My Love for 'Lord of the Rings' is Not Without Loss

In December of 2002, I received a new DVD player for Christmas and a theatrical release copy of "The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring." At the time, I was more impressed with the DVD player, and I was unsure of why my older brother purchased "LOTRs" for me. I presumed he thought it would illustrate the quality of DVD vs. VHS better as this was my first experience with the medium. Whatever the reason though, it was a fortunate choice.

Within the first thirty minutes of "The Fellowship of the Ring," I developed what is sure to be a lifelong love for the "Lord of the Rings" and began to make plans to add to my collection. In early 2003, I used money I had earned picking pecans to purchase a 3-in-1 copy of the "Lord of the Rings" book series, and I traced the journey of the fellowship throughout Middle Earth and followed Frodo and Sam into Mordor.

Later that year I had my mom pick me up a copy of "The Two Towers" on DVD the day the theatrical version was released, and I enjoyed watching the story I had treasured so enacted. I had watched "The Fellowship" as a novice, but with "The Two Towers" I felt expert. I knew the parts that were missing, the parts that were changed, and the parts I wouldn't have included. I drove my brothers crazy debating these aspects of the film while I counted down the days to December 17.

My older brother, who had started my "LOTR" obsession, took me and my little brother to watch "The Return of the King" at the first showing of it the day of release. Near the end of the film, where Frodo is preparing to leave with the elves, Gandalf, and Bilbo for the Undying Lands, I distinctively remember a problem developing with the film. I honestly probably would have had a tantrum if it had not been corrected, and I still feel slightly cheated for the effect having been broken!

After this, I had a long wait until I could own the extended versions of all three films, so I accumulated other items. At its height my collection sported a Bradford Exchange "Lord of the Rings" sword with three collector plates, numbered "Lord of the Rings" playing cards, Valentine cards, an elven journal, several action figures, picture frame refrigerator magnets, a "Lord of the Rings" afghan, posters, Viggo Mortensen's poetry books, numerous magazine covers, and an unofficial but greatly appreciated Gandalf inspired walking stick.

If I had not of married in mid-2005, I probably would have already traveled to New Zealand and put the most ardent Trekkie to shame with my memorabilia. As it is though, the responsibilities of family ended my acquisitions, and the economic recession took a bit of my heart when I relinquished the more valuable items in my collection to eBay.

My Viggo Mortensen items brought in the most money, which is cruelly ironic, as they were my most beloved. Family always comes first, but I truly felt at times like I was walking to the proverbial chopping block - never more so than when I handed off my Viggo Vanity Fair cover issue and his poetry book "Recent Forgeries."

While I will surely replace those two particular items at some point in the future, they will never carry the same magic for me as those first copies had when I was eighteen and reading the thoughts of my favorite star in my favorite movies based on a treasured and beloved book of mine.