#lake webster

[jazzdailyblog]

David Murray: The Revolutionary Voice of Contemporary Jazz

Introduction: David Murray, a towering figure in the world of jazz, has redefined the boundaries of the genre with his innovative approach and virtuosic saxophone playing. With a career spanning over four decades, Murray has captivated audiences around the world with his unique blend of traditional jazz, avant-garde experimentation, and global influences. In this blog post, we will explore the…

[aboutoriginality]

[rabbitcruiser]

The Webster–Ashburton Treaty, signed August 9, 1842, was a treaty that resolved several border issues between the United States and the British  North American colonies (the region that became Canada).

[michael-massa-micon]

Great Blue Heron As we were almost done with our cruise on the Dixie Paddlewheel, we passed a fallen tree near the shore. And perched on the tree was a Great Blue Heron. The second image is much more “proper,” but these birds often spend a great deal of time scratching or preening their neck feathers, so the first image is also a very common image of a Great Blue. MWM

[alignedchiropractic]

Gains of Being Treated By a Webster Certified Chiropractor in Carter Lake and Treynor, IA

An expectant mother needs special care. From the moment of conception to giving birth and months afterward, the new mom has to be looked after carefully. True, the gynecologist will advise the patient but reducing the stress along with several niggling issues that may or may not be natural is essential too. One of the best ways to put the mind and body at ease before giving birth is to opt for care by an experienced Webster certified chiropractor in Carter Lake and Treynor, IA. ​ Well, chiropractic care is quite a popular present. Most individuals believe it is more suitable for pain relief and weak joints. While this notion is true, it is essential to understand that a chiropractor addresses almost all problems in the human body. Pregnancy is not out of its forte either.

The patient and family would be well advised to discuss the matter in detail with the professional before resorting to chiropractic care. The following facts that come to light after such discussions are pleasing to the expectant/new mother and the entire family:-

Webster Technique Well, this is a chiropractic practice that involves adjustment and realignment of the sacrum and pelvic joint. The focus is on balancing the pelvic area's bones, muscles, and ligaments. The would-be mother's pelvic function is thus optimized and remains natural. This technique also helps to reduce the pain felt in the lower back, back of the thighs, and pubis. Almost all pelvic problems are addressed and solved during the extent of pregnancy.

Effect on Labor The intense discomfort and associated pain are addressed suitably by this technique. The chiropractic adjustment of the pelvic joint balances the pelvis and reduces the tension in the ligaments. Failing to do this may result in long and uncomfortable labor that becomes painful as well.

Effect on the Baby Since it is the mother who tries to expel the baby through the birth canal, the baby is likely to be affected, too. The concerned technique can be helpful here too. A perfectly adjusted and balanced pelvis will provide plenty of room for the baby, who remains comfortably snug inside the mother's body. Moreover, positioning the baby's head during the birth process will be natural, with the birth process being easy for both the mother and child.

Best time to consider the Webster technique While there is no specific time to visit a chiropractor, a pregnant woman will benefit when the expert examines her early and provides proper advice. A rule of thumb is to see the chiropractor as often as going to the gynecologist or midwife with complaints that require relief. The certified professional can help the patient as needed, even when the expectant mother chooses chiropractic care during the third trimester.

An experienced sports injury chiropractor in Council Bluffs and Carter Lake, IA, is needed to alleviate the pain and restore full functionality of the injured joints, muscles, and ligaments as required. This may be done in addition to conventional treatment.

[rjptalk]

AUTUMN AT LAKE CHAUBUNAGUNGAMAUG

[mikeladano]

Gallery: Have you ever seen the moon set?

[larrywalk4me]

Alexia Webster, Lake Kivu

[luvhughes43]

is it too much to ask | quinn hughes x reader

luvhughes43 masterlist🌙

summary: missing q when he's on the road! based off the song, "is it too much to ask" by faye webster.

word count: 1.2k

I’ve been waiting for so long

Waiting for you

Maybe you’ll give up and come home

I just want you

you felt a little childish counting down the days till your boyfriend would be back from his roadie. but really, who could blame you? It seemed that recently, with the canucks winning streak and Quinn's captaincy, you’ve seen less and less of your loving boyfriend. 

“Quinn!” you smiled at your grinning boyfriend once the facetime call connected. “What are you doing?”

“Just getting ready to get down to the rink” he replied, throwing his tie over one of his shoulders and using his other hand to pull it around his neck.

Quinn adjusted his tie, and you watch on in silence as he gets himself dressed. his belt comes next, and you stare as he stepped back and adjusted the long piece of leather to his body.

“you’re being quiet,” Quinn mumbled, still too caught up with what he was doing to glance back at his phone. 

you hummed softly. “just admiring you”

Quinn laughed, that carefree ringing sound that reminds you of those endless summer days on the lake. “you’re cute”

when Quinn finally looked up at you, you felt as if you’ve been caught doing something inappropriate. heat nips at your cheeks, and you look away to the stove to distract yourself from his gaze. 

