letsnaththings

[letsnaththings]

Memeage

Was tagged by @cairistiona7 to list the last five songs I listened to. Thank you!

Sir Patrick Spens - Fairport Convention

Outlaw Man - the Eagles

Johnny B Goode - Chuck Berry

Küss Mich - Rammstein 

La Foule - Edith Piaf

Do or do not - there is no tag!

[letsnaththings]

Again, memeage

Memeage

Tagged by @cairistiona7  Thank you!

Rules: If you’re tagged, make a rec list of your own fics that you’re most proud of. The ones you personally want people to read because you know they’re good. The ones you get extra excited when you get comments on them because people are responding to what you know is your best work. As part of the list, say why you’re proud of them! Participant’s choice on how many that is and where you draw the line on pride, but the more the better. Bonus points for fics that you like to reread yourself or fics that have low engagement because they’re in a small fandom or an unpopular ship/trope. Then tag however many people you feel like to continue the game. (If you want a guide number, try for seven or however many fics you listed)

Secondary rule: If you get tagged and you’re not a fic writer, consider doing the same for art you’ve done or meta you’ve written that you’re proud of.

Tertiary rule: This is the time to be the opposite of humble! Hype your own stuff! Share why you’re proud of something. Do some self love! And please give the game a chance even if you haven’t written much or are just starting out etc etc.

Do or do not – there is no tag.

 All these are in the Tolkien fandom – the list got a bit longer than I had planned, even with vigorous weeding (and would therefore probably look partly different if I made it at another time). They’re all stories that I like to reread for one reason or another. Even if I felt a ‘must edit’ itch for some of the older ones as well *g* I’ve tried to say something more than the original summary for them, but didn’t succeed for all.

  Eriador

An excess of weather - Life in Eriador can often be harsh, even more so when the weather becomes as much an enemy as Orcs or wolves. A look at how the Fell Winter of 2911 affected the Dúnedain. 

A gapfiller story with mostly OC Rangers. What I like about this one is how the circumstances test the Rangers to their limits, and in some cases beyond.

 Troll country - Where were the Rangers when Thorin & co. encountered those trolls?

A gapfiller I didn’t know I needed until the plotbunny turned up

 Out of time - FA 83 - King Elessar visits the North and realises something that has been bothering him

There are precious few stories about the Fourth Age – another gapfiller I had to have.

Inheritance – Recipe fic:  A taste from history in two drabbles and a double drabble - originally written for the October 2014 challenge, Sweet or Savoury, at the Lotr-genfic LJ community; my element was 'spicy'.

My only recipe fic, and therefore also my best recipe fic *g*

 2nd Age

Et Eärello Andorenna utúlien - Númenor: thoughts upon arrival and departure.

There’s a lot more to explore for both Elros and Ar-Pharazôn I think, and maybe someday I will. Until then, this short sketch will have to do.

 Spindrift - Of the seven palantíri, it is said that the one kept in the tower of Elostirion is the chief, and that Elendil looked in it often to alleviate the yearning of exile. This vignette examines one such viewing in the year 3423 of the Second Age.

 Opening - Sometime early in the second millennium of the Second Age: a moonlit night in Eregion, and two craftsmen anxiously wait the unveiling of their latest work.

 Other

Edge of the world - After the Downfall it was believed by the remnants of the Dúnedain that the top of Meneltarma rose once more above the sea level. If so, sailors of later Ages may have found it on occasion.

 Recall - Thengel, captain of Gondor, deals with a small family crisis, considers the past and receives some news.

 Holiday - Snapshots of a summer spent in Dol Amroth. Gimli is ambivalent about it all.

This entire fic was written to justify the use of one specific word in a Tolkienian context. I’ll leave it up to the reader to spot the word.

 Collections

Back to Middle-earth month 2012 - A collection of the various drabbles and short stories I wrote for B2MEM 2012

A very miscellaneous bunch of stories, but one I’m pretty happy with. Definitely my best BMEM year.

 Tales of the North - banner

And in hope… –  Arwen finally understands one particular vision she saw in Galadriel's Mirror, and starts work on a special project.

Watching from afar – It is said in The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen that Arwen watched over Aragorn in thought. At times, this must have been a harrowing experience.

