<BR><br><br> Bad Joke? I'm ROFL here! You are forgiven, oh fell servant of Laughgoth, Evil Master of Bad Jokes. Come and repent with us in Tirion and have an elvish Doughnut! <p>- <i>enep</i></p>

<BR>At last !</b><br><br> Ah, at last I have the pleasure of meeting one of the members of the fabled Appreciation of Evil Jokes tribe. It would be an honour, Humorous Citizen, to have an Elvish doughnut with you. Zoe, get going with that restaurant so I can have a chat with the first person on earth (middle and surface. Sorry. ) to laugh at my evil jokes. <p>Not all those who wander are lost.</p>

<BR>At last Indeed!</b><br><br> I'm still laughing! Yes, and after Zoe finishes building that Restaurant and we have a doughnut perhaps we can play chess with Morgoth! Excellent! He always did like my Bad Jokes... <p>- <i>enep</i></p>

<BR>Chess and onwards...</b><br><br> Chess with Morgoth and then perhaps we could proceed to play a good game of........MONOPOLY!!! With Strider and Arwen, perhaps. Maybe they'd deign to laugh at our evil jokes. Hehehehehe..... <p>Not all those who wander are lost.</p>

<BR>Onwards and Upwards!</b><br><br> Maybe they would, maybe they would. How about Gothmog Backgammon? Singing with Saeros? The possibilities are endless... <p>- <i>enep</i></p>

<BR><br><br> I'm scared by how funny I'm finding this... <br> <br> How about Scrabble? The only game where a miserable little letter U (or lack thereof) can stop you from winning, and instead make you lose miserably. (I'm still bitter from my last Scrabble defeat. Considering how badly I play, though, I tend to get beaten quite a lot.) <p></p>

<BR><br><br> You could turn it into a Hard Rock Cafe style restaurant. Have ME memorabilia, and you could name the non-ME food(I would think that you would have to have some) after the coolest people. <p></p>

<BR><br><br> Better still, the White Tree standing in the middle of the place! Some silver paint will do. The weirdos dressed up as Dwarves, Elves, Rangers, sitting down to a nice meal in the Prancing Pony (that can be your title) and girt with cloaks and swords! The occasional Black Rider passing through and stirring up the guests! <p>Gwaihir the Windlord <I><A href="http://www.barrowdowns.com">the barrow-downs</A></I><BR> 'Sing now, ye people of the Tower of Anor,<BR> for the Realm of Sauron is ended for ever,<BR> and the Dark Tower is thrown down.'<BR></p>

<BR>Daeros</b><br><br> Do not fear humour, O Zoe! Instead, worship Laughgoth and laugh at all the Evil Jokes we make! Oh, and an idea for the restaurant: You must have a man dressed in the likeness of Daeros singing very loudly. I have foreseen it. <p>- <i>enep</i></p>

<BR><br><br> Combination Daeron &amp; Saeros? Prancing Pony, hmm, I would rather see a Green Dragon. <p></p>

<BR>Even better</b><br><br> Hmm...this gets better by the minute. <p>- <i>enep</i></p>

<BR><br><br> Hmm, but Green Dragon and Prancing Pony are both good ol' English taverns, full of beer, bars, smoke and laughter; but we're doing a restaurant, are we not? I s'pose we could still call it that though; Green Dragon, yes. I can just imagine it: a huge success. Rolling in money, enticing the same people back again and again -- or else a huge failure, looked upon as the work of a bunch of eccentric 'try-hards'. <p>Gwaihir the Windlord <I><A href="http://www.barrowdowns.com">the barrow-downs</A></I><BR> 'Sing now, ye people of the Tower of Anor,<BR> for the Realm of Sauron is ended for ever,<BR> and the Dark Tower is thrown down.'<BR></p>

<BR> Re: Even better</b><br><br> enep: not only am I now ROFL but I have this craving for elvish doughnuts and a good game of Gothmog Backgammon. <br> The Green Dragon? Hmmm....will do I suppose. Though I was thinking more along the lines of 'Journey to the Centre of the Earth'. Laugh now, o' lone appreciator of Evil Jokes. And if it tickles your funny bone too, dear Zoe, hen you are qualified to become a member of the Horrible Jokes Society. <p>Not all those who wander are lost.</p>

<BR>Business</b><br><br> Yes, but to be true 'try-hard' Middle-Earth entrepreneurs we would have to set up a completely purposeless website, only to lose us millions and end up floating in the proverbial dot com deadpool; But Green Dragon is fine. Red Dragon would work better in the ad campaigns though, we could use the Howe interpretation of Smaug as our mascot. Golden Perch - Glaurung. Or perhaps a bird...Gwaihir by anychance? <p>- <i>enep</i></p>

<BR>seconds later...</b><br><br> You posted seconds after me. Did you even read my senseless post enep? <p>Not all those who wander are lost.</p>