“you look really pretty today,” Quinn continued, missing the redness of your cheeks.

you looked back towards your phone and you can’t help but smile at your boyfriend. “you look really hot! I can't wait to see the HD photos,” you joked. after the walk in photos were posted to the canucks twitter, you would send them to Quinn and comment on how attractive he looked. Quinn liked that a lot. 

Quinn chuckled before leaning forward and clicking on his phone to check the time. he deflated upon seeing the little numbers on his screen, letting you know that your short call would have to end soon. 

“i’ve gotta get down to the bus,” he sighed, leaning back in his chair as his eyes scanned his messy hotel room.

“okay, well good luck! I’ll see you later?” 

Quinn hummed as he stood up from his hotel chair. he held the phone in a low angle and blew a kiss to you through the screen. “Yup, i'll text or call after the game” Quinn said, moving around his room and throwing various things around in an attempt to find something. 

“Your airpods are right there,” you hear Elias mumble in the background. 

Quinn moves again, and without a second thought turns to you before uttering a quick, “love you!” 

“I love you too!” you respond, and then the call abruptly fades into black. 

after the call ended, you trudge over to your and Quinns couch and switch the tv on so you were prepared for when his game started. 

you sit around and wait for the game to start, wishing for nothing more than to spend some time with your boyfriend. you knew captaincy was going to include a lot more responsibilities, but the distance combined with the extra hours at the rink… you just wanted your boyfriend back at home. whenever those thoughts of wanting Quinn to quit and come home to you flooded your mind, guilt would wash over you. hockey was his dream, and in a dream world you would be able to spend a little bit more time together.

All these letters that you wrote

They remind me

You’re not far when you leave home

That’s the best part

as usual, after the game Quinn sent you messages and little voice notes telling you all sorts of things. 

Quinn (voicenote) okay, so basically I was handling the puck, I don't know if you watched this part? But like anyway i’m lining up the shot-

a lot of the time it was Quinns narrations of the game he just played. you would lay in bed and listen to his warm voice explain all the intricacies of his and his teammates plays despite having witnessed it all go down on your screen.

when the voice notes end and you find yourself staring at your dark ceiling, you’d move onto reading the messages he’d send you throughout the day. 

Quinn: The sunset reminds me of you

Quinn sent one image

Quinn: I love you! Sleep well❤️

Quinn: i’ll call you in the morning

Then you’d scroll through old text messages. Brief declarations of love, lots of missing yous, and tens of pictures taken of mundane things that litter both of your everyday lives. 

Is it too much to ask you to never let me go?

Is it too much to ask you to hold me even close?

Is it too much to ask you to never let me go?

Is it too much to ask?

“you're back!” you squeal the next morning, lifting yourself up off the couch and into Quinn's awaiting arms. you snuggle in close, choosing to rest your head in the crook of his neck. you can feel Quinn's wide grin against the side of your neck and you giggle when you feel his lips tickling open mouth kisses all along your skin. 

“we got in earlier than expected,” Quinn replied, lips still hovered over your skin. 

you hummed, “well send my compliments to the pilots”

Quinn kissed your shoulder again, before pulling you into a tight hug. “I missed you,” he sighed. 

“I missed you more,” you replied easily, thinking back to all your late nights spent watching the latest of Quinns interviews. in all honestly, you were practically a twitter stan when it came to your boyfriend. 

“Bath?” 

You nod, “i’ll start running the water” 

five minutes later you sit on the edge of the tub, hand dipped into the scorching water as you listen to the sweet sounds of Quinn trudging and stomping through the apartment. he had never quite learnt how to walk quietly, but you couldn’t say you minded how loud his presence was. 

It’s the road that takes you away

That's the worst part

‘Cause once it takes you, makes you stay

There's no way out

you knew that this was just one of many days off, and that in two week’s time he would be gone again. you’d lay alone in bed, replaying voice memos and rereading texts as you usually do. 

“what are you thinking so hard about?” Quinns soft voice makes you smile. you shift from your place in bed, looping one of your legs over Quinns and pulling yourself closer to him. 

“just you,” 

Quinn nodded. “atta girl” he teases, lacing his fingers through yours. 

you detach your hand from Quinns and rest your palm against his cheek. you brush at his hair, and you let your hand wander down his face as you start tracing circles onto his jawline. 

“i love you,” quinn sighed. his eyes are closed now, fully enjoying your light massages and all of your attention. 

“i love you,” you whispered back, placing a soft kiss on his lips. 

Is it too much to ask you to never let me go?

Is it too much to ask you to hold me even close?

Is it too much to ask you?

Is it too much to ask you?

Is it too much to ask you to never let me go?

Is it too much to ask?

that night, laying in bed wrapped up with Quinn made you realize once again that it was all worth it. even though you desperately wanted to spend all your time with your person, reunions like this were always worth it. 

for the next few weeks you’d bask in the light of his company, and then you’d repeat the process a hundred times over. because in the end, he was worth it every time.

[ardafanonarch]

Hi there! This blog is a very cool concept.

If you feel up to it, I'd like to know where the idea of Maedhros as a diplomat and scholar comes from.

