Just chillin’ right now with Thorin edits. Surgery may loom.

I had therapy today and the wrist is starting to feel very sore and tingly again. Everything is improving–the elbow, the tendonitis–except for the dratted wrist; the PT said I’d probably have to end up going through the nerve conductivity test and having surgery anyway. Id already more or less reconciled myself to that idea. C’est la vie.

Anyway, I just needed to sort of kick back tonight and play. I have work to do tomorrow on a collaborative project and then more therapy Friday. We are covering an event (I will also cover for the paper) for PRP Friday night. I like getting those extra dollars, they come in handy.
And here’s what I did while I played tonight.

.

And now, just for giggles. ;) Fun with Gary!

Catching up with Fedoralady; thoughts on moving out of comfort zones

 

(Blogger’s note: I started this post this morning and then decided to take a nice long nap. Turned out to be even longer than I planned.  Yeah, I was tired.)

My physical therapist told me to take it easy this weekend and I would hate to let her down.  We are out of cereal so I had cold pizza for a late breakfast. It’s really very tasty. I’m catching up on some of the movies and TV shows I have DVRed while thinking seriously about a nap. My husband will chide me for being a couch potato when he gets home this afternoon, but just call me “Spuds Fedora” today.

Pain kept me up well into the night.  I keep reminding myself that sometimes things get worse before they get better and it’s not as if I am unaccustomed to pain and discomfort, right? The tennis elbow (more like photographer/videographer’s elbow) and tendonitis have improved, I think; the ulnar nerve, on the other hand, has given me absolute fits.  I suspect a nerve conductivity test will be unavoidable (with minor surgery to relieve the nerve compression to follow).

 

The above illustration pretty much explains what is going on.

Speaking of nerves, my car has broken down five times in the last two weeks, forcing me to miss my much-needed therapy last Friday.  It’s getting on my last nerve, that big, comfy old (emphasis on “old”) tank.  It’s not the battery or alternator, apparently; sometimes it just decides it doesn’t want to crank. Well, I feel the same way some days, so perhaps I shouldn’t be too hard on the Crown Vic.  And I have to be thankful for cell phones and the kindness of the local police force, who obligingly moved The Old Tank out of the roundabout and into a safe spot last Friday . . . it could be worse.

I have been thinking a lot about comfort zones of late, too; dear friend Judit, aka the Hungarian Honey, is writing about her Crucible experiences and sharing them here with us at my blog. For Judit, writing something for publication, putting it out there where anyone online could potentially see it, was scary. Unnerving. Those feelings are perfectly understandable.

 

A few years back, when I wrote my first fan fic, a one-off story with Lucas, I was very apprehensive about publishing it. And keep in mind, I was a working newspaper reporter and columnist at the time. But this was something different; this was fiction, not fact, not an area I had a great deal of experience in writing-wise. I was dealing with a whole new group of potential readers. I knew the horror stories about “flamers.” Who wants their creative efforts to be ripped apart?

So yes, I had some butterflies in the stomach before I hit that “publish” button at Live Journal.

After some initial technical glitches, it all went pretty well. Better even than I expected.  So I kept at it, started writing longer multi-chapter fiction. I had a lot of fun and felt a definite sadness when a project came to the end and I had to say “goodbye” to the characters.  I can understand better how actors can become attached to and protective of their characters, too.

I even moved on to writing a novel with my own characters, although for various reasons it’s languishing for now, its inhabitants still knocking at the door of my imagination from time to time. The point is, writing fan fiction gave me the opportunity to flex some creative muscles in ways I hadn’t used them before. As the graphic above says, I had to be willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable along the way.

 

I did worry about what people would think, what they would say, when I first started sharing my creative efforts within the fandom. You know what? I have learned you have to leave those worries behind, too, as you step outside the static safety of the comfort zone. I love this quote you see above. You can never, nor should you ever try, to please everyone. Haters are gonna sit on the sidelines and be haters. Always have been, and always will be.

