Administrator of the Month: an interview with Elenisil

How did you find CoE?
My little niece heard me talking to a friend about the books and got interested in listening to the story. Since both the books and the films were too “adult” for her, I started working on an adapted, illustrated version so that she could learn about Tolkien, understand it and enjoy it. I started seeking out images and CoE gallery came up. I’ve never left it ever since.

What are your duties here at CoE?
I’m the lucky one who happens to spend hours staring at Legolas and Frodo and Aragorn and Éomer and Faramir and…. *drools* I take care of the film and illustration categories (Aowyn is the boss when it comes to fan art and members galleries), making sure everything’s working properly and according to our members demands… and I can’t help but providing Rivka with regular headaches too…

I also oversee the links area, which goes perfectly with being a gallery admin since I occasionally come across some rare image we do not have yet – which is really “occasionally” thanks to our members’ continuous help.

What are your favourite areas of the site?
It couldn’t be other than the gallery, of course. I can’t get tired of browsing through it, specially illustrations and invited artists. I also love the areas concerning the books, like Elrond’s Library and Book Forums – though I never post much. Ah…and those recipes in the LHH! Yummy!

How often do you visit CoE?
It depends on how things are at work. On calm days, I can get to visit the site many, many times. But there are days when I can’t manage it even once!!! I try to balance between visiting the site to enjoy myself and to work though. I don’t think I’d still want to be a member, let alone a staff member, if I didn’t manage to have fun as well. Being staff demands responsibility and all but… it would be nothing if I obsessed too much and ended up turning it into another “job”.

How many times have you read the books?
I’ve read LotR at least once a year (usually during X-mas holidays), since I was 17. I’ve read The Hobbit only twice (once in English, once in Portuguese). And I’ve added The Silmarillion to my “every year” list as well. It’s been there since 2002, when it was published in Portuguese. I had never read it before then because it was only available in English – and I was never able to afford to import a copy.

Who is your favourite LOTR character?
Frodo, no doubt about it. He’s got his never-healing wound and I got mine. And that’s all the explanation you’ll get as to why.

Do you have a favourite scene from the trilogy?
I must admit I haven’t enjoyed the trilogy as much as I had anticipated, but I can’t deny that that very first moment when Cate Blanchett’s voice spoke Sindarin brought tears to my eyes. It still does.

What character left out of the films do you miss most?
If I gave you three chances to guess you’d get it right in the first: Glorfindel. And matters weren’t improved when I saw what (yes, what – *and already hiding from Figwit*) he was replaced with.

Do you know any Sindarin or Quenya?
I started Sindarin once I registered on CoE, but gave it up soon afterwards for two reasons: a) I was to sit an important examination in languages and I couldn’t risk mixing things up and b) I couldn’t memorise those mutation charts!!!!!

What did you enjoy most about the ROTK EE?
Nothing, as a matter of fact. The only EE I ever got to watch was FotR – and only thanks to our wonderful Parmadur. The Extended DVDs were never released in Brazil.