In fic he's often portrayed as such in Valinor, serving at Finwë's court, sometimes being close with Fingolfin, bring into linguistics, etc.

Thank you!

Maedhros the Diplomat (with an Addendum on Maedhros the Scholar)

[~3.4k Words]

Ah, Maedhros. A treasure trove of fanon for our first excavation. As this is also our first investigation of characterisation, let’s establish a structure for talking about characters.

There are two ways that we learn what a character is like from The Silmarillion:

The narrator tells us, either: a. with short, pithy statements (someone is “wise” or “steadfast” or “greatest”) b. with longer descriptions

We deduce character from their actions and their relationships to others.

Using this structure, let’s look briefly as what we know about Maedhros.

1a.

Maedhros isn’t “mightiest in skill of word and hand” like his father or “the strongest, the most steadfast, and the most valiant” like Fingolfin. He isn’t even noted as being particularly good at anything like his brothers Maglor “the mighty singer,” Curufin “who inherited most if his father’s skill of hand,” or Celegorm, Amrod, and Amras who were all skilled hunters. He’s not even noteworthy for any negative traits like Caranthir, “the harshest of the brothers and the most quick to anger.”

Despite being one of the story’s protagonists, and certainly the most narratively prominent of the sons of Fëanor, all Maedhros gets in this category is “tall”[1].

1b.

In this category, Maedhros gets more fully fleshed-out:

[At Lake Mithrim] Maedhros in time was healed; for the fire of life was hot within him, and his strength was of the ancient world, such as those possessed who were nurtured in Valinor. His body recovered from his torment and became hale, but the shadow of his pain was in his heart; and he lived to wield his sword with left hand more deadly than his right had been. The Silmarillion, “Of the Return of the Noldor”

Maedhros did deeds of surpassing valour, and the Orcs fled before his face; for since his torment upon Thangorodrim his spirit burned like a white fire within, and he was as one that returns from the dead. The Silmarillion, “Of the Ruin of Beleriand”

Perhaps one of the most striking descriptions of Maedhros comes from an abandoned alliterative verse poem, The Flight of the Noldoli (=Noldor), published in The Lays of Beleriand and dating to 1925 — about a year before Tolkien first put the “Silmarillion” into a prose format in the annalistic-historical mode of the published text.

... and Maidros tall (the eldest, whose ardour yet more eager burnt than his father’s flame, than Fëanor’s wrath; him fate awaited with fell purpose.) Flight of the Noldoli, lines 123-126

Fire, valour, pain, deadliness, wrath, doom. Taken alone, these passages don’t exactly suggest "diplomat and scholar," yet those qualities are a cornerstone how we often see Maedhros discussed and portrayed by fans. So why?

2.

Maedhros the Diplomat, at least, seems to be based on what he does in canon.

Pausing for a moment, what does it actually mean to be "diplomatic"?

Here’s from Merriam-Webster under diplomatic:

[…]

of, relating to, or concerned with the art and practice of conducting negotiations between nations: of, relating to, or concerned with diplomacy or diplomats.

employing tact and conciliation especially in situations of stress

And for diplomacy:

the art and practice of conducting negotiations between nations

skill in handling affairs without arousing hostility: TACT

It’s worth noting that the first use of the word diplomacy dates to the 18th century (1766) and the concept itself is somewhat anachronistic to the pre-modern world of the “Silmarillion.” However, it’s not difficult to apply the spirit of an “art and practice of negotiations between nations” to First Age Beleriand. We’ll also consider the secondary definition of “tact.”

The Case for Maedhros the Diplomat

Let's look at some times that Maedhros practiced diplomacy and was diplomatic:

1. Waiving his claim to the kingship of the Noldor in favour of Fingolfin:

For Maedhros begged forgiveness for the desertion in Araman; and he waived his claim to kingship over all the Noldor, saying to Fingolfin: ‘If there lay no grievance between us, lord, still the kingship would rightly come to you, the eldest here of the house of Finwë, and not the least wise.’ The Silmarillion, “Of the Return of the Noldor”

Is this an instance of diplomacy? Yes: resolving conflict by removing one’s own claim to a title.

Is it diplomatic? The dialogue seems pretty tactful — demonstrating deference, employing flattery and logic — and is definitely an improvement on Fëanor’s approach to the contested kingship!

2. Brother-wrangling

There are two significant instances of this in the Silmarillion:

resolving conflict

After an argument breaks out between Angrod and Caranthir over Angrod’s authority to act as messenger to Thingol, “Maedhros indeed rebuked Caranthir … But Maedhros restrained his brothers, and they departed from the council…" (“Of the Return of the Noldor”)

Is this an instance of diplomacy? Yes: removing threats to peaceable relations between rulers.

Is it diplomatic? Since we don’t know exactly how Maedhros rebuked Caranthir and restrained his brothers, it’s hard to say how tactfully it was done. Maybe.

removing to the Eastern march

There Maedhros and his brothers kept watch, gathering all such people as would come to them, and they had few dealings with their kinsfolk westward, save at need. It is said indeed that Maedhros himself devised this plan, to lessen the chances of strife, and because he was very willing that the chief peril of assault should fall upon himself. The Silmarillion, “Of the Return of the Noldor”

Is this an instance of diplomacy? Yes: again removing threats to peaceable relations between rulers. Also involves gathering followers. Notably, the strategy seems to have worked for as long as it lasted (that is, until Celegorm and Curufin found themselves in Nargothrond).

