The Way of the Wombat

the_winterwitch has just posted a link to the Shakespeare Quote Generator, and it is always worth a whirl. Here is the very first one I got. I liked it so much I thought I'd share because it is fun and also because you might well want a go, as it is quite a while since it was around last time -

Snowflake Challenge Number 12 says In your own space, talk about what you think the future holds for fandom. What are your hopes and dreams for fandom? Do you have any predictions about what the next five years holds for fandom?

A few minutes ago I wrote the following as a comment in lady_branwyn's journal where there were people being all sad and wistful because the Snowflake challenge reminded them that the Tolkien Fandom had a Golden Age in the past, and they miss it. It occurred to me that although it is not exactly an answer to the challenge for the day, it was what I wanted to say. It probably applies to other fandoms, too.



I apparently came too late for this golden age people look back on.

But it seems to me that there are only so many tales most people want to tell - once they've told them they may move on, or just become readers.

However there are new writers coming along with their tales to tell - and the stories those earlier writers told are, for the most part, still there to be read. Therefore the fandom actually keeps expanding as there are probably more stories available to read now than there were back in whatever year was the golden age.

It is a bit sad for those of us who only began writing in this fandom in the past five years or so to find that other people think we aren't as good as those who had already told their tales before we arrived.

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.

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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 just_ann_now said A word or two, please? Just so we can check the box?

In your own space, promote three communities, challenges, blogs, pages, Twitters, Tumblrs or platforms and explain why you love them.

Faerie:An Archive of Tolkien Fanfic which welcomes all sorts of stories, poetry and non-fiction writing, regardless of genre, rating or pairing.' And it has a tumblr-esque shoutbox where you can chat to other members 200 characters at a time, which makes it really friendly.

Twisting the Hellmouth is a fan fiction archive of over 15,000 Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel crossover stories. TtH hosts all genres of cross over fanfic as well as non-crossover stories from both BtVS and other fandoms by writers who archive their cross-over fan fiction there. There are crossovers of all sorts and also non-crossovers as once you post a certain amount of Buffyverse crossovers you can post other stuff. So lots of my stories are there.

tolkien_weekly is a challenge community for writers who enjoy Tolkien and who like to write about his creations. Drabbles on all of Tolkien's writings are welcome here, so long as they fit the week's challenge. Feedback and constructive criticism are actively encouraged. Proper drabbles - where 100 words means exactly that. I have found the discipline of writing drabbles to be very good for me - even helps me write stuff at work! This is a really friendly place, too, and it could do with a few more active members.

Seen on pellegrina's journal -

When you see this on your flist, quote some Shakespeare on your LJ.

So - Shakespeare’s Sonnet No. 52

So am I as the rich, whose blessed key
Can bring him to his sweet up-locked treasure,
The which he will not every hour survey,
For blunting the fine point of seldom pleasure.
Therefore are feasts so solemn and so rare,
Since, seldom coming, in the long year set,
Like stones of worth they thinly placed are,
Or captain jewels in the carcanet.
So is the time that keeps you as my chest,
Or as the wardrobe which the robe doth hide,
To make some special instant special blest,
By new unfolding his imprison'd pride.
Blessed are you, whose worthiness gives scope,
Being had, to triumph, being lack'd, to hope.

...........

Which has special meaning to Tindómë and Rumil in The Winter Tale.

And here is an added bonus because the meme reminded me of it; the hauntingly beautiful sung version of Prospero's Speech;

Firstly here is the list of characters that I wrote for myself before we started -
1. Arwen
2.Alexia Tarabotti
3. Spike
4. Giles
5. Willow
6. Thorin
7. Lessa
8. Legolas
9. Eomer
10. Dawn
11.Galadriel
12.Eowyn
13.Lord Akeldama
14 Elladan&Elrohir
15. Anya

1,6,8,9,11,12 &14 are from Tolkien, 2 & 13 are from the Parasol Protectorate books, 3,4,5,10 & 15 are from the Buffyverse, and 7 is from Anne McCffrey's Dragonriders of Pern books.

