What do you "assign" to the Shire?

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Getting the Music in Middle-Earth book right into my appartment in Finland.

[Dimturiel]

Lying in bed until 11 o'clock in the morning with the cat purring close by, watching the snowflakes falling outside. Also, spending an entire day just reading a good book. Ahh, those rare moments of peace...

[Mithalwen]

Listening to Tolkien reading some of the poems from Lord of the Rings and realising he sounds almost as if Elvish were his first language.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Coloring anatomically accurate animal drawings with crayons, birch beer, and counting down the hours until I see my Stick.

[Pitchwife]

Originally Posted by Feanor of the Peredhil

Coloring anatomically accurate animal drawings with crayons, birch beer, and [...]

Guess what I first thought when I read this!
Yeah - the drawing might get a bit sticky (no pun intended).

[Dimturiel]

I'm assigning the first real winter we've had for quite a long time. I can't remember the last time it snowed so much for so long, especially in February. It snowed like in a fairy tale all day and now everything is white and soft and Faramir (erm, that is, the fir tree outside my window, I named him Faramir, you see...) looks quite charming with a thick coat of bright snow. I send him to the Shire too.

[Pitchwife]

Originally Posted by Dimturiel

I'm assigning the first real winter we've had for quite a long time. I can't remember the last time it snowed so much for so long, especially in February. It snowed like in a fairy tale all day and now everything is white and soft and Faramir (erm, that is, the fir tree outside my window, I named him Faramir, you see...) looks quite charming with a thick coat of bright snow. I send him to the Shire too.

Just wait and see. I'm about to reassign snow from the Shire to Orthanc - yes, it's beautiful, but having to shovel all the time gets rather tedious after a while, and taking two hours (instead of 45 minutes) to get home from work because our authorities are running out of salt for the motorways definitely sucks. All that's missing now is wolves crossing the frozen Brandywine...

[Loslote]

Originally Posted by Pitchwife

Just wait and see. I'm about to reassign snow from the Shire to Orthanc - yes, it's beautiful, but having to shovel all the time gets rather tedious after a while, and taking two hours (instead of 45 minutes) to get home from work because our authorities are running out of salt for the motorways definitely sucks. All that's missing now is wolves crossing the frozen Brandywine...

Wait - your authorities actually put down salt for you? Do they plow, too? My goodness...

And yes. Snow goes to Orthanc at least. But what should be assigned to the Shire is the wonderful warm spell in Alaska right now - hovering around freezing point. No need for coats, snow is melting, "spring" is almost here...what more could you want?

[Pitchwife]

Originally Posted by Loslote

Wait - your authorities actually put down salt for you? Do they plow, too? My goodness...

Usually, they do both, at least for the motorways and other major roads, but they're having a hard time keeping it up at the moment, as it's getting increasingly hard to get any salt for love or money.
And yes, I do realize that from an Alaskan perspective, my complaints probably sound like those of a pampered spoiled brat!

[Loslote]

Originally Posted by Pitchwife

Usually, they do both, at least for the motorways and other major roads, but they're having a hard time keeping it up at the moment, as it's getting increasingly hard to get any salt for love or money.
And yes, I do realize that from an Alaskan perspective, my complaints probably sound like those of a pampered spoiled brat!

My dear, only the Big City (which admittedly has less than 300,000 people) gets plowed, and even that not fully. Most of us use snow machines or snowshoe or something when it really starts to snow. Most of the backroads are hand-shoveled out only far enough that the shovel-people can get to the highway. Mostly it all shuts down. I think there are supposed to be people to plow, but that never happens. Oh, and highway snow gets beaten down by traffic until you can't see the snow, only black ice (fine, you can't see black ice either). So...Alaskans expect driving-related delays.

[TheGreatElvenWarrior]

Originally Posted by Loslote

My dear, only the Big City (which admittedly has less than 300,000 people) gets plowed, and even that not fully. Most of us use snow machines or snowshoe or something when it really starts to snow. Most of the backroads are hand-shoveled out only far enough that the shovel-people can get to the highway. Mostly it all shuts down. I think there are supposed to be people to plow, but that never happens. Oh, and highway snow gets beaten down by traffic until you can't see the snow, only black ice (fine, you can't see black ice either). So...Alaskans expect driving-related delays.

Only us folk that reside in said large city are safe from snow on the roads. . . Sometimes. Most other times there is packed down snow in the roads. The summer is not much better, what with the pot-holes and such. But for everything else, snow machines are the way to go.