<BR>Laughing since the Tolkien Linguist!</b><br><br> <blockquote><i>Quote:</i></b><hr> &quot;Better still, the White Tree standing in the middle of the place! Some silver paint will do. The weirdos dressed up as Dwarves, Elves, Rangers... and girt with cloaks and swords! The occasional Black Rider passing through and stirring up the guests!&quot;<hr></blockquote><br> <i> Silver paint!</i> Of course I <i> know</i> that when y'all get this going you'll do it properly, you would <i> never</i> be so hypocritical as to get something <i> wrong</i> about ME!!! <br> <p></p>

<BR>Sorry!</b><br><br> Apologies, Lorien Wanderer! Your post I did not see, indeed, or I would have commented on how much I wanted to play Morgoth Chess and eat an Elvish Creme Puff; ( ) but alas! I did not reload the page and stupid, condemned-to-hell EzBoard did not show that there was another post! Sorry again. I have read it now, several times infact. <br> <br> PS Journey to the Centre of Earth! MWA HA HA! Pure EVIL! <p>- <i>enep</i></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://www.barrowdowns.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_profile&u=00000041>enep</A> at: 1/29/01 4:24:57 pm<br></i>

<BR><br><br> Website, enep? Who said anything about that? I was looking forward to a <i> real,</i> <i> physical</i> restaurant. In which case we could still be percieved as try-hards. Ho-hum. <p>Gwaihir the Windlord <I><A href="http://www.barrowdowns.com">the barrow-downs</A></I><BR> 'Sing now, ye people of the Tower of Anor,<BR> for the Realm of Sauron is ended for ever,<BR> and the Dark Tower is thrown down.'<BR></p>

<BR>True</b><br><br> Yes, we would have a whole <i> franchise</i> of Restaurants, but all try-hards need a web site, purposeless that it may be. <p>- <i>enep</i></p>

<BR><br><br> Ah. In that case I shall take my leave of this thread. <p>Gwaihir the Windlord <I><A href="http://www.barrowdowns.com">the barrow-downs</A></I><BR> 'Sing now, ye people of the Tower of Anor,<BR> for the Realm of Sauron is ended for ever,<BR> and the Dark Tower is thrown down.'<BR></p>

<BR><br><br> Ah, but to have a truly try-hard website, you need to advertise it on billboards, backs of taxis, etc, but have a URL that no-one can remember, thus making your offline advertising useless.<br> <br> As for the John Howe interpretation of Smaug, I've never seen it, but one of JRRT's pictures would do nicely. Or we could use the monogram, as countless book-spine-designs have done. (Why the JRRT written in a fancy way is at all interesting, I don't know, but it always seems to be on the spine of books like the Hobbit and the LotR.) <p></p>

<BR><br><br> Don't tell me Gwaihir was offended too. Did he just up and leave or what?<br> Oh did you like that one too kindred spirit? Hehehehehehe *cackling with evil laughter*<br> <br> <p>Not all those who wander are lost.</p>

<BR>Advertising</b><br><br> Zoe: On the cover of an old Hobbit, it is shown. Anyway, Smaug is depicted on a giant mound of gold, looks like a snake with wings and an oversized head. As for you marketing ideas: Wonderful. TLW: Gwaihir did not want to lose millions on a pointless website <p>- <i>enep</i></p>

<BR><br><br> I liked the way the Smaug looked in the movie The Hobbit. <p></p>

<BR>Animated Hobbit</b><br><br> I haven't seen the animated Hobbit, or Bakshi's LotR for that matter. I would like to though, no matter how terrible they are <p>- <i>enep</i></p>

<BR><br><br> The animated Hobbit is actually pretty good, see The Books there is a thread about 3 pages back on it. <p></p>

<BR>Smaug.</b><br><br> Yes, I have that depiction of Smaug on the cover of my Hobbit. But it's just 2 years old. *looks puzzled*<br> <br> enep: oh, I see. That explains it. I thought he just went off, offended by something I was too blind to read. <br> <br> <p>Not all those who wander are lost.</p>

<BR>Hobbit</b><br><br> Thanks Durelan. I must try and rent that...TLW: That Hobbit that had Smaug on the front is an older edition; I don't have it myself but my copy does have that particular picture on a separate page near to the end. <p>- <i>enep</i></p>

<BR><br><br> My copy of the Hobbit (from who-knows-how-long-ago - it's an ex-school copy. No, I didn't steal it.) has the Tolkien picture of Smaug on it. <p></p>

<BR>Hehe</b><br><br> We all know you took it Zoe. Just confess. You're a wanted criminal When I first read the Hobbit it was an old, <i> borrowed</i> copy that had that picture on it. Thereupon I based my envisionment of Smaug on that picture. I always though that Tolkien's dragons were more snakelike; considering that Glaurung did not have wings and is spoken of somewhere (I think in the Narn i Hin Hurin in UT) as reptilian, with squat legs or somesuch comment. There you go, we have a mascot. Now on with the website (which * has</b>* to have a very cheesy Flash intro, and lots of little animations and cute buttons that crash your browser when you open the page. <p>- <i>enep</i></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://www.barrowdowns.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_profile&u=00000041>enep</A> at: 1/31/01 1:19:20 am<br></i>

