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Sunflower
Valinor
Jul 30 2014, 4:40am
Post #1 of 6
(296 views)
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A "Valinor" Mathom
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Can't Post
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I noticed, just before my last post (which was a WHILE ago), that I had reached the blessed shores of TORN's Valinor. How I achieved this milestone is unfathomable to me, as I am not one of TORN's most frequent posters over the years (if you count that by the number of places on the site I post in--mostly I hang out from time to time in the Hobbit and OT forums.) Most sibs have contributed frequently to the Readers forums and hang out in the Fiesta threads every Friday, and I have to say that I am humbled by both the depth and breadth of the brilliance and knowledge of both the scholarly sort and the invaluable, precious and priceless pearls of wisdom to be found in the merest daily anecdote, photograph of a smiling face or irredescent drop of dew upon a blade of grass or shimmering mist of a waterfall--things shared in the Fiesta threads. Profudity or levity, it's two sides of the same coin here at TORn, where we have all been accepted into this great worldwide family of Tolkien fans. I first discovered the Professor in high school, some 25 yrs ago, when I took the three battered paperback copies of LOTR from a bookshelf outside the school library (the '65 paperbacks with the groovy, if not accurate, psycadelic cover art). the way to was supposed to work was that you returned whatever you read to that bookshelf eventually--the honor system. God forgive me, I decided, just once, to have no honor. Can you blame me? How does one describe a piece of literature that had the most effect since reading the Bible? (We've all tried, and I need not reiterate my experience here. I've done it numerous times here, over the years.) Fast-forward to May, 2001. I had heard of the planned making of the LOTR films. I followed along as best I could in film zines such as Empire. But I had no urge to find a site until the already heady excitement I had over the project multiplied tenfold: on the train ride home from Boston after seeing U2 in concert, and finding that every fourth person on the train seemed to be reading FOTR--the new mass market paperback with Elijah holding up Sting on the cover. Just seeing that pic gave me CHILLS. (A pic that has since become a classic image. You know the one.) And then, in June 2001, (I know not how) I found TORn. The site of course was much different then, and I entered it in a different guise: the humble Entmaiden, Fimbrethil. I took the name in remembrance of the trees that had recently been chopped down (a bit of a forest, really) on the outskirts of my old alma mater, to make room for a useless extra parking lot. I won't say much about my First Age of TORn Experience to say that even then I became famous for my infrequent--but essay-length--posts. The LOTR films came and went, and our lives changed. Our prayers were answered, and beyond all hope, The Hobbit films were announced. (Gramma, if you're reading this, I *still* remember your reaction to the official announcement, and it still brings tears to my eyes.) TORN entered its Fourth Age. Leara began her Traveling Journal, and I was happy to play a part. I finally realized two dreams I'd had over the years, at the FOTR Symphony Radio City Music Hall moot--meeting Howard Shore. And meeting many of you. How well I remember it; your enthusiasm, your laughter, your cadamanderie, your patience with the quiet inconsequential figure in the corner, with the big "sunflower" pinned to her sweater. So many of you had been friends for so many years, I felt at times like a puppy dog, trailing along....but it was an experience I'll treasure all the more for that. The cinema moots I had with casual fans, our town having very small Line Parties...some of my best memories of all. Nothing beats the magic of watching Tolkien's works unfold on the screen in all their Hollywood glory. Even if that glory could be better at times...(here's looking at you, WB.) But here's not the place to put one of my epic Hollywood Rants. No, I've come to give a mathom of sorts, to thank everyone for putting up with me all these years. What a long, strange trip it's been. And in spite of distractions along the way (the current one being on HBO this spring, in another fantasy realm) my place is here, with all who have meant so much to me over the years....with all of YOU. Ham Sammy alluded to the chaotic state of the world in the thread below. I was going to post this here, but it belongs in my mathom I think. I don't know if it's the custom to quote Tolkien in mathoms, but if it is excuse me. I was trying to find something to say in a mathom 2 months ago but now I have it. One of the most beautiful speeches in literature: Portia's "The Quality of Mercy" speech from Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice." Read it, and think on it, and remember that not matter how dark the world is, there's a Star above the darkest mountains, and Light in every human heart. "The quality of mercy is not strain'd: It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest,-- It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes; 'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes The throned monarch better than his crown; His scepter shows the force of temporal power, The attribute to awe and majesty; Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings; But mercy is above this sceptered sway,-- It is enthroned in the hearts of kings, It is an attribute to God Himself; And earthly power doth then show likest God's When mercy seasons justice... Though justice be thy plea, consider this,-- That, in the course of justice, none of us Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy; And that same prayer doth teach us all to render The deeds of mercy... ******** If the World does not always go so, we do so always here. U2 said it just as good in a song: "we get to carry each other, carry each other." Not "we've got to," but "we GET to"--it is a privilege, and an honor, to do so. This is what I have felt TORN is over the years-this is what we have become, no matter the warts, and gentle quarrels, and uproar over the occasional film-related kerfuffule. And even though I continue to be the "lurker in the corner" oftimes, I am smiling when I am here. This place, and all of you, have acquired a treasured place in my heart. Thank you, everybody, for being who you are. For putting up wih me when I am here. For being the great bunch you always are. Thanks to all the mods and TORn staff who make this a wonderful place. Really, it continues to be a pleasure. and I'll try to keep the anti-corporate rants to a minimum. I promise!
(This post was edited by Sunflower on Jul 30 2014, 4:49am)
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Maciliel
Valinor
Jul 30 2014, 4:57am
Post #2 of 6
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fimbrethil / sunflower, congratulations! with all your contributions, you surely have earned the clear, pure air of the blessed lands. cheers : ) .
aka. fili orc-enshield +++++++++++++++++++ the scene, as i understand it, is exceptionally well-written. fili (in sort of a callback to the scene with the eagles), calls out "thorRIIIIIIN!!!" just as he sees the pale orc veer in for the kill. he picks up the severed arm of an orc which is lying on the ground, swings it up in desperation, effectively blocking the pale orc's blow. and thus, forever after, fili is known as "fili orc-enshield." this earns him deep respect from his hard-to-please uncle. as well as a hug. kili wipes his boots on the pale orc's glory box. -- maciliel telpemairo
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DanielLB
Immortal
Jul 30 2014, 9:17am
Post #3 of 6
(241 views)
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Here's to many more years of happy posting and being a Tolkien fan.
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dernwyn
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Jul 30 2014, 3:55pm
Post #4 of 6
(231 views)
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*pops cork* Congratulations, and thank you for your mathom! It has been quite a trip through all these years, hasn't it!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "I desired dragons with a profound desire"
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SirDennisC
Half-elven
Jul 31 2014, 1:59am
Post #5 of 6
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And rant away, anti-corporate or otherwise.
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Sunflower
Valinor
Jul 31 2014, 10:07am
Post #6 of 6
(224 views)
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Thanks, guys. Coming from you, that means a lot. And re rants: be careful what you wish for....hehe
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