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 am not skipping Disney World if I go all the way to Florida!

I'd go to South of the Border before I go to Disney World.

[NewCenturions]

From what I've read on my frantic internet search, they do root canals if necessary. this fracture doesn't look like root exposed though - it's a vertical split. They also have this cool metal caps like "Jaws" from James Bond. I imagine it's $$$ though.

[HairOfTheDog]

Oh good! - Is it painful? - I know a dog that broke a canine smashing into something or another. Thing to watch for, that can be weeks later, is infection in the tooth that leads to abcess... Friend's dog began to bleed out his nose... that is where the abcess vented to. They had no idea, because the dog was still eating and didn't seem to be in pain. They had to pull the tooth.

[2Jedismom]

I'm the Southern Baptist.

[Corin Stormhands]

Yes but it's not covered by insurance...

[Sam Cree]

"- I am not skipping Disney World if I go all the way to Florida!"

You can imagine, that if Disney had not sold the rights to New Line, by now they'd be building a Tolkien ride at the theme park. Maybe it would even include the opportunity to take potshots at elves during the course of the ride, Overtaxed...instinctive shooting...

Anyway, thank God for small favors, I guess.

[ksen]

How about this one?

No current boycotts that I know about. ;^)

[HairOfTheDog]

That one too! - and this "south of the border" place OT mentioned?

[HairOfTheDog]

And can you arrange for a shuttle launch at the time of the entmoot?

[HairOfTheDog]

Ruh roh... that mean you won't go to Disney during entmoot?

[Sam Cree]

"I'd go to South of the Border before I go to Disney World."

You've been? Do they have elves?

[2Jedismom]

Naw, we won't go. We thought Disney was crap years before out Convention came out against them. We just don't like any of their stuff lately. The old stuff is good. We have some of it, books and such.

[NewCenturions]

Elves prefer cool climates.

[Overtaxed]

You've been? Do they have elves?

Never been there and therr're no elves that I know of, but at least they're capitalist tacky!

[2Jedismom]

Last Disney show I saw was Toy Story. My brother had it playing at his house for his kids. I thought it was the most brain-dead stupid show I'd ever seen.

[ksen]

Here's another one:

The Holy Land Experience.

We've had a couple groups go from church and they have all come back saying it was a great time, although not for younger kids(no rides).

[Overtaxed]

Elves prefer cool climates.

They just wimp out when the heat is on.

and the humidity would make their hair frizz.

[HairOfTheDog]

But the rides and things are what the park is about... And Disney Land in CA is so big and wonderful... perfectly kept up, they repaint every week. It is about fun things... not the films.

Isn't this boycott about health insurance for domestic partners or something like that? I don't pay attention.

[ksen]

And can you arrange for a shuttle launch at the time of the entmoot?

I'll see what I can do. They used to post the shuttle schedule, but after 9-11 they only give out a general time.

[Overtaxed]

The olny Disney I like is the old Donald Duck, Chip 'n Dale, and Hewey, Dewey, and Louie....and they aren't politically correct.