Donation Transfer for Guylty's Father!

I just finished the transfer of the donation money to the charity for Guylty's father.

The amount is:

€ 77,84 (= US$ 105.81)

Thank you to the wonderful and kind donors !!!

Source: Glitter-graphics.com

P.S.: Amount consisting of € and US$ donations, is calculated into one transferable total with today's US$ exchange rate to € published on oanda.com.

Fandom & Friendship & Fathers

Guylty with her creativity is a very inspirational and encompassing member of our warm and welcoming fandom.

It is the more sad for me that she goes through such a hard time in her life.
I am always rather speechless in those circumstances, especially as I fear a similar situation in my own life and so deeply feel Guylty's current situation as if my own.

So I am happy to support Obscura's and Servetus' idea to show compassion and support for Guylty, who lost her father after short and unexpected illness.

Obscura lists the ways we can show our support by supporting charities,

• either the one suggested by Guylty and her family (a German charity - where I step in to enable transfers to the German account via my PayPal-Donation button. Separate site with details and updates here.)

• or the Richard Armitage charities of JustGiving (where Obscura lists the different ways to contribute either via her specially created PayPal account or directly).

Thank you very much for your friendship, support and compassion, no money could buy and which so overwhelmingly and heart-warmingly shows time and again, why the RA-fandom is the right place for me to be.

Silent Auction by AgzyM Begins Today

Today the charity event initiated by fellow blogger AgzyM begins!

Don't forget to participate !!!

King Richard & Magic

King Richard magically appeared again this year, in the media and hopefully also for real, when the mtDNA can confirm the archaeological find.

But what has King Richard III, who is magic, especially in combination with Mr. Armitage and his intended project of a film, to do with magic?

Servetus researches this in a week of pure magic:

King Richard Magic Week 2012

See her first post, analysing the question: Was Richard III really threatened by witchcraft?

Loyalty & Honor & Trust & Camaraderie

Loyalty and honour and trust and camaraderie. I think those themes are contemporary.

Today, I intentionally quote RA from one of his latest interviews at the ComicCon 2012 (KRA article about HitFix interview). This event in itself gives the quote a special meaning, though I am sure it was not intended that way and hopefully RA was not and will not become aware of the background I refer to.

I must admit, the appearing crisis before the ComicCon shook my believe in the fandom immensely and I am still not entirely sure how to react to those happenings.

From the words in the headline, I especially want to emphasise "TRUST" among fellow fans, as it is the basis of friendship, of camaraderie, of loyalty and only if those aspects are intact, can lead to honour.

My trust is a bit shaken now and I still feel not as comfortable as I felt before those happenings.
As I have such a lot of battlefields around me already, I certainly won't make my blog one more.
Not because I don't think it worth the effort, but because it would entirely contradict the intention of the blog.
It became clear to me that my blog is so much a part of me and is about myself, that I just will never defend or fight for myself or my blog. I am, that should be argument enough.
To defend my position, would already mean a statement forced upon me, not of my own choice, but in reaction to someone else's agenda, an agenda I certainly don't agree with, as it is prejudiced by economical and overcome perceptions and expectations, by someone who does not even try to understand my or other fans' positions, but still tries to limit our search for explanations and reasons for a singular (or collective) experience, which is not put out there on blogs to seek corrective input, but is a statement of fact, an observation of a personal experience of RA-fandom and as such incorrigible.


P.S.: At first I had thought about drawing back with my blog. But I see that this would give the wrong impression and would cut me off an important part of my life and my creativity. I also would be a puppet in the game of someone else and that entirely would not do for me. Though I still gave myself till the 12th of December to entirely decide how to secure my back and cope with the new developments.

P.P.S.: I am very glad, that the original comment, which a fellow fan pointed out on i*m*d*b (otherwise I would never have found it), now is gone from the site. (I intentionally write that name wrong, as I don't want accidental clicks on my blog. I have enough because of once mentioning R*T*L.) And I must explain, I use RA, as it is a non-search engine optimised, but still generally understandable form of the actor's name, who's attention to detail I admire.

No Space for Brave Fans

Some time ago, I have posted about brave fans and an "Unexpected Journey".
As it turns out, this journey will not take place.

Long discussions and a very heated debate later, the journey is cancelled.
Futile to say more, the dies are cast and the opportunity is gone.

No report about the ComicCon or San Diego. I really was curious about the town itself, a town I will most likely never see for real.

