"You're sad, you are!" - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Eönwë · 07-25-2008, 07:53 AM

Celebrities, real?

Legate of Amon Lanc · 07-25-2008, 08:12 AM

For myself, I think I could say a lot about this, as in our RPGing group, we have sort of "private jokes" about that we are considered weird by others. While in real, we are not. Although it's not only about ourselves, we also say this about the people who go on all sorts of fantasy actions, and the most about people who dress up in fantasy costumes and such, and in large sense about the people who go on these "live battles" (I would like to know, is there a special word for it in English?), but again, that's because most of us count ourselves among these groups. I am not sure how well can I express it, but for example: recently we were returning from our summer cottage where we gathered for playing Dungeons&Dragons, and so we went back, sat in the bus, and one of my friends took out the rulebook and started to study some spells. The rest of us looked at each other, saying: "That's horrible!" While of course we didn't mean it, but it's simply became a "private joke" of our company. Similar things happen when we see people dressed up in fantasy costumes in the metro or such things. We usually start to talk between ourselves, as if we were speaking to the others: "Hey, you are going to the Battle of Five Armies? Are you? Yes, of course you do! You must know good old [insert a fellow geek's name]! Of course!" But most typical, when we are for example arranging an RPG meeting, we joke like "Yes, let's go and play. I've been missing it! I just got through the exams for this semester and now I finally have time for playing! Of course! Yes, of course it's horrible! Of course I've not been studying at all, but I've been planning my character! When are we going to play? Next weekend? I'm going to be on my friend's cottage just before that. Of course I will take the handbook with me! Of course! I know I'm an addict! Yes, and I am proud of it! Which is horrible!" And all of this with the imaginary "

".

So, in my case, I don't see being seen as weird as a problem coming from the "outside" (and I don't think I ever encountered anything more than people not understanding what the things we do are), simply because my friends - for some reason, and it reaches into times long ago - made it a joke from the "inside".

Bêthberry · 07-25-2008, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Cornah

Fandom is the culture that takes what television gives us, chops it up, laughs at it, pulls it apart, makes its own art with it, and eats it.

I'm not so sure about this, Hooky. I don't think television gave us Tolkien.

which means, I myself rarely read television.

Perhaps The Downer should do an indepth inquiry into this.

Hookbill the Goomba · 07-25-2008, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

I'm not so sure about this, Hooky. I don't think television gave us Tolkien.

which means, I myself rarely read television.

Perhaps The Downer should do an indepth inquiry into this.

Well, the principals the same, I think. Which is why I added the note; "books or whatever" in brackets to make the point.

alatar · 07-25-2008, 10:02 AM

I'm not exactly sure what you're asking. Used to think that I was geeky; then I went to a Star Trek convention

.

Much has been written regarding the attraction of Tolkien's works. Finding someone else who enjoys the same thing just adds that human connection, which we all need and may want.

And, having visited Graceland (the house of Elvis Presley), I've realized that we all have 'something;' ours is just LotR. It's probably due to some gene.

Lalwendë · 08-25-2008, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alatar

I'm not exactly sure what you're asking. Used to think that I was geeky; then I went to a Star Trek convention

.

Extreme Trekkies are scary. I know a couple who met at a convention whilst dressed as Klingons and then they got married in full costume...I say "know", it's more "knew" because on the Millennium they were so scared they shut themselves in their cellar with supplies and nobody has seen them since.

Still, I'm the only Hobbit from Gallifrey so I haven't got room to talk, have I?

MCRmyGirl4eva · 09-20-2012, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

I'm not so sure about this, Hooky. I don't think television gave us Tolkien.

which means, I myself rarely read television.

Perhaps The Downer should do an indepth inquiry into this.

Read television?!? How?

LOL. You mean watch.

07-25-2008, 07:53 AM	#1
Eönwë Flame Imperishable Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Right here Posts: 3,928	Celebrities, real? __________________ Welcome to the Barrow Do-owns Forum / Such a lovely place

07-25-2008, 08:12 AM	#2
Legate of Amon Lanc A Voice That Gainsayeth Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: In that far land beyond the Sea Posts: 7,431	For myself, I think I could say a lot about this, as in our RPGing group, we have sort of "private jokes" about that we are considered weird by others. While in real, we are not. Although it's not only about ourselves, we also say this about the people who go on all sorts of fantasy actions, and the most about people who dress up in fantasy costumes and such, and in large sense about the people who go on these "live battles" (I would like to know, is there a special word for it in English?), but again, that's because most of us count ourselves among these groups. I am not sure how well can I express it, but for example: recently we were returning from our summer cottage where we gathered for playing Dungeons&Dragons, and so we went back, sat in the bus, and one of my friends took out the rulebook and started to study some spells. The rest of us looked at each other, saying: "That's horrible!" While of course we didn't mean it, but it's simply became a "private joke" of our company. Similar things happen when we see people dressed up in fantasy costumes in the metro or such things. We usually start to talk between ourselves, as if we were speaking to the others: "Hey, you are going to the Battle of Five Armies? Are you? Yes, of course you do! You must know good old [insert a fellow geek's name]! Of course!" But most typical, when we are for example arranging an RPG meeting, we joke like "Yes, let's go and play. I've been missing it! I just got through the exams for this semester and now I finally have time for playing! Of course! Yes, of course it's horrible! Of course I've not been studying at all, but I've been planning my character! When are we going to play? Next weekend? I'm going to be on my friend's cottage just before that. Of course I will take the handbook with me! Of course! I know I'm an addict! Yes, and I am proud of it! Which is horrible!" And all of this with the imaginary " ". So, in my case, I don't see being seen as weird as a problem coming from the "outside" (and I don't think I ever encountered anything more than people not understanding what the things we do are), simply because my friends - for some reason, and it reaches into times long ago - made it a joke from the "inside". __________________ "Should the story say 'he ate bread,' the dramatic producer can only show 'a piece of bread' according to his taste or fancy, but the hearer of the story will think of bread in general and picture it in some form of his own." -On Fairy-Stories

07-25-2008, 10:02 AM	#5
alatar Doubting Dwimmerlaik Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Heaven's basement Posts: 2,466	I'm not exactly sure what you're asking. Used to think that I was geeky; then I went to a Star Trek convention . Much has been written regarding the attraction of Tolkien's works. Finding someone else who enjoys the same thing just adds that human connection, which we all need and may want. And, having visited Graceland (the house of Elvis Presley), I've realized that we all have 'something;' ours is just LotR. It's probably due to some gene. __________________ There is naught that you can do, other than to resist, with hope or without it.