Blog Introspection Challenge | preoccupiedwitharmitage

Blog Introspection Challenge #13, 14, 15… Wrapped!

Posted on June 23, 2015 by jholland

Quick announcement before I whip out these last 3 questions… I’ll be travelling with Mom and Little Sister for the next week. Heading to Colorado for a wedding and some time with the extended family. Ready to take a break from this hot weather and enjoy the mountains! I’ll have my laptop, but don’t know how much time I’ll have for Richarding.

I’ll probably find some time. LOL.

13. What have you learned from blogging?

Um…. I’ve learned a few unexpected tricks, like making GIFs.

Does that count?

14. Your plans for your blogging future?

I plan to continue for as long as Richard Armitage interests me. So hopefully there will be my reactions to some of his upcoming projects, and maybe my reactions to some of the as-yet-unwatched older projects I have on my shelves. I’d like to do more creative writing. That means more spoofs, maybe write some chronicles of some of the funny, touching or interesting things that happen in my real life. The occasional limerick. Bear with me. LOL

15. Any blogging role models?

There are several bloggers I really admire, but no one I would exactly call a role model. We certainly have, in the Armitage blogging community, some fearless bloggers, some highly intellectual bloggers, some warm and funny bloggers… it’s all good. I’m glad to be a part of the community.

DONE!

Blog Introspection Challenge #12, Or How Blogging Made Me Sociable

Posted on June 16, 2015 by jholland

blog-intro-challenge

I haven’t posted since all the commotion surrounding Richard’s guest blog post at Cybersmile, though I did do quite a lot of reading, pondering, and commenting up until Saturday, when I remembered that the new season of Orange Is The New Black is out on Netflix, then I disappeared into the tourbillion of the women’s correctional facility for a few days, only re-emerging now that I’ve maniacally and furtively binge-watched 12 out of 13 episodes. Maniacally because I’m just addicted. Furtively because it’s entirely not kid-appropriate and I couldn’t have the offspring stumbling past and watching anything lurid over my shoulder. Yeah. So I’ll make this quick, since I really need to get back to Piper and the other ladies as soon as possible.

12. How – if at all – has blogging changed your life? Well, blogging hasn’t entirely changed my life. I do spend an awful lot of time on the internet, but I pretty much have done so in one way or another for about 15 years. Although I’ve never been associated with a fandom prior to the onset of my PreoccupationWithArmitage, I have been known to surf e-bay, lurk on book review sites, lurk in cephalopod forums, participate on Facebook and so on. However, starting my own blog has changed my life in one important way: I’ve de-lurked on other blogs, started commenting, and started online friendships with perfect strangers since starting the blog. This has been really fun in a lot of ways.

For years I’ve been the type of person to have just one or two or a few close friends, depending on whether it was primary school, high school, college or vet school. People I would meet and cement friendships with relatively quickly, and then hang out with sporadically but exclusively, rarely enjoying any kind of big gathering. And if I’m not with my one or two close friends, I am and always have been perfectly content to be by myself (or, more accurately, to hang with just my pets for company). In other words, I’ve been a bonafide hermit, first on my own, then Hubby came on the scene and we joined forces. Our friend Vince from the vet school years, who introduced us, used to refer to our place as “The Holland Compound” because even while newlyweds, we tended to be quite asocial, generally preferring to hole up at our place, rather than go to any social event or get-together. ~~We’re really quiet adept at making our excuses.~~

Anyway, all this to say that I really have started socializing a lot more since starting the blog. Yes, so I’m socializing online… but I can honestly say that since starting the blog, it almost feels like I have more “friends” online than I do in real life. Real life friends outside of work would require that we, like, leave our house (which we only like to do on one-on-one date nights). Online friends, though… that works for me! I can chat or comment sociably from the comfort of my space, and for as long as feels comfortable. So that’s how blogging has changed my life. I’m being sort of sociable!

Blog Introspection Challenge #8, 9, 10 and 11

Posted on June 9, 2015 by jholland

Well, it’s been an exciting several days, with the premiere of Hannibal last week, the appearance of the Urban and The Shed Crew trailer, and our first good look at Raymond De Merville.

