On the birthday of JRR Tolkein

Fantasy writers and readers, linguists, world-builders and people who just enjoy Peter Jackson movies all have cause for celebration: it’s the 121st anniversary of the birth of JRR Tolkien. The 1937 publication of The Hobbit forever changed popular culture and vocabulary of fantasy fiction. My life was forever changed hen I received The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings as a ninth birthday present, scary stuff for a kid. The paperback volumes were the 1960s Ballantine editions, with covers by Barbara Remington.

On crisp day this past autumn, I was taking photographs on the beach and in the decades-derelict military buildings at Fort Tilden, a decommissioned military base, now national parkland.  In an old ammunitions bunker, with a crumbling roof and mud floors,  with still-visible tracks, the few intact walls were covered with graffiti, which I expected. What I didn’t expect was graffiti in elvish writing; someone with a spray can and fairly obscure knowledge had gone to the bother of sneaking in after park closing and leaving a message few could read.

The Internet is brilliant for this sort of thing. Is there anyone who could translate this? If you know anyone who might be able to, please pass it on. It seems a fitting to decipher the message on Mr. Tolkien’s birthday.

New Year's wishes for all, a challenge, and a sunrise

Resolutions are a poor way to start the year. They always seem to have the quality of “I’ll be a good girl next year” or “I’ll do all my homework.” They speak of fear and shame and inadequacy.

Don’t get me wrong. Reflection is good. So are goals. But they shouldn’t be remedial, and should be personal. Joyous. Exciting. It should be a time to think about what matters to you. What you want out of your relationships, what’s interesting to you and makes you happy to get out of bed, and how you want to go about getting more life out of life in the coming year.

So, I have a challenge for all of you. Think of five things you did or accomplished in the past year that made your year better. This doesn’t have to mean curing cancer, although that would have been nice, or getting a big promotion. It can be something as simple as finally learning to knit, or singing in public for the first time. Maybe you started an exercise program and now have more energy, or did charitable work or gave someone special a surprise party. You don’t have to tell me about it. Now, think about five things you’d like to do in the coming year.  Maybe you want to write a novel, although it doesn’t have to be that ambitions.  You might want to learn to bake bread, or take a family vacation or become involved with a community garden or apply to graduate school. It’s all good, and once again, you can keep it to yourself, if you want to.

If you want to tell me about five accomplishments in 2012 and your dreams for 2013, leave a comment. If you send me your mailing address as well, I’ll send you a trinket. This is because giving yourself credit, allowing yourself to dream and saying these things out loud are all things that take courage, which should always be rewarded.

So, here’s my New Year’s wish to all of you.

Dream big and rejoice in the small things. May you get to spend time with the people you love most and may you share your love with those around you. My you be kind to strangers and a comfort to your friends. May you allow yourself to see the wonder and magic in the world. Try new things while building on the old. Dance or sing or write or garden or cook; find some way to create something new and wonderful. May you reach for the sun and bask in the starlight. May you have health, prosperity, and most importantly, JoyJoyJoy.

Start the year not with champagne or lentils or herring or a party or anything else that is supposed to be a good omen, but with what makes you happy. Personally, I like going to bed right after midnight so I can be at the beach for the first sunrise of the New Year. This is sunrise on January 1, 2012.

Oh, and if you’re going out tonight, be safe, which is a good thing to remember throughout the year. Don’t drink and drive. Avoid dangerous road conditions. Look both ways when you cross the street.

Happy New Year!

(Also, Bob's wish is for everyone to have magic ponies.)