Identifiers

/ September 15, 2014

In case you haven’t noticed it by now – Guylty is a bit of a doer, rather than a thinker, i.e. I tend to rashly *do* first and think later. Recipe for disaster. I should’ve thought the whole button badge thing through first. Note to self: Poll button is a no-go area. But first of all thank you for your feedback, for clicking the poll button and for sending me e-mails BTS weighing in on the idea. I have spent all morning deliberating, designing, throwing designs into the bin, starting from scratch, re-evaluating the thought process behind, and generally tearing my hair out. 😀

Thing is – it’s virtually and actually impossible to satisfy all. But before I get my knickers into an insolvable twist over trying to do just that, I’ll hopefully close this can of worms by letting you in on the thought-process behind the idea.

What was in my mind when I took up the suggestion of making some kind of harmless identifier was that it needs to be easily recognisable to those in the know while being “unsuspicious” and not attracting too much attention from those who don’t know RA. We want to be able to spot each others easily, but we don’t want to have people continually asking “Who is that?” or “What does that mean?” or “Why are you wearing that?”. So a funny word with the letters RA in it seem the best solution – looking as if we only wear a funny badge to those who have no idea, while identifying the wearer as a RA well-wisher by the capitalized two letters RA.

The less variations on the theme, the better so that the identifier is recognisable. A simple one-word pin with a background design that neither detracts nor obscures seems the easiest possible solution. And no copyright issues to deal with (as would be in case of a photo/other external design) as it is my own property. Something of little value so that people can take the finished object – or throw it in the bin. Especially as this is not something that is to be taken as a prescriptive badge that everyone has to wear. It’s just a fun idea, nothing political.

However, I totally take the point about the “deRAnged” epithet being controversial. distRActed or entRAnced seem to be better options and I have decided to take that into account. The grey flock wallpaper background seems to be the most popular one according to my poll. I have used that and made three different versions with three different words on them. As long as background design and colour of script are the same, they will look identical from further away, and they are recognisable as the a RA well-wisher identifier. (For that reason I will also stay with a strong magenta as the colour – blue doesn’t stand out enough imo.)

I don’t really mind the expenses of making these badges – I can get 100 of them made for 30 Dollars/Euro, so that’s fine. But you lovely people have already responded behind the scenes, offering to make these badges because they have some badge making machine at home, or to act as postal assistants and sending out badges to fellow fans within their countries at their own costs. Thank you! So it looks as if the costs of making and distributing them are negligible. Hooray for the fandom – as usual.

Again, let me emphasise that this is not prescriptive in any way. This is a fun thing, nothing else. I am *not* the designer and shaper of the fandom, and people can make and wear whatever badge they want to. Or not wear a badge at all. I do not want to spoil the fun for anyone who has their own a better idea. I am not demanding that my idea has to be universally applauded. Or that only my design is the one allowed to be worn. That would be ludicrous. Who am I to demand that? Everyone is free to do their own thing. I simply enjoy the idea of making a cheap little thing that I can letterbomb other unsuspecting souls with, seeing that I have a good number of addresses in my stash yet.

So here is the result from the authoritarian jury: Three identical designs, three different words. Those who don’t feel represented by “deRAnged” hopefully like “distRActed” or “entRAnced”.

badge designsKathy can have this one, though:

 

Hermitage rocks Just a joke. Not making that. Apologies to all. *firmlyclosescan*

 

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60 thoughts on “Identifiers”

  3. Oh wow – I did not think this would turn out to be such a serious matter! Just thought it is fun? I am still perfectly happy with deRAnged. Whatever background it will come with. I have no problem to commit the truth about my status – so it can only be deRAnged, I am afraid. And there is no need for a fashion statement. If the colour doesn’t match the nailpolish of my toes – so what?? Sorry, but IMHO it is not necessary to spoil this funny idea with being overly serious.
    I am simply grateful you came up with it, Guylty – it IS brilliant.

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  4. Aw , ❤ you for this! i did think when i read about the idea that it was fab but thought you mildly 'deRAnged' for taking the project on yourself 😉 Then i was wiping tears away hastily in front of my PC this morning while having my tea ( at work!!!) just because somebody posted RA Crucible rehearsal pictures! ( what is up with that??? why did nobody tell me about the side effects????) so i'm gonna shut up about states of mind and such!
    They look fabulous and i may want all 3 as clearly i will have days when i will feel deRanged, some where i will feel distRActed and many where i will feel entRAanced 🙂 Well done 🙂
    PS how do i email you to send you some contribution and offer some practical help with postage etc? (royal mail from London i am sure can be of use 😉 And thank youuu for coming up with the idea and actually being brave enough to stick with it 🙂

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  9. Just want to send you giggles and love for taking on this fun project. You bring such joy 😀 Hariclea and I have a similar condition: all 3 options are perfectly applicable so whichever you decide to go with will be excellent. If you need a Canadian distributor – I’m happy to volunteer 😀

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  11. I give you a lot of credit for taking this on. Wow! I think you have come up with an outstanding solution as they do all appear the same. I personally love deRAnged but I’m afraid I wouldn’t wear it in public. So either distRActed or entRAnced would be lovely. I like “A badge for any occasion.” We’re none of us in the same place (mentally) at the same time, eh? Thanks for all of your effort 😀

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    • Great, I think we are on the way to a feasible solution then. I am waiting for my badge fairy to get back to me before I turn in my order. And your preferences are noted, Tree 🙂
      No thanks necessary. Great fun – and brilliant helpers on board. Let’s spread the entRAnced distRAction.

