew that this was no vision only, but that PJ had made a new thing: The Hobbit, the Film that Is.

Faenoriel Tol Eressea Dec 9 2011, 11:33pm Views: 2234 I hope people didn't get insulted In my speech, "old" is almost always a compliment. I know our Western culture doesn't feel the same way. <3 Gandy, Raddy, Sharkey, Ally & Pally <3

RosieLass Valinor Dec 9 2011, 11:39pm Views: 2361 I also remember Stevie Ray Vaughan's death. Although not a particularly early memory, since I was 25 at the time. It is always those with the fewest sensible things to say who make the loudest noise in saying them. --Precious Ramotswe (Alexander McCall Smith)

Hengist Forum Admin / Moderator Dec 10 2011, 12:02am Views: 2393 "I counted them all out and I counted them all back" The Falklands War is probably the earliest big thing I remember. Watching the news everynight to find out what happened hearing about HMS Sheffield, Coventry and Antelope and the Sir Galahad and Sir Tristram. No rolling news back then but somehow the simple reports and the film that took a while to arrive back make it seem much more stark in my memory than more modern conflicts with the endless coverage. " So let me get this straight. You want to fly on a magic carpet to see the King of the Potato People and plead with him for your freedom, and you're telling me you're completely sane? "

Aunt Dora Baggins Immortal Dec 10 2011, 12:07am Views: 2221 I can only speak for myself. I wasn't insulted. I thought it was funny. And I certainly don't want to race Silneldor. He's older than I am in years, but waaay more fit. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories leleni at hotmail dot com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ethel Duath Half-elven Dec 10 2011, 12:14am Views: 2304 Yep, me too, but a bit later in the day since we were on the way home from Missouri and had to stop on the road and watch it on a tiny scratchy black and white T.V up in the corner of a tiny motel office--one of the highlights of my life as I am a space/astronomy nut!

Alcarcalime Tol Eressea Dec 10 2011, 1:16am Views: 2860 Ah, you mean . . . it was nothing like Bill Clinton's invasion of Somalia when the cameras and news people were waiting for the marines as they came ashore! The wall to wall coverage does make it seem somehow less believable.

Magpie Immortal Dec 10 2011, 1:26am Views: 2141 I thought it was funny, too. When people want to be insulting...they usually pick pretty direct ways of expressing themselves. :-) LOTR soundtrack website magpie avatar gallery ~ Torn Image Posting Guide

Maiarmike Grey Havens Dec 10 2011, 1:47am Views: 2173 LOL! Old is just a state of mind. ;) I've realized this as I've gotten older. When my grandmother passed away last year of lung cancer at 67, I realized how young she really was. She was so healthy before she got sick, and when she did, she spent the remaining three years fighting off fatigue from treatment to spend as much time with her grandkids as she possibly could. She fought hard to make it to my college graduation, as sick as she was at the time, and I was oblivious to how sick she really was. That was the last significant amount of time she spent with me, so she said a few things that caught me off guard, about taking care of my siblings, and my mom. She passed away less than a month later. That whole experience basically changed the way I've thought about age and health ever since. "I warn you, if you bore me, I shall take my revenge" --J.R.R. Tolkien (This post was edited by Maiarmike on Dec 10 2011, 1:56am)

Maiarmike Grey Havens Dec 10 2011, 1:49am Views: 2289 I had a teacher in high school... ...who was a bit of a mentor to me, and I remember him telling us that he didn't remember the moon landing at all, because he was in the middle of Vietnam at the time, and didn't hear about it until later. That was kind of an eye-opener for us young whipper-snappers at the time. "I warn you, if you bore me, I shall take my revenge" --J.R.R. Tolkien

