10/10/2009

A SURPRISING SATURDAY POSTING

1. A NEW WELCOME ACQUISITION


Surprise! Surprise! This morning  the postwoman didn't simply left our mail but called me outside to be sure   I received a parcel from the States. What was it ? The first book (thing) I have ever won in my life. I wrote about my winning a giveaway at Ms Lucy's blog, ENCHANTED BY JOSEPHINE, some time ago and, at last, Michelle Moran's CLEOPATRA'S DAUGHTER is on my bookshelf. I am so proud of it. It has a wonderful cover and came directly from Ms Moran, the author, with a dedication to me (!!!) on the first page. Great!


2. A NEW AWARD

Surprise, surprise, surprise! I was awarded the wonderful Great Look Award by Heather at GOFITA's PAGES. Thank you so such, Heather! It is the second award I receive from you! Thank you so much!  But, enthusiasm apart,  I must say that Heather is facing a problem in these days and has stopped blogging to take care of her baby boy who is in hospital. I wish her and her little son the best and send her a big hug. I'm sure everything will be ok very soon.

Now, to go back to this award,  Heather wrote  that it is meant to pat on the back the ones paying particular attention to their blog presentation.
I'm flattered,  but I'm not that satisfied with the look of my blog...So I'm glad to pass the award  along to bloggers who really have good-looking sites, in my opinion. God knows some of them look awesome! Of course none of them are pretty empty shells, so there’s no shame to mention how nice their blogs are!

HERE WE GO THEN:


Here are the rules:

1. Post the award on your blog, with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link.

2. Pass the award to 5 other blogs that your particularly like. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

3. RICHARD ARMITAGE' S LATEST INTERVIEW

Surprise, surprise, surprise, surprise! It is on line and it was such fun to read it. I've seen it on several blogs already,  so it is  no news, I know. I just wanted to mention it in my exceptionally- full -of -surprises Saturday posting.  Allison Pearson is a journalist and a writer who is also a great fan of  RA so ... her report is not at all objective or professional... but so amusing! I particularly loved some passages:

(1)"Is Richard Armitage a reluctant Love God? In truth, would this superb actor rather play Richard The Third at Stratford than have besotted women sending him chocolate underpants through the post?

On a warm, late-summer's day I was sent to south-east London, to the set of the new series of Spooks, to find out. Sorry, ladies, it's a tough job, but someone had to go it alone.


So, Mr Love God, how would you describe your own romantic history?


He laughs nervously. 'Er, sparse.'

Sparse? Oh, Richard.

'OK, frugal,' he tries again.


FRUGAL? That's even worse!


"Sparing. Cautious. Careful,' he says carefully. When he looks at me, those pale blue eyes are glinting with merriment.


Hell's bells, man. A sparing, frugal, careful romantic history. It's not very Sexiest Man on Two Legs, is it?

'No, it's just quite old-fashioned, that's all,' he says. 'I don't put it about. Never have. I'm a late developer in everything. I have a fast mind and fast metabolism, and I'm an intense worker, but in terms of life development I'm way behind.'

(2)"For this new series of Spooks, he has put some of the weight back on. He looks burnished and indecently handsome, although in his head he says he's still the geeky Richard that his mates got round to lay their laminate flooring when he was between acting jobs, which he was for so many years.

You know, I wonder if being a late starter isn't the key to Armitage's vast appeal. By the time we first clapped eyes on him as John Thornton, he was already a proper grown man, in sharp contrast to all those snub-nosed pretty boys who pass for movie stars these days. Richard Armitage reminds you of those calm, classic leading men of the 1940s and 1950s - the men with the depths below the still waters".

(3)"It can't be easy for this faintly old-fashioned Northern bloke to find he is male totty. Status based on good looks feels undeserved, and Armitage is big on needing to earn what you get. Some of the vanity of his profession makes him wince. For example, he has a horror of walking down the red carpet.

He says he took the Tube to his first film premiere and was amazed to come round the corner in Leicester Square wearing his tux and discover that you were supposed to arrive by car. "

I must have said it already somewhere here in my blog, Richard being himself is his  best performance to me. Not a hero, but a hard-working, modest, old-fashioned,  extremely charming good man. This interview just  confirms my idea of the man Richard.

You can  see and read a printed version of the interview HERE
or an online version HERE
A WONDERFUL  SATURDAY NIGHT TO YOU ALL!!!



9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Very interesting, Maria - thanks for posting this. I wish he would do another costume drama... Judy

Lucy said...

Your blog is so full of such interesting things! ...I'm really not surprised at all that you've been given this lovely award-Congratulations!! Thank you so much for awarding me too- that's so nice...and it's wonderful to know that I'm in such lovely company with the other fantastic blogs you've also awarded=)Thanks you!

And- I'm so glad you won the giveaway at my site for Cleopatra's Daughter- I just know you'll love this novel. Enjoy it and have a wonderful weekend- Oh and great interview as well!
Hugs, xoxo

Avalon said...

Congratulations. Looks like an interesting read.

Maria Grazia said...

@costumedramas
I'd like that too but I feel he doesn't really want to. He is turning to tougher roles and choosing drama less directed to a mainly female audience. But let's go on hoping!
@Ms Lucy
Thanks again for giving me the possibility of knowing Michelle Moran and her novels as well as that of winning this wonderful book. It's there on my bedside-table, ready to be read.
Of course, I'm convinced you deserve the award. A wonderful weekend. Hugs.
@Avalon
Welcome among us, A. and thanks for contributing! I'm sure I'll love this book. I hope to review it in this blog very soon.

Luciana said...

Oh, I'm so happy for you! The book finally arrived and you won another award! Congratulations! Also I finally found you on Twitter! The interview was really funny! The author is totally impartial, but that's exactly what makes it so amusing! Another plus is this gorgeous picture of RA that I've never seen before! Have a nice weekend!

Mulubinba said...

I sense he is a very hardworking but humble man that has a conscience and also values his privacy. I hope he doesn't head behind the camera too soon but this is the second interview in which he has mentioned that he envies people working off camera. I remember a crew member from Spooks series 7 saying he was quite shy when he first joined the cast but soon became a favourite. He sounds lovely to me .... not that I would ever meet him or if I did know what to say.....lol!

Maria Grazia said...

@Luciana
Hello there! Have you seen? It has been a Saturday full of surprises! I agree with you that this interview was really amusing and that this new picture of RA is absolutely gorgeous. I don't find Twitter so useful, but I use it from time to time to say something more here on Fly High. You'll find what I want to tell you in the widget on the right. Do you use it much? Have a very good Sunday!
@ Mulubinba
He sounds ... too good to be true to me! Actually, the man of my dreams, especially thinking of his personality . I believe he is like that, I read so many positive comments of people who worked with him,so he must be the lovely man we all can see. Just like you, I hope he doesn't disappear behind the scenes too soon. I think he is only already planning what to do if his acting career should offer him less. At the same time, it is another sign of how little interested he is in being under the spotlight. So why did he decide to be an actor? This is the only incongruence I find in his relationship with his job. Not an easy one, it seems. A very good Sunday to you!

JaneGS said...

Congratulations on winning Cleopatra's Daughter (looking forward to reading this myself someday) and the award. I enjoy your blog so much--thanks for sharing what you enjoy.

With regards to RA, I just finished The Silent Woman and the whole time I had his reading of Ted Hughes letter to Aurelia Plath in my head. It was a definitive performance for me. Thanks again for that!

Maria Grazia said...

@JaneGS
"The silent Woman"? I'll go and read your post ,then! It sounds like something I MUST read. Thanks for being so kind, Jane! Hugs.