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Dame Ioreth
Tol Eressea
Sep 28 2013, 3:57pm
Views: 275
Shortcut
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There is a thread running through all of them that, to me, says not to worry so much about death that you put off living. Since Man has a finite lifespan, they know how much time they have and know "how much they can fit in." I thought of it as a Bucket List. The Elves would have to have had a limitless bucket list to keep them occupied and relevant in their own lives. They fill it with art - a kind of childlike imitation of The Music - and exist in a kind of holding pattern. Oooh, that's something else, isn't it. The journey where you get somewhere and the the journey where the destination is not really defined. Man's journey ends in death; the Elves end in... well, sorta fading... and kinda that's the end but... well... not really, then they can go back West but it's just not the same! The Elves up wandering through life and some of them become lost because they are not really headed... anywhere. Love is the ultimate check mark on a bucket list because it sticks with you even after you make the check. It also gives the added benefit of a companion along the way in this journey called life and frees an individual from thinking of self only. Power by nature is not shared, but love is shared. It is the "other" path that leads more often to acceptance of the life given. (As a Pippen-ish aside: I've always wondered what Elrond would have been like if Celbrian had lived.) Power gives purpose to a life that has no purpose. And I agree, it gives those who will not accept the end point something to which to cling. In doing so, Man becomes more elven-like, they add things to their bucket list (Or put unattainable things on that list) so they can say "not done yet!" because they will not accept their fate. The "gift" is shunned - the ultimate smack in the face of Eru - and they "fall." Their endpoint is taken away from them and they fade into nothing, lacking even the prospect of that last trip to the West.
“Where there's life there's hope, and need of vittles.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings
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Subject
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User
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Time
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Letter #131 Discussion: Of Elves and Men
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Brethil
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Sep 22 2013, 6:32pm
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Of Elves and Men: Doom and Falls
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Brethil
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Sep 22 2013, 6:33pm
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"Doom" was the drumbeat by the Moria orcs
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CuriousG
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Sep 22 2013, 9:57pm
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No satisfaction...
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Brethil
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Sep 22 2013, 11:56pm
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Feanor's life coach - LOL!
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Na Vedui
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Sep 23 2013, 2:23am
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I'm picturing a Talk to the Hand...
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Brethil
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Sep 24 2013, 4:14pm
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Wow
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Na Vedui
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Sep 25 2013, 3:05am
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Astronomy in MEarth
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CuriousG
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Sep 25 2013, 8:55pm
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Interesting CG
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Brethil
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Sep 25 2013, 11:13pm
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God is love or love is God
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Terazed
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Sep 23 2013, 4:40am
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A diamond (ring) is a girl's best friend
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CuriousG
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Sep 23 2013, 12:39pm
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The sacred and the ordinary
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Terazed
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Sep 24 2013, 12:37am
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Aragorn and Christian message
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Brethil
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Sep 24 2013, 4:08pm
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More great philosophical connections Terazed
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Brethil
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Sep 23 2013, 7:04pm
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Too busy for a proper reply...
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Rembrethil
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Sep 23 2013, 11:15pm
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In light of the Romantic philosophy...
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Brethil
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Sep 24 2013, 3:52pm
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There seems to be a point about faith in here (but I can't work out what it is)
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noWizardme
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Sep 24 2013, 9:00pm
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Faith then and now
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Brethil
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Sep 25 2013, 2:06am
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I've thought that since 1st read
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CuriousG
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Sep 25 2013, 1:22pm
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Great comparison CG! //
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Brethil
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Sep 25 2013, 5:30pm
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The concept of "heaven"
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Dame Ioreth
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Sep 25 2013, 10:34pm
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Cool: bring on the dolphins!
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Brethil
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Sep 25 2013, 11:38pm
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What was the question?
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Meneldor
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Sep 26 2013, 4:19am
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Of Elves and Men: Fading
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Brethil
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Sep 22 2013, 6:38pm
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What is 'fading'?
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Rembrethil
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Sep 24 2013, 2:40am
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Musings on fading
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Brethil
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Sep 25 2013, 4:03am
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Thoughts of a faded elf
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noWizardme
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Sep 25 2013, 8:44am
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Eternal old age?
