Post on Your Phone!
NEXT POST - Useful links to:
- TORC Guidelines, Rules and Help
- Tolkien Links on the Web
- Role Playing on TORC
- Other Useful TORC Resources
- Great TORC Threads
_I N T R O D U C T I O N_
Welcome, welcome! So, you are new to TolkienOnline? Eager to discover, but not sure where to start? Don't hang back, now....... push open that rickety garden gate and come in!
The winding path of blue-green pebbles will lead you through the fragrant grasses, past the many-coloured blooms, beneath the sun-dappled green boughs of the trees. Be patient, enjoy your meandering stroll and you will come at last to the elegant little arch which springs over the laughing stream and the garden will open before you... expanses of lush lawn with the peeping eyes of niphredil and elanor, rustic beds of flowers bobbing their heads in greeting with the gentle breeze beneath the open green canopy.
Your eye will be drawn to the lovely sunlit rise from which the graceful trunk of our young mallorn rises and you will spy in its golden shade the capacious garden seat, its timber greying now but still lovingly maintained by the Bookworms. It is placed just where you would want it, with its delightful westward view over the distant parklands. There is a jug of home-made lemonade and clean glasses laid out on a tray for any new Bookworms who may wander through.
To the east behind the foliage peeks the Bookworms' Lounge, reached by a cunningly wrought elvish stair of natural timber, delicately curving and finely enjoined, its knots and hollows a pleasure to the hand and the eye. The sounds of laughter and gentle music float down from the open windows and terrace of the Lounge... the Bookworms are at home and literary discussion has given way to the relaxed pleasures of friends well-met.
Take a seat, help yourself to lemonade, breathe deep of the air redolent of green growing things and rest your eyes contentedly upon the horizon, where the misty outlines of the mountains ascend to the sky. We can see you sitting there, getting your bearings, enjoying the tranquility. We won't intrude until you are ready... just wave to say hello!
(Credit to Novice for composing the lovely opening)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- The Bookworms' Gateway to the Lounge and Garden is a welcoming adoption thread run by a group of friends who have a love of books (Tolkien's especially) in common. We're a friendly, knowledgeable, kindly, expressive, good humoured and on the whole, a bookish bunch of people (we can probably boast more than a century of Tolkien reading between the lot of us!). We frequent the (Books , Movies) and Virtual Tolkien Study Group forums; several of us are immersed in Roleplay writing (both the Prancing Pony which is Tolkien based and the Green Dragon, which is Tolkien inspired). Between us, we probably have a presence in every other forum on The White Council.
We are: Alexandros, Armenelos, CaMinx, Carnimiriel, jeanelf, Mahima, Nessamelda, Prettygaladriel and wilko185. This is our adoption thread. This is the second incarnation of this thread, go here to read part one if you're interested, but only reply to this thead please. Anyone who just wants to have some fun and chat about life, books or whatever's on your mind can usually find us and like-minded souls in The Lounge and Garden for Bookworms, a conversation thread in the Talk Forum.
Below we introduce ourselves, and the next post contains some useful links that should help you make the most of your time here at TolkienOnline. If you like the look of our thread and would like to be adopted by us, just post a reply
.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE ADOPTERS
As you might have guessed, we're all book-readers, but we have a wide variety of interests beyond that. We hope you get to know us better
- Alexandros
"I frequent most of the forums but mainly stay in the Philosophy, Talk, Lighter Side forums. I spend about 8 hours on TORC everyday (except for Thursdays and Fridays). My interests include Books, Cars, Speed Bikes, Discussions and debates of all types, sports (outdoors), Games (Indoor - Chess, Checkers), Movies, meeting different people from different places, making people laugh and smile. I also love all things Tolkien."
