The Fan A to Z – #U

/ April 4, 2019

*dun-dun-duuuuuuuun*. Guess what’s back?! When you don’t have anything to say at all, just do the long overdue fan challenge… It’s been bobbing around for months at this stage. Does anybody care anymore? Ehm, don’t answer that. It’s a rhetorical question… So here goes U:

U – Have you added anything stupid/cracky/hilarious to your fandom? If so, what?

Oh man, I have been *waiting* for that question. Because, oh dear, I guess I am responsible for a good few bits of silly crap over the years. Some of it has kind of caught on, most of it thankfully hasn’t. But the prime addition to this fandom is probably the concept of the pocket shrine. Or maybe it is the addition that has had most longevity? I have been making those pocket shrines since Valentine’s Day 2014. Five years down the road I am now at 183 shrines in total (+4 that are currently languishing on my shelf because there is one I haven’t sent to its recipient yet, and the other 3 I don’t know what to do with yet.)

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With the concept of the pocket shrine, I may also have introduced a word – the “RAPS”. I mean, I don’t usually use R-A-P-S as a sequence of letters but I read them as an acronym.

For a while I used to contribute photo analyses to the fandom, the *ooof*s. And at the beginning of my fan journey, over on tumblr, I tried to establish myself with a trademark series of picture posts called “coincidental RA” – basically just funny coincidences you sometimes see on the timeline of your preferred social platform. It never caught on. But I am still amused by those coincidences. In fact, just yesterday I screenshot one on me+richard. I just thought it was funny how the two unrelated pictures side-by-side seemed to mirror each other. Look:

Screenshot on me+r

I wish, though, I had been the one to invent certain terms and words. For instance, whoever came up with “APM” and “Armitage Protection Mode”, was a genius. Was that you, Servetus, btw? I also would’ve liked to be responsible for the “napecurl” adage and the frenzy that developed over those cutesy-cute man-curls on the Armitagean neck. (With that word, I am pretty certain that Servetus coined it. Is this one of the earliest mentions?)

So much for contributions to fandom… How about you? Have you coined a term, caused a storm, created a monster? Let me know in the comments!

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90 thoughts on “The Fan A to Z – #U”

  2. Guylty all I can say are here are some of my favs:
    #58:Boldly Becoming
    #132: Forearm porn
    #7: Mr Thornton Precious
    #160: Dishy
    #47: RAPS Pro(c)tor)
    #127: Stylish
    #101: And cut him out in little stars
    #113: Guy on the prowl

    they are all wunderbar and those were just a few that caught my eye as I was feverishly writing down the titles and numbers just now.

    Always creative, clever, and wanting us craving more!!

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    • Ah yes, of course, it was Frenz. (Before my time. Hence I wasn’t sure.) And what she writes in that blog post – even though pertaining to a specific incident that is not detailed – still applies.
      IDK – I always associate the term nape curls with you. I remember when you posted that picture of RA at the World’s Ende premiere – the rest is history *hehe*.
      And: thanks 🙂

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      • I remember the incident (lol — although it’s good that most people don’t or weren’t around for it) and the main thing that I express now is that in retrospect, almost everything that caused an uproar back then has now become relatively normal or accepted in the mainstream of the fandom (or at least there aren’t mobs of people denouncing it). One thing I think the changes after the intersection with the Hobbit fandom really did for us was make us into a more typical fandom and on the whole that’s been a good development.

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        • Since I wasn’t really part of the fandom pre-Hobbit (well, only for about 6 months), I can probably not judge it, but what you say makes sense. I am sure there was quite an influx of new (dare I say: younger) fans, and that will have made a difference because they came with prior fandom experience and possibly more tolerance? Just totally guessing here. But I definitely agree that the development was a good one.

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  6. I’m always in awe when I take my Profiled Por(n)ter RAPS out to admire but even more I’m forever grateful for the Intensive Care RAPS I received three years ago after my mom’s passing, it’s always with me ❤

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  7. The fandom wouldn’t be the same without you and your RAPS’ G! As I’ve said before, you are so talented!

    I’m a proud owner of few gorgeous RAPS’. Those are my precious treasures.

