So this is how the Plaza changed my life

[FireroseArien]

Hellooooo. Some of you all might recognize my name, some might not. This is the story of how a little website changed my life.

In 2002, The Two Towers came out in theaters. I had seen Fellowship of the Ring, but was kind of whatever about it. The Two Towers, though? I couldn't get enough. I was immediately obsessed. So when I got home I looked for anything LotR-related I could find - and a google search led me to some lore quizzes, which led me to this website called Lord of the Rings Fanatics Plaza, and I clicked 'join'. It may also be worth noting that LotR got me to shift away from my raison d'etre being professional sports, and got me super super super, even more than I already was, into history, especially medieval and renaissance history.

I was 16 at the time, and quite a loner IRL. The Plaza quickly became my escape from the life of an American high school student in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 (I was raised in the NYC suburbs; NYC is my home today). A couple of months later, I got an invitation to join an AIM chatroom (yeah, remember those?), with lots of other Plaza people - Alkthoniel, Eowen, Pip Reyonea, Grey Pilgrim, Protoguy, Arlo, Lana - so so many more. The chatroom, known as Hotel California, became a mainstay of my life, even after we abandoned the chatroom and kept in touch via LiveJournal and then Facebook. The friendships formed on the website became, in fact, very very real.

When I was a junior in college (2007), I did a semester abroad program in London, and took a couple of trips - including to Nottingham - to go hang out with people I had talked to online for years, but had never gotten the chance to meet in person cos of a little thing called the Atlantic Ocean. It was during one of these meets that I'd mentioned wanting to mess around with swords, when Ally (Alkthoniel) mentioned that she trained with *real* swords and used historical manuals to teach herself the techniques. I was like ZOMGZ I WANT TO DO THIS, but at the time I wasn't aware of any groups in the US. Silly me never thought to actually, you know, look.

Well, in 2014, my sister-in-law to be found a Groupon to take sword classes, and I ate it up. I wouldn't have considered it if not for Ally's having mentioned it, but it very very quickly became THE thing in my life. Not only have I been taking classes for so long, but I've become a competitive fencer (note, this doesn't necessarily mean *good*, but we'll ignore that), and have traveled across the country and even internationally to compete. I've met a number of other Plaza folk also involved in the HEMA (Historical European Martial Arts) community - some quite seriously.

But probably the biggest thing is that HEMA is how my fiance and I met. We met at a competition first and were friendly for a couple of years; we started dating in 2018 and got engaged last September. We're supposed to get married this September, COVID depending.

And none of this would have happened without this here little website called the Plaza. And I just wanted to share that, so if nothing else, Narv will have some understanding of what he's just done for us. <3.

[Reikon Suchi-ru]

FIRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

[Quill]

<3 I kind of knew most of that already since I'm lucky not to have lost touch with you, but it's always nice to hear! Glad the gang's all back together and happy that you've found such joy and fulfillment!

[Eldy Dunami]

Thank you for sharing that. :) The Plaza, and especially the friends I made through it, also had a transformative effect on my life between the age of 14 and 17. There's a good chance I wouldn't be here today if I'd never joined. It's always really nice to read about the impact its had on other people as well.

[Curunder]

I've enjoyed following you on facebook and love the sword stuff :D

[Winddancer]

Omg Firerose, now there is a blast from the past! All those surveys!!

As to how Plaza changed my life, well I moved to the UK and shacked up with a royal Gondorian, go figure :P

[FireroseArien]

I wish I could like all the replies hahaha :)

[Winddancer]

I wish I could like all the replies hahaha :)

Rofl I keep checking myself, looking for that button :P

[Thorin Firehelm]

FIIIRRRRRR! I remember you with many fond memories! You were also Firerose Bouddica at one stage weren't you? That's such a lovely story thanks for sharing. Some time I will hopefully be brave enough to put my own plaza story down.

[FireroseArien]

@Thorin: Yes, yes I was - it went fir3r0se, Firerose, FireroseBoudicca and Firerose Arien. And then some really silly name changes. But Firerose Arien has been my main internet alias for a good long while now.

[Oro]

Woooo that’s awesome!

[Oak]

I remember the big RPG arcs with Hoth and Black Rose Bugg. I played Treebeard in the long stories. If we ever get into doing something like that again, I would be willing to step up to the plate and play a Fangorn character again.

