Top Ten Signs You're Addicted to the Barrow-Downs

[Eönwë]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

When you start thinking in BD typing abbreviations (like Pee-Jay instead of Peter Jackson.

Just wanted to point out that Andy Serkis does that (have you seen the newest production video for the Hobbit?)

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Eönwë

Just wanted to point out that Andy Serkis does that (have you seen the newest production video for the Hobbit?)

Heh, I'm not the only one I guess... But does he call the movie PJ is producing "tee-aych"?

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

This is probably the best place to post about what happened to me today - even though it is not really a "sign", strictly speaking. It's, I think, a natural result of being a 'Downer (or in my case, being me).

Not sure if any of you are familiar with the computer game Star Wars: The Old Republic (or if any of you are even playing it). I am, and let's just say that it's a classic role-playing game where you have your character, who has a story which you are following in the game, all situated in the Star Wars universe (long time before the movies). Now I was playing a person acting as a spy who, as it comes, has to use secret codenames. So from time to time, you get a codename in which your character is addressed during some part of the game.

I would like to point out that all the dialogues with the NPCs (non-player characters) in the game are fully voiced and so it looks more like watching a movie than playing a game when you talk to someone.

This time, I came to some NPC who was about to assign a new task to me. He explained to me what I have to do, and then he finished the dialogue by saying: "Your codename for this operation will be... Legate."

For a few seconds, I was like: "What??? Did I hear correctly?" And then I completely cracked up. I mean, YES. That's possibly the coolest thing that might have happened to me there

It feels great to be called by your own name, you see

P.S. Oh, I just recalled, when I am at it... the fact that the very same character's ship is called "the Phantom" is a minor detail. Now that I think of it... if I encounter one more 'Downer name in there, I might start becoming suspicious as to the identity of the creators of the game...

[Boromir88]

Realizing the years of cross-posting on the Barrow-Downs, has now moved into crossing on other social sites. Like cross-messaging on facebook. And I don't just mean "Hi" crossing, I'm talking full 4+ paragraph message being crossed by both people. Then after the cross-messaging, replying "Edit: oops, cross-posted."

[MCRmyGirl4eva]

Another sign: You join after stalking the site for a month

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by MCRmyGirl4eva

Another sign: You join after stalking the site for a month

I think that's not so bad still. As far as I am aware, there are people who joined after stalking for many months or even year(s) (and who knows how many are out there who are doing that right now still. I am pretty sure there are some. Yes, I see you! Yes, I mean you! Join now! After you join, you can claim it was me who talked you into that).

And welcome to the 'Downs!

[MCRmyGirl4eva]

You skip lunch at school to come on here (who needs food anyway?)

You speed through your online Bio project to come on here (Everyone knows about Survival of the Fittest: You don't need to prove it's real with Peppered Moths and the Industrial Revolution...)

[Meneltarmacil]

You know you're addicted to the Barrow-Downs when revisiting LOTR makes you return after a three-year absence because you miss this place so much...*sniff*

[Boromir88]

Menel!!!! You know what is fortuitous about your return at this time? 2012 Arda Cup is just about to get started. Pick your phantasy team now before it's too late. (Glad you're back too, of course. )

[MCRmyGirl4eva]

You are on here in school, again, merely to check if anyone posted in the LOTR memes thread

You are angry when the school computers are reserved because you can't get on BD

Your dad is sick of you being on the computer at home

[Galadriel55]

When the Downs are the only part of your daily routine that won't vary with the day or the season.

When you think "what would Downer X do/say about this?"

When you know what was going on on the Downs years before you joined but can't remember what homework you did yesterday.

When you can't wait for exams to start because then you'll have more time to spend on the Downs.

When you have so many points to make on this thread.

[MCRmyGirl4eva]

When you are on here using a school laptop that is missing the C and M keys, but you still use it because you don't want to get a new laptop because to get up will cut into your BD time.

