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It made me giggle:

"We here at The Quibbler have through extensive research found the true parents of Brian Williams, famous Squib reporter and news anchor of NBC News in America. We found that his parents were none other than Rita Skeeter and Gilroy Lockheart [sic]. It was long rumored that they had been together at one point and now we know. It also explains his reporting style. We hope to have more on this as the facts come out. The reporter for this story was Miss Information." (stargater69 on Yahoo!)

There is a Public Radio program called "The Score" that comes on here on Friday afternoons at 2PM; it features various film scores. I don't usually get to hear much of it, as I mostly listen to the radio in the car. But I got off work a few minutes early this afternoon, and it was just starting up. Howard Shore was the guest, and they were listening to his work on the six Middle-earth movies he did with PJ and discussing it. I hurried in the house and turned it on there and spent an enjoyable hour listening to Howard Shore discussing his work on the films, interspersed with the wonderful music.

Anyway, the station will be running an encore tomorrow at 11AM our time (Central). The station is KOCU 90.1 http://radiostation.org/kocu-90-1-fm-in-altus-oklahoma/ so if you are interested and want to try listening online, you might be able to. Or you could check and find out when your own local public channels are running that particular show in your area.

~~Day 1 - Ten random facts about yourself~~
~~Day 2 - Nine things you do everyday~~
~~Day 3 - Eight things that annoy you~~
~~Day 4 - Seven fears/phobias~~
~~Day 5 - Six songs that you’re addicted to~~
Day 6 - Five things you can’t live without
Day 7 - Four memories you won’t forget
Day 8 - Three words you can’t go a day without
Day 9 - Two things you wish you could do
Day 10 - One person you can trust

5 things I can't live without.

OK, I'm not going to be literal and say "air, water, food, and shelter", as that would waste four of them. Everyone needs those to live. So I'll be more figurative.

1. Something to read, books, magazines, fanfic, e-books, the back of a cereal box, whatever.

2. Internet. It's my lifeline to the rest of the world.

3. Music to listen to. I'm not fond of total silence, but often I'd much rather listen to music than watch TV.

4. Something to do--hence my many hobbies. I loathe being bored, and like to keep my hands occupied, whether it's knitting or sewing or doodling or whatever.

5. Companionship, most especially that of my husband. I do value alone time, but I need to know there is someone there for me, as I am there for him, and that any aloneness is both temporary and voluntary.

~~Day 1 - Ten random facts about yourself~~
~~Day 2 - Nine things you do everyday~~
~~Day 3 - Eight things that annoy you~~
~~Day 4 - Seven fears/phobias~~
Day 5 - Six songs that you’re addicted to
Day 6 - Five things you can’t live without
Day 7 - Four memories you won’t forget
Day 8 - Three words you can’t go a day without
Day 9 - Two things you wish you could do
Day 10 - One person you can trust

6 songs:

Picking out certain songs is hard because I like so many, so I'm going to refer back to my first post and my random fact about earworms. I figure if a song is stuck in my head, that's sort of like addictive. Now not all the songs stuck there are ones I like. Some of them are commercial jingles or songs I really dislike. But in recent weeks each of these has been stuck in my head more than once, and I don't mind at all because I like them. So that's what I'm going to list.

1. Billy Boyd's The Last Goodbye. I cannot get enough of it, and listen to it over and over, so of course it stays in my mind. It breaks my heart in a good way. It mainly replays in my head at night when I am trying to go to sleep--just about every night since I saw the last movie.

2. Into the West from ROTK is a very close second. I randomly came across it again at YouTube while looking for something different, and couldn't resist clicking. So it stayed in my head for a few days.

3. Great is Thy Faithfulness--stuck in my head after singing it in church. It's one of my very favorite hymns, and it was the school hymn where I went to college. I really like this version; I love "one person doing all the parts" a capella anyway.

4. Be Still My Soul--also stayed in my head after church one Sunday. And this version of it is gorgeous.

5. The Water is Wide--a folk song. The Grey Havens scene always puts me in mind of this song, and oddly enough, so does listening to my Silmarillion audiobook for some reason. This is my favorite rendition.