[Menolly]

Fir! Ha we met IRL in 2007 and I still think it's hilarious that two Americans didn't meet in person til we were both in the UK.

[FireroseArien]

@Menolly - well, it's not like we lived on opposite sides of the US or anything ;).

[Menolly]

Somehow I've lived in three very different parts of the US since we met in 2007 and I've never come close to living near NYC *waves from 3000 miles away*

[Nessila]

Beautiful. One of these days I'd love to get to know you outside the world wide web. Your HEMA posts are always so inspiring.

[Lúthien Tinúviel]

Thank you for sharing that. :) The Plaza, and especially the friends I made through it, also had a transformative effect on my life between the age of 14 and 17. There's a good chance I wouldn't be here today if I'd never joined. It's always really nice to read about the impact its had on other people as well.

Eldarion? Is that you? :D

[Eldy Dunami]

Eldarion? Is that you? :D

Yep, I was Eldorion (usually shortened to Eldo) for the vast majority of my Plaza career. Both sound distinctly masculine to my ear, though, so when I came out a couple years ago I revived the all-but-forgotten nickname Eldy and made it my actual username for the first time.

[Lúthien Tinúviel]

Eldarion? Is that you? :D

Yep, I was Eldorion (usually shortened to Eldo) for the vast majority of my Plaza career. Both sound distinctly masculine to my ear, though, so when I came out a couple years ago I revived the all-but-forgotten nickname Eldy and made it my actual username for the first time.

*tacklehuggleglomps* Good to see you, Eldy.

On that note we probably should make a thread of everyone who's come out, 'cause I know quite a few of us have in the last couple years!

(as long as everyone's comfortable with that lol. Prolly worded that in a way that was way more creepy than intended.)

[Mazana]

I want to like this post a hundred times. Despite how it changed my life, I'm always surprised at how much the Plaza did for others as well. Thank you for sharing this!

[Eldy Dunami]

*tacklehuggleglomps* Good to see you, Eldy.

On that note we probably should make a thread of everyone who's come out, 'cause I know quite a few of us have in the last couple years!

(as long as everyone's comfortable with that lol. Prolly worded that in a way that was way more creepy than intended.)

Eep! It's been too long since I've been tacklehuggleglompsed, but now that the Plaza is back I actually feel like I've missed it. It's good to see you too!

Given some of my recent-ish experiences in online Tolkien fandom, I wasn't sure if I wanted to come out here at all, but the Plaza has been characteristically wonderful and I've had a big grin on my face for most of the past 24 hours.

We should probably get a general chat thread up and running...

[Lúthien Tinúviel]

*tacklehuggleglomps* Good to see you, Eldy.

On that note we probably should make a thread of everyone who's come out, 'cause I know quite a few of us have in the last couple years!

(as long as everyone's comfortable with that lol. Prolly worded that in a way that was way more creepy than intended.)

Eep! It's been too long since I've been tacklehuggleglompsed, but now that the Plaza is back I actually feel like I've missed it. It's good to see you too!

Given some of my recent-ish experiences in online Tolkien fandom, I wasn't sure if I wanted to come out here at all, but the Plaza has been characteristically wonderful and I've had a big grin on my face for most of the past 24 hours.

We should probably get a general chat thread up and running...

We also need to bring back signatures, lol. For one thing, they're fun. For another, they're very helpful for listing pronouns! Speaking of, what are yours now? <3

[Eldy Dunami]

We also need to bring back signatures, lol. For one thing, they're fun. For another, they're very helpful for listing pronouns! Speaking of, what are yours now? <3

She/her; thank you for asking. Since I don't want to take over Fir's thread I went ahead and made a new thread for general catching up chat.

[Aerlinn]

Fir! Over time, the less I used Facebook/Twitter the weirder it felt to suddenly interact with people on Facebook/Twitter again , so it's wonderful to see you here! You were my lead into Baseball Internet, and though I've long fallen away from that as well, it left an indelible mark and important friendships. Very glad things are working out in your favor.

I can't claim the Plaza's direct influence on any one event in my life, but it's threads are honestly innumerable. And as a continually frustrated writer, it's been on my mind lately that Aerlinn was always a braver one.

