Members, We Hardly Knew Ye . . . [Archive]

HLGStrider

08-04-2005, 07:15 AM

Dr. Ransom is just busy with college. I have actually had lunch with him twice in the last year (along with Galdor, his brother and former member and once with another former less active member who had one of those names I can't remember but also was a friend of theirs. . .I want to say Elu Thingol? But I could be wrong.).
Malbeth is Eriol's brother, so he is wherever Eriol is.

e.Blackstar

08-15-2005, 11:39 PM

What about Aule? Is he still around? 'cause I haven't seen 'im. :cool:

Nenya Evenstar

09-01-2005, 12:02 AM

Yup, it was Elu Thingol. He was at my house in May (along with Dr. Ransom). Weird.

Ingwë

09-01-2005, 12:54 PM

I'm sure there's an identical thread somewhere in this site, but I'm curious as to what became of various members who were at one time rather prolific around here (and I'm sure you are too).
Well, Lhun is not here, Gil-Galad is too busy, Finduilas too, Grond told me that he'll come here sometimes but Ancalagon doesn't post... There are too many users who aren't here :(

Wraithguard

09-01-2005, 11:39 PM

Thus is the decay of TTF. Fortunatly I have a few more moons of Officer's College so I'm just peachy!

Ithrynluin

09-02-2005, 12:10 AM

Well, Lhun is not here, Gil-Galad is too busy, Finduilas too, Grond told me that he'll come here sometimes but Ancalagon doesn't post... There are too many users who aren't here :(

Yes, that is how it goes with internet forums. People just lose interest, put too much (or just enough to keep them fully occupied) on their real life plates, and eventually have to slip away.

Ingwë

09-05-2005, 09:00 AM

Yes, that is how it goes with internet forums. People just lose interest, put too much (or just enough to keep them fully occupied) on their real life plates, and eventually have to slip away.
And I want to add something. When this site has been opened some of the users were young - still in a high school but now 6 years have passen so they are in a college or they have a job and are too busy. But new users come here :)

U2 - Vertigo for all TTFers (I love this song!)

Walter

09-05-2005, 11:56 AM

Ithrynluin

09-05-2005, 12:27 PM

Yes, unfortunately that happens as well. Not much, but it does. But then again, how could it not happen every once in a while with so many different personalities misunderstanding each other and clashing with one another over minor issues that they (of course) perceive to be a big deal?

Grond

09-05-2005, 05:58 PM

And yet others have simply been pi**ed off...Alas Walter, I hope I am not the one who pi**ed you off.

For myself, I had two years where I was caring for my elderly mom and dad. During that period, I had plenty of time to spend on the forum. My life was not happy (dealing with dying parents) and the forum offerred an escape to my favorite fantasy place. With my father's death in 2003... I had to get back to the real world and make a living again so... little time for TTF. I still check in now and again and will contribute here and there.

Cheers,

grond

Ingwë

09-08-2005, 01:18 PM

And yet others have simply been...That's pity. But sometimes the good members are pi**ed off and the bad (sorry for that word) members stay in the forums. That is the worse.

I understand you, Grond. My grandfather is ill (he's 84 now) and probably he's end comes... Sometimes we escape the real world and we come in the net, we meet new persons, we find new friends but this world becomes too real and the users again escape...

Walter

09-19-2005, 10:56 AM

Alas Walter, I hope I am not the one who pi**ed you off.

I had not myself primarily in mind when I made that remark above. In fact what I said is true for many a foermerly valued member of TTF, some have aired their discontent, others just left quietly.

And regarding my own status: No Richard, that wasn't you. As a matter of fact, I still value the - if controversial, occasionally ;) - discussions we had in the past...

The fallen Maiar have been responsible for much of the Evil in Middle-earth, and sometimes things get even worse when "authority takes up the plan and enlarges it"... ;)

Gothmog

09-19-2005, 11:09 AM

The fallen Maiar have been responsible for much of the Evil in Middle-earth, and sometimes things get even worse when "authority takes up the plan and enlarges it"... ;)
I suppose that I qualify as a fallen Maia, so I wonder just what it is that I have done or perhaps not done?