So I will go back to the wonderful skyline:

San Diego (by tornicio77 - shared on Flickr.com and Wikipedia.org)

Now I am very grateful, that I will not be around and anywhere near a computer over the ComicCon weekend. (More about this will follow shortly.)

A Fan-Dream Come True ...

A fan dream come true - or rather a fan-dream for a brave fan. (I had nightmares only thinking about being in fedoralady's position myself. Fortunately, I after a while was able to calm my stomach down again ;o)
Potentially meeting Mr. Armitage or rather taking a job just to meet Mr. Armitage is a very brave encounter and one I want to support.
As I am financially not that well off right now to support fedoralady in a substantial way, I at least want to promote her endeavour to encourage further support for her.

If you can and want to support her, here is her blog with more details what she intends and plans and with news and updates about her adventure:

TheArmitageEffect

(The donation button for this brave adventure - "An Unexpected Journey" to the Comic-Con in San Diego - is at the top right in the sidebar.)

Maybe she could ask Mr. Armitage about King Richard? - Oh, my nightmare about being in fedoralady's position, must somehow have been transformed into a happy dream, to come to this conclusion ;o)


Lots of luck and a wonderful time at the Comic-Con in San Diego, fedoralady !

Please let us know about your experiences and please also write a bit about San Diego. The town really looks interesting itself and well worth a visit.

San Diego (by tornicio77 - shared on Flickr.com and Wikipedia.org)

Creative Fan-Art Project

I re-watched Spooks 7 – 10 lately.
The stunning thing for me was that Spooks 9 suddenly made more sense, whereas I still – or even more so than before – was disappointed about Spooks 10. Even some of the sentences uttered sounded a bit out of character / context / stiff / cliché, and I had to drag myself through the episodes, whereas Spooks 9 at least every minute was gripping. But let’s better talk about something else ;o)



e.g. about the "North & South" group-watch on 1st / 2nd of June 2012, initiated by Fanny/iz4blue. More details can be found on her specially created blog here.


And JasRangoon had such a brilliant idea, I as a rather minor artistically talented person had to take up immediately.
As I could not leave or send her the picture, I publish it here as a response to her blog post.

She suggested 'colouring' greyscale printed images of Richard Armitage and posted an example.

Here is my response and funny experiment in colouring CBeeBies

It was great fun and also set me back on a bit of a creative path again.
My further experiments and results will follow in the next days ;o)

Fandom & Fans & Future

After FanstRAvaganza 3, I repeatedly encountered the idea, that fandom of RA will greatly change after "The Hobbit". Some fans even think about leaving or at least cease to actively take part in fandom after "The Hobbit".
As most of you, my readers, will know, that my enthusiasm about "The Hobbit" at best is limited, I thought I would sit back and wait till "The Hobbit" hype is over and new things come along.
So the idea that it will bring a great change to the fandom is not an entirely welcome one for me, though I am openhearted enough and welcome new fans, new ideas, new creativity, new things in general.

A specially among women very far spread and established way of behaviour is, to make all members of a group swear to a certain set of rules. This for one ascertains the feeling of being a member and also guarantees, that no group member will get the chance to develop a solitary rout out of the group. So in a way it is a method to keep a group together.

But this establishing of a group feeling is also limiting for the individual member to develope one's own abilities, as group rule dominates individual behaviour. So the group developement is slowed down compared to what individual curiosity and research could reach.
This group building also establishes a defence shield and collective 'army' to stand as a group against the outside world. So by defending the group, it also in a way is limiting to embrace new members, as they do not feel welcome in a surrounding where an unspoken, but well formed set of rules already is established.
So I must admit, I am very much against such an unspoken set of rules

• for one limiting the existing members and

• for another chasing new members away.

As I see these group dynamics at work now in the RA-fandom, I want to remind of the openminded attitude, the fandom of Richard Armitage is famous for.
Keep your mind and heart open and live the friendship in fandom with a curious attitude to new things. Things are not bad because they are new or one did not try them oneself. I don't like all aspects of fandom and am certainly avoiding some areas of fandom, but I don't judge or say they are not o.k. or legit, they are just not the right thing for me at a certain time of my life's development.

And I certainly will not avoid explorations in one's own reactions to fandom, when I myself am searching for a reason, why I, after avoiding it all my life, was absolutely helpless to resist when RA caught me ;o)
So when another fan explores deeply emotional reactions to RA and opens up to fellow fans to explore these reactions together and find out what they mean, I will not shrink back and come with a 'kill-it-all' argument that this might hurt RA. RA might be hurt by stupid reactions to this explorations, but not (!) by the exploration itself, as this is an individual statement full of trust, given and shared with fellow fans in a way I admire greatly.

