Reading THE HOBBIT at the bookstore...

[Gilthalion]

Well, I did it! I read the first two chapters of THE HOBBIT at the Barnes & Noble bookstore in Mobile, Alabama!

I wish that I could report to you that there was a throng gathered for the performance and that it was cheered wildly and the listeners begged me to continue to the very end!

I can't.

(Sigh)

Well, it wasn't so bad. I felt good about the reading. I slipped characters once in each chapter and did not stumble more than a handful of times through about 70 minutes of reading, stopping only for a little water between chapters.

15 minutes beforehand, the fair voice of the Community Relations manager spoke over the PA, promising the new feature, SPELLBINDERS & STEMWINDERS, for the next six weeks, featuring THE HOBBIT. She read the very words I had prepared six weeks before for the publicity that went out.

I never had very many listeners at a time. Advance publicity had been slim, but there was lots of interest. Six weekly performances of about 90 minutes each would give every one at least one opportunity to sit in.

A young boy was there half an hour ahead of time, waiting eagerly. He earnestly told me that he had been abused by his alcoholic father, locked away in his room in Georgia for many months with little human contact and nothing to do. He had a number of the Goosebumps! books, but had soon read them through many times.

He found in the closet, a box with a number of old paperback books. A small brown book with crisp crackly brown pages entitled THE HOBBIT became his favorite book in the whole world.

He stayed until about halfway through the second chapter, when he had to leave. I thought he would only be gone a moment for he quietly said, "Excuse me" almost inaudibly and got up and walked away. He did not come back and I did not get to get his address, though before the reading I did talk to him of all the friends he might find on the internet who loved Middle-earth, too. I told him of THE LORD OF THE RINGS and urged him to read it one day. I wish I knew who he was...

A silver haired man came a little late and left a little early and returned to ask for me after I left. He told the store he would be back next week. A young lady came and sat. Two or three young fellows also stopped in briefly.

The frappacino machine in the coffee house on the south side of the store could be heard occassionally. The xylophone in the children's section on the north wall was an irritant that will be covered next week.

It is a large store and I was on the east wall. The entrance is on the west. I was not much distracted and was only dimly aware of the folks coming and going, lingering in the aisles, shushing small children, and otherwise going about their business.

For many folk, I was just ambiance. A more or less pleasant voice, slightly amplified, from the back of the store, reading a work of fantasy.

The booksellers expressed that they wished they could walk away from their posts and not be distracted by their duties. A woman who had to leave told an employee that she was enjoying the reading and the xylophone had gotten on her last nerve! I never saw her...

For the last twenty minutes or so, there was just one person in the chairs nearby, a girl in her tweens, reading along in a book as I read.

I finished the second chapter with Thorin's thanks to Gandalf, stepped off of my stool, took a sip of water and looked at the young lady. She never looked up from her book. It was not THE HOBBIT.

I went to the restroom and then walked out of the store. There were a few eyes upon me, but no one said a word as I made my way out.

I called my friend once I arrived home and had a glass of Beaujolais in hand. She told me that they certainly wanted me to return and filled me in on all that I could not see, focused as I was on the text before me.

I was a little discouraged. I thought that perhaps half a dozen or so would be there pretty much throughout and another half dozen in and out.

A serial reading of an entire novel is an entirely new venture at this store, and we expect things to pick up. It was the weekend after Labor Day, and folks are adjusting to school. We have begun the work and we will finish it. I'm not sure if I will have the heart to do THE LORD OF THE RINGS in January if this is not more successful week to week.

Still, I think of the folks lingering in the nearby ailses, listening intently to the children's story from their concealment, and of that pale young boy, and of what Middle-earth meant to him.

And doesn't it mean a little something like that to us all?

I will finish the job.

[anduin]

Wow.....great description! It was like I was there myself. Too bad more people did not show up, but hopefully more will come next week. The tale of the boy is amazing.....how terribly he was treated, but how wonderful that he found that book. Maybe he will show up next week and you can talk to him more.....find out if his situation has improved any. Maybe you could sorta be a Big Brother to him or something......... :)

I will be waiting to hear how it goes next week. Man, how far is it from Louisville to Mobile?? ;)

[Gilthalion]

He lives in Pensacola, Florida now, and may or may not be able to come back. I hope whoever is now caring for him will bring him around again. I wish they had let him stay!

