Trying To Come Up For Air

Armitage Day came and went, and I found myself at a loss for an appropriate blog piece to commemorate it. But it occurred to me yesterday that I gave Richard Armitage the perfect gift from me — a few days off from this blog. Taking off was made especially easy as my conscience was pricked by reading things like this. LOL! Notice the bold sentence. Third “paragraph” down if you’re not sure. Poor guy(s). And no, I have no need to instruct anyone on proper behavior toward Richard Armitage. It’s just that when I read something like that, or I see him duck his head when he hears, “women will chase you…,” I feel funny and wonder if anyone else feels a bit foolish. Maybe that’s a good sign?

Earlier today I was asking myself why I’m even keeping this blog up. Yeah, I’ve beaten this drum before about my conscience. Apparently, I’m really not as insane as I first feared, and the part of me that’s so cussed circumspect especially wants to take over after being inundated with the birthday gushing. I threw myself into the midst of that fangirling, and by Sunday night I was in a bit of a stupor from my tweeting. Come Monday I had run dry for the blog.

Have I made you feel sufficiently self-conscious yet? LOL! Well, no worries, ’cause I’m soon going to leave the self-flagellation behind.

Today, some inspiration for renewed gushing manifested in my email. A fan sent me one of her favorite private pictures of him taken a couple of years ago. Look at that face!

I love the candid shots. There is a freshness and sweetness to them that always makes it hard to look away. Richard Armitage seems to have such a pure smile, and that really does make me like the guy (even if he turns out to be a schmuck). See! I’m still a bit insane although not tempted to draw arrows on RA’s pictures yet. ;-) But if I were ever tempted to draw them on anyone’s pictures, it would be his. :D

As if this weren’t enough to put my addiction at full throttle, RA has sent another message to the troops:

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

And the crowd said, “Awwwwwww!” and beamed.

Did he make a cryptic acknowledgment of Calexora’s book of fan letters? Looks that way to me.

Man, that typing with thumbs is tough! No more references to the typo or we’ll revisit the apostrophe debacle. ;-) Also, I’m going to spare RA some more today by not waxing on about the topic of middle age. I will get to it later. Too good to pass up.

I would say what’s coming up next on this blog, but I’m learning I like flying by the seat of my pants, and a good thing since that’s what I’m forced to do these days.

Candid photo courtesy of KuchingGirl.

Message courtesy of Richard Armitage by way of RichardArmitageOnline.com

edit: the photos coming up, are, well, let me put it this way: take your heart medicine. Oh, you don’t take heart medicine? you might after looking at these photos.

August 25, 2011
Categories: Movies, The Hobbit . Tags: , , , , , , , , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 29 Comments

Richard’s Message from New Zealand

What a way to stick my toe back in the water. Over my head more like. LOL!

Enjoy:

Dear All,

I wanted to post a message to say a huge thank you for your generosity of donations to the Christchurch fundraiser on 22nd May, I gather there was a considerable contribution from members of our little community, which is gratefully received to help a rather larger and damaged community ‘rise up’ get back on its feet. I am so grateful and proud to see such support from so far away, you really are hugely reliable when it comes to those in need. Thank you. I hope our little teaser want too much of a tease, it is so difficult to give anything away, of the movie we are making but we had to do something; I have resisted signing anything ‘Hobbity’, until the film is finished (just a little bit superstitious) but I was very proud to add my name to the book for Christchurch.

I had a belated request from a certain Wizard about some cello playing, now as a music lover, and particularly that instrument, I can see how that might be a real possibility and perhaps a joy to hear…if Yo Yo Ma were asked. However, raising money for charity by simulating the sound of a strangled cat whose claws are clinging onto a chalkboard for dear life, whilst someone in another room tries to tune a radio in, would result in a charity deficit, with demands for refunds and compensation to boot. So I may have to decline for now, until I have had time to practice a bit more.

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.

So were are about to depart for our short hiatus and I will be sorry to say farewell to Wellington and NZ, one of the most exciting places I have been lucky enough to live and work, not just a magnificent landscape but a warm, friendly, generous and really cool community, which has welcomed us with open arms. Seriously this place has to go to the top of the Bucket List.

Much Love
RA

I don’t know if Richard Armitage reads all of the stuff on these blogs, and really, I’m not writing this blog for him, but if he ever does, I hope he knows how much fun he’s afforded us and no need for a tweet or blog or Facebook or any of that from him. Frankly, the fundraiser was a blast. It was especially a hoot on Twitter (pardon the pun), and I wish I could have participated more. Coincidentally, I was drafting a post about my own receipt, which I hope to receive soon, and my angel did receive hers. I’ll post all of it when I get mine.

Message courtesy of RichardArmitageOnline.Com

May 29, 2011
Categories: Movies, The Hobbit . Tags: , , , , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 14 Comments

Diary of an RA Fan — Part 25 It’s Between the Ears

See Diary Part 24 here, or to access all entries, hit “The Diary” tab above.

Entry — a day or so later, Fall 2008:

I’ve almost fully immersed myself in the Armitage Army forum, and I guess I didn’t realize until today that Richard Armitage communicated so intimately with his fans. Don’t know how I missed that, but I am loving his messages. This guy, if he’s for real, is a sweetheart. Then again, part of me wonders if he’s real. I wish I could just enjoy this without my bs detector getting in the way, but the cynic will not let me alone.

