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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: Corin Stormhands
But I think they anticipated that "he" was in the Richmond area still...

DOH! It doesn't take that long to drive from Richmond, VA to Montgomery County, MD!!

36,041 posted on 10/22/2002 7:41:39 AM PDT by SuziQ
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To: 2Jedismom
I have always thought that Tolkien was very likely snacking on Digestive biscuits when he was writing about lembas.

I posted something similar earlier, though partly as a joke, what with all the jokes about elves needing more fiber...

36,042 posted on 10/22/2002 7:42:10 AM PDT by RosieCotton
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To: Overtaxed
Too bad we don't have a better description of cram.

Hard Tack?

36,043 posted on 10/22/2002 7:43:22 AM PDT by SuziQ
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To: HairOfTheDog
And do you really think the sniper is making contacts?

I think we're getting 99 parts fog to one part fact.

36,044 posted on 10/22/2002 7:44:52 AM PDT by Scott from the Left Coast
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To: RMDupree
Speaking of biscuits, how about those anise cookies?

Do you mean springerle? Ever had those? They're rather hard, crisp cookies, baked until just golden brown, mildly sweet and flavored with anise. We have those every Christmas - Mom had a special rolling pin that put a pattern on them, then we'd cut them into squares and dry overnight before baking. I love them! And because they're hard, they travel VERY well...she used to send them to me in Germany.

36,045 posted on 10/22/2002 7:45:43 AM PDT by RosieCotton
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To: RosieCotton
They are called Digestive Biscuits only because they are easy to digest...they remind me of a simple cookie like infants eat, only sweeter...like animal crackers, kinda...in flavor that is.

They are really quit good! A good basic kind of cookie, that tastes good with coffee or tea.
36,046 posted on 10/22/2002 7:46:35 AM PDT by 2Jedismom
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To: SuziQ
I'll put your family on our Parish Prayer Line.

Thank you.

36,047 posted on 10/22/2002 7:48:05 AM PDT by Corin Stormhands
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To: SuziQ
Too bad we don't have a better description of cram.

Hard Tack?

I'm thinking cram was close enough to lembas for Gimli to confuse the two. I wonder what the lembas will look like in the Extended Edition.

36,048 posted on 10/22/2002 7:49:19 AM PDT by Overtaxed
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To: 2Jedismom
Well, Tolkien had a kind of atmosphere going with the characters, you must admit and if he'd had them saying a bunch of things that were inconsistent with their times then it would have sounded silly.

Oh I know. I was just commenting on the fact that Tolkien would know something and cause confusion by not "telling" the characters...

36,049 posted on 10/22/2002 7:50:19 AM PDT by Corin Stormhands
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To: Rose in RoseBear; HairOfTheDog; Corin Stormhands; Overtaxed; Bear_in_RoseBear; JenB; 2Jedismom; ...
RE: CostCo DVD deal

The price at Amazon can come out pretty much the same, too. Their price is $59.94 (with free shipping), then there is the $10 rebate for those that bought the theatrical edition too.

Order The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Collector's Gift Set

36,050 posted on 10/22/2002 7:50:55 AM PDT by ecurbh
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To: Scott from the Left Coast
I think you are right... What a mess this thing is.
36,051 posted on 10/22/2002 7:51:07 AM PDT by HairOfTheDog
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To: 2Jedismom
They are called Digestive Biscuits only because they are easy to digest...

Oh, I've had them...Carr's are the ones we usually get. They do have wheat germ or whole wheat in them, though, hence my joking...

We call them "diggy" biscuits, though, after hearing them referred to that way in an old British movie..."Strangers on a Train", I think.

36,052 posted on 10/22/2002 7:51:56 AM PDT by RosieCotton
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To: SuziQ
It doesn't take that long to drive from Richmond, VA to Montgomery County, MD!!

No, certainly not. But I think, from what we were hearing, both in local news and through the rumor mill yesterday, that they were under the impression he planned to attack again in the Richmond area.

But if we've learned anything it should be that everytime they've said "this is what he's doing" he's done something different...

36,053 posted on 10/22/2002 7:53:59 AM PDT by Corin Stormhands
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To: ecurbh
I want to "touch it" before I decide... So I intend to pick it up the morning it comes out. I want to pick up those Argonath and look at them. If they are "plasticish" and lightweight... I may not get 'em! (but I bet I do)
36,054 posted on 10/22/2002 7:55:04 AM PDT by HairOfTheDog
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To: RosieCotton
I was actually eating some digestive biscuits (McVities) and chatting the the old Hole when got the idea that it was what Tolkien was probably talking about...

I even said something about it way back then...OT probably remembers...

I'll bet you anything he was eating them and writing his book and probably enjoyed them (they are popular!)
36,055 posted on 10/22/2002 7:55:43 AM PDT by 2Jedismom
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To: 2Jedismom
They do fit the initial description! Now I like the idea of lembasbeing like Springerle, though...especially as they would travel very well! And elves could put symbols on them, if they so wished.

Here is a recipe, complete with picture.

36,056 posted on 10/22/2002 8:02:53 AM PDT by RosieCotton
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To: 2Jedismom
I can't consider "disgestive biscuits" as lembas until you call them something else! - I can't get past the name!

Cornbread.

You should suggest to TORN (we all think you have this "in" there now ;~D) that they hold a Lembas-baking contest. Maybe contestants wouldn't even have to send in the product, because they would not want to eat it, but send a photograph of it! Then we could look at lots of pictures and vote on it.
36,057 posted on 10/22/2002 8:03:59 AM PDT by HairOfTheDog
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To: 2Jedismom
Ours were usually larger than they look in the picture, though...and flatter. And some of the time we didn't bother with the molds...just made 'em plain.
36,058 posted on 10/22/2002 8:04:02 AM PDT by RosieCotton
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To: 2Jedismom
OT probably remembers

Huh? :)

Should we just forget the cake and wafer descriptions and go with thin, cream colored, golden brown, and crispy?

36,059 posted on 10/22/2002 8:09:42 AM PDT by Overtaxed
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To: RosieCotton
I was thinking more along the lines of the anise sponge cookies that they sell in the supermarket. They look more like small slices of bread than a traditional cookie though.
36,060 posted on 10/22/2002 8:10:32 AM PDT by RMDupree
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