Even uttered counter-arguments of 'public' publication do not cut for me. A blog is not a public place and internet, as much as it might be publicly available, per se is not a public place like e.g. a central place in town. When I encounter an advertisement or pamphlet at such a public place, I cannot avoid it, whereas in the internet, I specifically need to go to a certain place or search for certain information I have already an expectation to find. I can encounter misfits for my search by accident, but that, with the new search engine technologies gets more and more unlikely. So I search or see information I want to read and so am solely responsible if I want to read them. I formerly thought, we as fans were adults and responsible enough to do that, but with the latest discussion in the fandom, I start to doubt that.

Whereas still in doubt, I tend to see the good side.

I hope, the fandom can find a basis to interact with an open attitude and if not, at least a group of openminded people in fandom can create and dominate their corner of the fandom in a way that it continues to be an ideal place worth to be shared and encouraging participants and new members to develope their creativity in it.
I cherish the fandom for exactly its freedom, its encouragement of each other and its supportiveness and creativity.
Don't let us destroy that wonderful place and make it a prison of our own creation.


P.S.: This post was burning inside me since the end of FanstRAvaganza 3, but new developments made it essential to be posted. There are ideal elements in the RA-fandom I greatly admire and I have met women I adore and share common interests with (what I only rarely and to a limited extent have in real life). So I must admit, I am fiercely defending the 'ideal' place of fandom and fight catty and narrow minded attempts to destroy it, which I so often encounter in real life. Those attempts are only spread out to limit one's progress, under whatever well-meaning and caring disguise they like to hide.

FanstRAvaganza 3 - Announcement of Participants

 (Image created by the unimitable bccmee with her wonderful blog FanVideos.)

---

FanstRAvaganza is coming

from 12th - 18th of March, 2012.

Be prepared and watch out.

---

FanstRAvaganza 3 Participants

The RA-Blogger Event of the Year 2012

Tagged bloggers:

A is for Armitage
An Obsessed Fanatic
Avalon's Realm
C.S. Winchester
Cerridwen Speaks
Crispin's Eclipse
Do I Have a Blog?
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Country Life
Feminéma
Fly High!
Funky Blue Delphinium
I Want to be a Pinup!
Just Another Armitage Fan
La Loba
Me, My Thoughts & Richard Armitage
Melanie's Musings
Mr John Thornton
Musings & Other Enigmas
Phylly's Faves
Searching for MY Mr. Darcy
Something About Love (A)
thearmitageeffect
y que iba yo a contar
White Rose: Sincere and Simple Thoughts

Core bloggers:

Me + Richard  (by Servetus)

FanVideos (by bccmee)

RA Viewers Perspective  (by Mulubinba)

The Squeee!  (by Traxy)

RA Frenzy  (by Frenz)

The RA Fan Blog  (by Nat, the founder of the event)

Confessions of a Watcher (by Judiang)

CDoart  (by CDoart)

DistRActed Musings of One ReAlity (by Fanny/iz4blue)

Jonia's Cut (by Jonia)

Index page for all blog posts:

FanstRAvaganza.rgcwp.com


A list of the articles of last year's event can be found here: FanstRAvaganza 2011

You can follow current events and the posts on a collective Facebook page: FanstRAvaganza

The related Twitter Hashtag is: #FanstRA

Have fun and enjoy a relaxed and wonderful FanstRAvaganza 3 !

Fandom and What it Means to me

You will most likely have found the message, which has triggered the following blog post, much earlier than me.
Calexora is leaving RA-blogging.
She received just absolutely wonderful and encouraging comments and I want to add my encouragement, like
RAFrenzy already has done in a wonderful post.

But first of all, 
I want to thank Calexora for lovely to read and wonderfully enjoyable blog posts.

I found Calexora's blog posts lighthearted and full of humour. Not at all like an obsessed fan, thinking only with the one remaining 'grey cell' focused on the chosen idol. [Forgive me, I have watched too many Hercule Poirot films in my childhood ;o) ]

Someone who can laugh about himself is not obsessed. Obsession starts, where the humour ends. So in my view, Calexora never was in danger.
Though, I understand, that Calexora feels uncomfortable right now and needs to find her way again.
I am waiting for her to come back to bloggosphere again, in whatever form she decides to do so and am looking forward to her new writing ideas and blog.

