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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
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To: Bear_in_RoseBear
That's a pretty part of the world, Bear. I hope someday chance or circumstance will take me back there.

The whole U.S.A. is beautiful, IMO, though, the threat against it by terrorists makes our love for it burn all the brighter, I guess.
31,721 posted on 10/08/2002 8:20:15 PM PDT by Sam Cree
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To: Corin Stormhands
Not only have I never seen them actually hug one, tree hugging as an activity is not a program!
31,722 posted on 10/08/2002 8:21:53 PM PDT by HairOfTheDog
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To: Corin Stormhands
"Name ONE program sponsored by the elves."

Wild Kingdom,with Marlin Perkins?

31,723 posted on 10/08/2002 8:22:10 PM PDT by Sam Cree
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To: JenB; Overtaxed
I get too attached to my people and won't kill them, but I do make bad things happen...

Well, I finally know what I'm going to write. It's one I thought of years ago when I was working for a conservative think tank in DC. There were some crazy goings on.

My working title is "One Flew Over the Conservatives' Nest."

What do you think?

31,724 posted on 10/08/2002 8:23:07 PM PDT by Corin Stormhands
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To: HairOfTheDog; rightwingreligiousfanatic; ksen; Overtaxed; g'nad
What elf has ever lorded over anyone or sought the approval of a UN or anyone before doing anything?

What is this if not a United Nations meeting?

Elrond: The ring cannot stay here.

Kofi: You cannot fight without us.

31,725 posted on 10/08/2002 8:27:30 PM PDT by Corin Stormhands
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To: Corin Stormhands
My working title is "One Flew Over the Conservatives' Nest."

Is it set in Western State, in Staunton?

31,726 posted on 10/08/2002 8:28:55 PM PDT by Sam Cree
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To: g'nad
glad I didn't stoop to his level...

You handled that with style and grace.

31,727 posted on 10/08/2002 8:30:15 PM PDT by Corin Stormhands
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To: Sam Cree
Here's another, some red and orange sugar maple from Wisconsin. One day I'll have to get organized and scan some of the fall color pictures I've taken on our trips up there...

Unfortunately, the natural beauty is one of the few things that make living up there worthwhile. I'm afraid I've become too enamored of the conveniences of living in a large city to ever move back to the U.P. now....

31,728 posted on 10/08/2002 8:30:49 PM PDT by Bear_in_RoseBear
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To: rightwingreligiousfanatic
mine?

It has taken him...

31,729 posted on 10/08/2002 8:34:25 PM PDT by Corin Stormhands
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To: Bear_in_RoseBear
I grew up in the country, still like it best. But I find, to my surprise, in my old age, I like big cities, too. I guess we're "all New Yorkers now." But my heart is still in the country.

Nice images, thanks.
31,730 posted on 10/08/2002 8:35:21 PM PDT by Sam Cree
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To: Corin Stormhands
[hiss]

They all came to him for advice.... and he gave it and sent them on their way!

A little different than the elves running to the UN for help, methinks. More like the other way around!
31,731 posted on 10/08/2002 8:35:39 PM PDT by HairOfTheDog
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To: Corin Stormhands
Rivendell had some nice fall color in the movie.
31,732 posted on 10/08/2002 8:35:49 PM PDT by Bear_in_RoseBear
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To: Sam Cree
I still like Fall the best, though.

We had an article in the paper this week that said because of the drought the fall colors might be spectacular, but short...

We've decided...sigh...to go to the family reunion. Hopefully we'll catch some peak colors in SW Virginia. Promised Jr. we'd stop at the Tech Bookstore (and I'm an idiot because it's Homecoming), so we'll at least see some Orange and Maroon...

31,733 posted on 10/08/2002 8:37:31 PM PDT by Corin Stormhands
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To: Sam Cree
Is it set in Western State, in Staunton?

My brain's too fuzzy to get that Sam. If it's a book reference, I've never read it, and I've only seen parts of the movie...

31,734 posted on 10/08/2002 8:39:31 PM PDT by Corin Stormhands
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To: Corin Stormhands
Western State is (was?) a mental institution in the Shenandoah Valley. The Statler Brothers had a song about it, "Counting Flowers on the Wall," or something like that.

:-P
31,735 posted on 10/08/2002 8:42:18 PM PDT by Sam Cree
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To: HairOfTheDog; Overtaxed; ksen; rightwingreligiousfanatic
They all came to him for advice.... and he gave it and sent them on their way!

Well of course they did. If he'd handled things with Isildur to begin with they wouldn't have been in this pickle...

31,736 posted on 10/08/2002 8:42:22 PM PDT by Corin Stormhands
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To: Sam Cree
You're welcome. :)

I grew up in a very rural area; the entire Upper Peninsula has about 330,000 people in it. The largest town is Marquette, with a population of about 25,000. The town I grew up in has a population of about 2500. I never thought I would like living in a big city; the traffic alone intimidated me.

But, after living in Austin (population: 450,000) for 13 years now, I have to say I would not be comfortable in a small-town setting. I like being within easy driving distance of 3 multi-screen movie theaters and a half-dozen major bookstores. And, just thinking of the lack of medical care in that rural setting is enough to make me never want to leave Austin.
31,737 posted on 10/08/2002 8:43:30 PM PDT by Bear_in_RoseBear
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To: Corin Stormhands
We've decided...sigh...to go to the family reunion

Those can be so much fun, though...I know it'll be beautiful there if nothing else...it's a pretty long drive to there from Richmond isn't it?

31,738 posted on 10/08/2002 8:44:40 PM PDT by Sam Cree
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To: Corin Stormhands
Serenity now...
Serenity now!

31,739 posted on 10/08/2002 8:44:47 PM PDT by HairOfTheDog
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To: Sam Cree
Western State is (was?) a mental institution in the Shenandoah Valley.

Doh! I read it as Is it set in a Western State...

Yes, Western State is still there. But I grew up knowing about Southwestern State in Marion. When we called someone crazy we'd say "they're gonna send him to Marion..."

No, my book will be set in an office complex in DC.

31,740 posted on 10/08/2002 8:45:08 PM PDT by Corin Stormhands
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