[Loslote]

Originally Posted by TheGreatElvenWarrior

Only us folk that reside in said large city are safe from snow on the roads. . . Sometimes. Most other times there is packed down snow in the roads. The summer is not much better, what with the pot-holes and such. But for everything else, snow machines are the way to go.

Driving is actually better in the winter because the snow fills up the potholes, leaving an acutal road. Very handy. And four-wheelers in the summer. Or dog sled...I know people who do that. Or horse back, but those aren't as helpful once they start freezing to death. They're funny that way.

[TheGreatElvenWarrior]

Originally Posted by Loslote

Driving is actually better in the winter because the snow fills up the potholes, leaving an acutal road. Very handy. And four-wheelers in the summer. Or dog sled...I know people who do that. Or horse back, but those aren't as helpful once they start freezing to death. They're funny that way.

Yeah, not many people that I know keep horses because it's freezing for most of the year. I do like the winter because of the lack of pot holes. It is quite nice, except for the slickness. Just today, we slid down the driveway because of the packed down snow. We don't have a four wheeler, last time we went out places we went in our Expedition. That was a bad idea. We got sand in our car.

[Brinniel]

I assign the support that BDers give to their fellow BDers and their willingness to help out toward an important cause. It is truly a sign of how close a community we really are when so many BDers are ready to back each other up and even sacrifice as a way to show their support. I appreciate what my fellow BDers have done for me this past month and am so proud to be among a group of such wonderful people.

I also assign giving something up that so many are unwilling to let go of in the name of a great cause. The experience and outcome are so rewarding that it is totally worth the sacrifice.

[Nerwen]

Finding this posted in "Yahoo Answers":

What can I do about my misery?
I am a sick man. ... I am a spiteful man. I am an unattractive man. I believe my liver is diseased. However, I know nothing at all about my disease, and do not know for certain what ails me. I don't consult a doctor for it, and never have, though I have a respect for medicine and doctors. Besides, I am extremely superstitious, sufficiently so to respect medicine, anyway (I am well-educated enough not to be superstitious, but I am superstitious). No, I refuse to consult a doctor from spite. That you probably will not understand. Well, I understand it, though. Of course, I can't explain who it is precisely that I am mortifying in this case by my spite: I am perfectly well aware that I cannot "pay out" the doctors by not consulting them; I know better than anyone that by all this I am only injuring myself and no one else. But still, if I don't consult a doctor it is from spite.

And four people earnestly advised him to seek medical help.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

It sounds to me that while you have not been diagnosed, you may have some sort of psychological or mood imbalance. It is nothing to be ashamed of and it is extremely treatable!!!
The first step to recovery is admitting that you have a problem, and you just did!!!
congratulations!!!
Having paranoid thoughts, being spiteful, having conflicting ideas/hypocrisy, low self esteem/feelings of worthlessness, negative/neurotic thoughts without purpose, self destruction.

From your writing, I get the impression that you can be quite impulsive at times.

While I am not a doctor, I know quite a lot about mental instabilities.

And I know first hand, that it can be extremely tortuous for you and everyone close to you to live with. (so by not taking care of yourself, you are in fact injuring them as well)

I really advise you to put your spitefulness aside and seek medical attention!

It will change your life for the better! Happiness is possible!!
You deserve it! No one should have to be miserable!

You need to take this leap and get better! If you feel too guilty about doing it for yourself, think of your loved ones!!

I wish you the best of luck!

Ah, nothing like a good pretentious literary leg-pull, is there?

[Ibrîniðilpathânezel]

Having a sweetheart of a husband who gave me an Easter basket the day after Easter with an iPad (complete with LotR and TS in the Books library) in it. I know he's the real technogeek in this house, but he always likes me to try things out first. What a guy.

[TheGreatElvenWarrior]

England. I assign England. Lauri and I are hollidaying in Britain and it is grand! I love this place. All of my years of Anglophilia paying off! And, we have the opportunity to meet Downers too!

[Student of War]

To the Shire I would like to assign an old wooden toad stool that I acquired at the last birthday party I attended. This is the second time I have unwillingly but politely accepted it in less that 5 years. Used to milk fat cows it has the tendency to grab your trousers when standing up. I must give it up this way so I wont have to wait until my birthday party next year to give it away again.

