What Does Halo Have to Do With Lord of the Rings?

I did not feel amazing today. For whatever reason, my body is doing it's best to reject this second wave of eating better. The first time I tried to switch lifestyles, it was smooth sailing. I didn't hardly feel it. I was hungry a bit, but my body made the transition to eating better very easily.

But, determined to keep my head up and ignore my bodies rejection to a healthy lifestyle, I went out and did things.

I went to the mall with my mom... it was really fun, and I found some really cute stuff on clearance at Lane Bryant (Don't worry, I only walked away with two tops... I lied, the worry should still be there. I totally plan on going back), and had my chance to go down to Gamestop. The following encounter is one of the most embarrassing of my life.

The guy behind the counter was really cute. Really cute. And he had these really blue eyes. I walk in with a purpose and totally go all gaga. BUT, there's a lady in line in front of me, so I have a chance to compose myself and remember why I'm there. Think, think, think. No, I'm not after a WOW expansion pack, no I'm not after the new Final Fantasy PSP game, no I don't want a used DS. It's my turn. Crap. I try to pull off the "quick, look around and pretend you aren't in line thing" while I figure out why I'm there. I see a Halo poster on the back counter.

BINGO.

I walk up and ask how much it will cost to pre-order Halo 3: ODST, and can I still do it. At first, he doesn't respond, just looks at me with the "you're a girl asking for a first person shooter game" look. It's about as annoying and cliche as the "oh look, a girl in a comic book store" look. Seriously, people, it's the 21st century. Female gamers are rare, but not as rare as they were ten years ago, and yes they do exist.

But, he's cute, so I forgive him. Finally, he tells me it's only 5 dollars, and yes I can still pre-order. He then asks me, with complete professionalism, what my phone number is. My phone number. I know 4 year olds that know their phone numbers.

I, however, am dumber than a 4 year old. At that moment, immediately after having felt good about presenting myself as a female gamer (and a fairly BAMF one at that) in front of this extremely cute guy, I forgot my own phone number. And I don't even know how to play it off. Oh wow, I say. Um... 566...1...9...3...9? Without missing a beat, he looks at me, cocks and eyebrow, smiles, and says, is that it? I think so. How sure are you? Pretty sure. 100%? Not exactly. E-mail? Phew. Saved by the e-mail. Oh... I should probably tell him what said e-mail is. I spell it for him (it's complicated). As he types it in, he starts telling me why he asked for it. They send out e-mails a lot with coupons and such. Cool (I feel like an idiot for forgetting my number). Also, because you pre-ordered, you get a download code to unlock Sgt. Johnson in Firefight. Cooler. And, you get access to the Halo: Reach beta. Coolest. I smile, he smiles, hands me my receipt, and tells me to have a nice day. I respond with the customary you too (that can get you in trouble when people end up saying "have a nice flight" or "enjoy your movie") and head out on my way. I still feel like an idiot for forgetting my number.

Even now. He was sooooo cute.

Regardless, there was a part of me that was elated. I had pre-ordered Halo 3: ODST! As anyone who reads my blog can tell, I LOVE Halo... and it was even more exhilirating because I've been on a fantasy kick lately... I blame that on Lord of the Rings. I recently watched the Two Towers and re-fell in love with the franchise... especially the music. And I found out that Halo music and LOTR music sound a lot a like. I have all three halo soundtracks, and I used to own 2 of the three LOTR soundtracks.

Pausing the blog on account of I'm stupid. I just had this conversation with my friend, Jordan.

BleuReivers (12:22:04 AM): that's why I'm convinced my father is a Vulcan

Jordan (12:22:48 AM): AWESOME

Jordan (12:22:51 AM): and you must be half.

Jordan (12:22:51 AM): XD

BleuReivers (12:23:27 AM): I'm far too emotional to be half lol

BleuReivers (12:24:28 AM): ...

Jordan (12:24:28 AM): hahaha

BleuReivers (12:24:33 AM): I'm about to kick myself

Jordan (12:24:41 AM): eh?