Jealousy and envy have been around as long as humankind; don’t let it stop you when others display theirs.   If you feel the desire, the need, the passion to share your creativity and imagination and dreams through writing, drawing, painting, photo editing, video making, blogging, dancing, singing or other means, DO IT.  And look for like-minded people who will encourage and nurture and inspire you along the way!

Even though life I am still relatively poor, with a chronic condition affecting me mind, body and spirit, no longer a cute young thing and driving a vehicle the reliability of which is suspect–I think it isn’t over yet, that I still have something to say, something to share, someone to inspire, new things to learn, growing to do. I am still looking for the magic . . . it’s the attitude I believe the man who inspired/inspires me would champion, the one who has kept pushing against the boundaries of his own comfort zone.

graphics courtesy of pinterest

Mr. Armitage, my ardor for you only grows, it seems. Thoughts & Photo Edits.

ardor (noun):  (1) Great warmth of feeling; fervor, passion. (2) Intense devotion; eagerness or enthusiasm, zeal. (found on Dictionary.com Word for the Day)

Every time I read or hear or see your cast and crew mates talking about you with such obvious respect and affection; every time another fan account of watching you perform in The Crucible pops up and I discover once again how utterly amazing they found your powerful and intense performance, and how sweet, how completely affable and approachable you are to your fans at the stage door,  and each time you are interviewed and remain Armitage the Unflappable, courteous, good-humored and thoughtful in your responses . . . each and every time my ardor grows for you.  It’s not just your amazing talent, your off-the-charts charisma or your distinctive masculine beauty. No, those are fantastic, but that isn’t what has kept me around for seven years.

It’s also your brains, your wit, your kindness, your generosity, your good manners, your natural elegance and grace,  your humility, your groundedness . . . all the goodness I find inside and out when it comes to you. It’s your willingness to face your fears, to step out of your comfort zone.  It’s your desire to bring your best to each and every role, no matter the size of it, no matter the prestige (or lack thereof) of it.

Yes, you do something to me, Richard Armitage. And I like it. I thank you heartily for it.

You have that mysterious, alluring quality that I can’t quite define. And that mystery is part of why I have such ardor for you. Why you are under my skin, in my heart, bouncing around in my brain . . . inspiring me, exciting me, delighting me . . . me and so very many others.

Because he’s such a masterpiece, that RA.

Big films that may save summer box office have ties to RA, Hobbit trilogy

It’s only 18 days (but who’s counting?!) until Wet Heroic Gary arrives in our theaters.  Since August is largely one hot, miserably humid month here in LA (Lower Alabama), I have to say seeing Richard be all fatherly and bad-ass (and drenched) will be the month’s saving grace for me . . .

So far this summer has been a touch on the lackluster side for box office returns.  I did a little research online . . .

“According to Rentrak, the No. 1 company which gauges box office and film industry figures, U.S. box office figures for the Independence Day weekend fell to their lowest in 15 years partly because of a limited lineup of new releases. It has been a poor summer for the industry. With sales down 17% year over year since May 2, year-to-date sales of $5.44 billion are down 3.8% from a year ago.”  

Granted, it didn’t help to have the Fourth of July fall on a Friday, which is usually an important day of the week for the industry, but other warning signs have appeared. Four major movies saw their sales drop more than 60% on their second weekends, which is unusual. According to Paul Dergarabedian, senior analyst at Rentrak, “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” and “Guardians of the Galaxy” will now have to make big splashes for the industry’s results to recover, but 2014 receipts will probably lag behind last year’s $10.9 billion record high.”

Excerpts from “Even Transformers Might Not Save the Summer for the Box Office”  by Daniel James on the Motley Fool website

See complete article below by clicking link below:

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/07/13/even-transformers-might-not-save-the-summer-for-th.aspx

Then along came an ape named Caesar (brought to life through performance capture technology by the amazingly gifted Andy Serkis)  in “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” and things started looking up. Andy, who created the unforgettable Gollum in the LOTR/The Hobbit trilogies, also served as second unit director for Peter Jackson and worked in that capacity with Richard on the second trilogy based on Tolkien’s works.

