Two Richard Armitage headcanons, or: Things we negotiate via behind the scenes emails
1: It looks a lot like Standring hair, was that not his?
2: re: Standring, I think we don’t know / have definite evidence. For me a lot of this was shaped by Guy of Gisborne, who clearly had hair extensions. Also Sarah Smart had hair extensions in Sparkhouse (she referred to it in the press pack).
1: I just imagined him sitting in a salon getting extensions for Guy … somehow, I see him as pretty fidgety. Especially in a salon, for hours, with lots of women or I suppose they could have done it on set. I wonder why I’m wondering about this? Dang him.
2: Oh, I know. All the things you end up wondering about him. Wet razor or electric? What kind of moisturizer? What size bed?
1: Minimum king … MINIMUM. Has to be. How could he sleep otherwise? Is a he cuddler or give me my space guy? Socks to bed or not? Up and at ’em or slow to wake? Soap or cologne?
[pause]
1: Please stop me.
2: Very big bed. Duvet, sleeps with his feet sticking out in the open. Not a cuddler. No socks. Boxers. Possibly a t-shirt. Slow to wake. Soap.
[pause]
2: Stumbles to bathroom. Bathroom is a bit dirty except when he knows company is coming. Not a morning showerer. Comb, hair wax / product. Doesn’t spend a lot of time on morning hygiene b/c he’ll just have to get made up anyway.
1: Right side or left?
2: What do you think?
1: Left.
2: OK, I agree. But if sleeping alone ends up in the middle. Active sleeper.
1: Don’t we all? Falls asleep reading, snores (lightly), not a sleep talker.
2: Flails with arms.
1: OUCH! Doesn’t like tight pants, curses stylist every time he see something that looks like leather trousers, wears it anyway. Keeps wine chiller in bedroom in NYC apt because it won’t fit in kitchen. Keeps a goblet on his night stand, rinses it in the bathroom. Only has Coke in fridge, choc ice cream in freezer. Looked at Thorin fan art on Tumblr, hasn’t recovered yet. Personal favorite character he’s played … Lee …. wishes he was more of a user. Prefers waxing. You are so better at this than me.
2: No, you are good! I think he likes leather trousers. Agree re: wine and goblet next to bed. Also agree strongly re: wishes he could be more aggressive, assertive, exploitative AND re: waxing. Now let’s see. Likes to read but not compulsively, prefers relatively middle to high-brow reading with lots of imagery, or high fantasy, to any kind of trash or action novel. Disliked first reading of Strike Back way more than he will ever say in public. Less adventurous personally than he is physically; goes on benders occasionally, but feels serious remorse every time. Worries about what he eats / how he looks and wishes he didn’t. Admires heroes, but not super masculine, violent men.
1: I like him in leather trousers … but that’s gotta bind? Hmmm, agree agree agree with all of that. Solitary when not filming, talks to himself when home alone, sings in the shower (that makes the mouth water a bit), eats snacks in bed, doesn’t have TV in bedroom, does have one in kitchen, has a guest room that rarely gets used (London). Hasn’t yet bought his French alp ski lodge, will buy one in Utah instead.
2: He said once that he wore leather trousers long after they were out of style, in the 90s. Also said in 2012 that he doesn’t sing in the shower. Yes, solitary when not filming, likes to go out with friends IF he can do something like drinking / dancing that doesn’t make a lot of personal demands on him. Agree re: TV. Apartment is messy, so he can’t have just a one night stand with anyone he wants to come back. Is a good friend, but intense, episodic, doesn’t just hang around; however, will show up to do something for you if you ask. Is a bit tense about how much he drinks / likes to drink, but enjoys the release / euphoria / liberation of a buzz. Has tried rave drugs but does not use currently b/c too hard on the workaholic’s body. Foodie, but not a picky eater at all. Frequently hungry / eats a lot. Agree re: eating in bed. London place is sublet or sold, b/c his young adult life let him to be very worried about money. He was either almost homeless once due to professional or relationship problems, or knows people who were. Has very little good kitchen equipment but one pretty decent knife. Eats / cooks in ways to let dishes pile up without attracting pests because he hates washing them / getting his hands wet. Lets mail pile up; begs his mom to read it. Lets dirty exercise clothes pile up; notices body smells but doesn’t mind them too much. Very silly sense of humor when you get to know him and he trusts you.