Magpie Immortal Dec 10 2011, 3:17am Views: 2218 I think I used to believe... that old people were kind of born old. I was smarter than that. Logically, I knew better. But, when I was young... all I saw was a person who was old. And I was never going to be old. I might travel through years of existence but I would never be like *that*. Growing older, I realized two things. Some things you have no choice about. And some things aren't that bad about being older. Each phase of our life gives us gifts and if we can glimpse the gifts of those other times through others without having to be in them ourselves then we just have a richer life. I'm sorry about your grandmother. She sounds like a good woman. on a related note... RT wrote a parody to a Rolling Stones song (on Main) and I was walking around the house last night singing, "What a drag it is getting old" and boy was I feeling it yesterday. My husband and I laughed at how old Mick is these days and how he once said, "Never trust anyone over 30". Ah, the young can be so cocky. ;^) LOTR soundtrack website magpie avatar gallery ~ Torn Image Posting Guide

silneldor Half-elven Dec 10 2011, 3:52am Views: 2760 No, no Faenoriel It is just a bit of jocularity (quoting Father John Mulcahy). I am largely a kidder. And all is meant for good natured fun with people i find dear and highly respect. Carry on:). ''Sam put his ragged orc-cloak under his master's head, and covered them both with the grey robe of Lorien; and as he did so his thoughts went out to that fair land, and to the Elves, and he hoped that the cloth woven by their hands might have some virtue to keep them hidden beyond all hope in this wilderness of fear...But their luck held, and for the rest of that day they met no living or moving thing; and when night fell they vanished into the darkess of Mordor.'' - - -rotk, chapter III Faerie contains many things besides elves and fays and besides dwarfs, witches, trolls, giants or dragons; it holds the seas, the sun, the moon, the sky; and the earth, and all things that are one in it: tree and bird, water and stone, wine and bread, and ourselves, mortal men, when we are enchanted." — J.R.R. Tolkien May the grace of Manwë let us soar with eagle's wings! In the air, among the clouds in the sky Here is where the birds of Manwe fly Looking at the land, and the water that flows The true beauty of earth shows With the stars of Varda lighting my way In all the realms this is where I stay In the realm of Manwë Súlimo

Maiarmike Grey Havens Dec 10 2011, 4:20am Views: 2150 Thank you. I always enjoy reading your insights Magpie, it's good to see you around here more often lately. Thank you for your kind words about my grandmother, 'Nana' as we called her. She was definitely a saint. Her kids and grandkids were what she lived for. "I warn you, if you bore me, I shall take my revenge" --J.R.R. Tolkien

willowing Lorien Dec 10 2011, 10:18am Views: 2316 this historic event is not mentioned... The release of Nelson Mandela from Robben Island in South Africa to become president of the same country that jailed him. His Christian faith made an impression on me ever since. Since this event we have seen South Africa come back into the international fold after its long years of isolation from the rest of the world. This was a shining light as the twentieth century came to a close. I also remember the 1972 Olympic games where a terrorist group invaded the Israeli team's quarters and a number of athletes killed in the shootout and also the death of Elvis Presley in the same decade. Then there was the guy called Jim Jones who commanded his followers to kill themselves in Guyana. Anyway closer to home in 1967 our country of New Zealand decided it wanted to change its currency so the pounds, shillings and pence were done away with in favour of the dollars and cents. The same decade our own martime disaster when a ferry called the Wahine caught in a terrible storm struck a reef as it entered Wellington harbour and floundered and sank with loss of life.

Rosie-with-the-ribbons Forum Admin / Moderator Dec 10 2011, 1:07pm Views: 2871 I picked other The thing I remember the most from "big news" was the sinking of the Herald of Free Enterprise just outside of Zeebrugge in Belgium. It was March 1987 and I was in my final year of elementary school (I was 12 years old). The first hours of the sinking I watched at home on the news. After some days or weeks, I can't remember anymore the exact time, they lifted the ship and we watched that at school with the entire class. The ship sunk just outside of the harbour of Zeebrugge and it was lying on it's side, so it was a really big visual picture, seeing that ship sideways. I had to google it, 193 died that night, just terrible.

Annael Immortal Dec 10 2011, 3:33pm Views: 2185 I've lived 60 years, yes, but I'm not old yet! People in my family live to their 90s and even 100s. Both my parents are still alive, my dad plays tennis three times a week still, we took him hiking for his 85th birthday. I have no plans to be "old" for at least another 20 years and maybe not then. I do a lot of hiking and it's very cheering to see people in their 80s out in the mountains. I plan to be one of them. If I decided to be "old" now I would get so bored so fast . . . However, if you mean "wise elder" I am fine with that! The way we imagine our lives is the way we are going to go on living our lives. - James Hillman, Healing Fiction * * * * * * * * * * NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967 (This post was edited by Annael on Dec 10 2011, 3:37pm)

