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[KingofstarrySkies]

I do remember Gandalf mentioning something about not sending him because he'd probably just lose it in a pocket.

I love this guy.

He's also Tolkein, by the way. Literally.

[nenjin]

Maybe it's your posture. I have had terrible posture most of my life. Slumped shoulders, little bit of hunching over, head and eyes perpetually downcast to avoid eye contact.

But the last few years, I've made a conscious effort to right that. Maybe it's all the 40k fiction I've been reading, but I try to hold myself with some poise now. Straight back, chin slightly up, chest out. Trust me, people notice stuff like this. My dad, who sees me infrequently at best, commented at the wedding I was at this weekend "What's with this big chest thing you're doing? Something you picked up from working with all the truckers?" Funny, he's the one that used to criticize my posture and demeanor back in the day.

Now that I hold myself this way, I get treated pretty differently. I get nods of respect from much larger guys who frankly could probably stomp my ass. Other people seem slightly intimidated, to the degree I'll catch them looking at me out of the corner of my eye and when I look at them, they're the ones to look down and avoid eye contact.

In truth I'd like to find a happy middle ground between what feels relaxed and what looks confident. But I've always had a bit of social anxiety so I have to consciously manage these behaviors, which never comes off looking natural or relaxed. I either look imperiously confident or shyly furtive.

[BlackFlyme]

^{It's her perception, and [hopefully you've told her] its not your problem that way.}

Also why nervous? :O Be around people you feel /less/ nervous with, at least.
^{Like, check on why you're nervous? Not everyone there is like your mom :x}

I've tried telling her before. She just responds that I have to change my face. She specifies my face. I haven't had anyone comment on my posture before, though my head is usually pointed down. I try and hide my shitty posture, so people won't notice my scoliosis.

And I don't completely know why I'm always nervous, but I think it's because I'm not used to being around people, and it might also have something to do with my lack of confidence.

[nenjin]

That's why I started "fakin' it til I make it."

Like, I'm a terrible hallway person. I hate making eye contact with people in the hallways at work. At my most sensitive, it's obvious by my face I'm deliberately trying to ignore them. So I know where you're coming from.

I'm not agreeing with your mom, and you sound like you know whatever your face says is a reflection of how you feel inside. Some people wear their emotions on their sleeve, and it sucks because everyone tends to know exactly how you feel just by looking at you. And it sucks because when you're in public, it feels like you can't have a private thought to yourself because someone will see it on you.

So, like I said, I started going cool and confident, regardless of how I feel inside. Stonefaced, if need be. And I really do think the simple act of trying to hold myself a certain way has caused my mind to follow my body, instead of the other way around. It starts feeling kinda natural and then....yeah, suddenly you're kinda feeling that way.

Also I used to ruminate a lot around family. Just pursue unhappy lines of thought in public, and it'd all come out in my face and my attitude. I really started trying to push off "thinkin' about stuff" until I'm alone. Depending on how much time you have to spend around your mom, maybe that's part of the problem. My mom's a "watcher" too, and it bugs the shit out of me. People in my family seem to get some entertainment watching my thoughts play across my face and it gets pretty irritating, to the point i'll see her watching me for like 10 or 15 seconds and finally snap and go "WHAT?!"

[BlackFlyme]

I guess I could try looking into any courses for confidence or social skills at my college or in the area. My mom actually recommended that, after saying I should see a doctor and blaming my dad for this behaviour.

[hops]

Tom Bombadil is a force of nature. Of course he wouldn't give a damn so long as those orcs stay off his lawn.

[Vector]

I read the Redwall books until I read The Outcast of Redwall, which was intolerably racist and I just couldn't enjoy any of the others anymore.... :/

[MaximumZero]

Don't feel bad. I did the same thing with the Narina books. Just...replace racism with religious expying.

[SalmonGod]

I also interpreted Tom Bombadil as a sort of avatar of nature.  And IIRC, Frodo suggests to Gandalf and Elrond that the ring should just be given to him.  They respond that they know who he is, but even he would be overwhelmed eventually.

The way I see it, as manifestation of nature, his power is likely directly tied to being in a natural environment.  He probably couldn't venture into Mordor and still be the same Tom Bombadil, and Sauron could tear down his forest.

[KingofstarrySkies]

I also interpreted Tom Bombadil as a sort of avatar of nature.  And IIRC, Frodo suggests to Gandalf and Elrond that the ring should just be given to him.  They respond that they know who he is, but even he would be overwhelmed eventually.

The way I see it, as manifestation of nature, his power is likely directly tied to being in a natural environment.  He probably couldn't venture into Mordor and still be the same Tom Bombadil, and Sauron could tear down his forest.

tom fucking bombadil

Easy. Just plant fucktons of trees, along a path to Mordor. And then use magic to make them all grow. Charge, win.

And yeah, he's Tolkein's representation of himself in Middle-earth. There is apparently a book called The Adventures Of Tom Bombadil. DO WANT.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

Mandatory. Also, he's the avatar of Eru. And Sam from the future.

[Xantalos]

No, Tolkein's self-insert of himself and his wife was that dude and his girlfriend who put Morgoth's entire fortress to sleep and stole a Silmaril from his crown before he woke up.

[KingofstarrySkies]

Mandatory. Also, he's the avatar of Eru. And Sam from the future.

And Sam from the future.

Sam from the future

WHAT

[Frumple]

Dat spoiler, MSH. Dat spoiler.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

Snape kills Morgoth.