Is it diplomatic? Again, unclear how Maedhros executed this plan, but the narrator’s tone here is quite approving so it’s reasonable to assume that it was done tactfully.

3. Remaining on good terms with the other Princes of the Noldor

A few examples of this:

Continuing from the preceding passage, “he remained for his part in friendship with the houses of Fingolfin and Finarfin, and would come among them at times for common counsel.” (“Of the Noldor in Beleriand”)

Is this an instance of diplomacy? Yes.

Is it diplomatic? Yes: extra diplomacy points for taking it upon himself to go to them.

He (with Maglor) attended Mereth Aderthad, the Feast of Reuniting. (“Of the Noldor in Beleriand”)

Is this an instance of diplomacy? Yes, though showing up to the High King’s peace party seems like pretty bare minimum lordly behaviour, not exemplary diplomacy.

Is it diplomatic? We don’t know except through the absence of any evidence to the contrary. Since the Mereth Aderthad was overall a diplomatic success, it’s reasonable to assume Maedhros contributed to that success and stayed on his best behaviour.

He (with Maglor) goes hunting with Finrod. (“Of the Coming of Men into the West”)

Is this an instance of diplomacy? Sure: a leisurely hunting trip with the cousin whose kin you once killed (oops) is a good move.

Is it diplomatic? Again, lacking evidence to the contrary, reasonable to assume Maedhros behaved himself and the trip went off without conflict.

Remaining on good terms in particular with “Fingon, ever the friend of Maedhros” (“Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad”). The anecdote about the history of the Dragon-helm (below), which has it pass from Maedhros to Fingon, additionally attests that these two “often exchanged tokens of friendship.”

Is this an instance of diplomacy? Yes: in particular, the exchange of tokens of friendship between rulers.

Is it diplomatic? Unless we imagine Fingon was himself tactless (which is contradicted by what we’re told about him elsewhere) and their friendship was built around being mutually despicable (see: Celegorm and Curufin), fair to assume this was all done courteously.

4. Making alliances

with the Sindar

We know that many Sindar outside Doriath joined themselves to and followed the princes of the Noldor, presumably including the sons of Fëanor. (The Grey Annals §48 in The History of Middle-earth Vol. 11: The Wars of the Jewels, and elsewhere).

with the Dwarves

In the preparations for the Nirnaeth Arnoediad:

... Maedhros had the help of the Naugrim, both in armed force and in great store of weapons; and the smithies of Nogrod and Belegost were busy in those days. The Silmarillion, “Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad”

Also, from the Narn i hîn Húrin in Unfinished Tales:

[The Dragon-helm of Dor-lómin] was given by Azaghâl to Maedhros, as guerdon for the saving of his life and treasure, when Azaghâl was waylaid by Orcs upon the Dwarf-road in East Beleriand.

Azaghâl then sacrifices himself and his people at the Nirnaeth, making the Fëanorian retreat possible.

with the Easterlings

But Maedhros, knowing the weakness of the Noldor and the Edain, whereas the pits of Angband seemed to hold store inexhaustible and ever-renewed, made alliance with these new-come Men, and gave his friendship to the greatest of their chieftains, Bor and Ulfang. And Morgoth was well content; for this was as he had designed. The sons of Bor were Borlad, Borlach, and Borthand; and they followed Maedhros and Maglor, and cheated the hope of Morgoth, and were faithful. The sons of Ulfang the Black were Ulfast, and Ulwarth, and Uldor the accursed; and they followed Caranthir and swore allegiance to him, and proved faithless. The Silmarillion, “Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad”

the Union of Maedhros

Perhaps Maedhros' most-cited and most famous act of "diplomacy":

Yet Morgoth would destroy them all, one by one, if they could not again unite, and make new league and common council; and he began those counsels for the raising of the fortunes of the Eldar that are called the Union of Maedhros. The Silmarillion, “Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad”

And [Maedhros] gathered together again all his brothers and all the people who would follow them; and the Men of Bor and Ulfang were marshalled and trained for war, and they summoned yet more of their kinsfolk out of the East. Moreover in the west Fingon, ever the friend of Maedhros, took counsel with Himring, and in Hithlum the Noldor and the Men of the house of Hador prepared for war. The Silmarillion, “Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad”

Are these instances of diplomacy? Yes: protecting neighbours, gathering followers, establishing partnerships, forming alliances with other groups of peoples, and organising a major offensive on a common enemy.

Is it diplomatic? Again, absence to the contrary and general success suggests Maedhros conducted himself tactfully in all of these dealings. One thing: I have seen a tendency in fandom to credit superior leadership and diplomacy on the part of Maedhros and Maglor for the fact that their Easterling allies remain faithful while Caranthir’s do not. Maybe; but bear in mind that’s a deduction, not something the text explicitly states.