Her decision also made me think about my own attitude towards fandom.

I know that I draw back from for me uncomfortable situations and if I cannot draw back, tend to get quite fierce about the things I think are right. So in case something goes too far for my comfort zone, you wont find me around, as it is better than the other option.
I for myself would have never watched the TV interview, which triggered Calexora's reaction to extreme fan-following. For one, I have no TV set, but still I could have found the show on the internet. For another, I am no fan of GB [I am, of the storage space, but not of the actor who is shortened here, as I am in general no fan material] and normally not that interested in finding out about actors. RA is the one exception, where I do read some information which is provided openly. But as soon as it goes into private details, I most likely bow out of being interested and far from searching for more. [Sorry, if you erroneously follow me to find some revealing news. Here I absolutely must disappoint you, as this will never come forward here on this blog.]

Fotunately, I am convinced, as RAFrenzy also writes, that RA does not read our blogs.
So I can continue to find out more about the one thing, which really motivates my blog. The healing, soothing and encouraging effect, RA strangely has on me, which helps me through life, encourages me to be brave, when I would like to draw back and to discover new things in and around me.
The general rule therefor here for me is, the blog is not so much about RA, but about what he does to me, what effect he has on me. In the end that somehow means, the blog is in some way about me [though I normally don't like to talk about me].

Is RA the catalyst, the method to reflect upon and cope with myself, as a kind of therapy and medicine or more in a way of engaging the 'grey cells' like Hercule Poirot would have done to train his mental abilities?


I must research some more about those aspekts of fandom.
For example, would I need to consult a doctor for RA as medicine ? The last medicine I got from my doctor had exactly the opposite effect as it should have and I got the illness the doctor tried to cure. Fortunately symptoms slowly fade by not taking the medicine any longer.
RA's effect in that case is much more healing and effective, so quite a medical remedy ;o)
Also RA's effect to encourage creativity of all kind is undenied, so a certain aspect of encouraging 'grey cell' activity is present as well.

Richard Armitage - Powerful Remedy and Inspiration

Bccmee and an Addictive Porter-Game

Are you a beard-fan or want to dress John Porter according to one of RA's further roles?
Bccmee now made it possible with her flash-game in her second PortEmber post!

See, what her game did with me ;o)

Unerringly my creations revolve around a certain king of hearts.
In my view he should get more than one horse for his kingdom, he should get a film with lots of horses in it ;o)



Please support the petition for the filming of "King Richard III" and spread the word about the efforts. Thank you !

BCCMEE Has a Big Day Today !

Completely unbelievable, John Porter almost forgetting bccmee's birthday? He must remedy that immediately ;o)

Wouldn't we all want to be taken on a trip by this driver?

Happy Birthday, bccmee!!!

P.S.: bccmee is the fan-artist of the week on KingRichardArmitage. Go to the presentation with fan-art by bccmee here.

1st Bloggiversary

It took me a long time to decide what to write about my first bloggiversary.
At first I thought about writing about why I started the blog and why I maintained it, but this is not really, what interests me about my blog. (I am a boring necessity for the blog, so why write about me ;o)
So lately I came more and more to the idea to collect, what the blog gives me.

First I must add that I did not expect to get any readers, so the start was clearly not made with any intention to write for others to read my stuff. Sorry for that, but I greatly enjoy having readers! Thank you for bearing me and staying with me during my tweaks and turns and struggles!!!!


You will have recognized:

* that I don't care for actual events and the covering of the news. That is for other blogs to do who do it greatly. I am a bit more carefree and take up what I just read or stumble over, which need not be of any current kind, but lately is mostly connected to our 'secret' King of Hearts, King Richard Armitage.

* that you can't really expect news from "The Hobbit" here on my blog. I bear it, as Mr. Armitage is in it and I admire the elaborate video techniques and perfect marketing campaign. If I were born again, I would like to develop camera technic (but then I would most likely have to be born a man to get into such a job and that I would rather not like, as then I most likely would not find the RA-fandom and that would absolutely not be bearable ;o). Who would help me over my (computer) problems then?


