Good Egg / Bad Egg

Start with a RAw egg

I've been hunting for Easter egg treats for all of us Richard Armitage fans.  Now, we all have our favourite characters -- but some of them are much nicer than others.  I am partial to the good ones - like Harry Kennedy, John Standring, and John Thornton. So, because we shouldn't put all our eggs in one basket, I have divided them up between the good and the bad eggs.

What is your choice for best egg?

In North and South, it took Margaret Hale quite a while to realize than Mr. Thornton was not such a bad egg as she first supposed. The mini series had her encounter him in the cotton mill as he was beating a mill hand for smoking.  This was a very dangerous and foolish thing to do with flammable cotton fibres flying around in the air.  As Mr. Thornton later explained -- he had seen the results of a mill destroyed by a fire from someone smoking and the needless deaths it caused.

Mr. Thornton seemed like a bad egg to Margaret Hale

When she finally realized what a good man he really was - it was almost too late, as she feared she had lost favour in his eyes, and then she had to move back to London.  But, although he appeared to be a hard-boiled businessman Thornton really had a soft centre (much like a Cadbury cream egg)!  He tracked her down to London (in the book) or halfway between London and Milton in a train station (in the miniseries).  Either way, it was an EGGcellent ending!

Thornton's shell is finally cracked

Oh so sweet!

 Here is a collection of bad eggs.

 Clockwise from front left:  Guy of Gisborne, Lucas North a.k.a. John Bateman, John Mulligan, Bill Chatford, Heinz Kruger, Percy Courtney. 
(If you don't know who some of these characters are, check out the pictures at Richard Armitage Central Gallery.)

Probably you won't agree with all my choices.  For instance, it pained me to put Lucas in with the bad eggs, because he wasn't at first (well he was -- but he WASN'T)!  Oh dear, you see my dilemma?  Also I realize the Gisborne contingent will have a convincing argument why Guy does not belong in the bad egg category.  We all think the love of a good woman could have saved him.  Even though we know that doesn't really work in real life - but why not in a fantasy world?  

And the Good Eggs!

Clockwise from top left: Oh look! It's Lucas North again. You see?  Since he's a split personality, maybe he's really a good egg that got devilled!  Next to dear Lucas it's Claude Monet, then sweetie John Standring, then Thorin Oakenshield, Harry Kennedy, Alec Track, John Porter, John Thornton,  Ian Macalwain.

Doesn't he look wonderful 
all dressed up for a special occasion?

Those who follow in the fandom know that 
Richard Armitage is himself a very good egg.

Who are some of the characters I have missed?

Elton John fanvids

Elton John was my first real musical love.  I still love his music just as much today. Since it was his birthday today yesterday,  I have found a few songs made into fanvids starring various characters portrayed by my fave actor - Richard Armitage.

This first video was my favourite Elton John song for a very long time.  Usually I don't like it when someone else covers a favourite song.  I didn't like Ewan McGregor's version in the movie Moulin Rouge.  In fact, it was the straw that broke the camel's back for me.  I turned it off and refused to watch any more of that movie.   But when I heard this singer's version of the song, I changed my mind.  It is so different, it is almost like a new song.  Of course it works much better with a female voice in this fanvid. 

Your Song - Richard Armitage Multi-role video by angieklong

song performed by Ellie Goulding

This next fanvid is by a Spanish vidder and it looks like it was made as a birthday present for someone.  What a sweet gift!  The song has no words but its title is very fitting for Guy of Gisborne.

Song for Guy / by cuatrobesos

I am very fond of this next video as it fits so well with Lucas North's character in Spooks/MI5. 

I Want Love / by ialmajacobus

I hope I can find more RA fanvids to Elton John songs some day.  

If you know of any more, please let me know!

My Third Blogiversary

March 19th was the anniversary of my third year of this blog.  I am sorry I haven't been as prompt in posting this year as I was last year.  I can't seem to get my energy level up and I have been struggling with this all winter.  The calendar says its spring now -- but it doesn't fool me!  There are no signs of anything spring like where I am.  So I need to think warm thoughts and of course when I do I think of you-know-who!