1: Agree, re: friends / drinking / dancing without personal demand but afraid those days are rapidly coming to an end. Yes, good friend, willing to help. Yes, enjoys drinking, finds it difficult to do in public because of desire to keep tight hold on private life, cannot allow himself free reign. Re: drugs, he was the right age in the 90s. Yes, worries about money … if pressed couldn’t name a number that would end his worry. Easily engaged in conversation, especially with glass of wine and quiet corner, not so good at introducing / carrying said conversation. Bit more innate ability to read people’s faces / body language than the average person. Has hammered left thumb more than three times. Secretly relieved when people actually show up to something he’s doing / made. Patiently waits his turn when in queue. Would consider trading sexual favors with someone who could keep him supplied with fresh, wood-fired, brick oven-baked bread. Mmm, crusty on the outside, flaky on the inside. Prefers sourdough.
2: Speaking of bread …
I so enjoyed this!
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Ms Mel said this on October 11, 2013 at 4:03 am |
🙂 I think a lot of conversations like this go on, lol
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Servetus said this on October 11, 2013 at 4:12 am |
Okay I’m just going to have to give all that some thought because it is all over the place and I’m not sure how much I agree or disagree there. A lot of questions that could be asked of the man but probably would be considered too private though truthfully many aren’t all that private. I’d say electric shaver by the way, that much stuck out for me, man’s just not the razor blade type to me. More later….
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Peggy Kincaid said this on October 11, 2013 at 4:04 am |
he actually stated his razor blade preference in 2006 (wet), but he may have changed his mind since then.
But the point of this is kind of that it *is* all over the place. I don’t know how much you know about fanfic, but “headcanon” is the list of things that a fan adds to a story that aren’t inherent to the story or written down or recorded somewhere.
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Servetus said this on October 11, 2013 at 4:07 am |
It is all over but you know it is simply fascinating too. Okay so see I already am wrong about the shaving. Wonder if he still has time to shave the old fashioned way but then again how often are we now seeing him with the beard or stubble. I love this stuff. See you have all this information to add in that could be or might be or that has occurred to you and of course it just keeps rolling along as you go because as you say one thing another comes in to keep it going…. How do we choose the side of bed to sleep on? I go both ways myself but in a full size bed you could end up in the middle. Likes wine, keeps at least one bottle in the fridge I’d say, definitely a foodie but watches the weight. Okay I’m stumped on the personal demands part of dancing and drinking, must be my age. We seem to think he loves dancing and such from his early days but wonder if that is something past now, likes parties but prefers others start conversation not him, still worries about money, being an actor is like that for most, one reason willing to do any photoshoot, audio, ad, etc., good reader, enjoys research a lot, wishes he were more adventurous and I’d say he does like reading about such people
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Peggy Kincaid said this on October 11, 2013 at 4:19 am |
just that if you go dancing and dance a lot, you don’t necessarily have to talk.
yeah … you get in a conversation with someone and you toss out all these possibilities about your picture of the guy …
Enjoys research: yes. Particularly into the lives of people who are dramatically unlike him.
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Servetus said this on October 11, 2013 at 4:21 am |
Lots of fun to read. 😉 Re the bed, my husband is a couple of inches shorter than RA and every time we visit relatives and have to share a standard double bed, the poor man almost hangs off of it at the foot. I forget the difference between a standard and queen (all our beds are queens). Surely RA does have a nice big bed whenever possible–for whatever activities. *giggle* Now, back to getting ready for our out-of-town trip for the bar mitzvah this weekend. 😀
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fedoralady said this on October 11, 2013 at 5:06 am |
yes, and I think bed and not futon.