Richard and Andy pose together for a photo after conducting separate interviews for their projects in London recently. Courtesy of the BBC.

 DOTPOTA was released on July 11 and, as of July 20, the movie has grossed more than $139 million domestically, remaining the #1 movie for the second week in a row (the film’s budget was $170 million, so there seems little doubt it will be a money-maker for Fox Films.  Expectations are a take of $230 million during its run). While its box office earnings dropped 50 percent in its second week, it’s performing better than other summer blockbusters, such as “Transformers: Age of Extinction,” “The Amazing Spider Man” and the latest “X-Men” entry, which all dropped at least 61 percent at this point.  (Statistics courtesy of Box Office Mojo). The strong hold of Serkis and Company is being attributed to positive reviews, strong word-of-mouth and, frankly, some lackluster competition at the box office.  I am delighted to see such great reviews for Andy’s performance in particular.  I hope he and Richard actually get a chance to act together in some future project.

So what about the other film mentioned  that could at least partially salvage this less-than-stellar summer? “Guardians of the Galaxy,” billed as an action/sci-fi/fantasy film based on Marvel comic book characters, opens August 1, one week before Richard’s film “Into the Storm” whirls into theatres across the U.S (it opens July 31 in the U.K.).  As part of the seemingly almost indestructible Marvel super-franchise, it seems likely to do decent business at the box office. This film is said to have a more comedic, distinctly irreverent tone and attitude than the other Marvel films.

 

                                                                                          Title courtesy of movieinsider.com

“Guardians” also features another Hobbit alum, namely, the gorgeous and talented Lee Pace (Thranduil) as the villain of the piece, with Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana and Dave Bautista among the quirky bunch of good guys.  The world premiere, by the way, is taking place tonight, July 21. You can watch a livestream of the premiere at Marvel.com.  According to the Marvel Universe site, the whole cast (will this include Pace?) will be on Jimmy Kimmel Live tonight at 11:35/10:35 Central Time on ABC Television.

 

 Lee Pace in full costume and makeup as Ronan the Accuser. Courtesy of IGN.com and Empire Magazine

And what about the films that “Into the Storm” will be going up directly against when it opens here August 8? Will they help or hurt the overall box office and how will ITS perform in comparison? Will Ronan end up destroying Garry and the gang when they arrive in our theatres? Will the Armitage Army beat out the Marvel Maniacs? Will Richard and cool CGI help save not only his movie son, but the summer grosses? We will just have to wait and see.

More about ITS’s direct competition in the next post.

 

ICYMI Richard interviewed by Andrew Marr: “You Leave Drenched in Sweat”

Screencap from interview courtesy of Fly High at Richard Armitage Friends Network on Facebook

A few of the quotes:

“They are living and breathing it with us . . . ” (referring to “The Crucible” audiences)

“I think Spooks may be the last of its kind . . . we shot on film. It was slightly ahead of its time.”

(When asked about the “romantic enthusiasm” often displayed by actors who had appeared in the LOTR/TH films)

“You feel as if you are making a home movie in Peter Jackson’s back garden. New Zealand is such a magical place.”

(When asked about doing future roles, including Shakespeare, on stage)

“If you are asking me that today, I’d say ‘enough already.’ (laughs) But no, there are other roles I would like to tackle . . . I didn’t know if I could do it before I started . . .”  And now he KNOWS. 😀  Even if he hasn’t actually read any of the reviews! Boy, will your cheeks flush red when you finally do, Mr. Humility!

And I am guessing that Mr. Marr hasn’t seen The Hobbit? Pssst, Richard plays a dwarf, Andrew, not a hobbit . . .  😉

Mr. A, when considering more stage roles—consider coming to the U.S. and your new “home city,” NYC. Because I might be able to beg, borrow and/or steal enough to make it to see you!