Armenelos (a.k.a. Mr. Enigmatic
) mr@cv.org"A son of Los Angeles County, Armenelos was born in the small suberb of Santa Monica. Living in the desert north of LA for most of his life, he fell in love with many kinds of literature, including the subjects of Middle-earth, the Beat Generation, and Objectivism. He befriended and became one of the artists in the area who thrifted toys and made music from them, and even directed a short film. He made a living maintenancing computers at the only Youth Library in California, while acting as a Stage hand at a Performing Arts theater, and eventually a Master Electrician/Lighting Designer, where he worked with the likes of Ben E. King, Earth Wind & Fire, The Turtles and many other greats. He is now awaiting the call of his musical hero, Trey Spruance, to light an islamic, electronic, surf rock, musical tour, while selling baseball cards and designing web pages in Galax, Virginia, the World's Capital of Olde Time Mountain Music, with his significant other and her family, entering into his twenty-first year in less than thirty days from now. -Matthew Rooney; Sep 22 2003"
CaMinx CaMinx@aol.com
"Many years ago I heard of Tolkien and saw postings of 'Frodo Lives' all over school campus. However, it was not until I saw the movie 'The Fellowship of the Rings' that I actually read any of Tolkien's works. I read the Hobbit and then The Lord of the Ring (3 times) and loved them!! I mostly visit the Books and Movie Forums and read much more than I post. I am a mom with one tweenage son and a part-time bookkeeper at a law firm. I like gardening, karate, reading, and swimming. I love chatting and meeting new people. I adore this web-site and would be happy to help you find your way around or direct you in any way I can
."Carnimiriel edenham@ameritech.net
aim: Wrexali
yahoo!: Wrexali
"I have been an enthusiast of Tolkien's work for almost 20 years and have read just about anything by or about Tolkien I can get my hands on, including most of HoME. On TORC I mostly participate in a few serious, long-running collaborative writing threads in the Prancing Pony, though I also spend time in Books and visit other forums. In 'real life' I am a classical singer and teach voice at a small college in the Midwestern U.S. I also dabble in writing and am an avid reader. I am a member of both the Tolkien Society and the Mythopoeic Society; at the latter I serve on the award committee for fantasy literature. Other interests include music, dance, baking lembas, hiking, yoga, and travel."
jeanelf
"I usually am in Books, both Tolkien and Other, and Films (Tolkien). I've also been known to comment in Philosophy and chat a bit in the the Bird and Baby and Welcome. I've read LOTR annually for 27 years, and the Sil 8 times. I've now purchased Letters and bought some of HOME though I haven't gotten too far along in those yet! There are too many other books that have been waiting in line ahead of them! My outside interests are traveling, photography, reading, gardening and riding when I'm able."
Mahima mahima_hada@delmia.com
"I read loads of books, humour, philosophy, sci-fi, fantasy. I frequent most of the forums, but tend to stick to Philosophy, Books (Tolkien and Other), RP in Prancing Pony, VTSG, Lighter Side, Bird and Baby. I'm an Indian,a Mechanical Engineer working as a "Product Lifecycle Management" expert, married, no kids, and like to do a lot of things, but not keep my life too fast-paced. And I'm not as old as I sound
"Nessamelda sestewart@internode.on.net
"I first read LoTR around thirty years ago (yes I was rather young!) and I started to read Sil the day it was published. About the only place in the forums that you don't find me is Movies although I actually enjoyed the film immensely it hasn't really occurred to me to chat about it.
I have a severe RP addiction and my disreputable alter ego Alfirin turns up quite regularly in the Pony - and she is a member of the Rings guild. Nessamelda is a Journeyman Bard.
In real life I'm a very junior (in rank, not in age!), very part-time academic, (I teach economics) with two small children. I dabble in just about anything creative - writing bad poetry and fanfiction; calligraphy, painting, embroidery, sewing - Jack of all trades, mistress of none. I'm originally from London, but I've lived in Australia for the last twenty years."
PrettyGaladriel Prettygaladriel@hotmail.com
"I live in Sydney, Australia. My nickname is PG, so call me that:). I read LOTR two years ago, and ever since, I've been obsessed. Then I watched the movie, and after that was when I found TORC. I've been here for almost a year (as you can probably tell by looking at the date joined under my name:)). I'm cheecky and sarcastic, but don't be intimidated. I'm a very,very nice person:):) I'd like to be an adopter because I love meeting and helping out new people:):)"
truehobbit savetheshire@hotmail.com
My favourite places on TORC are Books (Tolkien) and Talk, but I can also be found in Movies and Philosphy, Books (Other) and many other forums. I've only been reading Tolkien for a little under four years now (yep, right before the movies, and only got interested thanks to them), and finding Tolkien (and TORC) has been an overwhelming experience.