Faenoriel Tol Eressea Dec 10 2011, 3:46pm Views: 2050 That's what was implied I feel myself a complete brat in this company. <3 Gandy, Raddy, Sharkey, Ally & Pally <3

Aunt Dora Baggins Immortal Dec 10 2011, 5:10pm Views: 2837 It seems like geographic proximity makes a big difference in how things affect us. My kids were touched by the Big Thompson flood, in which 145 people died, even though it happened before they were born, because their grandparents were survivors. And I remember being so horrified by the murder of Matthew Shepard, partly because he died in the same hospital where my children were born. I'm ashamed that I don't remember the shipwreck you refer to. Our media tends to ignore things that happen far away, I guess. And maybe I do too. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories leleni at hotmail dot com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Elizabeth Half-elven Dec 11 2011, 4:49am Views: 2115 As (apparently) the oldest person here, I represent that remark. Join us in the Reading Room as we discuss the LotR Appendices! The real stories behind the Numenorians, Rohirrim, Elves, and Dwarves! Elizabeth is the TORnsib formerly known as 'erather'

zarabia Tol Eressea Dec 11 2011, 6:08am Views: 2182 Our obsession with youth is so silly But I remember when I was in Poland, a friend once called me Aged P (my real name starts with P). At first I was a bit hurt, thinking, "Middle-aged P, maybe, but not Aged P." But the tone in her voice as she saw me approach made it clear she was happy to see me and in no way intended to be hurtful. Plus, Aged P is a lovable character in Great Expectations, so I decided to take it as it was meant, a term of endearment. Now I'm actually fond of the name. I think we Americans are especially guilty of worrying about age; we could learn a lot from other cultures' attitudes about it.

zarabia Tol Eressea Dec 11 2011, 6:34am Views: 2125 You must be descended from Bullroarer Took:) I love that your dad is still hiking and playing tennis at 85! Age really is just a number. Just ask the 83 year old man who performed my neurosurgery at the suggestion of my 30-something doctor.

Aunt Dora Baggins Immortal Dec 11 2011, 7:11pm Views: 2146 We sang "Imagine" in church this morning <3 //   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories leleni at hotmail dot com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Annael Immortal Dec 11 2011, 9:13pm Views: 2063 of course you did it's practically the Unitarian Doxology! The way we imagine our lives is the way we are going to go on living our lives. - James Hillman, Healing Fiction * * * * * * * * * * NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967

Annael Immortal Dec 11 2011, 9:18pm Views: 2122 one of my great-aunts quit eating at 104, out of boredom and the fear that nothing else was going to kill her. That did! The really good news is we keep ze little grey cells. My mom plays duplicate bridge several times a week and reports with glee that she always wins. (She does, however, tell us the same stories over and over - the short-term memory's gone a bit wonky.) The way we imagine our lives is the way we are going to go on living our lives. - James Hillman, Healing Fiction * * * * * * * * * * NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967

ByThorinsBeard Rohan Dec 11 2011, 10:52pm Views: 2079 Watergate I was about 6 at the time. Didn't have a clue what was going on but that's the first for me. "Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you anywhere." - Albert Einstein.

dernwyn Forum Admin / Moderator Dec 12 2011, 12:53am Views: 2120 The children sang his "Happy Christmas" this morning, at our church's annual Christmas Brunch (pot-luck style, and the kids perform individually or in groups while we're eating). He is so greatly missed... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "I desired dragons with a profound desire" "It struck me last night that you might write a fearfully good romantic drama, with as much of the 'supernatural' as you cared to introduce. Have you ever thought of it?" -Geoffrey B. Smith, letter to JRR Tolkien, 1915

dernwyn Forum Admin / Moderator Dec 12 2011, 12:56am Views: 2139 We were all so innocent until the '60s started picking up steam, and many of us were dragged kicking and screaming into reality...amazing how many are still in denial. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "I desired dragons with a profound desire" "It struck me last night that you might write a fearfully good romantic drama, with as much of the 'supernatural' as you cared to introduce. Have you ever thought of it?" -Geoffrey B. Smith, letter to JRR Tolkien, 1915

