gillifreydragon-blog

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The Last Goodbye - Peter Hollens (Billy Boyd Cover)

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You guys... What if I have to shave??? #NoShaveNovember #beardsaretruth #nomakeup #beard #shaving

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imagine Bahorel saying  “You are.” to Grantaire to answer a question he asked, and Grantaire going

"Yes, I R. You Bahorel."

how hard do you think Bahorel would punch him

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Hobbiton! I am so glad I decided to do this, it was totally worth it. Especially as someone who enjoys movie magic and artwork in general. The entire place is essentially one giant art piece, an imaginary village full of so much life and detail even though it’s uninhabited. The gardens and flowers are all real plants that are tended to. Each hobbit home is designed to reflect the occupation or hobbies of the Hobbits who live in them, so there was an artist’s house, a bee keeper’s house, a fisherman’s house, a wood cutter’s house, a clay sculptor’s house, the town drunkard’s home, and more.

A few people who had been to NZ before warned me not to fall for this tourist trap, since there was only a few things to see and it was way overpriced. Either these people had sour opinions of the place or they’ve changed a lot since then, since there was a LOT to look at, and a ton of detail. I do agree it was overpriced, though, at NZ$75 for adult entry, or NZ$110 if you include transit. BUT that price includes a beer at the Green Dragon Tavern, so I think that’s worth it.

The tour guides were great about keeping groups spread out so you can get plenty of clean photos of the whole place. They also had stories and facts about the different sets and how they were used in the movies.

The bottom photo is of course Bilbo Baggins’ famed home. I’m checking his mail for him. Nothing yet. And yes of course I tried opening everyone’s mailboxes. Most of them were fake and wouldn’t open.

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Detail shots in Hobbiton. Again, the level of detail in this place was incredible, everywhere you turned had something added to make it look like a real, living village, with the wear and tear of everyday life.

My favorite was all the teeny tiny windows next to all the homes popping up out of the land. While the insides of the homes either didn’t exist or were empty, all the windows had teeny tiny knick nacks, like candles or books or sewing items.

The props were all slightly different sizes, too, based on the heights of the actors who would be playing as inhabitants for each home. Everything was small and so cute, though. Even the chopped firewood was really teeny tiny kindling. Cute!

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The Green Dragon Tavern in Hobbiton! The beer was good. I also ordered a beef and ale pie which was incredible.

Joining me was a woman from the Stray Bus. For the sake of her privacy, I won’t say too much, but she confided to me that she was actually much older than anyone else on the bus and felt very out of place. I told her I felt a little out of place at times at my own age (although there are others in their late 20’s with us), but that it shouldn’t be something to hold her back or make her feel out of place. Most people are here for the same reason, to travel and learn and make friends, so being kind and open was all that really mattered.

She told me also her reason for coming here, which was actually a rather sad story (which I won’t disclose). It was humbling to hear, but I also felt good that she was choosing travel and exploring and meeting new people as her outlet to cope. Someone close to her who has since passed had loved The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, so she had come here mostly for this person and less out of her own interest. It seemed like she was tearing up, but she said she was glad she came.

It definitely gave me some perspective about why people travel and what it means to them. I’m often only traveling through the lens of it being something for leisure and pleasure, and usually surrounded by others doing the same. It’s easy to have blinders on and assume everyone is in the same great mood about seeing something new. And even though there were a lot of negative things in my own live driving me here, I’ve mostly forgotten or downplayed them by now and enjoying this as something new and refreshing and a chance to learn. But it’s good to remember that even beyond cultural or economic differences, that everyone’s story can be very different.

I’m usually a rather quiet person, or at least rather introverted and favoring time alone over talking and talking all the time. I’ve opened up a ton on this trip (as I tend to on other trips and at cons), and I think even got a little loud-mouthed. It’s healthy to be reminded to shut up and listen often.

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if you have a fifteen minute intermission between each film that's an extra hour and 15 minutes

THIS WILL BE SUCH A LONG MARATHON AND I AM SO READY

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Birds flying high, you know how I feel! #FeelingGood #dressy #beardsaretruth #dressed

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Mayor Aubrey James

"Not On My Watch."

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ARRRGH IT BE #TalkLikeAPirateDay today

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God Only Knows Learning Parts .mp3's

For those of you who want them, .mp3’s to learn the parts of the “God Only Knows” barbershop quartet in all their synthesized glory.  I decided to have the parts played on wind instruments so that repeated notes could be heard clearly.

Tenor

Lead

Baritone

Bass

Let me know if you have any questions or concerns and don’t forget to grab the sheet music I posted some time ago. Enjoy!

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On first dates, I always take girls to get BBQ ribs. It feels the most biblical, considering they came from one.

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Royd Allan Reuel Tolkien is the great-grandson of J.R.R. Tolkien. At the request of Peter Jackson, he played a Gondorian ranger passing arms out to other rangers as they prepare to defend Osgiliath in The Return of the King

This is my favourite tid-bit of information regarding Lord of the Rings

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Can't even play cards without thinking Les Miserables. I think I breathe it #RedandBlack

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Alright listen I didn't wanna have to do this, but you leave me no choice. #HereComesTheSmolder

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HI! #nomakeup #beardsaretruth #butfirstlemetakeaselfie #smirk #imadorable #ilovethattagsworkonfacebook #hashtag #cuzimhappy

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Late night home made blueberry cheesecake! #CheesecakeIsLife #Blueberry #BeJealous