So in honour of my 3 years in blogging, I created this little triptych of Richard Armitage. 

(Thanks to piZap.com)  It is also a public service announcement.  Save yourself ladies!

I also crave sweet things when I am cold and feeling down, but who can blame me if I have a piece of my own cake?!

Here is another threesome I like to call the three faces of Lucas North.

I still have lots of reading to do, to catch up with all the great posts and new blogs that were featured in the last FanstRAvaganza.  Thank you very much to all who have visited my little home on the web.  The door is always open here and I appreciate your company.

Pick up the phone!

Why hello there!  Thank you for calling.

This is one of my usual sorts of posts, combining my love of music and popular culture with my current obsession fascination with actor Richard Armitage.  New visitors just here for RA stuff can scroll down to the end of the post where I finally get around to mentioning the real reason you are here...

My love of songs about phones goes way back... All the way back to a Warner Brothers cartoon that we got to watch in movie theatres before the main feature (back in the day before advertisements took over).  Later on it showed up on television on the Bugs Bunny Show, but there's no bunny in it.  Just a very unusual frog.  A singing frog!

I used to sing this song like crazy when I was a kid!

The next video was brand new to me, but apparently was a hit in 2009.
It is by a Canadian band from Toronto, Ontario.
It's very catchy, and has been remixed for dancing but I prefer the original version.
See what I learn when I do these posts?

Pick up the Phone / Dragonette

Phylly's Favourite Phone songs:

My all-time fave!

Operator/ Jim Croce

My second-most fave!

Brings back my teen years! It hit #1 in Canada in 1976.  I used to hang out in a local restaurant and get my friend, who was waitressing there to play this song over and over and over...

Telephone Line / ELO

Other Faves:

This song is such a classic and brings back my childhood.  I just noticed that it has been covered quite nicely by R.E.M. but Campbell's version still does it for me

Witchita Lineman / Glen Campbell

Call Me / Blondie

Now, this song brings back memories of viewing Richard Gere's full frontal in American Gigolo. I sat through that movie twice so I could catch another glimpse!  But Blondie's music really can stand on its own.  She was a fabulous singer with an original sound that was captivating!

Sylvia's Mother / Dr. Hook
This song is so pathetic it is almost funny.  But I love it very much.  It is great fun to sing!

I have to give the RA fandom credit for introducing me to Lady Gaga. I hadn't heard of her until I started watching fanvids back in 2009.  There are at least two RA fanvids to her song Telephone.  One I have already featured on my blog in my fanvid tribute to La Gaga.  Here is the other one:

Telephone- Lady Gaga (Lucas fanvid) by  Behind Blue Eyes - mixed Armitage roles

Many fans of Richard Armitage have noticed his characters seem to spend quite a bit of time on the phone.  In fact someone has devoted a whole blog to just this theme!

Richard Armitage on the Phone - Tumblr

Here is RA fan blogger / graphic artist and fanvidder Bccmee's contribution to this theme which she featured on her blog awhile ago:

Please follow this link to her blog post: 

http://fanvideos.wordpress.com/2012/06/16/lucas-north-vs-john-porter/

I love it when a fan turns one of his commercial voice-overs into a video!

Richard Armitage reads 02 Offer ("Better Connected") advert / by NotEvenAnOuch

Oh yes!  Before I forget... Check out this page at Richard Armitage Central for 
Richard Armitage's voice on a Ringtone!
RAC RA Ringtones

I've got to try one of those!

One more song I just love to sing is
I just called to say I Love You /  by Stevie Wonder
I can't help it! I love this song right down to the "cha-cha-cha"!

So I couldn't help myself... I had to make this video.  (Please forgive me!)

If the sound doesn't work - try this link: http://vimeo.com/61946623

Do you have any favourite songs about telephones?
And... which ringtone would you prefer?

