2014: An Ancient Armitage Year in Review

Well, the roast beast has been mostly devoured, the dishwasher is running and I’ve got 35 minutes before I need to go back out into the newly frigid temps to fetch MiniMe from an impromptu nine year old New Year’s Eve fest.  Just enough for a rapid fire recap of 2014 doings here at Ancient Armitage.

Most Viewed Post…

The clear victor actually originated in May of 2013 :

Richard Armitage and the classical canon of sculptuRAl proportions

I noticed consistent traffic on this rather elderly post throughout 2014.  Curious, I dug a little deeper and noticed that I was also getting quite a bit more traffic from university based URL’s.  I’m left with the sneaking suspicion that many an unsuspecting undergraduate student of art history happened across my discussion of classical proportions and idealism in the process of researching term papers.  The day the reference turns up on a paper assigned by me, you all will be the first to know! (as a funny FYI, Semper ubi sub ubi Richard Armitage, a post about ancient underwear from January 2014 was not terribly far behind…who knew people were so fascinated with the kynodesme and subligaculum!)

How did anyone land on this blog with that search term….

coming from my own opinion responsibility means a duty or obligation to satisfactorily perform or complete a task assigned by someone, or created by one’s own promise or circumstances that one must fulfill, and which has a consequent penalty for failure, having a job to deal with something or having control over someone. i believe responsibility will require you to be mature, a positive, tough mind and willing to get whatever it is done. doing things on time, satisfying and making sure you have the things done that you need before the things that you want will be an example

 

Um yeah.  Moving right along,

My favorite search term for the year:

richard armitage bikini

Is that Richard Armitage wearing a bikini?  Wearing Richard Armitage as a bikini?  I just don’t know!

And last but not least…most unexpected nation showing up on the page views summary:

Iceland – 14 page views from Iceland….*waving*  Hi Icelandic Armitage fans!!

Thanks to all who’ve just stopped by for this or that.  Thanks especially to all who’ve followed, commented, liked and reblogged.  It is a pleasure to be among you all!  2014 is almost in the can and I can’t wait to see what 2015 brings for this guy,

Richard Armitage for Daman Mag by Mitchell Nguyen Mc Cormack

…and all of us who follow his career.

Happy New Year Armitageworld!!

SpReAd The Love Gives Back: Sixth Week

This has been so much fun…can’t wait to see what 2015 brings, but before that, report a kindness, given or received, for a chance at a poster from The Crucible!

SpReAd The Love

And we’re back! How was your Christmas? Are you back to work yet or do you have off till after the New Year? As for us here at STL, we have one more goody to give away. Back in August Servetus went to see The Crucible and brought back a few posters and has graciously offered one to us to give away. It isn’t signed but if you wanted one here’s your chance to win one from us. All you have to do is let us know about a kindness that you’ve done, or one that’s been done for you, in the comments of this post and that’s it, your name is entered into our drawing. If you’re too shy to comment you can let us know via the Contact Form on the About page. Drawing will be at 5PM ET on Friday January 2. Ready? Go!

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In case you might be interested…

or, I’m just too freakin’ lazy and holiday brained to actually write a blog post before I enter into the pre- New’s Eve maw of the ginormous grocery store.  (It must be done…as I’m otherwise making a “tasty” casserole for dinner from the ketchup and saltine crackers I have on hand in the mostly barren pantry.)  

Until my brain is back to functioning on all pistons, I thought perhaps I might follow KellyDS’s example and answer my own questions from my Liebster award post (and that’s not to say that Kelly’s brain is not functioning on all pistons, just that…Oh blerg, you know what I mean right?!)

