Where has this week gone? Sometimes time passes so quickly. Or is that what happens once you pass that magic 5-0 threshold? I suspect in my case it was actually two things – the excitement over RAnet, as well as my renewed crafting obsession. The two are closely linked. Before I get to this week’s round-up, a quick…
Technical Update
I’ve been busy behind the scenes trying to get some first insights from experts on the technicalities of migrating RAnet. No decisions have been taken yet, as they will be discussed with Ali first. However, the feedback I have received so far from various sources, is that a migration will be possible. That’s good news. – Since there were discussions on the previous post on the topic, I’d like to assure those of you who were worried that the migration might result in losing parts of RAnet, that the aim is to migrate the site *in its entirety*. If one or more parts of the site have become defunct due to outdated software, all attempts will be made to transfer and include the affected content as archival items and replace the dysfunctional features so that the service can be continued, yet the old contents are also saved. I fully take the concern onboard that *every* part of the existing website is valuable *to someone*, and that it is a mark of respect to Ali to preserve her work and her ideas. I’ll keep you updated as we move forward.
And now for the Saturday fun
It’s time for a new round-up header. In keeping with my usual MO, here is Richard’s next role.
- Sometimes you don’t need many words, as tsohi’s post proves. Indeed
- Last week’s Halloween brought up a few great posts. Here is one of riepu10’s Halloween series. I particularly liked the detail of the blue veins in this edit
- Richardarmitagefanpage screen shot a conversation between Joy Ellis and fan Maria after Richard posted about his ‘interview’ with Ellis while recording at Audible. Good news for all Jackman/Evans fans
- Grey-s has painted Monet
- I saw a few moodboards this week on tumblr. I particularly liked this one by fizzyxcustard – the purple hues are really beautiful
- I am dedicating this one to Kate, re. “wet shirts”. Thanks to fizzyxcustard for that little quip underneath
- A Thorin edit by mmirzasworld
- Quiz: Who is the odd one out in this compilation by notthatmelody?
- This one is for Zee… Pirate!Thorin by a now defunct tumblr called jadedsilk, via fizzyxcustard
- Continuing with the Thorin fan art theme, here is Thorin as an IT guy. 😂 Yes, you have read that right… Kind of convincing. Posted by thewarriorandtheking
- And finally sexy blacksmith!Thorin by maivolchica as per thewarriorandtheking. Is it hot in here or is he sizzling?
- I take it this is What a Guy Wants *prior* to being saved by a pure and angelic maiden?? By nfcomics
- “The slow smirk eye fuck combination of Guy of Gisborne”. Just quoting notthatmelody here…
- And because 13 is an awkward number, here a little Gisborne compilation courtesy of kendaspntwd
Hope you had some fun with this.
Lastly, just a quick little word to the day that’s in it today. 9th of November, a fateful day in German history. Focussing on the positive, 30 years ago, today, the unthinkable happened. Following an unscripted, possibly unintended reply to a journalist’s question in a press conference, the East German authorities opened the border crossing points in the evening of November 9. I was a young student at that time, just having moved 500 kilometres South to study in Würzburg. I shared a flat with two young girls who attended the local school for interpreters. It passed us by that history was being written that evening. It was only the next day that we found out that East Germany had opened their borders. One of my flat mates had a functioning telly, and the three of us gathered in front of it in the evening, watching with open mouths how freedom will always find a way… Late on Thursday night, thousands had already passed the border in Berlin. We saw images of a large mass of people marching onto the checkpoints, the barriers eventually went up, people streamed into West Berlin. There were scenes of joy as East Berliners stepped on West Berlin territory, and even for me, a girl raised in the West who had only experienced the dictatorship in the East on three short visits, the significance of this momentous day was immediately clear. I still get goosebumps when I see the footage of that day. For a little more background and the chronology of the events, check this English language clip.
So yes, I think today is a day to celebrate. 30 years. It brings back to me how precious and coveted freedom is. I fear that we are on the cusp of losing it again. It’s only the people themselves who can defend their freedom. Wir sind das Volk.
Have a lovely weekend, all!
Guylty ❤
PS: Are you a Dreamerfiction member? I just read in Zeesmuse’s latest blog post that there may be changes afoot on the fan fiction platform for all fics Richard Armitage. Please take a moment to vote in the poll and comment.
Guylty Pleasure 
Thinks for another great roundup. And especially for that shirt shit. Oof!
UND WIRD DIE WELT EINES TAGES GRAU UND LEER, SCHENK ICH DIR MEINE BILDER HER
(2) Those were all excellent. Vamp!Portah phwoar
(4) That’s very meta—cool.
