Posted on 03/14/2002 5:07:26 AM PST by HairOfTheDog
This is a continuation of the infamous thread New Zealander Builds Hobbit Hole originally posted on January 26, 2001 by John Farson, who at the time undoubtedly thought he had found a rather obscure article that would elicit a few replies and die out. Without knowing it, he became the founder of the Hobbit Hole. For reasons incomprehensible to some, the thread grew to over 4100 replies. It became the place for hobbits and friends of hobbits to chit chat and share LoTR news and views, hang out, and talk amongst ourselves in the comfort of familiar surroundings.
In keeping with the new posting guidelines, the thread idea is continuing here, as will the Green Dragon Inn, our more structured spin-off thread, as soon as we figure out how to move all the good discussion that has been had there. As for the Hobbit Hole, we will just start fresh, bringing only a few mathoms such as the picture above with us to make it feel like home, and perhaps a walk down memory lane:
Our discussion has been light:
It very well may be that a thread named "New Zealander builds Hobbit hole" will end up being the longest Tolkien thread of them all, with some of the best heartfelt content... Sorry John, but I would have rather it had been one with a more distinguished title!… post 252 - HairOfTheDog
However, I can still celebrate, with quiet dignity, the fact that what started as a laugh about some wacko in New Zealand has mutated and grown into a multifaceted discussion of the art, literature, and philosophy that is Tolkien. And now that I've managed to write the most pompous sentence of my entire life, I agree, Rosie… post 506 - JenB
Hah! I was number 1000!! (Elvish victory dance... wait, no; that would be too flitty) … post 1001 - BibChr
Real men don't have to be afraid of being flitty! Go for it. – post 1011 – HairOfTheDog
Seventeen years to research one mystical object seems a bit excessive… post 1007 - JenB
Okay...who's the wise guy who didn't renew Gandalf's research grant?… post 1024 – Overtaxed
To the very philosophical:
…Judas Iscariot obviously was a good man, or he wouldn't have been chosen to be one of the Apostles. He loved Jesus, like all of the Apostles, but he betrayed him. Yet without his betrayal, the Passion and Crucifixion would never have occurred, and mankind would not have been redeemed. So without his self-destruction infinite good would not have been accomplished. I certainly do not mean this to be irreverant but it seems to me that this describes the character of Gollum, in the scenes so movingly portrayed above… Lucius Cornelius Sulla
To fun but heartfelt debates about the integrity and worth of some of the characters…
…Anyone else notice how Boromir treats the hobbits? He's very fond of them but he seems to think of them as children - ruffling Frodo's hair, calls them all 'little ones'. He likes them, but I don't think he really respects them… post 1536 - JenB
Yes... Tolkien told us not to trust Boromir right off the bat when he began to laugh at Bilbo, until he realized that the Council obviously held this hobbit in high esteem. What a pompous dolt… post 1538 - HairOfTheDog
…I think almost every fault of his can be traced directly back to his blindness to anything spiritual or unseen. He considers the halflings as children, because that is what they look like. He considers the only hope of the ring to be in taking it and using it for a victory in the physical realm. He cannot see what the hobbits are truly made of, he cannot see the unseen hope of what the destruction of the ring might mean--the destruction of Sauron himself, and he cannot see the unseen danger that lies in the use of the ring itself… I just feel sorry for Boromir--he is like a blind but honorable man, trying to take the right path on the road but missing the right path entirely because he simply cannot see it… post 1548 - Penny1
Boromir isn't a jerk, he's a jock… post 2401 – Overtaxed
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Oh, I think by the time Frodo reaches the Cracks, he's not even himself anymore! I think he's not only on the brink of a dangerous place physically, he's on the brink of losing himself completely during the exchange with Gollum. But for some reason, the take-over isn't complete till he actually has to throw the Ring in. The person speaking to Gollum is not Frodo, but the "Wheel of Fire" that Sam sees. After the Ring is destroyed, Frodo not only comes back to himself, but comes back with the unbearable (to him) knowledge of what it's like to be completely without compassion. I think that's why it's so important to him to be compassionate in the Shire… post 2506 - 2Jedismom
…Regarding Frodo's compassion... it's a little too much at the end. Even Merry tells him that he's going to have to quit being so darn nice. But you're right. He's learned a lesson about evil that very few ever learn since it wasn't an external lesson but an internal one. (Those kinds of lessons have the greatest impact) Not only did he totally succumb to it, but he was rather ruthless to my little Smeagol… post 2516 - carton253
Well that Frodo was a big mean bully! (to Smeagol)… post 2519 – Overtaxed
So as you can see, everything JRR Tolkien (and Peter Jackson) is welcome here in our New Row, our soon-to-be familiar New Hobbit Hole…; philosophy, opinion, good talk and frequent silliness.
