I'm not one to formally introduce myself, nor make quite the impression initially. However, I will intrduce myself nonetheless.

I am Erethror(I seemed to have disregarded the fact that username choosing was case sensitive, oh well) and as far as meaning goes for the name, it has none. However, it is a sub/concious combination of Erebor and Thror, and it is/was my name on various message boards. It's a year old, and was initially the name of a character in an un-finished story of mine, coincedentally, about dwarves. Now enough about my name, and more about myself.
To those who don't second look, I would be considered a Tolkien 'addict', due to my deep well of knowledge revolving around the man and especially his mythology. However true this may be(and I guess to some extent I see myself as one), I don't like to be labelled, nor do I consider myself a true addict, because my love is in the literature, not merchandise. Therefore, I would hate it if anyone called me a 'ringer', though I did see the movies before the I read the books. Indeed it was the movies(which I refrained, nay, refused to watch until almost 3 years after the FotR's release), which brought me to the book. See, it was the story the movie's were conveying, that drew me to the books, otherwise I would be just a Tolkien fan labelled a ringer or whatever other names there are. Nor am I a Tolkienite, I guess I can't be in all truths, because I didn't read the books before I watched the movies. I am me, and I like LotR! I'll say more after, I am off to lunch!

Welcome! That was a very detailed intro erethror. You did an awesome job. If you have any questions about A-U, feel free to ask anybody on the welcoming team. I hope to see you around! Enjoy your time here (and your lunch)!

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Hi! Welcome to the forum! nice intro:P Hope to see you around. enjoy your stay!

~Azriel~

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Welcome to the forums Erethror! Btw, if you want to change your name, just click on the 'Profile' link at the top of the screen, and go to the top of the page where it says 'Username'. Hope you enjoy your time here!

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Hello erethror! Nice to meet you, I'm Gwen. Looks like Oro already gave you instructions on how to change your name. Wow! What a detailed introduction! I can't wait to get to know you better. See you later.

~Gwen

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^Thanks Gily!
<By Bubble Black

Welcome to the AU forum erethror.

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welcome!

as for the username, I believe you can change usernames on this forum.

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Welcome to A-U erethror! All of us are different kinds of fans of LotR, so it was great reading why you like it; we love getting new members so I hope you enjoy it here and post lots!

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Proud Member of the The Evilishy Nazgûl Alliance for World Domination
{Beri}

Already I am bombarded with greetings and instructions(which are most welcomed!)! I thank you all for the warm greetings, I think my stay will be a most enjoyable one.

Now, to continue where I left off:
I do not hide this fact, for I believe in the butterfly effect, and understand if my boycott did not exist, I would maybe have never dared to near the books. I was in grade 4 when I first heard of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Fellowship of the Ring. At the same time however, Harry Potter(and the Philosopher's Stone) stormed bookshelves. I was read, and read myself, the P.S. and fell in love with Harry Potter. I dismissed the LotR, claiming it to be some cheap fantasy flick, not even knowing, or caring that they were based on almost 50 year old books. I forgot about it after the movie was out and ending it's storm of the box offices, my life continued as usuall for two years. Nearing the end of my seventh grade in elementary school, the teacher popped in The Hobbit to keep us busy until the day was over; it was nearly 2 years since I almost watched The Hobbit(coincedentally in grade 4; the teacher saw that it was a cartoon and refrained from continuing the film). I was enthralled-by a cartoon! I still watched cartoons yes, but this grasped me! I wanted to know more about the story. I saw there was a Hobbit graphic novel in the school library, I read it, I loved the story. At the time, I learned it was related to the Lord of the Rings. I was skeptical, nonetheless my boycott ended. At the video store, I saw it: The Fellowship of the Ring. I rented it and watched it. I felt ashamed of ever dismissing it, or hating it-not even ever seeing it. I was caught. So I bought the Two Towers, which just came out on VHS/DVD that summer(03'). I loved it, I watched it over and over. Ironically, I never bought the FotR until a year later, meaning I watched it only maybe 3 times in that period! I knew there were books, and that was on my list. I was a noob nonetheless, a late bloomer at that. So it was natural that I should want to know more about, well, everything, I soaked up alot, but the story was still so fresh, and I didn't understand still many things in the movie. I learned the third movie was coming out, this was my chance to show I was patriotic to the series. I bought thethird book just before the movie came out, but I was on a roll, so I thought I would watch the movie first. That I did on it's opening day. WOW. Me and my brother were amazed, not to mention everyone else in the packed theatre! There were shouts of triumph, laughs, screams, and of course, tears (I let my own loose, as much as I'd let them). I had seen the series, now the task was at hand to read them.

Break! Well, that was long! But I like mentioning this story...

(Now for the rest of my tale of entering the world of Middle-Earth!)

The Return of the King was the first book of the LotR I had read, and the last to have watched. How ironic . Anyway, I decided to read the books 'backwards'. So as you may imagine, TTT came next, then the FotR. Reading the books for the first time, and backwards at that really impared my understanding of the book in general.(Even though I watched the movies, they are still understandable different, especially in the way they are conveyed!). I continued then by reading the actual novel, The Hobbit. Which I loved!(from which came my idea for my story, which I dropped because of its increasing similarities to the Hobbit...). My task at this point was to understand the LotR through and through and through. Though, I also needed to know more about the mythology, the world in which it all takes place! Although I didn't know the Silmarillion would do this for me, nor in fact did I know what it was about, save it had Jewels in it somewhere. I undertook the task of reading it. I failed, after the first few pages, I was lost. The writing was so complex, and at this point I didn't make the decision of becoming a literary something. I returned the book to the library and never looked at it again for a year, nor did my thoughts ever return. All this time the only things I owned concerning Tolkiens works, was a poster(which I got 3 years prior to watching the FotR, which I subsequently never looked at until that point), TTT movie, a RotK movie ticket, and the RotK book. I eventually got the RotK movie later that year, and the FotR special edition(the same would go for RotK that christmas, i still dont have TTT). The summer of 04' was a bright one-I found a 1993; John Howe cover FotR for $3.00 at a flea market. I understandable purchased it, at undertook the task of reading it for the second time in my life. I finished it early 05'....(not because of my reading skills! rather many other things bombarded me at the time). Life went on. early 05', I had a book report(quite lengthier than conventional ones) for English class. I was confident in my abilities; I decided to read the Silmarillion and do the report on it. A girl in the class told me the task was wastefull, it read like a history. I cared not. In truth it did/does read like a history, but it has a story embedded in it nonetheless. My report was a success! And I discovered more about Tolkiens mythology, not too mention I could understand most of the book(though buying the book soon after, I understood it in its enitireness). I soon bought the Hobbit, and not too much later, the TTT. At this point in time, I had long finished my second reading of the FotR, and started reading the TTT.
Well theres not too much to say after that. Only I have now begun collecting 'The History of Middle-Earth' books, and actually have read the Book of Lost Tales over the summer. My knowledge on the subject is quite vast at this point. I never brag, no! Though it's a subject I have a very fond liking for, and it never ceases to amaze me. Therefore it's only natural I should like to know (and do) so much!
If there is anything else you'd like to know me, please ask.(or state)

I might quickly add that I like to write, and would write on and on. However, I have work to do, and my wrist hurts, your all saved from my ramblings!

Cool! That was actually really interesting; they're just brilliant books aren't they? The Sil is intimidating at first and it is like a history but like you said there's a great fantasy story in it Just one question - do you still like Harry Potter?

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Proud Member of the The Evilishy Nazgûl Alliance for World Domination
{Beri}

Very much so! (I guess I forgot to mention that, didn't I?)

Wow, you do like to write a lot!! That's really neat! I too was a big fan of HP and I didn't regard LotR till, I ran out of things to read, and came upon it in a bookshop. I guess that scenario is a tad different than yours though...

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the forum and I'll see you around!
~Larael

Whoa, I actually read all of that.
Anywho, you sound like a really cool person-Ere-see you around posting soon! We're a batch of crazy, insane people here though, so don't get affected too much. =D

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He makes my heart beat.
My new obsession, ladies and gentlemen: Cloud Strife.
<img src="http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e94/tainted-glory/cloudprettybar7mk.png">
Credit to: <a href="http://xxx-colorbar.livejournal.com/498.htm">x</a>

I don't think there's ever been such a detailed introduction by anyone before--and that's good! It's great to learn about you.

Anyway, the question I wanted to ask is, to straighten it in my head and to avoid embarrassment later... haha... are you male or female, Erethror? I have my guess, but I thought I'd better ask

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