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
-----------------------------------------
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.
Here's a nightlight. It's the Milky Way. The picture was taken by the COBE satellite and shows the plane of our Galaxy in infrared light. The thin disk of our home spiral galaxy is clearly apparent, with stars appearing white and interstellar dust appearing red.(http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap000130.html)
He sounds rather like the father in Pride and Prejudice, I very much liked both the character and the performance in that part.
I am very much out of practice, but I am also a bass, or bass-baritone. In performances of Messiah, in the places where they go to 16 part harmony (includes two baritone and two bass parts), I usually can sing the lower bass, but occasionally had to sing the higher bass part.
Suppose Dwarves and Ents could put together a Hrooom quartet?
Yeah, really. That's why I don't do choir anymore....can't stand the music. I sing alto but am out of practice. Used to do a lot of choral stuff in high school.
I love dippin' down below the bass clef, down to a low E or D... yuh get that rumble goin' on... A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, man, what a classic...I'm a Messiah vet too...great pieces...I don't think a worship service should be a funeral dirge, but I really can't get into a service of strictly 7-11 songs...give me a few good ole hymns...I'm up for a HROOMin' time at the Entmoot...
Hey Rosie, did yuh give those songs a listen?...They are at the very top of my range, I can do most of 'em an octave lower, but that sounds funky...
Aren't old hymns great? We sang a lot of them in high school, harmony and all...it was beautiful AND a lot of fun. And if Entmoot ends up in the Christmas season, some of the old carols have some great harmonies, too! (Silent Night, What Child is This, Joy to the World, etc.)
I listened to part of one of the songs, but not enough to get a real feel for your style. I'll head back to that link sometime this morning and check.
You guys missed the chat last night. That was interesting...I think I'm better at communicating with a keyboard, though!
I admit I was thinking "hobbit pony" when you were talking about her...but realized that wouldn't work in the "real world!"
BTW, here's the webpage builder I was talking about: I haven't played around with it enough to know if it's actually any good, though. It DOES have a cool splash screen. (Dwarves!) Web Dwarf
I got back late from choir practice (9:30), and then Mrs. g'nad wanted my undivided attention...my evenings are pretty full...
Our choir director went over three options for our Christmas Cantata last night...I was not thrilled with any of them...she keeps picking cantatas that we sing along with canned music...I hate that... if she can't play the accompaniment, then I'd rather not do it...I know I know...I'm old fashioned, but that's me...
She did spring a new piece on us last nite...are any of you familiar with Let's Go Down To The River from the movie O' Brother, Where Art Thou?? Way kewl...
There are days I'd be willin' to take you up on that...my boy Jake'd be more than willing...as long as he could wave his sword...
Yes! I like that track.
It's funny to me to hear it referred to as "from O Brother" - same goes for the rest of the songs in the movie. I've known almost all of them since I can remember. I heard Doc Watson's version of that song by the time I was three or so...
That IS a pretty song, though. Allison Krauss did a great job on the soundtrack, but then I'm a fan of hers anyway!
yeah...but that's a common reference point that most people will know...Miss Krauss did an awesome job...it's got a great Bass part too...not a tenor part called a bass part...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.