<BR><br><br> Hey, how did you guys get started on Tolkien? I hadn't the faintest idea of what a hobbit was till I was 11, and then my cousin gifted me The Hobbit and LoTR for my birthday. And I was hooked!<br> <br> Zoe: you must have dancing hobbits (that will look like the seven dwarves in Snow White to everyone else but what the hell, we know they're hobbits) that sing a local Shire song. Hehehehe.... I can't wait. <p>Not all those who wander are lost.</p>

<BR><br><br> Enep: <i> I</i> didn't steal it. I got it from my next-door-neighbours whose (now grown-up) daughter had it. Maybe she stole it. <br> <br> LW: I got into Tolkien because I was bored one night, and I needed something to read, and Mum suggested the Lord of the Rings. I eventually finished it, but most of it I didn't get at all. I was only 9 at the time, so such a long book was a bit much for me.<br> <br> I later read 'Leaf by Niggle' and thought it was a good story.<br> <br> Finally, when I was 11 or 12, I re-read the LotR, and really liked it. Everything sort of flowed on from there. <p></p>

<BR><br><br> The Hobbit the movie used to be on television a lot. I used to watch it all the time, then around 10 or maybe even 12 or 13(whenever my brother was a in 11th grade) I read The Hobbit and then LotR. I was hooked after that. <p></p>

<BR><br><br> LW: Just wanted to add my two cents on how I got hooked on Tolkien. It wasn't until I was a freshman in high school and my twin sister was in the play The Hobbit (she was Oin!). She got hooked and started reading the books and was always talking about them. So, I decided to give them a try. I was an instant fan and began delving for all things Tolkien (ah, if only the internet existed 15 years ago - 15 years! dang I'm old!) I honestly can't remember if I've ever read The Hobbit front to back, but I've read LotR a few times (and just finished it again last month) and the Sil at least twice. Just starting to read UT for the first time now. I had to let go of Tolkien while in college, engineering school doesn't allow much time for leisure reading. Not to mention that my sister scoffed up all our Tolkien books when we left home. But now I'm back on the bandwagon! And I'm very glad to find a forum dedicated to this stuff. Honestly, my sister is the only other fan I know in 'real life'. Tolkien-geeks are hard to come by here in the wild west (Colorado, USA). <p>-amyrlis</p>

<BR><br><br> I got started only two years ago, when I read the hobbit. I tried to read LotR but only got to Tom Bombadil; tried again and got to Bombadil. Then I read it; and since then I have re-read it...then when I got the Sil it wove its web in my life A likely excuse Zoe; but I shall not report you to the authorities, after all <p>- <i>enep</i></p>

<BR><br><br> You stopped at Bombadil? At least you got that far. The first time I read it I didn't get past the first chapter. But then, I was 11. <br> Zoe: I hope enep keeps his (her?) word else you may find the library authorities at your doorstep, demanding an explanation. <p>Not all those who wander are lost.</p>

<BR><br><br> amyrlis: Tolkien-geeks are hard to find all over the world, not just in the west. My roommate from Honduras had barely heard of the Hobbit, and another friend got Lord of the Rings confused with Lord of the Flies! <br> <br> P.S. I admire your will to put pleasure aside when work is to be done. I should be writing a paper, and what am I doing? <p><i>The days are fated to be filled with marvels.</i></p>

<BR> Re: Elrond the vampire</b><br><br> Ah, but we are a grand host here at the Downs - 200+ strong! <br> <br> I realize that in my previous post I didn't really say WHY I got hooked on these books. I think it's because I'm like Samwise in that I'm just fascinated by elves! Being a product of American 80's culture, I've always had a thing for unicorns, gnomes, and the like. But elves have always been special. Of course, when I was first exposed to The Hobbit, I was under the impression that elves were green, funny-looking people, similair to how they are depicted in the cartoon Hobbit. But, I was so much more intrigued by them when I learned their true guise. Then, when I read the Sil, I was just blown away by Tolkien's version of the creation of Earth and I love the Valar. Mythology has always intrigued me.<br> <br> In another post on this forum, it's been asked of us if we have used Tolkien quotes in real world situations. I can't say I've ever done that, but I do think of Manwe when the wind blows, and have unintentionally called the constellation Orion, Orome. Also, not having fireflies in our climate, when I have visited a place that does, I feel like I'm in Rivendell. I'm not sure of any other books I've read which have had this kind of affect on me. <p>-amyrlis</p>

<BR> Re: Elrond the vampire</b><br><br> LW: I keep telling you... I didn't steal my copy of the Hobbit! Really!<br> <br> Don't you guys trust me?... <p></p>

<BR> Heheh</b><br><br> Merely but a joke; do not fear, for we believe you. Sorta. <p>- <i>enep</i></p>