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.
Yes, LCS, we seem to be completely unconcerned about idea of a thread change... hobbits are slow to muster. If they don't mind our size and broken picture, then I guess I don't mind either! Lets talk about it again in another 10,000 posts!
And Happy Fathers Day to all of our dads in the Hobbit Hole!
I don't think the size matters, but maybe you graphically empowered types could work something out with the Admin Moderator to fix the picture, or move it someplace where we could see it. I notice that they are changing thread names all the time these days.
In any case, surely we are going to throw a party, come Tuesday (or whenever). Did you notice that graphic of a pint they used in the Freepathon today? Maybe we can use that??
How inspiring that your beautiful sunrise shows a workplace. Just the thing to get us all going on a Monday morning...
pretty picture, though
I am a slow starter this morning. How was your weekend?
Had a blast with the family at King's Dominion yesterday. Got home after 11:00 p.m. last night, just too tired to sneak...
Has been a busy morning here, running errands... off to run some more in a few minutes, but planning to settle down for a while this afternoon. New job starts Friday.
Goodness, at this posting rate we won't get to 10,000 when LCS wants us to!
Oh, sure, start a big sneak just when I'm about to leave!
Well, I'll be back later this afternoon to see if I still have the Precious or not...
Sir SuziQ wasn't even HERE for Father's Day. He was New Orleans last week for a conference and spent the weekend with his brother on the beautiful Redneck Riviera (otherwise known as the MS Gulf Coast!) We talked to him last night and the kids wished him a Happy Day! He'll be home later today, and we'll do the gifts then
I spent a large part of yesterday at the Church. I was a Eucharistic Minister at 12:15 Mass, so I took the kids to that Mass. Then I dropped them off at home and went BACK to Church to the 25th Anniv. Mass of our Assoc. Pastor. I sang in the Festival Choir, and we practiced for an hour before Mass. Mass lasted two hours what with all the music Fr. Dennis had chosen, but is was just beautiful. It was thrilling hearing all the priests who had come for the Mass joining in the Doxology at the end of the Eucharistic Prayer. After the final Blessing, the Bishop got up to say a few words about Fr. Dennis, then Fr. Paul, our Pastor got in the last word. They were an absolute HOOT talking about Fr. Dennis's early years as a priest. After Mass there was reception in the Parish Hall and that went on for another 3 hours! The last hour or so was just a few of us, and we brought out Asti Spumante and a birthday cake because today is his 51st birthday. It was so much fun, and he was so happy and content to be with friends and family. There was an enormous turnout for the Mass and party. I think the Parish was just eager to show him and Fr. Paul how much we support and love them.
So yesterday was a busy day, but I STILL couldn't get to sleep until after 1am, so I was a LITTLE late rolling out of bed this morning!
Speaking of sneaks...hullo all, had a great week in South Floriduh...the only low point was being surrounded by rabid liberal orcses...barely got out of there with my hide intact...I stacked 'emup like cord wood...
O.K., I promise, no repeats of Friday the 7th's sneakin' fox paws (faux pas)...I humbly seek your forgiveness.
Corin: Yes, I'm at Quantico. As for the Marines lookin' for a few good sneaks, we teach maneuver warfare, which means hittin' 'em where they ain't strong... so it is definitely sneaky...
Had a great Father's Day. The kids got me the FoTR soundtrack, I got to kick back and take a nap between services and Mrs. ksen is sending me to our cheap theatre to see FoTR again tonight. ;^)
I've started reading The Silmarillion this weekend. I must have been thinking about an entirely different book when I posted before that I had started this once and couldn't get through it. Now I find it utterly fascinating. The depth and detail JRRT gave to his world is just stupendous.
I am at the chapter where the light of Valinor is about to go out (the two trees).
Even the family trees in the back have been quite interesting. Did you guys know that Aragorn has Maiar blood? It comes from his ancestor Thingol who married the Maiar Melian.
The story of the origin of the dwarves was wonderful as well. JRRT may have kept his Christian overtones overly subdued in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, but it shines through in The Silmarillion.
Welcome back! We could use a few good sneaks.
Now that we have enough sneaks here this afternoon, we should eat those eggses before they spoil and make another batch for the party!
No apology needed. If we all started apologizing for sneaking, we'd be at 10,000 posts by this afternoon. Shoot, your five word apology would've been five posts for Kevin...
Welcome back.
Six, you're forgetting the "Burma Shave" tag I would have posted at the end. ;^)
And to think I posted something positive about dwarves a couple of posts back.
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