Watch out for Gollum, he'll bite off your finger

If you've been sleeping under a rock you probably don't know that "The Hobbit" just started shooting in New Zealand. After much delay with Actor's Unions, Peter Jackson's health, and the notorious battle of intellectual property, Tolkien's first journey into Middle Earth is at last begun production.

I am very excited.

You can tell how excited I am by the fact that I am writing a blog to say how excited I am. I don't write. However, I will write for 'The Hobbit." I remember 12 years ago when a friend of mine looked at tons and tons of production stills from this big budget movie called "Lord of the Rings." I had of course heard of the books, but hadn't read them. I was a Star Wars guy you see. Prick me back then and I would bleed Yoda quotes, statistical analysis on AT-AT design, and midi-chlorians... well maybe not those, I tend to still believe the Force binds us all without explanation.

Anyway, I was impressed by my buddies love of the production, the story, and the world this guy named J.R.R. Tolkien made up. It wasn't until two years later that my mind was completely blown. "Fellowship of the Ring" gave me a feeling. A feeling I hadn't felt since...

Fast forward a few more years and I have now read five of Tolkien's Middle Earth works, including "The Silmarillion". I know that makes me a die hard fan and that's cool. I AM A DIE HARD FAN.

Now it is me who watches Peter Jackson's blog from the set of "The Hobbit". Now it is me who drools over production stills. Now it is me who has plans for a Middle Earth themed tattoo... right across from my Star Wars one.

 Enjoy the first installment of Jackson's blog from the Set.