Aunt Dora Baggins Immortal Dec 12 2011, 3:25am Views: 2099 You know us all too well :-) //   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories leleni at hotmail dot com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

greendragon Sr. Staff Dec 12 2011, 6:44am Views: 2114 ah, a well known quotation! Though I only know it from repeat showings. I was old enough to be aware of the Falklands War but we were living overseas at the time so I didn't see the news. But after John Lennon's death, that's probably the next big event I remember. And the Royal Wedding. 'There are older and fouler things than orcs in the deep places of my fridge...' 'You never know what will happen next, when once you get mixed up with TORnsibs and their friends.'

greendragon Sr. Staff Dec 12 2011, 6:48am Views: 2174 i always loved that song! Even before I really knew that it was by a Beatle! You know, when I was little I thought that Reagan and Thatcher were the permanent leaders of the US and the UK... That was just the world view I got from the news when I was about four...! 'There are older and fouler things than orcs in the deep places of my fridge...' 'You never know what will happen next, when once you get mixed up with TORnsibs and their friends.'

FantasyFan Rohan Dec 12 2011, 5:13pm Views: 2226 Kennedy assassination I was five at the time, and don't remember much about it except we were allowed to watch the news on TV, which was not normally done at my house. I remember more that my parents were upset than anything else. I have much clearer memories of the King assassination in 1968. My mom was crying when I got home from school, and she said, "They have killed a very good man." "That is one thing that Men call 'hope.' Amdir we call it, 'looking up.' But there is another which is founded deeper. Estel we call it, that is 'trust.' It is not defeated by the ways of the world, for it does not come from experience, but from our nature and First Being. If we are indeed the Eruhin, the Children of the One, then He will not suffer Himself to be deprived of His own, not by any enemy, not even by ourselves. This is the last foundation of estel, which we keep even when we contemplate the End. Of all His designs the issue must be for His children's joy." Finrod, Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth, HoME X Morgoth's Ring

ElanorTX Tol Eressea Dec 14 2011, 11:48am Views: 2156 Sputnik; Kennedy v. Nixon 1960 campaign; Berlin wall; Cuban missile crisis age 5 - 9 Supposedly I was precocious, and definitely my parents were active citizens "I shall not wholly fail if anything can still grow fair in days to come."

One Ringer Tol Eressea Dec 14 2011, 3:03pm Views: 2092 I was 8 going on 9, and for me it's the first headline/catastrophe I remember hearing about (in real time anyhow). I think you're right about those years being when you starting picking up on certain things. I also find it's when your memory starts to pick up, for me atleast. "Oh, the cleverness of me."

Marillë by the Sea Rivendell Dec 14 2011, 10:35pm Views: 2088 Princess Diana & 9/11 I picked 9/11, but I remember Princess Diana, even though I was super young then. My dad adored her, so he was terribly sad. I didn't really understand the importance of it since I thought people die in car accidents everyday, so what made her so important? I guess it never hit me that she's actually a PRINCESS. Plus the fact that she wasn't wearing a seatbelt made me less sympathetic? What a heartless child I was, lol! But I definitely remember 9/11 and where I was. I was in the car with my mom driving me to school and she was listening to the Chinese radio, and she told me how two planes flew into a tower. I didn't really understand the importance (running trend for me, apparently -_-) because I didn't realize it was a terrorist attack and thought it was another plane accident. I guess I was too innocent to even conceive the notion that somebody would kill 2000 people deliberately. I went to school and everybody was talking about it. We spent most of our time in class watching the news. I went home and watched the news some more that evening, and it was the first time I comprehended the situation. I was so angry I wanted to hurt the people that did this.

Marillë by the Sea Rivendell Dec 14 2011, 10:37pm Views: 2118 Me too! I thought that Clinton would reign forever. I didn't know that only applied to kings. So I was very confused when Bush and Gore were running, and a bit bummed since I liked Clinton, he was the only president I've ever known, and the 90s was awesome!

Annael Immortal Dec 15 2011, 3:41pm Views: 2000 born and raised in the briar patch! //   The way we imagine our lives is the way we are going to go on living our lives. - James Hillman, Healing Fiction * * * * * * * * * * NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967

Annael Immortal Dec 15 2011, 3:49pm Views: 2106 The Cuban missile crisis . . . we were so sure the Soviets were going to bomb us any day as it was, and that just seemed like the beginning of the end. My uncle was serving at the time and would have been sent in had we invaded. I was amazed when I saw the movie "Thirteen Days" how much I remembered. I recognized almost every character before they were named. We must have been glued to the TV all through that. The way we imagine our lives is the way we are going to go on living our lives. - James Hillman, Healing Fiction * * * * * * * * * * NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967

diedye Grey Havens Dec 15 2011, 7:11pm Views: 2751 John Lennon's assassination... ... it made quite an impact on me because I grew up with Beatles music and he was my favorite Beatle. Blessed are the cracked, For they are the ones who let in the light!