[Galadriel55]

When you're supposed to be studying for an upcoming exam. *sigh* The old story.

[MCRmyGirl4eva]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

When you're supposed to be studying for an upcoming exam. *sigh* The old story.

You shall not pass.

Neither shall I. I have a ton of overdue school/homework that I'm ignoring to be on here. At least I multi-tasked with my Bio project. LOL

[TheGreatElvenWarrior]

Apparently that annoying exclamation mark that is on Big Lots adverts is called Lottie. I immediately thought of Loslote when I saw that, even though I haven't posted in how long?
Also, Google Chrome has that thing where it displays your six favourite/most visited websites and whenever the Barrow-Downs is not one of them, I go crazy getting it back on there.

[MCRmyGirl4eva]

When you come on here merely waiting for toast to pop.

[Galadriel55]

When you see a random stranger and think that s/he looks like DownerX. And then wonder what on earth s/he would be doing here now, since they live across the world. And only then tell yourself that no one decided to pay you a surprise visit.

[Aganzir]

During the year, I've seen several ladies who look like Esty, and it always makes me happy. I also see Shastas occasionally.

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Aganzir

During the year, I've seen several ladies who look like Esty, and it always makes me happy. I also see Shastas occasionally.

I've seen a few Estys too, but not Shastas. My record of most "Downers" at once is when I saw a group of people, among them Nog, Greenie, tp, sally, and Boro. They were shooting fireworks on Canada Day or somesuch in The Middle of Nowhere, Ontario. They would have been as good as Gandalf, had they actually been Downers.

And then other Downers here and there.

This would have been ridiculously fun had I been making it up. But since I actually thought for a moment on that Canada Day "wait...there's a moot -- here?" this is actually quite sad.

[MCRmyGirl4eva]

I tried to get a picture of my friend's One Ring, which, sadly, is silver, but it has the writing. However, she wouldn't let me. She's constantly afraid I'll steal it, so she doesn't take it off around me, but before she graduated, she was more than happy to sit there in SciFi/Fantasy class and let me pet the ring while crooning "my preessiousss", even though the other kids and Ms. Ferrara were gining us strange looks.

[Galadriel55]

When you could do (and even have to do) a ton of different things, but all you end up doing is going back and forth from the BD homepage to Active threads to CP to the most recent post to reading old threads and repeat.

[MCRmyGirl4eva]

When you come on here when you're only going to be dog-sitting for about ten minutes.

[Galadriel55]

You read "Anfauglith" and think of the team instead of the place.


(Phantom is probably very pleased.)

[MCRmyGirl4eva]

You are forcing your sister to type the messages for you because she refuses to give up the computer, despite her addiction. (Or you are just a slow typer)

You started calling your dad "Ada" and "Gaffer"

You actually start thinking in LOTR terms because you are on here so often, (Not to mention that you read and watch the movies very often, as well)

[Galadriel55]

When you sit on the Palantir of Fortune thread at midnight, thinking "just one more letter"...

Also, when you sit in the living room for about 10 minutes, and reach for the family laptop to check the Downs there (although it's much more convenient to use the Internet on my own laptop).

And when you unexpectedly are out of town for a couple days your first thought is whether there is something I have to do on the Downs those days, to warn the others that I won't be around... *coughwerewolfcough*

[MCRmyGirl4eva]

When you sit on the Palantir of Fortune thread at midnight, thinking "just one more letter"...

Hmmm... am I right in thinking of that time with my sister and I using Legolas's "Merry and Pippin with the wine at Isengard" quote? Or is it just because you do that all the time?

When you have successfully converted you best friend into an LOTR fan, and she in turn converted her boyfriend, so you are now attempting to make her join, and are working on converting her little sister.

(I got my BFF to read The Hobbit, but she can't read LOTR, it's too challenging for her. I got her into the movies, at least. )

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by MCRmyGirl4eva

Hmmm... am I right in thinking of that time with my sister and I using Legolas's "Merry and Pippin with the wine at Isengard" quote? Or is it just because you do that all the time?