6. Happy--because of frequent exposure, because often that's why I get an earworm. I hear someone using that song for one reason or another nearly every day it seems, and unlike most overexposed songs, I haven't gotten tired of it yet. I suppose because, really, it's so...happy! 8^D (Though it's not to say if it keeps up, I may get tired of it yet.)

There were several recent earworms that did NOT make the cut: The theme song from "Wyatt Earp" (the old TV series); "Party Go On" (Party City commercial), "Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz" (old Pepto-Bismol commercial) and some songs that I liked at first, but overexposure has made me tired of them, like "Roar" and "Let it Go".

Scaredy-cat day...

~~Day 1 - Ten random facts about yourself~~
~~Day 2 - Nine things you do everyday~~
~~Day 3 - Eight things that annoy you~~
Day 4 - Seven fears/phobias
Day 5 - Six songs that you’re addicted to
Day 6 - Five things you can’t live without
Day 7 - Four memories you won’t forget
Day 8 - Three words you can’t go a day without
Day 9 - Two things you wish you could do
Day 10 - One person you can trust

7 phobias/fears:

1. Snakes. I've had this phobia since I was very small, as in pre-school age. It's not so bad as it once was, but it's still there. I used to freak even seeing one in a picture or on TV--now I just shudder and avert my eyes. But if I see a real live one in RL, I still go berserk.

2. I also have a fear of saying "goodbye" to someone who's going somewhere without also telling them to "be careful" or "be safe". This always goes for family members and loved ones, but sometimes even for relative strangers--if the weather's bad, I will always tell my customers to "Please drive safely!" I guess I'm afraid something will happen to them if I don't.

3. Cockroaches. This goes back to my college days when my dorm room was infested for a whole semester. I am not only afraid one will get on me, but they squick me as well, with all those gross skittering sounds they make.

4. Rats and mice indoors. They don't much bother me if they are running around outside, (mice are kind of cute running around in the grass) but inside the house they freak me out.

5. There are some things I am afraid of in dreams, but not awake: sometimes I will dream that someone I know--often, but not always, a family member--is an evil imposter who has replaced them. Sometimes I will dream that I am suddenly falling from a high place. Another is that I am walking or driving along an endless road or bridge, only to find it stop abruptly in mid-air leaving me nowhere to go. These things never bother me when I am awake.

6. I used to fear atomic annihilation enough to keep me awake at night, not so much anymore. Probably a common fear for the "duck and cover" generation.

7. Being alone and homeless when I get old.

I decided to wait until the next day to strike out the line. Apparently I confused a few people. ;-)

~~Day 1 - Ten random facts about yourself~~
~~Day 2 - Nine things you do everyday~~
Day 3 - Eight things that annoy you
Day 4 - Seven fears/phobias
Day 5 - Six songs that you’re addicted to
Day 6 - Five things you can’t live without
Day 7 - Four memories you won’t forget
Day 8 - Three words you can’t go a day without
Day 9 - Two things you wish you could do
Day 10 - One person you can trust

8 things that annoy:

1. Political blowhards on TV. I give myself permission to be as rude and as loud as I like to the TV set. If I ever meet them in person I hope I can be more rational, but still let them know what I think of their bloviating.
2. TV commercials that try to convince people they will save money by spending it, and other absurdities.
3. Tailgaters, people who pass when I'm going the speed limit, people who cut in front of me and other sorts of road hogs.
4. People with no patience, who think they are too special to wait their turn.
5. Bad customer service.
6. People who are always on their phones in public, broadcasting their personal business to the world at large, and who can't turn them off and make eye contact when they should be talking to someone in person.
7. Telemarketers. And creditors who will call when you aren't even late about your bill. Also who charge you to pay them. (A fee if you pay online; another fee if you pay by phone! And then if you end up mailing it to avoid the fee, a late fee.)
8. Wind. The kind that leaves your hair standing on end, and rips the car door out of your hand.
9. Itching

The post I made several days ago with a short quiz about hobbits, so if you answered it, you can check out how you did:

http://dreamflower02.livejournal.com/673519.html

If you still want to play, the answers are behind a cut, so you can reply before you look if you want to.

By the way, I found a REALLY hard quiz here:

http://www.lordotrings.com/quiz.asp

I scored 106 out of 111.