 

Part 2 of Judit’s ‘Crucible’ Oddysey: Prepping, Pressies and a Study in Contrast

 

The eagerly awaited second part of Hungarian RA fan Judit’s “Crucible” experience is here! Not only did Judit get to see RA perform in the role of John Proctor three times at the Old Vic, she also had the opportunity to see the play staged this spring in her native Hungary, providing us with a study in contrasts between the two productions.  We also get to vicariously enjoy the fun of picking out presents for our favorite fella, who spent considerable time in Judit’s “stomping grounds” of Budapest! Read on, enjoy and comment. And thanks once again, Judit.

~

Theatre tickets, flights and accommodation booked – yet I was still a bit like Geraldine in VOD when Harry asks her to dinner. “OMG, only FIVE hours to get ready” (only in my case, it was “OMG. only two-and-a-half months to get ready!”).

~

PREPARATION!

~

First things first. I had to get my hands on the original English version of the play. I do have the Hungarian translation, but I wanted to read it as it was written. So I ordered an inexpensive used copy from Amazon. And it turned out to be the same edition as the one Richard was working from during rehearsal! How I squeed when I saw “my” book in those huge hands!

~

A coincidence, which turned out to be part of my “preparation process,” was the chance to see a guest performance of “The Crucible” at the National Theatre in Budapest on 30th April. Having never been to our National Theatre (it’s a relatively new building), I grabbed the opportunity with both hands. I thought it would be interesting to see another staging and have something to which I could compare the Old Vic’s version ( I had not yet read the play when I saw the version at the National Theatre).

~

 

From the Hungarian National Theatre production of The Crucible, courtesy of Judit.

A huge difference straight away was the traditional staging of the Hungarian version.  As it turned out, the script was also  cut compared to the Old Vic’s. production–the performance in Hungary was 40 minutes shorter.  The costumes were a mixture of different eras–perhaps to emphasize the story’s timelessness? I am not sure. They also “sexed up” the play a bit in some of the scenes with John and Abigail, and John and Elizabeth. There was one particularly gruesome torture scene involving Tituba. Elizabeth Proctor recited the Lord’s Prayer at the end of the play–which certainly was not in the original script, nor did I quite see the point of it.

~

In terms of performances, I thought the Hungarian cast was really strong all around–except for the actor who played John Proctor. He just didn’t have the stage presence or the charisma to make me take him or his plight seriously.I am afraid the Hungarian version of Proctor had all the charisma of a wet sock, and was definitely the weakest link in that cast. In fact, I thought that the real protagonists of the play were the Reverend Hale and Elizabeth, not Proctor! It was hard for me to figure out what made Richard want to play that character . . .

~

 Anyway, my favourite performance of the evening came from the actor (who incidentally, looks like he could be William Gaunt’s long-lost twin brother) playing Giles Corey.  I think Giles is one of the most relatable characters and he brings much-needed comic relief to the proceedings.

~

PRESSIES!

~

I’d decided very early on that I was going to bring RA some presents – something to remind him of Hungary, since he’d spent almost two years here shooting the three series of Robin Hood.

~

I figured that since most people in the queue at the stage door are there to get something FROM him (i.e. autographs, photos, etc.) he might appreciate it if someone wanted to GIVE him something for a change.

~

Since Hungary is a bit of a wine country (not as renowned as say, France, but we do have some 22 wine regions in our tiny little country) and RA is a wine connoisseur, a bottle of wine was an obvious choice.

~

http://www.decanter.com/dwwa/dwwa-coverage/584305/dwwa-2013-international-trophies-red-bordeaux-varietal-over-15

~

I decided to go with a wine that was lesser known, but at the same time, internationally recognized. I ended up with a 2011 Cuvée.

Chocolates were another obvious choice. I wanted to get him something that you can’t really get outside of Hungary.

So, I ended up with this:

It’s a marzipan praliné with alcoholic cherry filling– very. very nice, indeed! I particularly liked the box because it features an image of our most beautiful bridge, the Chain Bridge (Lánchíd), which was designed by an English architect, Adam Clark, in the mid-19th century.

~

I had to test it, of course, because I didn’t want to give our man something that was less than top quality!

