To Be Determined...

The discussion continues:

[11:18] Jeff S: no, I've NOT started reading it, but I DID glance at the foreword / notes on this edition of The Hobbit...
So... JRR made changes to The Hobbit when it was reprinted when he was working on LOTR, so that the original story "jived" more with the new story?
[11:18] Jeff S: JRR "Lucased" The Hobbit?!
[11:18] Dave: ha!
[11:18] Dave: Yeah, he changed a few things.
[11:19] Dave: In the original version Gollum referred to himself as the "my precious."
[11:19] Jeff S: and... and you find this acceptable?!?!
[11:19] Dave: He changed it so he only referred to the ring as "my precious"
[11:19] Dave: ha!
[11:19] Dave: It was….before my time.
[11:19] Jeff S: "Gollum shot first"
[11:19] Dave: Now THAT'S a t-shirt.
[11:19] Jeff S: HA!
[11:20] Dave: So it's Bilbo Baggins birthday.
[11:20] Dave: (and Frodo!)
[11:20] Dave: (same birthday)
[11:20] Jeff S: what do you mean?
[11:21] Dave: ...
[11:21] Dave: In the story, this was their birthday.
[11:21] Dave: September 22nd.
[11:21] Jeff S: September 22?
[11:21] Dave: yeah
[11:21] Jeff S: there was a "September" in Middle Earth?
[11:22] Dave: yeah
[11:22] Jeff S: hmmm
[11:22] Dave: haha
[11:22] Jeff S: so... he created his own language... but not his own months?
[11:23] Jeff S: I KINDA respect that! "Look! not all of this is weird-o fantasy!" kind of thing.
[11:23] Dave: Well, Middle Earth is supposed to be our world.
[11:23] Dave: Like, the lost time from our world.
[11:23] Jeff S: Better to re-use "our" months than create silly ones... like "Moontober"
[11:23] Jeff S: or "Septwinterber"
[11:23] Jeff S: I guess.
[11:24] Dave: And the hobbits and men are the children of the new age that would eventually become our time.
[11:24] Dave: So elves and wizards are disappearing.
[11:24] Jeff S: whoa whoa whoa!
[11:24] Dave: Sauron was the last bit of magic leaving the world.
[11:24] Jeff S: slow down, there!
[11:24] Dave: in a way.
[11:24] Dave: AND!!!
[11:24] Dave: pant pant
[11:24] Jeff S: SPOILERS!
[11:24] Jeff S: great.
[11:24] Dave: ha!
[11:24] Dave: You knew this!
[11:24] Jeff S: Did I?!
[11:24] Dave: It's not in any of the books really
[11:24] Dave: Well, you saw the movies!
[11:25] Jeff S: sure!
[11:25] Dave: The Hobbit has nothing like that in it.
[11:25] Jeff S: ok.
[11:32] Jeff S: So, what you're saying is that TODAY would have been the perfect day to start reading The Hobbit?
[11:34] Dave: Pretty much!
[11:36] Jeff S: we missed THAT trick.
[11:40] Jeff S: Are we done talking The Hobbit, for today?
[11:41] Dave: hahaha. yeah
[11:42] Jeff S: Cool. Thanks, everyone, for joining us. Tune in tomorrow for more "The Hobbit" talk!