[Silky Gooseness]

Yep, I was Eldorion (usually shortened to Eldo) for the vast majority of my Plaza career. Both sound distinctly masculine to my ear, though, so when I came out a couple years ago I revived the all-but-forgotten nickname Eldy and made it my actual username for the first time.

If you wanted, you could change it to Eldorien, or Eldoríen; “-ien” as a suffix means “daughter” so, elf-daughter - or -ríen in Sindarin is “crowned lady”. Bit of a mix match with Quenyan “Eldo” but they both sound quite nice.

[Lúthien Tinúviel]

Sil, I thought the same thing after I went to bed last night.

[Eldy Dunami]

I thought about the possibility, but I've come to prefer having a shorter username. As the Gaffer never said, make it short or other people will shorten it for you. And I've gotten pretty attached to "Eldy" since I began using it on non-Tolkien forums, too.

[Donrufie]

The Plaza, and especially the friends I made on it, saw me through some of the most difficult times of my life. It's strange to think that one site made such a huge difference in so many lives, but here we are again after all these years. And a few weeks ago I started reading the Hobbit to my five year old at bedtimes...

[Lealnemarr]

I seriously have been with you, Fir, since 15 years ago. WE ARE SO OLD. I have loved catching up with each other via FB and seriously you Plazonians are never far form my thoughts and my love. :) I may not be an O.G HC gal, but I still remember those days and straight up have screenshots of our conversations LOL!

<3

[Reikon Suchi-ru]

@Lealnemarr - One of the few Plazaites I've met in person, I'm so glad to have been able to keep in touch all these years. Y'all are seriously awesome

[Lealnemarr]

@Reikon Suchi-ru Such a long history!! I am so happy to call you a friend on and off the Plaza

[Reikon Suchi-ru]

@Reikon Suchi-ru Such a long history!! I am so happy to call you a friend on and off the Plaza

<3<3<3

[Lysistarielle]

I really want to like your post. I think we should petition for a like button. <3 Anyway I'm so glad I got to meet you IRL and I love seeing your sword posts.

[FireroseArien]

I really want to like your post. I think we should petition for a like button. <3 Anyway I'm so glad I got to meet you IRL and I love seeing your sword posts.

If I remember Plaza names to RL names completely - you came to visit in 2013, ye ;) [/color

[Rohwyn]

Oh wow. I don't get to Facebook that often these days so it took me some time to make my way here to the forum, but Fir, well, pretty much impossible to forget you. Hotel California was my rock for awhile in my teen years also. Hello from Roh the roffler, former poetry maia!

[Pallador]

Well I was an adult but was incredibly stupid. I knew nothing about role-playing. I met some incredible people, some only in these forums, many in person. I’ll always have the memories.

[Istya Alassea]

I remember you, Fir! I totally admired you then and am glad to have read your real life story now. Like you, I was also impacted by the Plaza community here and in many great ways. I never got to meet anyone from here in person, mind you. But a few of my best bud friends then are still Facebook friends with me now.

Rock it, girl. I am also a fellow American (Texan to be exact). Thank you for sharing your story! I am encouraged.

[Culfinwen Lihtarwe]

@FireroseArien Reading through the thread made me remember... Didn't you visit me while I was studying at St Andrews?? More than 10 years ago for sure!

[Karis Ziranphel]

Yay for swords! I know it was only once, but it was very fun to cross blades with you. You are by no means a mediocre fighter, especially as a medalist. (I've only come in second once in an SCA newbie rapier tournament, so you have me beat by a long shot.) It has been a privilege to call you friend both on and off the plaza.

[FireroseArien]

@Culfinwen Lihtarwe YES! It was rainy and cold but we went to the castle and then we had tea at a cozy little place. I still have photos on Facebook somewhere! It was my one day off from the group program and I knew I'd hate the group hike, so St Andrews it went.

[FireroseArien]

@Karis Ziranphel With you so close now to where my fiance's family is, I have a feeling we'll get to cross swords again soon enough :-D

[Eldrith]

@Karis Ziranphel I will not cross blades with you (at least not offline) but I am hoping maybe to sing with you at one point..

[Dincairwen]

@Lysistarielle
Lyssy! *glomp*

I can’t even begin to talk about the ways the plaza changed my life. I’m just sitting back happily and reading everyone else’s and seeing so many familiar names.