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grammaboodawg
Immortal
Apr 26 2009, 3:39pm
Post #51 of 67
(1479 views)
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You know it's gonna be wordy and long... but you asked for it! ;)
I first heard they were making Lord of the Ring when my daughter told me about it. So all of this is her fault!
In late July 2001, she asked if I'd heard that they were making Lord of the Rings into a movie? I immediately got very defensive and frustrated. "Where'd you hear that!? They'd better get it right, or not bother to do it at all!" She told me that Elijah Wood and Sean Astin were in it... knowing I'd been a fan of Elijah's for several years and always enjoyed Sean's films. So I didn't anticipate much of a surprise... I knew them.
I was intrigued and ventured off into the internet the next day to see what I could find. I had never really played on the internet before (except eBay), and had never been to a fansite let alone join one. I went into work early before anyone else got there to use the computer and check it out. I went to the url she gave me... the Lord of the Rings official web site. The very first image I saw was of Sam and Frodo peeking over the log watching the Passing of the elves. I cried out in total shock. It was surreal to SEE Frodo and Sam right there! Then, shaking, I went to those tiny pictures they had of each of the characters. By the time I got past the first couple, I was crying... gasping... shocked at the impact these images were having on me! They were just as I'd pictured them!!! They suddenly became real! How'd that DO it!? That's when I grabbed hold and haven't loosened my grip since. I knew then that everything was going to be alright. That first picture of Frodo and Sam still catches me every time I see it.
I joined LordoftheRings.net Christmas Day 2001. Then early in January, one of the links in a post there brought me to TORn; which I joined in around January 8, 2002. I was to taken by the style of the board and by what everyone was saying. There were SO many personalities, thoughts and excitement here! I was hooked. I tried to maintain my connection to the "Official" site, but that only lasted a couple of weeks. I was home at TORn.
The most memorable moments since I found TORn?
I'm just going to start listing, and not in order of importance!
Just finding TORn and posting was incredible. I'd never done anything online before let alone find others who felt the same way I did about Tolkien and the films!
My first sib meeting with Scout B, gollum's precious and her mom. Here I have to address Scout's stamina and perseverance. Except for one event, for those first 5 years every place I've travelled to had been with her there. She's given it all a deeper meaning for me... and I thank her so much. You always make it special, Lady :)
Meeting so many people from TORn that I now hold as dear friends. I've had our Founders and as many sibbies I've met over the years as I could sign my copy of SignLanguage book by Viggo Mortensen. The cover is signed by Billy Boyd, Elijah Wood, Sean Astin and Dom Monaghan. I hold this as one of my most cherished possessions.
The covers of my beat-up old set of LotR have been signed by our hobbits. Elijah Wood signed my Fellowship of the Ring cover; Billy Boyd signed my Two Towers cover; and Sean Astin signed my Return of the King cover. I hope to have Dom sign my Hobbit book cover some day.
Flying to San Diego to share in Roheryn and NZ Strider's wedding was momentous... and it never would have happened without the generosity of another beautiful friend. Thank you, E. Cripes, just flying across the country and looking down at the world as it passed by was Awesome!! "Look! Palm trees!!"
Flying to California and attending the Oscar Party! If it hadn't been for the selfless generosity of a very dear friend, I wouldn't have had the most unforgettable time of my life. Thank you, h. Forever! It still hasn't faded. My goodness... to be there when Peter and the films had such an historical win... but then they ALL showed up at our party!! Then... THEN the next morning I met Susi Knight (Red Carpet Tours) and we were interviewed by NZ Radio about the Party and our love for Tolkien... THEN we met Jamie Selkirk, Richard Taylor and Tania Rodger in the lobby! Susi and I were AGAIN interviewed with Jamie and Richard for NZ television as I was holding one of Richard's Oscars! He showed my movie ticket stubs in the interview. Afterward, they each signed my old copy of The Two Towers! They're tall!!!
The first time I saw Elijah at the Party. *tearing* Bless you Scout for grabbing my hand and freight-training me through the crowd to be closer. Cripes, Woman!
Finding my name on a celebrity star in the sidewalk of Hollywood right across the street from the entrance of the Oscars and in front of the theatre where Hidalgo was premiering the next day!!! WOW!
