The Squeee

[ Source ] Happy St Patrick's Day! :) And "Happy FanstRA!", for the last time this year. I hope the week has been good both for readers and participants - it's certainly kept me busy! There have been so many great posts out there over the past week, I admit I haven't had a chance to go through them all yet. There are a few hours yet for those of you in the Americas, but FanstRA week officially ends in about half an hour from me writing this.

Episode 1 Here it is, the first edition of Ask Thorin , 3" Thorin's very own advice column. Without further ado, here's the man himself, answering your questions: Dear Thorin, I would like to ask Thorin if I can shampoo and condition his hair. /Collar City Brownstone

How would you react if you suddenly got a phone call from Peter Jackson's people, asking you to come out to New Zealand for a potential job offer? I was flown all the way to the other side of the world in order to play the part of Balin in The Hobbit . Despite the fact that they've already finished filming, aside from a few pick-up shots. And, crucially, despite me being a woman without acting experience . I was sitting in a theatre, or I suppose it was a studio set really, where Peter Jackson was going through things, and then he said "this is what I want you to do, Traxy". If I wanted the job, of course. He assured me accepting the job could lead to great things. I could become a kids editor!! My response to this was "kids? Meh", but if it was kids TV, why not?

FRIDAY After seeing both Wollaton Hall and central Nottingham, 3" Thorin went off to the local beer festival, despite it not being on until October. When I picked him up again to take the bus home, he was completely plastered and ended up vomiting on the pavement. Cheers for that, mate. For today, I thought I'd get him into nature, and where better to finish off our sightseeing trip than by visiting the renowned Sherwood Forest? Everyone who comes to visit us always end up getting carted up to Edwinstowe to see the Major Oak, and Thorin is certainly not going to be the exception!

THURSDAY On my mission to show 3" Thorin the sights of Nottingham, home of Guy of Gisborne, we have been to see Wollaton Hall, where Thorin suggested having some of the resident deer for lunch, and today, we've set the sights on the town itself. As my apparently too seldom used car decided to have very a flat battery, we had to take the bus in, something which 3" Thorin found very intriguing ... He thought it was a big, yellow dragon (is EVERYTHING a dragon to him?!) and we were transported in its oddly transparent belly. Just how do you explain the concept of modern public transport to a dwarf king from a fantasy world far, far away a long, long time ago?

WEDNESDAY So yesterday, 3" Thorin and I got talking about the lack of lonely mountains and dragons to slay around here, so I decided to take him on a tour of Nottingham, and letting him see the sights. Perhaps he would find something around here worth sticking around for, even if there's no treasure or glorious battles involved ... Here's how we got on!

TUESDAY Hello Thorin. Are you awake? I am always awake. Except when I'm sleeping, of course, but then I am still vigilant. One never knows when orcs might be on the prowl. If it's not orcs, then trolls, wolves and all manner of beasts that roam this land. What, like cats? Admittedly ... yes, fair enough, this version of Middle Earth is a little different than the one I'm usually accustomed to. Do you like it here? I was on my way to fulfil my destiny, slaying the dragon and reclaiming the Lonely Mountain for my people. Now I'm here , wherever "here" is, and I don't see any mountains, nor any dragons to slay. As far as I'm concerned, I have been taken hostage by powers far sillier than anticipated.

Welcome to FanstRAvaganza 4 here at The Squeee ! This week, I've invited a very special little friend - he's not 5 foot tall, in fact, he only measures about 3.5 inches. He calls himself Thorin Oakenshield. I call him 3" Thorin (Three Inch Thorin). For this week, there will be two kinds of posts: There is a lot of things you wish to get off your chest when you are the King Under the Mountain, and there are so many things you have seen over the years that you can offer simple yet profound advice to everyone else. This is what 3" Thorin is offering in Conversations with 3" Thorin .* This week will also see the introduction of Ask 3" Thorin feature, which is 3" Thorin's advice column that is meant to be a regular feature here even after the end of FanstRA4. Ask him a question, and he'll give you personal advice on whatever it is you want to know. It's 3" Thorin the agony aunt on Thursdays. To ask for 3" Thorin's advice

For three years, a bunch of bloggers have set aside a week in March to blog about Richard Armitage in an event we call FanstRAvaganza . For me, it normally works out as having an idea and then getting in completely over my head. So this year, true to form, I've gone in off the deep end and I haven't even brought a swimming cozzie. Because I said I'd organise it. Waaaahhh! If you're interested in taking part, feel free to fill out this form to let me know. Don't worry, it's not an RSVP or anything, it's just a way of expressing an interest, even if it might not appear that way. If you change your mind later and don't want to do it, it's fine, honest. It's just to give me a general idea of what people want of “F4“ and if it's going to attract 5, 50 or 500 people. 500 is a bit pie-in-the-sky, admittedly, but just in case. Better to be aware of that now than in mid-March.