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CuriousG
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Sep 25 2013, 1:19pm
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Old age is a risk factor, but not the whole thing
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noWizardme
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Sep 25 2013, 1:51pm
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I agree with you here CG
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elaen32
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Sep 25 2013, 9:22pm
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Galadriel staying busy
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Brethil
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Sep 25 2013, 11:08pm
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Weariness and political action
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Brethil
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Sep 25 2013, 5:29pm
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You kinda wonder what happens when Elrond and Galadriel step off the boat at the other end. And now the elves organize…
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noWizardme
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Sep 25 2013, 8:29pm
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Fading and glowing
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CuriousG
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Sep 25 2013, 9:04pm
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You must go through lots of bleach just to get those ice cream stains out. //
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Brethil
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Sep 25 2013, 11:45pm
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*DISREGARDING* the laundry red-herring this time CG
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Brethil
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Sep 26 2013, 4:39pm
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Dimming the music
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Dame Ioreth
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Sep 24 2013, 1:59pm
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And Men come into the equation...
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Brethil
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Sep 24 2013, 4:03pm
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Wait, is this like that cat thing?
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Dame Ioreth
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Sep 26 2013, 12:04am
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Cats in boxes?! What's next?
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Brethil
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Sep 26 2013, 12:18am
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Because I have permission - a joke
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Dame Ioreth
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Sep 26 2013, 1:53am
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(*hysterical laughing interlude*)
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Brethil
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Sep 26 2013, 1:56am
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*adds more nerdsnorts* Haw!
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dernwyn
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Sep 27 2013, 10:20am
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Nice one!//
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Na Vedui
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Sep 27 2013, 2:27pm
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Choke, Splutter, Heee! //
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Ethel Duath
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Sep 28 2013, 12:48am
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Makes me think we need a Nerdsnort section in the Tolkienia Times. //
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Brethil
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Sep 28 2013, 12:50am
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:D and of course the Pun Pages.//
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Ethel Duath
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Sep 28 2013, 12:58am
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Bwahahaha!
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Roheryn
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Sep 28 2013, 11:07am
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(*wasn't that great!?!?*) //
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Brethil
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Sep 28 2013, 4:02pm
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Interesting post
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Lightfoot
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Sep 24 2013, 8:23pm
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Is the sadness inevitable do you think?
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Brethil
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Sep 27 2013, 4:30am
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The long defeat - inevitable sadness
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Dame Ioreth
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Sep 27 2013, 1:16pm
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I have to agree on its emotional influence, even though he doesn't want the allegory stamp
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Brethil
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Sep 27 2013, 7:00pm
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I suppose that if everyone were immortal
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Lightfoot
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Sep 27 2013, 1:44pm
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I think that the change might have been the greater factor in their discontent...
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Rembrethil
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Sep 27 2013, 2:13pm
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That's a good what-if
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CuriousG
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Sep 27 2013, 5:28pm
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But then you have authorial dicta...
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Rembrethil
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Sep 27 2013, 6:20pm
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More good points...(and questions...)
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Brethil
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Sep 27 2013, 7:15pm
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Elvish civil war!
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Lightfoot
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Sep 29 2013, 1:00am
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I rambled on in response to Rem above...
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Brethil
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Sep 27 2013, 7:29pm
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Ha!
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Rembrethil
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Sep 27 2013, 7:35pm
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(*bows*) Thank you Rem! //
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Brethil
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Sep 27 2013, 9:18pm
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Is Valinor just one of the Three?
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CuriousG
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Sep 27 2013, 8:50pm
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Or inverse...
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Brethil
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Sep 27 2013, 8:58pm
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I think the Three are based on Valinor.
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CuriousG
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Sep 27 2013, 9:23pm
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Yes - that show you named last week. "When Machines fall on Mortals."
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Brethil
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Sep 27 2013, 9:27pm
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Yes
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Rembrethil
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Sep 27 2013, 9:34pm
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The biggest change being a discontent factor: the coming of Men?