I'm from Cologne, Germany, where I try to teach English to grown-ups, and my favourite pastimes, apart from TORC, are reading, gardening, movies, writing, needlework, music (mostly classical), and a lot more that I hardly have time for.
The many friendly and bright people on this board make it easy to feel at home here, and I'll be happy if I can help along with all the bookworms adopters to represent that spirit.
wilko185 felagund185@yahoo.co.uk
yahoo!: wilko185
"I'm usually to be found in the books-oriented forums here on TolkienOnline (TORC), but also make appearances in Philosophy, Talk, and especially Movies. I've been reading Tolkien for about 18 years, my favorite book is the Silmarillion and I've somehow twice won the White Council 'Tolkien guru' award. I've found the people on this site to be friendly, funny and intelligent - I try to be the same, and sometimes manage it
.Outside TORC I'm a scientist from the UK, and love reading, films, roaming the internet and the great outdoors, travelling when finances allow, and some more reading
."THE ADOPTEES
See the second post of the previous thread, here, for info on our adoptees of this thread before February '04:
Teremia, striderchick, Plual226, Lady_Galadriel786, RavenX aka RidderMark, Luvn_Legolas_Girl, Mr-Moony, Andri, ~*ArwenEvenstar*~, karakie, Faramirjam, Wicked_Wytch, gwaedh, Tobias_Red-tail, SpawnOfSauron, Marie, Manheyn_Rawar, lychee_goblin, jwoolygirl, Dovesong, arielmoonbow, FrrodoLives, Snapdragon_Brandybuck, Alassante_Estel, Elessar15, Arwen1989, SiriusBlack, Tar-Elestirnë, Dad-human, Finnabhair, mytherielle, Dev, mar, BigMama, niphredilmaiden, Sandorf, ErynofLasgalen, Sky4, soul_warrior, Chizala, seren, Mrfrodo, elatan, celebalqua.
Welcome to our new adoptees:
- Hikaru
I think I'll fit in here...I do love the films but I have loved the books since I first read the trilogy in the late '70's, and just finished re-reading it for the sixth or seventh time. I see the movies as a separate entity from the books and enjoy them on their own merit.
And yes, I do think Orlando is hot. Nevermind. I've been reading Tolkien since he was still in diapers.
I'm from Connecticut but I live in Tokyo, Japan in a two-room apartment with my husband , two kids, and somewhere around two thousand books. I'll read anything as long as it's good, but fantasy will always be my favorite genre and Tolkien, of course, is the best of the best.
Oh yes, and I used to play D and D back in the 80's when you had to actually get together with real live humans to play it! I confess I've never played an online RPG but I noticed some of you do...maybe you could persuade me to give it a try.
Alatariel_Taralom
Just to introduce myself quickly: I'm a Junior at a high school in Ohio, USA. I'm the oldest of 2 girls, I have a dog and a cat. I'm a fairly new Tolkien fan (what are we CALLED anyway. You know, there's Trekies and Potterites (I'm one of them too), but what are LOTR fans? Ringies?) as of, I don't know, I think two years ago when my friend dragged me to see Fellowship in theaters. I finally finished reading the books a couple weeks ago (not The Hobbit, though...). Oh, yeah, and I'm a major Bandie...
The_Sea_Bell
An adoption thread for bookworms sounds like the perfect place to be. I've been "lurking" around TORC for a couple of months, now, and rarely have the urge to post since I've found that so many of my Tolkien-related questions have already been answered on this board. Hanging around this board has actually sparked a new interest in Tolkien's works for me, and I've discovered (and rediscovered) a few treasures as a result.
About me: I'm an expat Brit living in the States. I read The Hobbit when I was 8 or 9...the rest, as they say, is history...
Jude
LadyOfValor
I have inherited my love of fantasy, sci-fi and folklore from my father. So, i have spent many years hearing and seeing tid-bits about lotr and other Tolkien works. I have now taken the great leap and have been drawn into the Tolkien world myself.....
