On Lord of the Rings, Marshmallows and Hot Chocolate

My brother Nathan and I are reading The Fellowship of the Ring at the moment. Gandalf has just 'died' - fallen into the black abyss of the Mines of Moria with the hideous Belrog. Aragorn has already proved his leadership skills, shouting: "Come! I will lead you now! We must obey his last command. - (which was "Fly, you fools" - Gandalf's gracious parting words) - Follow me!"

The rest of the company are outside the Mines, falling on the ground, weeping and pulling their hair out while the sun shines with obscene brilliance.

We have four days to finish forty pages of the book - wherin, methinks, we shall learn of Lothlorien, the gladsome Galadriel, and her hippy Lord, Celeborn. I dare say we'll hear from Boromir, who up till now has hidden his true feelings of the ring.

Nath and I have a tradition/rite of drinking hot chocolate and devouring marshmallows while reading books by the Great J.R.R. Tolkien.

There isn't anything that one can sip while reading a good book that rivals a steaming mug of cocoa that has marshmallows slowly melting and spreading on top.

Nothing.

Although we've found hot blackcurrant works well if chocolate powder is in limited supply.

And now, the certain somethings you've been waiting to see. Can't have a post on LOTR without including some pictures from the movie..

Here's the ultimate tall, dark, handsome hero: he's also got a sense of humour, natural leadership skills and vast quantities of courage.

As all dark, handsome heroes are apt to do, he doesn't marry the woman he should - the heroic, 'feminist', capable and lovely Eowyn (Miranda Otto in this picture)

Instead he goes for the perfection-of-beauty, Arwen. She's a stunner, but she's also got a very dreamy aura around her that makes me want to shake her back to reality. Aragorn seems to like her though, so I guess the tall, dark, dreamy women have their place.

Here's the tragic protagonist, Frodo Baggins. He's kind of obsessed with the ring, quite similar to Gollom but better looking:

What is it about the Lord of the Rings that you like? Is it chiefly the characters, the story, the vivid imagery, or the concepts? Do you ever read stories aloud to anyone? If you do, do you get into it and try to re-create the different voices?

And one more question: Please guys, I need things to write about. Sometimes I just don't have enough ideas happening, so please fire me some things you'd like me to write about, and I may (or may not!) give it a go! :)

- Lydie