These distRActions have resulted in a brief furlough from the 15 day Blog Introspection Challenge, but luckily I don’t think Guylty plans to flog anyone who gets behind. So it’s been a few days since my last Blog Introspection Post, but today is a Tuesday “Muse-Day” so I thought I’d knock out a few questions this morning before the afternoon gets busy.

[In case anyone is interested in joining this Challenge, which was originally initiated by Guylty a couple of weeks ago, the rules of are here.]

8. Which post was the most difficult to write?

This would have to be a relatively recent post about the loss of my clinic cat, Noobie. I couldn’t talk out loud about him, and I could hardly write about him without tearing up. But the process was definitely therapeutic, and many of you offered kind condolences and words of comfort. Thank you.

9. Which post do you regret writing?

There are a couple of posts I wrote where I may have come across as snarky, and usually these had to do with some piece of fandom drama or another. But I don’t really regret them.

10. What do you find most difficult/challenging about blogging?

There was a time, during and for quite a long while after my young love was hospitalized at Children’s Hospital for 5 days with his viral eyelid infection, that I wasn’t all that Preoccupied with Armitage, and the inevitable fandom brouhahas just irritated me. Sometimes real life just takes precedence, and that’s normal and healthy. And I think sometimes we’re forced to look at things that make us reflect on the troubles of others, and put the troubles in our own lives into perspective. Yes, my kid was sick and I was heartsick that he had to have all those IV catheter attempts and that his eye was swollen and blistering and painful… but you can believe I was still very thankful that my kid had a virus, and not lymphoma. That it was his eye, and not his lungs, or his kidney, or his heart. There was a Code Blue over the intercom system while I was there, and I knew that some child had just arrested, and I stroked my own child’s head and wept. That time period also changed my blogging, as prior to that it was almost all about Armitage. When it became challenging to write or care about Armitage, I wrote instead about some more personal issues, and I guess if you’ve followed this blog for a while, you’ll notice I go off topic quite a bit now.

11. Your favorite aspect about blogging?

I’ve always loved to write, and the blog gives me an outlet, and an audience, but with no set schedule or deadlines I need to adhere to. I can be as absurd or as serious as I want to be on any given post, or I can just post lovely pictures with very little writing at all, as the mood strikes. And needless to say, I truly enjoy the back and forth in the comments sections.

Blog Introspection Challenge #7 – The Most Commented Post

Posted on June 2, 2015 by jholland

Swisher Twinkle Stars, still a bedtime favorite for Mommy and Daughter alike. Though, our reasons differ somewhat…

Continuing the Blog Introspection Challenge issued by Guylty brings me to Question #7: Which post has the most comments?

The answer, at 59 comments (though probably half of those were mine), is my Swisher Armitage: A Man For All Ages post from October 2014. In this post, I shared how my daughter, aged 3 at the time, was a proud member of the Armitage Army: CBeebies Division, her startling reason for joining the fandom, and her reaction when it was suggested that her beloved “Swisher” (Richard) was the same “mean man” in the scowling poster of John Proctor in The Crucible.

KellyDS and Tree both re-blogged it, and apparently many readers enjoyed it. Jollytr said “I’m pretty sure my heart just exploded with happiness and twinkle stars” and Guylty hinted that she had all the materials necessary for a CBeebies shrine… maybe I need to see how such a shrine is to be commissioned, now that I know the importance of this post in my blog stats.

Swisher Twinkle Stars also accumulated the 2nd highest number of likes, at 20, behind Another Onion Article?, my spoof about Proctor’s Bare Chest in Act 2. That spoof garnered 22 likes and 50 comments, making it the second most-commented-upon post to date.

Blog Introspection Challenge 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6

Posted on June 1, 2015 by jholland

Well, we’re back from our water park adventure! (Sheesh… nothing like a vacation to stress you out… young love’s eye relapsed with one herpes blister but luckily a timely intervention with antiviral medication put a quick stop to it, and little sister slipped on the steps in the kiddie pool and split her chin open, requiring 3 stitches! We still had a blast though, with both kids requesting a return next weekend. LOL- nope!)

