The New Hobbit Hole

[Lil'freeper]

Yes, thank you!

[ecurbh]

Look! - Awren doesn't wear skivvies!

Hmmm, veddy interesting!

[SuziQ]

I tried to watch "Priscilla Queen of the Desert", but couldn't get thru it

It was a difficult movie to watch, but mainly it was just sad the way the lives of those drag queens had turned out.

[SuziQ]

I don't know what's up with the site that had the Matrix posters, but on my computer it looks like all the heads are cut off just above the eyes!

[Scott from the Left Coast]

We elves never wear skivvies. Snif.

As pristine as we are, there's simply no need.

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

I'm enjoying your posts on The Silmarillion, and I hope you continue them! Some of the points you raise are addressed in the essay "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age", which appears later in The Silmarillion, and in the uncompleted essay "The Istari", which appears in Unfinished Tales.

If Gandalf was the wisest of the Maiar, why was Saruman known as the wise...

Well, even if one isn't the wisest one can still be wise. Also, wisdom can come in different forms... Saruman's Elvish name was Curunír, "Man of Craft" (according to "The Istari"). The name "Saruman" meant the same thing, in the language of the Northern Men. It may be that the areas of Saruman's wisdom were more easily demonstrated than the areas of Gandalf's wisdom... also, I think Saruman was a lot less reticent in letting other people know how wise he was; Gandalf tended to hide the extent of his own abilities.

... and why was Saruman the leader of the Istari?

Now that's an interesting question... "The Istari" hints that Saruman may have been more powerful than Gandalf; "power" and "wisdom" are not the same, and being the wisest does not necessarily imply being the most powerful, or vice versa. Or, maybe it was just that Saruman was more eager to lead. Unfinished parts of "The Istari" tell how Olórin (Gandalf) didn't really want to go to Middle Earth, and basically had to be ordered into it, while Curumo (Saruman) volunteered to go. Also, it seems Saruman always wanted to be in charge, while Gandalf didn't: Saruman accepted leadership of the White Council after Gandalf refused Galadriel's nomination. Perhaps a desire to lead, to be in charge, was the flaw in Saruman's character that lead to his downfall?

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

What am I still doing up? I have to get up in less than 5 hours!

Good night all... see you all again tomorrow night!

[Lil'freeper]

Mornin' all. Freezing rain along the I-95 corridor this morning, but alas I'm at work anyway. So much for baking cookies. Oh well.

[Overtaxed]

We're opening for business at 10:00 this morning so I'll be able to Freep today. The bad news is that the building probably won't be very warm.

Right now we have rain at 33 degrees and more ice north of us. Those poor power guys!

[2Jedismom]

Good morning!

Well, any way you look at it, it's less than a week till the movie. By this time a next week, I'll be hopefully still asleep, recovering.

[Lil'freeper]

In a way, I'm kind of glad I didn't take today off for the ice...it means I can take a day off next week and not cut into me leave too much. Whoohooo! One week left!

[2Jedismom]

Steve's not even going to take the next day off! He's just going on in to work anyway, after only a couple of hours of sleep!

It's a dreary morning here, but not raining at least.

Wonder what the news is at TORn this morning?

[ItsOurTimeNow]

Bear - re: my post 46650:

Galadriel: "I it was who first summoned the White Council. And if my designs had not gone amiss, it would have been governed by Gandalf the Grey, and then mayhap things would have gone otherwise."

[HairOfTheDog]

Good morning briefly!

Not only is my internet still acting up from time to time, but I have errands and meetings this morning! - may not be around much. Hope everyone has a good day!

[ksen]

I'm glad to hear that YOU were ok OT. I trust "Her Majesty" survived alright as well? ;^)

I'll be praying that your lines get strung as quickly as possible, and that if you are having to use your insurance, the company doesn't give you a hard time.

[g'nad]

Look! - Awren doesn't wear skivvies!

mmmmmmmmm.... skivvieless...

[g'nad]

Hey OT! Glad to hear yer okay... been worryin' 'bout yuh...

[ksen]

Master Ksen asked: If Gandalf was the wisest of the Maiar, why was Saruman known as the wise, and why was Saruman the leader of the Istari?

In answer, I turn your attention to The Fellowship of the Ring, Book II, Chapter VII - "The Mirror of Galadriel"

Galadriel: "I it was who first summoned the White Council. And if my designs had not gone amiss, it would have been governed by Gandalf the Grey, and then mayhap things would have gone otherwise."

Aahh, thanks......"Dad". ;^)

I guess I was just wondering why Saruman seemed to be the leader, since Gandalf appears much more capable. I think Bear may have hit on it when he said that maybe Gandalf didn't desire the leadership position, while Saruman did.

[g'nad]

Now we see why those 'Mounties' were suspicious the other day!!

yeah... I am an unsavory character, huh?...

[ItsOurTimeNow]

I don't disagree with that notion. What troubles me is this:

And if my designs had not gone amiss, it would have been governed by Gandalf the Grey...

Makes me wonder if Saruman's "silver tongue" may have influenced Galadriel's designs. (Minds out of the gutter, folks! This is a pre-emptive warning! lol)

I'd really like to know more about the initial assembly of the council, and Galadriel's part in it. I think this is a good topic for study.