Here we go:

1.  As an homage to my home state:  What is your favorite dairy product (or non dairy version for the lactose intolerant/vegan)

To quote the sister of my bestie, “On the 8th day G-d created cream cheese, and it was good.”  Yeah, definitely cream cheese – it goes sweet, it goes savory, it even goes just fine naked.  It is o-so-versatile.  Case in point:  was pressed for dip for a last minute buffet.  What do I have to work with?  2 deli packets of mayonnaise, milk, chili powder, homemade dill pickles, garlic salt, ketchup AND…you guessed it:  CREAM CHEESE!  Into the bowl…a pinch of that, a shake of this, two fingers of the other and a squirt for good measure…blend well et voilà:  Taco Dip!  I give you, CREAM CHEESE!  (Yeah, um sorry…but it’s just…)

2.  Richard Armitage:  Beard, Stubble, Freshly Shaven???

Good gravy how I struggled with this one…let me start by saying that I was once an avowed anti-beardist, but I have to admit that Richard Armitage with a beard has definitely grown on me.  The recent Sarah Dunn pix, the ITS premiere, earlier images from the Project Magazine shoot…beardalicious!

Nice coat, but you’ll probably need a hat…
Photo by: Matt Holyoak for Project Magazine

Freshly shaven Armitage is a hard image to come by these days…I have secretly wondered if shaving irritates sensitive skin or he just can’t be bothered on a daily basis.  Either way, I’m not complaining because it generates the most appealing stubbled look.  Light stubble, heavy stubble…recent salt and pepper stubble…it’s all good!

Source: Guylty

3.  For the writers and readers…how do you take your fan fiction?  Sweet and fluffy, hot and spicy or all points in between?

Frankly, as long as it’s well written and more or less betaed, I’m in.  That said, I tend to gravitate toward plot driven stories with at least a sprinkle of sexy woven throughout.

4.  If you could live anywhere in the world (supporting yourself being a given) where would you choose?  Why?

If I could guarantee adequate funds to travel back to visit my family, I would love to live in Greece – one place in the mountains and one near the sea.  I love the people, I love the landscape, I love the food…I don’t so much love the economy, but no place is perfect right?

5.  What is your favorite artistic genre (medium?)…Favorite piece therein?

hmm, hmm, hmm….I think I will go with MOASIC.  I am endlessly fascinated with the depth of detail that can be achieved by piecing together tiny bits of colored stone…it almost has a pixelated effect on close inspection.  Just for the sheer, crazy amount of detail, I’ll go with the Alexander Mosaic from the atrium of the House of the Faun at Pompeii

Source

6.  What film remake would you really love to see Richard Armitage star in?

Richard Armitage as the smoldering Maxim deWinter?  I’m in…Let’s have a remake of Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca!

7.  What’s your favorite way to spend an unexpected free day?

These days, I long for the time to just stare out a window for an hour brainstorming, and then write, write, write.

8.  Richard Armitage recently tweeted that eating (cheesy potato dish I can’t remember the name of at the moment **update**  It’s called Aligot) will change your life.  What is your life changing food?

Avgolemono.  It’s a Greek soup…egg and lemon.  The broth is a chicken base fortified by egg that makes it slightly thick and oh so delicious.  On the front end you taste a creamy chicken soup, usually with orzo or rice, and then the most amazing punch of lemony tartness at the end.   Mmmm…and then there is the texture.  It’s not thick like a cream soup, but rather smooth…like a silk caress – *cough*   Like I said, life changing 🙂

9.  Beer, wine or “I never touch the stuff” ?

I honestly don’t drink much – not from any personal prohibition, rather lack of opportunity.  I have the most pedestrian taste in wine…I can’t drink reds, as they give me the most horrendous headaches, and my taste in white…let’s just say I probably can’t tell the difference between a chardonnay and a pinot grigio without the label in front of me.

I will try just about any beer at least once.  I have an affection for microbrews…I love Spotted Cow by New Glarus Brewing. (It’s a milky pale farmhouse ale.  If you want to try it, you’ll have to come to Wisconsin…they only distribute in state.  But, as an added incentive, they have the most amazing tasting patio at their brewery!)  I recently tasted a really good IPA – kind of grapefruity, but I was distracted by the spicy deep fried pickle chips and forgot the name of it for future reference!

10.  What is your guiltiest guilty pleasure (outside of fandom…I’m not sure I want to classify that as a *guilty* pleasure 🙂  )

Oh man – alright fine.  Doritos.  ’nuff said.

