For Those Who Died Today... Happy Deathday!

[HerenIstarion]

Once, long ago, before apes came down to the plains to become humans, and the most progressive and expensive videocard had 32MB of memory, your humble servant joined the Barrow-Downs. The day of my death was a happy day, and I would share the joy with you, beloved and esteemed co-Downers

Happy Deathday to me

Once I had a similar thread dedicated to the purpose, but, being young, I was an egoist. It was dedicated to my own self only, and so was cast into oblivion. This one here is for everyone, to announce the day of their joining the Downs and celebrate the happy event with the rest of us

Join in

[Mithalwen]

All together now "Happy Deathday to you ! Happy Deathday to you! Happy Deathday - dear Heren Istarion. Happy Deathday to you! Now blow out all your candles with one breath - if that is possible for a dead man... So is there a deathday party? And in hobbit fashion - do we get presents?

[Bêthberry]

Of course HI gives us mathoms, Mithalwen. Haven't you noticed how often he resurrects old threads?

[Mithalwen]

I had, but being more cynical, I thought he was merely trying to improve his already impressive post count.....

And they are so old that it would be nice if he also gave out dusters....

[HerenIstarion]

Thanks for the feedback, ladies

I thought he was merely trying to improve his already impressive post count

Nope, playing quotes is enough for that. Yet I would not be able to beat SpM and Pio anyway, at current rate. Currently third, Child of 7th Age also posts more than yours truly. The most I can probably hope for is to surpass Mr. Barrow Wight

Which reminds me of Morsul. He is not around, I suppose school is to blame. But if the whole year were a vacation, this guy would be all time poster

Er, back to topic - nobody joined on September 25?

[Lhunardawen]

Considering the number of Barrowdowners and the number of days there are in a year, I would suppose somebody did. But the question is...is he/she an active member?

Belated happy deathday, by the way.

[Oddwen]

My deathday isn't until February 19th, but I wanted to announce another rather important (to me) milestone.

After a year, seven months, and twenty-one days, I have finally reached my 500th post.

I wish some of them could have been better spent, like in the books forum, but I am happy with what I have accomplished with my Death here.

I just wish I could speak my mind better...but anyway. Thank you to all of you who make the Barrowdowns what they are.

WONDERFUL.

[The Only Real Estel]

I would say congratulations, Oddwen, but now you're already on #501!

Also, a happy death-day shout out to Thanwen; who, conincidently, joined on his/her's 20th birth-day.

[NightKnight]

I just thought of this, but I died about two weeks ago. Actually, it's exactly two weeks ago. A year on the 'Downs! Yay for me!

[Meela]

I celebrated my deathday without knowing this topic was here, but I guess I can still mention myself.
I joined the Barrowdowns three years ago this early August gone, although I didn't become a fully fledged forum-spirit until two years ago last month. Still, Happy Deathday to me, somewhat belatedly.
And Happy past Deathdays to all of you folks, may you haunt the Downs a considerable while longer.

[Azaelia of Willowbottom]

I died sometime around now, and thought I should post today because I will never remember on the actual day. So I died about three years ago, in November 2001. I had just read LOTR for the first time and I was in love with Middle-Earth. I happened across this site and thought it looked interesting. It didn't take me long to find the forum and I joined immediately. My post count is still very sad, especially when I see people who have been here for a shorter time and have many times my feeble count. My defence of myself is that it's quality, not quantity...
Anyway! Happy deathday to me!!!

Also right around now is my anniversary for reading LOTR for the first time, hooray!

[HerenIstarion]

Originally Posted by HerenIstarion

Once, long ago, before apes came down to the plains to become humans, and the most progressive and expensive videocard had 32MB of memory, your humble servant joined the Barrow-Downs. The day of my death was a happy day, and I would share the joy with you, beloved and esteemed co-Downers

This still holds true, and even more so - another year gone, and I have semi-round figure to celebrate now, tenth of a jubilee - 5 years!

It is a cliche I'm going to address you with, but truth is not worn for repeating, as truly I'm going to tell you that I don’t know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve (Yes, it is a compliment, though I haven't participated in related thread to state it)

And of course, shuffling the quote a bit, to tell you that I am immensely fond of you all, and that five years is too short a time to be dead among such excellent and admirable ghosties and ghoulies and wee student beasties, as you are

What else? Speeches should be short and to the point, so that's it, nice and short: Happy Deathday to Me

Almost forgot: hope to be around and to see you around in forty five years, when I have proper jubilee to celebrate

[wilwarin538]

Happy Deathday HI! 5 years is definetely a long time.

Happy Deathday to whoever else died today!

[Kath]

Happy deathday HI. 5 years, wow. Hope to see you in another 5!

[Glirdan]

Happy deathdy HI!!! 5 years. Wow!!! That's long!!!! My first deathday is only a few months away now..... Well, to be more precise, 5 months, but hey!! Who's counting!!! Again, Happy Deathday HI and all those who died today and any other day that I've missed.

[Nimrodel_9]

Alas, being away from my computer is terrible. I never got to wish myself a happy deathday last month... So I'll do it now! Happy belated deathday to me! And happy belated deathday to HI! And to everyone else... Happy UNdeathday!

