I've got a wonderful family and a good job. I'm interested in History, Literature, and a few other things. I haven't got a dull moment, unless I bore myself. I can hardly afford, and absolutely don't need, any time-consuming, potentially addictive hobbies. But I have two of them (the other one is chess).
First Lord of the Rings reading experience:
My mother took me to see the Bakshi film, assuming I would enjoy it. I was, say, eight? Afterwards borrowed the three volumes in a bad translation from a nearby library, bought the trilogy in Hebrew when I was (say) ten, and in English a year later. All these are estimates, but by the time I was thirteen I was considered among my friends an authority on Tolkien (which didn't really mean much).
Favorite Tolkien character:
Faramir. After him, Eomer, and then Merry.
I don't really know why - but I've noticed all three are introduced in the books by dialogue, and not through the author's talking about them.
In the movies - I liked Theoden, Boromir and Elrond.