I guess I could've written a somewhat more victorious report, but that wouldn't have been real. The reality was both more discouraging and more gratifying all at once than what I had expected.

But that's life, isn't it?

[Eruve]

Gil. I've said this before, but I'll say it again... If I lived anywhere near enough, I'd be there! Maybe you should find a way to take your gig on the road!

[Shanamir Duntak]

Yeah, take the show up North! :p

[Gilthalion]

And what a show that would be...

The entire HOBBIT reading will take 6 weeks averaging 90 minutes per section. About 9 hours total reading.

I could conceivably do it in a long day. Or over two days.

Maybe at a convention or something. (Not that I have ever been or have ever intended to go to one.)

THE LORD OF THE RINGS would be impossible to do like that!

Maybe excerpts with synopsis in between for a long performance. It couldn't be more than about 3 hours with an intermission or two. Hmmmm...

Well, at anyrate, before too terribly long, there will be a nice sized collection of excerpts on GILTHALION'S GRAND ADVENTURES and on THE TOLKIEN TRAIL. When I have a few, I may write a synopsis around these excerpts so that they are all hyperlinked in their proper places within the narrative. I think have enough capacity on my Geocities site for about 12 of these in all, and I can find more space as needed. I'll need to go back and hit some highlights before THE BRIDGE OF KHAZAD-DUM.

I was planning to do THE FIELD OF PELLANOR next, but instead I may do THE BREAKING OF THE FELLOWSHIP. The Mrs and I just finished that and she is very concerned about the whole company now!

[Eruve]

If you get around to doing requests, I think you'd do a really great job with Bilbo's farewell speech!

[Gilthalion]

A LONG EXPECTED PARTY would probably have to be the first (numerically) in the series! (I actually hadn't thought of that. Doh!)

[arynetrek]

i really hope that little boy finds some peace. and that he reads LotR. at least he's found solace in literature, but sometimes that's not enough.

PS - Gil, if you need webspace i might have a few megs on my Geocities site that you can use - my page is mostly writing.

aryne *

[Gilthalion]

Thank you! That is very kind, but we are a long ways (weeks at least) from that! (But don't be surprised if I come knocking at your email...)

[Morkhon]

Well, I'm going to be gone Friday and most of Saturday. Testing a RPG a friend and I made and some other stuff so I just want you to break a leg on your next reading and I can't wait to hear how the second installment goes.

Oops, I should have realized what I did considering some of my close friends are in theater. Thx Anduin.

[RovingTurtle]

Gil just wanted to say I think its great you reading it at book stores. Im like pshyced for all the people who get to listen to you. I dont know you but I can just picture you sitting there reading this book to people. AWESOME MAN AWESOME!!!! I wish somebody read it to me when i was younger. Great stuff and congrats on being part of something so cool.

[Gilthalion]

One of my talkshow listeners told me today that he had stopped by the store during my reading, and came back by after I left.

He confirmed that adults generally did not want to sit and listen to a children's story...

...at least, not where folks could see them! He malingered, skulking about the aisles, not taking a chair.

Hah! :D

[Gilthalion]

The silver haired man did not return. Nor did the little boy.

This week, a friend of mine, a geneticist at St. Jude's, was in town, so he stopped in and sat through the entire reading. We started with Chapter III, A SHORT REST, read Chapter IV, OVER HILL AND UNDER HILL, and finished with Chapter V, RIDDLES IN THE DARK.

There were two mothers, who sat with their children, six in all, I think, through the entire reading. Many folk, including the store staff, would drop in and sit for a brief moment or two. Sometimes there were not seats enough.

The children were young, from 5 to 9. The boy fidgeted around a lot, but was listening intently all the same. The girls read along at times. The littlest just sat staring, transfixed by the story.

I had to catch them all up, since none were there for the first reading. All promised to be there for the next. Afterwards, the store's Community Relations manager told me that several folks stopped her and asked if this would be a regular feature. A mother promised to bring her children next week.

My friend especially enjoyed Gollum, as did the children. They laughed aloud at the interplay between Bilbo and the dwarves and between Bilbo and Gollum.