I am sure there are other tidbits here and there to support the diplomatic ability of Maedhros, but I think we have enough here to conclude the Maedhros the Diplomat is a fanon characterisation with support it in canon.

The Case against Maedhros the Diplomat

So Maedhros was a diplomat; but was Maedhros an exemplary diplomat, as the prominence of his characterisation as such would suggest, or just an average one? Let us look at some of Maedhros’ diplomatic failings.

1. hubris, attempted deception

Look: we can’t neglect that Maedhros is behind one of the most disastrous failures of diplomacy in the First Age — his attempt to parley with Morgoth that ends up getting him captured.

Though not in the published Silmarillion, in the 1937 Quenta Silmarillion, Fëanor with his dying breath tells his sons “never to treat or parley with their foe.” (§88). (Christopher Tolkien drew from a later text, the Grey Annals (1950s), for the account of the death of Fëanor in the published Silmarillion where this command does not exist.) I cannot help but laugh at the fact that following this exhortation Maedhros immediately turns around and attempts to parley with Morgoth and outwit him.

Perhaps diplomatic relations with Morgoth are impossible, but then why accept the offer to parley at all? And what’s up with trying to beat Morgoth at his own game (deceit)? Honestly, Maedhros. Not your best moment.

We can say that he learned from this, but it does put into question the idea that Maedhros’ diplomatic training and excellence go back to his Valinorean days.

2. disdain of and aloofness towards another ruler

We saw how Maedhros restrained his brothers in the council where Angrod brought news from Thingol, but what about how Maedhros himself behaved at that council?

Cold seemed its welcome to the Noldor, and the sons of Fëanor were angered at the words; but Maedhros laughed, saying: ‘A king is he that can hold his own, or else his title is vain. Thingol does but grant us lands where his power does not run. Indeed Doriath alone would be his realm this day, but for the coming of the Noldor. Therefore in Doriath let him reign, and be glad that he has the sons of Finwë for his neighbours, not the Orcs of Morgoth that we found. Elsewhere it shall go as seems good to us.’ The Silmarillion, “Of the Return of the Noldor”

Fandom loves the line and I can’t disagree that it’s an epic mic drop. But was this really the most diplomatic thing to say? In the Grey Annals, it is said that “the sons of Fëanor were ever unwilling to accept the overlordship of Thingol, and would ask for no leave where they might dwell or might pass.” (§48). (Interestingly, there does seem to have been a point, before word of the kinslaying at Alqualondë was out, that Thingol for his part was at least neutral on them, saying, “Of his sons I hear little to my pleasure; yet they are likely to prove the deadliest foes of our foe” (“Of the Noldor in Beleriand”)). Arriving at a new place and refusing to treat with the person who claims kingship of those lands — and apparently for no other reason besides disdain of that person’s ability as a ruler — doesn’t seem particularly diplomatic.

3. not supporting a superior's initiative

We saw evidence of Maedhros cooperating with the other princes of the Noldor, but that doesn't mean he threw his support behind them at every occasion to do so. When Fingolfin — supposedly, thanks for Maedhros, High King and his superior — tries to rally the Noldor to assault Angband, almost everyone was “little disposed to hearken to Fingolfin, and the sons of Fëanor at that time least of all.” (“Of the Ruin of Beleriand”).

This statement is frustratingly vague so I won’t speculate much besides to suggest that there could be something suspect — and undiplomatic — behind failing to support the initiative of the High King to whom you so graciously ceded your claim.

4. Oath-related diplomatic failures (kinslayings)

The extent to which the oath is to blame for events is a sticky issue and not the subject of this analysis, but since fulfilling the oath is essential to Maedhros’ character, it’s impossible to avoid it entirely.

The narrator of the Silmarillion is actually quite generous towards Maedhros when discussing the role of the oath in his failings, so it’s no surprise that many fans are likewise generous.

For example:

I quoted above the passage about Maedhros taking “the chief peril of assault” upon himself and remaining “for his part in friendship with the houses of Fingolfin and Finarfin,” and it is perhaps the strongest evidence for Maedhros’ diplomatic excellence. It also ends with the ominous words: “Yet he also was bound by the oath, though it slept now for a time.” (“Of the Return of the Noldor”)

And when the concept of the Union of Maedhros is introduced, we are told: “Yet the oath of Fëanor and the evil deeds that it had wrought did injury to the design of Maedhros, and he had less aid than should have been.” (“Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad”).

Both of these passages remind us that the oath — a vow to vengeance — is in the long-term at cross-purposes with cooperation and diplomacy.

This becomes especially evident when a Silmaril ends up in the hands of those who should be allies: other elves.

For Maedhros and his brothers, being constrained by their oath, had before sent to Thingol and reminded him with haughty words of their claim, summoning him to yield the Silmaril, or become their enemy. The Silmarillion, “Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad”

The narrator pins this failure of diplomacy on the oath. But, as Maglor will point out in his final moments with Maedhros, the oath does not state how and when they must fulfill it. Is it a mark of a good diplomat to use “haughty” words in making a request? And what about what follows Thingol’s refusal?

