In Which I Join My Own Party

I suppose it would be a good idea if I answered the questions and joined my own party, huh?  I decided to answer them over on this blog so as not to interrupt the games and such over there.  (So handy having two blogs!)  If you love Tolkien but haven't joined the party yet, the questions are here and the giveaways are here, or you can just go straight to The Edge of the Precipice and see all the games too.

Well, here goes:

1.  Have you read The Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit? If so, how many times?

I've read The Hobbit three times and The Lord of the Rings five times -- I'll be embarking on my sixth read-through on Thursday, when I kick off the read-along on my other blog!

2.  Have you seen any movies based on them?

I've seen Peter Jackson's LOTR trilogy and The Hobbit:  An Unexpected Journey.  All in theaters at least once, and on DVD many times.

3.  Who first introduced you to Middle Earth?

Well, I suppose my mom, because she had me read The Hobbit in high school.  I didn't much care for it, so I didn't read The Lord of the Rings because I figured that if I didn't like reading a couple hundred pages by that Tolkien guy, why would I want to read a thousand or more?  Um, yeah, I was an idiot.  But in college, my best friend Emily and my then-fiance Cowboy insisted I go see The Fellowship of the Ring in the theater with them.  After that first viewing, I went and bought a copy of the book and have been a firm fan ever since.

4.  Who are your three favorite characters?  (Feel free to elaborate on whys.)

Only three?  What kind of a mean person wrote these questions, anyway?  Okay, okay, my three favorites are Boromir, Samwise Gamgee, and Gandalf.

I love Boromir because he's strong, brave, courteous, and kind -- he's like the epitome of the classic knight.  Not only that, but he's possibly the most human character in the whole book.  He's not perfect; he makes mistakes, and he then does his best to atone for his misdeeds.  Takes a big man to admit you were wrong, and he does it.

I love Sam because he's cheerful, reliable, helpful, and faithful.  He has the most interesting character arc in the whole story, going from gardener to warrior, yet still remaining true to himself.  As far as I'm concerned, Sam is the true hero of the tale:  he does what Frodo could not do, gives up the ring of his own free will.  Even Bilbo had to have an awful lot of help to do that.

And I love Gandalf because he's wise, sarcastic, kind, and merciless.  He's a great mass of contradictions -- he has no use for fools, yet he finds a uses for those who can be foolish, like Pippin and Butterbur.  He's a ruthless warrior and also a kindly grandfather-figure.  And he says at least half of my favorite lines.

5.  What's your favorite Middle Earth location?

Rivendell.  I love the woods, so I'd love to live there, with all the trees and rocks and waterfalls.  And, as Bilbo showed, it's a great place to write.

6.  If you could belong to one of the races of Free Folk (Men, Elves, Dwarves, Hobbits, Ents), which would you choose?

Men -- I want to be one of the Rohirrim.  A shieldmaiden, if possible, but if not, just somebody who gets to tend horses and hang out with them all the time.  Yes, I realize that would mean I didn't get to live in Rivendell, but I don't get to live in my favorite Real World place either, so oh well.

7.  Would you rather eat lembas or taters?

Lembas, absolutely.  I hates taters, precious.

8.  If you lived in Middle Earth, what weapon would you prefer wielding?

I'm not very strong or fast, so swords are out.  I'd like a nice bow or crossbow, as I'm a decent shot.

9.  What draws you to Tolkien's stories?  (The characters, the quests, the themes, the worlds, etc.)

The characters, as usual.  By the time I'd finished watching The Fellowship of the Ring for the very first time, I was firm friends with all the Fellowship's members, and eager to spend more time with them whenever I could.  Been that way ever since.

10. List up to five of your favorite lines/quotes from the books or movies.

Oh, here we go again with the limited numbers!  Fine, here are five that I think or say often:

"We may yet, Mr. Frodo.  We may yet." -- Sam

"Go where you must go, and hope!"  -- Gandalf

"Go not to the Elves for counsel, for they will say both no and yes." -- Frodo

"Books ought to have good endings." -- Bilbo

"The wise speak only of what they know." -- Gandalf