The oldest girl promised that she would go back now and read the whole thing right up to where we stopped! The mother told them that I was in radio (the boy asked if I had ever read in the store before, and I said that this was my first book). The little girl afterwards wanted to listen to my talk show and persisted until she found a pencil in her mother's purse so that I could write the radio station down on one of my cards. (I had come without pen.)

I was quite happy with the reading. It lasted from 3:30 to 5:00 with only two short breaks for me to have a sip of water. I bobbled just a couple of times and did not slip characters even once this time. It was much more fun with children gathered round with their mothers.

The xylophone was also hidden away. :)

All went well, and we talked with growing confidence about reading the entire LORD OF THE RINGS beginning in January!

[Morkhon]

Congrats on the much better response this time.

[Shanamir Duntak]

I'm glad for you it went better this time... Try to have more chairs next time! :p

[anduin]

Gil, I love reading how things went at the bookstore! The way you describe it is wonderful......I wish I could be there to see it all unfold, watch the little ones get all in to it. Can you imagine the influence it is having on these kids? It is just great! Hehe, maybe you should mention the little girl that asked for the pencil on your show...she would probably get a big kick out of that. :) Can't wait until next Sunday's update.

[Gilthalion]

Thanks, all!

I would rather have the staff hopping to get more chairs than to have lots of empties before me! :p

I am wondering how children will take to THE LORD OF THE RINGS? Some of it could be tedious to young ears. THE COUNCIL OF ELROND is a two hour read. It is like sitting in a war council, something quite engrossing, but perhaps too difficult for young ones.

I don't want to sell them all short, however. Some are oh-so-bright!

Hopefully, by then, we will have a little more of a reputation on Saturday's and be able to draw from a large enough pool of interest that there will be plenty of older kids (and adults!) who will want to be there more or less regularly.

[Elanor]

Wow, that's great, Gilthalion! You know, I read the Hobbit to my family on a car trip about 4 years ago, and they loved it. I had a heyday making up strange voices and accents for Smaug, the dwarves, elves, goblins, Beorn, etc... One of my dreams (I have too many) is to read stories out loud to people who would appreciate and enjoy it. What do you think the chances are of an inexperienced college sophomore getting to do something like that? I've been thinking of reading to people in a hospital or rest home, but I wouldn't want them to have to listen to me involuntarily...

Anyway, keep up the good work and help some people get to know Middle-Earth!

[Gilthalion]

That was a long car trip! It takes me about 9 hours to read the thing continuously, (which I've never done).

I just called the bookstore and asked! (Of course, they knew me from radio and from plays, so I had an edge. But I'll bet it's not all that hard. Many of them have reading programs and would love to have some talent come in and help! It might not be all that difficult.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained!

You might try the library as well.

The public schools are always looking for this sort of thing.





And tell the truth...

...you don't really care if the audience is captive or not,

[anduin]

Many Stage One (the theatre where I work) employees go into schools once a week and read to the kidos.

[Fat middle]

i think you'll need some especial effects for the Council of Elrond: a broken sword, a ring, some fireworks... that could help for keeping the attention of the kids.

[Gilthalion]

I may need to find good illustrations and download them and print them for display as we go along. (The little hobbit pictures himself striding through the bookstore with a sword, scattering the timid bookish customers as he swaggers past.) ================================================== ========

Well, I just got back, uploaded the single picture I took today, put on the charcoal, and rushed back to make this post. I had just finished Chapter Six, OUT OF THE FRYING PAN INTO THE FIRE, sipped at my water, set up the camera, set up my shot, set the timer, set myself on the stool and flash!

http://www.geocities.com/robertwgardner2000/read01.jpg

...we were off to Chapter Seven, QUEER LODGINGS! The reading was actually better attended. Some were taking advantage of the intermission. Some teens were sitting on the floor, near where I took the picture.

There were a few others in and out as well. Some were taking a quick break during the intermission.

It was a good thing someone here let us know yesterday was officially Hobbit Day in the USA! That was my ticket to get a radio interview on the city's big newstalk radio station. They estimate about 2,000 or so are listening during the average quarterhour. (EDIT: Now you can hear the interview and reading yourself in streaming RealAudio from either of the websites in my signature!)

