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.
I put my dog out on his cable run yesterday. It was cool, but not that bad. But you would've thought I was beating him. He cried like a baby for 15-20 minutes...
(He thinks he's a lap cat)
Thanks. At least I've got it where I can average less than 2000 words a day. I've gotten to the point where I just keep the fingers moving and see what kind of crap comes out. But now I've found out that my shifty guy is shiftier than expected and now I have to insert prior scenes to make the story plausible.
Hm...I don't think I like "real" funk, then. "Annie" is probably about the weirdest of Slainte Mhath's songs. Some of their tune sets are downright traditional! But I like the weird stuff, too. They're obviously having tons of fun with it!
I love mine.
I have to keep reminding myself that this year's project was the siding. There are so many things I want to do or have done.
Jr. said if Nana was moving in with us (probably next spring) he wanted to move to the attic. I'd love to rennovate it for him, it runs the full length of the house. But our heating vents are in the ceilings in the upstairs rooms, so that would all have to be re-done. I told him "sure, let me scrounge up about $100,000 and we'll get right on it..."
Nope, next year it's taking out oak trees (trust me g'nad, our property backs up to woods, the deer won't starve), repairing the boys fort (where one of those oak trees dropped a limb on it), putting in a shower downstairs for my mother-in-law (arthritis won't let her climb the stairs) and fencing in the back yard for the dog and boys...
Y'all can remind me about that list this time next year when I'm whining about not turning the garage into a family room or putting the Florida room on the back of the house...
looks like a cool place for theboyz to play...
Yuh know Corin, I may just log a few (no more than 5) for the cash for a garage... and clear another food plot... ;o)
ouch... how bad is the damage?...
I took just plain sheets of plastic that you get at Lowes and trimmed it to fit each long window. Then I edged it with a double helping of duct tape, to reinforce it when I stapled through it. Then Steve put the trim back up to reinforce it even more.
All it has to do is stay up through this winter!! Then, we put the windows in!
Here is another picture of it. As you can see, it has ceiling fans even...it's very nice.
gotta run... the barometric pressure is droppin, and the deer are callin' me...
'bout $400 per tree. I'm 'specting to drop about $2,000 and that won't get all of 'em...just the most dangerous ones.
You don't have to feel guilty. You had a lot going this month that took priority.
Now...NEXT year we're gonna hold your toes to the fire until you type every word...
I'd have to see if the DVD Rom for that system is still available though. I'm not going to bother with a DVD burner because the technology isn't really there yet, but I can watch DVDs when hubby monopolizes the TV! LOL!!
Well, hopefully by next year I will have finished this story as well as have a good first draft on the one I've been working on for a few years....but NO promises!
Most of ours are pretty strong, but we lost a lot of branches due to the drought, so I'm not sure how healthy these trees are. A good ice storm could be a problem.
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