BleuReivers (12:25:39 AM): I have been begging

BleuReivers (12:25:49 AM): LITERALLY begging people to let me borrow their lord of the rings soundtracks

BleuReivers (12:25:59 AM): because I've been in desperate need of listening to the music

BleuReivers (12:26:10 AM): and now I'm blogging about the similarities between Halo and LOTR

BleuReivers (12:26:15 AM): one of which being the music

BleuReivers (12:26:23 AM): and I typed this

BleuReivers (12:26:44 AM): "I have all three halo soundtracks, and I used to own 2 of the three LOTR soundtracks."

BleuReivers (12:27:05 AM): and then for whatever reason, something clicked hella hard in my head and I says to myself

BleuReivers (12:27:12 AM): used to? why don't I still have them?

BleuReivers (12:27:24 AM): and then I thought about where they used to be when I owned them.

BleuReivers (12:27:30 AM): the answer? with my other CDs.

BleuReivers (12:27:39 AM): which happen to be right next to my bed

BleuReivers (12:27:43 AM): and I just checked

BleuReivers (12:27:50 AM): I totally still have both soundtracks

BleuReivers (12:27:57 AM): they have been next to my bed for 3 years

BleuReivers (12:27:59 AM): 3. years.

Jordan (12:28:34 AM): lollllllllll

Jordan (12:28:36 AM): OH YOU.

BleuReivers (12:29:09 AM): ten bucks says my star wars soundtracks are in the same place

BleuReivers (12:30:17 AM): why has this been a day full of stupid for me?

Sad day... seriously. CONTINUING.

I have all three halo soundtracks, and I own 2 of the three LOTR soundtracks. The Two Towers and Return of the King. I might even have a burned copy of The Fellowship of the Ring somewhere. Anyway, the two are kind of intermingled in my mind now... I was listening to a song today called "Halo Reborn" and I thought for a second it was LOTR.

It got me wondering what it was about musical scores that I love so much... music is a large part of who I am, and I have a pretty interesting variety that I listen to. I have everything from The Beatles to Demi Lovato to Guns N' Roses in my iTunes, but I found that the largest portion of my iTunes belongs to scores. I also realized that, when I write, I listen to instrumental music. Halo and Lord of the Rings get listened to the most, but I have soundtracks to just about every movie I love, and the ones at the top of my list are all scores. I kept asking myself why that was... why do I prefer music without words to music with? And then it hit me.

Musical Scores are to books what music with lyrics is to movies.

Music, to me, tells a story. Tells THE story, better than dialogue or words or actors could ever do. I think that's because the different sounds make the mind wonder... why is this part so upbeat? Why do I want to cry when I listen to this arrangement? Those sustained notes sound menacing, I wonder why... scores have no verse/bridge/pre chorus/chorus to tell the story for them. Scores need to rely on tempo, key change, trills, and different sounds provided by different instruments to tell the story. Scores need to create a sound that makes your mind fill in the blanks. For instance, when you listen to "The Riders of Rohan", it's easy to picture Edoras, the Rohirrim's banishment, Eowyn's loneliness, and Eomer's triumphant return. While listening to "Unforgotten", you're immediately reminded of Master Chief having to leave Cortana behind, and you're reminded of his promise to return for her. And all of these instances feel real, because the sounds elicit emotion. A soft piano melody makes you feel like you're remembering something, a violin chord when drug out gives the emotion of sadness, and when placed together, they create a feeling of loss.

Scores - like books - rely on imagery and emotion to tell the story.

Movies are great, but there isn't a lot left to the imagination. You don't have to imagine what the epic cities look like, don't have to picture the characters in your head, don't have to try to understand how grand the fight scenes are. It's all right in front of you. Music with lyrics is the same way. You don't really have to wonder what's going on in the song, the words pretty much tell you. There are exceptions, but for the most part, you can tell from the words what the song is trying to say. You don't have to paint any pretty pictures for yourself.

Scores, in my mind, are like books. And I LOVE books... it's only natural that I'd LOVE musical scores. And I'm kind of glad that I had my stomach ache today, it's a rare day when I get to figure things out about myself. :)

ROHIRRIM! TO THE KING!

(I will be ending all my blog posts this way from now on)