Envinyalë –  About a week after their wedding, Aragorn and Arwen spend an evening by themselves. Arwen has plans, but the evening does not turn out quite the way she had in mind.

A small collection of three stories in which I explored Arwen a bit, of course also against the background of my related stories on Aragorn and the Dúnedain.

 AUs

Some that live - It is 3013, and Orcs are raiding and destroying Dúnedain farms in Eriador. Aragorn sets out to stop the raids. Alternate timeline leading up to the War of the Ring.

This story… During the writing its working title was “the Heap O’Angst”, and I’ve also been known to refer to it as “the story that ate my life”. It took some work to get out of its headspace once it was done. Without giving away too much, it’s an exploration of honour, guilt, redemption, friendship, loyalty. It may also be the best story I’ve written so far.

 As may be obvious, I like writing AUs, both long ones and shorter stories, because they allow exploring different approaches to characters, events and themes They’re also a lot of fun to play with: “what breaks if I change this…?”

 Unto the ending of the world - Dark AU, diverging from the end of the Two Towers: Sauron regains his Ring in Ithilien, and a very bleak world emerges for those who survive the Ringwar to make their way in. 

This is the only still ongoing story in the list. I started it in 2007 and am still writing it. I do actually know how it ends, but I’m a slow writer to begin with, and it’s taking just a bit longer than I expected to get where I want to go – plus I spent some time away from it writing the Heap O’Angst. The basic idea was quite simple, Sauron gets the One Ring, so what happens now? Quite a lot, as it turns out, and not much of it good.

 Elenion Ancalima - Nerdanel wonders whether perhaps it would have been better if Fëanáro had not listened to his father.

 Still standing - Six vignettes from Halbarad's point of view - from the siege of Minas Tirith until the day after Aragorn's coronation

[letsnaththings]

memeage

Tagged by @cairistiona7 - thank you!

tea or hot chocolate | cozy books or Halloween movies | plaid or corduroy | foggy mornings or twinkly nights | orange or black | pumpkin or apple pie | wool or velvet | picking fruit or carving pumpkins | libraries or coffee shops | cinnamon or peanut butter | spooky or cozy Halloween | candles or fairy lights

Do or do not - there is no tag

[letsnaththings]

Memeage...at last

Manuscript word search meme. Tagged by @cairistiona7

Words:  smoke, rain, oak, shiver, neck 

(and I totally could have done it with ‘your’ words, @cairistiona7. The word ‘cozy’ does in fact occur in my fics LOL. Okay, it’s spelled UK and refers to a tea cosy, but it still counts)

And just because I’m feeling special, all the words are from the same fic, Unto the ending of the world (here at AO3 - heads up: it’s AU, and it’s mostly rather dark) ...

smoke: Ch. 7 Retreat: Briefly going up to the top of the wall, Denethor found that the Second Circle was a confusion of fire and smoke, with the dark silhouettes of the Enemy's forces moving about between the burning houses. Beyond thick screens of smoke nothing could be seen of the First Circle and the outer wall.

rain: Ch. 8 Escape: At least there was enough firewood lying around, Elrohir saw, though he doubted it would burn in this rain. He resigned himself to a cold and wet night, though it did appear that not all were so inclined. He watched as Halmir attempted to coax a fire from some of the less damp wood he had collected.

oak: Ch. 20 Captain: They crossed the village's main square towards the road that led to the Pony. Halbarad glanced at the great oak tree that stood there, then looked closer. Was that... ? Yes, there were two bodies dangling from one of its branches.

shiver: Ch. 21 Ashes: "No, indeed, nor can it be, for Mandos' heart will not soften a second time, and my Beren will not be returned to me." She took a deep breath and took his hands in hers. A shiver ran down Elrond's back as he looked at her face. "Fear not, Father, I will not leave without bidding thee farewell."

neck: Ch. 29 Feast: As Éowyn and Elfhelm stepped forward, Erkenbrand wondered what they would find. For his own wedding, everything had appeared undisturbed; it had not been until he and Leofgyth undressed and got into bed that they found that the mattress had been covered with stinging nettles. He glanced at the hobbit who was craning his neck in anticipation, then quickly looked back to see for himself as the door opened.