Walter

09-19-2005, 12:16 PM

I suppose that I qualify as a fallen Maia, so I wonder just what it is that I have done or perhaps not done?

You always have been one of the most valuable contributors of TTF, as well as one of the most respected and levelheaded moderators. IMO you are one of those few members of this community who deserve nothing but the highest praise...

To put an end to the guessings, in a previous post (http://www.thetolkienforum.com/showpost.php?p=456068&postcount=46) I have made it quite clear why I eventually no longer consider myself a member of this community and refrain from making "on-topic" - as of Tolkien- and mythology-related - posts here, even though I still drop a comment every once in a while...

Gothmog

09-19-2005, 12:28 PM

I thank you for those comments. Sorry I misunderstood. :) I do hope that such problems will be prevented from causing trouble in the future.

Walter

09-21-2005, 11:52 AM

I thank you for those comments. Sorry I misunderstood. :)
You're very welcome, but that was no attempt at flattery. Only what I feel is the truth... :)
I do hope that such problems will be prevented from causing trouble in the future.
If that indeed happens, then something good has come of it (aside from the fact that good Dave has been riddened of one pain in the a...) :D

Gothmog

09-21-2005, 12:50 PM

You're very welcome, but that was no attempt at flattery. Only what I feel is the truth... :)

If that indeed happens, then something good has come of it (aside from the fact that good Dave has been riddened of one pain in the a...) :D
That I did understand :)

Let us hope that good will come of it and that perhaps we shall see more of you on the site :)

Barliman Butterbur

09-21-2005, 05:27 PM

To put an end to the guessings, in a previous post (http://www.thetolkienforum.com/showpost.php?p=456068&postcount=46) I have made it quite clear why I eventually no longer consider myself a member of this community...even though I still drop a comment every once in a while...

Just read your "previous post." I was not aware of what was going on, and now I know why we've heard from you so rarely. I for one always appreciate your posts for their thoughtfulness and instructiveness, and virtually always come away from them knowing something valuable I didn't know before, or having something new to think about.

I hope you will come back despite the inevitable boneheads that are indigenous to all interactive websites, whether they be obnoxious posters, questionably picked mods or site owners with a personal slant which goes against the grain. Certainly I have had many entanglements with all such, and have certainly done the things I most heatedly accused others of doing. However, idiots can be ignored and friends cultivated despite whatever else goes on.

I'm here (despite my occasional temper tantrums — taking my marbles and going home) because — in the end — I have found no other group quite like it! It's the people and what they have to say, what they think about, and what's important to them that keep me coming back — the wheat despite considerable chaff! I hope you'll be back as often as you used to be: just as a city can never have enough trees, there are never enough of the good guys in TTF! So come back! Come back and illegitimi bardi non carborundum!

Barley :)

Walter

09-22-2005, 06:11 PM

Many thanks for your kind words, Barley... :)

Inderjit S

09-23-2005, 01:43 PM

Indeed it is nice to see you back Walter-you always make intelligent, well-informed posts, whether they are about Tolkien, mythology or religion.

Elbereth

10-27-2005, 04:25 AM

Yes, that is how it goes with internet forums. People just lose interest, put too much (or just enough to keep them fully occupied) on their real life plates, and eventually have to slip away.

Alas, I was one of these forgotten forum members who have slipped away from the forum...but like most former TTF'ers I peak in once in a long while to see who is still around. Old habits die hard I guess.

I have my reasons for staying away....mostly due to career and location changes and and not to mention I haven't been able picked up a tolkien book in over a year.

I would love to be able to get involved more and recapture the magic of TTF again...but alas, I don't think life is going to permit it. I will try to stop in to say hello every now in then...and just hopefully there will still be members left here who will remember me when I do.

baragund

10-27-2005, 03:15 PM

Hi Elbereth! It's great to hear from you:) Hope all is going well in your neck of the woods.