11.  What musical instruments do you play?  (Kazoo *is* an instrument!)

I can plunk along on the piano, strum a little on an autoharp, I play hand bells and chimes (I’m in the “battery” section of the choir – F & G and all sharps and flats in between.) and once upon a time I was a decent violinist.  To my shame, I have never mastered the fine art of the kazoo!

There you have it…a small batch of random insider info on your’s truly.  I am off to the store – if I don’t make it out in time,

A Happy New Year to all!

O Holy Night

It’s actually very early Christmas morning in my little corner of Armitageworld.  My youngest is still clinging to the idea of Santa, so the gifts have only just made their way under the tree…had to wait until sugar plums were dancing in her head.  She was up late since we attended the 10pm worship service tonight – primarily because my oldest was singing.  It was a lessons and carols service.  If you’re not familiar, this consists of a scripture reading followed by a song…generally a Christmas carol.  Number one son brought down the house at the Advent concert last week with his rendition of O Holy Night, and was asked to reprise it tonight as the last of the carols.  He doesn’t let me talk him up nearly enough, but he was really in fine voice tonight…soaring even.  I’m still working on fine tuning my recording skills, but I thought I’d share a bit of our Christmas celebration nonetheless.

Play Me..

A very Merry Christmas to all who celebrate it and the happiest of days to everyone who doesn’t!

 

inter alia: Random goofiness that distracts me today

Distracts me in more than one way.  It’s been a kind of wild weekend on in real and blog life, and I find myself in need of a little diversion this afternoon, so I thought I’d share.

Diversion 1 is a recollection of another episode from “Sh$t my Family Says” conversation at dinner last night.  Because of an unfortunate shortfall of a single shape of pasta, Picky Eaters (husband and son who must have long spaghetti type pasta) were already finished eating and watching Forrest Gump in the livingroom.  Mini Me and I were in the diningroom eating a combination of 11-13 minute pastas (rigatoni & d’italini to be exact – it’s distracting already isn’t it?!).   When talk turns to movies the conversation evolves as follows:

Mini Me asks conversationally:  “Is there a movie named MILFs?”

I swallow and pause before answering as I hear husband say to son:  “Did she just say ‘Is there a movie named MILFs?'” followed by stereo baritone snickering as husband replies, “I think there a LOT of movies named MILF’s honey.”

Mini Me looks to me…I take the easy way out, shrug and say:  “Dad says ‘yes.'”  She must have been really tired because she let it go at that.

Diversion 2 – The KFC Spork…

who knew there was a Facebook page dedicated to it?

The spork has taken a new shape since I last visited the Colonel’s.  Is it just me, or does the spork now resemble a tiny shovel?!

There you go…diversions for a really grey, gloomy Monday in my part of the world.  Cheers!

 

It’s an honor to be nominated, so…

Thanks to KellyDS at Nowhere in Particular RA who has put me forward for a Liebster blogging award.  Ever pressed for time and looking for a short cut, I hit Google to find a handy cut and paste description and found instead at least five permutations of the award background and rules instead.  Hence my hasty parapharase….The Liebster Award is intended to foster awareness of a more blogs and encourages participants and readers to visit some that they may not have before.

There are also a variety of versions of the rules, but here they are as they exist within the version of the award for which I was nominated:

1. Thank the person who nominated you and link their blog into your post.
2. Answer 11 questions which you have been asked by the nominating blogger.
3. Nominate 5 to 11 other bloggers who have less than 1.000 followers.
4. Add a new list of 11 questions for the nominated bloggers.
5. Paste these rules into your post.
6. Make sure your nominees know about your post and their nomination.

My Responses to KellyDS’s questions:

1.) Is there a song that you like different versions, i.e. covers of?  which is your favorite?

I have a weakness for Leonard Cohens Hallelujah.  I like Bon Jovi’s cover a lot, but I think I’ll have to go with Jeff Buckley’s as my favorite.