I met Quickbeam at The 2004 Gathering of the Fellowship!! When I asked him to autograph my copy of People's Guide to Middle-earth by my TORn name, he knew who I was! *kerplunk* He jumped up, reached over the table and gave me a hug! I worked at the TORn booth for a bit and found myself standing behind where he was seated where I spontaneously started giving him a shoulder massage! What was I doing!!?? He seemed to appreciate it, but remember he's a very kind man. AND THEN, when I saw him again at ORC, he remembered me!! *squee* Watching his face as I told him what Tolkien's work meant to me and how it's changed my life while he flipped through my old copy of The Return of the King AND THEN reading a passage from it... mind-blowing! He's one of my favourites!
Seeing Elijah, Sean, Billy, Dom, JRD, Bruce Hopkins, Craig Parker, Daniel Falconer, and so many others on stage at ORC and having a ball with the audience and each other is magical!!! I love these guys! And Charles Ross' One-Man show! Priceless!!
World Without Sundays!! TWICE I had the chance to see them (Oscars Party and ORC)... and they're AMAZING!
Meeting Ted Nasmith at the 2004 GotF! I have admired his work for so many years! I never dreamt I'd ever meet him!
All of us coming together and planting trees for Peter and the Fellowship in New Zealand. That was so awesome, you guys!
Getting lost in viewing the films till my ticket stubs average around 60 times for each film! I spent 3 New Years Eves in the theatre with my boys. But the marathons have been the most endearing because I was with my friends :) Building a mountain (more than once!) of spent tissues during the marathons at Scout's home along with Auxerre was strangely gratifying.
The films. The music. Middle-earth coming alive. I clearly remember the first moments of Fellowship and seeing the characters there... real... and the end of Return of the King. I loved the applause for each character... but the unbelievable sadness and grief I felt as the most amazing images of their faces filled the screen for the last time, and Annie's voice as she sang Into the West... it still tears my heart out... and the music as I seemed like I was fading away from the home I loved... and the last incredible notes of Shore's music. I'm undone.
Finding my name on the dvds ;)
I was overwhelmed at Howard Shore's concert in Columbus!
Meeting Tom Shippey, Mike Foster and Doug Anderson in Peoria!
Being teased by Xo that he could get me to New Zealand and be King Kong's toe-jam! That one still makes me smile!
Meeting and seeing so many people from the films. I still can't believe it's happened! The hobbits, JRD, Bruce Hopkins (got a hug from him when I rescued him from a drunken wench ;), Rick Porras, Jamie Selkirk, Richard Taylor, Royd Tolkien (omg!), and others. The most profound meeting was with Elijah. It was during a photo-taking event at ORC that is frantically fast-paced and intense. I was able to give him his copy our TORn-sib gift of an envelope explaining our donation of trees in thanks for the films, and I also took the chance to tell him how much his work meant to me. Especially The Bumblebee Flies Anyway. I stumbled upon that film at a very low point just before Fellowship was released, and that story and his performance kept me grounded and helped me in a way that's still hard to express. He listened to me, looking me straight in the eyes with such concern and "hearing" what I was trying to say. That what he gives of himself in his films makes a difference, that his performance gave me comfort during a difficult time, and that I was so grateful to him for that. He's a generous, fiercely compassionate man... and it still brings me to tears thinking about it.
Going to DragonCon 07 with my grandson. THAT was such a monumental treasure for us to remember and share forever. The event itself is awe-inspiring; but for him to finally meet and breathe and feel what I feel when I'm with everyone here (online or in person) was huge! To share that with him is one of the highlights of all times :) Now my g'daughter is waiting for HER turn... and it'll happen!!
Cripes, I can't do this. I'm so afraid of leaving something or someone out! It's so overwhelming how much this story, these films, and all of you have changed my life. I honestly can't express enough what it means to me!
Even though I've lived in 22 different places between 1970 and 1990 (where I'm still collecting dust); Tampa, Denver, Detroit, Clearwater, Indianapolis, lived out of a van for a year, been to New Orleans, Orlando, Kentucky, Chicago... more places than I can remember... I don't feel like I've ever been anywhere until I had my first sib encounter with Scout the spring of 2002 and all my adventures since. I am truly been blessed to have found all of this and been able to share the experiences with friends who understand what it means to me... to be there and feel so much joy that I still can't get my head around.
"Barney Snow was here." ~Hug like a hobbit!~ "In my heaven..."
I really need these new films to take me back to, and not re-introduce me to, that magical world.
TORn's Observations Lists
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MrCere
Sr. Staff
Apr 26 2009, 4:14pm
Post #52 of 67
(1420 views)
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I have no choice but to believe in free will.
The cake is a lie
The cake is a lie
The cake is a lie
My blog
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deej
Tol Eressea
Apr 26 2009, 4:29pm
Post #53 of 67
(1506 views)
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I had already been a big fan of Tolkien's work, and the first 2 films, and was eagerly awaiting the 3rd. However, in all that time it never occured to me to go online and search for other people that shared my passion.