(5) Love the purple
(6) Thank you very much! That’s so kind of you. (Of course I haven’t had any time to dedicate to this important research myself. Hmpf.)
(8) I have a total thing for the 40s look on RA. Please someone cast him in a period piece where he’s not an evil nazi but gets to rock that style. Yum!!
(10) Having seen some of Mr. Kate‘s employees 10/10 can confirm, very realistic.
(11) *franticfanning*
And lots and lots of Guy. 😍
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*shirt shot, Otto, shot with an O. FFS.
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And I pasted part of a poem in there. Well, I’m ALL over it today. 🙄🙄🙄
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Was that deliberate? It kind of works, because there are plenty of pretty pictures there…
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It totally wasn’t. I was just particularly inept and clumsy that day. Copy/paste accident. 🤷🏻♀️ But you rescued me and found something meaningful in it. I don’t deserve you. 😘
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LOL – well, it really didn’t stand out as strange to me at all. If you hadn’t mentioned it, I would’ve considered it perfectly fitting.
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I really enjoyed Paula’s vampire series. It was really nicely done.
And what – you like the 40s look???? Including those glasses? *eeek*
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I am a strange individual.
*whispers* I love, love, love those glasses. Like, a lot.
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n/c 😱
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love number 4 and 13 -well-it genuinely is Armitage at his most rakeish. I’m re-listening to Venetia and his Dammerel’s voice and character is so seductive
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I am not a major Heyer fan, but the Heyer audio books got me through two root canal treatments. And they were so calming and distracting, that I received the highest of praises from my dentist. She had never seen anyone so happily sailing through 1.5 hours of relentless drilling, cutting and pulling 😂
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ZOMGPIRATEANYTHNIGRICHARD!!!! Thank you for this, i might not recover! If i die, it is your fault.
Yes, please. Everyone who is a member of Dreamfiction, please go and participate in the poll. The future of Dreamerfiction is on the line. Anyone who is a member knows the best private library of Richard-centric fanfiction is housed there. I’ve met the vast majority of my fandom friends there.
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Pirate Richard – it was totally for you, I knew that.
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Thanks for the link to the poll at dreamerfiction…..Sooo important for me!
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I know – I hope that plenty of people had a look and chimed in on the conversation.
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I can’t begin to imagine what it must have been like to have half your country walled off that way.
On a more frivolous note, thank you for a wonderful, Guy-rich roundup.
#12 is fake news though. I’m sure Guy was always pure and angelic enough by himself. 😇
🤣
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Growing up in a divided Germany meant that I was *always* aware of a threat… It was where East and West collided, and the Cold War was almost tangible. I never thought that Germany was going to be reunified.
Guy – angelic??? Hehe, I am not sure whether I want him angelic 😉
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Archiving: good to hear!
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S,please,check your mail.I hate my tablet,I h hope u got it.it was a
Hard one to write
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Received everything, Dede, and have passed on the message and also replied back to you. Much love!
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I’m so behind on commenting (I’ve been reading though)…so let me just get all my comments on your recent posts out here.
– I’m so glad that you are trying to rescue the RichardArmitageNet.com site. Ali has done wonderful work there over the years, including all the donations to charity, and many of us rely on the pictures and history there. Good luck on this project and good for you for taking it on! Happy to make a small donation to help the transition if and when you need it.
– Happy belated birthday! I passed that mark long ago.. in fact next year I have the next “round” birthday! So, if you think it’s downhill for you, what about for me? Lol. Physically things are different, in fact I wish that I had managed to lose weight in my early fifties, before the elasticity of my skin suffered from lack of estrogen. I’ve been thinking I should write a post about aging one of these days. Anyway, no it’s not really all downhill. 🙂 And a half-century is an accomplishment!
– Those little books are fabulous! I don’t think I would wear one as a broach, but just to have one would be great. I was one of the ones asking you if they were very “fiddly” and you said that they were pretty easy to make. You’ve really managed to create quite a few!
– Thank you for the Berlin Wall video. Interesting how the timing and the complete opening of the wall all came down to a mistake.
3) I was hoping this might be an announcement of a Jackman TV series!
4) What a great likeness of RA as Monet!
10) My IT guys definitely do not look like that… I would not get any work done!
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Thanks for all this, Sue. I’ll go through it point by point.
Lovely – thanks for your support re. RAnet. I’m hoping to get the fundraiser done at the end of this month. (Am already busy making little bits that can be sold/auctioned.)
That birthday really is only the last straw in a phase in my life that is seriously challenging my mental well-being. I’ve never felt like this before. Some days, I feel like I just don’t want to get up at all. And when I am up, I have no motivation to do anything. I hate feeling this way.