I'm glad you still drop in from time to time and I hope RL will allow you to jump back into the discussions, even if it's just a little bit.

(I can appreciate your position. RL has wayyyy reduced the amount of time I can spend around here compared to the "Good ol' days".:o)

Saucy

01-06-2006, 03:23 AM

Like alot of people i just got distracted, and i relaised i joined this forum when i was 13 or 14 or something like that, it was awhile ago.

perhaps i have grown out of it, though i may post about here and there.
i plan to reread my tolkien books soon here has soon has i have compleed reading The Davinci's code. :D

Niirewen

01-06-2006, 04:04 AM

It's good to hear from you, Saucy, I hope you'll still check in on occasion. :)

Rhiannon

01-06-2006, 04:10 AM

Yeah, what Elbereth said--my participation dropped off when I started college, a situation not due to change for another few years, and I was completely out of touch while I was traveling. Even on break I'm only poking around once a week or so *poke*poke* and the semester starts in just about a week. Busy busy busy...

Niirewen

01-06-2006, 04:15 AM

I'm pretty much in the same boat as Rhi.. college sucks up all my free time, and even now over break I'm taking a class at the community college so I'm almost as busy as ever. But I still wander in occasionally to check on things even though I don't post much.

Arvedui

01-06-2006, 09:32 AM

Rhiannon

01-07-2006, 08:10 AM

Frank is alive and kicking, Arvydarling :D But he is getting very jealous of the fuzzy socks I got for Christmas. He can't bring himself to hate them, though--no one can hate the fuzzy socks. They're like world peace for the feet.

Saucy

11-12-2006, 09:50 AM

Another long overdue pop in from me. I'll be 18 soon if that makes anyone feel old i think i was once one of the youngest members.

Barliman Butterbur

11-13-2006, 01:49 AM

All the Great Ones are gone — *sigh* — except for me of course...;)

Barley

Arvedui

11-14-2006, 09:42 PM

It is reassuring to know that you are holding the fort, Barley. Keep an ale ready for me on my return, willya?;)

Walter

11-15-2006, 02:34 AM

It is reassuring to know that you are holding the fort, Barley.
Yeah, what a comforting thought, i'nit? :D

Maeglin

11-15-2006, 05:00 AM

Arvedui, Walter, stop it right now! Do not tease me (and the rest of TTF) with these random appearances and posting in this thread!

Barliman Butterbur

11-15-2006, 03:54 PM

It is reassuring to know that you are holding the fort, Barley. Keep an ale ready for me on my return, willya?;)

Always, Arv, always! :D

And Walter...hmmm...you two guys might be interested in this (http://z3.invisionfree.com/JRR_Tolkien/index.php?showforum=29)...

Barley

chrysophalax

11-15-2006, 06:47 PM

ALL the Great Ones, Barley? Humph. *lashes tail*

Ithrynluin

11-15-2006, 08:20 PM

No, just the ones that were embroiled in political discussion. You know, the integral part of every healthy Tolkien board. ;)

Arvedui

11-15-2006, 09:35 PM

Always, Arv, always! :D

And Walter...hmmm...you two guys might be interested in this (http://z3.invisionfree.com/JRR_Tolkien/index.php?showforum=29)...

Barley
Tempting offer, Barley. It'll have to wait until I get some more time on my hands though.
Nice to see so many old aquaintances still hanging around when one pops in. And that goes for the dragon as well;)

Barliman Butterbur

11-15-2006, 11:42 PM

ALL the Great Ones, Barley? Humph. *lashes tail*

Tail-lashing aside, old pal, what does it mean: "Danish-loving"? That you love eating Danish pastry, or that you love eating Danes?...:eek:

Barley

Gandalf White

11-16-2006, 08:43 AM

I still hold that I was central... :p

Edit: And I still can't believe I joined before Arvedui... :O

Arvedui

11-16-2006, 09:41 PM

Why not?
Have I made that much of a nuisance of myself?:eek: ;)

Halasían

11-19-2006, 04:23 PM

Can't believe I joined before Arvedui either.
I'm around... here and there.... like a Ranger in the shadows.....
;) :cool:

Arvedui

11-21-2006, 09:54 PM

I wonder why you seem to believe that I have been around since before The Music of the Valar?
Still, looking back: four years is quite some time. And still it sems like last month when I was a noobie with a post-count around 10 or something. But then again, even Elgee had barely more than 500 at the time.

