12 noon has come and gone. And we have raffle results. Guess what? London Spy Guy RAPS is going to… London!!!! The winner is:
Congratulations, J – the last comment was the lucky comment this time. And how extra fitting that the shrine is going to a London girl. I am thrilled 🥳. I still have your address – I’ll put the shrine in the post for you asap.
Thank you to everyone for commenting and taking part. There will be more shrines to be raffled, so better luck next time. This raffle’s draw protocol can be found here:
Misc. 1
Did you see the short message exchange yesterday between the master himself and his BS colleague Caroline Goodall?
There isn’t really that much known about Caroline Goodall’s film, yet, but what I found interesting about the tweets is that Goodall addresses RA as a “great actor writer”. I feel like butting into their conversation, screaming “evidence, evidence” in capital letters. We’ve heard RA talk about his character diaries, there have been the occasional photo hint here and there (I remember seeing well-thumbed scripts and books with post-its sticking out), and sometimes directors have also let on that Richard comes well-prepared to his projects and sends suggestions and questions as prep for his characters. Lately, with his plans of starting his own production company, it seems as if his writing might be put to use… And it sounds here as if Goodall actually has seen his writing. Anyway, surely a great compliment (not to mention the adjectives ‘generous’ and ‘wonderful’). It just makes me feel more curious about his creative writing. Especially as I am not quite convinced by his non-creative writing. – In any case, his tweet certainly fulfilled its purpose. Caro Goodall’s film The Bay of Silence is now on my map, and I am curious to find out more about it.
Misc 2
Just as a little funny tidbit, I posted this little screenshot on Twitter yesterday:
As I said over there, I do not mean to make fun of a serious illness such as rheumatoid arthritis. I know it is painful and some of my dearest friends suffer from it. But I couldn’t help but smile when I read the term “RA patient”. I would consider myself one such, too. Self-diagnosed since February 2012. Symptoms include frequent heart flutters, shortness of breath, occasionally spiking libido. *coughs* Can’t say that I mind.
And now for the dear *true* RA suffering friend, I close with a breathtakingly gorgeous picture. If that doesn’t make you forget the pain – temporarily – then whatever will?
Credit: Leslie Hassler for Moves Magazine
*ooof* Definitely afflicted! 😵
Guylty Pleasure 
Congratulations to J!!!
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🙂
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Maybe he’s responsible for some of the fanfic out there?! 😂 😂😂
On a serious note I adore his cheerleading tweets and her response was also just so heartwarming
Congrats also to Tiny clanger!😍
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Congrats to Tiny Clanger!! So happy for you and a London girl to boot!!
I agree with Rachel I adore his cheerleading efforts for Caro and everyone Nicola, Suranne, Emma, Amy, Sandy, Cate, Annie, Olivia and a score of other women he has sent shout out tweets to and praised. He is such a professional and I am a proud RA sufferer!!!!
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Now that you are listing the names, I have to say he is a real champion of women. Do we ever see him support male colleagues as much?
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Guylty well funny you noticed the same as I do. Lately it has been all women although I think he would be gracious with male colleagues as well. I really adore and yes I am gushing here how supportive and advertising he has been of late of TV shows and I forgot to mention Fran Walsh in there and his The Stranger project. I think he is proud of what he is doing and where he is at right now and that just makes me beam and want to cheerlead right along with him.
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Not so much , though he has a bit of banter with shaun dooley
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Oh, do you think that is what the most recent (and now deleted) tweet was about?
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Not seen that. But he’s taken the mick out of him a few times..thought it was nice that he’s obviously getting on with someone so well
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I had no idea!
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Sent them to you via dm on twitter x
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Cheers – now I remember. Thanks for finding them.
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question: when you cross out the type in your posts, what is your intent? are they things that you feel you shouldn’t say, things that you would whisper? are they sarcastic comments that maybe you would say in smaller type so that they don’t jump out and maybe some will just overlook? more often than not it’s where my mind went first, so what does that say about me? 😳 😈
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Hehe, it’s the latter – it’s unnecessary, secondary information. Or something that pertains to me and not to RA and is therefore secondary. Or something where I am sarcastic and possibly mean – which is not my primary MO.
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sarcastic tangents. yep, that sounds like me. ok, good, glad we had this talk. 😎 😀
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LOL – *phew*.
But yeah, I love my little sarcastic tangents. But I also want to give people the choice to ignore them. Hence the strikethrough.
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See Guylty I thought the strike thru was to emphasize the little tangents instead of ( ) or italized.. they are funny and part of your charming blog like it’s ok to be joking in a non mean way about things so why strike them out? Ask with love here just to be clear..
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Nice of you to say so, but no, I want to keep them clearly designated as tangents, as non-essential quips or side notes. They are definitely part of my style, and I have heard some people say that they find them extra amusing, so they’ll stay – proudly but with a built-in option to ignore 😉
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I find them amusing. I love them! You use them the way many people use hashtags, to make an aside comment: #haveyouheardtheoneabout….
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Exactly. They are meant to amuse, but they are simply not the main focus of the text, hence obscuring them with a strikethrough font.
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But striking them out makes them funnier, I think.
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Congrats, Tiny! Such a marvelous treasure and fitting that it should go to a London lady.
Ooh…the things that photo does to me! How can one man be so…everything? In one gorgeous 6’3″ frame?!