Therefore [Thingol] sent back the messengers with scornful words. Maedhros made no answer, for he had now begun to devise the league and union of the Elves; but Celegorm and Curufin vowed openly to slay Thingol and destroy his people, if they came victorious from war, and the jewel were not surrendered of free will. The Silmarillion, “Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad”

What do you mean, “made no answer”? The narrator explains this away by saying essentially that Maedhros was too busy to bother, but is it the most diplomatic to just… stop communicating with the king who had the Silmaril, and whose support would really be quite nice to have in the upcoming war? And what about Celegorm and Curufin’s decidedly undiplomatic threat? Long gone are the days of effective brother-wrangling, apparently. (So far gone, in fact, that by the time Celegorm carries through on his threat and the sons of Feanor attack Doriath, Maedhros seems to have deferred to Celegorm’s leadership.)

The oath is again blamed for Maedhros’ change of course regarding the Silmaril at the Havens of Sirion. Having initially “withheld his hand”:

… the knowledge of their oath unfulfilled returned to torment [Maedhros] and his brothers, and gathering from their wandering hunting-paths they sent messages to the Havens of friendship and yet of stern demand. The Silmarillion, “Of the Voyage of Eärendil and the War of Wrath”

As with the “haughty words” to Thingol, was “stern demand” the most diplomatic approach? Would better diplomacy have made a difference? Well, maybe. I don’t think the discussion between Maedhros and Maglor was inserted into the narrative without thematic purpose — and one of those purposes is, I think, to reveal the slippery space of conflict between obligation and choice; between that which must be done and how it’s done; between the morality of keeping one’s word and the morality of doing the right thing.

Does the oath itself turn an otherwise mild and affable Maedhros into someone haughty and stern? Or are those flaws he already had and which are brought to the fore by the constraint of the oath? Well, examine the evidence for yourself — and allow the imagination to roam.

Final assessment: Maedhros is a good diplomat, certainly compared to his closest kinsmen. But just like Maedhros isn’t the tallest (no, really, he’s not — but that’s another excavation), he’s perhaps also not the best diplomat on the political stage of First Age Beleriand.

[1] If we go beyond the published Silmarillion to the “Shibboleth of Fëanor” (in History of Middle-earth Vol. 12: The Peoples of Middle-earth), we learn that he was a red-head and apparently “well-shaped.” For an author who is notoriously sparse with physical description, Tolkien did seem to have a lot of ideas about what Maedhros looked liked!

Addendum: Maedhros the Scholar

“Diplomat and Scholar” do seem to go hand-in-hand in the fandom’s most popular versions of Maedhros, but I focused on the former for this Ask because there really isn’t much in canon to directly support Maedhros’ skill as a scholar.

The Noldor, as a culture, are loremasters. Fëanor, Maedhros’ father, was one of the most notable of these loremasters, even credited with founding the school of Lambengolmor, Loremasters of Tongues ( in the essay Quendi and Eldar in The History of Middle-earth Vol. 11: The War of the Jewels).

But, when Tolkien gives examples of elven loremasters, who, he says, were also “the greatest kings, princes and warriors,” he names Fëanor, Finrod, the lords of Gondolin, and Orodreth. No mention of Maedhros. And, when discussing which sons of Fëanor took an interest in language, he mentions not the eldest, but Maglor and Curufin. (Both in The Shibboleth of Fëanor.)

So there’s nothing in canon to suggest that Maedhros wasn’t a scholarly type, but it’s not something he’s noted for. His most remarkable trait remains “tall”.

[earlycuntsets]

pt. 1

parts (2, 3, 4)

earlycuntsets.org website sources - where I got all my mcr pictures

first of a series. due to tumblr limits on how many links you can post. this full idea will be continued on future posts. for now here's 2002- 1/2 of 2007. this is pictures. will make a separate post for youtube/recordings.

been needing to fully source my website so here we go! wanted to share with other kool mcr fans.

old fansites/website appearances:

most popular - theimmortalityproject.com

mcr's old website [2002, 2003, 2004, 2005]

magazine scan archive - mcrhollywood.blogspot.com

more mcr flyers here than anywhere - theydrewblood.blogspot.com

gerard pic/interview 2003 - artsucks.com

show pics:

(8/18/2003 & 04/28/2004 washington dc, 08/20/2004 gillette stadium foxborough ma and 06/13/2004 baltimore md) - brokenvoices

(09/13/2004 & 01/21/2005 birmingham academy) - blackvelvetmagazine.com

(rainbow montreal 01/06/2003, kool haus toronto ca 02/10/2003, salle lx montreal ca, 08/25/2003) - junkedcamera.com

(bottom of the hill sacramento ca 1/23/2003) - sacramentomusicarchive.com

I do not know this show, 2003 - idolize magazine

04/03/2004 majestic theater detroit mi - schwegweb.com

05/07/2004 bakersville ca - rocksandiego.com (kira olsson-trap)