During one of the two quarterhours I was on the air, a babyboomer mom had been listening. She so loved Middle-earth that her daughter's middlename was Arwen. So I found, after the reading, when they told me this. Arwen, as I'll call her, for she did not tell me her first name, said she has LotR stuff all over her room and roleplays on some chatrooms. I told her about ENTMOOT of course, and that she could find it on Tolkientrail.com! Bless them, they asked if I was going to read LotR at the bookstore...

(Yes, young men, she is pretty! ;) And no, she is not in the picture...)

[Elanor]

We drove from Portland to St Louis and back. It was long, but luckily we all get along well with each other. I hope "Arwen" comes here!

[Niffiwan]

Gil: I'll offer another webspace offer, even though that's weeks away; I have unlimited space on my account, so if you want me to I'll upload it.

[Hobbit Hood]

I appreciate that, Niffiwan. Eventually, I will run out and then I'll have to rotate on my own webspace! If you want to mirror these things great! Of course, bmilder will also be selecting from these for Rivendell.

I've basically come to the conclusion that I shouldn't put anything on the web I haven't already decided I wanted to just give away!

[Niffiwan]

I have another idea for what my website offer can be used for; you said you will delete the older ones, right? So I can make a website of everything that will be deleted off of your site.

If you want to talk out the details, etc. email me at
Snortimer@crosswinds.net
(yes, crosswinds is my webspace provider. They shut down a lot, but they put no adds on your pages, charge you no money, and give unlimited space)

[Ghost of Gilthalion]

I skipped last week's report... got busy!

I should skip this week's report... not the best.

Last week we had a number of folk, including a young couple from Oxford, Miss, who happened to be in town. The girl wore a one-ring.net t-shirt. They both loved it.

I haven't seen Arwen again. Or the boy who came for the first reading.

This week, Bay Fest (a weekend downtown music extravaganza) was going on. We didn't have a single person sit down for any length of time. The store was largely empty.

A couple of old rednecks stood nearby for about ten minutes, talking loudly about nothing until Nancy came out and stared at them and embarrassing them so that they stopped and left. One wonders what they were even doing there. One other fellow came in and stood nearby for a while and was sorry he had missed most of it. THE HOBBIT was the first book he ever read on his own, in the 5th grade, and that got him to love reading when nothing else had.

Nancy and I talked about January. We may only read excerpts of the Lord of the Rings, as well as other things, on Saturdays. I don't know if we can sustain a 40 week reading.

[Ghost of Gilthalion]

Well, we finally come to the end of our tale!

One mother (who missed last week because she was sick) and her daughter came today. A couple of teen aged girls sat in briefly, grinning when I looked up. A lady in her forties sat in for the final chapter.

Sigh.