How I’d love to read his character diaries. Fortunately, creative writing can tolerate some of his more annoying grammatical tendencies. 🤣 It is so sweet how he supports his friends. I hadn’t seen that exchange so thank you for posting it. 😘
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That photo really stirs quite deep, I agree. It really oozes masculinity, and I feel it is somewhat suggestive… What fascinates me most, is whether that was totally intended. Was this shot posed *specifically* as a suggestive, sexy image. Did Hassler say to RA “And now smoulder as if you want to take the viewer to bed”? Or is this a happy accident? Is the shirt simply a little too tight because the stylist bought the wrong size, and the collar/tie/waistcoat are only open because he is in the middle of changing outfits? And then, most importantly – I would like to know what RA thinks of a photo of himself like that.
I’d love to read those character diaries, too, not least because I am curious whether he is better at logically developing an argument in creative writing than in his “essays”.
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I’ve often wondered that, not just with this photo. I mean, he has quite a few of them and yet he’s always “I’m not sexy, I’m not special, what are you even talking about” when it comes to discussions about his looks. Modesty is nice, but you can’t look like sex on a stick and expect no one to notice or mention it. Just saying…
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I’ve always assumed that he treats photo shoots like a role he has to play. So he puts his “professional model” mode on, and then acts out what the photographer says to him. The question for me – as someone who knows what happens in a photo shoot – is, does *he* offer these poses himself (as a professional model and much-photographed people like actors would), or does he never go there and only obliges when the photographer prompts him to put on the “ladykiller”? I am undecided to the answer. On the one hand he is such a pro; I totally believe that he is able to deliver many options when posing for a photo. OTOH he is modest to the point of shyness, so I can totally see him avoiding any such poses, yet always obliging if the photographer demands it…
Ah, the mystery of it all…
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I’d say the same.. it’s called acting 🙂 i think he enjoys transforming for the photo shoots and they more acting they require the more fun for him, or the more comfortable as he know how to deliver that 🙂 Being yourself is what most actors fear or don’t like to show 🙂
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Generally subscribe to that view, too. Although I remember one photo shoot where he seemed to be in pestilential mood 😂and didn’t look particularly inclined to work with the photographer…
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Absolutely. He’s a fantastic actor and can pull of any look. The interesting question is exactly what you said—how does he feel about these particular poses and what’s the origin story? Especially in light of what he says about not wanting to be that guy if you know what I mean.
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We’ll never find out… Oh, how I wish I could bump into him as a non-fan and ask all these questions…
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Yes. Absolutely that.
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Thank you so much, it is so gorgeous! I wish I was more craft-y but I have absolutely no ability in that direction.Thank heavens for Guylty and all you other lovely talented ladies out there.
Lucas will have a good home with me, and there is a fish and chip shop about 50 yards away so I can feed him up 🙂 The map detail also brings back the spine shivers of the Crucible, and I will treasure it always.
Completely agree with the comments about many of RA’s tweets, one of the things I particularly appreciate is how he always acknowledges his friends and co-workers.
xx
O
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Yay – some fish and chips, because he’s “got a craving”… Fabulous. I am sure he will be in good hands with you, J!
RA really is a gold coin *haha* as we say in German – special, valuable, and beautiful. A treasure.
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Congrats, it’s a lovely treasure to behold and cherish! 🙂
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That is a gorgeous picture! I keep trying to get ready for work, but he just keeps looking at me that way!
Congrats, Tiny Clanger!
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It’s quite a distraction, that picture. It really took my breath away when I opened up the blog this morning. I had forgotten it was there…
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But what a nice surprise!
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Sigh, yes.
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Congratulations to TC!! 🎉
My mind also immediately snagged on the actor writer part of CG‘s reply. 🤔 I don’t think his non-fiction writing is necessarily a reliable indicator of his fiction writing skills. I think the non-fiction stuff is often about things he feels he ‘should’ say maybe rather than what he wants to say, whereas with fiction he might be able to let loose his creativity.
(Pure conjecture on my part of course; I just know that stuff I somehow have to write usually doesn’t come out very well—or at all #MasterProcrastinator).
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Oh, I do agree that there is a massive difference between creative writing and non-fiction writing. I have actually most of the time quite enjoyed his messages to fans – well, up until the last few years when he started penning sermons instead of messages 😂👼🏻. And without sounding like an arrogant arsehole, I’ll also say that it has to be taken into account that he hasn’t gone through a conventional third level, academic course where the conventions of writing are drummed into you. So, yes, I’d love to see his creative writing.
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i would guess she speaks at least of his very personal character treatments and developments… i have a feel he’s is indeed very good at it especially since he’s gotten directors more than once to read, listen and consider 🙂
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Who knows… the little devil on my shoulder is whispering “maybe they only entertain his writings because otherwise snowflakitage gets in a tiff” 😂
Nah, I was just joking. I am sure he writes fantastic character diaries.
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Congratulations! And now I will be off to stare at the pic. Please, do poke me to see if I need anything XD *goes off*
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*poke poke* Are you alright? Are you still there?
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Hehe! I guess I am. Gone to seaside for 2 days. And then I will return to make gifts for FR. .
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.
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LOL “someone”…
I know who you are *grins*
Enjoy your beach break, Andrea!!!!
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Congrats J – have fun with your London Lucas! Yes, Caroline Goodall’s comment about his writing is really intriguing. I presumed she was referring to his character diaries but perhaps not.
Our risk assessment folders at work are called, unsurprisingly, RA. They contain the most tedious documents on earth but I always smile secretly to myself when I open the folder.
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