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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
Or he could work to bring a mega-company to town and put the small owners out of business...

Now THAT's a subject I really could NOT write about. Too close to home! Only the opposite happened. My town had a chance to bring a Wal-mart here, but MA liberal refugees told them to take their Wal-Mart and shove it, 'cause it would hurt the small businesses. Bull...stuff.

Wal-Mart went across the river to NH where they don't have so many rules about companies that no companies wanna stay here. All the small businesses followed it, because people come from miles and miles around to go to Wal-Mart. My town used to be booming...now there are empty stores all along the main street and the jobs just keep leaving. I'm probably going to have to get a job in NH (not that it breaks my heart any)...there aren't any here.

38,541 posted on 11/01/2002 1:05:59 PM PST by RosieCotton
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To: Corin Stormhands
You know what surprises me... how little most students care about the grades they get. I want to get into a graduate program in a certain university on the East Coast. That graduate program takes only 20 students a year. That's all. Grade point average is so important. Yet, this is what I hear... "I don't care about said subject, so I didn't study." or "I got a B-, good enough." "No, I didn't study... I can BS my way through any essay question."

Now, if I have done my best and end up with a B- that's one thing, but to spend so much money and sacrifice time away from other things... and just give it half a try... that's not me.

Yet, to conform, that's what I will have to do. Where it all is going to pay off is when I get in the graduate program... then I'll be glad Smeagol has good retention.

38,542 posted on 11/01/2002 1:06:27 PM PST by carton253
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To: RosieCotton
I'm not s'posed to say it on FR, but Wal-Mart is a good company. They treated my wife very well.
38,543 posted on 11/01/2002 1:08:37 PM PST by Corin Stormhands
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To: carton253
You know what surprises me... how little most students care about the grades they get.

We are constantly fighting that with our 13-year-old. One of these days he's going to realize his choice is the local community college because he doesn't have the grades to get into Virginia Tech...

38,544 posted on 11/01/2002 1:10:16 PM PST by Corin Stormhands
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To: Corin Stormhands
I'm not s'posed to say it on FR, but Wal-Mart is a good company. They treated my wife very well.

Yeah, I've heard they're a pretty good employer. And they brought a TON of jobs to that town, though not of the sort I'm looking for!

It's just sad seeing what's left of this town and seeing how that town has grown in the last few years. We're almost a sleeper town for Littleton these days.

Just read my initial post on this subject...man...and I think I can write a story? I guess I got too hot and bothered to use proper grammar...

Tom is still moping. I need to invent a character to kick him in the pants. However, I almost have my days quota as far as word count goes. Yay!

38,545 posted on 11/01/2002 1:13:03 PM PST by RosieCotton
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To: Corin Stormhands
That was my past. I am in a job I don't really like because I didn't care about grades in high-school. Now, I realize how important it is. It's okay that the students tease me... that's not what upset me this week. It's when the teachers reproach or rebuke me for doing well.
38,546 posted on 11/01/2002 1:13:24 PM PST by carton253
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To: RosieCotton
Rosie... if you hate your character change him or give a good reason for being like that. The secret of writing is in the rewriting. If you get half way through the novel and something happens that gives you a new way of plotting, it pays to go back and redo it. I'm not much of a writer. I write plays mostly. I have rewritten characters all the time.

Don't be stuck with Tom if you aren't happy with him.

38,547 posted on 11/01/2002 1:15:49 PM PST by carton253
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To: carton253; RosieCotton
The secret of writing is in the rewriting...

Not with NaNoWriMo. The secret here is in the volume of words. 50,000 in one month. Rewrites come later, otherwise we'll never make the finish line.

Here's a thought Rosie: Give him a life changing event. Kill off someone he loves, give him a disease or disability to work through. Make the experience change his attitude.

Don't be afraid to let the book follow a different path than what is in your outline.

38,548 posted on 11/01/2002 1:19:10 PM PST by Corin Stormhands
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To: carton253
Can't rewrite...that's part of the point of this challenge. You know what we're all talking about, right? NaNoMoWri? And I guess I don't really HATE him...I'll just like him better later in the story when he's had more of a chance to prove himself. Right now he's depressed, and with good reason...but it's making ME depressed. ;-)

I'll shut up about him now. I have nothing else to do but write and post this afternoon, so I'm whining...

38,549 posted on 11/01/2002 1:20:04 PM PST by RosieCotton
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To: Corin Stormhands; RosieCotton
Got it! I didn't understand the rules.
38,550 posted on 11/01/2002 1:21:39 PM PST by carton253
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To: Corin Stormhands
I WILL get the name of this challenge right some day...
38,551 posted on 11/01/2002 1:22:34 PM PST by RosieCotton
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To: RosieCotton
I feel for you! But, change him as soon as you can otherwise you might not want to finish the story. Don't worry about whining. It's okay...
38,552 posted on 11/01/2002 1:22:39 PM PST by carton253
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To: carton253; RosieCotton; Corin Stormhands; g'nad; HairOfTheDog; Overtaxed; JenB
Elrond's first try at using an internet bulletin board:


38,553 posted on 11/01/2002 1:23:38 PM PST by ksen
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To: All
Smeagol is going home!

This weekend, must rewrite English essay... write new essay for English. Start paper for American Government 1... and write 6 minute speech that has visual aids. Study for Arabic test tomorrow morning... study both Arabic and Hebrew. Yikes! I'm tired just writing that!

38,554 posted on 11/01/2002 1:24:30 PM PST by carton253
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To: ksen
Are you sure that's not dwarvish script?

I think elves use things like calligraphy pens, not crayons...

38,555 posted on 11/01/2002 1:24:49 PM PST by RosieCotton
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To: carton253
I feel for you! But, change him as soon as you can otherwise you might not want to finish the story.

Luckily he's not my only "main" character. So I just have to write his introduction. Then by the next time he comes into the story, things have already changed somewhat and he's not such a lump.

I can always work on other chapters and come back to him, too.

38,556 posted on 11/01/2002 1:26:42 PM PST by RosieCotton
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To: RosieCotton
I WILL get the name of this challenge right some day...

No editing. You'll have to work at getting it write in your next whine, um...post...;-)

38,557 posted on 11/01/2002 1:28:41 PM PST by Corin Stormhands
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To: Corin Stormhands
Hey! We'll all probably be whining in a few weeks! I'm just ahead of the game 'cause I'm unemployed and have had more time to write!
38,558 posted on 11/01/2002 1:30:09 PM PST by RosieCotton
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To: RosieCotton
I think elves use things like calligraphy pens, not crayons...

That's just what their PR guys want you to think.

38,559 posted on 11/01/2002 1:30:48 PM PST by ksen
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To: RosieCotton; ksen; g'nad; rightwingreligiousfanatic
Are you sure that's not dwarvish script?

Rosie! Is that the thanks I get for being nice to you today?

38,560 posted on 11/01/2002 1:32:26 PM PST by Corin Stormhands
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