The End.

~~~

Nancy talked me into doing a reading of some sort once a month beginning in January.

We decided that next Autumn, we can read FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING prior to the release of the movie. If things work out, we might then read THE TWO TOWERS and THE RETURN OF THE KING each Autumn before the corresponding cinematic release. We will probably go to a one hour or so weeknight performance, too.

That's all folks!

Now, I promise to get back to my Tolkien fan novel and I'll record some new RealAudio readings soon!

[Shanamir Duntak]

YEAH! :p

[anduin]

It makes me happy that you finished! Congrats and well done. :)

[Xivigg]

Well done

hip hip hourahh

I wouldn't have been able to do it
you are now one of my idole :)

[Shanamir Duntak]

He was my hero as soon as he started reading it!
Hey, Xivigg, get your paws of Gil.. he's MY hero! :D

[Gilthalion]

Now, now! Boys!

I am heroic enough to be EVERYBODY'S hero.

Gilthalion, Lord of the South Farthing, Hero of the Age!






I am Miss Kitty's hero, too!
:p

[Xivigg]

New custom title

Reader of the Hobbit

And Shan he won't be your Heros for a verry long time i'm going to kidnap him so i'll be able to listen to him as often as i'll like

MUAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAH

[RovingTurtle]

Congratulations Gil, I hope you aren't discouraged, thats sorta the gist I got from your potst, if you are DONT BE :)

[Shanamir Duntak]

Hey Gil, I you read part of LOTR next semester, maybe Xivigg and me will get south and pay you a visit... =)

[Eruve]

Now if you two go and do that, I shall feel obligated to go with you as a chaparone. Going somewhere warm in the winter and at the same time being able to indulge my interest in JRRT have nothing to do with it!

[Shanamir Duntak]

Maybe Juntel would like to come too?

[Eruve]

Woo Hoo!!! Road trip!!!!!!
But can you imagine the arguments Gil and juntel are going to get into??? :eek:

[Shanamir Duntak]

Tell Juntel we go 3 days then stay 5... He'll have enough time to say everything he planned to :lol:

[Xivigg]

0] And if not we'll bring him back with us :lol: 0]

[Gilthalion]

Well, I was expecting better turnouts. Unfortunately, there just was not enough interests, or I think, publicity, to make it the success I hoped it would be. But, it wasn't a complete catastrophe, and we learned from it. We'll probably change the time to a weeknight evening.

Y'all are certainly welcome to come down. I'll cook spaghetti, shrimp, steaks, etc. (And the etc. is mighty good, too!)

BYOP (Bring Your Own Poutine!)


P.S.
Juntel can debate me on my talkshow! Now that would be entertaining! Actually, we have our own Juntel's down here and they do call in! I prefer a conversational conversation, actually.

P.P.S.
And if you try to spirit me away, you'll have the Mrs to deal with!

[Xivigg]

0] I'm not sure if the Poutine will be that tasty after 3 day's of travel
if any of it is left after the first lunch

As for the Mrs we'll bring her with us (humm we'll be crowed in the cars)

[Eruve]

We can bring the gravy in a can and the cheese curds in a cooler. Gil will only have to supply the French fries.

You know, we could make a really good road trip out of this... We can stop off and pick up Darth Tater, Ben and Tristan, and anduin along the way. Likely others, too. Gil, how would you like a literal Entmoot to descend on you? ;) I suspect we'd have to deal with the Mrs. on that one, too...

[Xivigg]

I'm starting saving money right now
I may not pick up everyone of you but i can visit you all that for sure

[anduin]

Funny that you mention that Eruve. I have been talking to Tater
and Ben forever about getting together as many members possible to watch
The Movie, but I must admit it is the strong curiosity I have to meet
other members. You spend so much time interacting with them
online...on boards and on IM....that you can really get to know someone.
Or at least you think that you know them. But you can never
truly be sure until you meet them in RL and even then you probably
won't REALLY get to know them. There are so many subtleties of a person's
personality that are lost without sight and sound. Some think it's better this
way....it prevents people from prejudging based upon looks or speech impediments. J/K ;)

[Eruve]

Realistically speaking, if there were some sort of Entmoot get together on the east coast, say... Like at Ben's house, LOL, or even Tater's, since that's closer to me, I'd make an effort to go. My parents live in eastern PA, so Ben's area isn't entirely out of the question. I've got relatives in the Boston area, as well...

Of course, we could do a Quebec contingent of Entmoot either in Montreal or Quebec City relatively easily. And if anyone else wants to make the trip up here, well, you'd have a nice vacation in either place. But come in the summer or early fall... Unless you like to ski or want to come to the Quebec Winter carnival, but bring your warmest clothes in that case.

[Xivigg]

Yeah right
and again your warmest cloth might not be enough it's kind of cold here in winter around -15c to -20c in average and sometime it goes down to -30c or even -40c but hey your all welcome :)