~~Day 1 - Ten random facts about yourself~~
~~Day 2 - Nine things you do everyday~~
Day 3 - Eight things that annoy you
Day 4 - Seven fears/phobias
Day 5 - Six songs that you’re addicted to
Day 6 - Five things you can’t live without
Day 7 - Four memories you won’t forget
Day 8 - Three words you can’t go a day without
Day 9 - Two things you wish you could do
Day 10 - One person you can trust

1. Get dressed (and all that other morning stuff we all pretty much do.)
2. Check my email.
3. Check my flist.
4. Watch at least part of "Good Morning America".
5. Listen to music.
6. Read something, or several somethings.
7. Play Solitaire.
8. Kiss my husband.
9. Pet my cat and play with my dog.

Here's day one. Let's see how far I get with this one.

~~Day 1 - Ten random facts about yourself~~
Day 2 - Nine things you do everyday
Day 3 - Eight things that annoy you
Day 4 - Seven fears/phobias
Day 5 - Six songs that you’re addicted to
Day 6 - Five things you can’t live without
Day 7 - Four memories you won’t forget
Day 8 - Three words you can’t go a day without
Day 9 - Two things you wish you could do
Day 10 - One person you can trust

1. I can wiggle my ears.
2. I can roll my tongue.
3. I always have an earworm; some song or another is always stuck in my head, mostly songs I like, but sometimes songs I can't stand.
4. I was a huge fan of the Monkees as a teen; my first and only celebrity crush was Peter Tork.
5. I used to collect DC comics, and still have hundreds of them left, although none of them are in "collectible condition". I bought them to read, not seal up in plastic. I collected them from the '60s through the 70s.
6. In high school I was on the debate team in my junior and senior year. I was pretty good at it, too. I enjoy a good argument.
7. I was in the Society for Creative Anachronism for many years. I was known as Lady AElfwenna of Shrewsbury, and I was a scribe and calligrapher. I still have most of my garb, and hope to play again someday.
8. I can play the piano and the recorder. Not very well, but I can play them. I took five years of piano lessons, and sort of taught myself the recorder. However, I don't play for anyone but my family.
9. The only kinds of needlework I have never tried are tatting and needlepoint. One of these days...
10 Tolkien was my matchmaker: my husband and I got together through our mutual interest in his books. This year we will have our 39th anniversary.

It has been very moving to see the outpouring of caring from so many people about the loss of one of the fandom's well-known writers. Many of the condolences came from people who have never read his work, but only know of what others said to him.

If anyone would like to read his work who never has before, you could do worse than start with his "Elf Academy" series:

Elf Academy
"Desperate for employment, six Elves who never left Middle-earth, decide to apply for the one position that is ready-made for them — being Elves. There’s just one catch. A Yule giftfic for all my friends. Rating is for adult themes involving college life. Nai Eru lyë mánata [May Eru bless you]. MEFA 2010: First Place: Modern Times: General."
Elf Academy Part Deux
Christmas at Edhellond: Elf Academy
Elf Academy 3: The Enemy Within (This story is not all posted, but was complete; his betas are seeing to it that rest of it gets posted.)

Many of his other stories concern the Valar, and the Elves of the First and Second Age. If you also like that sort of thing, or would like to explore it for the first time, here is a link to his author page at Stories of Arda.

http://www.storiesofarda.com/author.asp?AuthID=1787

I just opened my emails to find out that one of my favorite fanfic authors has passed away.

Fiondil of Stories of Arda had been regularly posting updates of his latest stories on a regular basis. When his Monday update did not appear, I worried something was wrong, but it never occurred to me it was something like this.

I'm so sad. He's one of a handful of writers who could get me reading about Elves and the Valar, and he was always very faithful in answering comments, and very kind in his own comments. My last communication with him was a review on one of my own stories just last week. :(

Current Mood: crushed

Remember this quiz that was going around a few days ago?

How well do you know Middle-earth?

I took it the other day, and got 16 out of 20 (two answers I dispute!) and then I noticed something: This test was biased! Questions about every race of beings except for the most important one: Hobbits! Why no hobbit questions?

