Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The New Hobbit Hole

Posted on 03/14/2002 5:07:26 AM PST by 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.


TOPICS: Books/Literature; Chit/Chat; Poetry; TV/Movies; The Hobbit Hole
KEYWORDS: 2jmbombadil; allyourprecious; balroghotwings; bearspamandeggs; blowitoutyershorts; breecheese; buffdragons; cartonofspam; cherofthedog; closetsneakers; corinhonestsnaig; corinspamfunkle; corinspamhands; depraveddwarves; dwarfdeodorant; dwarfdiapers; dwarfgaloshes; dwarfkingcorinspam; dwarfspamwiches; dwarftossing; elffriends; elfspam; elvesruleforever; elvishfootfetish; emoryuniversity; endlesschitchat; foolofatook; frododigspipeweed; funklestormhands; fuzzycritters; giddygnadspam; girlyarmor; gnadbelchspam; gnaddwarfhunk; gnadspam; gnadthreadkiller; gollumthegreat; gondorianspamogram; goodbyeoldhole; greeneggsandspam; hobbitschmobbit; holediggingwomen; hotdogsmartypants; itcomesinpints; itsourhagspam; itsourspamnow; jenbneinerspam; jenmcsspam; keeblerelves; khazaddumdedumdum; ksenlovesspam; ksenshamelessspam; ksensneakspam; ksenspamaddict; latenightfunklators; lilspammer; lordoftherings; lordofthespam; lorenahobbit; menareweak; michaeldobbs; midgetporn; namariejensneak; nanowrimosneak; oblivionspam; orclust; otdefunklator; oversneakspamtax; pints; pippintook; pointyelfshoes; politerosespam; precious; preciousparty; preciousspam; rightwingpsychospam; rightwingspamsneak; rightwingsuperspam; rmdbreakfastspam; rmdlembasspam; rmdospam; rosiespamangel; ruthlesssnootyelves; rwrfannyspam; samwisethebrave; scottish; seamusspamfist; sissyelves; skivielessgondorian; smeagingsneakol; smeagolthesupreme; sneakingspam; sneakle; sneakping; sneakses; sneaktaxoverspam; snoots; snowpants; spameggssausagespam; spamfreesneaking; spamisnotprecious; spamminghair; squarehandspampants; stormsneakspamhands; stormspamsneakpants; superstarsmeagol; teasedhair; threadvandals; toking; tolkien; tricksesthieveses; twerentbear; twopantsdupree; velveeeeeeeta; weescarves; whistlinghobbits
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 25,081-25,10025,101-25,12025,121-25,140 ... 48,321-48,323 next last
To: Corin Stormhands
Congratulations on a realatively honestly won semiprecious!
25,101 posted on 09/11/2002 10:15:56 AM PDT by HairOfTheDog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25100 | View Replies]

To: HairOfTheDog
Even I have the decency not to shotgun post today!
25,102 posted on 09/11/2002 10:16:54 AM PDT by Corin Stormhands
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25101 | View Replies]

To: htur_75
My boss found a documentary on 9/11 on dvd, and is playing it all day

Ditto that! They've got it playing in the conference room all day. And the local classical station is doing religious music all day. Right now they're doing Faure's Requiem and it's all I can do not to sing along!

25,103 posted on 09/11/2002 10:17:38 AM PDT by Overtaxed
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25087 | View Replies]

To: HairOfTheDog
Thanks for sharing. My memories of that day are just as clear. I was on my way to work (out in the 'burbs, luckily) when I heard radio reports of the incidents in NY. By the time I got to work, everyone was scrambling over the internet news sites (which slowed to a crawl that day) trying to follow what was going on. Finally someone scrounged up a TV and set it up in the conference room, where we gathered around in silent shock.

And incidentally, that was the day I registered here.
25,104 posted on 09/11/2002 10:20:28 AM PDT by ecurbh
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25098 | View Replies]

To: HairOfTheDog
Thanks for your post...it was worth the wait!

We started debating little things like whether Balrogs really had wings, and whether hobbits had funny pointed ears.

LOL...I was the one who got really frantic about the pointy ears thing! I remember discussing that with you. At the time I was still trying to figure out if you were a girl or a guy, so it must have been pretty early on. ;-)

I'm still not convinced that they hafta have pointy ears (at least not big ones), but they weren't as obvious as I thought they would be, so I don't mind.

25,105 posted on 09/11/2002 10:32:35 AM PDT by RosieCotton
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25098 | View Replies]

To: ecurbh
So it is, the day you registered here. Seems like more than a year, doesn't it?
25,106 posted on 09/11/2002 10:35:27 AM PDT by HairOfTheDog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25104 | View Replies]

To: RosieCotton
Yes, I had almost forgotten the debate about the ears, till I started writing. That and the fact that your brother stole my books! That was fun.
25,107 posted on 09/11/2002 10:37:34 AM PDT by HairOfTheDog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25105 | View Replies]

To: Ramius
Ramius... I forgot to ping you to my memory post above... Maybe show it to dad....
25,108 posted on 09/11/2002 10:39:26 AM PDT by HairOfTheDog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25098 | View Replies]

To: HairOfTheDog
It has been rather eventfull, to say the least.
25,109 posted on 09/11/2002 10:43:07 AM PDT by ecurbh
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25106 | View Replies]

To: HairOfTheDog; ecurbh
That and the fact that your brother stole my books! That was fun.

Oh, yeah, I remember that!