~

What else could I add to my RA gift list?

~

My young sister-in-RA, Brigitta and her family make their own EXQUISITE strawberry jam every year from fresh Hungarian strawberries.

~

This year they were kind enough to make a batch for me. The idea came to me that I should bring Richard a jar of it. Brigitta was very sad that she couldn’t come to the UK and see the play with me, so I thought this way she could be part of the experience.

~

Of course, I wanted to put a nice label on the jar. However, I’m the world’s least creative person and have never designed anything in my life before.

~

Luckily I found a website (www.jamlabelizer.com) that allows you to design your own personalized jam label and so I ended up with this:

 I really do wish I could have come up with something a LOT wittier and funnier, but I was pushing the boundaries of my creativity as it was.

~

Since I wanted a label with some kind of reference to the time RA spent in Hungary, Sir Guy seemed the perfect choice!

~

(Brigitta insisted that I put my name on the label, even though I had nothing to do with the preparation of the jam itself. She said she would refuse to give me permission to even give the jar to Richard unless my name was on the label. What could I do but give in?)

~

I also wanted to write him a letter.  I started writing it in my head from the day we booked the tickets,  actually. But none of those thoughts ever saw the light of day in the end. That’s probably the only regret I have about the whole experience: I wish I’d have been brave enough to write that letter–or at the very least, a card!

~

So, here they are, jam and bottle of wine –safely delivered to London on the 26th June!!!

Coming up: Part 3 Viewing The Crucible (Three Times!) and The Stage Door Experience with RA! Stay tuned . . .

Part 1 of Judit’s “Crucible” Odyssey: A Hungarian RA Fan ‘Seizes the Day’

Dear friend Judit, aka the Hungarian Honey, was lucky enough to not only see RA perform live as John Proctor in “The Crucible”–she saw him three times, and once from the front row!  Now that she has pretty much regained her equilibrium after meeting HIM she is sharing her experience with us here at TAE in installments.  Now, Part I of Judit’s own “Crucible” story . . . with lots more to come!  Thank you, Judit, for dishing all about your experiences with us. You rock!

 

I know RA had talked about going back to theatre often, but when he moved to NYC I had given up hope that it would happen (yeah, my usual optimistic self taking charge again!), and I thought if it were to happen it would happen on Broadway…

So, I was very sceptical when the rumour first surfaced about him being in talks to star in a play in LONDON!  Especially as the source was the Daily Mail and we all know how reliable they normally are.

 

In any case, a few days after I first read about the rumour, I joined the Old Vic’s “friends” circle (there’s a yearly membership fee in exchange for which you get a tiny discount from ticket prices, you don’t get charged booking fee when booking online, plus you get newsletters and, as it turned out, I also got a Crucible flyer in the post some weeks later). I thought, “I had better be prepared IF the rumours indeed turn out to be true!”

 

And then…all of a sudden there it was–a confirmation of Richard being cast as John Proctor on the Old Vic’s website! Needless to say, the Armitage Army “fell upon the online booking system of the Old Vic like an ocean” (to paraphrase John Proctor!).

 

 

For the first time ever in my life, I found myself in a virtual/online queue!! I think I was about 300th when I first logged into my account and clicked on ’book a ticket’. Luckily, I had someone to share the excitement with – I phoned Helen in London, so we basically “queued” together, she in London and I in Budapest, watching our respective numbers go down to zero.. There was an awful lot of OMG-ing and exclamations along the lines of “can you believe this is happening??” (all this was made more awkward by the fact that I was at work, and this whole scene was witnessed by our accountant and a student who was doing her work experience with us – good job neither of them speak English!).

Helen and myself decided to go for an early date in the run, as we were afraid that RA might miss some dates later on in the run due to Comic Con in July or ITS premiere in August…

And, we were very lucky to score first row tickets for the 30th June…!

Later on, when I booked my flight tickets to London, I was more and more tempted by the idea that if I was going to spend five days in London, why not go for more than just one performance??

