Posted on 03/14/2002 5:07:26 AM PST by HairOfTheDog
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.
But see, my handwriting is so bad, I'd never be able to read it...
After months we finally got remote email checking (although I couldn't get into folders, just new mail). But now they've started ANOTHER "upgrade" and "some customers may not be able to log in...." If I'd known that I would've checked from home this a.m. But I'm going straight from work to rehearsal, so it will be 11:00 a.m. Not a problem normally, but I sent several emails yesterday that required a response and now I'm stuck...
wow... thems harsh words... we had our cable (Comcast) disconnected this month... couldn't see justifyin' $40 a month for what we were watchin...
Boss has finally gone to New Orleans so I have a little more time to pop in and out of the Hobbit Hole again.
Hobbit costumes are impossible to find, except online and even those are not too great. Definitely no female hobbit costumes. So, I've given up on being a hobbit this year and will piece one together to have ready by next year (hopefully). The tricky part is the big hairy feet, so I will have to get creative with that one.
My daughter picked little Red Riding Hood (my Halloween rules are NO evil costumes, ie witches, demons, devils, etc)and I will be dressed in one of those $19.99 discount store "medievel princess" outfits. *sigh*
AOL stinks, but it's who I use as an ISP. I continuously shop around for better deals and when I find one, I call AOL and they match it. Right now, I've got 2 months free and my unlimited access monthly rate is $21.95. Not too bad, actually. And AOL lets you do these silly surveys twice a month that credit your account $4.50 each survey, so you can save an additional $9 off your bill each month.
Good luck Rosie! And good morning everyone! I am just rumbling to a start here on the left coast. I slept in till 7:00. The ponies were not pleased.
didn't they have hobbit feet fer sale someplace?...check this out...course, yuh gotta pay in euros... 
My ISP (small local co.) is $15 a month, unlimited access, and a web page... if I ever get off my sorry keester and figure how to build a web page...
Thinkin about the Russians taking back the theater, and reading FReepers responding to it. I don't feel any need to approve or disapprove how the Russians handled it.
Then I found this... Dog shoots owner Now THAT's funny.
How are you doin'? - Manhood OK?
It's probably best for all that you haven't figured this skill out yet. ;^)
Female hobbits have to have some degree of grace to their steps. It just wouldn't do to have hobbit lasses tripping at every turn!
I'd end up stmbling and dropping a whole tray of mushrooms!
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