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  9. Don’t forget the fabrics with the symbols. They are also great.
    I think I added only foolish comments apart from some stupid comments to the fandom. But creative people need admirers as cooks need eater. So I am an admirer (and eater, hehe)

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  10. Ich kann mich meinen Vorrednerinnen nur anschließen. Was wären wir nur ohne dich 🤔☹😢?! Du bringst so viele gute Ideen, Herzlichkeit und Freude hier ins Fandom ein 😘.
    Ich finde übrigens, du hast die Frage nicht korrekt beantwortet. Auf die RAPSe trifft nämlich IMHO keines dieser Adjektive zu 😉.

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    • Och Leute, viel zu viel der Ehre 😉 Ich hatte den Beitrag ja nun nicht als Fischzug für Komplimente gemeint *grins*. Aber um nicht undankbar zu erscheinen: Danke, ich freu mich, wenn ihr mit mir hier Spaß habt. Ich hab selbigen jedenfalls mich euch! xx

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  11. your RAPS really are iconic-i’ve got mine pulling his weight on Twitter for Thornton Thursday
    personally i’ve not been long enough around to particularly contribute much to the fandom except for some dressing up silliness!

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    • Damn, I overlooked your comment! Cool! Glad to hear that Thornton’s tin is still working…
      Incidentally I have been dismantling an old watch today because I am itching to punk again…

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      • ah no worries!
        i’ve prepared a little tin of bits to send you, just been a bit overwhelmed with organising a dental study day this Sat argh!)
        i forgot take the tin to my monthly steampunk meet-will def take it next month

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        • oh, sorry, no no, I didn’t mean it as a hint ;-). There’s no hurry! (And good luck with your study day tomorrow!)
          But more interestingly: You have a monthly steampunk meet you attend? That sounds intriguing!

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          • Lol,I just feel bad being a slacker! Thankd re the study day..just anxious that it goes well.
            Steampunk! Yes, in 2011 my chap and I organised a whole steampunk festival in Chepstow (google Waltz on the Wye-amazing pics on Flickr by our friend PP Gettins) and since then a group meets once a month. Some dress up, other don’t, we chat, bring along contraptions, swap bits and pieces and organise days out or which event we’re going to next! All good fun 😊

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  12. Your creativity is fabulous Guylty ( I adore my FD shrine) and your wit and fun projects are integral to making the fandom a jollier place. I don’t know who coined putting ‘tage’ at the end of words descrbing Armitage bits, e.g. ‘ armpitage’ but that does make me laugh, as did the person who described John Thornton as a grumpasaurus.

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  13. Ode to Myself

    Have I added to the fandom,
    By writing odes so dumb?
    Hard to say,
    But come what may,
    I hope we shared some fun.

    I stopped counting how many odes I wrote starting in 2013, but they are in excess of 130. All are written for Guylty’s or Serv’s blog. Here is a blast from the past, since the subject has come up.

    Ode to a Nape Curl
    Sweet little glossy nape curl,
    Lustrous as a precious pearl.
    You tease our fingers to caress and touch,
    Is so much temptation fair to us?
    Hell no, not so much.

    Here is one of oldest ones from 2013
    Ode to a Sneer
    There once was a baddie named Guy,
    Whose sneering bedazzled, oh my.
    His smile showed barely,
    And romance found him rarely.
    But hot he still was,
    I can’t lie.

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      • Thanks, Michele. I know my output has fallen off this year. I can blame Guylty (anyone but myself, actually) for posting so frequently I don’t have time to write an ode before her next posting is up. She is too fast for me, or my brain is slowing down, or both.

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        • LOL – hey, I take one ode per week!!! No need to get one done every day. (I am only blogging more because I am trying to balance out the demise of all the other blogs 😢)

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    • You have made a great contribution with those odes, Kathy. And I don’t find them dumb at all. In fact, you need to be everything but in order to write those.
      And wow – 130????? I had no idea it was that many. Fantastic. I wish we had a whole book of odes by Kathy Jones. How fun would that be???? (And we could get a copy signed by Richard *hehehe*)

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      • Thanks, Guylty. I have a fantasy of putting them together in book form and having Richard sign it. My other fantasy is … I introduce myself to him and he says, “Oh, you’re THE Kathy Jones. I’ve enjoyed your odes for years. Could you do a private reading for me at my hotel/condo/ house/apartment/massage parlor?”

