Let the Conversation Begin

This is my first post for FanstRAvaganza 3, and beginning tomorrow I will be covering something that has been the most delightful part of being a fan of Richard Armitage. Hang around while I begin to explore the creative urge and process as it relates to acting and more.

But this post is primarily for highlighting the structure of this year’s event, and its effort to promote community and diversity:

Blogfest organizers have found a way to do something quite innovative (and organizationally complicated): each post will link to another post via what they’re calling a tag-team, allowing readers to move through shared ideas from blog to blog, almost as if they’re conversations about a theme or a performance. Because, of course, it’s intended to be a conversation: a way for 34 different writers and their many readers to chime in and think about these topics. What a terrific idea, and what a nicely democratic way to get everyone talking to everyone else. — Feminema

It should also be noted that no two posts will explore exactly the same aspects of a topic (or chain). With a rendering of each day’s links, it’s our hope that you will be drawn to each blog piece and move easily through from one to the next. Today’s Conversation found here.

March 11, 2012
Categories: Fandom . Tags: , , , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 8 Comments

What’s Your Take on Kony 2012?

I get all sorts of notices on Vimeo, and a little over a week ago, there was a notice about something called Kony 2012. I watched it, and I had questions and have asked them of the sources I have in Uganda, but I didn’t get a chance to come back to the internet about this until a few days ago. Thursday I came back to query and realized the video was on YouTube as of Monday and already had tens of millions of hits. As I’m typing this, the video has almost 66 million hits.

Since I want to hear what you think, I’m not going to tell you my thoughts so far, but this is what SO and I have been discussing for the last two days:

More info on it below, but I hope you watch the video first if you haven’t seen it and don’t know anything. I’m really curious about your reaction before you hear all the rhetoric.

Source

Source

Source in response to this Source.

Source

Source

Source

Source

Source

And Another Source

March 10, 2012
Categories: SO, Tangents . Tags: , , , , , , , , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 14 Comments

It’s All About Richard Armitage, Baby!

What?! FanstRAvaganza! Starts March 12th. Wait. You’ve never heard of Richard Armitage? He’s the guy on the header, and the sidebar, and here:

here:

here:

and also here:

Click on any of the pictures for more, and if that’s not enough, join me for Fanstra. Yep, it had to be abbreviated since I kept misspelling it, which I’ve finally figured out is due to almost every letter being typed with the left hand.

Okay, some of the posts this week will be about his fans, but it all leads back to him. :D

Screencaps and still from RichardArmitagetNet.com

March 10, 2012
Categories: Fandom . Tags: , , , , , , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 4 Comments

Tangent — ‘Bully’ Will Do Well with ‘R’

Maybe my part of the world is way ahead of the rest. Somehow I doubt that. I live in podunk. The closest shopping mall is at least three hours away. However, there is a fairly sophisticated resort about 15 minutes down the road, but I’m thinking more of the ranch town 15 minutes in the other direction. At the local theater there, kids are routinely allowed to watch ‘R’ rated movies. In fact, most of the kids I know (middle school age and up) do not want to attend ‘G’ rated movies or even PG-13 for that matter. Are you kidding me?! They want to go to the ‘R’ stuff and they do! And then there’s the very large city I moved from which has many theaters that allow children underage to attend ‘R’ rated movies.

The ‘R’ rating is almost a joke anymore. Is there a movie theater owner out there who really enforces this consistently? Where are they? They are so out of step with the majority who don’t give a rat’s ass, and kids love knowing they’re going to “adult” movies and most of their parents let them. So as far as I can tell, the MPAA has done the producers of ‘Bully’ a big, fat favor. Plus, being bullied by the MPAA and all. :D Makes for good press.

Color me jaded.

No, I haven’t seen the move — yet.

March 9, 2012
Categories: Movies, Tangents . Tags: , , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: Leave a comment

Tangent — Cannabis Wunderbar?

As soon as this becomes a reality, there will be no more debate about the legalization of pot in America. It will be a done deal. But really, it’s pretty much legal where I live. Medical marijuana is very prevalent and is obtained from a place called a dispensary. You might be thinking these are fairly clinical looking places. Here’s the one near me:

If you hang around my blog, you will figure out I’m not into liquor. Don’t smoke pot either. Heck, I have a hard time taking an aspirin. I like to be clear headed most of the time. However, it is absolutely none of my business what others do, and I don’t believe someone can keep another person from seeking something out if the person believes it makes them feel better. Could be anything; like maybe an anonymous blog? :D. Doesn’t matter if it could be harmful. And gaining comfort for a medical condition is nothing compared to appeasing someone’s vanity. Yep, I feel the tide coming.

Plus, a pill like this can’t be any worse than all of the other crap we ingest.

Photo courtesy of my local paper, but I can’t specify ’cause then I would have to kill you. ;-)

March 9, 2012
Categories: Tangents . Tags: , , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 6 Comments

This is One of the Reasons

There are many aspects of Richard Armitage which are compelling. Of course he has an interesting mind to go with his unbelievable masculinity, but it’s the voice that does it for me. No matter how he looks, that voice is guaranteed to send a tingle up my spine. Witness:

If you aren’t affected by that, then, well, we don’t have much in common — at least about this. Sincerely, Puddle of Goo :D

I chose his voice for last year’s FanstRAvaganza which made it so easy for me. This year? We’ll see how it goes since I have one post written as of today. But! one thing that’s an improvement — my life is not completely insane as it was this time last year. So no matter how this event turns out on my blog, I’m thankful.

Audio clip from Venetia courtesy of my collection by way of Naxos Audio Books — those lovely people who had the great foresight to engage Richard Armitage to read for them.

