PhD thesis submitted! While I do feel a bit like butter-scraped-over-too-much-bread, it feels so good to have finished this! Now on to the viva! #PhD #Tolkien

James: "Look, I'm not saying that Tolkien is the best, but he is the best."

I don't know why, but conclusions are the hardest thing for me to write. 😫

Really quite disheartening and disappointing to see the Tolkien Society hosting a discussion on “AI in fantasy filmmaking” this year at Oxonmoot. It feels about as morally and philosophically opposed to Tolkien’s work as a talk on the benefits of deforestation.

The @tolkiensociety.org is hosting a talk at this year's Oxonmoot about using Gen AI in fantasy filmmaking. The talk is in favor of it, based on its description, given below, and includes AI generated film apparently of Tolkien's work. To say I am shocked would be an understatement...

Reading about the Noldor crossing the Helcaraxë and being in Oklahoma in summer has me going "eh, might not be too bad". 🥵

I totally headcanon Mandos headbanging to Blind Guardians' "Noldor" while shredding on a guitar

In light of some recent behaviors from some bad actors in the Tolkien fandom community, this is a reminder that my small corner is a safe place and I work to keep it that way. If you are being harassed and need a shoulder, hug, or cup of tea, I'm here. I also offer my virtual axe. #Tolkien

Chatbots — LLMs — do not know facts and are not designed to be able to accurately answer factual questions. They are designed to find and mimic patterns of words, probabilistically. When they’re “right” it’s because correct things are often written down, so those patterns are frequent. That’s all.

You know, if Middle-earth had a film industry, it would be based in Eregion. They've got Hollywood. #Tolkien #puns

Saw this on Reddit and I had to share it here:

Me, when someone disparages fanfiction: *tune of "This Land is Your Land"*: This canon is your canon, this canon is my canon. From what's on page to what's adaptation. I like that headcanon, but you don't haaaaaaave to. This canon was made for me and you.

It hit me the other day that next summer I won't have a thesis to work on (post-viva edits don't count) 😬 🤯 What will I with my time? I don't start prepping for fall classes until July! 😅

Pretty sure this means I’ve been blessed by Yavanna #Tolkien #Silmarillion

It's a family thing 😂 #TRoP #Tolkien

There is nothing more nerve-wracking than waiting to find out if you made it to the second round of interviews 😬😅

Look, I'm not saying that Kemen will be the Witch King, but if he is, it would mean he gets stabbed in the face by the most bad-ass woman in literature after getting kneecapped by a hobbit, so I'd be okay with it. #TROP #LordoftheRings

Westmoot this weekend!!! How many Tolkien shirts should I bring lol?

Heads up, if you are in the SAVE forbearance, check that your balance has not increased. Just checked today and mine went up over $1600. Thankfully, I've been taking weekly screenshots of the balance and have documentation.

There's an interesting idea of race = social class and themes of imperialism to consider when it comes to the Elves and Edain in the Silmarillion. Do the Noldor truly consider their Edain allies as their social equals? Maybe Finrod, but I'm not so sure about the others... #Tolkien #Silmarillion

AMAZON SHOULD INCLUDE THE DANCING BEARS OF NÚMENOR IN THE RINGS OF POWER. RT IF YOU AGREE

1 week until hubs and I close on our house!!!! 😁

#TolkienTrewsday #TolkienTuesday #Tolkien For Frodo "I tried to save the Shire, and it has been saved, but not for me. It must often be so, Sam, when things are in danger: someone has to give them up, lose them, so that others may keep them.” The Lord of the Rings (Frodo Baggins)-J.R.R. Tolkien

One thing I am sure Durin and Gil Galad would agree on :) #Tolkien #TRoP

Happy Birthday Professor! 133 years old... you haven't aged a day #Tolkien

@mgcoco.bsky.social hear me out: art of TRoP Elendil using a laser pointer against Sauron

When you need a break from dissertation writing so you make a #TRoP inspired Christmas card. Happy Holidays all! May your days be filled with food, friends, and good cheer!

It irritates me that people will use "fanfiction" as an insult/negative quality because as a medium primarily participated in by women it furthers the sexist tradition of women's interests/creative expressions being denigrated and considered lesser than those of men. There "bad" fanfic out there,

Husband: *eating popcorn* Me: You know what you get when you only have one corn kernel? A unicorn. Husband: proceeds to cough on said popcorn as he fails to contain his laughter.

If eyes are considered the "windows to the soul", what are hands? Serious question- what are some of the ideas/concepts we symbolize with hands?

Wow! Gone for two days and come back to a bunch of new people! Hello! Just a quick run-down for new followers, I'm Becca, an early career academic and researcher in Tolkien studies, fanfiction, fantasy literature, and corpus linguistics. I also tell really bad puns, so you have been warned 😜

Stopppppppppp generating AI imagery especially to make Tolkien-related content I am begging you all

Oooo I can already see the potential with corpus linguistics!

Galadriel's "Heal yourself" to Sauron was just the perfect "F-you" response that I'm still giggling in sheer delight at it. #TRoP #Tolkien #TRoP2

Wow- came back after the weekend to over 200 new followers 😮 Welcome all of you! Allow me to pour you a virtual cup of whatever your favorite warm beverage is ☺️ Maybe an AMA-type post is in order- feel free to ask me anything Tolkien or fanfiction related!

I keep my copy of G.B. Smith's "A Spring Harvest" next to my copies of Tolkien's book-I like to imagine these friends still hanging out together, even if it is in book form #Tolkien

So interestingly, the majority of Lothiriel's dialogue in fanfic about her and Eomer appears to be with other women- her mother, Eowyn, and her sisters-in-law specifically. At least that part of the Bechdel test is passed. #Tolkien #Lothiriel #fanfiction

When you use the palantir and accidentally find out Celeborn’s *other* name

Lola hopes everyone is having a wonderful and happy day 😊

Having an in-class writing day with my students today. Student chuckles nervously "Prof. DL, who's writing are you reading?" Me: "Mine." 😅

I don't know why, but when students email me almost 11 weeks into the semester as "Mrs. Davis", "Miss Davis", etc... instead of "Prof. Davis-Lock" or "Prof. Lock" like I've asked them to, my temper starts to rise 😡. And it's almost always male students who this is a problem with too 🤦‍♀️

Happy Rivendell Day! The Last Homely House is my #1 wish I could visit place in Rivendell. I love how Elrond creates a refuge where everyone can come together and find something to enjoy ☺️ #Tolkien

Happy October the twenty-fourth to all who observe!

Wow! The sky really is bluer over here!