Arandiel Grey Havens Dec 15 2011, 7:26pm Views: 2676 You, too? Cool! Carter's election is the first news story I remember, too, vividly - I was sitting in our kitchen watching the election returns on our little TV. Walk to Rivendell: There and Back Again Challenge - getting thirteen rowdy Dwarves, one grumpy Wizard, and a beleaguered Hobbit from Bag End to the Lonely Mountain Join us, Thursdays on Main!

HappyHobbitess Rohan Dec 20 2011, 7:20pm Views: 2027 Fall of the Berlin Wall The fall of the Berlin Wall was the first big thing I really remember remembering! I was interested in Germany and the German language from a young age, so I was curious about it. I remember watching the news with my family, and them trying to explain to me why it was so significant. I also remember the 1988 presidential election. I mostly remember it because my parents were conservative, and my friend's family was liberal, so we tried to talk politics. Given that we were first graders, the discussion was probably hysterical from an adult perspective. The one thing I remember saying was something I'd heard one of my siblings say, about how Dukakis was a "balloon face." I'm sure I thought this was a crushing comeback. This friend and I also used to argue about baseball, and our baseball arguments probably had just as much substance. "Yes, but what about SECOND breakfast?"

GAndyalf Valinor Dec 23 2011, 10:01pm Views: 1982 Depends upon what is 'news'... The first "news" item I was aware of was likely the ongoing news of the Viet Nam conflict over the course of several years and all of my childhood until I was a teen. The first 'news' that made a lifetime impact on me was Neil Armstrong of Wapakoneta, OH setting foot on the moon. I was my son's age now when that happened in July of 1969 (8) and I was allowed to stay up well past my bedtime to see it. The first 'news' of a different and personal kind was my watching the original series Star Trek during it's original run. Despite my young age (I was 5 in 1966), it struck me much more than anything else because it seemed a much more believable future than ridiculous notions that sometimes got on the air. "Be good, be careful, have fun, don't get arrested!" ---Marcia Michelle Alexander Hamilton, 7 Nov 1955 - 19 Nov 2009

GAndyalf Valinor Dec 23 2011, 10:15pm Views: 1899 Lunar phase... http://www.funtrivia.com/askft/Question100920.html Waxing, between crescent and half-moon. I was far too young to go outside to look but I did imagine it. "Be good, be careful, have fun, don't get arrested!" ---Marcia Michelle Alexander Hamilton, 7 Nov 1955 - 19 Nov 2009

GAndyalf Valinor Dec 23 2011, 10:24pm Views: 1991 1986 I was stationed in England and was just getting ready to go to work when my close friend Mike came to my room and when I answered told me simply, "Challenger's exploded!" I didn't have a lot of time before work but I dashed to the nearest television where it was being replayed over and over. Christa McAuliffe was the teacher's name - here in Colorado Springs there's an elementary school named for her. "Be good, be careful, have fun, don't get arrested!" ---Marcia Michelle Alexander Hamilton, 7 Nov 1955 - 19 Nov 2009

GAndyalf Valinor Dec 23 2011, 10:50pm Views: 2042 I know what you mean about a local marine accident... I never heard of the MS Estonia until reading your post. But growing up on the shore of the 10th largest freshwater body in the world (Lake Erie) and near to 5 of the 14 largest (the Great Lakes) I fully appreciate your love/respect of the ocean because in many ways the Great Lakes behave as an ocean does. November 10th of 1975 a similar accident to what you describe when on Lake Superior the largest ship ever to be lost on the Great Lakes went down, spawning a popular song by Canadian folk singer Gordon Lightfoot. All 29 men lost their lives - it was an iron ore freighter. About a third of the crew, including the captain of the ship were from my home state of Ohio. Here's the YouTube video tribute with the Gordon Lightfoot song, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" and it also includes some great footage, some of it of the "Mighty Fitz" and some of the wreck itself at the bottom of the lake, and even an exerpt of the newscast from the night it was lost. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgI8bta-7aw "Be good, be careful, have fun, don't get arrested!" ---Marcia Michelle Alexander Hamilton, 7 Nov 1955 - 19 Nov 2009

