curiouswombat: (snowflake)
curiouswombat ([personal profile] curiouswombat) wrote2014-01-08 09:46 pm

Snowflake Meme.

Day Six said "share a book/song/movie/tv show/fanwork/etc that changed your life".

I found this quite difficult - everything I read probably makes my life a little different to how it would have been if I hadn't read it.

Finally I chose Lord of the Rings not for any of the reasons you might expect.



My reading had been anything I laid hands on as a child - books my grandmother won at school, the Biggles books and adventure stories passed on from the son of my father's friend, James Bond books of Dads, modern classics from my English teacher, lots of fiction from the school library. But there was no fantasy in it at all.

At university someone in the Chaplaincy took a copy of The Fellowship of the Ring from a cupboard and suggested I might enjoy it... He was absolutely right. I set off to absorb as much fantasy as I could get my hands on.

Some 12 years later I met S2C on a blind date. He not only read fantasy but played D&D. And I knew what he was talking about, loved some of the same books, wanted to learn to play D&D. And so the person who suggested I 'might like this book' actually set the foundations for my marriage. Pretty much defines something that changed my life I think!



Day 7 said create a fanwork. A drabble, a ficlet, a podfic, or an icon, art or meta or a rec list. A picspam. Something.

That was easy - I wrote a drabble for the current challenges at Tolkien Weekly - Which is here - and I'll post it on my journal when I have finished the current challenges, as it is part of a set.

Day 8 is today. This is really difficult. It says create a love meme for yourself. Let people tell you how amazing and awesome and loveable you really are.

Mu first reaction was 'Oh no, I couldn't possibly!' But the challenge also says this kind of emotional bravery is really inspiring... Sometimes it's the hardest thing in the world.

And many of my friends doing the challenge have girded their loins and posted this one on their journals.

So feel free to regard this post as my Day 8 'love meme'.

Although I still feel embarrassed asking people to tell me why they are my friends - so in true Brit fashion do feel free to skip on by! But, as [livejournal.com profile] just_ann_now said A word or two, please? Just so we can check the box?
ext_15194: floral background with hobbit's journal written diagonally across the front (Default)

[identity profile] hobbituk.livejournal.com 2014-01-08 10:09 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh you are so brave... we Brits don't deal with praise well at all!

I have you on my flist because I enjoy your posts, you take wonderful photographs and manage the photoscavenger community with grace and style and even when people (me) don't keep up, you support not nag.

I love the fact that you have seamlessly integrated Dawn into the LoTR world, and have even brought my woobie Spike through to be her friend.

And you are brave, loyal and always inspiring.

*hugs*

[identity profile] azalaisdep.livejournal.com 2014-01-08 10:18 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm your friend because you are such a cheerful, stoical, optimistic person that it always makes me feel better to read one of your posts or to get a comment from you. You give such a lot to your family and your community, and to your online friends (even if we can only salivate enviously at the baking pics!)

And, of course, because you're a fellow Pervy Elf Fancier (even if we ultimately prefer different elves - means we don't fight over them!)
Edited 2014-01-08 22:18 (UTC)

[identity profile] curiouswombat.livejournal.com 2014-01-08 10:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh -now I iz all embarrassed - thank you!

[identity profile] curiouswombat.livejournal.com 2014-01-08 10:43 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you! I wish someone would work on a way of sending cake over the internet - it would be so much more useful than a 3D printer.

Your personal Elf is very fanciable - if ever you mislay him you will know where to look :)

[identity profile] clodia-metelli.livejournal.com 2014-01-08 10:55 pm (UTC)(link)
I always enjoy your posts: I love your photos, I like hearing about life where you are, and I'm pretty sure I've used at least one of your recipes (cider and orange cake? it's been a while...)

[identity profile] velvetwhip.livejournal.com 2014-01-08 11:09 pm (UTC)(link)
How can anyone with a tag for hedgehogs not be awesome-in-a-jar? Plus - Jane Austen? Great taste there! At any rate, you are super fab and interesting and all sorts of other lovely adjectives.


Gabrielle

[identity profile] just-ann-now.livejournal.com 2014-01-08 11:12 pm (UTC)(link)
I love your writing, but even more than that, your photographs - I've got so many of them here on my hard drive as part of my screensaver rotation. They are glowing, uplifting, inspiring, and just fill me with joy every time I see them.

I'm so glad we had an opportunity to meet! That London Meetup was one of the best days ever, and I hope we can do it again sometime!

[identity profile] pondhopper.livejournal.com 2014-01-08 11:19 pm (UTC)(link)
You're just a lovely person...and anybody who loves a camera as much as I do is tops in my book.
;)
I do love your posts and how you seem to love life, your family and your Island also...
:)

[identity profile] curiouswombat.livejournal.com 2014-01-08 11:24 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you! And yes - that is one of mine. Actually it's one I haven't made for a while... must buy cider at the weekend!

[identity profile] curiouswombat.livejournal.com 2014-01-08 11:25 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you! How lovely of you to visit!

[identity profile] curiouswombat.livejournal.com 2014-01-08 11:26 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you! It is really cool to know that you see my pictures on your screen saver.

We really must meet up again, all of us, it was such an excellent day.

[identity profile] curiouswombat.livejournal.com 2014-01-08 11:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you - I am getting all embarrassed now!

I love all you photos of your travels, too.
gillo: (You rock)

[personal profile] gillo 2014-01-08 11:45 pm (UTC)(link)
I am forever grateful to LJ that I met you through it. You are a terrific woman, great fun in person, an interesting writer of fact and a very talented storyteller.