Walter

11-22-2006, 12:45 AM

I wonder why you seem to believe that I have been around since before The Music of the Valar?
Did you post a pic of late? If so that might explain it... :D

Happy Birthday, though...

And still it sems like last month when I was a noobie with a post-count around 10 or something. But then again, even Elgee had barely more than 500 at the time.
Hmmmm...

Walter

11-22-2006, 12:48 AM

Tail-lashing aside, old pal, what does it mean: "Danish-loving"? That you love eating Danish pastry, or that you love eating Danes?...:eek:

Barley

Hwæt! We Gardena in geardagum
þeodcyninga þrym gefrunon
hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon.

Ever read that longish poem, Barley? ;)

Arvedui

11-26-2006, 09:12 PM

Did you post a pic of late? If so that might explain it... :D

Hmmm... you might be right, although I haven't posted a picture on this place I think. And I can't be that old! My wife still looks magnificently young, and I am not that much older than her.;)
But perhaps it is a sign that my oldest has reached his teens:eek:

Ciryaher

12-11-2006, 11:38 PM

Ha, I just read this thread. I feel a bit of pride in having supposedly driven someone away. I win?

Anyhow, Dengen-Goroth. Disappeared a long time ago, but was such an interesting person in his contributions around here. I often wonder what happened to him.

Barliman Butterbur

12-12-2006, 08:02 PM

Arvedui

12-13-2006, 10:39 PM

I guess that it is Old English (which is remarkable similar to Old Norse).
The good thing is that if I am completely off the mark (or just a little bit, for that matter), Walter will provide the correct answer. :)

Alcuin

12-17-2006, 11:14 PM

Hwæt! We Gardena in geardagum
þeodcyninga þrym gefrunon
hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon.

Ever read that longish poem, Barley? ;)
Heavens! Is that "Olde Danishe?" It scares me just to look at it!:eek: :p

BarleyBeowulf. That is the opening of Beowulf.

Tolkien used to recite it at Oxford in a public recitation. He walked down the aisle from the back of the room to the podium, along the way calling out the traditional bardic beginning of a long tale, Hwæt!, which means Quiet!, but many of the undergraduates in attendence, who knew not a word of Anglo-Saxon, thought he was shouting What?!

I understand that it was for many years one of the more popular annual presentations at Oxford.

Barliman Butterbur

12-19-2006, 01:05 AM

Beowulf. That is the opening of Beowulf.

Tolkien used to recite it at Oxford in a public recitation. He walked down the aisle from the back of the room to the podium, along the way calling out the traditional bardic beginning of a long tale, Hwæt!, which means Quiet!, but many of the undergraduates in attendence, who knew not a word of Anglo-Saxon, thought he was shouting What?!

I understand that it was for many years one of the more popular annual presentations at Oxford.

Well, the only "Gardena" of which I have any personal experience and direct knowledge is a small city south of L.A. which is home to a huge Japanese-American population. We go there when my wife needs to have her eyes checked by her optometrist, and when we get a hankering for genuine Japanese goodies!

Barley

Alcuin

12-19-2006, 01:46 AM

Well, the only "Gardena" of which I have any personal experience and direct knowledge is a small city south of L.A. ...Ah, Gardena.

I think I have some Olde Danishe atop my refrigerator, out of reach of the dog, who relishes Danishe Olde and Newe. I suspect it is Olde Crouton by now.

Ciryaher

12-19-2006, 02:26 PM

I suspect it is Olde Crouton by now.

That made me laugh loudly.

Barliman Butterbur

12-20-2006, 09:24 PM

That made me laugh loudly.