In the end I just couldn’t resist;  I booked a ticket for 27th June and then, yet another for the evening performance of the 28th..

I know it sounds excessive but I was thinking, who knows if I’ll ever have the chance to see RA perform live on stage again?? Why not make the most of my time in London??

Yes, of course he might do another play in a few years’ time- but who knows where I will be then? Whether I’ll still have a job by then? And my health?

 

So I decided to just seize the day–and I went for it!!! Boy am I glad that I did!!!

 

Next chapter:  preparations!  (coming up soon!)

 

I should be resting my arm/wrist. But. Oh, well . . . it’s RA.

Saw the new Dan Forti pics Serv posted and said to myself, “Hmmmmm. I want to play . . .”  Yeah, yeah, I’ve probably got both tendonitis and ulnar nerve compression. My left hand has a third of the strength and capacity of the right one. If you want to torture me, all you have to do is push my middle finger back towards my shoulder. I WILL cry “uncle.”

 

But those eyes . . . those–thighs . . . the slightly enigmatic quality of that expression. The leather . . . the masculinity of it all . . .

 

I couldn’t help myself.

His image sings a sort of siren song to me . . .

“There’s a place for a bit of silliness in all our lives.” Richard’s BBC Radio interview

http://richardarmitagecentral.co.uk/richard-on-bbc-radio-2/

Photo tweeted by the radio station today of guests RA and Chinese Mike. I think RA should have a higher opinion of his own fashion sense. 😉

It “wasn’t for want of looking and trying” in terms of returning to the theatre after 13 years, Richard said today during his brief radio interview with BBC Two.  He sounded relaxed, in good spirits and in a good place in his life.

(Naturally, my internet chose to crash right about the time he came on, so I missed the entire thing. Hooray for the speedy folks at RA Central for already having it up!)

I do have to say it seems as if the right play, the right venue, the right director and the right cast all came together at the right time for Richard’s return to the stage. I continue to be so pleased and happy for him and all the accolades he’s received from critics and audience members alike.

And there is still a certain smug part of this fangurl who curls her lip at the naysayers and crows, “TOLD you so.” Oh, and to the Spooks blogger who once snidely remarked “the verdict was still out as to whether or not Richard Armitage can actually act?” Well, my dear, the jury has returned and it’s unanimous. He really CAN. And he always could. He’s just gotten even better with age and experience, that’s all.

One of the things I adore about RA is that he takes his craft seriously and really dedicates himself to the roles–himself, not so much. He has the ability to see the silliness, the absurdity in life and recognizes we all need a bit of silliness now and again. Sir, I salute you! Your lack of pomposity and over-inflated ego is most refreshing.  And now, for a bit of my own silliness . . .

 

Beautiful Richard Armitage to charge up my Monday

Great pics this morning from the BBC of our guy!

Me + Richard Armitage

Love these pics from the BBC.

View original post

Sir Guy, RA and I and our Seven-Year AnniveRsAry. Not itching yet.

It was seven years ago this summer when it all began. One sticky south Alabama Saturday night I flipped on the TV and tuned into BBC America to catch their latest version of the Robin Hood legend.

I have to be perfectly honest. I found the rebooted “legend” less than–legendary. Hoodie with his boyish bangs, constipated expressions and cocky strut did not exactly make me forget Errol Flynn.

I did think his cohorts had their charms, Marian was pretty (and pretty feisty), and the sheriff, the sort of amusing panto-ish villain one loved to hate.  But the one who ultimately kept my attention and piqued my interest was the tall, scowling, smirking man in black.

 

He was the one always hovering near the sheriff, arms folded across his broad chest, trying to be impassive. The master of arms’ body language and facial expressions, however, told so much about the “evil henchman.” Oh, he was a handsome devil, no doubt about it, and he knew it.  “A right smarmy bastard,” I said to myself.  In spite of some reservations about the show, I kept watching . . . the chief attraction being the bad guy, Guy.