What! I have never heard of that, anyway I wish you die today maybe it could be a better taste for you, happy death day in advance.

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by hubesiagosa67

What! I have never heard of that, anyway I wish you die today maybe it could be a better taste for you, happy death day in advance.

Hey, hey, what are you so mad about? It's the forum theme. Those who read Fellowship of the Ring know that the Barrow Downs are located between Bree and the Old Forest, and that they are "haunted" by Barrow Wights. Anyone who dares to cross the Downs at night is "killed" by them and joins the ranks of the undead.

For me joining this forum was certainly a change for the better, and I think I speak for the majority here as well. The "deathday" is like a birthday on this forum.

[Meela]

Just popped over here by chance and then suddenly remembered October's just been... An entire decade has now passed since I began haunting the site. How the time flies. I took up permanent residency as Meela a year and a bit after I actually came to the site and the forum, so it's nine years of continuous posting, but ten years now overall. I might even bake a cake to celebrate.

(Update) On second thoughts, scrap the cake. Have decided on a fitting way to celebrate ten years of talking, thinking, watching, living, breathing LotR. I am going to read the Lord of the Rings for the first time ever.

[Galadriel55]

Wow, what a date! Congratulations!

[The Might]

Congrats, G55! One year, but it feels like you've been haunting this place for much longer.

Also congrats to Durelin and Meela, celebratory cakes are definitely necessary!

[Hookbill the Goomba]

It's been nearly three weeks, but I recently passed 11 years on the Downs!! How did this even happen!?!?
I'm so glad to have met you all. You guys are the best people in my life right now.

[Galadriel55]

Happy deathday Hooky! *sends hugs*

[Mithalwen]

A decade ago today I joined the Downs and started to contra my time dead against time alive so I stopped ageing (ha, I wish)... really wonder what I did before...

[Galadriel55]

Woot! Into the double digits! Happy deathday, MamaMith!

[tom the eldest]

Whats a deathday?

[Galadriel55]

Happy deathday Guinevere!

[Mithalwen]

Not quite eleventy one but eleven years and one day since I joined the Downs. So glad it is still here

[Kuruharan]

Hooray Mithalwen! Happy Deathday!

[Galadriel55]

A decade and a year and a day! Woot!

Happy deathday, Mama Wolf!

[Guinevere]

Belated Happy Deathday to Mithalwen!
And thank you Galadriel for congratulating me on mine!!

[Galadriel55]

Happy deathday sallycakes!

And I completely forgot mine this year. Ich.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Ha! I see, happy deathday to sally. And belatedly to you, G55, and also to Nerwen, as I just noticed!

[Galadriel55]

Thank'ee!

And seconded, happy deathday to Nerwen!

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

I vaguely remember the time when I was imagining what it would be like once I have been on the 'Downs for ten years. Back then, even the oldest members were not that old.

But here it is. It's been ten years. And the 'Downs, and you Downers, have had such a significant impact on my life, that... probably half of you don't know half as much how much, and more than half of you will never even know. I at least hope I have been able to return the favour in some way.

If I may be allowed to recount a bit of that ancient history, I believe I haven't mentioned to very many of you how exactly did I end up here. The undisputable fact is, that I am here I owe to the Holy Spirit. That is an absolute claim I can make with certainty.

Here is how it went: About a month before my actual Death, I had heard somewhere about the idea that the "Flame of Anor" (mentioned by Gandalf in The Bridge of Khazad-Dûm) was supposed to be a reference to the Holy Spirit. I thought it to be a fairly daring claim, which could probably be successfully defended, nonetheless obviously not something that would be the primal intention of the author.

However, out of curiosity, I googled something along the lines of "Flame of Anor - Holy Spirit". The first thing that came up was the 'Downs. I started reading a thread, then another. The interesting thing is I didn't register at that point. Only much later, when I had a different question of my own, I started thinking whom to ask - and remembered the Barrow-Downs. That question became my very first post, already showing some of my signature traits - namely, it was fairly long, and I got several reps for it in that sense (but positive). You would be able to look it up fairly easily, I believe, it was the very first thread I ever started and it concerned my favourite character, Saruman.

Ten years later, here I am. And the small act of joining the Barrow-Downs that long time ago has influenced my life in such a profound way that, if I should leave here some memento for future generations of 'Downers, it would be this:

"It's a dangerous business, Frodo, making a post. You thank for a rep, and if you don't keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to."

[Inziladun]

Cheers, Legate! You are an excellent representative of the spirit of the Downs that has kept me coming here for longer than I ever would have expected from an internet forum.

Here's to another 10.

[Pitchwife]

Thirded! Happy deathday, Legate, rest in peace and may the Fff-, er, Flame of Anor always be with you! Thank you for the story of your first visit to the Downs - the subject of your query strikes me as characteristic of both yourself and the forum, which has always been a good place to explore the spiritual and philosophical ramifications of Tolkien's legendarium. I also took the time to dig up your old trhead about Saruman's interest in the Shire and couldn't help smiling at the discussion of Saruman's smoking habit, which reminded me of my own first post here, answering a riddle of yours about this very subject.

Belated condolences also to G55, sally, Nerwen and Agan (how could I have missed this?)!