Siman tov u’mazel tov u’mazel tov v’siman tov … !
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Servetus said this on October 11, 2013 at 5:52 am |
Yes, a big man who works (and sometimes plays) as hard as Richard needs to get his proper rest and no flimsy futon is going to do it. L’chaim!
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fedoralady said this on October 11, 2013 at 6:01 am |
Fun speculation. The mind boggles. Kindle or paperback? Rockies or Sierras? Blondes or brunettes? Clear or sparkling? Paper or plastic? Your
place or mine?
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Kathy Jones said this on October 11, 2013 at 5:49 am |
guessing: paperback, Sierras, blondes, sparkling, either.
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Servetus said this on October 11, 2013 at 5:51 am |
Bah humbug, Sierras….Rockies I say…skier, remember! Rocky Mountains, all. the. way.
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CarlyQ said this on October 11, 2013 at 6:05 am |
Sierras are great for skiing, and super close to LA if he has to be there in the winter, hour away (by private jet) and awesome verticals, dude. With all due respect to the fabulous Rockies, of course.
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Kathy Jones said this on October 11, 2013 at 8:26 am |
private jet? No way! 🙂 ( Remember, he has ONE watch,Kathy! He is stingy 😉 )
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Joanna said this on October 11, 2013 at 1:17 pm |
You knockin’ the Rocks? Thems fightin’ words. I was born and raised in the Rocky Mountains… LOL
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TheArkenstone said this on October 11, 2013 at 1:25 pm |
Oh, Rockies and Sierras, both are beautiful *sigh* ..at least from what I saw on Discovery and Travel Channel 😉
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Joanna said this on October 11, 2013 at 2:34 pm |
No worries there. I’ll fly him and his one watch on my private jet anytime. It’ll have to be the Rockies though for I hear Aspen has some awesome double black diamond trails…
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morrighansmuse said this on October 11, 2013 at 4:59 pm |
Excellent idea ! 🙂
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Joanna said this on October 11, 2013 at 6:12 pm |
I didn’t mean it would be his private jet. Someone would give him a ride on theirs, corporate or whatever. Oprah could help him out, although she doesn’t ski, perhaps plying him with hot toddies after a hard day on the slopes would make the flight back to LA go faster. Ummm, this scenario is verging slightly on fanficlet territory. Substitute corporate minion being rewarded by corportate boss with a day of skiing at Mammoth Mt., she boards jet and who else happens to be on board ? Mr. A? Snowy romantic shenanigans ensue. Works for me.
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Kathy Jones ensue said this on October 11, 2013 at 6:23 pm |
For me too 🙂 BTW,Is it permissible to joke about great Ophrah in this auditorium? 😉
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Joanna said this on October 11, 2013 at 9:52 pm |
sure.
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Servetus said this on October 11, 2013 at 9:54 pm |
I can’t :)..besides , it was Sarah Silverman’s joke, not mine 😉
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Joanna said this on October 11, 2013 at 10:52 pm |
I agree with Angie, that was fun to read. I can see this. I think I see where there might be one exception – I’d think he’d showers in the mornings right after a work out. And on set, I think he would shower just to wake up before going into make-up. The Hobbit was probably at least two showers a day, with the other at night to clean off make-up residue and excessive Dwarf everything.
Sadly, I think I could talk about Richard and showers all day, if you gave me a chance. You see now what you’ve done?! I’m already miserably worked up as it is.
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crystalchandlyre said this on October 11, 2013 at 5:59 am |
I have to disagree, sweetly! He’s said that when he’s home he can go about without a lot of effort towards personal hygiene (I’m paraphrasing!) and can you imagine how tedious two showers a day!!! I have to agree, one shower, at night before bed…even when filming the hobbit. Wakes up with coffee and fresh air..in my (pretty much worthless) opinion.