Anyone who wants to do the meme: do or do not, there are no tags

The new words are: music, water, glass, speed, shoe.

[letsnaththings]

GNU PTerry

Mods are asleep, post Terry.

[letsnaththings]

get to know you better tag!

Tagged by @cairistiona7 Thank you!

Do or do not. There is no tag.

Favourite time of year: mostly spring and autumn, though the other two have their nice parts as well.

Comfort food: umm, food?

Do you collect something: I have an almost-embarrassing number of editions of LotR etc, and a bunch of Funko bobbleheads, but I don’t really collect anything - I’m turning into not-quite-a-minimalist-but-close-to-it in many ways, so the urge to fill up the house is getting smaller and smaller.

Favourite drink: tea, coffee, water, wine, etc. Each at their own time. 

Favourite song/current favourite song: not really anything at the moment 

Favourite fic: I read very little fic at the moment so couldn’t name anything semi-current that really stands out for me

Oh dear, I’m becoming boring LOL

[letsnaththings]

Post the last line you wrote and tag the same number of people as words.

Tagged by @cairistiona7 Thank you!

There is no tag. Do or do not.

My last-written line is:

Elves. Elves in Bree… what is the world coming to?

[letsnaththings]

shuffle your playlist. list the first 10 songs then tag 10 people - do or do not there is no tag

Tagged by @cairistiona7 thank you!

Goober peas - the Kingston Trio

Uchir uchir - Yulduz Usmanova

Battlefield - Blind Guardian

Space Oddity - David Bowie

Bluesman - Cuby + Blizzards

The Dublin Jack of all trades - the Dubliners

Little Fury - the Breeders

Pretty Boy Floyd - Joan Baez

Sir Patrick Spens - Fairport Convention

Old time - Nick Cave, Warren Ellis

[letsnaththings]

rWIPs, WIPs, Literally Everywhere WIPs…

Rules: Post the names of all the files in your WIP folder regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them and then post a little snippet of it or tell them something about it! And then tag as many people as you have WIPs. I have deemed that this isn’t just for writing either. Sketch titles? Comics? DnD campaigns? If you have an unfinished project, it counts!!

I was tagged by @cairistiona7 Thank you!! (I think...)

Do or do not. There is no tag.

Only two WiPs at the moment, both Middle-earth:

Unto the Ending of the World

The No-Kallabeth

[letsnaththings]

[letsnaththings]

i dont think you get it. 1980 was twenty years ago. 1990 was 10 years ago. 2000 was 10 years ago. 2016 was two years ago. 2018 was also two years ago. 2017 was last year. 2014 was four years ago. do you understand me now?????

[letsnaththings]

“So this jackass in the Guardian (what “Butcher” Bill Cutting might have described as ‘a periodical of note’) kicked off a tiresome sneer at Sir Terry Pratchett’s books (and fans) by proudly stating that he hadn’t actually read any of them. This was of course a clear signal that we should all ignore absolutely everything this chellovek has to say, about any subject, ever again, but I guess some people also took the cue to wonder out loud whether he had a point about Pratchett’s work not being great literature. And I guess I just can’t let well enough alone. I don’t really know what makes great literature. Mostly I like books about soldiering, the commission and investigation of crimes, strange new worlds, and people fighting monsters. I can tell when a writer knows his craft, and when he’s got higher matters on his mind, whether a story is well told, and whether the language was elegantly or cleverly deployed. How much any of those things matters is up to the reader, and varies by mood. I don’t know if Pratchett ever wanted to write great literature, or ever thought he had. I do feel pretty sure in saying that any grading of literature that cuts Pratchett out of the top also cuts out Wodehouse, and that any scale that doesn’t pay homage to really immaculate jokecraft that deploys language with the same precision John Donne used for poetry is of no use to me. More, though, while they don’t take any effort to dig up in the manner of more challenging literature (which absolutely has value as well; sometimes you need something in your diet that you really have to chew) there are powerful nuggets of truth in even the most trivial of the man’s books. There are thoughts expressed in the Discworld that hit me with the power of spiritual revelation. Carpe Jugulum. It’s an unabashed goof on the conventions of vampire stories, in particular the Hammer Films Dracula pictures, with some very sharp jabs at modern tradition-flouting vampires for good measure. It’s also a book about the real ugliness of tyranny that tries to disguise itself as progress and benevolence. And it’s about a young man’s faith being tested, found wanting, and ultimately reforged. One of the most important pieces of theology I’ve ever picked up comes from Granny Weatherwax: the root of sin is treating people like things. In many ways, I’m Mightily Oats, which means nothing if you haven’t read the book, but means a terrible lot to me. All of which is to say that there are a lot of different ways to measure the greatness of a piece of literature. One of them is how hard it hits you.”