The answers to everyone's questions are here

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I had so much fun doing these - thank you all for the questions. Actually it was so much fun I might do it again sometime.

OK - S2C pointed out to me about 8.30pm that the cut isn't opening - this is one of those LJ vagaries I fear as the coding is right. However it seems to be opening OK now, at 11.45pm. I've seen this on other journals a couple of times, too. However, if it isn't working for you, click on the title of the post to see it.

That 100 Book meme that's around again at the moment? I was curious about the make-up of the list, and when the BBC might have published it. Now I almost hate to tell you all this - but actually the BBC neither wrote the list, nor said you were likely to only have read 6 books from it.

The original BBC list of 100 books was actually to do with people's favourite books and was drawn up as part of The Big Read, 10 years ago - here it is.

But you will notice that it isn't exactly the same as the one currently doing the rounds of Facebook and now here - the BBC list is actually even more Brit-centric.

There is an article here looking at a way in which the BBC list might have been changed to become that meme... And another article here which points out that the list bears more resemblance to the Guardian's list, posted in 2007, showing the result of a poll of 2,000 people for World Book Day - which I think it does.

But again, the Guardian writers make no suggestion that people will only have read 6.

So - it is an interesting list of books which seems to be ever-changing (which is true of many of these memes), isn't from the BBC, and no-one ever suggested you are better than average if you've read more than 6... Sorry.

However the meme is still interesting in it's own right, of course!

** The Truth is, of course, also the title of a book by Terry Pratchett - some of whose works are in the original, BBC, list - but not in the meme.

I haven't quite kept up - I think by now I should have done gifts, stockings and candy canes.

However - I have made quite a lot of fudge for gifts, and I have a thought for stocking - just not got there - and as we don't usually do candy canes I thought I would, instead, go back to a conversation on lilachigh's journal about decorating the bathroom for Christmas.

We have a special decoration for our bathroom - I can't forget it - as soon as D-d comes into the house once the decorating starts she searches for the special wee Father Christmas - although he may well not be weeing...

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The news from America is very sad, and there is little point in saying more than is patently obvious to most people - fewer automatic and semi-automatic weapons so easily at hand would make it harder for this sort of thing to happen.

But how sad I feel for all the families involved, who will never be able to celebrate Christmas (or similar December festival) in pure joy again.

However; today I ran a cake stall at the Church Coffee Morning, with some of the Sunday Schoolers, for Christian Aid - we think we will be able to give 4 goats and 4 hens from the baking takings!

I have been baking and making for both that and to give as gifts. I really should take some pictures - there have been mini fruit loaves, rum truffles, those white chocolate and cranberry cookies I made the dough for the other week - as well as a tray of cupcakes. I do enjoy doing it.

I have a few decorations up now, and spent time this afternoon wrapping three 'pass the parcel' parcels for our service in church tomorrow - each layer will reveal a request for the recipient to come and take a particular role in the Nativity tableau. The service (traditionally led by the Sunday School) is written, all the Bible readers have their parts, my narrator has hers, and I have pep-talked the lads who are saying the prayers... I actually like leading this service - but am always so pleased when it is over!

So - cards to write this evening but all the prep for tomorrow done.

The themes for the Decememe for yesterday and today were Christmas Tree and favourite Christmas song (Actually it said 'Holiday song' - but "Whoa! We're going to Barbados", or similar seems a bit out of season!).

The tree is ( under here )

And now for my favourite Christmas song; actually it is more an Advent song, but I only feel Christmas has started once we have sung this at church, and Aled Jones sings exactly the version we sing;

It's been a busy day. But I had a lie-in, and S2C brought me coffee in bed at 9.30 - so I was well rested to start it.

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I had intended to use a picture of one of the brilliant ornaments made by children at Messy Church but I accidentally took my camera without the memory card. This means that the pictures are on its internal memory - and I have no idea how to get them off it as I'm pretty sure I don't have a lead for this camera. Someone suggested that it is possible to transfer them from the memory to the card within the camera, but I have no idea how. Those pictures may end up just being lost for ever...

So here is a picture of some ornaments taken last Christmas, instead;