[RovingTurtle]

Wow, cold indeed

[Xivigg]

It's not that bad you'll get used to it so when can we expect a visit from you guy's and Gal's ??

[Eruve]

Caribou! That's how they handle the temps. at Winter carnival! (If you don't know what it is, basically, it's human antifreeze. ;) )

[Morkhon]

What about me. I'm stuck out here on the West Coast. And not in bright and sunny southern Cal either. No I get northern Cal where it rains all winter long.

[RovingTurtle]

Morkhon!! Haven't seen you in a while? Ehh I thought the weather in California was nice everywhere

[Morkhon]

Nope, temps in the summer here are around 90-105 F, and in the winter it stay around 50-65 F and rains from about December to May. I've lived most of my life in the Desert so the high temps don't bother me, but I can't stand the rain. I need to get myself a good trenchcoat. Better to hide the shotgun with too. ;)

Yea, the reason you haven't seen me around is because I've been spending alot of time over on Stonedog's Wheel of Time board.

[Eruve]

Morkhon, you're going to have to find some west coast Entmooters to hook up with. Hopefully they'll be in So. Cal. I think etherealunicorn was from there, but she hasn't been around lately...

[Gilthalion]

I think it would be fun to have some sort of get together, but as I read this, I see how impractical it would be!

Still, it will not be long before we all have cheap digital teleconferencing and are able to set up live video chats. Not quite what Anduin is talking about, but it would be a lot closer.

I've got a chatroom set up at Robert W. Gardner's Interests (http://robertwgardner.home.icq.com) if y'all ever want to schedule a chat together.

I'm generally available most evenings after 8:00 PM Central Time.

We've talked about chat's before, and a lot of folk ICQ, but we could start a CHAT SCHEDULE thread in the GENERAL forum if y'all want to schedule one. My experimental link above will be available anytime, I'm sure. I don't have to be there. It runs as a JAVA Applet. (I think.) Access it, hit the float button, and then do whatever you like with your browser.

Hmmmm. Let me just go start that thread and we'll see if anything happens.

[bmilder]

Would you guys want an "official" Entmoot/Tolkien Trail chat on IRC?

A room already exists, I just haven't publicized it...

[Shanamir Duntak]

.... I thought about something.... When (notice I'm not using IF) we get down to Gil's place...How will we take all those people? I don't think your parents will be leaving you the minivan Xiv!!! And the Tercel ain't THAT big... you know we're cramped being 4 in that! And Eruve had a good idea for the poutine... or we could start an Ashton's franchise!!! :lol:

[RovingTurtle]

Yes I'd be all for one

[Shanamir Duntak]

hummmm poutine.... I hope Gil gets elected so I can be his minister of Poutine!
... On another tone, I wanted to eat a poutine at my pavillon's cafetaria but it was closed!!!! :( .... I ate a subway. I'm really, really sad! (Cause it cost me 3 more $ than the poutine would have and was not even as good)

[Morkhon]

Ok, this may sound stupid, but what is a poutine?

[Eruve]

Morkon: Find about about poutine <a href=http://pub2.ezboard.com/fbenjaminstolkienboardgeneralmessages.showMessage? topicID=572.topic>here</a>.

Shan: We can rent a mini van. I have a credit card... and I'm over 25...

[anduin]

ROAD TRIP!!!!! Can I come too? I'll drive up there, and then we can go together. :)

[Morkhon]

uggghhh. I just read what poutine is. How can you eat that stuff?

[Eruve]

Anduin, if you're willing to do that, we just may have a plan. Are you trying to tell us you have a vehicle that's big enough for all of us? Otherwise it may make more sense for us to pick you up on our way down, no? Of course, if you just want to come visit, you're welcome to... Come in the summer; we have a pool (although the water may be colder than what you're used to).

Morkhon, I don't eat poutine, but some of us do...

[anduin]

Hehe, no, I have a small car. We (me and my hubby if you wouldn't mind) would fly to where ever, but it might be fun to all pile into a van and head to where ever we would go. Wait, where did we decide to go? Are we talking of going north or south? Is this get together for The Movie or just for fun? When are we talking of going? Maybe I should read back through this thread. ;)

[Eruve]

I think the original idea was for Shan and Xivigg to drive down to visit Gil this winter, and then I wormed in on it... In all honesty, I can't really just drop everything and go on a trip like that. I do have family responsibilities. I wish I was younger and could just go... But if anyone ever comes to the Montreal area, I wouldn't mind meeting up. I do think a Montreal or Quebec meeting could be arranged for when the movie comes out, although I'll say right up front that I insist on seeing the English version.

[Xivigg]

I to
French traduction are poor, at best, most of the time :)
you stay MTL ???
I got family their next time i go i'll tell you ;)