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Brethil
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Sep 27 2013, 6:34pm
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I think the elves might have stayed put if
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Lightfoot
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Sep 29 2013, 12:50am
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The Moriquendi as Men's teachers...
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Brethil
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Sep 29 2013, 1:24am
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Very possible...I want to address it in one answer (see response below to Rem)..//
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Brethil
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Sep 27 2013, 6:21pm
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'The Makropulos Affair' On dimming the music
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Terazed
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Sep 24 2013, 11:59pm
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Another thought on 'fading'
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Rembrethil
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Sep 27 2013, 8:08pm
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They were shorter too.
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Dame Ioreth
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Sep 27 2013, 8:38pm
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All jealous of Thorin clearly.
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Brethil
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Sep 27 2013, 8:46pm
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(*ahem*) Grown up answer that I owe you.
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Brethil
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Sep 28 2013, 3:04am
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Of stabbing and fading
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CuriousG
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Sep 27 2013, 8:48pm
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Immortality: Satisfaction NOT guarenteed
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Rembrethil
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Sep 27 2013, 9:08pm
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All this and NO Customer Service hotlines. Or Unions. //
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Brethil
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Sep 27 2013, 9:13pm
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Yup - thoughts on Morgul-blades
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Brethil
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Sep 27 2013, 9:11pm
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The fea of Elves and of Men
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Rembrethil
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Sep 27 2013, 9:17pm
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I *tend* (donning tinfoil pants, just in case) to think...
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Brethil
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Sep 27 2013, 9:23pm
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The problem with magic rings
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CuriousG
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Sep 27 2013, 9:27pm
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Rings in general
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Brethil
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Sep 27 2013, 9:36pm
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How to catch a fea
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Rembrethil
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Sep 27 2013, 9:45pm
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(*wiping tear of laughter*) at the idea of Fea-Mart
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Brethil
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Sep 27 2013, 10:29pm
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'Unfinished Business'
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Rembrethil
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Sep 27 2013, 10:46pm
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You clearly have some unique insights here Rem.
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Brethil
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Sep 28 2013, 12:46am
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I really can't answer with a horde staring me down.
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CuriousG
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Sep 27 2013, 9:18pm
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Throw in Immortal Thorin and sign me up too. I'm up for that party. //
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Brethil
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Sep 27 2013, 9:29pm
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YOU said the RR wasn't for sissies. Just saying. //
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Brethil
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Sep 28 2013, 2:51am
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The fading as fate: tied with subcreation?
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Brethil
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Sep 27 2013, 9:05pm
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Two quotes. Natural and Unnatural fading
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Terazed
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Sep 27 2013, 10:39pm
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Immortality vs mere existence
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Brethil
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Sep 28 2013, 12:39am
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The perfect quote yet again
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Terazed
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Sep 28 2013, 6:32am
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I've always wanted to say..
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Rembrethil
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Sep 28 2013, 12:49pm
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Thanks. Some of the problems involved.
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Terazed
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Sep 28 2013, 4:01pm
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I have to second Rem's appreciation Terazed
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Brethil
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Sep 28 2013, 4:24pm
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The quotes are perfect though
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Dame Ioreth
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Sep 28 2013, 3:57pm
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Bucket lists
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Brethil
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Sep 28 2013, 4:33pm
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Ties in to a very important question
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Brethil
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Sep 28 2013, 5:22pm
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The God-King: What about Neitzsche?
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Terazed
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Sep 28 2013, 7:57pm
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Another great tie in
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Brethil
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Sep 29 2013, 2:12am
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Religious truth and the enlightenment
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Terazed
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Sep 29 2013, 4:43am
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Another great addition
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Brethil
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Sep 30 2013, 12:36am
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Easy?
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CuriousG
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Sep 22 2013, 9:21pm
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(*gets out hammer and nails*)
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Brethil
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Sep 22 2013, 11:32pm
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Children of the Day, Children of the Night
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Terazed
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Sep 25 2013, 11:08pm
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You are never boring Terazed
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Brethil
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Sep 25 2013, 11:29pm
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