Well, what a week! I haven't had much time to look at other posts, let alone respond to comments here, but that means that FanstRAvaganza 3 is far from over. While the actual event is over now, the posts are still there to read and to comment on, and that goes for all the participants, not just myself. Thank you all for stopping by and reading what I've had to say. I've tried to mix business-as-usual with FanstRAvaganza, which means a lot more work, but it's worth it. Big, humongous thanks to the organising crew behind this year's event, and amongst those, I'd like to give honourable mentions to Servetus , who has done the nigh impossible here and managed to herd cats organise bloggers, and to CDoart, for keeping track of all the posts . Thanks also to all fellow participants, old and new. You're all awesome, and it's going to be lots of fun catching up with everything in the weeks, and probably months, to come.

Today's Tag Teams: Last, but definitely not least! Freeform: Agzy shares with us her favorite Armitage paper doll • Ana Cris examines Lucas North's tattoos through Maori tattoo culture • Jas Rangoon premieres her new John Bateman fanvid • In fandom , jazzbaby1 thinks RA fandom is just groovy! • C.S. Winchester asks "naughty or nice?" in a picspam • Mrs. E.B. Darcy thinks about Armitage's future after TH to wrap up the Hobbit chain • Jo Ann offers the last King Richard Armitage post, on Richard III and the Tudors • In fanfic , Maria Grazia reviews and compares works by the authors she's interviewed • Gratiana Lovelace wraps up the event with a guest post by Melissa the Mouse! • Links to all FanstRA 3 posts appear here at the end of the event! This post is not inspired or based on anything in particular, but it's my last actual discussion topic of F3. I have had a thought for a while now, after reading in various online newspapers about

Today's Tag Teams: It's almost over, oh noes! In fandom , Phylly3 celebrates her second blogiversary! • Avalon considers her favorite fandom moments (includes interview with Jeannie Gisborne)! •  In the Hobbit chain, Antonia Romera compares trailers for An Unexpected Journey in three languages • CDoart 's the King Richard Armitage blogger, writing on the relevance of the character in times of questionable justice • In fanfic , Jo Ann finishes her story • fedoralady traces the evolution of her "sloth fic" series • In freeform , Gratiana Lovelace rescreens her Armitage birthday vid • Fabo casts Armitage in Hollywood musical remakes • C.S. Winchester takes on Armitage in period costumes from N&S and Miss Marie Lloyd • Links to all FanstRA 3 posts appear here at the end of each day. This post is inspired, but not exactly based on, Richard Armitage's character in The Inspector Lynley Mysteries: In Divine Proportion . I freely admit the reason

Today's Tag Teams: In the Hobbit chain , Mrs. E.B. Darcy projects what our hero may do in TH: There and Back Again • Ana Cris discusses a Maori ceremony Mr. Armitage witnessed in New Zealand's mountains • In King Richard Armitage , fitzg guestposts at judiang 's on non-Richard roles for Armitage in a Richard III project • In fanfic , Jas Rangoon continues  her modern N&S fic • Maria Grazia presents an interview with Cat Winchester and giveaway of her book, Northern Light • In freeform , fedoralady asks about our dream Armitage-narrated audiobooks • John Thornton wonders if anyone else could play him • Agzy discusses Heinz Kruger's sartorial choices -- and what's underneath them! • In fandom , jazzbaby1 maps Armitage in the Tommyverse • Links to all FanstRA 3 posts appear here at the end of each day. This post is inspired, but not exactly based on, Richard Armitage's character in Between the Sheets . Say what you want about Paul,

Today's Tag Teams: In King Richard Armitage , Servetus admits to (gasp!) stray thoughts while lecturing • In fanfic , Margaret Hale guestposts at John Thornton 's on why she loves him • Jo Ann continues her story • In freeform , Jas Rangoon jokes about potential reproductive partners for Mr. Armitage • Itsjsforme reveals another Guy of Gisborne PSA (still not safe for work!) • Gratiana Lovelace needs more help captioning "Whimsical Moments with Deadly Serious ChaRActers!" •  In fandom , IngeD3 focuses on Ricky Deeming • Fabo confesses her Richard Armitage eyelash fetish! • In the Hobbit , it's calories galore as Antonia Romera discusses fingerlicking at the Hobbit table • The Queen takes on Hobbit cakes • Links to all FanstRA 3 posts appear here at the end of each day. Can't believe we're half-way through already! This post is inspired, but not exactly based on, Richard Armitage's character in The Impressionists . A passion f