And incredibly brave to post this. It's so painfully unBritish!

[identity profile] dougalsservant.livejournal.com 2014-01-08 11:47 pm (UTC)(link)
What to say? I can't say nothing!
What did I see over 40 years ago?
You had, and still have, seeming boundless enthusiasm; I once joked to A. that you were anaerobic (sorry, in-joke) but I think all I meant was that your enthusiasm bubbled over so much.
You were quite as bad as me for only wanting to go to those lectures and labs where we were well taught. Do you remember writing up the Chemistry labs we hadn't done as the requirement was to write up and submit, but nothing about attending?!
You are loyal and kind and love cats. I remember my Tygger and Tiny "nursing" you when you were poorly - I don't suppose you still have the photos?
I think it's great that technology makes it easier to keep up to date, although I do still rather enjoy a "real" letter.
I have so much enjoyed reading your fic since you introduced me to LJ - and I am so impatient for the next update. Hint!
I love comparing "your" island with "mine".
I still use your recipes and your mothers - I wonder how they have evolved?
And finally I can't wait for our 60th celebrations, even though A. and I are making you start to celebrate 6+ months early.
D

[identity profile] sparrow2000.livejournal.com 2014-01-08 11:50 pm (UTC)(link)
As others have said, I love your photos, your details of every day life, the fact that you wrote one of my favourite post-Chosen Xander fics and that you are cunning enough to know just how to tempt me to think about reading a LotR crossover *g*

I also love the time and effort you put into writerconuk, even though I don't get to go very often, that kind of dedication is what keeps fandom going and I can appreciate it, even from afar.

And if that weren't enough I think you and S2C are just great together.

But yeah, I had difficulty with this one as well - it's definitely the Brit thing :)
shirebound: (Default)

[personal profile] shirebound 2014-01-09 12:04 am (UTC)(link)
My reading had been anything I laid hands on as a child

I had the same experience. I'm so glad I grew up in a house filled with books of every size and genre.

I love the pictures you post, and the bits of your life you share with us. And I'm still chuckling over... "we just sung a song about it. Mary laid him in the manger. So what happened to the shell?"

[identity profile] chaotic-binky.livejournal.com 2014-01-09 12:12 am (UTC)(link)
Us Brits do find this sort of thing embarrassing. Let's give it a try, in spite of my red cheeks lol - I like your posts, the glimpses into your daily life, your recipes and your general niceness :)

Skipping off now lol
Edited 2014-01-09 00:12 (UTC)

[identity profile] lindahoyland.livejournal.com 2014-01-09 12:30 am (UTC)(link)
I love your drabbles, especially those about Eldarion and his Governess and I love your photos and your accounts of your life. It is like paying a visit to the Isle of Man.

I read everything I could as a child too including my Mum's school prizes.
Edited 2014-01-09 00:31 (UTC)
jerusha: (Default)

[personal profile] jerusha 2014-01-09 01:35 am (UTC)(link)
You are awesome! I love your posts about where you live, and that you share pictures frequently. It's so nice to get a window into another area of the world. And your posts are always so interesting.

[identity profile] engarian.livejournal.com 2014-01-09 02:29 am (UTC)(link)
Well, I posted Challenge 8, along with so many of my much braver friends. I have truly enjoyed getting to know you over the past few years. We're very different people, but I think if we ever had a chance to meet, that we would easily talk and talk and talk some more. My life is enriched because of you and other LJ friends who weren't even in my wildest dreams as few as ten years ago.

- Erulisse (one L)
I'm so lucky!

[identity profile] samtyr.livejournal.com 2014-01-09 03:58 am (UTC)(link)
I love your writing and your photos both. But I am also fascinated by your posts about life on the island -- it is so vastly different from anything I know. I hope one day I will be able to visit there. :)

[identity profile] thismaz.livejournal.com 2014-01-09 06:36 am (UTC)(link)
As others have said, I love you posts - the wonderful photos, the details of life being well lived. Reading your posts always leaves me feeling good about the world.
You have been doing [livejournal.com profile] writerconuk for so long and so very well. I admire your staying power, tremendously.
Plus, in person, you are such a very nice person to know.

ETA: oops, correction to tag.
Edited 2014-01-09 06:37 (UTC)

[identity profile] curiouswombat.livejournal.com 2014-01-09 08:30 am (UTC)(link)
I am forever grateful to LJ that I met you through it. You are a terrific woman, great fun in person, an interesting writer of fact and a very talented storyteller.

Snap! I reckon I could post the same thing in your journal.

And yes - horribly unBritish -I wanted to go 'Fine - you can stop now!' after the first comment.

[identity profile] curiouswombat.livejournal.com 2014-01-09 08:35 am (UTC)(link)
Oh dear - I am all embarrassed now.

But oh yes, I remember those labs well - you were just better at getting away with it when it came to the end of year exams! Although I think we both ended up doing the right things for us, whereas if I'd passed them I would probably been less happy than I have been by 'crossing the Haymarket' as I did.

I think I have a picture of Tygger and Tiny lying on 'my' bed in your house, but not one with all three of us on it.

And this will certainly be a year to celebrate.

[identity profile] curiouswombat.livejournal.com 2014-01-09 08:38 am (UTC)(link)
Really hard to do this one! Writing a 2,000 word fic would have been easier I think.

But thank you so much for all these nice things - I am beetroot red as I read!

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