GAndyalf Valinor Dec 23 2011, 10:59pm Views: 1916 Okay, READ before posting! LIP "The wind and the wires made a tattle-tale sound as the waves broke over the railin'...." ---Gordon Lightfoot, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" "Be good, be careful, have fun, don't get arrested!" ---Marcia Michelle Alexander Hamilton, 7 Nov 1955 - 19 Nov 2009

GAndyalf Valinor Dec 23 2011, 11:04pm Views: 2011 It was just before Watergate... and I was very grief-stricken as it was the first Olympiad I'd ever watched. It was also the year that for the first time in decades American Frank Shorter won the marathon and swimmer Mark Spitz set a then-record with 7 gold medals. I was smitten with 14 year old Olga Korbut who wowed the Olympiad with her fearless performances leading the Russian team to another gold and a crowning Olympiad for Ludmila Tourischeva, their "old maid" captain at age 19! Four years before Nadia Comaneci of Romania scored the first-ever Olypmic "10" in competition. "Be good, be careful, have fun, don't get arrested!" ---Marcia Michelle Alexander Hamilton, 7 Nov 1955 - 19 Nov 2009

GAndyalf Valinor Dec 23 2011, 11:25pm Views: 1921 I thought about this when my grandmother passed away last July... She was born in 1911 and as I thought about it, there were more dramatic changes to the way humans lived their lives in her lifetime than in ALL of human history before her COMBINED! Electricity in homes was not ubiquitous yet, automobiles were for the few still, WW I had not happened yet, telephones were not common. There were no professional sports apart from perhaps boxing. No television. Radio not yet taken hold. The abacus was the most advanced computer. Nuclear energy wasn't even theoretical, there were only 46 United States. J.R.R. Tolkien was a freshman at Oxford. The list is far more extensive, but your point is well-taken. "Be good, be careful, have fun, don't get arrested!" ---Marcia Michelle Alexander Hamilton, 7 Nov 1955 - 19 Nov 2009

GAndyalf Valinor Dec 23 2011, 11:31pm Views: 1942 Mods up!//   "Be good, be careful, have fun, don't get arrested!" ---Marcia Michelle Alexander Hamilton, 7 Nov 1955 - 19 Nov 2009

GAndyalf Valinor Dec 23 2011, 11:36pm Views: 1867 It was a compliment until... You talked about being quiet amongst us. BIG no-no among this gaggle of codgers! "Be good, be careful, have fun, don't get arrested!" ---Marcia Michelle Alexander Hamilton, 7 Nov 1955 - 19 Nov 2009

GAndyalf Valinor Dec 23 2011, 11:40pm Views: 1904 Or Roger and the boys... Still singin' "Hope I die before I get old!" "Be good, be careful, have fun, don't get arrested!" ---Marcia Michelle Alexander Hamilton, 7 Nov 1955 - 19 Nov 2009

GAndyalf Valinor Dec 23 2011, 11:43pm Views: 1951 Bullroarer? Don't you mean Gerontius, the Old Took? I should think brash young ruffians like Bandobaras wouldn't live long because of the adventures that got them into battles! Then again, there are two kinds of old warrior - dead or deadly! "Be good, be careful, have fun, don't get arrested!" ---Marcia Michelle Alexander Hamilton, 7 Nov 1955 - 19 Nov 2009

Aunt Dora Baggins Immortal Dec 23 2011, 11:44pm Views: 1954 It is whatever you define it to be. I was thinking of that too, how the Vietnam War was on the TV every night in gruesome detail throughout my childhood. It terrified me to think my brother might be drafted, but the war ended before he came of age. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories leleni at hotmail dot com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GAndyalf Valinor Dec 23 2011, 11:50pm Views: 2585 To be fair... All media does that and for good reason. There would be far too much 'news' to cover if every event around the globe got equal coverage. The further it is from the people directly affected, the less newsworthy it becomes. "Be good, be careful, have fun, don't get arrested!" ---Marcia Michelle Alexander Hamilton, 7 Nov 1955 - 19 Nov 2009

