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.

[2Jedismom]

Well, remember if you get inside it, to leave the door slightly ajar, for it is very foolish to shut oneself up in any wardrobe...

You never know where the back of it may lead...

[2Jedismom]

http://www.artistdirect.com/music/artist/card/0,,493160,00.html

[rightwingreligiousfanatic]

I freeped it twice! Tied at 42%

[rightwingreligiousfanatic]

For all of you cross-reality alternate-reality portal-transporting storytellers, I ran across this cartoon in the New Yorker that I thought you would appreciate:

[rightwingreligiousfanatic]

And one for the squirrelslayer:

[SuziQ]

for it is very foolish to shut oneself up in any wardrobe...

What DO they teach in schools these days?

[2Jedismom]

LOL I read the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe to Matthew a year ago. Time to read it again, I guess. We're finishing up The Little House in the Big Woods.

[SuziQ]

Thanks for that great link. Looks like they haven't made a CD since 1988. That must have been the one I heard played a lot. I remember 'Broom O' the Cowdenknowes' and 'Donald McGillavry' quite well. I'm just gonna have to get that one. I'm also gonna check that site for some other older groups I remember from the Folk Show on WHYY in Philly. We used to listen to it on Sun. nights when we lived in NJ.

[rightwingreligiousfanatic]

Well, the Spammers Anonymous meetings are kind of boring, to tell you the truth. Which is good. Feel like punishment, they do. Makes me long for the roaring fires, malt beer, and ripe meat off the bone.

Seriously, though, I can't believe what you are dealing with in your part of the world, Corin & g'nad. I am praying for an end to this sniper madness and and umbrella of protection over you and yours. Hang in there!

[Overtaxed]

do you guys think I was overreacting here? Was I being unkind? Cynical?

Naw...I don't think you were overreacting. That person should just mind his/her own business. What parent in their right mind is going to give their kid candy that some stranger sent?

[RosieCotton]

Or you could use hex code for red, blue, green

Do you know if there's a table somewhere for hex and/or text colors? I had figured out the font color= thing, but only know a few colors. And I'm clueless when it comes to the hex code colors...

[Overtaxed]

...it also seems to have straightened out my stomach a bit.

I'll look up chamomille in my herb book and see what else it does. I had my green/ginger tea after work.

[RosieCotton]

Rocket Ship Galileo was Heinlein's first novel, as opposed to short story. It was written, like all his juveniles, for 14 yr old boys. The juveniles also happen to be some of my favorite SF of all time; I enjoy his writing style and love all the scientific bits.

I guess this tells how much I know about Heinlein...I didn't know it was a "juvenile". Duh, I know! I guess that explains some things, though I stand by my dislike of Uncle Whatsisface (page after page of him playing mind games about the fact that they don't really know what's on the back side of the moon?!?) and the scientific jargon...guess I'm just a happy ignoramus, 'cause I don't like having to attempt to comprehend that stuff - too mentally stenuous for me! I ended up skipping some of the more mathmatical stuff, which probably didn't help my understanding of the story much...

[Overtaxed]

do you guys think I was overreacting here? Was I being unkind? Cynical?

On second thought, maybe I should go over there and tell them if they want to do something helpful, send a bunch of kevlar vests.

[Scott from the Left Coast]

Both smaller scale. Pamela Bruner plays the celtic harp and sings. She adds some acoustic instruments (hammered dulcimer, oboe, flute, percussion) to her arrangements. But they're quite "quiet". She has the voice of an angel.

Rowallan Consort plays true medieval music (generally on ancient instruments). They play a wide range of such music, including celtic and Scottish. They are a duet but add musicians for most of their arrangements.

[2Jedismom]

LOL!!! I DARE YOU! Ping me to it if you do.

[Overtaxed]

Do you know if there's a table somewhere for hex and/or text colors?

I can look.

[RosieCotton]

I know you guys probably get tired of me plugging Green Linnet...but they published (whatever the right word is in the music industry!) several of Silly Wizard's albums, as well as all of Lunasa's, and they have whole albums you can listen to on-line! (Provided you have a decent connection speed, that is!)

Try here.

[Overtaxed]

Pinged!

[RosieCotton]

I read the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe to Matthew a year ago. Time to read it again, I guess. We're finishing up The Little House in the Big Woods.

That's funny! I just came from the house...stayed long enough to hear Dad read the last three chapters or so of These Happy Golden Years (the last of the Laura Ingalls books) to the kids.

As for the Narnia series, my favorite was definitely The Magician's Nephew. Guess I've always had a thing for magic rings!