I made my first trip down from Michigan to DragonCon in Atlanta, Georgia, because I had heard that both Brad Dourif and John Rhys-Davies were going to be there. Alas, no John, but I did get to meet Brad, who was very nice. I also caught a panel speculating on 'The Return of the King', presented by some website called TheOneRing.net. They seemed to know their stuff, so after the panel I went to their booth, and spoke to a MrCere, who was very nice and suggested I check out the website. A couple of days after I got home, I did, and have been here ever since.
"...and back again."
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Eldameldo
Bree
Apr 26 2009, 6:31pm
Post #54 of 67
(1447 views)
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Browsing for Tolkien information...
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..and came across this incredible site, bookmarked it, signed in and never left.
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Kangi Ska
Half-elven
Apr 26 2009, 8:47pm
Post #55 of 67
(1464 views)
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 Here is a shot of from the Minnesota Tolkien Society fall 2008 Costume party. Several pictured are members in good standing of TORn.
Kangi Ska
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Magpie
Immortal
Apr 26 2009, 9:56pm
Post #56 of 67
(1413 views)
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but I bet people won't be able to tell who you are dressed as without a full length shot.
He's the one in black in the lower right corner, all.
...In honor of
...
......TORN's annual
......Founder's Day Celebration
...........Established 4/26/09
...Corvar, Xoanon, Tehanu, Calisuri.....LARGER IMAGE
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Silent_Watcher
The Shire
Apr 26 2009, 11:58pm
Post #57 of 67
(1441 views)
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from the LOTR.net and I found the TheOneRing in August 2003.
And I stayed and signed up and posted because they said in the Reading Room "Don't be shy, we don't bite".
And even if I don't post anymore, I still feel coming home each time I click on TORN.
One of the first posts I found on the Main board was asking "if the site would go into the West after the release of the third movie."
It doesn't seem so.
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Kimi
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Apr 27 2009, 6:10am
Post #58 of 67
(1399 views)
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It actually hadn't occurred to me till he did.
And it was probably an Altavista search!
My writing (including The Passing of Mistress Rose)
Do we find happiness so often that we should turn it off the box when it happens to sit there?
- A Room With a View
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the_argonath
Lorien
Apr 27 2009, 1:22pm
Post #59 of 67
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I do remember it was a while ago... definately after TTT film came out and maybe before RotK but can't be sure...
I visited a few times a week and happened upon the Message Boards so I signed up. At first I didn't post much, and I admit it was only after joining another site for another well-known sci-fi/fantasy film  that I really wished there was a similar one for LotR, which is when I rediscovered the Message Boards. At this point I was visiting TORn everyday anyway, so I took part in a few discussions & even started a thread myself (shock-horror!). When I started to get replies to posts from people being really so nice, and taking my opinions seriously, well then I was hooked! It was the first time & was "involved" with a LotR community so I felt a little overwhelmed (and still probably do haha!) with everything I'd missed out on, but also very excited!! My fondest memory is seeing replies to the thread I started, and having "proper" discussions about everything Tolkien with like-minded people! I hope to gradually become more involved, especially now it's summer so I'll hopefully have more time on my hands!!!
Here's to the next 10 years 
~*Haudh-en-Ndengin the Elves named it, the Hill of Slain, and Haugh-en-Nirnaeth, the Hill of tears... the earth beneath which the swords of the Eldar and the Edain crumbled into rust*~
Made it to the Shire!!
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Alassëa Eruvande
Valinor
Apr 27 2009, 1:36pm
Post #60 of 67
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From my very first mathom ever posted on TORn,
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and tweaked here and there, my story goes like this:
Alassëa is a stay at home mom
Who googled for pictures of Dom.
She found Figwit instead,
And following the thread,
Clicked on the one ring dot com.
No need to get snarky just yet.
I know it's The One Ring dot Net.
But I'm forty-something today,
And my brain's gone away.
But, like the King, it'll return, you can bet!
Wraiths' bleeding steeds' hot pursuit
Of Hobbits with feet most hirsuit
Out of the Shire
And into the fire;
The Wizard's gonna need a new suit.
Descendent of kings, one so beautiful
Took up his sword, as was dutiful.
To Edoras rode,
To palantir showed,
And Treebeard considered it mootiful.
Our Hobbits had to climb many stairs
While Gollum tried to catch them unawares.