GAndyalf Valinor Dec 23 2011, 11:53pm Views: 1915 Nice to see the Berlin Wall RAISED as opposed to falling make the list... Though it was the year I was born (which gave me particular satisfaction to have outlived it), it was a very significant event. "Be good, be careful, have fun, don't get arrested!" ---Marcia Michelle Alexander Hamilton, 7 Nov 1955 - 19 Nov 2009

GAndyalf Valinor Dec 23 2011, 11:56pm Views: 1859 I felt the same way about her not wearing a seatbelt and I'm a LOT older//   "Be good, be careful, have fun, don't get arrested!" ---Marcia Michelle Alexander Hamilton, 7 Nov 1955 - 19 Nov 2009

GAndyalf Valinor Dec 23 2011, 11:58pm Views: 1913 I asked my Mum if I would be drafted... It ended four years before I would've been eligible - so what do I do but spend 32 years of my adult life in and out of the military! "Be good, be careful, have fun, don't get arrested!" ---Marcia Michelle Alexander Hamilton, 7 Nov 1955 - 19 Nov 2009

Aunt Dora Baggins Immortal Dec 24 2011, 12:12am Views: 2456 You are a master of irony. //   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories leleni at hotmail dot com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GAndyalf Valinor Dec 24 2011, 12:16am Views: 1880 Only when one faces a fear may it be defeated... The fear will only grow to incredible proportion if one keeps one's back to it. "Be good, be careful, have fun, don't get arrested!" ---Marcia Michelle Alexander Hamilton, 7 Nov 1955 - 19 Nov 2009

Aunt Dora Baggins Immortal Dec 24 2011, 1:43am Views: 1948 My son remembers that because I was crying as I was watching the news, and I explained to him that sometimes people cry because they're really happy, and that was new information to him (he must have been eight years old). All through my childhood I remember reading stories of people dying trying to cross the wall, and every now and then someone would succeed. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories leleni at hotmail dot com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

zarabia Tol Eressea Dec 24 2011, 7:36am Views: 1922 Congratulations, you passed my little test to see if anyone would notice...you buying that???:P Oops! You're right. I guess I always think Bullroarer because I've always liked that name. Thanks for the correction.

GAndyalf Valinor Dec 24 2011, 9:07am Views: 1996 Of COURSE, gentle zarabia! I'll buy whatever you sell! Even I'M still young compared to old Gerontius (as is everyone who posts on this board!) I agree that Bandobaras' nickname IS quite catchy. But I was always amused at Tolkien that for Old Took's given name that he chose the Greek word for "old man" (Gerontius). Tolkien was the one who got me started in my own love of words. "Be good, be careful, have fun, don't get arrested!" ---Marcia Michelle Alexander Hamilton, 7 Nov 1955 - 19 Nov 2009

Lothlorian Lorien Dec 26 2011, 10:29pm Views: 1923 The Watergate hearings interrupted with the late afternoon reruns of Star Trek. That really steamed my rice! _________________________________________________________________ You want me to make sense? I don't even have an ingredient list!

Aunt Dora Baggins Immortal Dec 27 2011, 10:02am Views: 1877 The JFK funeral interrupted Captain Kangaroo. I know that sounds incredibly insensitive, but I was seven and that's what I remember. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories leleni at hotmail dot com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

grammaboodawg Immortal Dec 30 2011, 9:09pm Views: 1870 I was 11 when JFK was assassinated. I was sitting on the floor of my Aunt's house when the news came on TV. I can tell you what the carpet felt/looked like, the room, the daylight, the smell... my Aunt's scream. It's all blazed into my memory. I know at the time it rocked my world. School, parent, the news... it still hits me when I think about it. Then, to my horror as I type it now, 7 years later my eldest daughter was born on November 22. I really need these new films to take me back to, and not re-introduce me to, that magical world. TORn's Observations Lists Unused Scenes

Aunt Dora Baggins Immortal Dec 30 2011, 10:08pm Views: 1894 A few years ago we found a time capsule in our house that was left there in January of 1964. The little boy who wrote the enclosed letter talked about the JFK assassination, and Uncle Baggins got choked up when he read it out loud. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories leleni at hotmail dot com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~