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.
Exactly what about that thread me you think of me...think carefully...
The Stormhand family singers
The scene I was referring to occurs after the aliens have conquered most of Africa. They're puzzling over a spear, trying to throw it with their trunks, convinced that it could never be thrown straight despite what the native humans say. They finally ask one of the Africans there to prove it; the old man picks up the spear, turns, and promptly throws it into the side of one of the aliens, (eventually) killing him, thus proving that not only could humans throw the spear straight, they could throw it with deadly force as well.
My favorite dumb alien/smart human book. :)
Some of the laser technology that the snouts had was pretty cool. I believe we may not be too far away from having that stuff ouselves, though I'm not really too well versed on that kind of thing.
I was wondering, have you read the Worldwar series by Harry Turtledove? It's another example of technologically advanced but not too bright aliens coming to Earth and finding humans a little too difficult to conquer.
The Irish folks in our Diocese always wanted this song sung at their funerals, but the Bishop wouldn't allow it because it is not liturgical. So some clever soul wrote religious words to the music, so it can now be sung at funerals in Church. We sang it at the funeral of our Pastor's mother a couple of years ago.
OK g'nad, are you going to share the recipe with us?
I hear ya on the old age issue (46) but camping in God's country has become a passion with me and finally decided to go for it. (I guess when it comes to growing old, I've decided I'm going to go down swinging!) ;o)
I kept hee-hawing back and forth between tents or tent-campers (storage, ease, costs). Saw the Coleman Taos (their smallest) and that did it. Only one thing held me back, if I could handle opening it up and closing it down myself. Well, they've apparently become more and more user-friendly, it is easy to do. We took it out last weekend, it did seem like a bit more work on the camp site than at home but being the rookie, I need to get more organized.
Once it's setup, I'm about as happy as I can get, ready to enjoy the R-n-R, fishing, swimming, reading (LotR), all of it! (Gotta get that whistle!) Even in the rain - the awning was up, the table out underneath it, my sister-in-law with her plastic cards teaching others a tough cardgame - Just made the weekend all that more special! Campfires, bike rides, hiking, snorkling...
This year is for getting setup, practice, and all that. That way I'll be ready for some serious camping next year!
Would you consider a small RV or a camper? Rather like jumping in your home and driving away! Although there is a LOT to be said for "simplicity!" :o) Then again, maybe your friend will loan you the Dutchman for a weekend! :oD
Well we're further down that road than you are (we're both 49). I loved the tent camper; being able to cook and clean up out of the elements was wonderful. I wanted to 'move up' to a Coleman Plantation, but they stopped making them! It had two queen size beds in the wings and the table broke down to a bed if you needed it. It had a 3 burner stove AND and oven (mmm, buttermilk biscuits)and it had a private bathroom with hard side shower and a potty. It was a little longer than the one we had, but we just got to where we didn't have the time or desire to go camping anymore. Our two older boys were off at college, so it was a lot more work for Sir SuziQ because I was tasked with watching the two younger ones to make sure they didn't wander off into the woods!
Maybe if they make them easier to put up, we might consider one in the future. There's nothing like sitting out in a wooded campsite around a fire at night drinking coffee. It is so peaceful!
That is amazing. I hadn't actually known about that experiment. I'd read in the paper that the army had been able to shoot down a missile with a laser beam. Anyway, it looks like we're going to need all this stuff, so I hope they get it online fairly soon.
Yes, I'd read about those tests here on FR. As you might guess, I'm all in favor of the missile defense system.
Here's a link to a page discussing advanced propulsion theories... they discuss the "lightcraft" about halfway down the page, including a time-lapse picture of a demonstration flight! Most of this stuff goes over my head (so to speak), but I still find it fun to read about. :)
Oh, yeah, I've heard the horror stories of the older models. There's no way I could have handled something like lifting one end of the roof into place, and then do the other, etc.
This one is sweet because you unclip the top from the bottom, crank the handle that lifts the whole top straight up and stops cranking when it's reach its limit. Stabelize, pop the beds out (braces are a piece of cake), pop the kitchenette in place, pop the door in place. Yeah, there's still the additional stuff like the awning, getting any ground cover in place, electric and/or water if available, etc., etc.
There's nothing like sitting out in a wooded campsite around a fire at night drinking coffee. It is so peaceful!
You are soooo right! ... nuts, I just may have to go camping again this weekend!...
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