This has been my second contribution to FanstRA 4. Please click on the banner above to be directed to the Hub page where you will find many more contributors this year. 
If you are interested in any of my previous FanstRA posts
you can click on the category FanstRAvaganza in my tag cloud listed under Favourite Things.

Meet Another Canadian Fan... my friend Tyme4t!

Tyme4t has been one of my most faithful commenters since I started blogging back in 2010.  I've often thought we seem to have a lot in common -- besides our mutual admiration for Richard Armitage.  I really didn't know much about her other than she was also Canadian.  I knew she lived in Halifax, Nova Scotia -- too far away to visit (as she is on the east coast of Canada and I am located near the middle).  So I decided if I wanted to find out more about her - I had better ask her!

Welcome to Phylly's Faves Tyme4t!  Thanks so much for agreeing to this guest post. Tell us something about  yourself...

I am a proud Canadian, born and raised and currently living in Nova Scotia. I have a University Degree in Political Science and College Degree in Public Relations, and am currently working as a Customer Service Supervisor, I am single, never married (but still hoping Prince RA I mean Prince Charming comes along). And I have a wonderful family - I love spoiling nieces and nephews.  My other loves are: Bruce Springsteen! -- I have seen him in concert 3 times! ; reading ; the beach -- especially in autumn and spring! ; learning about other cultures and countries.

A favourite place... the view from her parents' cabin

 Please tell us how you became a fan of Richard Armitage.

It began as a comment from a roommate:
"Hey! That's the new hottie spy on [spooks]!"

Looking at her bewildered I replied - "What's [spooks]?"

"It's a British spy drama called MI-5 here and every few years they get a new good looking guy in the lead. That guy playing the vicar's date is the newest one."

Richard Armitage in The Vicar of Dibley

Although I first saw Richard Armitage on Vicar of Dibley, it was MI-5 that I crossed over to the "fangurl" dimension! And really it was my developing obsession with MI-5 that lead me to so many of the great blogs and new friends.

Up until finding MI-5, I was never one to go to YouTube or visit a fan forum. I just didn't "get" why people would join or become involved in those things. But because both RA and MI-5 were in Britain...and I am in Canada...the internet became an essential link to finding out more about both.

First I tried YouTube....typed in Richard Armitage - the first video that popped up was Nat's Stick Figure Richard!! I loved it! and then I did a brave thing...I clicked on the link to her blog! From then on...I was hooked. I discovered other fans, blogs, sites, forums I could check out. Heavens above...there were a LOT of them and so varied. 

Richard Armitage and Rupert Penry-Jones in Spooks/MI-5 series 7
Then I stumbled upon the [spooks] forum. I lurked around for a bit and then decided to join. For me that was it....I found soooooo many people hooked and loving MI-5 as much as I did. My roommate although a fan, was not ADDICTED as I was. Now I had discovered a community of people who, even though we may have differing opinions, understood the obsession. My favourite part of the forum was becoming friends with people from around the world who were having fun like me discussing episodes as well as trying to stump each other with quotes; ogling gorgeous pictures/graphics of the various actors and suggesting other tv programs/movies that members may enjoy. From this forum I made friends from Britain, Germany, Brazil, Spain, the US and met other Canadians which I keep in touch with in other ways now.

I was (and still am) amazed at the creative people who do the graphics, banners, art, fanfic, blogs, etc with Richard Armitage as one of their muses. I always have fun with doing captions or funny poems like limericks or Haikus. I have been asked in the past if I was going to start blogging. I have considered it but I don't think it's for me. So I tend to be the one who drops by and makes a comment or a funny observation. But never say never.....

So who and what other movies/programs did I discover because of my RAddiction?

These actors: 

Matthew Macfadyen - (visit Darcylicious everyday) ; Rupert Penry-Jones ; Peter Firth ; Hermoine Norris ; Nicola Walker ; Danny Oyelowo ; Keeley Hawes ; Trevor Eve ; James Nesbitt ; Martin Freeman ; Benedict Cumberbatch.


