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.

[Corin Stormhands]

Do your little ones fall asleep easy in the car?

Only if it's naptime or bedtime. Although the older one can pretty much fall asleep any place, any time. (then again that may change since he won't be up watching tv until 3:00 a.m.!)

[HairOfTheDog]

A stealth puker! heh - well, no harm done I spose, except to your pride, I doubt he has a pride yet!

[Corin Stormhands]

Are your boys as different as night and day like ours? I really don't think it's because they're 10 years apart and we just forgot. Jr. would get sick, throw up once and be ready to eat 30 minutes later. He's always been like that. I can only think of one time when he was nauseous for an entire day. But of course, he'll bring it home, throw up once and be find and we're hugging the porcelin (sp?) for days. The little one seems to be more like us.

[Corin Stormhands]

Oh, I'm not embarrassed. I just feel bad that I let him sit there in it while we waited for Jr. I won't get too graphic, but I thought the smell just indicate a diaper change.

[Corin Stormhands]

Gotta run. My turn to hold the little puker.

[HairOfTheDog]

OHHHH.... I see....

ROFL! Poor little guy!

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

My PC should be working soon, ut not yet. My daughter is here and letting me borrow her laptop.I miss everybody, and look forward to getting back on schedule ASAP! Any important FR or HH news?

[HairOfTheDog]

There's lots of news LCS!

Hullo! Welcome back!

There is the new trailer that is out, 2Jedismom is in need of sedatives to deal with it all, there are pictures of Treebeard out on the spoiler thread! People are getting banned, G'nad is back safe, and Penny is still AWOL. I am sure there is more! Glad you are OK!

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

Knew about the trailer, glad 2JM is active, even if she needs pharmaceutical assistance, I will have to wait for extensive browsing of threads, folks getting banned is not new, unless I know them, hope no hobbits got the axe! Good that G'nad is back safe, I guess that you are best situated to check on Penny1. Not really back yet, just checking in!

[HairOfTheDog]

Penny is fine, last I talked to her, but she still isn't making time for us, so I am being snippy ;~D

John Farson and Darth Sidious got banned, so it is hitting closer to home... All the libertarians are out or keeping quiet. Not that I agree with them, but some of them were polite folk... not just the rude ones!

Hmmm.... Put on the spot like this, it is hard to think of the other important news! We have been burning up posts like crazy, so there must be more.... It can't ALL be pointless chatter can it?

When do you think your computer will be fixed?

[HairOfTheDog]

Hrooom Hroomm!

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

Darth hadn't been posting here in the HH much, last time I was around, I think the anti-war libertarian types are not likely to fit in too well. while we 'bang the drums of war'. (I know the B.S. quote is pure b.s., but it sounds nice). Too bad about John, hope he and some of the others come back after we hang Saddam.

I hope to be back up by the end of the week, will look in now and then this weekend, while my daughter is here.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

I sure hope that is a B&W screen shot, hate to think that TTT will not be in color.

[HairOfTheDog]

Actually, Darth's sin was that he doesn't like Elizabeth Dole who is running for congress somewhere (and who I think is kindof charming) and said he was going to vote for the democrat in that district.

No, neither posted here much, I just liked Darth's zeal in his reviews of FoTR.

Both can come back after the election, last I heard. Everything else is business as usual!

[HairOfTheDog]

It is in full color, I think your daughter's laptop settings might not be set at full color. She may do that to save memory.

[HairOfTheDog]

On that note, I guess everyone has gone to bed...

Be on your guard night wanderers!.... our nightlight tonight is a shot of the Baghdad skyline, not too long ago... and a shot likely to be seen again soon...

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

I will have to wait for my machine to be working to get a good look at it then, it looks like a nice characterization, though. Not too fond of Liddy Dole myself, though I expect that she will vote right, but will not be much of a conservative leader. Surprised they would ban someone just for urging folks to vote wrong, lots do that, maybe he got a little strident?

[SuziQ]

Hi LCS, glad you were able to pop on tonight. Treebeard in full color is a sight to behold. He'll be even MORE wonderful on the FULL screen in the theater! Amazing how the artists continually get these characters like many of us imagined them!

[SuziQ]

Thanks for the Baghdad night lights. I remember them well!

[SuziQ]

I guess since I'm still here, I may as well pick this shimy thing up out of the road!