I have to write this down or I'll burst. I'm missing you more now since only you can relate with me. I am soooo pissed off I am trying to stop myself from punching the wall and crying in front of this damn PC.
I will try my best to remember the exact exchange of messages we had so I could share this clearer. Some may not be the exact words since I can't remember them. I'll just try to rephrase them. If YOU, yes YOU, the person I'm referring to, get to read this, I hope you will understand my point of view and how your way of giving me "advice" really hurt my feelings.
It all started when I, trying hard to be a nice friend and a proud TPTS member, sent him a message telling him about TPTS at NU tomorrow. Then...
HIM: Do you know "The Lost Road"? What style of poem is the "Lay of Turin"
ME: I know it's one of the books in History of Middle-earth series. Not sure what number though. I dunno what type of poem it is. You might wanna ask it tomorrow or I could post that question in the group if you want.
HIM: It's okay. I know that. I've been studying Tolkien since I was six. ... Blah blah blah...
ME: (getting pissed off) Why ask me then if you know? So I guess you know "The Lost Road".
HIM: It basically covers the story of Iluvatar, Valinore... blah blah blah...
(Um, I think it's Valinor, not Valinore.)
ME: (really mad) Then why bother asking me?! Seems like you're the expert here.
HIM: I just wanna test your mettle. I'm no expert... Blah blah blah...
(This moment, I can't remember everything anymore since this was the time I wanna kill somebody.)
ME: Like I told you, I'm just a newbie in Middle-earth. I don't even know Tolkien or Middle-earth existed before a friend introduced it to me and PJ sparked my interest.
HIM: You must have read CS Lewis then.
ME: Nope. I might read "The Chronicles of Narnia" but I have no time yet. And besides, Middle-earth is a vast area to cover and it's only been two years since I was exposed to it.
HIM: Narnia is a kid's book! Try reading blah blah blah (something about space travel, can't remember exactly). Now, THAT's a great book!
ME: Sorry. I'm just a kid in fantasyland. I'm didn't even like fantasy before LOTR. I guess I have to stay in my newbie place in Middle-earth and just be thankful PJ made movies about it.
(Then he started to lecture me about Middle-earth...)
HIM: I bet you haven't even heard of Atalantea.
ME: (Grrrrrrr!) Just give me time. You started when you were six. I was twenty one when I saw the movie. I think I can cover it. Just give me time. I have a lifetime ahead of me. I just hope that the spark of interest on Tolkien's Middle-earth is still there.
(And with Tolkien enthusiasts like YOU around, I don't think I can last that long.)
HIM: You can't! Middle-earth is just a beginning. Tolkien has covered more things than that. Some of his books were even futuristic... Blah blah blah...
ME: Then I guess I have to start from the beginning since I'm clearly not an expert in the subject yet.
HIM: I just don't want you to be like those screaming girls who just think LOTR is limited to The War of the Ring.
ME: I can scream but I'm not like that. I'm starting on "The Silmarillion" now. I got other HoME books but I haven't completed it yet, also "Unfinished Tales". It's just that I'm too slow in reading since I have to consult "The Atlas of Middle-earth" when I read "The Silmarillion".
HIM: WHAT? WHY? Don't be sarcastic...
(We've been exchanging messages for as long as I can remember and he's not even sure if I'm sarcastic or not. Some people can be sooo dense I want to slice them into thin pieces!)
(I can't seem to find a slicing smiley, so a placed a punching smiley instead.)
ME: I'm NOT sarcastic. It's just a good book to be around to help out newbies like me. (insert smiley face)
HIM: Watch out for Luthien! And I hate Liv Tyler's portrayal of Arwen! Blah blah blah...
(Now I know God is good. We actually agreed on one thing, I can't believe it!)
ME: Welcome to the I-hate-movie-Arwen club. I like Luthien enough to change my nick from Eowyn to Luthien. Though I don't know that much about her, the fact that Mrs. Tolkien inspired the creation of her character is reason enough.
HIM: Beren and Luthien are the first elf-mortal lovers even before Elassar and Arwen Undomiel.
(DUH? I know that!)
ME: I think Beren and Luthien were mentioned in the ROTK Appendices, so I have an idea who they were... What poem did you mention before?
HIM: Lay of Turin, slayer of Glaurungthe Gold. Son of Hurin, friend of Gondolin.
ME: Thanks soooo much! (insert smiley face.)
(I bet when we're talking face to face, my face would hurt from putting on a plastic smile.)
HIM: His story is the best epic before Boewulf.
ME: I know people in TPTS who can relate to you in that matter. Boewulf was one of our topics before.
(Then he still continued asking me some questions but I didn't reply.)
Oh God, writing helps a lot.
I don't know why there are people who think that since they started learning about a certain thing or literature earlier, they think they know everything and other people have no right to know what they know. Literature in general is not for a chosen few. It's for everyone to enjoy. But not all have the same exposure to it. Not all will learn and experience what YOU learned or experienced. When you think YOU're so high-and-mighty and expert in these topics coz other people don't know as much as YOU do, think again. Maybe YOU have a vast knowledge about everything, but YOU sure have a CLOSED MIND!
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