It’s that time again *insert fanfare*

Or not.  It’s the 4th Blogiversary of Ancient Armitage – I’m almost chagrined to say it out loud, because new visitors might wonder if there is any blogger on the premises lately.  Some days I wonder myself.  Recent events point to a day in the not too distant future where I may again have time, headspace and inspiration all at once, but until then, I thought I might share a highlight reel of the past four years.

1.  Post of recent interest…no small wonder given the recent classically inspired tweet
2. The most visited post of the past year where I spoke my mind about speaking my mind.
3. The All-Time most popular post …art history teacher of the world, I AM SO SORRY!
4. Favorite post title yet:

5. Favorite Holiday post 2014…15…16…for reasons

6.  Favorite ARTSY post.

7. Because THIS really should happen…

 

These are just a few – that struck me today.  If you have a favorite blast from the past, feel free to link it in the comments.  Thanks to everyone who has wandered by, read, commented and most of all stuck around – I hope you’ll hang around for more!

Καλώς Ορίσατε 2017

New year, new look here – after almost four years (eek!) – I thought I might change it up just a bit.  My last blog theme – Titan – fit the classical mold, and the new one – Quintus – is aptly classical as well.

What will the new year bring for Ancient Armitage?  Hard to say for sure, but coming attractions will definitely include an in depth study of Kallipygos, with both ancient and Armitage exemplars.  If rumors of an Armitage connection to a coming adaptation of the Sophoclean Oedipus cycle are true, I’ll definitely weigh in on that too.  I’d also like to revive some features like the “Kalos” and Virtutes Romanae posts this year.  Lots of room to explore!

I’ve recently been dabbling with some new culinary fun – Vietnamese summer rolls, spicy peanut sauce and…caramel corn (what can I say, I have eclectic tastes!)  I expect there’ll be a least a few food related posts.  Not to mention that I have one child preparing to graduate from high school while the other teeters on the edge of tweendom – life is a carnival (good thing there’s caramel corn!!)  

All that and more, coming soon – I hope you’ll read along 🙂

Vexatious Velleity

Blog introspection challenge question two:  “What is the significance of your blog’s name?”

Ancient Armitage?  Well, it’s not very complicated…beyond the obvious, I seem prone to a certain vexatious velleity, a trying tendency, a perhaps provoking proclivity for annoying alliteration:

Ancient Armitage it is!

FELICEM DIEM ANNIVERSARIUM MIHI Richard Armitage

That’s right – it’s my blogiversary….my SECOND blogiversary!!  

Before I go any further I want to say THANK YOU to each and every person who has ever passed through here…even the spammers!   I am always mildly surprised to look at my stats…“Well look at that – there are people who come here…and then come back for more!”  🙂  It is a highlight of my day to see new people wander in and look around, and especially to “talk” with friends I’ve made in this virtual world.

Two years, and I feel like I have only scratched the surface of things to talk about…I have yet to finish my tour through the Olympian Gods (I’ve been kind of dabbling with Poseidon lately…I wonder if there’s a water hazard coming up on Pilgrimage?)  I was looking over the Roman Virtues yesterday and realized there’s plenty more of those to cover.  Of course, once I solve my download issues, I will finally tackle the Sophocles-Armitage connection vis-à-vis The Crucible.  Things have definitely slowed down here lately as I’ve been trying to adjust to my new career situation.  With massive budget cuts looming, I imagine there will be angst on that front for some time.  All the more reason to spend more time here….budget cuts I can’t do much about…Richard Armitage and the Classical Tradition?  I’m all over that!

So, how to mark the 2nd Blogiversary?  I was thinking about it yesterday, and of course I clicked right over to the “Anniversary Gifts by Year” website to investigate.  Anniversary two is traditionally marked by gifts of the COTTON variety.  Hmmm…what sort of cotton mementos could I come up with?

An appropriately blog themed T-shirt?

Not a bad choice….could do it in a variety of fashion colors…

What else?  Linens maybe?

Hmmm – tempting…
Source

I thought about it…for about a minute.   I already have a king sized pillow that my husband refers to as my “boyfriend” – he’s a pretty good sport, but I’m guessing this might be slightly OTT even for him.

However…with some modification…

Perfect!
(Is there anything you can’t customize on the internet?)

I can see it now…my own line of Ancient Armitage cotton apparel and linens!

FELICEM DIEM ANNIVERSARIUM MIHI  😀

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!!