A Tolkien Blog Party 2020 – Tag Answers

Greetings Hobbitses!  It is I, Alli – coming at you with yet another Unexpected Party. Or rather, blog post.

I don’t know what it is about Rachel’s tags. I am utterly INCAPABLE of resisting them.  One look and I’m a goner.

Consequently, I end up throwing something together extemporaneously and tumbling into your inbox at the last minute –

– at a time when I should be working on ANYTHING but this blog post.

I am really having trouble prioritizing lately. Is it just me?  Please tell me it’s not only me and that this is just a phase we’re going through!

*sigh* ANYWAY, now that the prerequisite excuses are out of the way, it’s time to announce the party rules.  LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE.

“A Tolkien Blog Party” is a six-day long blog party hosted by the magnificent Rachel Kovaciny. You can contribute any Tolkien-related post to the party or you can answer the tag questions, like I did.

And be sure to enter the GIVEAWAY to nab some treasures that Smaug himself would love to hoard. Actually, don’t enter; I want to win. *greedy dragon grin*

And now, with that final bit of housekeeping out of the way – on to the party!

1. What Tolkien character do you think you’re the most like?

AWKWARD QUESTION RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE.

Ah, these sorts of questions make me ramble uncomfortably. . .  It always feels so narcissistic to examine my own character under a microscope.

It doesn’t seem like there’s a way do this and not sound like you’re tooting your own horn or being overly self-deprecating.

I shall make an attempt, hobbitses.

I would say that I’m kind of a combination of Kili, Gandalf, and Boromir. Especially Kili and Gandalf.

Kili:  Rambunctious, charming, extroverted, willing to love people and take chances on others.  Makes friends easily and quickly.  Feels things deeply.  Not afraid to put himself out there. A blend of fiery passion and easy-going high-jinks.

He’s also too eager, too easily distracted, and overestimates what he’s capable of doing.

And he’s NAUGHTY.

Boromir: A bit of a mother hen. Constantly worrying about others and always leaping to someone’s defense. Believes in swift and hard action. Conservative, but others think of him as an extremist. A combination of grizzly and teddy bear.  Quick to call people out when he thinks they need it, but just as swiftly comforts those around him.

And, I have to confess, I would have probably also been tempted to use the ring to obliterate the enemy.

Gandalf: Appears to be extroverted and open, but is really very private and is basically a Mystery to everyone around them. Has a tendency to very nicely push, pull, and “orchestrate” people.  Swings between titanic confrontations and charm and wit. Often low-key frustrated because few people appreciate his opinions and advice.

Very spiritual and wiser than many people might give him credit for. Might be more widely recognized as wise if he wasn’t so stubbornly weird. Not very in touch with his own state of being because he’s so busy helping others.

Actually, I feel like these three guys have a lot in common.

All three of them have a very strong moral code.

All of them are vehemently opposed to evil (or complacency) and ready for a fight.  They are quick to leap to the rescue . . . sometimes too quickly.

They consider the big picture, but don’t forget the little guys. They’re all willing to make tough decisions for the sake of the greater good. They’re a combination of soft tough-guy and steady wild man.

Also, all three kind of have a tendency to fall on their face. They get too excited, too involved, and too pushy.  Sometimes they just plain make donkeys out of themselves.

In a nutshell – what the three of these guys most share is tendency to be too hasty and to take on too much at once.

Ah, one more thing that is fundamentally like me. All three of them like parties.

2. What Tolkien character do you wish you were more like?

I wish I was like Thorin, so I could scare more people – possibly even beat them up.

JOKING. Ahem, sort of. It would be nice to be more intimidating, though. AND THAT MAJESTY.  I could always use a dose of that majesty.

In all seriousness. I would like to be more like Elrond – calmer, wiser, more immovable. More noble-minded and pure. More fully in the spiritual realm than the physical. More gracious and more patient. More willing to serve.

And yet still one awesome fighter that makes evil minions scream and beg for mercy.

3. What would your dream home in Middle-earth be like?

*wiggles down into chair to prepare for an epic day dream*

Okay, let’s assume I’m rich.

Since I largely identify as a dwarf, it’s a given that I got some of that loot from Erebor (it’s also a given that I was assisting Gloin in burying some of that lovely troll trove).

Now that you have been assured that I can cover taxes and afford a full staff – onto the details.

My MAIN home will be in the Laketown / Dale region. I really love the wild Northern feel of this region of Middle Earth and I ADORE the fact that it’s on a lake and in the center of the action, with plenty of foreigners and trade traveling through its streets.

I love the ancient color and rich palette of this area and it appeals to my artistic sensibilities.  It’s also right on the doorstep of the dwarvish kingdom.  My claustrophobia would prevent me from living in Erebor full time, but this way I can at least be close to it and visit my darling dwarves regularly.

I would have a second home in Rivendell – I think it would be a very relaxing and peaceful place to go there during winter time.  I can definitely see myself finishing the deadline on a book in Elrond’s library . . . and tormenting some Elves by throwing snowballs at them.

So, two thirds of the year in Laketown/Dale and a third in Rivendell, with occasional vacations to Erebor or the Shire.

I know. You’re probably thinking: “You don’t want to live in the Shire??? EVERYBODY wants to live in the Shire.”

