{weRSPC} profile interests meme: 3

[we_are_spc]

flameandsong Gave me:
African-American culture, JRR Tolkien and phoenixes

African-American culture
I remember my first interest being in middle school, and not just because I was introduced to hiphop/rap. That's when I first knew about the word hawnkies )honkies) because a friend and I got to talking about things. I remember her being a bit hesitant at first, but then she told me.
It really got interesting to me when Kendrick Lamar started talking about things in his music, and after Jay and his contingent showed up here (Which was actually during my predicessor's time; they haven't left) and when I met one of M's ex-co-workers. EEver since then, it's been an interest of mine, and a very eye-opening experience for me, and a very good learning one, too.
JRR Tolkien
Ah, those days in high school when I could read half the night and still function. *sighs* I read most (Exvcept for the last book) of the LOTR triligy in high school that way, and fell in love with it. To the point where I'm thinking of getting it on audible to have the whole thing read. As much as I love the dramatized versions...they leave out so damned much it's insane. Case and point, the story of how Gimly got a andage around his head(. I still thin,k back to those days, and wonder. But ever since then JRR Tolkien has held a lot of really good memories for me. Especially since my dad had read it before I did and pointed out characters for me to pay attention to without giving spoilers.
phoenixes
I was sixteen. Sixteen when I fell in love with t X-men phoenix saga. I'd heard of the phoenix before then, and wqas somewhat interested in learning more about the *actual* legend itself beyond the animated stuff that showed itself on the TV. But it wasn't until *after* the dark phoenix saga (That still somehow fascinated me, I wasn't really even afraid of the dark, shadowy side of that( that I knew there was something more to that if I liked both sies of the coin. And I mean...I could watch both sagas on repeat if I were to have them both, so I looked more deeply into it.
In doing so...I identified more and more with the legend itself to the point that I feel like I *am* one in a lot of ways, especially with what I've been through in my life and the things that have played out in it. I still look for different legends and manes. Even to this very day.


I have caught up. :) thank you lot for all of this.

-T~

Comments

[ex_flameandsong751]

Thank you for answering these.

I love hip-hop, as you know, and I think learning is commendable.

LOTR was what made me fall in love with Tolkien, though it was the Silmarillion that ended up taking up rent-free space in my head. When I've tried to explain the Silm to people who've never read it but have read LOTR, I'm like "take all the hope and good, positive energy of LOTR, now throw it in a black hole and watch it reverse and that's the Silmarillion". The Silm just made me angry, for reasons where I won't hijack your post, so inevitably, I started writing fix-it fic a few years ago. But LOTR is still a beautiful story and continues to capture the hearts of millions to this day.

The phoenix is a personally significant symbol to me, as well. One of my OCs, Sören [the Icelander who looks like Jon Snow], has full-sleeve tattoos, one is ocean waves and one is flames, and they lead out to a pair of phoenixes on his back, fire and water.

[we_are_spc]

Ha, yeah, I could see where the silm would make you angry. I've read it, and it was hard for me to get through, but I managed it. LOTR is awesome, and I just...the descriptions make me think I'm there. Other than some of the Valdemar stories )Which came after Tokien) I'd nver had that with anything. I think that was the first time I realized there was something different about me because I could go beyond the words (Which don't do a lot of it justice for the things themselves) to... the imagery. Not quite sure that even now, many people could do that. Even less so back then.

I can't tell you how many times my life has been brought to metaphorically ashes (Two stick out in particular, Colorado, and the recent thing from Ohio to here)...but there were other less...obvious times.

But damn, that tatoo sounds like something I would like. :d That's cool!