Tolkien's Eleventy-first.

January 3, 2003 6:53 AM

Tolkien's Eleventy-first. Today would've been JRR Tolkien's 111th birthday. According to the Tolkien Society, the proper thing to do is to raise a glass at 9 pm and say "The Professor." Mary-Ann was not available for comment.
posted by condour75 (13 comments total)

"A drink to the people that own twelve-sided dice and the people that love them."
posted by machaus at 6:57 AM on January 3, 2003

maybe I should've mentioned this in the FPP, but eleventy-first is the birthday Bilbo celebrates at the beginning of the Ring trilogy. So, that's sort of the big deal. Personally, I'm a casual fan at best, but any excuse to knock back a few pints is perfectly welcome.
posted by condour75 at 6:58 AM on January 3, 2003

Hmm. Very fitting, then, that I'm finally seeing LotR II tonight.

(covers ears, waits for gasps)
posted by widdershins at 7:04 AM on January 3, 2003

Heh. Being a Friday evening, I may well visit the Eagle & Child pub in St Giles, Oxford. This was the meeting place of the Inklings, a group that included Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, among others.
posted by salmacis at 7:54 AM on January 3, 2003

Apparently they met every tuesday morning for "beer and discussion". Sounds like they worked for an internet start-up.
posted by blue_beetle at 8:36 AM on January 3, 2003

So 101 = tenty-first? Twelvty-second?
posted by gottabefunky at 8:41 AM on January 3, 2003

Five. In binary.
posted by salmacis at 8:51 AM on January 3, 2003

Surprisingly (to me at any rate), the Oxford Tolkien Society has nothing planned for the day. It seems the Reading group is picking up the slack with the London party.

Salmacis/Huw, I may just have to join you tonight.
posted by ahughey at 9:19 AM on January 3, 2003

*GASP*

Didn't want widdershins to wait too long.

Here's to Tolkien. And yes, I own many, many, beautiful 12 sided dice.
posted by lazaruslong at 10:15 AM on January 3, 2003

Hurrah!

*breaks out the Old Winyards*
posted by octobersurprise at 10:23 AM on January 3, 2003

The local Tolkien Society in Bloemfontein (the city where Tolkien was born in here in South Africa) was caught napping when a local news crew rocked up on their front door to enquire about what celebrations they had planned. The embarassed chairman quickly managed to round up two other members (Bloemfontein ain't the biggest place) and they had a champagne breakfast for the cameras...
posted by PenDevil at 2:03 PM on January 3, 2003

May the hair on his toes never fall out.

And 111 in binary is 7.
posted by linux at 2:52 PM on January 3, 2003

the professor.
posted by condour75 at 6:41 PM on January 3, 2003