* that I have two computers, supporting me in my fandom to Mr. Armitage: one computer is named after a fantasy character I put RA into, Max (Maximilian) and another, Schnuckie with a new by-name "Schnuckie Schlawuckie" (= sorry, an adequate English translation for that name is just beyond me. [Perhaps it is best explained with: Schnuckie is a bit like 'darling', but perhaps a bit more informal than that. Schlawuckie is a tender way to say someone is quite annoying and tricky and most importantly you do not hold a lasting grudge against this person or in my case computer ;o)]


* that I do like RA in most of his roles and avoid others.
The one's I like exceedingly are John Thornton, John Porter, Lucs North (Al Delarmy ;o), John Mulligan (swoon - I surely would end up in prison with a John Mulligan around ;o), I like some of his smaller roles like the free spirited Ricky Deeming and even was surprised that I very much liked him as Percy Courtney in "Miss Mary Lloyd", Captain Ian Macalwain and as unpretentious and nice Claude Monet or as the 'dutiful' husband in "Frozen".
Some other roles are quite entirely missing on my blog and I avoid mentioning them, as they irritate me ;o) [That is the prerogative of 'boring me' ;o)]


So as a sum up, on my blog, I do what I like and don't bother with things I don't ;o)


Now what about a jubilee celebration and why a jubilee is so important for me:

* I want to say thank you to my blog, for what he did for me. (My blog is once again a thing which is, quite necessarily, male for me like my computers, which/who ;o) bring and connect me to RA news and information.)

* I want to say thank you to you, my readers, for supporting me, giving me feedback, support and most of all, your open friendship. THANK YOU!!!!
Thank you also for opening a new world for me during this year of blogging, a world of openness, understanding and encouragement. 

* Thank you for your contributions into fandom, fan-art, fan-videos and fan curiosity ;o) Your contributions keep me alive, when once again my computer brakes down or in a chaotic work day things just get completely out of hand and start to be absolutely crazy. Your nice support stops the world from spinning uncontrollably and brings my focus back to the nice and important things which are dear to my heart. Thank you!!!

* Especially I want to thank the one person who is the reason for all this and stands in the centre of this blog: Mr. Richard Armitage. Thank you for giving the wonderful impression of being an exceptional person and for giving inspiration to so many.


Now you really have deserved a treat, for I kept you so long with talking about what is important to me, though I at the beginning had not wanted to speak about 'boring me' ;o)

To celebrate, I want to do this with one of my favourite videos by bccmee, who is our fan-artist of the week on KingRichardArmitage. Please click through her various works, tutorials and fascinating images and videos, some of which are linked in the celebrating articles mentioned on Richard-Fan-Art. (On the Richard-Fan-Art page we try to collect the news and blog articles about Richard Armitage and King Richard III, though the page still has quite some potential for optimisation.)

Bccmee's video "Do you know your enemy?" to music by Green Day impresses me every time. Though in my daily live the enemy normally is not so clearly defined as in the video, still it helps greatly to fight mine ;o)

My blog and this video have one thing in common in this case, as both help me to fight my enemies, in- and outside of me ;o)




Now I need to prepare for a new year of blogging. I promise to come back to "Intrigue". I have such a lot of notes I must sort through to get some things in the right order to continue halfway consistent.

Thank YOU for your help in a wonderful blogging year!

Fandom and Fellow Fans

Fandom

Response to Judiang's request and her post about Fandom (October 19th, 2011)

For some years now I am a fan of Mr. Armitage.

It is not, that I am in any way an experienced fan. Even during my adolescence, I never became a fan to experience, as Judiang so aptly describes it, the "giggly, girlish and silly" sensations of fandom.
I had to be the sensible one, the one to look after my older sister to keep in line during adolescence.

Friedrich von Schiller - Source: Wikimedia.org

The only person, I admired during that time, was Friedrich von Schiller and you will understand, that fandom to him could not easily be described as "giggly, girlish and silly", but rather thoughtful and heavy stuff for an adolescent.
I had a big poster of Friedrich von Schiller hanging over my bed. (Not the one on the right side ;o)
I also was alone with that admiration, so no fellow fans to share this experience with. All my friends and family could not understand, where I had that from ;o)

So my experience with fandom is rather limited, my knowledge about how a fan should behave not really developed. I do not expect anything from my idol - as with Friedrich von Schiller no return action could really be possible. All my fandom consisted of me researching about him, finding out more and admiring his bright concepts of thinking and ideology.
He had quite some influence on how I see the world, religion, politics, observe social behaviour, detect faults and how they could be remedied, how a person should act to better the society. In general he was an integral point in forming my critical abilities.
He was the main reason for choosing the subjects I later studied at university.