— Brad Ellison 

[letsnaththings]

Yay for the validation and kudos to Chloé Zhao, but... “Livejournal, an old blogging site”?

Chloé Zhao, who just won an Oscar for best director, writes fanfiction.

That's the kind of validation I needed in my life. Thank you, ma'am.

[letsnaththings]

Comfort Book meme

Got memed by Cairistiona7... makes a change from only logging in to report a pr0nblog LOL

My comfort books - I could only think of two, so just imagine that this is a top 5...

- Tolkien: Lord of the Rings

- Zelazny: the Amber series

Also, do if you like - there is no tag...

[letsnaththings]

I’m not saying “don’t donate,” but DO read up on it a bit more before you do: https://twitter.com/moor_north/status/1334250637874360320

The stated plans for a cultural centre mean the house will NOT be open to visitors who aren’t taking one of their courses. Besides, the house is a Listed building (i.e. has some protection as a monument), chances are they won’t even be allowed to do the things they promise about a flet in a tree or a hobbit home in the garden. And there’s no money back option if they don’t make it or change their plans, since they’re not going through one of the acknowledged crowd funding sites

Project Northmoor: Save Tolkien’s Home

With the home of J.R.R. Tolkien at 20 Northmoor Road now up for sale, LOTR stars and fans have launched a campaign to preserve it as a literary centre honouring Tolkien’s life and work.

From the Project Northmoor website: 

J.R.R. and Edith Tolkien moved into 20 Northmoor Road with their young family in 1930. It was here that J.R.R. Tolkien wrote The Hobbit, which he had begun as a bedtime story for his children, and followed that with another unexpected journey. That book became The Lord of the Rings. 

Unlike other writers of his stature, there is no centre devoted to Tolkien anywhere in the world – we seek to change that. Our vision is to make Tolkien’s house, not a dry museum, but a homely house of continuing creativity, inspiring new generations of writers, artists and filmmakers. The house will also have an engaging online presence to bring into the house’s programme those who cannot travel to Oxford. 

If the house is secured for Tolkien fans, it will be renovated so that the guest can experience what it would have been like to call on the Professor in 1940. Upstairs the bedrooms would reflect the cultures he invented and the garden would be restored to a beauty of which the inventor of Sam Gamgee would be proud. 

IF WE RAISE:

£4 million ($5.4 million USD) – we can buy the house.

£4.5m ($6.1MM USD) (For another £500 000) – we could renovate it into a homely house Tolkien would recognise and restore the garden.

£4.6m ($6.2MM USD) (For another £100 000) – we could establish a fund for bursaries to help those from a low-income background come to the house for one of the creative courses or special events.

£ 4.7m ($6.3MM USD) (For another £200 000) – we could build a hobbit house at the end of the garden.

£4.8m ($6.45 MM USD) (For another £200 000) – we could build a flet in Tolkien’s tree and Smaug’s lair for pipe smokers.

We can help create the first centre in the world dedicated to Tolkien. Donate here:  https://www.projectnorthmoor.org/donate 

“We will only succeed if we all do this together as a fellowship.” – Sir Ian McKellen

[letsnaththings]

World with out words

A voice in the void

[letsnaththings]

The depictions of Aragorn as an unwashed, dirt-eating, off-the-grid backpacker become much better when you realize that he was raised by Elrond, by all accounts the most civilized, refined, and genteel person on the known continent.

The hobbits had just gotten used to seeing him eat uncooked rabbit and suddenly he’s sitting at Elrond’s table, speaking three kinds of Elvish and using the correct fork for every dish!