 

 

I abhorred some of Sir Guy’s choices and actions; still, the more I watched, the more complex this potentially one-note cardboard cutout of a character became.  I’m not bein’ funny — the baddie turned out to have a heart and soul, folks. Robin Hood 2006 had its cheese-tastic appeal, but the raison d’etre of it all for me was Gisborne.  By the end of the first season, when Marian slugged him and left him at the altar, I was fully Team Leather all the way.

I cried buckets when the character died at the end of the third and final season. Even though I knew in advance it was going to happen and tried to prepare myself for The Moment, I was still so distraught when it came.  I shed more tears over this fictional character than I have some flesh-and-blood relations. He was–and is–that real to me.  And I still simply cannot bear to re-watch THAT Moment.

And so there was nothing to do but to declare him “loved into being” a la The Velveteen Rabbit, back with us to enjoy more adventures, and serve as the catalyst for my popular “Sloth Fiction” stories.  Sir Guy is SO Not Dead.

 

We each have our own story about the character that lured us into Armitage Mania. Guy was my particular “gateway drug” into the Armitage fandom. But I didn’t stop there.  I went on to investigate more online about this very attractive actor with the rich, honeyed baritone and beautiful way of moving, a performer who could also speak volumes without saying a word, giving a mere flicker of those long, darkened lashes, a sidelong glance, or a twist of his mouth. I watched fanvids and visited a few Armitage sites.

 

When I had the cash, I ordered the DVDs of RA’s I could find stateside at that time: North and South, Vicar of Dibley and a used copy of Sparkhouse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After viewing those three productions in quick succession, call me officially blown away. The man was clearly no one- trick pony in the world of acting. How could the man who inhabited cripplingly shy, awkward sheep farmer John Standring also bring to life sunny, cheeky accountant Harry, sober Victorian mill owner Thornton and the smoulderingly seductive presence that was Gisborne?  And yet, he did, looking and moving and sounding differently in each and every role.  Richard made me believe and care every single time.

And he’s done it again and again–as Lucas, as Porter, Ricky, Mulligan, Kruger, Thorin . . . and now he’s wowing London theatre audiences as gruff, work-hardened farmer John Proctor in Miller’s The Crucible.  And will no doubt perform admirably as Gary the widowed dad and teacher in Into the Storm and in whatever future roles he undertakes.  And then of course I’ve also discovered how kind, thoughtful, funny, bright, humble and simply extremely likeable the real man appears to be.

He’s not perfect, but he is a pretty special human being.  I really do believe in the power of The Armitage.

In long-term relationships, in marriages, there is a phenomenon referred to as the “Seven-Year Itch” in which the partners begin to feel an urge to–stray, to move on to pastures with, say, Bahia grass versus Fescue (I am a farmer’s daughter, remember).

And yet, not only do I not feel an urge to move on to a different actor on which to have a big ol’ crush, I also don’t plan to ever abandon my first RA love.

Sir Guy of Gisborne, you will always be my very favorite.  I wrote my first novel-length fanfic about you. I’ve made more Guy photo edits, fan art and fan vids than I have of any other ChaRActer. Of course, there is more of you, in 37 episodes, although never enough even then.

You continue to inspire me, and to endear yourself to me with that special blend of thrilling alpha male dominance (I will forgive you things I would never forgive anyone else) with an awkward sweetness, aching vulnerability and at times, heartbreaking gullibility.

 

And frankly, nobody, but nobody, rocks the Guyliner, stubble, leather and long locks the way YOU do. You’ll always be THE one.

I’m not bein’ funny . . .  no seven year itch for me!

 

Richard interviewed on “Breakfast Show.” Mr. Spacey, if you can film that much, why not . . .

Richard appeared on the Breakfast Show on the Beeb and Marlise kindly posted it for the Anglophile Channel. He discusses The Crucible and the various elements attracting him to the production; they also touch on his work in The Hobbit and being directed by Andy Serkis, as well as Into the Storm and the challenges of an American accent. RA is thoughtful and gracious as always, and looked smashing, but what really intrigued me . . .