* * *

So I’m back to blogging Richard Armitage and re-commencing blogger omphaloskepsis as per Guylty’s directives.

Preoccupied. With Him.

2. The significance of your blog’s name:

I think it’s self-explanatory. I’m a bit preoccupied with Richard Armitage. I wanted the title of the blog to reflect my situation. =)

I guess every blogger has her little idiosyncracies.

3. What’s your (usual) blogging process?

Well, I generally just start typing whatever it is I have to say. I’ll compose words first, then usually find or create images to illustrate or entertain, and enter them to the left or right of the text, most often paying little attention to the original source of the image and failing to cite sources (bad blogger!) I sometimes like to go back and put a few phrases in bold, and I don’t know why I do that exactly and hope it doesn’t annoy the crap out of the audience. Then I preview the post, which is where I seem better able to catch any errors or typos I may have made. Most often I publish right after that, though a couple of times I’ve written something in advance and published it on a certain day, such as when I published our love story as a sort of tribute to Hubby on our 13 year anniversary.

4. What’s your favorite post?

The Russian Asset and Richard’s Fluffy Puff

OK, I’m going to have to give two. So for 2014 it was my super ridiculous dream when Richard Armitage (or was it Lucas North?) arrived at my vet office ready to adopt a dog. The dream was pretty fantastic and the write-up was both funny and popular, drawing a lot of fun comments. I have published several dreams and I assure you they were all real dreams that I have had, despite certain commentators nudging me to just make them up if they don’t come naturally. I’ve had a real dry spell lately and that’s too bad, but maybe we’ll have something frightful coming when Dolarhyde enters the subconscious arena. Not sure whether to hope for that or not. =)

I *think* this edit was by thranduilea. Makes me giggle every time.

For 2015 I would have to say it was my Nipplegate Spoof, which was also utterly ridiculous (seems to be a pattern here!) and has been viewed a laughable number of times by me, myself and I whenever I need a good chuckle. I think I’ve written three spoofs and enjoyed each of my absurdities more than the last. So as soon as a new spoof-worthy situation arises, I’m looking forward to more.

My most-clicked image. Can’t figure out why….

5. Which Post Got The Most Views?

This one’s easy, and not unlike Perry’s situation, it wasn’t anything that took a lot of effort on my part. It was when images of shirtless John Proctor hit social media, and I posted my edit of those photos in my Damn! Another Spontaneous Ovarian Combustion update. This post is easily the most viewed, ladies. Now, it may be in part to Servetus having re-blogged it, but the thing is, it gets views on a daily basis and it’s high enough in the google image search ratings that my blog almost got outed the day my surgery tech was showing me encouraging images during a real endurance challenge in the surgical suite. LOL.

Yep. This one continues to give. I won’t specify what.

6. Which post continues to give?

Well, if this question means which post brings the most traffic, it’s the Spontaneous Ovarian Combustion post above. If it means which post brings me the most pleasure, it’s probably my spoofs because like I said, I myself revisit those on a regular basis. I also enjoy my own Not Quite 100 Armitage images post, which provides a lot of eye-candy when I need a boost.

* * *

So there you have it. Knocked out several questions today and maybe caught up with a few of the other Armitage bloggers who have been participating. Thanks again, Guylty, for livening up the blogosphere and inspiring all of us to navel-gaze!

Blog Introspection Challenge 1- Blogging #RichardArmitage

Posted on May 29, 2015 by jholland

Recently, Guylty suggested we join her in a bout of blogging omphaloskepsis or navel–gazing in her 15 Day Blog Introspection Challenge and I loved the idea. Several Armitage bloggers have started the challenge, and I can’t wait to hear the answers to some of these questions.

Very quickly, I may be somewhat MIA for a couple of days. I have my laptop, so who knows… but we’re currently ensconced at a large indoor water park. Between the water slides, the wave pool, the lazy river and the 101 other treasure hunts and similar kid activities, we’ll see how much Armitage-time I really have. Kids are passed out after a long day of travel and a long evening of swimming, so here goes:

Question 1: What Made Me Start Blogging?

