The New Hobbit Hole

[HairOfTheDog]

Welcome to The New Hobbit Hole
Concerning Hobbits
The New Hobbit Chronicles

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.

[Overtaxed]

I had fun at work today

You and me (and htur_75). No only do I have multiple personalities with a massive standard deviation, a compound has broken down in my calibration standard(s). Arrggghh!

But I have my pint now and I got the last cookie dough ice cream at the grocery store.....I'm happy

[Overtaxed]

Make that "not only" Doh!

[htur_75]

Only 20 more minutes and then I am out of here!!!

[htur_75]

15 minutes left!!!!

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

hehehe... Just got a call from my missus, she's on her way to pick me up from work, so I'll be out of here in 30-45 minutes. We're going to a restaraunt, but haven't decided yet whether to eat out or bring it home!

[htur_75]

10 more left, and only 5 more till I can shut down my computer etc.!!!!

[htur_75]

Doesn't it seem like the closer you are to getting out of work the slower time ticks by? I hate that. :-)

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

Yes, I've noticed that too!

Hope you have a good evening. :)

[htur_75]

Thanks. You too. I am going to sign off for now. Till Later..........

[Corin Stormhands]

Looks like a quiet evening here. Family used our Blockbuster card tonite to see "Rat Race." It's kinda crude, but parts are hysterically funny. Not "quality" entertainment by any means, but good for a few laughs. Not for kids though. Some language issues and partial nudity (side view of a breast).

[JenB]

Did you go into ice cream shock? Where is everyone, it's Friday! That's party time. I had a good night with the pizzas, got almost $30 in tips. One of the other drivers was being a sourpuss, another is a jerk and I hate working with him, and we have a new driver who... well, I'll give him a week to shape up. But the managers were decent today, and one yelled at the guys for being crude around a lady (me). So, I'm glad to be home but it wasn't too horrible.

[Corin Stormhands]

We had pizza tonight. I drove for Domino's for a while, so I try to be generous with the tip.

[JenB]

Good for you! So many people just don't tip. I make out better than the male drivers do, for some reason. Maybe it's because I smile and try to look fluffy and harmless.. Delivering pizzas is kind of a lame job, but it pays the tuition.

[Corin Stormhands]

So many people just don't tip.

Just out of college when I still lived in Kentucky, I drove for a while in Lexington and delivered to the UK campus. That really stank. I did better in apartment buildings than I did in dorms or in single family homes.

[JenB]

Yes, and often the people who could afford a nice tip are the ones who give you 75 cents, while the people in trailer homes give you three or four bucks. Just because you're well off doesn't always make you a nice person....

[2Jedismom]

Hi all. I'm despondent this evening. The news of that little girl's death has been a blow to me (Missouri is awful close) and my neighbor upset me. I went over there because her little boy was sitting in the yard crying (he's six years old). He said he'd cut his foot and I looked and sure enough, his foot had a real gash in it. His 8 year old sister came out with a wet piece of toilet paper and handed it to me. I told her to get me a dry piece of cloth and to get her mother. She came back with her mom who was still talking on the phone and looking really annoyed. I applied pressure with the dry cloth and the mom realized that the cut was pretty bad and hung up. I told her he'd probably not be able to walk on it for a while because it would start bleeding again and that pressure would need to be held on it for a while longer. She just looked at me blankly, so I reached down and scooped the little boy up and handed him to her. She said "Whew Boy! You're gettin' heavy!" Not one word of comfort or concern. It wasn't a gapping cut, but it would need a bandaid. I hope she bothered.

This is the same "Stay at home mom" that can't be bothered with taking her daughter to school...just puts her on the bus, even though she was beat up severely on it. The disregard she shows her children astounds me.

[HairOfTheDog]

Hi 2J! - Sorry you are despondent! - I am back now... Went out for the Friday pound o'steak deal at the tavern in Bree and had a pint or two.

So I am in a good mood! - I even saw a hobbit tonight! - There was a hobbit lass at the tavern. Cute little older woman sitting up at the bar. I pointed her out to my friend who just stared at me blankly.

[2Jedismom]

That happens to you too? People stare at you blankly? Happens to me continuously.

[2Jedismom]

I think you're doing it to me now...

[2Jedismom]

I'm going to bed. As a matter of fact, I'm going to get Josh and stick him in bed with us. He's still young enough and probably won't even wake up. I feel the need to hold on to one of the boys for a little while.