board77

Cerin wrote:

I would say yes, for one simple reason. There is something about Tolkien that attracts the very best kind of people. Just look around you.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

:cheers

Voronwe I watch your changing sig-pics with increasing fascination.
Do you intend them to be metaphorical statements on the struggle towards charter ratification and hence toward opening the doors?

Please say that you do.
Else I have to reexamine my pechant for finding symbolism everywhere!

Well, I was typing up a lengthy response to Holby and Lidless, and then I read Cerin’s post.

Cerin wrote:

There is something about Tolkien that attracts the very best kind of people. Just look around you.

That pretty much says it all for me (not that that’s going to stop me from saying more). It doesn’t matter so much to me if Tolkien is a focus of the board. Tolkien is the best calling card we could ask for.

There are still people here who want to discuss Tolkien. Those discussions will help bring new people to the community, who will then help to take us to new places. What matters to me, right now, is getting those people in here. Once they’re here the rest will take care of itself, in my opinion.

The mission of the mission statement should be to attract the kind of people we want. I can’t think of a better lure than Tolkien.

Yes, Cerin has nailed it exactly. (Although to be fair, Tinwe said something similar several days ago.)

Sassy, I won't comment on your pechant for finding symbolism everywhere, but in this case, of course you are correct. I'm glad to see that at least one person has been paying attention. I kind of wish I'd kept a list of them, but I never do.

Geez I hope the aware Sass has not overlooked symbolism from other parts or their import.

I would like to hear input from more members regarding this latest discussion.
And once again for the record I am not projecting any philosophy or ideal, nor am I prostelitizing against any.

B77 is an international messageboard community.
We strive to provide a democratically governed forum where people from around the world get together to discuss what the hell they're all doing here.

Voronwe, I have certainly noticed your pictoral symbolism as well.........so I've been wondering why I haven't seen this one:

Beth, that's a picture of Din hearing that we voted in favor of Loremasters.

Jn

Holbytla wrote:

Geez I hope the aware Sass has not overlooked symbolism from other parts or their import.

Cheeky!

Lurve you, Holby.

'Beth,

Hi Voronwe!!1

My son's birthday party has FINALLY ended, the resulting debris is almost under control, and I'm treating myself to a day of 77-ing........well, at least a good part of the day.

There's a little matter that I can hopefully take care of in the Sil thread, after all.

Holby,

Yes you have been beating us with her for several days. I thought each of the jewels stood for a mission statement suggestion. As much as I like her, I prefer your old minimal adornment view, though.

Voronwe, if your sigs are symbolic, your new one frightens me. . . .

Me too, Prim. Me too.

Quote:

"Then suddenly fire burst from the Meneltarma, and there came a mighty wind and a tumult of the earth, and the sky reeled, and the hills slid, and Numenor went down into the sea, with all its children and its wives and its ladies proud; and all its gardens and its halls and its towers, its tombs and its riches, and its jewels and its webs and its things painted and carven, and its laughter and its mirth and its music, its wisdom and its lore: they vanished for ever.

Ath! I chose this quote:

But Iluvatar showed forth his power, and he changed the fashion of the world; and a great chasm opened in the sea between Numenor and the Deathless Lands, and the waters flowed down into it, and the world was shaken. And all of the fleets of the Numenoreans were drawn into the abyss, and they were drowned and swallowed up forever.



V., methinks you have some 'splaining to do.

Actually my reference was to Gollum.

Just a small warning of what could happen, not a prediction of what will happen.

Edit: I should point out that I never (or almost never) choose my sig pics. I had intended to use something quite different. But that happens most of the time anyway, so I have come to get used to it.

I have never seen any of this artist's work before. It is quite imposing.

I've also been following your sig pics with interest, Voronwe.

Despite my usual pessimistic outlook, I had a rather different interpretation. . . perhaps it is we who are the Undying Lands, finally coming into our own. The mission statement defines who we are, to some degree, and sunders us from where we came from.

Perhaps grasping at straws, but oh well. . .

As for Tolkien, I believe I already spoke my piece. . . it belongs in there, not because we strive to be a Tolkien board, but because that is our one real common bond. Besides, like Cerin said, it attracts good people.

I thought that was your normal expression.

Edit:

I guess that makes me like Sassy, seeing symbolism in everything.

Voronwe wrote ... I kind of wish I'd kept a list of them, but I never do

Well, let's see how much attention I have really paid.

You currently have the downfall of Numenor, immediately before that was Frodo in his last desperate scramble up the cliffs of Mount Doom, preceeding that was the single flower on the White Tree at Minis Tirith, and before that was the Rohirrim cresting the hill before their final charge
onto Pellanor.

In order: Rohirrim ... Forces are mustered, The White Tree is hope. Frodo is the agony of completing the quest and the Downfall of Numenor represents potential disaster ... Pride Goeth Before Fall, eh?

Am I close?



And of course, you had all of the door-opening ones before that.

Actually I lied, I do have a record of them, by looking at my Photobucket file. You did pretty well, Sassy, but you missed a couple of interesting ones. I'd be interested in hearing your take on the meaning of all of them.

In reverse order:

downfall of Numenor
Frodo in his last desperate scramble up the cliffs of Mount Doom, the single flower on the White Tree at Minis Tirith*
the Ring, reflecting the arguing councilmembers and the flames of the eye
the Rohirrim cresting the hill before their final charge onto Pellanor.
Gandalf staff shattering (perhaps my favorite screen shot from the films, and not from the site where all of my other screen shots are from)
The "wood elves" leaving Middle-earth

and the first one, which was really a bridge from the door-opening ones:

Gandalf outside of Bag End saying "What about very old friends."

Bonus Question:

Can you name all the door opening ones?

Quote:

Can you name all the door opening ones?

Viggo at Helm's Deep, Mellon!, Denethor....any more?



ttbk