Through air that was fume
To Crack that was Doom,
An Eye was put out, but not theirs.
Now we all scream like fangirls possessed
At the thought of dear Frodo undressed.
We gasp and we swoon
For Orlando Bloom
While imagining ourselves elven-tressed.
Our families just don't understand
What it's like being Lord of the Rings fans.
We snark and we snert
Over fluff and some dirt
Dog-eared copies of Tolkien in hand.
So humbly I stand before you,
My newbie-ness not nearly so new.
If you really can fathom
My silly TORn mathom
You get some of Gaffer's Home Brew!
Happy Anniversary, TORn!
Happy Founders' Day!
...In honor of
...
......TORN's annual
......Founder's Day Celebration
...........Established 4/26/09
...Corvar, Xoanon, Tehanu, Calisuri.....LARGER IMAGE
SFTH Archive
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Aunt Dora Baggins
Immortal
Apr 27 2009, 4:11pm
Post #61 of 67
(1407 views)
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That is very cute! Well done. Have a cookie:
...In honor of
...
......TORN's annual
......Founder's Day Celebration
...........Established 4/26/09
...Corvar, Xoanon, Tehanu, Calisuri.....LARGER IMAGE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"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
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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GaladrielTX
Tol Eressea
Apr 27 2009, 5:37pm
Post #62 of 67
(1452 views)
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Surely I have the most bizarre story of finding TORN.
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How and when did you happen upon this little website?
In January of 2000, GTX concluded the dire predictions of Y2K were not going to come to pass; and she got her very own computer. After a couple of months of aimless surfing, one evening I decided to look for web sites about musical artists I liked. One search was for info on David Bowie which led me to a site called “David Bowie’s Area”. Upon opening the web page, I was startled to find out that it wasn’t just a site containing general information about the man. Its…ahem…area of specialty was, well, David Bowie’s area. Lots of appreciation of the man in tights if you follow me. (To quote Kimi, “The things that happen to nice girls on the Internet!”)
Not that I spent very long there, you understand; but one very interesting thing I found there, aside from odes to Bowie’s…package…was that rumors were flying that Bowie would be cast as Elrond in a movie of The Lord of the Rings. Until then, I hadn’t heard a word about this upcoming film of one of my favorite stories. So I quickly did a search, and I found a web site called theonering.net which had news about the project. Although I was a bit disappointed to learn there that Bowie wasn’t going to be in the movie, I clicked around on various links in TORN and arrived at…the forums! What genuinely interesting and witty people were there!
A couple of years ago I searched around and found that, although many worthier web sites had come and gone, the site that indirectly brought me to TORN still existed. I therefore present to you the following URL. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you David Bowie’s Area!
http://areaology.com/area.html
Did you sign up straight away, or do you need to admit to some lurking?
Lurked a few days.
What has made you stick around, even through quiet periods when there is no movie gossip to keep you entertained?
Off-Topic and Reading Room conversations. The people here are always funny, and I’m always interested in discussions about the books.
And finally, what makes ToRN stand out for you? What are your fondest memories of your time here?
Meeting UT and eventually marrying him! UT posted on the old TORN boards the day before we traveled to the D.C. area for the wedding. I printed out and saved all the posts replying to it, wishing us the best. It’s in my scrapbook.
~~~~~~~~
The TORNsib formerly known as Galadriel.
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GaladrielTX
Tol Eressea
Apr 27 2009, 11:03pm
Post #64 of 67
(1428 views)
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Yeah. I just love to spread the "yuck". :D
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My work here is done.
~~~~~~~~
The TORNsib formerly known as Galadriel.
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Silverlode
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Apr 27 2009, 11:09pm
Post #65 of 67
(1413 views)
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when you first posted that link and I was curious enough to click on it. 
I think I'll skip it this time, thanks. 
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
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hobbitlove
Gondor
Apr 30 2009, 1:35am
Post #66 of 67
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This fabulous weekend at tORn was made all the better
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by seeing your nick on the boards and your lovely comments.
We are kindred spirits, dear friend, you and your dear A___, and all the others.
= )
Seems to us, everyone in the Minnesota Tolkien Society is rather special, and it didn't take us long to find that out. It has been a joy to be with you all each and every time we were able to be, and we look ever forward to more times together.
{{hugs}}
hob
Blessings,
hob
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macfalk
Valinor
Mar 31 2010, 6:02pm
Post #67 of 67
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I "found" TORN like 1,5 years ago, but signed up just 3 months ago. A lot of lurking, in other words.
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(This post was edited by macfalk on Mar 31 2010, 6:03pm)
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