I do it quite regularly. Especially when it's Foley's turn to do the quote, since she is online when it's about 11:30 or so my time...

[MCRmyGirl4eva]

Aaah... Well, I'm in the US on the east coast G55, and I don't know what that means for you, so...

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by MCRmyGirl4eva

Aaah... Well, I'm in the US on the east coast G55, and I don't know what that means for you, so...

Well it means we're probably in the same timezone. Eastern, GMT-5 (well now -4 with all the DST changes...)? And I live north of you, where it's totally wild, not a decent human settlement, and polar bears roam the streets.


(ie Canada)

[MCRmyGirl4eva]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

Well it means we're probably in the same timezone. Eastern, GMT-5 (well now -4 with all the DST changes...)? And I live north of you, where it's totally wild, not a decent human settlement, and polar bears roam the streets.


(ie Canada)

LOL! I'm not that far south of you. I'm in the toss-tea-into-the-Atlantic-Ocean state. (Google, if you don't get it. It's an extremely famous event with an actual name)

You're addicted to the BD when you pop on here while you're dad's outside and you're supposed to be putting away groceries.

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by MCRmyGirl4eva

LOL! I'm not that far south of you. I'm in the toss-tea-into-the-Atlantic-Ocean state. (Google, if you don't get it. It's an extremely famous event with an actual name)

You basically live next door to half the Downers. Well not half, but a good bunch of them.



You are addicted when you know that you know way too much about other Downers, and think that they would not be surprised to know that.

[Boromir88]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

Well it means we're probably in the same timezone. Eastern, GMT-5 (well now -4 with all the DST changes...)? And I live north of you, where it's totally wild, not a decent human settlement, and polar bears roam the streets.


(ie Canada)

No Moose?

[MCRmyGirl4eva]

Originally Posted by Boromir88

No Moose?

The plural of moose is meese. Just being the nerd here who would know that LOL Not trying to be a jerk, really.

LOL! I'm not that far south of you. I'm in the toss-tea-into-the-Atlantic-Ocean state. (Google, if you don't get it. It's an extremely famous event with an actual name)

Anyone understand yet? ^ *Waits for stalkers*

You know you're addicted when you are passing up watching SHERLOCK HOLMES to be on here.

*Curls into ball and sobs. "What's wrong with me? I'm missing Sherlock Holmes! Robert Downey Jr! I have issues..." Tears out hair and keeps crying as nice young men in white coats ut her into a jacket that makes her hug herself and a nice cushy padded cell.*

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Boro

No Moose?

Only polar bears. They like to play hockey on the sidewalks.

Originally Posted by MCRmyGirl4eva

Anyone understand yet? ^ *Waits for stalkers*

I got it.

If I'm confusing you with my jests about the stereotypes, I live in Toronto, where most on the fauna consists of squirrels (most of them black!) and raccoons. And house pets.

[MCRmyGirl4eva]

I have tons of black squirrels here. My elderly neighbor likes naming the squirrels who run around on the patio, and she keeps naming all the black squirrels "Blackie". All of the grey squirrels have real names.

[MCRmyGirl4eva]

When you attempt to get on here on the tablet computers they have on display at Staples

[Galadriel55]

When you start writing the word "down" with a capital D, because it's too similar to Downs, Downer(s), and the like. I'm just too used to writing words that start with "down-" with a capital D.

[MCRmyGirl4eva]

it's only the second day of school and you're on here in class instead of doing your (limited) work

[MCRmyGirl4eva]

When you're on while you're supposed to be Student Assisting in the school library.

[Galadriel55]

When you PM Downers more often than you email friends, even those you haven't seen in over a year.

I might have said this before, but it's worth saying again: when subscribing to threads is pointless since you check the Downs more often than the email.