10/13/2004 kansas city mo - grrphotography

03/11/2005 taste of chaos cobo arena detroit mi - schwegweb.com

03/13/2005 taste of chaos st louis - grrphotography

03/16/2005 td waterhouse arena orlando fl - jencray.com

03/20/2005 st paul mn - shatterthelens.com

07/16/2005 fairgrounds, salt lake city - trent nelson

08/07/2005 warped tour orlando fl - jencray.com

08/08/2005 warped tour verizon wireless lot charlotte nc - josh hofer

08/12/2005 warped tour tweeter center camden nj - musicmattersmedia.com

11/01/2005 wolverhampton civic hall, wolverhampton england - blackvelvetmagazine.com

03/17/2006 emos austin tx - brooklynvegan.com & andrewkendall

10/26/2006 webster hall ny - dontbescene.com

11/15/2006 nottingham uk - blackvelvetmagazine

1/21/2007 big day out gold coast australia - kylie keene

03/25/2007 cardiff - blackvelvetmagazine.com

07/03/2007 helsinki - deadflowerphotography

flickrs (show pics):

7/25/2003 farmingdale ny - gaelen harlacher

08/16/2003 toronto ca - allfalldownphotography

I do not know this show, 2004 - joel

01/13/2004 night and day cafe manchester uk - tony woolliscroft

04/28/2004 cotton club atlanta ga - mike white

06/15/2004 mr.smalls theater, milvale pa - scapularemix

08/20/2004 gillette stadium foxborough ma - futurebreed

10/26/2004 roseland ballroom nyc - alyssa

01/30/2005 cologne germany - johanna bocher

07/02/2005 warped tour piers, san fransisco ca - laurentertaining

07/06/2005 warped tour pampano beach fl - internetpirateradio

7/28/2005 warped tour quebec city, quebec @ the pepsi colisée parking lot - alec hartman photography

08/05/2005 warped tour st petersburg fl - todd cynic

08/10/2005 warped tour nissan pavillian va - jessica

08/13/2005 warped tour nyc ny - christine natanael

08/23/2005 underworld london uk - sammi hills & lauren siohan

09/02/2005 &09/03/2005 rock in idro milan italy - matteo galli

09/13/2005 station park providence ri - katie o'keefe

09/15/2005 columbus ohio - stacy chambers

09/20/2005 st paul mn - matt birhanzel

10/14/2005 tweeter center camden nj - kristin

03/17/2006 emos austin tx - nicole herbst & allison7821

03/19/2006 recording academy san fransisco ca - james

05/12/2006 sun god festival la jolla ca - sam litvin

08/06/2006 nyc - heather marie ryan

08/25/2006 bramham park leeds uk - dancelike.hell

10/12/2006 virgin megastore london uk - stephen kallao

10/28/2006 & 10/29/2006 voodoo festival new orleans - mandi & voodoo music

10/31/2006 house of blues hollywood ca- veronica murietta

11/09/2006 e-werk cologne germany- sabrina & himychemicalromance

11/21/2006 milano italy - rodolfo sassano

1/24/2007 brisbane austraila - conradpayton

2/04/2007 perth australia - richard giles

03/04/2007 denver co - selene locke

03/07/2007 las vegas nv - heather marie ryan & pamela zabala

03/11/2007 anaheim - scarlet lark

03/21/2007 brighton england - peter hill

04/21/2007 seattle wa - steven friederich

04/22/2007 ft lauderdale fl - heather marie ryan

04/28/2007 williamsburg va - andrew s

05/05/2007 east rutherford nj - maria newman & mimie7981

05/01/2007 toronto ca - liz lulu

05/20/2007 vancouver ca - amy sept

05/21/2007 seattle wa- ciera walters

06/08/2007 leicestershire uk - sara bowrey

06/21/2007 bilboa spain - patriciana

06/23/2007 madrid spain - juan the fly factory

06/24/2007 lisbon portugal - mario guilherme

06/30/2007 hovefestivalen tromoya norway - kim erlandsen

07/08/2007 naas ireland - james quinton

07/25/2007 seattle wa - ciera walters

livejournals:

04/04/2004 bottom lounge chicago il - mechanical_riot

05/11/2004 san francisco ca - from strawberyxlove

01/05/2005 newcastle university england - open_heart_zoo

03/06/2005 daytona ohio - xxmeansyourhxc

03/10/2005 taste of chaos cleveland - dyanna

04/07/2005 barrowland, glasgow uk - elite_cru

part 2 here

[rated-s-for-shenanigans]

band of brothers characters as taylor swift lyrics

dick winters- marjorie. ‘never be so polite, you forget your power/never wield such power you forget to be polite’

lewis nixon- fortnight. ‘i was a functioning alcoholic till nobody noticed my new aesthetic’

carwood lipton- nothing new. ‘how can a person know everything at eighteen and nothing at twenty-two?’

ronald spiers- vigilante shit. ‘they say looks can kill and i might try’

david webster- the lakes. ‘take me to the lakes where all the poets went to die/i don’t belong here and my beloved neither do you.’

joeseph liebgott- mr. perfectly fine. ‘hello, mr. perfectly fine/how’s your heart after breaking mine’

eugene roe- epiphany. ‘crawling up the beaches now/sir i think he’s bleeding out/and some things you just can’t speak about.’