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        • *rofl* “massage parlor” 😂
          Well, fact is, Richard is still waiting for his medal. That encounter in NY is sure to have left a lasting impression. So you should combine the two – hand-over of medal, then a private ode reading session.

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          • Yes, I thought of that. Medal ceremony (very brief since he will be passing by the stage door line at warp speed) and then the book signing. All recorded for posterity by you and your camera and Mimi with her phone. I am sure Richard will be thrilled to receive both items.

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      • Guylty and Kathy I was thinking of he same thing, Kathy you could make a book and have Guylty auction it at the annual bday one!! They are beautiful and so on target! 😘❤️❤️👏👏

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        • Michele you are too kind. If I ever did make a book of odes, l would give it away to anyone with questionable taste who wanted it. Besides, what if Guylty put it up for auction and nobody bid? I would have to buy it myself to save my ego.

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          • Kathy I would bid don’t worry and I bid to win!! 😉👏😘
            They are fantastic and sweet and funny and I would love to read all of them! You have a great word play and that is a gift! 😘❤️❤️❤️

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            • Michele, you are a great motivator. I will think about it. Thank you for being such an enthusiastic cheerleader for the odes. They are feeling very proud and important basking in your praise.

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            • Yikes, let me get organized. I would love for you to do it, besotted.My main problem is having time to get odes into some kind of order. They are stuffed into a notebook at present. Not even typed up. My process is to write them in comments, then copy them longhand and stick them in a notebook. Any I have written in the last year, haven’t been copied down at all. It’s been a rough year for odes. After a few days, I forget that I even wrote them.

              Liked by 1 person

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        • Yikes, let me get organized. I would love for you to do it, besotted.My main problem is having time to get odes into some kind of order. They are stuffed into a notebook at present. Not even typed up. My process is to write them in comments, then copy them longhand and stick them in a notebook. Any I have written in the last year, haven’t been copied down at all. It’s been a rough year for odes. After a few days, I forget that I even wrote them.

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  14. Yeah, Kathy, come on
    Guylty, I have another idea for you. What about a book like a coffe table book with pictures of all your shrines, you have done? Naturally with the famous first one?
    Didn’t you say you have time to spare, hmhmhm? I am also your cheerleader

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  15. It was a lucky day when I first stumbled onto your blog as a newbie RA admirer. Your creativity and humor was the heart of what I found to be a lovely and welcoming community of like-minded fans. It has been sheer delight to discover the many gifts that you have given (and continue to give) to the fandom: the RAPS, the Weekly Roundup, the *ooofs, the fundraising auctions, the gorgeous photography, the recaps of RA encounters and character roles, Flat Richie and his traveling gift exchange, your spontaneous raffles, cheering on and featuring the talents of other fans…I could go on and on. I guess what I’m trying to say is thanks for all you do to make fangirling RA so deliciously fun. I’m curious and you’ve probably answered this before, but what inspired you to make your first RAPS? That first 100 RAPS photo book is fabulous, btw and I think a book of Kathy’s Odes is a brilliant idea too. ❤️

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    • Such nice words from you, D – thank you very much, you are too kind and give me too much credit. A blog and a blogger is only ever as good as the reader allow her to be. I am definitely lucky with the kind and generous audience here.
      As for the first RAPS – the idea was sparked by my dear husband. He made a so called “portable shrine”, complete with candles and pictures of Richard, for me. It was about 50 cm high. THat was Christmas 2013. Then, a couple of months later, I took part in a Valentine’s swap, and I decided to shrink down my husband’s idea into a mint tin and make it a “pocket shrine”. And that was it – it totally took off 🙂

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  16. Always happy to give you the credit I think you deserve. I feel your blog creates a positive environment in which your readers connect and respond with happy enthusiasm. It’s a lovely place to visit even if just to read the comments.
    Your husband is a treasure. What a sweet gift especially for the effort to create it himself. I’ll bet he never dreamed of the inspiration he sparked in you towards the creation of the RAPS legacy. Many thanks Mr Guylty 🥰

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    • I really hope that that is what this blog is. It may be my soapbox, but there is space in the comments for everyone.
      Mr Guylty more or less created a monster *muhahaha*. He had no idea what he had coming. But yes, he is a treasure and a very patient and tolerant man.

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  17. So sorry, the book was out of my radar, I only know the others.
    As mentioned above when you have created RAPS no 200 it is time for book Vol 2

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