What is in a Name

Because I promised people I would,

Why on earth did I name my URL ahobbitblogger?  As my aunt so nicely pointed out to me, hobbits do not have a great affinity for travel.

Our story begins in a simpler age, when I was a carefree freshman in college.  It was a time that was filled with me rereading the Hobbit in anticipation of the new movie coming out.  I liked the idea of going on an adventure to places unknown to see things that were impossible to imagine, and to come back with fantastical stories.  Somewhere so totally different from what I knew.  But honestly, who was I kidding.  I am not the adventurous type.  I got homesick after being at college for three weeks, let alone a few months.  Besides, I didn't know how to travel anywhere that was not in Europe.  I jokingly told my mom that what I really needed was for a wizard to come up to me and say "I'm looking for someone to share in an adventure."

Now admittedly I have traveled a fair amount in my life.  When I was a junior in high school I went to Germany for three weeks with a school group, and I have been to Europe several times with my family.  But I have really never been out of the western world.  And I have never been without my metaphorical pocket handkerchief.  

My grandparents Took (Omi and Oompa) were quite the adventurers in their day.  When my mom was one they flew off to Nigeria for three years.  They have also lived in Kazakhstan, Japan, China, and England.  My  mother has been significantly less adventurous, leaving me with a secret (or not so secret) desire to go out into the rest of the world.  I suppose that is very unhobbit like, but I am sure Bilbo had his moments.

The idea of a hobbit blogger came from my wonderful friends, who after seeing the cast list for the Hobbit movie and the BBC show Sherlock came up with the idea of Dragonbatch and his hobbit blogger.  There and back again, along with being a direct reference to the hobbit, also has its roots in a chapel talk that I gave earlier this year (http://www.stolaf.edu/multimedia/play/?c=2031).

So now I am off on an adventure, blogging stories along the way.  But for the next three months, I am here in Hobbiton.  Life in Hobbiton has its little charms, which I am sure that you will here about endlessly.  But now my prologue is done, and there are things to be done before the day is over.