Though I make no judgment of your shower obsession, we all fixate on something.:)
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CarlyQ said this on October 11, 2013 at 6:10 am |
You know I omitted a sentence where I said I’d personally prefer he didn’t. (shower right after a workout, at least) I like for men to smell like men. A little soap behind that is fine. And I do remember reading that statement. Not to rankle anyone, but I have a theory that he is not truly the “slovenly boy” he paints. But on the whole, I was thinking practical. However, showering the night before would make the morning ritual go faster.
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crystalchandlyre said this on October 11, 2013 at 6:26 am |
these discussions are so fascinating … I’m laying my money on nighttime ablutions, bath.
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Servetus said this on October 11, 2013 at 6:28 am |
Oh now, you see there, you have me picturing that now!? *sniff* That’s was just wrong to do to me, my friend. 😦
😉
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crystalchandlyre said this on October 11, 2013 at 6:32 am |
ooh, sorry 😦
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Servetus said this on October 11, 2013 at 6:34 am |
Not serious. Not even a little. 🙂
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crystalchandlyre said this on October 11, 2013 at 6:51 am |
I like to imagine him having a nice soak, a glass of wine nearby, a good book . . . relaxing and unwinding after a hard day’s work. Actually, I just really like imagining the man and his ChaRActers wet. Lots of tub and shower scenes in my fanfic. *naughty grin*
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fedoralady said this on October 11, 2013 at 6:40 am |
Wet is good. Wet is always good…including sweaty wet.
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crystalchandlyre said this on October 11, 2013 at 6:52 am |
Agreed. And he LIKES being grubby and sweaty and dirty.
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fedoralady said this on October 11, 2013 at 7:02 am |
See, that works well for both of us then. 😉
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crystalchandlyre said this on October 11, 2013 at 7:15 am |
EX-ACTLY.
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fedoralady said this on October 11, 2013 at 7:24 am
I’ve never actually known a man who likes a good bath…never, in my entire life,met one.
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CarlyQ said this on October 11, 2013 at 8:00 am |
Me neither. Although they do seem to like hot tubs and jaboozies (aka jacuzzies).
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Kathy Jones said this on October 11, 2013 at 8:17 am |
I agree. There are too many other things he can do to me during all that time sitting in the bath…oh, wait a minute, we’re talking about MY head canon, right?
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morrighansmuse said this on October 11, 2013 at 5:01 pm |
he described himself as taking a bath in the evening in a 2010 article. Of course, in your headcanon you’re not required to believe anything he says.
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Servetus said this on October 11, 2013 at 9:56 pm |
Or anything any of us say….though I know I’m right.
Shower at night.
Rocky mountains.
Reads while he soaks annoying morrighansmuse to hell and back. Even when he tries to include her by talking about Stiffs , that book they both read…perverts.
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CarlyQ said this on October 14, 2013 at 3:34 am |
LOL!
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Joanna said this on October 11, 2013 at 1:19 pm |
That kind of speculation is really fun, I agree – and made even more fun when you can bounce it off someone else. If I am really honest, I do not even want to have the truth corroborated by him. That would be one less topic to speculate about and to think up elaborate stories around. The whole mystery of it all is so delicious, the wondering and the guessing, and the possibilities of it all. Dreamboat, totally.
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guylty said this on October 11, 2013 at 10:11 am |
yes, build your own Richard Armitage …
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Servetus said this on October 11, 2013 at 9:57 pm |
Right or left side? Oh, you meant what side does he sleep on? Otherwise I would have said right.
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Perry said this on October 11, 2013 at 12:05 pm |
so glad to see someone else’s mind went there too 😉 *laughs*
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kelbel75 said this on October 11, 2013 at 12:52 pm |
yup.
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Perry said this on October 11, 2013 at 1:00 pm |
Likewise!