And my appetite has now been whet to read/listen to as many of his interviews as I can get my hands on. If I’m being manipulated by a publicist, I’m not sure I care. Yeah, I can ignore my bs detector ’cause this feels too good, and it helps that my gut is screaming Richard Armitage is genuine. Maybe I just really want to believe that. I honestly don’t know what to think, but maybe the cynic in me is being challenged, and I love that. I always love it when I’m met with someone who seems real, and ironically, Richard Armitage spends most of his time in public playing someone else. Yet there is something about him, the person, that makes me think he’s genuine. He’s got a kind of purity, and how I can think that after watching ‘Between the Sheets’ is beyond me. But his characters certainly have a thread of innocence, and he does too. I don’t think it’s immaturity. I’m not sure what it is, but he does effect a very intelligent but naive demeanor. If he’s having everyone on, man, he’s one of the greatest actors of all time.

I don’t know that I’ve ever run across a person who was both intelligent and naive so overtly except SO, and it was such a powerful combination in him that it fairly had a lot of the women on our college campus falling all over themselves for him. I remember cleaning out his car one time before we were really together, and he told me to get rid of all the junk, “Just toss all of it if you don’t mind.” Well, I did toss it, but I was so curious about a few of the envelopes with ornate script on them, that I opened some. I had never read anyone’s mail before that, and I felt so awful that I’ve never done it again. But I defend myself with the fact I was “a kid.” No, there really is no defense. I did it, and I wish I hadn’t. I read those notes from a few girls who were madly in love with SO, and not a one had he ever dated or really had much to do with them. But I resolved then never to be one of those gushy women even though we were already serious about each other, and I was already so far from gushy that I’m sure he would have laughed at that vow.

The net effect is that I was too aloof in our first days together because I had eavesdropped on something I never should have done and my self-consciousness kicked in. Wish I could take it all back. Wish I had never let my curiosity get the best of me, and mostly I wish I had not been focused on myself. It did some damage to my relationship with him, and for a long time he didn’t have a clue what was going on. Thankfully, I finally told him what I’d done, and as only he can do, he laughed and made a joke of it, and told me, “Don’t you know by now that I never cared for anyone but you?” He is so earnest that yes, I know it. I know he’s for real, and yet my early training with seeing how awful people can be still has me applying that jaundiced filter too much. I really do have to take my thoughts captive a lot when wondering where some people are coming from. I hate that I’m so distrustful, but the truth is that I am, and I wonder if the idea that to the pure all things are pure will ever describe me.

Later:

It seems Richard Armitage has already ceased his messages. I guess there was a problem. Damn! I don’t know what happened, but people are such a pain in the ass. No, women are such a pain in the ass. Yeah, men are too, but I can’t even get past all the shit women do to get to an indictment of the men. Why can’t people just enjoy something for what it is instead of nitpicking it to death. Damned selfishness! It causes so many of the world’s problems. Oh, well, that was fun while it lasted, and if I’m in denial about Richard Armitage and he’s not really a nice guy, I’d like to stay there. LOL!

Much Later:

Alright! Richard Armitage is going to be in the next season of Spooks. Yes!!

I really enjoyed that show when Matthew MacFadyen was in it, and then I hated how they wrote him out and haven’t watched it since. I guess I’ll have to break down and watch those episodes before this starts, and I don’t have much time! Maybe I should just skip it. Not sure, but I am really looking forward to Richard Armitage being in the show. He is so fantastic with character development that I can’t wait to see what happens. I just hope they keep him more than a season or a couple of shows. I know how they do these characters, and I hope he’s not a Lisa Faulkner. Oh, please don’t let him be a Lisa Faulkner. Surely, they won’t do that!

Present day:

When I read this comment by Richard Armitage, I was intrigued and wondered what it really meant:

I’m ten years behind, but I’m finally growing into myself now,’ he says.

Read the rest here. I think this is the fourth time I’ve linked to this interview, and I’ll probably link some more. Lots to chew on. :D

If there’s an audio of this interview, wouldn’t it be great to hear it! Wonder when Richard Armitage makes it really big if Allison Pearson would ever post such a thing — edited of course so that nothing uncomfortable is revealed. I’m a big fan of Allison’s and may have to actually write her a note about this. LOL! And no, I don’t agree with everything she’s ever said in an article, but I’ve agreed with a lot. I was so bummed when she left the Daily Mail and with such a downer of an exit, but then I realized she’s at the Telegraph. Yea!

And Allison, if you ever read this, I like your picture at the Telegraph, and I’m glad you’re there.

Diary Part 26 here.

Screencaps courtesy of RichardArmitageNet.Com and my stash.

May 5, 2011
Categories: Fandom, Interviews, SO, Spooks . Tags: , , , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 10 Comments

Thank you, Richard

Sincere letter to Richard Armitage:

Dear Richard,

You are proving that I am indeed terribly jaded and need to realize this more. It was my belief that you would not give a Christmas message, that you had moved on beyond the place where you started, and didn’t have time for that anymore. I realize in some respects that you have to move on, but to send a Christmas message this year when you are so busy and one that is still so honest, is amazing to me.

I have fought this idea that you really are a nice guy and have kept wanting to think it was all a sham, but you didn’t have to send that message. And you even admitted you did it in a moment of panic about how you may be perceived. Wow. I commend you for that kind of transparency.

Thanks again for all the delightful entertainment you give us, and I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and fantastic 2011, and ditto on the yikes!!

Sincerely,
One of your crazy fans who’s a little softer as of this moment.

I hesitate to call this a fake fan letter.

For those of you who haven’t seen Richard’s Christmas Message of today, go to RichardArmitageOnline. It’s on the first page, but you might have to scroll down a bit to see it.

December 24, 2010
Categories: Fandom . Tags: , , , , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 31 Comments

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