[Pitchwife]

That sounds like a true mathom, SoW! Definitely belongs in the Shire.
And welcome to the Downs, by the way. Enjoy being dead!

[Urwen]

Ah.This is where Lalaith belongs-in land of mirth!

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by Urwen

Ah.This is where Lalaith belongs-in land of mirth!

You know, Urwen, I saw you'd posted here, and I thought to myself, "I bet it'll be about Lalaith..."

[Urwen]

Good.Could you repay me by continuing 'Who am I?' thread?

[Mithalwen]

the adaptability of nature - I had to stop for a group of deer crossing the lane as I left work and apart from the joy of this sight of the relatively elusive creatures I was amazed how they slid through the horizontal strands of barbed wire to get in to the field (no doubt en route to the open forest 2 paddocks on). Amazing I was sure they would get tangled but it was incredible. None of them were white Bethberry but I am still looking!

[Thinlómien]

Finally managing to rep the last people on a mammoth-size "should rep" list.

Also, larping.

And sorting old stuff for moving out. Yikes!

[Dimturiel]

It might sound strange, sending thunderstorms to the Shire of all places, but I have to send the one that just ended. It's the first one I've experienced since moving into my new loft, and I have to admit that looking out the window while lying on the bed and watching lightning flash right above you is extremely exhilarating. I'm also sending the fresh air that's outside right now - no dust, finally, which means I can actually keep the window open without sneezing my head off - as well as the fresh smell of wet grass. Ahh, right now it feels great to be alive.

[Galadriel]

People who don't give up, no matter what, even when they know they will not get any appreciation for it. That, in my opinion, is a hero.

People who treat others as equals, not as superiors or inferiors.

[Pitchwife]

I assign the little duckling we helped out of its egg three days ago. It had fallen out of the nest, and Mom decided she was busy sitting on the remaining eggs and couldn't be bothered. We took it inside and put it in a cage with a lightbulb and hot-water bottle for warmth; after taking a night to make up its mind, it decided it was going to live and promptly adopted my wife as its new Mom. Since yesterday it's got a sibling who suffered a similar fate shortly after hatching to keep it company, and they're both happily chirping away now.

[Mithalwen]

so cute..and in a few months so tasty with pancakes spring onion and hoisin sauce

[Aganzir]

Mith you are evil!

Those are so cute Pitch! Are you planning to keep them as pets?

[Pitchwife]

Just wait a while, and you may yet see me assign roast duck à la Mithalwen to the Shire...

Generally, our ducks are not so much pets as slug police. As of now, we have four adults and three ducklings hatched a few weeks ago, in addition to the two little ones. Some of those will have to go (surplus drakes first, lest there be gang bang). We'd prefer to find a new home for them, but if there's no buyer, the frying pan is the alternative; same for the chickens (and believe me, home-grown poultry beats anything you can get from the supermarket!).

Not for these two, however (relax, Agan!). Don't know whether they'll stay as tame once they share the garden with the others, but they're bound to be stayers - at least the perky yellow one for whom Mrs Pitch acted as midwife.

[Nerwen]

Aww, these ducklings take me back to when my brother raised one for Biology– you know, to study imprinting.

The whole class used to make their ducklings fight each other at recess– I don't think that was in the project description somehow, but nonetheless the "duck fights" became a popular attraction.

[Mithalwen]

Aganzir, never claimed otherwise

Pitchwife, I'd be honoured! And though to be honest, I don't know if I could kill lunch myself, it is probably the most humane way to produce poultry, raising your own.

Nerwen, that is fabulous ... Australian genius for turning anything into a sport you can bet on (one of my cousin's met his wife at the Melbourne cup... )

[Blind Guardian]

Those ducks are cute!

[Lastande Took]

I assign to the Shire: ponies...late spring trees...peanut butter...good books...lush flower gardens...siting beside the creek and reading...apples...misty rain showers...good friends.

[Inziladun]

A long weekend with the family and a few pints of Guinness.

[Blind Guardian]

I assign to the Shire a good book, no peanut butter or corn, and a cool place to sleep

[kementari]

I would like to assign hot chocolate with two marshmallows on top.

Thermals, that keep me warm in winter...along with a pair of wooly socks for good measures.

[Lastande Took]

Happy Celtic music...cool, misty, early summer mornings...hollyhocks...herb gardens.

[Oddwen]

Roller skating! The parts where I don't fall down, anyway.

[Lindale]

My first paycheck!