2.) What is something you’re afraid of that you’d like to force yourself to face?

This will sound really stupid, but I have a sometimes paralyzing fear of birds.  I would like to be able to walk, without ducking and cringing, through and aviary with my kids.

3.)  What is your favorite footware of Richard’s?

Oh dear oh dear…so many to choose from.  I don’t know if he took them home, but I’m going with these:

From Glamour UK Shoot – emerged about this time last year

4.) What is your favorite photography subject to view? (flowers, buildings, etc. not RA 😀 )

I love architectural photography…especially derelict buildings in black and white.

Eastern State Penitentiary – Philadelphia
Source

5.) What is a habit of yours that you’d like to break?

Tearing my nails and cuticles when I’m bored or anxious…(apparently, that’s a pretty common habit 😉  )

6.) Have you ever had a dream about Richard Armitage? share a short summary

I had the sweetest dream featuring Richard Armitage.  I can’t remember all of the details, but in the part I recall vividly, Richard was wearing a big, floppy blue hat and pushing Zoe (the Muppet) on a merry go round in a park.  Both of them were smiling and laughing.  I actually posted about it a while ago….

7.) What was the first professional play/musical that you saw and how did it affect you?

My first thought that it was when I was in college, but then I remembered the summer that my aunt and uncle came and took my cousin and me to the American Players Theater in Spring Green.

Everything about this picture screams 1973…from my white go-go boots to my baby sister! (not to mention my dad‘s RED slacks!)

Being that I was not quite five at the time (photo above is about the right vintage), I remember that it was something Shakespearean and loving the beautiful, sumptuous costumes.  Sadly, unlike my cousin, who is an accomplished Shakespearean actor/director and drama teacher, the experience didn’t inspire me to a lifelong passion for The Bard.

8.) What has been your least favorite pet that you’ve owned and why?

A hairless albino rat named Abner.  Why?  A.   Hairless.   Albino.   RAT. 

9.) If you could insert yourself into a RA film as an original character, which would it be and how would you effect the outcome of the story?

This is a tough one…here goes:   I suppose it hasn’t gone unnoticed to anyone who has read my Porter AU fan fic that the main female character Lindsey has certain things in common with me…to that end, Porter remains an action hero but 1. doesn’t die a horrible death and 2.  finds a life with some balance between danger and domesticity.

10.) What is your favorite movie about classical mythology?

I have a love hate relationship with this genre…so much good material, such a consistent failture to execute 🙂  So, the film I love to hate the most….a festival of pure campy conflation:  The Clash of the Titans (1981)

11.) share a random Richard Armitage related confession

I would love to see how Richard Armitage occupies himself on a long haul flight…does he exchange pleasantries if there’s a stranger in the next seat?  Does he settle in and sleep the whole flight?  Read (digital or old school)?  Fidget?  etc….

Whew…this is taking longer than I expected (good thing I’m not on the clock!)  Given that I only occasionally dabble in the blogosphere outside of Armitageworld, the bloggers below are all in some way connected to it…and the nominees are;

RAndom Thoughts

ramblings of an autistic wordmith

Opera is Magic

The Armitage Effect

Now for the questions…here’s what came to mind:

1.  As an homage to my home state:  What is your favorite dairy product (or non dairy version for the lactose intolerant/vegan)

2.  Richard Armitage:  Beard, Stubble, Freshly Shaven???

3.  For the writers and readers…how do you take your fan fiction?  Sweet and fluffy, hot and spicy or all points in between?

4.  If you could live anywhere in the world (supporting yourself being a given) where would you choose?  Why?

5.  What is your favorite artistic genre (medium?)…Favorite piece therein?

6.  What film remake would you really love to see Richard Armitage star in?

7.  What’s your favorite way to spend an unexpected free day?

8.  Richard Armitage recently tweeted that eating (cheesy potato dish I can’t remember the name of at the moment) will change your life.  What is your life changing food?

