An Interview with Elenisil

Elenisil is the Gallery Admin here on Council of Elrond. She is often overlooked, but it is her care and time which have helped create one of the best Lord of the Rings galleries on the Internet. So, it is with pride that the Realm of Nienna presents an interview with the woman who spends her time creating and mopping up the drool in that wonderful section, the Gallery….

When and why did you join CoE?
It was when I was looking for LoTR images to set up an illustrated, simplified version of the books for my youngest niece – the film was out but it was too much for a 5-year old girl. That was July 2002, I guess. CoE gallery came up and it was just brilliant…it had all I needed and it was just a matter of time till I became more involved with the other areas. I became a gallery admin shortly after – unbelievably shortly after – in October 2002. Sometimes I still wonder why on earth Rivka trusted me with this. But I’m glad she did, cos that gallery is like a little baby I’ve adopted still very young and has grown beautifully.

How did you first get addicted to LotR?
I was first introduced to the books by my brother when I was 16, but I never really got to read them. At the time, reading was a synonym of torture for me. As I learned English, reading became a hobby – especially if I were reading in English. Harry Potter entered my life in 1999 and I kept reading it everywhere, even in class. That was when a teacher questioned me about LoTR and was appalled to hear I had never read them since I liked fantasy books mostly. Well, it didn’t take too long after that for me to obsess about the whole Tolkien world.

What is your favourite part of your job on CoE?
My job? I don’t have a job on CoE. That’s a hobby and I love everything about it, except those unavoidable rule-breaking comments that I can never stop deleting. Sometimes people think that the gallery is a discussion board and end up in heated discussion. Others think they can say a piece of art is “s**t” just because they don’t like it, which is unforgivable cos art is art – which means no one has to like it, but they have to respect it. But…man…I can’t recall how many times I’ve almost broken an arm or a leg in some gallery with very slippery floor…there’s drool everywhere!!! Also, working in the gallery means I have very little contact with members – and when I do, I’m usually a nasty orc.

How do you manage not to get lost in the gallery?
Well this question can have two meanings, so…

1. I do get lost. ***blushes*** yeah, yeah, I do….especially in Elijah Wood’s gallery or Ted Nasmith’s or Mikel Janin’s. Once my boss caught me staring at Janin’s Varda and stood behind me for a while, then he said “boo” in not such a loud voice but I nearly fell off my chair anyway. I’m glad he’s sympathetic…otherwise I would have been in trouble.

2. But “geographically” I’ve never got lost, probably because I set up most of the lay-out as it is today and because I keep going from gallery to gallery every now and then to clean the comments.

Which character out of all Tolkien is your particular favourite and why?
I love Gandalf, but my favourite is Frodo. See, he’s supposed to be this regular type of guy who was given something he thought above his powers to achieve and he made it. He suffered along the way, for sure, nearly died and gave in to the power of the Ring in the end, but he never gave up. It gives me hope to think of what he did, how he fought against himself, and how he overcame his difficulties. Also, he had his friends all along to help him in his time of need. See, I want to be a Frodo when I grow up: never giving up and never alone.

What’s your favourite Elijah Wood-pic and why?
That’s the one with the mouse biting his ear off, basically because Figwit hates it. You can see it here. Now, seriously: I don’t have a favourite, I guess. I obsess over one from time to time, but it keeps changing according to how I feel at the moment. Sometimes I prefer more “romantic” looking ones, sometimes I prefer the sexier ones…but any pic with Elijah on it makes me smile.

What’s your favourite star (night sky-object) and why?
That would be Orion constellation – the whole of it being another of my obsessions. For one, it’s found in so many cultures as being a symbol of something religious or magical. And for another, I was born with an incomplete Orion on my skin…formed by freckles believe you or not…on my left forearm. If I had to pick one star from all, it would be Epsilon Orionis, also known as Alnilan. It’s the hunter’s left shoulder. Alnilan is the one freckle missing to make the complete hunter on my forearm and that’s why my second name is Cristina – Alnilan is called Crista in my great grandfather’s homeland folk-lore.

When are you happiest?
Difficult question. Not that I don’t feel happy, but many little things can make me feel elated. A good volleyball match, an Oasis song, a good book on a rainy day, my students realising they know what they thought they hadn’t learnt, a child’s embrace… and, of course, on bad days, peace and quietness can be more valuable than everything else.

What is your favourite Paulo Coelho quote?
Does any member of this site apart from Atalante know Paulo Coelho? Man…you should…he writes a bit about everything….and it may not be a new story, something you’ve never read before, but he does write in a way which makes you see things from a different point of view. And it’s hard to pick just one quote, but if I have to, that would be “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it,” from “The Alchemist”.

And finally, what is the best thing about Brazil?
The volleyball. Ha. Forget football. Forget the women. Forget the beaches. Volleyball rules!!!! he he he…

Seriously, the best thing about Brazil is the people. We are happy and we interact and we are not ashamed of inviting strangers to dance. I’m told that’s not something you find anywhere in the world. And I may not like our country music, or our corrupt leaders or the unfair income distribution, but if you find a beggar on the street and let him know you’re hungry or cold, he’ll share the little he has with you – no questions asked. We also love peace and partying.

And, by the way, there are no monkeys and wild animals in the streets, we are not savages, we speak Portuguese and the Amazon forest is not property of any country not located in South America. We do have a problem with criminality, however, rooting back to social issues. If you ever want to visit us, you’re welcome. Just be careful if you are in Rio de Janeiro…

by the Realm of Nienna