See, now if stuff like that were really true, none of us would be here and neither would our kids.
My brother shot me in the eye at point blank range with a plastic bullet from a "Secret Sam Secret Agent" kit, which was one of the coolest toys we ever got. That was minor.
When I was three we were out playing on our old metal swing set. It had rained, so there was water in the seat of the teeter-totter. He was swinging it back and forth and I thought I would look down and watch the water fall out. Well, my mom and the neighbor had to wrap me in a bed sheet to get me to the hospital (I was hysterical). And I still have the scar from the nine stitches I got.
One of my favorite Jeff Foxworthy stories is when he talks about growing up and says, "Heck, when I was a kid we had a 700 lb. television sittin' on top of a TV tray. My dad said 'let him pull it over on his head. he'll do it...once.'"
Well, not me. But I certainly could've done without that image...
Since he has no talent, that's not a real problem for me. But I will try to catch re-runs of Knot's Landing just in case they show him falling off the roof again...(I watch Titanic for similar reasons...)
Got all agitated cause I wasn't making enough progress until I reminded myself that I've given myself until the end of September to get this all done. (painting and glazing the windows and replacing the storm windows...)
Can somebody hand me a pint? I'm too tired to walk to the fridge...
LOL! - Sorry for the vivid imagery Corin.... hehehehe!
The Dwarf lord takes a brief respite from the labor of restoring his mighty halls...
I have always disliked Tom Cruise, so I guess I've already resigned myself to putting up with him being in Minority Report anyway. I wanted to scream the first time I saw the preview--it looked like such a fabulous film, terrific story, and I like Steven Speilberg, but I just cringe about Tom Cruise starring in it. It would be easier to deal with if I at least appreciated his acting, but even *that* I don't really enjoy...
::: SIGH :::
But the story will make it worth it, I think....
(shrug) I just thought his comments sounded stupid. Since I had heard rumors from other sources that Tommy ain't too bright, I just took these comments as more evidence of it.
Hanlon's Razor: "Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity".
Unfortunately, stupidity and malice often go hand in hand.
Do I remember right that Cruise is one of the folks quoted as saying that he was moving to France if W was elected? I always wondered if these folks were worried that W was going to somehow return America to the vision of its founders.
My wife and daughter and I were in Australia for a couple weeks last spring for my nephew's wedding (to an Aussie). A lovely and stunningly beautiful country. The people there are friendly and many Australians, unlike much of the world, seem to genuinely love the United States. An attractive culture, I could easily live there.
Australia is physically the size of the U.S., but has a population of only c. 9 million.
Thanks for the responses to my post... Boy, it is a slow week in the Hobbit Hole if we are talkin' about Tom Cruise!
Sounds silly for a guy my age to be enjoying fantasy like that, but Martin can write...(He won't be the groundbreaker or as beloved as JRRT is, but still...).
Same here... I think he relied on his looks for too long, and never developed his actual acting. He's starting to improve I think, but I don't know that he'll ever be great at it. IMHO, of course.
Yes, but it's still awful comfortable in here. I'm probably just as glad Cruise wasn't cast in LOTR though...;-)
Speaking of pints, that's one thing they drink lots of in Australia. They like it cold too, like we do. It was the first time I was at a formal wedding (tails) where there were waiters walking around with trays of beer instead of the usual champagne. Australians love their rough and tumble heritage.
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