So, I put my own little hobbit quiz in the comments. Apparently people who are knowledgeable about all those other things don't know much about hobbits, because no one tried to answer them. I am quite sure that my flist is a lot more hobbit savvy! (Actually, I thought this one was fairly easy.)

Here you are:

1. Which hobbit family was rumored to have a “fairy wife” as an ancestress?
A. Brandybucks
B. Bagginses
C. Tooks
D. Gamgees

2. Gandalf first encountered the hobbits of the Shire when?
A. During the Long Winter
B. During the Fell Winter
C. After the Battle of Greenfields
D. When Gerontius became Thain

3. What was Bandobras Took famous for?
A. Inventing the game of golf
B. Killing the chieftain of the goblins
C. Riding a horse
D. All of the above

4. Lalia Clayhanger Took, widow of Thain Fortinbras II, created a scandal by:
A. Leaving her husband
B. Going on an adventure
C. The manner of her death
D. Smoking a pipe

Put your answers in the comments (screened) and I'll reveal the answers in a few days and unscreen the answers!

Edit: 2/1/15 the answers are behind the cut now.
( Read more... )

We went into Stillwater on Saturday for some errands and some fun. I had another $10 gift card from those surveys I'm answering for OSU to spend at JoAnn's and the DH picked up some shelves and bins for organizing the garage.

We took along my new Silmarillion audio-books. The DH didn't remember ever reading it (he started it when it first came out in 1977, but soon gave up) and I failed at my last attempt to join in at the

silwritersguild's re-read. (I've read it through about 3 or 4 times, but mostly I just cherry-pick the bits I need if I'm writing.)

So we listened, and I found myself having to explain things to the DH ("Iluvatar is God; the Valar are archangels; the Maiar are angels--Gandalf was an angel.") while he occasionally made me giggle with some comments on the names. I wasn't really sure if he was actually listening to the story, when it came to the part when Tulkas appeared on the scene.

"whereas Tulkas laughs ever, in sport or in war, and even in the face of Melkor he laughed in battles before the Elves were born."

The DH said "MICHAEL!"

I was a little startled and gave him a funny look.

He said, "You know, John Travolta, the angel Michael: 'BATTLE!'"

Of course I remembered that scene:

Yes, I certainly do see the resemblance. And I should never ever think my DH is not listening.

Sunday we were very busy at work, and when the DH picked me up, he told me we were going out to dinner with our son and his family. I was very glad I did not have to cook dinner. We took him, his girlfriend and her four kids out to a local Chinese restaurant, where we had enough food to feed an army! I put some of his leftovers in his lunch today, while I will finish up my sesame chicken for my own lunch.

Did you know there is such a thing as International Fanworks Day?

I think that is so cool!

My friend

dawn_felagund, whom some of you know as the founder of the Silmarillion Writer's Guild, and as the website developer and co-mod for Many Paths to Tread, gave a talk this past weekend at Mythmoot.

You can watch a clip of her giving a talk here at her LJ! It's really fascinating. If you took part in her survey not long ago, you can see the use she made of your answers!

The fandom stockings were revealed yesterday, but this is the first chance I've
My fandom stocking is here! and I got some lovely art and greetings!

hhimring wrote me a darling set of drabbles about child Turin:
http://archiveofourown.org/works/2892731

And

the_winterwitch did podfics of three of my fics!
http://archiveofourown.org/works/3121190/chapters/6763721

Also our chairs (ordered in Sept.) were finally delivered today! We now have seating for four in the living room again.

5584e812e4dead55_jrr-tolkien-birthday_xxxlarge_1

To the Professor!

My impressions of BO5A were even better this time around. Not too much spoilerish-ness, but a little, so I will cut. ( Read more... )

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"And laugh they did, and eat, and drink, often and heartily..."

Recent Entries

This little gem was in my email this morning

Countdown meme: Day 8

Howard Shore

Countdown meme: Day 7

Countdown meme: Day

Countdown meme: Day 5

Countdown meme, Day 4

Countdown meme, day 3

That hobbit quiz...

Countdown meme, day 2

Ten things meme

Fiondil's stories

So very sad...

A short quiz about hobbits

This past weekend

Signal boost

Signal boost

Fandom stocking and other things...

Happy one-hundred and twenty-third!

Second viewing of TH:TBO5A