When I visited my sister at university, when she just had started studying biology, I recognized, that my approach to examine the world was a completely different one from natural sciences.
When I came to visit her at university, she had a dissected mouse on her table. Not that I swooned, I could stand that at that time. But I felt affronted, that to examine something, you had to destroy the object you wanted to learn from. I felt offended by the for me totally inadequate and stone-age approach to a living creature and research in general.
This confirmed me in my subjects of interest, which research without destroying the object of research, gaining knowledge without destroying the source.


In some way I think, this was a very formative time, also forming the way of approach I have to fandom for Richard Armitage.
I research - in history normally divided from the object of research by time - in fandom by distance to the idol - without trying to destroy, gaining knowledge without hurting, but creating an image, a knowledge, a beautiful ideological concept.
Perhaps I should not add, that my main interest at university were conspiracy theories ;o) Oh, I love a good conspiracy, to explore its foundations, effects, power and influence. This also was centered around Friedrich von Schiller in some way, so I did not really loose him on my way forward.

Source: Armitage-Online.ucoz.ru   Photographer: Joe McGorty

My admiration for Richard Armitage is in lots of ways quite similar to my research approach to Friedrich von Schiller. I never did expect contact or a reaction from him. I even mentioned here once in a comment, that I am quite protective of the concept I built and might even feel the necessity to protect it from the real person.
I know that is ungrateful of me, to suppose I would not like him on closer acquaintance, but I am quite protective of my image of him to be kept pure and intact.
I don't need to know personal stuff. That is his to keep and his to enjoy.

The first year of admiration started absolutely lonely and in secret. I knew some of his films, became interested in him through an interview about Spooks 7 and was irrevocably hooked to come back again and again. I watched fan-videos, avoided everything concerning Guy of Gisbourne meticulously and even had problems connecting him with that role.

I was absolutely content to see my idol from a distance, in film, in interviews, in fan-videos (especially coming from the learning material to do video editing). I knew there were forums about the actor, but I did not really feel intent to discuss him or plunge into learning more. To even be interested in him in such an extent was absolutely new for me. Why did I have to see him and why did he have such a calming effect on me? (I am still not sure about that and why it can keep me hooked so irrevocably, so please do not expect an answer from me here.) It took the discussion concerning videos and especially Servetus' blog, to really draw me into fandom and to discuss my admiration and 'research' with fellow fans. This was the time when I realized, that for the first time I really had developed a complete 'fan'-admiration for someone.


Slowly, I found out more in those blogs, which in consequence drew me into discovering more, about fandom and myself. For a strange reason, the forums and discussion communities never attracted me in the same way, though I registered early on. My first closer discussion and feeling the presence of a community of real people was during the second FanstRAvaganza event this year where I was invited to take part, as I had a fan-blog about Richard Armitage, which I had started in November 2010. The founding of the KingRichardArmitage site was a further main step to connect fandom to reality for me. It was a break through between aspects of my 'real' world and fandom, formerly meticulously kept separate.


Through all the time, fandom still was a rather digital experience for me, as I never met or discussed things with other fans in person. Chats are rather digital for me as well. You do not see the person you 'talk' with, but see your computer screen instead.
Friends even asked me how I could bear to be on the computer for such long times and not feel lonely. (They obviously have not discovered the lovely Armitage fan community online, to ask such a farfetched question ;o)

As I have never met other fans in person, I had no experience with fan-meetings or even the correct behaviour a fan should apply during a meeting.
So you can imagine, that I was utterly nervous last weekend, when all this came to an end and I met 'real' RA-fans. As a kind of recognition sign, I had my RA-bag with me. The funny waiters at the Victorian Tea House in Munich could not even pronounce "Armitage", our reservation name, and were not able to bring our group together, but told everyone who asked, that they had no reservation under that name and accused us that each of us had pronounced the name differently. But that is very unlikely. What real RA fan does not know how to pronounce his name ;o)
So it was a good thing to having had my bag with me to find our group.
The experience to meet people with similar interests, taste, knowledge and the same watched films as background, gave us an immediate topic to talk about, though most of us never had met before.
It was such a homogenous, friendly group, that I - normally a bit reserved and though friendly, sometimes a bit quiet in company and normally a better listener than talker - felt completely at ease in the group and felt as if I met with old friends.
I loved the meeting and now hope we can soon repeat the meeting in the Bavarian fan-group !!!