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chaifreak said this on October 11, 2013 at 1:13 pm |
same
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rashisama said this on October 11, 2013 at 3:09 pm |
LOL, yes 🙂
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antigone said this on October 12, 2013 at 12:48 am |
this was something we used to chat about a LOT back in the days of Armitageworld chat.
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Servetus said this on October 11, 2013 at 9:57 pm |
I can go with everything you say–except he is a manly man. When with a friend he sleeps on the side closest to the door–protective.
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TheArkenstone said this on October 11, 2013 at 12:54 pm |
there’s some theory about the more powerful person in the relationship sleeping on the left side, I believe.
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Servetus said this on October 11, 2013 at 9:58 pm |
This post has one fundamental flaw…..is too short 🙂
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Joanna said this on October 11, 2013 at 12:59 pm |
you never know, maybe there will be a sequel sometime.
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Servetus said this on October 11, 2013 at 9:58 pm |
Very funny. My speculations always end up with him snoring very lightly with a glass of red balanced precariously somewhere.
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chaifreak said this on October 11, 2013 at 1:17 pm |
😀 I’ve seen something like this , yesterday .
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Joanna said this on October 11, 2013 at 4:31 pm |
sweet 🙂
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Servetus said this on October 11, 2013 at 9:58 pm |
not really 🙂 ..esp. when I’m thinking about my carpet and splashes from red vine . He likes to watch films lying (dozing) on a carpet.
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Joanna said this on October 11, 2013 at 11:36 pm |
I feel like his guest room would be a storage room for his books,with several shelves he built himself.
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rashisama said this on October 11, 2013 at 3:11 pm |
I like that, too, putting that in my personal headcanon.
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Servetus said this on October 11, 2013 at 9:59 pm |
I’d say shower man, morning most likely, Sierras if in U.S. but Alps otherwise, nothing wrong with Rockies though, can envision second shower with company (wet being good mind you), agree not quite as slovenly as he would have us believe but like any guy not really that finicky either, Sadly I’d say brunettes, only blondes I’ve seen him with are in series never real life but maybe he just hides them well. He just has the one watch but hey it is a $10,000 watch afterall. Definitely no futon, likes his comfort. Likes company but doesn’t mind being on his own either, still he is a Leo but chose acting so he could play a being someone else.
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Peggy Kincaid said this on October 11, 2013 at 4:00 pm |
had a futon when he was younger, maybe?
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Servetus said this on October 11, 2013 at 9:59 pm |
He has a $10,000 watch ? Holy cow
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Cindy said this on October 12, 2013 at 12:05 am |
it was a prop he got from Spooks.
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Servetus said this on October 12, 2013 at 12:10 am |
I didn’t think he ‘d spend that much on a watch for himself
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Cindy said this on October 12, 2013 at 12:41 am |
This is getting very heavy… Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.
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TheArkenstone said this on October 12, 2013 at 2:13 am |
I’m not sure what’s heavy about this conversation (expensive watches? showers vs baths? Sierras vs Rockies?) but the enjoyment of picking something apart and thinking about what it means is a primary one for me 🙂
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Servetus said this on October 12, 2013 at 2:15 am |
It started to freak me out when someone was worried they weren’t a good person because they never had a pet…I sort of felt like we lost the fun part of the stream..JMHO
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TheArkenstone said this on October 12, 2013 at 3:29 am |
oh, that’s a different post. I see. That’s all about identity struggles, though. And the whole question of how people draw inferences.
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Servetus said this on October 12, 2013 at 3:30 am |
Giggles! Should I mention that I just bought some nice soft Vienna bread yesterday? Ha!
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Gratiana Lovelace said this on October 12, 2013 at 11:45 pm |
Oh no, that would make it much too heavy if someone believed that just because they’d never had a pet they weren’t good. That is silly. There are millions out there who probably never had a pet who are truly great people. They love animals but perhaps never had the chance to have one or even never wanted the responsibility of caring for one. It doesn’t make one bad. Loving animals is one aspect and having a pet is another. I agree one can lose the fun of the whole thing if it gets too deep and things aren’t really explained properly, too many languages as well.