Well, I don’t.

I’m half wizard. The Shire is nice, but it’s too tame for me to live there all the time.

More importantly. some of the people there are kind of IRRITATING. And dull. And they steal your spoons. And consider your home ripe for the picking when you’re not even dead.  Not very nice neighbors, no indeed.

In short, I like the holes, but not all of the hobbits.

Hence my alternative to Shire dwelling.

4. You get to make a movie of the story of Beren and Luthien!  Who do you cast as the leads?

Uh . . . no one? I haven’t read the book, so I don’t really have an opinion on this.

*Googles the story of Beren and Luthien*

Hmmm . . . well . . .  *silence*

I’m not really up on modern actors; I watch a lot of old films.  It’s basically like a version of Aragorn and Arwen’s love story, right? *isn’t a Tolkien aficionado*

Okay, I’m going to go with Sean Bean and Liv Tyler. They were the two I really shipped in Lord of the Rings, and this is their chance to finally be together!

Aragorn wasn’t good enough for Arwen, but Boromir was.

COME ON, YOU KNOW IT’S TRUE. I CAN SEE YOU ACCEPTING IT AT THIS VERY MOMENT.  BOROMIR SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN THE GIRL AND THE THRONE. DON’T RESIST THE RIGHTNESS OF IT.

I got off topic there, but that head cannon just slipped out.  ?

5. Have you ever marathoned the LOTR or Hobbit movies?

It depends on your definition of “marathoned.”

I have watched all three Hobbit movies over a period of two days.  Does that count as a marathon? Or are you talking a 24 hour sort of thing . . . ?  My answer is yes and no: depending on the qualifiers.

6. Do you have a favorite song or track from the movie soundtracks by Howard Shore?

A-HA.

I get the shakes and the chills and the whimpers listening to my dwarves sing The Misty Mountains.  Isn’t it wonderful?

I also love this track – which is basically the symphonic version of The Misty Mountains.  But it’s more than that. It’s a beautiful layer of themes and music that makes my heart swell and my throat constrict. My goodness, guys, there is something about this story that resonates with my heart and this track encapsulates all of those feelings.

And here’s the opening track from the extended edition of The Unexpected Party and it’s this glorious combination of most of the themes that you hear throughout the film – Concerning Hobbits, the Mirkwood Elves Theme, Erebor’s theme, etc. It’s epic, hobbitses.

7. Which of Tolkien’s characters would you like to be best friends with?

HARDEST QUESTION EVER.

OH MAN. HOW DO I PICK?  HOW?  I’m an extrovert, I don’t have just ONE friend.

Okay, okay, I’ll try. I’m going to go with Bofur the dwarf. He’s completely irresistible.

He’s just so EASY to be friends with. He’s sweet, funny, mild-mannered, quirky, and he’s also an incredibly merciful character. His kindness to Bilbo and the way he looks out for him never fails to move me.  *squeezes dwarf tightly*

Isn’t he sweet? Isn’t he marvelous? Isn’t he all-together too Irish?

Yeah, I can definitely see myself being extremely good friends with Bofur. I even have a hat similar to his!

8. Who of the people in your real life would you want in your company if you had to take the ring to Mordor?

Well, obviously, my five immediate family members – no question.  ORCS BEWARE.

And we never would have been involved with Gollum, either. That little bounder would have been simultaneously smashed by six Tebo’s the moment he made his appearance. Three of my family members are great with maps and directions – we don’t need Gollum!

Honestly, not to brag on my family or anything (who am I kidding, I will brag on them all day) . . . I really feel that we could destroy the Ring. And whup the villains. And basically succeed with flying colors.

We are our own little Shire, full of close-knit hobbits.  Between us we have the inventiveness of wizards, the determination of hobbits, the cunning of men, the ferocity of dwarves, and the wisdom of elves.

Ah, I love my fellowship. ❤️

9. Have you read any of Tolkien’s non-Middle-earth works?

Yes, I have. I have read Roverandom, Leaf by Niggle, Smith of Wooten Major, and Farmer Giles of Ham.  Of all of them, I like Roverandom the best. It’s my favorite work by Tolkien and I like it far more than Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit. It’s very whimsical and cute: more like Wizard of Oz than Middle Earth. Dogs that bite wizards in the trousers and then get sent to the moon are infinitely more my cup of tea than creepy dark lords or oppressed peasants.

10. Is there a book by Tolkien you haven’t read yet, but want to?

Well, I’ve read through the first two books in The Lord of the Rings trilogy and then I got bogged down in the middle of The Return of the King. I would like to finish that one day, just to say I finished the doggone thing.

Yes, I spent FAR too much time on this unnecessary and unexpected blog post.

And I am once again rather chuffed that I was able to churn out something so nonsensical and yet so full-to-the-brim of spot-on gifs.

Okay, guys. It’s your turn to weigh in! Are you doing this tag on your blog? If not, I would love to see you answer these questions in the comments!

What did you think of my answers? Who do YOU think I’m most like and what Middle Earthling would YOU pair me with?  (this ought to be good).

For now I must leave you and tackle the scads of projects I’m SUPPOSED to be working on.

Ta-ta!