I am thinking now about all my fears beforehand with a smile. It was such an absolutely lovely experience to meet fellow RA-fans, that I can only recommend that ;o)

( I don't think we Bavarians are the only friendly exception, but the lovely rule of RA-fans ;o)

As I did not check with my fellow fans, I do not name them even with their fan-identity. Please understand that. I am always of the opinion, each fan has the freedom to reveal as much about herself as she likes and feels comfortable with. That I bubble about this lovely experience, does not mean everybody else attending the meeting needs to do the same ;o)

< < This article came into life because of a request from Judiang. She wrote, that surely I would write about this fan-experience and though that idea had not occurred to me before, when I came to think about it, it really made sense to me and is something to encourage other fans to meet as well. Also after just loosing a dear friend, it also became more of a conviction for me, to live friendships while we can. > >

I Sympathise with Guy - Unlucky Guy (Traxy)

When I heard the song, wonderfully recorded, texted and sung by Traxy, I immediately felt sympathy for Guy of Gisborne. This year I feel like I can meet his good luck ;o)

Would you believe, that I would urgently need a function in my shopping software exactly at that moment, when it just has been replaced three weeks ago in the latest update? What luck does it need to just miss the opportunity to make easy adjustments instead of miles and miles of work-arounds by a hair's breadths?
This year was a complete chaos, because every planning just turned out for naught. Every effort just smilingly exploded in my face.

Funny and absolutely chaotic year 2011. I just wonder why I still bother with planning at all. Fate just leads me around on a total spiraling chaotic route.

Good to have my steadying influence of fandom ;o)

---

Don't forget - It's already

half-time for the Richard Fan-Art Event 2011

The first contributions are already coming in and are pure joy. I am looking forward to present the artists to you ;o)

Don't hesitate any longer, get your pen and scissors out and take part for our King Richard Armitage !

A Thank You to His Fans ...

---

-- WARNING ! Real message of support ! --

Richard Armitage sent a Birthday message on 25th of August, 2011 to thank his fans for all the presents, work and efforts they undertook for his 40th birthday.

What better way, than to publish this message at the ending of our 'birthday-present, the King Richard Week in support of Mr. Armitage's "Richard III" filming project.
(If I could figure out how to link to the message, I would only put a link here, but as I can't, here follows the full text of the message, published on RichardArmitageOnline.com):

Dear Friends,

I would like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you for all the kind gifts which have been sent to me over the last few weeks, for my birthday; so many gifts, cards and emails of good wishes from all over the world. (Poland, Ukraine, Japan, Russia, Germany, Korea, Itlay, USA, Canada, Netherlands and all over the UK)

I will be so 'well read', drunk, fat, warm and sweet smelling thanks to your generosity.

I am particularly excited to let you know that the "Just Giving" donations to our four charities has reached an amazing £11,933! In addition to donations to Oxfam and Christchurch Earthquake appeal, which I find both thoughtful and moving.

I am afraid there may be some delay in remitting thank you letters and any requests for signing photos, as I am in New Zealand for the rest of the year, but am working on a system to remedy this.

So middle age has arrived and apparently 'life now begins'. I look forward to the next chapter, there is nowhere I would rather be at this moment than exploring "Middle Earth" with my new family of Dwarves, Elves, Men, Wizard and Hobbit. What a gift to be here, in this place, at this time. I can't wait to share it with everyone. I am a very fortunate man.

Much love
RA

Good things must end, but not for us. The KingRichardArmitage website continues and some posts planned for the week are still on their way to come in. As always, pre-planning is good, life is different, so not all our plans for the week worked as planned. Personal reasons, illnesses and family obligations interfered.

We, the openly visible contributors and the silent one's not able to contribute during the week, hope, you have enjoyed the week and will follow the articles still to come. Updates will remain to be published on the KingRichardWeek 2011 - page.

CDoart Pre-occupied ... with Richard Armitage

I should do a mountain of work for my little business, but can't get my head off the RA-Birthday topic.

The virus of this heavily contagious influenza really caught me.
This is also the reason, why I could not get my next "Intrigue" part out in time. Sorry!
It is ready, but I did not manage to get it into the computer. I am working to make up for it!!!

And now the reason why:

I have been busily working with Darlingdarling, to set up a website with a blog to centrally collect all the fan-support for Richard Armitage's "Richard III" project.
The first draft of the page with the petition for Richard III. can be found here:
KingRichardArmitage

Please give the page and petition your support, please participate and make the collective effort public.
An important information is, the signatures collected remain private and the mail-addresses will not be used in any way to spam you with advertisements. They are kept securely and will only be handed over, if Richard Armitage or his certified agent wish to use them in a way to further his cause with film investors, producers, etc.
Darlingdarling and I will keep you updated on the number of signatures collected.