Well, I’d been heavily interested in Richard Armitage for about 6 months when I started the PreoccupiedWithArmitage blog last September. Brief overview goes something like this:

Pride and Prejudice glom… if you like P&P, you might like North and South… watch North and South on Netflix… develop immediate gut reaction within seconds of “Stephens!!”… Google Richard Armitage… glom Richard Armitage on Netflix… start lurking on Richard Armitage websites and blogs… start watching Richard Armitage interviews on YouTube… start glomming Richard Armitage fanvids…. start amassing Richard Armitage images… join Richard Armitage Central Forum… order large number of DVDs and region-free DVD player… join Armitage Army Forum… schedule a trip to London to watch The Crucible… return home full of “stuff to say”…

I saw Richard Armitage performing live at The Old Vic Theatre toward the end of The Crucible run, and the idea of becoming a blogger wasn’t anywhere on my radar prior to that experience. It wasn’t until I returned from London that I began to consider starting my own blog. However, once I get an idea, I often act on it within a matter of days. All summer I’d been reading every account I could find, and when I returned from London, I wanted join the discussion about The Crucible… to share my perspective on a performance that affected me deeply, and tell about my exciting trips to The Stage Door. =)

Servetus and other bloggers had actually offered to publish such accounts as guest posts, but having been a lurker, I was too shy! I thought instead that I would just start my own blog, and perhaps nobody would find it or read it, but it would be out there, and with all the interest and buzz about The Crucible, there was potential that it would be discovered by those interested in the topic, and perhaps there might even be a few comments or discussions that followed.

So I went through the process of setting up the blog on WordPress within a few days of returning from London. On September 10, on my lunch hour, I wrote my inaugural post. I found that I would now have my own WordPress ID, and I decided that maybe I might start commenting on the blogs I’d been lurking on, so I decided to “follow” those blogs. I did have some idea that if I started commenting, it might draw attention to my own blog, but I thought that would be a gradual process. I didn’t realize yet that following those blogs would get me immediately noticed by the bloggers themselves… I thought I’d have to comment first. LOL. Anyway, I was in for a surprise. I set up the blog, composed my first post, published it, followed several Armitage-related blogs, and then my lunch break was over, so I went off to see an appointment.

It’s a wonder my fellow bloggers didn’t say this after my Day 1 Identity Theft issues…. =)

When I came back to my desk, I experienced a shock that almost felt like a scare when there were already several followers and gracious comments of welcome. I had a little adrenaline rush. A little “OMG what have I done?” moment! Servetus had reblogged me! There were hundreds of views already. My fingers were shaking. And then as if that weren’t enough excitement, there was some kind of a glitch on my blog where all the commenters were called “jholland” and their avatars were all the avatar of Servetus! Guylty gently pointed out “Something is going wrong with your blog right now. All commentators are called jholland and except for my own avatar everyone else has Serv’s avatar. Unless my computer is experiencing some kind of incident” … oops! Here I didn’t think anyone would be anywhere near my blog yet, as I was still planning to gently ease into it by posting about The Crucible and commenting here and there. I had no idea why my blog was stealing identities and replacing avatars, and no idea how to fix it! (It was the WordPress theme I’d chosen… a brand new theme that I picked because I liked the look of it… but they had a few glitches to work out. Thankfully the theme developer was quick to respond with a fix for myself and other newbie bloggers who were baffled by our new blogs’ identity-thieving tendencies!)

So there you have it. I started blogging in order to cover The Crucible. I thought it was possible that my blog would end after I’d blurbed my impressions on that front, but knowing how much new material was coming, how much old material I had to catch up on, and how severe my PreoccupationWithArmitage really was, I hoped I’d eventually find some like-minded readers and carry on writing for however long it took to get Richard Armitage out of my system. That hasn’t happened yet, and doesn’t look like it’ll happen any time soon. =)