Since I wrote my post, I have made more of those mini books. They have become quite an addiction – thank you for actually motivating me to attempt it. 🙂
The fall of the wall still moves me every time I see those historic scenes…
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Sorry to hear you’re having a tough time emotionally. It’s an interesting time, I guess, with kids getting older and your work changing. And approaching menopause? I’m sure you’ll come through the other side okay.
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Bang in the middle of menopause. Which probably accounts for my depressed emotional state and other ailments. I hate it.
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Probably. Once it’s done, there’s a certain freedom, at least.
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Thanks for the great round-up, I’m with Zeesmuse about Pirate Thorin. I’d probably internally combust if RA ever played one (oh Arrrrmitage). And ‘slow-smirk eye-fuck’ is perfect’.
1989 was a tumultuous year. It must have been profoundly emotional for you and your family Guylty. I know it involves two countries, rather than one, but I hope that Trump’s wall goes the same way.
And Sue is so right about your accomplishment. A friend has a progressive disease and she said that she was celebrating reaching an age she never thought she would achieve, it made me see the 5 0 in a different way.
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Now that you mention it – yes, RA would look great as a pirate. I’d even tolerate long hair on him for that purpose…
With history proving that a wall can’t keep people apart, I really wish that Trump would not even attempt to put a barrier up. It’s just so depressing to see that we are all moving towards the right, politically speaking, at the moment.
It’s funny – the whole “age 50” thing has never bothered me when looking at friends who are 50. I never consider them old. The number doesn’t apply to them at all. Funny how it feels different for oneself.
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My raffle prize has arrived safely. I wasn’t sure where to post. I was out when the postman called so when I got in, my husband said your parcel is here, I immediately thought of my thermal vest from Amazon ( I was frozen last Friday at the stables, I am a helper with Riding for the Disabled ) lol
But no, it was the Halloween RAPS, finding a quiet moment I carefully unwrapped my parcel, it’s brilliant, the photos were good but to see it in the flesh is better. I immediately clipped the brooch to my jumper ( Uncle Vanya ) and because my husband had recognised Guylty’s writing ( he had won an eBay Birthday auction Love, Love,Love related) I showed him!
He thought it was bl**dy brilliant ( he’s made a few WW2 diorama in his time so he appreciates the skill needed)
Thanks Guylty you’ re a star.
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Fantastic news, Yve. Great to hear that it all arrived safely. Ha, and your hubby knows my handwriting? 😂Sorry – that means you had to own up to the whole shebang. (Note to self: Print address on computer in future to avoid detection by husbands)
So, anyway, have much fun with your little box of cheer. It’s just a little bit of fun that is meant to bring a smile…
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#10: Unsere IT-Leute sehen definitiv nicht so aus. Und trotzdem sieht der Typ auf dem Bild so nerdmäßig aus, als könnte er realistisch in der IT arbeiten. Irgendwie schräg. Und irgendwie kollidiert das mit meinen Thorin-Fantasien. Also sollte ich versuchen, das Bild im Kopf schnell zu löschen.
Ich habe absolut keine Erinnerung an den 9. November 1989. Vielleicht war ich noch zu jung. Ich bin sicher, dass ich am 9. November selbst nichts davon mitgekriegt habe und gehe davon aus, dass wir das am nächsten Tag in der Schule erfahren haben. Aber leider gibt mein Gedächtnis dazu nichts her. Schade eigentlich, ich mein, wie oft passiert sowas im Leben schon…
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Ja, ich fand den IT-Thorin auch überzeugend *grins*. Nerds haben manchmal auch was an sich 😉
Ich hab früher – vor dem 9. November – auch immer gedacht, wie das wohl so ist, wenn man Zeitzeuge ist. So wie jemand, der lebte, als Kennedy erschossen wurde. Oder als die Mauer gebaut wurde….
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Good news on the website migration, hope it will all work out!
And yes, that really was a momentous time in history. I visited Berlin for the first time in August 1989 just before the wall fell and then again for a weekend two or three weeks after it fell. There was an incredible atmosphere.
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Wow – you were right there at the decisive times! The difference between August and December must have been amazing!
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It truly was! What I remember most from the November visit is walking into a department store (I think it was Karstadt) in West-Berlin. It was jam-packed with people, so full you could only shuffle, and it was dead-quiet in there apart from whispers. People from East-Berlin / East-Germany were staring wide-eyed at all the available products. It was a little eery.
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Interesting. I have never heard a story like that. (But I do remember how in the town where I studied, for several weeks the market stalls were sold out with bananas and oranges.)
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