Nothing like TTF to keep you sane in an insane world! :eek: ;)

Barley

Dr. Ransom

04-14-2008, 07:14 AM

I'm sure there's an identical thread somewhere in this site, but I'm curious as to what became of various members who were at one time rather prolific around here (and I'm sure you are too).

For instance:

Eriol
Malbeth
Dr Ransom

Wow, I've been labled "prolific" on TTF. And to think I missed this post. :D

e.Blackstar

04-14-2008, 05:38 PM

...the irony of all this is that Arthur_Vandelay has apparently disappeared too.

Barliman Butterbur

04-14-2008, 08:34 PM

...the irony of all this is that Arthur_Vandelay has apparently disappeared too.

More's the pity. Actually he's quite alive and kicking here (http://fivepublicopinions.wordpress.com/) at his blog, which he calls Five Public Opinions.

Barley

Firawyn

04-15-2008, 05:08 PM

He is missing! Wow, it just occurred to me that I hadn't seen him in a while.

Mrs. Maggott as well...I would love to know what happened to her.

Barliman Butterbur

04-15-2008, 06:07 PM

...Mrs. Maggott...I would love to know what happened to her.

Years ago, when I first started reading her posts, I was struck with her ability to write really well with depth and subtlety, and I complimented her on it. But as I continued to read them, I found a person who would brook no disagreement with her divine revelations.

Long story short: Le Grande Dame finally got fed up with that small group of us who actually had the temerity to challenge her pious pontifications. When she first started spouting, nobody did that, so for a long time she reigned supreme as it were. Finally, some of us got fed up. So we answered back. We lost our fear of her and she knew it. Then she began to threaten leaving the board. Again and again and again. She'd do it for a while, but she lurked. Whenever someone posted something that she vehemently disagreed with, she'd cave in and come back with a vengeance. But the balloon was punctured. She knew her reign was over.

We had some private communication in which we each revealed something of ourselves to each other, and I understood her more, and we made peace — but for her it was time (anyway, and for other reasons) to move on.

Barley

PS: Check out Arthur Vandelay's blog. I supplied a link to it in Post #58 above.

HLGStrider

04-15-2008, 06:43 PM

Kind of unfair to post something that is that negative about someone who is not here to defend themselves . . . even with the 'caveat" at the end.

I liked her too. She was a bit of a curmudgeon, but come on, Barley, so are you.

Firawyn

04-15-2008, 06:58 PM

Thanks for the insight Barley, however HLG is right. It's unfair to post a comment about a person not here to defend herself - on top of that, perhaps it would have been more tasteful to PM me in reply to my inquiry, and keep that personal of an opinion a bit less pubic.

I think that each one of us has a bit of that pious nature online - because we are free to share as little or as much about ourselves as we wish, and that does have a certain sense of power involved in it. The trick is to learn how to be who you really are online, not the censored version we use in other public places, such as the workplace. When we can do that, we are having the most rewarding experience because the sense of comradeship is now personal with real meaning, instead of just something to do to kill time.

You know I don't really miss the movie crowd much, not because of their lack of any real knowledge of Tolkien's work, but because they didn't stick around long enough to develop as described above.

People like Arthur and Mrs. Maggott are missed because they had, at the very least, begun to get to that point.

Barliman Butterbur

04-15-2008, 06:59 PM

Kind of unfair to post something that is that negative about someone who is not here to defend themselves . . . even with the 'caveat" at the end.

Ah, but she was negative in a lot of ways!

I liked her too. She was a bit of a curmudgeon, but come on, Barley, so are you.

***sweeps hat off head, bows with flourish*** :)

And, you can get in touch with Arthur Vandelay who holds forth at his blog, right here (http://fivepublicopinions.wordpress.com/).

Barley

PS: And, this curmudgeon (I luvvit! :D ) is more and more impressed with the growing power and clarity of thought that Firawyn is showing in her posts of late!