. . . was that snippet of video from the production itself. Because this got me thinking. If they can manage to shoot those scenes, why not shoot the whole thing? I know we are already asking for this–a DVD of the performance, that is- by petition and tweet and email and maybe by smoke signal, but seeing that footage really seals the deal for me. Thus far, from all I’ve seen and read, The Crucible is very much a hit. The critics who matter love it and audiences seem to be downright mesmerized. Wouldn’t those who have attended love to have this performance preserved on DVD as a wonderful memento of their experience?

And (hint, hint) wouldn’t all of us who can’t possibly get across the pond or around the world to see this play LOVE to get our hands on it? I don’t mean to beat a dead horse, honestly I don’t–but please, Mr. Spacey, please—consider producing a DVD of The Crucible. I am completely convinced it will be a moneymaker for your theatre, which, I am also certain, could use the monies raised.

Now, I am not one of the fans with abundant disposable income, but unless you are planning highway robbery, I am certain I can come up with the funds to purchase such a DVD. Yep, if I can purchase a copy of that rubbishy epic Cleopatra in order to ogle RA in a toga and Caesar cut, I can definitely do this.

To paraphrase Sting in the old Dire Straits song, “We want our, we want our, we want our DVD . . .”

Don’t try to fit Fedoralady or RA fandom in tidy little box

I am not fat, white or middle-aged. Oh, but wait a minute, you say.

*

“Are you not significantly over your recommended weight? Isn’t your skin of a distinctly light hue? Didn’t your fiftieth birthday come and go several years ago, with another one fast approaching?”

*

Yes, yes, and yes, is my response. But that is not who I am. These things do not define my character, my personality, my humanity. They play their roles in my life, certainly; but they are not me.

Who am I?

*

I am intelligent, curious, a learner with a life-long love of books; I am funny, sometimes sarcastic, and I do love to laugh, but I try not to be mean-spirited about it.

*

I am passionate, sometimes moody and I do possess a hot temper, one I have worked hard to regulate over the years. I am impatient. I am kind and compassionate but do not wear out my welcome mat.

*

I am also ambitious. I like being recognized for my accomplishments but it’s not a primary motivation for me. I like being better at something today than I was yesterday. I am likely my harshest critic.

*

I am shy, and I am a complete ham. I love art and music and dance; I draw and sing well but I’m a complete klutz and envy those who move with elegance and grace.

*

My tastes in the arts, in interior design, in—everything, really–are eclectic. I love Mozart and bluegrass fiddles, Shakespeare and Lewis Grizzard, Norman Rockwell and Monet.

*

I love my pets. Honestly, if something happened to my kitten, I am quite sure I would be a basket case. But I do eat meat and wear leather (if not fur). I live in the country, not far from where I grew up, but I have also lived in urban areas, traveled overseas and met and worked with people from all over the world.

*

I try to see both sides of an issue and to be fair and not judgmental. In some ways I am conservative, and in others, quite liberal. But don’t label me one or the other, please.

*

I have a condition that has changed my life and disabled me to a certain degree, but to simply look at me you’d likely not know it.

*

I am admirable in some ways, and in others, not so much. I am what I am, and I don’t fit into a tidy little box.

*

I am also a fan of a particular actor named Richard Armitage.

*

We don’t fit into tidy little boxes, either, this fandom, this group of well wishers, ardent admirers, fangurlz (and boyz)–whatever you may call us.

*

We come in all shapes, sizes, colors, ages, backgrounds, nationalities, political, social and religious ideologies and sexual orientation

*

What unites us is our desire to champion and to celebrate the talent, versatility and charisma of a lovely human being, a man who happens to be beautiful inside and out.

*

Here is a man who has inspired us on so many levels, and taken us on journeys of self-discovery with his detailed and nuanced characterizations. A man who has gotten us through some “dark nights of the soul.”

*

For anyone to dismiss us as a bunch of silly, foolish old fat females, clueless and naïve in our admiration for this particular actor is, well, silly and foolish in itself.

*

You really need to think outside the box.