Evenstar27
I've only been reading Tolkien for a few years, but I love all of his works and I'm a big fan of the movies too. I think Peter Jackson, and everyone involved for that matter, did a great job, but I tend to like Viggo Mortensen better than Orlando Bloom. Anyway, besides reading fantasy, I like horseback riding, drawing, writing stories, and scrapbooking. I'm also in my high school's marching band and that's really important to me too. I'm really interested in the Elvish languages and I think they're so beautiful-sounding. I'm learning to write in the Angerthas mode and I'm also learning a bit of Quenya. Everybody who knows me says I'm obsessed, but that's okay.
AragornsEvenstar
Eltirwen
I am a follower of Jesus who studies history in college and is very happily married. Besides reading, I love to sew, play video games, experiment with cooking, and write. I live in Oklahoma and know 3 other people IRL who like Tolkien. I am on the internet a lot thanks to college network access, so feel free to talk to me on AIM or Yahoo.
~WyrtWif~
LaBelleAuReveDormant
I discovered Tolkien because my parents read The Hobbit to me . .I think. . . and then I read the Lord of the Rings for myself and couldn't put it down, and I've loved it ever since. What other books? well, pretty much anything but horror and harlequins . .I just like it to be well written. A few favourites are: Tolkien (naturally), C.S. Lewis, T.S. Eliot, Saki, Georgette Heyer, Jane Austen, Lindsey Davis, Gillian Bradshaw, Robin McKinley, Sophie Kinsella, Anthony Trollope, Chaim Potok . .well, I could seriosly go on forever, so I'll stop. I'm an english lit student studying in England right now. Music . .well, I like baroque music, but also Great Big Sea, Lifehouse, Coldplay, Evanescence, Franz Ferdinand, Leahy, and I've a fondness for musicals and things like Riverdance.
No_Man
I am a Christian hailing from the US. I love Tolkien (obviously), which I first discovered when I was 13 or 14. I also enjoy reading C.S. Lewis, James Herriot, old an ancient classics, and anything concerning Star Wars. I listen to a lot of Newsboys, Third Day, Mercy Me, Enya, and classical music. I am a professional greenhouseman which I have done for almost eighteen years. (So if anyone has a plant question, you know who to ask.) My hobbies include reading, working, figuring out logic problems, making chain mail, drawing patterns, designing swords and armor, traveling, and learning. Other than that, I'm pretty boring.
RoseMorninStar
LaBelleAuReveDormant aka LaBelle
scop
Well, besides reading Tolkien I love Old English poetry such as "The Battle of Maldon" and "Wanderer" or Seamus Heaney's translation of Beowulf. I also like some Middle English, such as Sir Orfeo and at times "Pearl."
RuneSage
I chose this tread, well, because I'm a fellow bookworm. I don't know if this is usual for bookworms, but I like to re-read the books I have. I don't really search too much for new material and authors. I'm quite happy picking up a book I've read four times before, and I still enjoy the story and even get chills.
I like to visit mostly the council of manwe and the bird and the baby threads.
salean
About myself....., well, i like reading, a lot and i love writing stuff as well. When i'm older i would like to be an author or something. i like running and swimming and i play the piano, violin and recorder. i have two younger sisters.
melianlorien
I'm from Toronto Canada and I was at the Gathering in December 2003.
I'm also a serious bookworm and movie geek. My family says I have half the Chapters bookstore in my house. Not sure who has the other half.
I do have quite a collection of Tolkien books including all the movie books, 8 editions of LotR, 7 of The Hobbit, and 4 of the Silmarillion. I first read LotR when I was 17 and umpty times since then. Including a german translation. After finishing LotR I have now started reading The Da Vinci Code. I love reading Fantasy, Science Fiction, Mystery, Historical novels and basically anything I can get my hands on.
Also love movies. I have to get to the cinema early enought not just to get a good seat but also to see the previews. Just saw the Borne Supremacy with Karl Urban and Marton Csoska (hope I spelled that right) oh yeah and some guy named Matt Damon was in it too
