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.
Hehehe!
I need coffee.
Good Morning!
But the real treat is to see them live. They get better every time I see them.
Enjoy!
Morning all! We have the dreary overcasts today, but yesterday was a whopper! We had some friends over for a cookout, a couple (also displaced Southerners)we've known for several years and our Assoc. Pastor. We had just finished a late lunch on the deck after having listenend to thunder for over an hour, when the first raindrops fell. After the guys ran to roll up windows on the cars we had the first big downpour, so we sat inside and had dessert. Father left to go to another cookout with some brother priests, and about 5 mins. later (hopefully he got to the neighboring Parish in time) the bottom fell out. We were watching it rain and the lightning was getting closer when all of a sudden the HAIL began. There was so much hail, our front yard looked like it had snowed! We were concerned about the cars; we were afraid they'd get dinged by the hailstones, but none did. It lasted about 5 mins. then stopped abruptly. About 15 mins. later another little storm hit, and we wondered if we'd get a plague of frogs or something this time; it was wild! I heard on the news last night that there were several house fires because of lightning strikes in the Boston area.
We're supposed to go on a 'hay ride' at the farm of a local homeschooling family today, but the weather looks so threatening, I'm not sure we'll go.
My daughter and I are thinking of going to see FoTR for the 5th time; the local 'cheap seat' theater has it. I hope it has the TTT trailer!! Have a great day everybody!
The movie still isn't showing in the cheap theaters here...it's still at a local theater. Not too expensive, just $6.50, but I hope it'll come to the $1-$2 theaters some day!!
I was sitting near a group of young girls (probably about 12-13 yrs old). After the TTT preview, they were all excitedly chattering with each other, which I usually would have found annoying, but found amusing this time. They were making comments like "Did you see Treebeard?" and "Helm's Deep looks soooo perfect!" The general consensus was that 7 months is too long to wait. It kind of gives me hope for the future that there are those young'uns that recognize the quality of LotR.
Dan
Which is in total contrast to my not minding at all that I had to wait 24 years for Attack of the Clones.
No, wait...14 seconds. No...down to 10...No wait! Aww...you've got the message! :)
Have you participated in any of the line parties for LOTR? And if so, what was it like? Were people pretty normal, and was it lots of fun? I'm thinking about joining the TORn line party here in Seattle for TTT, but I was kind of wondering what I'd be getting myself into....
Hair, have you thought about joining the line party up here in Seattle at the Cinerama? Or are you going to hide out down there where the crowds don't get so big? I'd love to have company if I do the line party thing, and I doubt I'll be able to talk any of my other friends into it. :o
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