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

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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.

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

You mean like the "Prancing Pony?" :^)

Yeah! My wife's comment was, "Didn't they have streams? Couldn't they wash their hands before they eat, at least?

hehe, like I said, clean hands are one of her pet peeves.

[Sam Cree]

" few would care to associate with this literature if they did not feel a connection to these values"

I liked your post 8038, it was eloquent, we should all be flattered, I think. I agree that all here seem to share values, though we are a varied group in many ways.

As a fairly new (though long time lurker) FR member, I really enjoy posting and reading all around FR. But this thread is my "home" here. If it ever dies out (won't any time soon), we'll all feel like we have friends as we surf around FreeRepublic.

[ksen]

I love the Terminator movie. I rented The Neverending Story part II for the kids, we had a slumber party where we get in our pajamas, make popcorn, turn out all the lights and watch a movie. After I got the kids to bed I watched The Matrix. That was a cool movie. I liked it a lot better than episodes 1 and 2 of a certain space opera type movie series that has been discussed recently. Did you know that our Elrond was the main bad guy in The Matrix? That was kind of wierd.

-Kevin

[Sam Cree]

Yeah, do you think in the bathrooms (I mean outhouses) at the Prancing Pony there were little baskets of shampoo and conditioner and stuff?

'Course they had great beer.

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

Did you know that our Elrond was the main bad guy in The Matrix? That was kind of wierd.

The Matrix was my favorite movie... probably still is in some ways. When I heard Elrond say "The Ring must be destroyed!" I flashed back to Agent Smith in The Matrix ("Find them and destroy them!")

[ksen]

I can't believe you relentlessly bash Boromir, but are willing to even consider giving Lurtz and the cave troll a pass, and even start defending them. I don't think I'll ever figure you "wimmen" out. ;^)

-Kevin

[ksen]

Not even Sir Ian

I think the subject was maleness. How on earth did "Sir" Ian enter your thinking about that? ;^)

-Kevin

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

... Prancing Pony there were little baskets of shampoo and conditioner and stuff?

Well, there must not have been... if there were, then Aragorn really had no excuse! ;)

I think it's time for me to go to bed... g'night all!

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

I liked your post 8038, it was eloquent, we should all be flattered, I think.

Thank you, I think it was accurate for all of us I have talked to.

I hope you are feeling better Hair, can't go around burning the candle at both ends. One of the advantages of pre-Industrial Revolution cultures like Middle-Earth is that you get a lot more sleep (it is that, or go out and look at the stars, that only goes so far). Less ability to contact folks on the Internet, of course, and there are only so many palantirs (kind of dangerous things to fool around with anyhow!)

[ksen]

Oh, and she likes smart guys too.

Well then how does that explain.............oh, nevermind. ;^)

-Kevin

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

How on earth did "Sir" Ian enter your thinking about that? ;^)

I see that whimsical silliness is a hard thing to express on a message board.

[ksen]

Agent Smith probably could have taken Sauron. Then again Agent Smith would have worked for Sauron.

-Kevin

[Sam Cree]

Good night

[ksen]

I see that whimsical silliness is a hard thing to express on a message board.

No, I got what you said originally. I was just trying to be silly back. The fault lies with me. ;^)

-Kevin

[ksen]

I guess we get to post our own nightlight. Here goes:

Aahh! Nothing like the smell of roast Nazgul to help one fall asleep. ;^)

-Kevin

[Overtaxed]

Good Morning, hobbitses. Here's a picture for all the Elves out there:

[Overtaxed]

...and here is breakfast...

[HairOfTheDog]

Wow OT! - That looks great! - Thanks!

It is a quiet morning here, sun is coming up over clear skies. So far it looks like a lovely day for a trail ride!

[Overtaxed]

Hi! I'm planning on getting the corn planted and then goofing off for the rest of the day.

[HairOfTheDog]

I don't think it was the pilantir, because I stare at that every day... I think it was staying up late watching MTV like a kid, and drinking too much coffee and not enough water. My brain was shriveled.

I will be having a Luddite day today though, and I am looking forward to that!

My friend will be coming to get me in 3 hours, so I am getting my things ready!