Something to celebrate
Need something to do to pass the time over the New Year蘑菇视频 holiday?
Consider honoring author J.R.R. Tolkien on his birthday (Sunday, Jan. 3) by watching 鈥淭he Lord of the Rings鈥� and 鈥淭he Hobbit鈥� trilogies.
But be warned: whether you watch the theatrical releases or the extended versions, an early start is necessary to get through all of them.
The three movies from Tolkien蘑菇视频 鈥淭he Hobbit鈥� (which precedes 鈥淭he Lord of the Rings鈥� in Tolkien time, but not movie releases) clock in at nearly 8 hours (9 hours for the extended versions).
And 鈥淭he Lord of the Rings鈥� trilogy will take even longer: a bit over 11 hours for the theatrical releases or 13 hours for the extended versions.
Either way you cut it, it蘑菇视频 nearly 24 hours of hobbits, elves, dwarves, wizards, dragons and other creatures traveling across Middle Earth.
If the movies sound like a bunch of fantasy mumbo jumbo, well, they are. But they鈥檙e darn entertaining mumbo jumbo.
They鈥檝e got trials and tribulations, heroes and villains, and at their core, both trilogies tell a story about friendship and perseverance.
We can all use a little of that as we start a new year.
Other things to celebrate include:
n Dec. 31: National Champagne Day, No Interruptions Day, Make Up Your Mind Day
n Jan. 1: National Bloody Mary Day, National Hangover Day
n Jan. 2: National Buffet Day, National Science Fiction Day, National Personal Trainer Awareness Day, World Introvert Day
n Jan. 3: National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day, National Drinking Straw Day, National Fruitcake Toss Day, J.R.R. Tolkien Day
n Jan. 4: National Trivia Day, National Spaghetti Day, World Hypnotism Day
n Jan. 5: National Screenwriters Day, National Whipped Cream Day, National Bird Day
n Jan. 6: National Bean Day, National Cuddle Up Day, National Technology Day