babe heffron- would’ve, could’ve, should’ve- ‘god rest my soul, i miss who i used to be/the tomb won’t close, stained glass windows in my mind/i regret you all the time’

george luz- i can do it with a broken heart. ‘i was grinning like i’m winning/i was hitting my marks/cause i can do it with a broken heart’

joe toye- mastermind. ‘if you fail to plan, you plan to fail/strategy sets the scene for the tale/i’m the wind in our free-flowing sails/and the liquor in our cocktails’

wild bill guarnere- new romantics. ‘we are too busy dancing to get knocked off our feet/baby, we’re the new romantics, the best people in life are free’

donald malarkey- death by a thousand cuts. ‘saying goodbye is death by a thousand cuts/flashbacks waking me up/i get drunk but it’s not enough’

skip muck and alex penkala- champagne problems. ‘how evergreen our group of friends/don’t think we’ll say that word again’

drop any suggestions in the comments! or if you'd like to see some other characters

[smilebackwards]

webgott fic recs

Went into a deep Webgott fic reading spiral and I am here to share the bounty.

Canon Era (War/Post War)

you better learn your lesson yourself by blinkiesays. Alternating war/post-war timeline structure. Just really nicely written.

rivers always reach the sea by bitchbutter @bitch-butter. Every ship deserves a 100k+, fully fleshed out post-series universe written in stirringly lyrical prose and this is the Webgott one.

Kiss It Better by andrealyn @andrea-lyn. Webster is a nurse and Joe is obsessed with marrying her. Webgott blueprint fic to me.

On The Lake by ezlebe @ezlebe. Webster writes a gay novel about his experiences in the war. Joe reads it and says 'what the ever-loving fuck'.

Modern AUs

body language (think we're overthinking it) by distractionpie @distractionpie. They're lesbians, Harold. Genderswap friends-with-benefits to lovers fic of my heart. Fully criminal that this has less than 1,000 hits.

the kind of human wreckage that you love by trill_gutterbug @trillgutterbug. In love. Disastrous at communication. This is exactly how I think they would be in the modern era.

a simple contradiction (could shake my whole foundation) by distractionpie @distractionpie. Insanely cute high school AU.

[the-babygirl-polls]

Babygirl Polls Lineup: Week Eight

Hello everyone! It's been literal months but we've finally made it to Week Eight! Thank you to everyone who submitted their babygirls!

Chinatsu Akakura (Marriagetoxin)

Reze (Chainsaw Man)

Boa Hancock (One Piece)

Power (Chainsaw Man)

Aki Hayakawa (Chainsaw Man)

Denji (Chainsaw Man)

Donquixote "Corazon" Rosinate (One Piece)

Gerry Keay (The Magnus Archives)

Draculara (Monster High)

Bartolomeo (One Piece)

Kasane Teto (SynthV)

ASTERIAN (SynthV)

Giovanni Potage (Epithet Erased)

Ryuma (Monsters)

Senshi (Dungeon Meshi)

Charlotte Katakuri (One Piece)

Wheatley (Portal 2)

Dr. Septimus Pretorius (The Bride of Frankenstein)

Cheng Xiaoshi (Link Click)

John Rambo (First Blood)

Michael Knight (Knight Rider)

Dinobot (Transformers: Beast Wars)

Gabriel (Ultrakill)

Reinhardt Wilhelm (Overwatch)

Zevran Arainai (Dragon Age)

Alear (female) (Fire Emblem Engage)

Dimitri Alexander Blaydid (Fire Emblem 3 Houses)

Apollo Justice (Ace Attorney)

Craig Cuttlefish (Splatoon)

Malleus Draconia (Twisted Wonderland)

Ruggie Bucchi (Twisted Wonderland)

Big Man (Splatoon)

Stanley (The Stanley Parable)

Jon Snow (Game of Thrones)

Joel Fleischman (Northern Exposure)

Itsuomi Nagi (A Sign of Affection)

Daniel de Bosola (The Duchess of Malfi (John Webster))

Leporello (Don Giovanni/Don Juan)

Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader (Star Wars)

Herlock Sholmes (The Great Ace Attorney)

Wen Ning (The Untamed)

Rui Kamishiro (Project Sekai)

Nie Huaisang (MDZS)

Danny Tanner (Full House)

Regina Mills (One Upon A Time)

Rory Williams (Doctor Who)

Dale Vandermeer (Rusty Lake/Cube Escape)

Mr. Puzzles (SMG4)

Sheldon Lee (My Life as a Teenage Robot)

Skoodge (Invader Zim)

[michael-massa-micon]

Bald Eagle - August 2024 One of the day trips at the FROG rally involved a cruise on the Dixie Paddlewheel at Webster Lake. The lake is surrounded by some very impressive homes, but there are also stretches of relatively undisturbed woodland. In one of those stretches, there was a large dead tree at the top of which sat this marvelous Bald Eagle. It was almost as if it was posing for us. I took many images. These are my favorites. MWM

[alignedchiropractic]

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