The other night Rob and I were watching a James Bond movie. I forget which one (they're all the same, basically), but it had Pierce Brosnan as 007. I remember when NBC wouldn't allow him out of his Remington Steele contract the first time the Bond folks wanted him as their man; Timothy Dalton was such a poor substitute, and as it happens Remingston Steele lasted only another season anyway.

During the opening credits, I recognized the name of one of the other actors.

"Oooh! It's Sean Bean!" I exclaimed. Rob looked blank. "You know, he's in Lord of the Rings: he's Boromir!"

And then I heard the words no wife should ever hear her own husband say.

"Er...which one's Boromir again?"

Last Christmas I got Rob a leatherbound edition of Lord of the Rings to replace his paperbacks, which are falling apart. I used to have two copies in paperback, but sent one set to one of my GMs whose own copies were ruined when his house was flooded. Mine are kind of tattered, a testament to the many, many hours reading and rereading. I'm not the sort of person who can quote whole passages, but I have a good grasp of the story. And so, to hear my husband ask such a question and see his brow furrowed in concentration over something that should be so instinctive...well, it was painful. ;)

I cannot wait for the next movie, The Two Towers, to come out. Sometimes watching the trailer for it, I feel choked up with emotions -- happiness, joy, poignancy (for we all know how it turns out), anticipation. How lucky, I think, that we live in a world where such a thing exists...this book, the breathtaking movies, the wonderful scenery. There is such a richness in the films and depth, a respect for the source...I'm amazed and delighted and overwhelmed. I am sure Peter Jackson has done another good job. It wil be nice to visit another world for a few hours.