And these shows:

Robin Hood ; North and South ; Cranford ; Wives and Daughters ; The Impressionists ; Shakespeare Re-told ; Life on Mars ; Ashes to Ashes ; Waking the Dead ; Clatterford ; Hu$tle ; Murdoch Mysteries ; Sherlock ; The Hobbit ; Ripper Street

Of course there are way too many to list here but the above is a small sample. I have re-discovered my love of Victorian novels and period piece dramas, at the same time as increasing my love of spy and mystery genre. In a strange way, this "obsession" with RA and MI-5 has also led me to more Canadian novelists, TV shows and movies, as I seek out new-to-me entertainment. 
Our mutual "muse" on his Toronto visit
I no longer have that roommate (insert silent thank you prayer)...So thank you Harry Kennedy with your stripey sweaters and glasses! You lead me to MI-5 and soooooo many other amazing shows and actors. But most importantly you lead me to new friends, new art, new points of view, new communities, new ideas.

Thanks to Phylly for asking me to be a part of her blog - I am truly honoured.

I am so happy that Tyme4t agreed to this guest post. This introduction made me think of even more questions to ask you! I hope you will answer any questions in the comments below. Thanks for contributing to FanstRA4!

Click on image to go to the main FanstRA site

It's that time again!

Thanks so much to Traxy@The Squeee blog for organizing this year's FanstRAvaganza.  Also thanks to Angelfish69 for the lovely banners.  This year there are 30 participants!  Some bloggers may post daily and others may only do one post, but all of the posts will be collected on a special website for FanstRA 4.  Please check it regularly so you won't miss any posts!


I will be posting twice this week - on Tuesday and Saturday, so until then -- Have fun blog hopping!

Gone to better Stompin' grounds

Today Canada has lost one of its best promoters.  Stompin' Tom Connors passed away at the age of 77 years.  Growing up as I did, in the 1960s and '70s in Canada, you couldn't miss hearing one of Stompin' Tom's songs.  He was everywhere.  Stomping his foot in time with his music about anything and everything to do with Canada.  Whether you liked his music or not - you couldn't help singing along.  Every Canadian could relate to at least one of his songs. And no wonder -- he is credited with writing about 300 of them!  He sang about our history and traditions, our sports, our transportation, our work life and our time off.

He was proud of our country and not afraid to show it.  He made us proud too.  Thank you Tom, we will miss you.

As a teenager I never would have admitted to liking Stompin' Tom's music.  It would have been too embarrassing. I had never been a fan of country music, and he certainly didn't sound like anybody else who was popular on the radio.  But I couldn't help myself.  He was infectious!  So even if we were making fun of him, we were still enjoying ourselves and appreciating him in spite of ourselves.

I was particularly impressed with his song "Sudbury Saturday Night".   Anybody that would make up a song about the northern Ontario nickel mining town Sudbury was okay in my book! I loved his lyrical phrasing such as:

"The girls are out to Bingo as the boys are getting stinko, And we think no more of Inco on a Sudbury Saturday night."

(Inco was, and still is, a nickel mining company that is the main employer in Sudbury).  Being from a mining town myself, I could certainly relate to these lyrics!  Getting "stinko" (or drunk) has always been a popular thing to do on a Saturday night, especially in a mining town.  But not only that, I still think it is a very clever rhyme.

I found this wonderful concert of Stompin' Tom singing Live at the Horseshoe Tavern, thanks to the person who uploaded it today. It's a bit long, but the first song is Sudbury Saturday Night and the last one is My Stompin' Grounds, so if that is all you have time to listen to, those two will give you a great idea of what he is about. I found myself smiling all the way through it.

In this next video he explains to the interviewer how he came to be called "Stompin'" Tom.

He may not have lived to 100 as he hoped, but his songs and his memory will live on much longer in the great big crazy mishmash we like to call Canadian culture.