Firawyn

04-15-2008, 07:10 PM

PS: And, this curmudgeon (I luvvit! :D ) is more and more impressed with the growing power and clarity of thought that Firawyn is showing in her posts of late!

My dear Barley, how could I not be improving? I've had you as a teacher! :p I'll give you a run for your money, you just wait! ;)

Majimaune

04-16-2008, 01:26 AM

My dear Barley, how could I not be improving? I've had you as a teacher! :p I'll give you a run for your money, you just wait! ;)I would like to see that :)

HLGStrider

04-16-2008, 04:53 AM

I think that each one of us has a bit of that pious nature online - because we are free to share as little or as much about ourselves as we wish, and that does have a certain sense of power involved in it.

Also, so much of communication is body language and tone and it is easy to assign a strident/condemning/negative/confrontational ton to typed words. I tend to imagine people's voices as I read the type and I've had to control myself from making people "sound" as if they are expressing emotions, but that aside, there are people who come and go, some who I've liked and some who I haven't, and there is no point bringing up old feuds.

Dr. Ransom

04-16-2008, 01:00 PM

Hmm. Very true. When I read your posts Elgee I imagine a tone of voice that's something like a marsupial getting throttled by a parakeet.

HLGStrider

04-16-2008, 05:16 PM

Speaking of people coming and going. . .Unfortunately, I know what you sound like, so I don't have the comfort of imagination . . . Maybe I'll start giving you Antonio Banderas's accent . . .

Eledhwen

04-16-2008, 05:43 PM

When I read your posts Elgee I imagine a tone of voice that's something like a marsupial getting throttled by a parakeet.How would the type of bird/animal doing the throttling affect the tonal quality; and is there a cry peculiar to marsupials in the process of being throttled? If so, I supect it's something of a miaow! :p

I never imagine people with overseas accents; so Elgee might be surprised to know that, in my imagination, her accent is standard British (the sort of accent Brits who've been brought up around the armed forces end up with). Barliman Butterbur has a mild West Country accent (Wiltshire/Dorset, or even rural Oxfordshire).

And I see Mrs Maggott being mentioned! I always imagined her accent as being somewhat like the best depictions of Miss Marple.

Nóm

04-16-2008, 09:10 PM

It would be something if Anamatar, FoolOfATook, Grond and a few others from way back became active again. It's not the same with Walter, Aule and Celebthol inactive either. I'm glad to have seen Arvediu recently.

And I wonder what Inderjit and Beleg are up to? They were always fun to discuss the First Age with.

I recently e-mailed Ancalagon in hopes he will show up and start a thread or two.

Whenever an active member leaves there is a difference in the forum.

Dr. Ransom

04-17-2008, 07:03 AM

Beleg is on my MSN friends list. Every so often I say hi to him. He moved from Pakistan to study in England, where just as I predicted he decided that cold and rain is a glorious thing indeed.

The man has good tastes in weather, what can I say.

Elbereth

04-17-2008, 08:37 AM

Ah another thread that travels down memory lane...I couldn't resist, despite the fact that I'm only just browsing.

Back to the subject on hand...I always wonder whatever happened to members like Valar and King Eomer, who swept into the forum with a flourish and vanished out of sight forever more. But alas I have a feeling we never will hear from those two again.

Dr. Ransom

04-17-2008, 08:48 AM

Hey Elbereth. Good to see you still lurk too.

(and Nom!)

Firawyn

04-17-2008, 10:42 PM

@ Maj - Count on it - it's one of my goals in life! ;)

Also, so much of communication is body language and tone and it is easy to assign a strident/condemning/negative/confrontational ton to typed words. I tend to imagine people's voices as I read the type and I've had to control myself from making people "sound" as if they are expressing emotions, but that aside, there are people who come and go, some who I've liked and some who I haven't, and there is no point bringing up old feuds.

Ah! Yes, I have done this as well. My perception of other member's voices comes more from...well people I really know who remind me of you (you in the plural).

Not that all of you aren't very unique, but sometimes there are very uncanny similarities in personality.

Fir-