9.  Beer, wine or “I never touch the stuff” ?

10.  What is your guiltiest guilty pleasure (outside of fandom…I’m not sure I want to classify that as a *guilty* pleasure 🙂  )

11.  What musical instruments do you play?  (Kazoo *is* an instrument!)

So there is your mission – if you choose to accept it – with absolutely no hard feelings if you’re just not that into it 🙂

Wisconsin…It’s America’s Dairyland Richard Armitage!

There have a been a slew of new pictures of Richard Armitage appearing with the worldwide release to The Hobbit:  The Battle of the Five Armies, and one of them just about did me in…not for the reasons you are probably thinking.  The first time I saw it was on my tiny 3″ x 2″ cell phone screen.  It looked a little something like this:

Wait a minute…what is that on his head???  I can’t quite make it out…

“Is that a cheesehead hat??” was my immediate thought.  You know, America’s Dairyland…foam hats in the shape of a wedge of oddly colored holey cheese?

Ohhhhh, I see, it’s a the capital of a column behind him…
Photo by Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times

Good Lord, that’s a relief!  But honestly…I had good reason…The resemblance is uncanny!

I’m only kinda sorry for this one…. 🙂

 

This bud’s for you…

This bouquet is for the wonderful Gratiana Lovelace and my elf on the street, M., who have so graciously taken over the implementation of the Chicago TBOTFA Fan Event since my schleprock life has made it impossible for me to attend.  Clicking on Grati’s name above will take you to the most up-to-date info on the event.

 

et alia: Again with this?!

As virtually everyone in Armitage world enters into Hobbit frenzy, I find myself in a kind of funk I’ve named Hobbit Hiatus as I grade like a madwoman to finish the fall semester by Friday.  In the midst, seeking a breather, I took a scroll through my RL Facebook feed….whoops, that was a mistake!

**What follows is an irritated rant that is in no way related to Richard Armitage and only tangentially related to the ancient world, so feel free to abandon ship now.

If, however, you’d like to hear about what is currently burning my buns…

^^^^THIS, or something very similar to it has appeared on my RLFB at least three times in the past few weeks and it’s really starting to frost me.  This is the kind of exclusionary arrogance of thought that gives Christians a bad name.  I’ve got nothing against Christians per se..regular readers will know that I consider myself among their ranks.  Heck, someone even turned a Christian pulpit over to me recently and no one ran out screaming “heretic at the helm!!,” but….

Sometimes I really wish that my fellow Christians would take a minute to learn a little something about the religion before they insist on imposing it on everyone…whether the imposee practices it or not.  For instance:

ONE: Virtually every culture on the planet holds some reverence for the winter solstice (December 21st-ish)…many have established a holiday to mark the event.  Christmas is not the only, or even the oldest of the holidays connected to the solstice

TWO:  Apparently little known fact among HTT (holier than thou) Christians asserting greeting exclusivity as a statement of faith:  Christianity has zero inherent connection to December 25th.  Nobody…that’s right, NOBODY, knows the precise date on which Jesus of Nazareth was born.  Not now, and not then.

In fact, for the first three hundred years of Christian development Christmas was nowhere to be found on the calendar and there was a great deal of resistance amongst the leadership to any sort of celebration marking Christ’s birth since that was considered dangerously close to pagan practice.

Any accurate record of the actual birthdate long lost, church officials argued back and forth until the 4th century BC when they landed on December 25th. In a time when Christianity was seeking to actively integrate with imperial Rome, it was a date that conveniently syncretized a Christian celebration to a Roman festival honoring Sol Invictus which was in turn connected to the solstice.

So much for any exclusive claim to December holiday greeting lingo rights!

FINALLY:  As long as a Christian holds G-d and Christ in his or her heart, the verbiage of the greeting is irrelevant.  It’s a quintessential “It’s the thought that counts” moment.

The next time I see one of these things I’m simply going to share this one in response:

Indeed.

 

 

End Rant…whew – I feel much better now!

Worldwide Screenings of The Crucible

Well, not quite world wide, but an extended number of big screens in various nations outside the British Isles will be showing Richard Armitage as John Proctor…

 

Excellent news for global fans!!