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  13. FWIW I ran into this years ago myself — initially my blog subtitle involved the word “obsession” and when I asked for input on changing it, a lot of the people who responded were absolutely opposed to any word that implied mental illness of any kind, even tongue in cheek. Shrugs. You will never please everyone.

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    • 😀 Too close to the bone??? No, it’s fair enough. I don’t really mind. After all I have a rather ambivalent attitude towards the moniker Armitage *Army*. I hate militarism of any kind and do not like being described in such terms. So I understand how annoying it is to feel misrepresented by an epithet.
      I am actually more annoyed with myself for not having finalised my own thoughts before I barged ahead with a poll and a post. It is just so unnecessary to post repeatedly on an issue where consensus is simply impossible to reach. But well, live and learn, eh? Looks as if it’s getting off the ground despite my fuck-ups.

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      • yeah, exactly. It’s unlikely that I’d ever put anything on my body that said Army unless someone was threatening to shoot me. 🙂

        congratulations on the idea nd the execution!

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  15. I’ll wear whatever is left over, I love them all so it doesn’t matter. But you are putting rock’in Hermitage back in the closet, never to see the light of day? Poor baby, I guess he was too cultured to survive in the real world. If you need help distributing in the USA, let me know. I have a feeling you have it covered already, but if your are assigning territories, I’ll take the west. If I was in the least artistic, I would design something like this. rearRAnged on a background of scrambled brains in a frying pan. This word has the advantage of using one of our favorite body parts of Heritage, so it has a double meaning. Our brains have been rearranged in some way, and in my case, definitely scrambled.

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    • Ok, quoting myself here from my post “collectively deRAnged” Back outside and just before we were heading over to the Old Vic to attend the conversation event, lovely Wydville, a good friend of Judit’s, appeared and completely threw me with her lovely gift. You can see it here: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bwmh82JIIAEtGZv.jpg:large
      Isn’t that absolutely great? What a brilliant yet practical, useable souvenir of a wonderful occasion. I loved that the design she had made – a pic by Lefteris Pitarakis of the man himself, in the Old Vic where the convo was taking place – did not have RA’s name on it, but the conversation date and OV logo. Yeah, I admit, that’s partly because it is less embarrassing that way. You can use the bag and pretend it commemorates a high-brow, intellectual event for clued-in theatre-goers. (“You know, I was only there because the Old Vic puts on such splendid, insightful events. I can’t even remember the guy’s name. Some bearded fellow. Robert Hermitage or something?” Me, a fangirl? Nah!!!!! ;-)) ”
      That’s where Hermitage comes from. It proved to be quite resonant with a few readers 😀

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      • awwww it is great indeed and wonderfully usable!!! love it and yes the Hermitage proved himself to be exactly that, very intellectual 🙂 we can’t say the talk wasn’t educational 🙂

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  24. Pingback: RA Today ~ Sept 15/14 | jollytr62

  25. I love this idea!

    I like deRAnged and enTRAnced but I think we need a different background. I actually really like Richard’s profile silhouette. I think an abstract representation of RA–one that any fan would recognize immediately–even if she or he wasn’t privy to this particular button campaign, would be cool . The profile silhouette or any visual symbol that represents RA or any of his characters that’s elusive to others but strong, simple and iconic for us.

    My two cents.

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  28. Don’t remember if I’ve said, love these buttons (of course cause I have butt-loads of various buttons on my work lanyards) but don’t want you to waste $ sending me one. However, I noticed Kathy Jones said she would help distribute in the states, I would be happy to help her out with moola and small padded envelopes (of which I have) if alright with everyone involved. (Notice I am not offering to help out with the actual work or time involved. Sorry.)

    Just a thought, but if you wanted to save the trouble of sending buttons over to the states, how about I just order some locally and have them shipped to Kathy Jones? Putting the cart in front of the horse? That is me in a nutshell.

    Another thought occurs while noticing those fun modeling pin shots; WARNING tasteless commentary ahead: In the private, for me at least, they could be made up as edible pasties for romantic moments with significant partner(s)? Er, maybe not. I have no ability to dance, due to my being born without coordination. Don’t know what I was thinking. 😀

    Am I even posting this in the right place? Damn, I am DistRActed!

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