Seems like I've known the LOTR folks a lot longer than a year...the Ring Ping King has only been here a year??

25,110 posted on 09/11/2002 10:49:05 AM PDT by RosieCotton
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25107 | View Replies]

To: HairOfTheDog
Thanks for sharing your memories with us Hair.
25,111 posted on 09/11/2002 11:02:37 AM PDT by ksen
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25108 | View Replies]

To: RosieCotton
Only a year. I keep thinking about it today, of course. Not getting much done. I need to try, but you know how it is...

I am thinking about the decision I made to stay home that day. That I seriously considered that Seattle could be hit by this enemy. I had never felt vulnerable to an attack before, in this country. And now it wouldn't be that surprising. How quickly things can change, indeed.

25,112 posted on 09/11/2002 11:02:51 AM PDT by HairOfTheDog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25110 | View Replies]

To: Corin Stormhands
Oh heck, while I'm here...

Shameless........

25,113 posted on 09/11/2002 11:03:30 AM PDT by ksen
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25100 | View Replies]

To: RosieCotton
And I guess "officially" I've been here an even shorter time...I lurked for a LONG time before joining. Took all the LOTR stuff that started appearing to flush me out and make me decide to join!
25,114 posted on 09/11/2002 11:03:44 AM PDT by RosieCotton
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25110 | View Replies]

To: HairOfTheDog
"And now it wouldn't be that surprising."

What you say is true. We have all had to come to terms with this. The Left and the media would like us to remain confused, but my hope is that Americans can see clearly how things are.

Enjoyed your reminiscing, particularly how you came to FR and the "Hole."

25,115 posted on 09/11/2002 11:09:12 AM PDT by Sam Cree
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25112 | View Replies]

To: HairOfTheDog
Thanks for your memories, Hair. I had been registered on FR since just before the 2000 elections, but I don't think I'd logged on yet that morning of 9/11. We had been up since about 8:30 doing homeschool work when my Prayer Line buddy called to share prayer requests from during the week to put in our Parish bulletin. She mentioned praying for the people in the 'plane accident' at the WTC. My first thought was "that was a stupid pilot", then I went down to the basement to check out the TV. I called the kids to come down to see because it was already beginning to look like a deliberate attack. We were watching as the second plane slowly approached the other tower. We were stunned to see it live on TV, and we couldn't do anything else that morning. We felt so helpless and so angry. I was trying not to break down in tears in front of the kids, but my insides were roiling!

Just before noon, Sir Suzi Q came down and mentioned that the Red Cross was looking for donors. We packed the kids books and took them with us. We arrived just before a human wave! I'm glad we got there when we did; we only had to wait and hour and a half. When we left the line was half a block long! We felt like we had at least done something. We didn't know there would be little need for all that extra blood.

I've been taping the TV coverage this morning. I can't wait to hear our Pres. speak to the country this evening and more importantly to the UN tomorrow. Our town is having an ovservance this evening which we'll attend, and it will include an Ecumenical Prayer Service. We had an impromptu gathering last year, a few days after 9/11 to which about 1000 people came. It was never advertised in the paper or on TV, folks just sent e-mail all around, and schools sent home notices with the kids. It filled a need we all felt to be with our countrymen and some who are not citizens, but who all felt violated and angry and wanted some sort of validation of those feelings by being with others who felt the same. The anger may not be as white hot as it was, but it is still there.

I'm thankful for FR; I have many friends on different continuing threads. I hope to get to meet some of y'all at Entmoot South (sorry Hair, I ain't going any farther North in the winter)and I have plans to meet some of the Bush Babes from the Dose in DC next Summer. Y'all have been a lot of fun this year, a challenging one for our nation to say the least, but humor is sometimes the best way to handle tough times.

25,116 posted on 09/11/2002 11:14:09 AM PDT by SuziQ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25098 | View Replies]

To: RosieCotton
I can see that by your join date. The pre-movie debate and anticipation was in full swing then!

If I had joined later I likely would have picked a LoTR screen name. Asfoloth, maybe, or Arwen.... Now THAT would have changed my image! 'Specially in the middle of the anti-feminist Arwen-role paranoia!
25,117 posted on 09/11/2002 11:16:00 AM PDT by HairOfTheDog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25114 | View Replies]

To: Sam Cree
It was good to reminisce! - I remember when you came to the Hobbit Hole! - seems like a long time because we have covered so much ground.
25,118 posted on 09/11/2002 11:20:32 AM PDT by HairOfTheDog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25115 | View Replies]

To: RosieCotton
I lurked for a LONG time before joining

Me too. It was the Hobbit Hole that successfully tempted me to join up.

25,119 posted on 09/11/2002 11:21:44 AM PDT by Bear_in_RoseBear
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25114 | View Replies]

To: HairOfTheDog
If I had joined later I likely would have picked a LoTR screen name. Asfoloth, maybe, or Arwen.... Now THAT would have changed my image! 'Specially in the middle of the anti-feminist Arwen-role paranoia!

LOL!

Actually, picking a screen name was a big reason it took me so long to join. I didn't want to get stuck with something I eventually hated (some of the goofier names that came to mind would have been in that category, i.e. CheeseMoose!), and Ididn't want to use my real name...then when all the ring stuff started, I knew what I wanted but figured it was SURELY already taken. But I got lucky!

25,120 posted on 09/11/2002 11:22:08 AM PDT by RosieCotton
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25117 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 25,081-25,10025,101-25,12025,121-25,140 ... 48,321-48,323 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson