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

-----------------------------------------

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.

[g'nad]

Found this great site...check it out:

Alternative authors' versions of Lord of the Rings

[RosieCotton]

And Legolas! (And more Sam!)

We finally watched FOTR at home, where we could make comments and rewind parts. My 14 year old brother was disgusted by all the cooing over hobbits that went on. Oh well. Can't help it.

On the other hand, HE just had to rewind and replay every battle scene involving Legolas. Not that I minded very much!

[RosieCotton]

I lost my mom too, a few years back now, when I was only 25.

I'm 25, too. Your mother must have been young, as mine was. Mostly I'm just struggling to get used to not having her to talk to - I talked to her about EVERYTHING under the sun. Having the family close by has helped, but it's still rough, especially since it wasn't exactly expected. We found out she had cancer, but not until about a month before she died. Not much time to get used to the idea.

OK, I'll cheer up now. Sorry, gang!

[Corin Stormhands]

OK, I'll cheer up now. Sorry, gang!

Don't apologize. I lost my Dad when I was 20. That was 24 years ago this month. I still miss him.

Sadness and tears are part of the healing. With time they won't flow so easily. But don't regret them now.

Peace to you and your family.

[g'nad]

OK, I'll cheer up now. Sorry, gang!

No worries ma'am, I'll say a prayer for your family, if that's O.K....

That said, your not going to go hobbity-ga-ga on me too, are yuh? Lord, give me strength to deal with these wimmin'...

[Corin Stormhands]

Lord, give me strength to deal with these wimmin'...

I've always figured the first 20-30 thousand years in eternity will be the Lord explaining wimmin to men, and vice versa...Of course that'd be the condensed version...

[2Jedismom]

Rosie, it may be that we all meet here for other reasons than just to discuss the LOTR. Possibly because we're friends?

Certainly no need to apologize. What are friends for? There are probably more than couple of us on here that would be happy to lift you up in prayer if you felt that's what you need.

And probably a few more that might share a simultaneous pint with you, if that's what you wanted as well! ;-)

[RosieCotton]

Thanks, and prayers would be much appreciated, especially for my family.

As for the pints, it depends on what they're pints of! I'm not a proper hobbit, I guess. Don't like beer. I wouldn't mind hoisting a pint o' chocolate mint ice cream right about now, though...

[RosieCotton]

That said, your not going to go hobbity-ga-ga on me too, are yuh?

With my screen name? Nahhhh!

[HairOfTheDog]

25 is too soon to lose her.

I know... Everything happy or sad, important or not, I still want to tell my mom about it.

My mom had cancer too... Stomach and liver cancer, we knew at some level that it would of course be terminal, but she had it for a long time... responded so well to chemo that she made it a regular occurance to stop by the hospital for chemo treatments on her way to the airport for a trip somewhere.

She carried on like that for nearly two years until she started shutting down rather abruptly. The weekend before she died she had been to a Jazz festival in another state. She would tire, but she was living. She shut down within a period of three days. Under the circumstances, it was very unexpected at that moment... I was camping with my brother when she was admitted to the hospital, a park ranger had to come and find us and tell us to go home quickly. Perhaps it is always a shock, even when you know it is coming eventually. I didn't get a chance to say goodbye really, she was unconscious by the time we got there and never awoke.

My condolences mean little, I know, but you have them... and when no one is watching, feel free to tell her everything! I still do! But just once, I wish she could talk back.

[HairOfTheDog]

Here you are!

You make him so nervous... it is really sweet!

[HairOfTheDog]

Thanks for the pics Alkhin! He is a cutie pie...

[sigh!]

[Corin Stormhands]

Later folkses. Gotta run.

Mrs. Stormhands needs me to pick up diapers and salad on the way home...(and you people laugh at Wal-Mart...)

[2Jedismom]

I wouldn't mind hoisting a pint o' chocolate mint ice cream right about now, though...

I'm right with you on that Sis!! Right there with you! But all I have is Belgian Chocolate...that ok?

[RosieCotton]

Oooh. That'll do. That'll do nicely!

[RosieCotton]

Thanks! I love that scene...too bad it came out a bit blurred. He's so sweet!

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

Yes, I met Htur about the time of the Oscarfest, (Still looking to divebomb the Oscars with a 747, will have to wait till next year, now [but we will be celebrating then, right]). Glad to see she is more active now. I have put together a list of 16 screennames, I guess I could freepmail them to you, if you would like.

Glad to see you again, Rosie, sorry for your loss. I lost my mother 15 years ago, after she was disabled with emphysema for years. At least I got to say goodbye to her, but years unable to breath properly was bad for someone who had always been very active. It never stops hurting, but the pain gets less sharp over time. As we get into TTT season it is good to see our old friends getting together.

[HairOfTheDog]

Perhaps post it here in the open, then folk who want to be on the can tell if they are already on it or not, add themselves to it and we can use it as our ping list!

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

This is a not fully complet Hobbit Hole ping list. If anyone thinks that someone else should be on it, or don't want to be on it, let HairOfTheDog know.

Ecurbh, perhaps you can compare it with your (much larger) Tolkien ping list.

Corin Stormhands; Overtaxed; g'nad; HairOfTheDog; Bear_in_RoseBear; JenB; Rose_in_RoseBear; 2Jedismom; ksen; Rocko; Penny1; Scott from the Left Coast; DonnerT; carton253; Wordsmith; ecurbh; htur_75; Sam Cree; Alkhin; Lucius Cornelius Sulla; Rosie Cotton;

[2Jedismom]

samwise