[10:33] Dave: I'm scared...
[10:33] Dave: ...
[10:33] Dave: scared to read the Hobbit with you.
[10:33] Dave: haha
[10:33] Dave: (no really)
[10:33] Jeff S: hahaha!
[10:33] Jeff S: don't be!
[10:33] Jeff S: I am a pleasant person!
[10:33] Jeff S: fun to be around!
[10:35] Dave: hmmm
[10:36] Jeff S: wow
[10:36] Dave: HA!
[10:36] Jeff S: well, here's the problem, Dave...
[10:36] Dave: uh oh!
[10:36] Jeff S: I'll be reading it with or without you,
[10:36] Dave: Like the U2 song.
[10:36] Jeff S: so there is no avoiding my thoughts on it
[10:37] Jeff S: yes. Like Bono.
[10:37] Jeff S: except shorter... and hairier.
[10:37] Jeff S: no.
[10:37] Jeff S: wait.
[10:37] Jeff S: AS short and hairy
[10:37] Dave: oh my
[10:38] Jeff S: c'mon! what's the worst that can happen?
[10:38] Jeff S: you already know I hold the utmost disdain for these books!
[10:38] Jeff S: ha!
[10:38] Dave: A childhood memory and formative experience is forever destroyed!
[10:39] Jeff S: if MY feelings about a book can ruin YOUR favorite book ever... then maybe it wasn't really worth being so dedicated to!
[10:39] Jeff S: have you thought of it that way?
[10:39] Dave: Like Jesus
[10:39] Jeff S: aw... again, I'm sorry I ruined Jesus for you...
[10:39] Jeff S: (god, how many times do I have to apologze for destroying your faith in god?!)
[10:39] Jeff S: sheesh!
[10:39] Jeff S: but your love of LOTR is stronger than that!
[10:39] Dave: hahahaha
[10:40] Jeff S: Look.
[10:40] Jeff S: you like Speilberg, and I am indifferent...
[10:40] Jeff S: indifferent to the point of beligerance.
[10:41] Dave: Yeah
[10:41] Jeff S: and THAT hasn't made you dislike Speilberg, right?
[10:41] Jeff S: So, I think your god Tolkein can take a few hits from my brain-thoughts and not fall off his pedestal!
[10:42] Dave: Hmmm, but sometimes, when experiencing those things, I think of YOU! Your'e the ghost in the machine now.
[10:42] Dave: I might have a serious problem.
[10:43] Jeff S: yeah... I'm in your head!
[10:43] Jeff S: "WWJTOMFLT?" (What Would Jeff Think Of Me For Liking This?")
[10:44] Jeff S: well, you have to get over that!
[10:44] Jeff S: don't worry about me! love what you love!
[10:44] Jeff S: (and hate me for questioning your love of those things!)
[10:44] Jeff S: dance like no one is watching, dave!
[10:44] Jeff S: Sing like you're on X-Factor!
[10:45] Jeff S: Love like it's The Bachellor!
[10:45] Jeff S: Dance like you're on Dancing With the Stars!
[10:46] Dave: ac*
[10:46] Jeff S: well, I hope I've put your worries about The Hobbit to rest!
[10:47] Jeff S: (I'm still finishing up my current book, though, so you have another 2 days to change / rechange / unchange again your mind!)
[10:47] Dave: Yeah. I'm a basket case.
[10:47] Jeff S: aw...
[10:47] Jeff S: but in the fun, Green Day song way!
[10:47] Dave: totally!
[10:48] Jeff S: Also: you know this chat is getting posted online, right?
[10:48] Dave: yup
[10:48] Jeff S: yay!
[10:48] Jeff S: So, that ends Part II of our on-going chat series about The Hobbit! Thanks for reading, see you tomorrow!
[10:48] Dave: ac
[10:48] Dave: awesome
[10:49] Dave: ac
[10:49] Jeff S: people are now thinking, "Did he really SAY that, in chat with Dave?"

*AC stands for "Actual Chuckle" or "Audible Chuckle" and is our replacement for "lol". (Since people tend to use "lol" when NOT actually laughing out loud, Dave invented it to denote when one is really, truly, laughed in a way that could be described as "out loud".)

From a recent IM conversation:

[17:32] Jeff S: aren't we supposed to be reading "The Hobbit"?
[17:32] Dave: wanna?
[17:33] Dave: WANNA?!
[17:33] Jeff S: MAYBE!
[17:37] Dave: *Gandalf knocks on Jeff's door*
[17:37] Dave: *scratches a mark into the wood*
[17:38] Dave: (you'll get that one soon)
[17:38] Jeff S: will I?!
[17:38] Jeff S: god... my life is about to get exponentially worse, isn't it?
[17:38] Dave: Think how I feel!
[17:38] Dave: I have to hear you bitch about it!
[17:39] Dave: Something I love.
[17:39] Dave: Maybe…maybe we shouldn't do this.
[17:39] Jeff S: look
[17:39] Jeff S: my negativity will only make you love it MORE
[17:39] Dave: hahaha
[17:39] Jeff S: also: who says I'm going to be negative about this shitty story with too many travelling songs in it?!
[17:39] Jeff S: SEE WHAT I DID THERE?!
[17:39] Dave: hehe

So... this is going to happen!

Now that we've reached our 21st episode, let's get legally drunk ... on hilarity!

Topics covered:
- Hash Tags
- Dave's plan to heal the world

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Hey now, it's TBD's very special 20th episode, so special in fact that we let it pass without notice! Enjoy this thoroughly routine episode that makes no mention whatsoever of our 20th anniversary, or what the internet tells me would have been our "Emerald Anniversary."

Topics covered:
- Hoarding
- Transformers
- Sun-baked G.I. Joes
- Eggs

Topics not covered:
- 20th Anniversaries

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