March 8, 2012
Categories: Voice Work . Tags: , , , , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 11 Comments

The RA Blogosphere

Joanna Scarratt of United Agents commemorated her 100th post today, and while I was reading her short history of the medium, it was hard not to compare it with the proliferation of Richard Armitage blogs. In 2008 when I first started reading anything RA related on the web, there were some LiveJournals and Luvdembrooders, which was already defunct. It wasn’t until Summer 2009 that two other blogs emerged which kicked RA blogging into high gear. They were having such a fun time that it was inspiring, but it was the first FanstRAvaganza event in March 2010 that really put the fire under me. Less than a month later, this blog was born.

I created the ‘Addict List’ a couple of days later, and listed a little over ten blogs either dedicated to Richard Armitage or routinely featuring him as a subject. Since then it’s grown to 78 with the most recent one created a few days ago (and I’m not even counting the ‘Places to Get a Fix’ which also includes some blogs. phew!).

If this were Brad Pitt, then I would understand the numbers. But a still mostly unknown actor generating this much attention? Wow. That says something significant for Richard Armitage, or maybe I’m unaware of how many sites there are for other fairly unknown entertainers. Whatever the case, the idea of an advancing army comes to mind. LOL!

Next week the third annual FanstRAvaganza begins and boasting 33 participants from its original seven. I’m sure the experience will increase RA Universe by several more bloggers, and at this rate, we will overtake not only the Brad Pitt bloggers but the big Kahuna — the Jane Austen blogosphere — in a few years. ;-)

March 7, 2012
Categories: Fandom . Tags: , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 9 Comments

Twitter Adventures

I’m so glad Kathryn shared her experience with us. Check it out:

Convent Capers

March 1, 2012 by kathrynruthd

So where is the best place to stay in York for five friends on a mission to have a weekend of laughing, drinking, and ghost hunting? Apparently it’s a convent. Yes, that’s right, a convent…and a working one too!

So where is the best place to stay in York for five friends on a mission to have a weekend of laughing, drinking, and ghost hunting? Apparently it’s a convent. Yes, that’s right, a convent…and a working one too!

The weekend was planned long in advance but trying to find a cheap place to stay for only one night is not very easy in York, so we opted to stay in the rather charming Bar Convent. It is, in fact, England’s oldest convent but in recent years they’ve started offering bed and breakfast accommodation and also run a cafe. My single room was very small, as you might imagine a nun’s cell to be, but it had everything you expect to find in a hotel room and was warm and comfortable. I would not hesitate to stay there again or recommend it and I don’t believe I have ever stayed anywhere so spotlessly clean. Before we arrived, there had been talk of packing wimples but actually, we didn’t knowingly see a single nun the whole time we were there!

Read more

For those who don’t know Kathryn, she’s definitely a Richard Armitage fan, and she writes fan fiction too!

And yes, I’ve seen Sir Peter’s video. Commentary coming soon. : D

March 1, 2012
Categories: Tangents . Tags: , , , , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 4 Comments

Richard Armitage on Twitter

In recent days, I’ve been pushing Twitter and some of you have jumped in with both feet. Alright!! I love it, and we are going to have some fun, and no, it’s not going to be all related to Richard Armitage. There is so much to see and do on Twitter, it’s stunning. It is THE forum/chatroom for the world. Unreal. Yes, I’m really this gushy about it because its power to transfer intel of various kinds is unlike anything I’ve seen. It is the giant segue in the sky, as it were. I could get philosophical and perhaps even a tad theological, but I will spare you that today.

For those who are hungrily scanning this post for the information of where Richard Armitage can be found on Twitter, you can stop. He’s not there — at least that he’s publicized it. He’s also made it plain that he doesn’t desire to be there — at least not right now:

Excerpt from his message of May 29, 2011:

With regards for requests for social media, blogs tweets etc. I have always worried that I will reveal something about the project I am working on that I am not allowed to, added to the fact that I am just about up to e mailing and little more, I may have to abstain for now.

But that is not going to stop some who really, really want to see him tweeting:

https://twitter.com/#!/PeerPressureRA/status/175237951926702080

When I saw this, my gut screamed a response:

Dear Richard,

I love Twitter, but what a headache it would be for you, and I heartily concur with your instincts about giving spoilers! The expectation level from fans once you started tweeting would be enormous. My eyes are rolling back in my head just imagining what that would be like. I don’t think you’re ready for that kind of co-dependency. Is anyone? LOL!

The PeerPressureRA id is new, but if it goes the way I think it will go, it could take on the proportions of a coup. If it does, I hope you do not cave into the pressure.

Take care, and in the meantime, could you put a fire under Sir Peter to get that vid out?! We’re all about to have a meltdown from the mere mention of it. :D

Signed,
One of your crazy fans, who would never put pressure on you (bats eye lashes)

Before you ask, yes, a little APM is at work in me today. ;D

An edit I really didn’t think I would make:

That’s Richard’s first tweet in case it’s not clear. :D

March 1, 2012
Categories: Fandom, Movies, The Hobbit . Tags: , , , , , , , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 17 Comments

Establishing an Identity on the Web — Part 1

February 29, 2012

Do you comment regularly and/or have a blog, then Gravatar is a good way to give yourself an identity that’s recognized across multiple websites. It is not the only tool that does this. There are some others with MyOpenId being most notable. However, Gravatar is one of the easiest to use. But it’s no good if you don’t put a little something about yourself or your blog or your Twitter id or Facebook, or wherever it is you would like people to go to connect with you.

A vent: I get frustrated when I click on a Gravatar, and there is nothing there but a picture. Please tell about yourself. I know some of you feel funny doing that, as if it’s some sort of flag waving, but it’s not. It helps those of us who would like to connect with you do so more easily.

Thanks for listening! :D

February 29, 2012
Categories: Geek, Tangents . Tags: , , , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 4 Comments

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