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

-----------------------------------------

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]

How long have we been friends?

[2Jedismom]

Here's my plans:

http://www.theonering.net/movie/lineparty/displayList.php?id=123

[HairOfTheDog]

I knew I was gonna get that answer! - But I am surprised that not everyone is going to the midnighter! - Some are waiting a day or two!

Who else is going to the midnight show?

[2Jedismom]

Just us?

[HairOfTheDog]

I don't know! - It can't be just us!

[Lil'freeper]

Big'ol and I will be going to the 11 am showing on Wed. Midnight is waaay past bedtime. I'd rather take a day off work. :)

[SuziQ]

They've upped the accumulation forcast to maybe 12 inches, but the forcasters are known for hyperbole.

I had heard the forecast of 1" of snow for today here in MA, but they didn't mention the 4-6" coming later tonight!

Have you seen the doppler radar for this storm; it is HUGE!! I just checked our local radar and there is cloud cover from the NY Line all the way south to DC!

Well, I'm needed urgently at the grocery store! Gotta get some extra milk, etc. The nice thing about winter up here is we have a second refrigerator, a NATURAL one!

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

Good morning, all...

We had planned to go on the 19th (the first day after the end of this contract job) but now we're not sure... this contract may not end when it was supposed to...

Oops, I'm supposed to be working, bye!

[2Jedismom]

That's how I was the other day, running to the store because a storm was on the way. We had everything we needed and last night we sunk the cokes in the snow outside the door to get them cold to go with the popcorn I made for the WB special!

[Lil'freeper]

Gotta get some extra milk, etc

Oh no! You're one of those! LOL!

People here dash off to the store to stock up in a panic if even an inch is forcasted. It is such a local joke to "stock up on milk, bread, and toilet paper" that they even made a lottery game out of it! Teehehee.

[Lil'freeper]

Having posted a *50, does that count as a semi-precious?

[2Jedismom]

I always like the *51s...because I have my pages start over every 50, so it's a fresh new page with the 51s For me anyway. Doesn't take as long to load.

[HairOfTheDog]

I like the 251's!

[SuziQ]

Oh no! You're one of those! LOL!

Yep! I admit it!! You see, I'm a Mississippi born and bred girl (a GRITS), so I didn't know from all this snow until a few years after we married, we went to Indiana for a year. That prepared me for a long stay in the North; and we've been above the Mason-Dixon line for almost 22 yrs.! I still don't like to drive in new snow; I had a spin out about 5 yrs. ago and I'm STILL skittish about it! So when snow is forecast, I lay in all the things I think we absolutely NEED, then I light the fireplace and enjoy the snowfall!!

[HairOfTheDog]

Bye Bear!

[SuziQ]

I loved the pictures of your boys in the snow! I'll bet they had a great time!! The worst part about little kids going out in the snow is that it takes SO long to get them dressed for it!! Then if it is REALLY cold, they're back inside in 5 minutes and you have to undo all that bundling up!

I always love "A Christmas Story" and the guy's little brother getting so bundled up it was impossible for him to move! LOL!

[2Jedismom]

Hey Hair...when you set up the new Hole, make the first part of it not so large. It takes it forever to load for me sometimes. And it does it almost every time I come in here.

You know what I mean? See, it's huge for those of us with relatively slow connections...

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.

[HairOfTheDog]

The initial post shouldn't slow you down... often the article doesn't even load, and the picture has been broken for months...

I didn't make the post very long this time, but that isn't what is slowing you down. When you are getting slowdowns, it is likely other pictures on the thread or general FR or connection slowness!

[2Jedismom]

Yeah, but several times (before I have my coffee usually) I've started reading that stuff...readind and reading and thinking "Wow, what has made everyone so insightful all of a sudden?" only to realize it's almost a year old! LOL

[ItsOurTimeNow]

Wasn't sure if you kind people had seen this yet, but here's a nice little tidbit from Ananova.com:

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Lord Of The Rings' Mortensen takes pains in good performance

Peter Jackson says he didn't realise what he thought was a particularly good bit of acting by Viggo Mortensen was actually the actor breaking his toes.

In one scene in The Two Towers, Mortensen, who plays Aragorn, comes across some burning bodies which he thinks are Hobbits.

The film's director Jackson suggested Mortensen kick one of the helmets in frustration.

"On the fifth take, Viggo kicked the helmet, screamed, clenched his fists and dropped to his knees," Jackson tells www.suntimes.com.

"I thought he was just doing some powerful acting. But then I noticed after I said 'cut' that he wasn't saying anything. Finally, he did the next scene limping."

Once they'd finished filming, Jackson made the actor take off his boot: "His toes were broken. Normally, an actor would yell 'ow' if they hurt themselves, and stop the scene.

"Viggo turned a broken toe into a performance that's a great moment in the film," he said.

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