Today's Tag Teams: F3 brightens up "hump day"! In fanfic , Maria Grazia presents an interview with Trudy Brasure and giveaway of her book, A Heart for Milton • C.S. Winchester helps new authors get their feet wet writing fanfic • In freeform , ChrisB continues the alphabet with "B is for Beard(?)? • jazzbaby1 puts John Porter in the hands of Frank Spotnitz • Agzy outs Armitage characters as dog lovers • In fandom , fedoralady recommends the right tunes for your Armitage fanvid • Rose Gisborne describes her Armitage day •In the Hobbit , IngeD3 reveals the deeper meaning of the dwarfs' hoods • Ana Cris reflects on Armitage and Maori ceremony • In King Richard Armitage , Fabo offers some choices to play Anne Neville • Links to all FanstRA 3 posts appear here at the end of each day. This post is inspired, but not exactly based on, Richard Armitage's character in Marple: Ordeal by Innocence . Several ideas pop into my head when it comes to

Today's Tag Teams: In freeform : Melanie on why Harry Kennedy is the perfect man • Rose Gisborne on which colors look best on Richard Armitage • Itsjsforme unveils Guy of Gisborne's latest public service announcements (not safe for work!) • In fandom , Fabo on Richard Armitage's statements about fans •  Gratiana Lovelace requests help captioning in "I'm Too Sexy for My T-Shirt!" • The Hobbit chain goes creative with The Queen on Hobbit quilts • Mrs. E.B. Darcy on Hobbit action figures! • For King Richard Armitage , IngeD3 reviews the Michael Hicks biography of the fifteenth-century king • In fanfic , John Thornton on why he loves Margaret Hale • Jo Ann introduces us to a new Armitage character she knows we'll love • Links to all FanstRA 3 posts appear here at the end of each day. This post is inspired, but not exactly based on, Richard Armitage's character in The Golden Hour . One of the most enduring romantic fantasies is that of t

Today's Tag Teams: In the beginning, Richard Armitage made scores of fans -- and he keeps on making them! To kick off the fandom chain , Didion converts friends to Armitage love • Phylly3 reports on her fandom experiences • In t he Hobbit chain , Ana Cris writes on her recent film location visit • Mrs. E.B. Darcy speculates about what our hero will do in An Unexpected Journey (spoilers!) • King Richard Armitage chain begins with Maria Grazia on a film adaptation of Richard III • Beginning the fanfic chain , fedoralady explains fanfic's mainstream appeal • In the freeform chain , Fabo files an eyewitness report on Richard Armitage's visit to U.S. accent school • jazzbaby1 wonders "what were they thinking?" re: Lucas North's women • and ChrisB opens the Armitage Alphabet, with "A is for Action" • Links to all FanstRA 3 posts appear here at the end of each day. This post is inspired, but not exactly based on, Richard Armitage's ch

In less than six hours, this year's Richard Armitage FanstRAvaganza kicks off! Welcome blog readers and Richard Armitage fans, old and new! :) The Squeee has been participating since the beginning, and is one of the "core blogs" in F3: this year, we've got a team of core bloggers and a few different tag teams, where several blogs are a chain posting about one topic, but only one person does so per day. All my F3 posts will include links to the tag teamers, and the core bloggers can be found in the sidebar on the right, over there somewhere. -----> For those of you who don't particularly care (gasp!) about Richard Armitage, every weekday will still contain a review, as normal, posted around the normal time - between 8 and 9 in the morning GMT/UK time. All five productions do include Richard Armitage in the cast list though ... :P

Back in 2010, there was an idea for a fanblogging event, where the current Richard Armitage fanblogs would participate, highlighting Richard Armitage's work and/or his fans for a whole week, and this venture was named FanstRAvaganza. You might recall this: Then, in 2011, it was decided that the FanstRAvaganza, having been a big success and plenty of fun for everyone involved, should return, and return it did. With more participants than the year before.

The FanstRAvaganza here at The Squeee has officially ended. Only a week or so ago, but real life has been hectic recently. Have now finally launched the re-vamp of the company website, so at least that's no longer hanging over my head. Having been busy in real life is also why I haven't made as many posts for this FanstRAvaganza as I had planned and wanted to have written. The ones that were posted were mainly done beforehand, or at least started and then just finished off in the week. Still haven't written about Richard and his BMW, for instance, and every time I drive down the A52, I'm reminded of why I want to write it. But anyway, who says you need to save everything for the big event? I need to have some topics to write about in the year leading up to next year's FanstRAvaganza, right? :) Here's a list of all my F2 posts on the subject of Richard Armitage, in reverse chronological order: The End of the FanstRAvaganza Richard Armitage - A Most Charitab