and if you never taste poutine don't talk agains't it
It's one of the best fast food you can find

[Gilthalion]

One fine day, the Mrs is going to look out of a round little window only to see a bunch of people talking in French and with other Yankee-like American accents, piled in a van, driving slowly up the lane...

[anduin]

As Tater would say: "Run away Mrs., run away!" ;)

[Xivigg]

Do you think she would mind ?????

I mean we don't want to cause trouble even if we say so almost all the time :p

And i can speak english but i speak it as i write it

[Gilthalion]

It depends entirely on what mood she is in when it happens!;) The Mrs doesn't like surprises!

UNEXPECTED PARTIES could lead to adventures and other disturbing things! LONG EXPECTED PARTIES are almost as bad, because then you have to look forward to them, and plan for them. That's how we got married! We just up and told everyone, drove to Florida that weekend, got a license, went out to Sneads, which is past Two Egg, and were married the next day. Adventures should not be planned too far ahead, or happen all at once! Come to think of it, our last/first vacation this past year was just like that. No reservations or anything! We made it up as we went. (Of course we did, uncharacteristically, spend a lot of money, but no more than we had set for ourselves.)

[Xivigg]

WE should find 14 Entmoother to go to Gil place
13 for the dwarves and 1 for Gandalf

After that we can go looking for a big tresurs guarded by a fierce monster :p

with the hobbit cause 13 is an unlucky number

[Gilthalion]

No treasures greater than my pocketwatch and no monsters more fearsome than Miss Kitty, I'm afraid! (Or the dishes in the kitchen!)

[arynetrek]

for awhile i was thinking "wouldn't it be great if people did a lineup for FotR like they did for TPM?" but Entmooters are rather few & far between in the SW states, so i forgot about that idea for awhile. but now that it's been brought up again, having a live Entmoot would be great! for the movie or just for the heck of it!

aryne *

PS - every time i hear the name Miss Kitty it reminds me of my wannabe-Southern-Belle-aunt's cat, a longhaired silver named Miss Lola who gets called Miss Kitty quite frequently.

[Xivigg]

WE will have a lineup :)
maybe not as impressive as the one for TPM but wi'll get one :)

[Eruve]

There are 4 of us from Quebec, so so far, we have a line up of four.

[Xivigg]

I know at least 20 of my friends that will make the lineup

don't worries we will fill the cinema

[Eruve]

I meant four Entmooters... But the more the merrier! :)

[Xivigg]

Ohhh well yeah your right
the Entmooter will not make a very big lineup :)

[arynetrek]

<ent> hoom hum... </ent>

there is a slight change that i'll be able to travel as far as quebec by the opening of the movies, & possibly bring LotR fans along. if serious plans for a lineup get made, do tell me.

if not, TX or Southern US people, i might try to start one down here.

aryne *

[Gilthalion]

You're in Texas? I'm in Mobile, Alabama!

How far is everyone from NEW ORLEANS?

[Xivigg]

Were is that ???????

[anduin]

Excellent idea!!! My favorite place! I am exactly 12 hours away by car. But that is pretty darn far for those up north.

New Orleans in in Louisiana. The farthest south you can get in the US, not including Florida and Texas. :p

[Eruve]

Or Hawaii. :p

[anduin]

Now you're thinkin'!!!

[Morkhon]

Where do I vote in this election at? And who is running for what?

[X Rogue]

I'm in Dallas/Ft. Worth. Can I come along?

[Gilthalion]

You can vote by writing to: bmilder@tolkientrail.com

Please vote today! The election ends TUESDAY!

I, Gilthalion, am running! That's really all you need to know! ;)

But seriously, there are two other candidates, gdl96 and HOBBIT.

[HOBBIT]

i don't think X Rogue can vote in the elections....so stop encouraging newbies, Gil! :p

[Xivigg]

Why can't he vote ???

in our immense generosity we allow admin and moderater to vote and now you are saying that people who don,t post often can't vote ??

[arynetrek]

New Orleans? even better - but that will be hard for all the northern people to get there.

X Rogue - what part of D/FW? i'm from South N Dallas (trust me - if you live there, that makes sense)

aryne *

[HOBBIT]

um Xivigg, have you read the requirements for voting. You have to have posted within the last 2 months. You have to be of hobbit status as of some date ( i don't really remember but you would have to be of hobbit staus several weeks ago) I think there might be another one.....but i can't remember it. I don't think x rouge fits under these requirements, but i could be wrong. But if you want to just throw out all the rules and let anyone vote, I could just round up old members and I would win by a land slide.......I know I'm taking this way to seriously, but someone has too, right? ;)

[X Rogue]

That's ok. I wasn't going to vote because in my *own* opinion, I don't have a clue. :D So nobody fight over me, OK? arynye, I live in Arlington actually. South of I-20. And yes it does make sense.:)

[arynetrek]

arlington - never seem to get down there.

aryne *