Please also support Calexora with her wonderful idea for a fan-book for Richard Armitage's 40. Birthday. She collects, designs and organises it so admirably and I must add is very patient and helpful (!!! Thank you !!!).
She agreed to let me and Darlingdarling announce the petition-effort to Richard Armitage in our Birthday messages.  
What great heart and understanding for shy fans Calexora has ;o)

Her collective viewing and discussion of "North & South" will begin tomorrow, Wednesday 29th of June, 2011.


Darlingdarling and I will do our best to integrate fan-wishes, ideas and suggestions into the King Richard Armitage page to make it a mirror of the community effort this support for Richard Armitage and his film-project "Richard III." really is.

Thank you !

King Richard Armitage

Richard Armitage and King Richard III

- a project I would really love to see become reality in whatever form Mr. Armitage might want it or is able to get it produced -
For one, I do love to see Richard Armitage performing, but even when he does decide to not take a role in the play himself, I still would like to see his ideas and his attention for detail at work for the creation of a 'new' history about king Richard III.

That we do honour our 'hero', that he does deserve to be king, at least we as fans know for sure.
That he has the right qualities to be and portray a king, here I am sure that the next photo will be able to convince even the last doubters ;o)

---

Sorry - Picture has been deleted !!!

The used crown was a Wittelsbacher crown which

because of bequest regulations only can be used in direct context.

---

(The picture of the crown is from www.residenz-muenchen.de and is a Bavarian kings crown.
Source of the RA picture is: www.RichardArmitageNet.com)

DarlingDarling has set up a new Facebook page "Richard III for Richard Armitage" to support Richard Armitage in his efforts for the film about "Richard III".
She as a rather new fan asks for our help to support and to spread the word about this effort to help Richard Armitage via that method.

Please join in and lets see, if we fans really can change the world to make it better, at least a tiny bit for Richard Armitage's film ;o)

It is a kind of birthday present (you know, the still secret one ;o)

Thank you !!!

How Much Does Our Past Influence Us?

Calexora had a wonderful idea to make a book with congratulations from Richard Armitage fans all over the world to send him for his 40th birthday in August this year.

Pssst... - It's still a secret ;o)

Please participate in the «Collective Greetings for Richard Armitage's 40th Birthday» to make it a symbol and visible expression of how wonderful his fandom is.

The fan community is such a lovely place for me to be in, that I will support this effort.

---

You will wonder a bit about the headline for this article. But I must admit, I at first had second thoughts about participating, as I had bad experiences in my past and hesitate to participate in anything where I cannot take full control of the outcome.
It is almost 5 years in the past now, but still my former boss affects my behaviour and judgement of other peoples behaviour. I even erased his company's name from my openly visible background and CV information, to get rid of him and any connection to his company.

But the power he has to influence my head still remains firm.

It almost made it impossible for me to trust enough to send in my comment for the birthday greetings, though I really love Calexora's idea.

To have to document every word you speak, every instruction you give to colleagues, as otherwise your boss, for whom you have worked for years as his assistant, solving lots of critical situations for him and working day and night for the company to flourish, would try to make you responsible for every mistake anyone makes in the company. He tried to turn round every word I said to make me responsible for mistakes someone else made because of negligence and thoughtlessness.

He even tried to start doubt and mistrust between the colleagues and had quite a fine success with one colleague who should have been working for me, but who was putty in his hands to start one intrigue against me after the other. The last year I worked there it had been hard work to keep all those intrigues under control and stay ahead of them. Fortunately I have a good nose for strange behaviour of people and do not hesitate to confront them and talk about the reasons for it. So I had been able to solve the arising problems before they could get out of hands.
But still it is an enormous work load to do your usual quite immense work load and guard your back at every step you take.

This destroyed my nervous system and when I handed in my resignation, it was the happiest of days for me. I even started smiling again, what I had not done in this company for almost two years.


The result of it all is, I must admit, that now I am an absolute control freak. What I cannot control I do not do.

So perhaps it is a good sign to give up a bit of this total control and trust Calexora with doing a fine job for our collective Birthday Greetings for Mr. Armitage!

Thank you, Calexora, for doing this and for helping me on my way of healing!

---

P.S.: "Intrigue" will continue on Monday ;o)