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Peggy Kincaid said this on October 13, 2013 at 3:33 pm |
Everyone’s entitled to the fandom level that works for her — but I want to ask again, politely, that no one criticize any discussion on this blog for being “too deep.” It’s a type of fan policing that depresses me, I covered this several months ago. Every time I hear a discussion is “too deep,” I want to scream and/or quit blogging. Too deep for you — just read something else for a while. Thanks.
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Servetus said this on October 13, 2013 at 3:39 pm |
I’ve been mulling this post stream over since it appeared Friday, knowing something wasn’t sitting right with me but taking some time to figure it out.. For me, this crosses way over the line into private life that we can never know about and that is, frankly, none of our business. Its fine to do the speculation among friends in private, but I don’t believe it belongs in a public place.
Put yourself in the position of being a celebrity because of what you do for a living. You are a private person, and you give out what you are comfortable with giving out, trying hard to keep focus on your work and building your reputation based on that work, knowing because of that work there is interest in you as a person. Are the topics in this post what you would want to see discussed about yourself in the public domain?
I’ve been reading this and other RA forums for several months, before coming out of lurk mode last month, but I’m taking a break. I don’t think this is respectful of RA and his work. I know you may not agree with me, and I’m OK with that.
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gadfly said this on October 14, 2013 at 1:59 am |
Actually, Gadfly, lots of people in my RL speculate about what I do in private. It’s the consequence of having a public life. They also write mean things about my RL activities on websites, imagine that. Again, the consequence of leading a public life. So, although I’m not a movie star, I know what it’s like to read things I’d rather not read about myself on the web that make unpleasant speculations. Again: consequence of living a public life. And I haven’t even mentioned the many mean speculations that have been posted about my RL by fellow fans who don’t know much about it.
What’s annoying to me about your comment is not that you disagree with us — plenty of people do — but that your tone implies that none of us have ever bothered to ponder this question. Please see this post, if you think we haven’t had this out literally dozens of times. https://meandrichard.wordpress.com/2012/04/03/on-fantasizing-about-sexual-encounters-with-richard-armitage-or-policy-statement-re-future-nc-17-posts/
Meanwhile, for you: Different strokes for different folks, and you’re entitled to your fandom. I suggest you join one of the forums, which absolutely forbid this kind of speculative discussion about Armitage’s private life, and you might have a better time.
But I also have to insist that you *not* moralize to fans here. Every woman who comments here has spent a lot of time — in my case, years — thinking about what she does and why. Every one of us has a conscience which we are clear about following. You have yours, so you will hopefully understand that I have mine and others have theirs.
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Servetus said this on October 14, 2013 at 2:10 am |
[…] context-building is a major component of coming up with headcanon, something a lot of us do, the headcanon(s) we build about Armitage (via tropes) fascinate me. Who is Richard Armitage for […]
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A current Richard Armitage puzzle I’m pondering | Me + Richard Armitage said this on January 14, 2014 at 2:51 am |
[…] every genre of text addresses an issue in the same way. Some of these things can be approached via the development of headcanon about Armitage, and this is still one of my favorite things to do with fellow fans: chat about what Richard […]
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Generic convention, generic invention, or: RPF as biography by other means | Me + Richard Armitage said this on February 14, 2014 at 11:16 pm |
[…] more lighthearted? in what combinations?), though those can be fun discussions, as we try to build headcanon to fill in spaces that his own statements don’t or can’t. I assume we will still have […]
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Speaking for himself, or: Why I like Richard Armitage tweeting | Me + Richard Armitage said this on August 25, 2014 at 10:43 am |
[…] is another exercise in headcanon. We’ve done this before: headcanon on Richard Armitage as sleeper, and headcanon on what we’d fight about with […]
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Richard Armitage at the movies: How about some headcanon? | Me + Richard Armitage said this on May 29, 2016 at 3:38 am |