I actually managed to write drabbles this weekend. One for TPM100's elements challenge - Rain and one for LOTR100's on contentment - Beloved

It's odd, I have this tendency to write angst for LOTR, but when it comes to TPM, certainly as far as the drabbles are concerned, it's been happy stuff. There are plenty of people writing Obi-angst and I'm really enjoying writing Qui & Obi training/bonding sessions.

I saw the extended TT in town at the weekend. The ordinary one is �27.99 and the one with an extra disk and a Gollum to dust is �44.99. Given I don't even have space for the 4 DVDs, I know which one I'll be buying once I get the annual gift voucher from work.

I also had a bit of a film session this weekend. Went to see the Matrix. Some girl's phone went off and she answered it! Admittedly it was only to see she was in the cinema. I didn't mind because it was in one of the sappy love scenes they really could have done without. I'm left with all these questions now - like what happens next - but then you're talking about a never-ending story. This one was better then the second - the action was better and a lot less gratuitous.

Then there was One Hour Photo, which was good and not scary at all. Michael Varta had really dodgy hair in it but since we also got pretty much a full frontal shot I'll forgive him. Shallow Hal was good and funny. Blue Juice was okay, despite Ewan McGregor having long hair and doing a London accent in it.

I realised last night, while watching The West Wing, why I trust the new VP for no reason whatsoever, and also think he's a bit of a twit. Then it occured to me that was because he was the captain in Crusade! And for another West Wing connection - the old VP was in One Hour Photo. I never trusted him and that really was for no reason. But I think I was right to given what I've vaguely heard about what happens at the end of the fourth.

You are a Teleri of Aman. You are a mariner with
great love for the sea. You are dear to Ulmo
and all things considered he is a great Valar
to be dear to. Thou you followed the summons of
the Valar to Aman you really do not concern
yourself with their business. You just want to
enjoy the safety they provide, but otherwise be
free from their interference. Nevertheless you
belief in the Valar is unshakable and you are
very content with your life and lot.

(Image: Finrod by Kasura, Finrod's mother is a
Teleri of Aman and he himself is more akin to
the Teleri than the Noldo)

Which kindred of Tolkien's Elves are you?
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Friday Five:
1. List five things you'd like to accomplish by the end of the year.
Get up-to-date on my downloads, back-up, finish my Christmas shopping, see The Matrix and Love Actually, catch up on my videos and DVDs.

2. List five people you've lost contact with that you'd like to hear from again.
Denise, Marian, Cassie, Debbie, Lisa

3. List five things you'd like to learn how to do.
Speak French (preferably by next Friday!), survive on less sleep, play a nice small, cheap musical instrument, IT tech support stuff, write better

4. List five things you'd do if you won the lottery (no limit).
Buy a house, buy a new mini, pay off my friends debts, go to Australia, get a better job

5. List five things you do that help you relax.
Read, cross stitch, play music, listen to music (as long as its reasonable slow), swim

And the Fannish Friday Five:
What fandom did you get into that you were absolivity and posiloutly sure, you were never going to get into, but you did.
Lord of the Rings. I never really knew it existed, to be honest but I certainly didn't envisage myself getting into it.

What made you think you would never get into it? What tipped you into it?
I think it was just that I didn't think there was anything in it for me. I also didn't need another one! I saw a couple of recs on Celli's livejournal, one for Baylor's The Care and Feeding of Hobbits and one for a multi-fandom elves thing (Elves! Elves! Elves!). It all went downhill from there.

Did you start to write/vid/archive/dub/(fill in fannish creative activity) in that fandom? Do you still?
Yes and yes.

Have you ever pimped someone into a fandom without trying? Which fandom, and what did it?
I don't think so. Unless you count my dad now downloading Stargate when I had just discovered it and was watching season 1 on the Big Breakfast. He wasn't even in the room for most of the episodes.

Do you have a fandom where you do not read the fic? Why not?
Buffy. Not sure why but I think its because none of the characters grabbed me enough to want to read about them.

You are a Maia of Ulmo, Lord of Waters

Whose Maia are you?
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A couple of recs:
History Lessons: The Second Age - it's only just started by, judging by the quality of History Lessons, it's got to be good.
Further to Fly - I'm on a bit of a West Wing kick at the moment and this one is long and good with lots of people having crises.

This weekend I spend just over �2000 on a new computer and various accessories. The computer itself is arriving on Friday, although sadly it's being delivered to my parents house. Which means I won't get to see it until Christmas and won't get to use it much until the end of January. On the plus side I am getting broadband! It only works out as a few quid more a month than I'm paying now and freeserve is really quite amazingly crap. I had 303 ZoneAlarm alerts in half an hour last night and I wasn't even doing anything!

Highlights of America:

Big. Everything is big. The houses are big, the cars are big, the roads are big (I saw very few single lane roads), with loads of intersections, the food portions are big, the hotel room was big. The only thing that was small was the plane and the airport (at least in comparison to Heathrow).

I have to admit hearing all the American accents started to drive me mad after a while. I was actually glad to be back in civilisation by the time I got home. I mean it was good fun, and it was interesting to see how much of America is exactly like in films and on TV, but I wouldn't want to live there.

I did see Alias and Angel while I was there but I might have to watch them again - there were so many adverts I never actually got into them and therefore can't remember any of it.