[MLD-Grounds-Keeper-Willie]

I think that the ring did not care who found it, just as long that it got closer to sauron. The ring had not counted on gollum hiding in the misty mountains with it for 500 years. It 'left' the Anduin because it neede to move, ironically, it didn't get very far. I agree with you that gollum did have some resistence to the ring. After all he was a hobbit. And I agree with you that he did not desire to use it for power but to keep it as his own. Gollum had something that you get from hanging around the outside of the shire. I think that it is greed. He did not have a greed for power, but a greed to aquire and keep what he wanted. That's why he hid in the misty mts. for 500 years and he never used it for power. I don't think the ring knew that gollum would hide for 500 years (or maybe it did but was just really patient) but since it turned out like that the ring needed to be found. I'm not sure if the ring planned it this way or if it was just chance, but Bilbo did find it. The ring slipped of gollum earlier, before Bilbo came, when gollum was trying to catch a small goblin to eat. Now I disagree with you when you say that the ring didn't want Bilbo to find it. I think it did no matter which way Bilbo foiund it- by chance or because of the ring. It could have been by chance. The ring could have coincidently slipped off gollum and coincidently got picked up by Bilbo. Or the ring could have been found on purpose. If the ring felt that it was hid for too long, it could have slipped off, hoping to be found by someone. When bilbo came, it could have somehow lured bilbo to it.

Anyways, this discussion is getting off topic from the original question so I think I'll continue this in another thread probably tomorrow. Look for it.