The Locksley School of Visual Arts at the University of Milton North

[PhoenixRisingFromTheAshes]

Please come in and make yourself at home. All are welcome to join in our exhaustive and detailed daily research programmes. Areas of study include: The Cotton Industry in the Industrial Revolution; Robin Hood Studies (specialist subject Guy of Gisborne) as well as exhaustive study of the Creative Arts, Film and Media (with particular emphasis on Tolkein, the Armed Forces and National Security).

Would you like a glass of Chateau Gizzy?

HERE

The lyrics are pretty meaningful, too, Maud.

Emotion recollected in tranquility, and all that.

Better pic of Richard

It's late, so .

Goodnight everyone.

OMG

Night Maud, sweet beardy dreams!

Wow - what a find!!

VIDEO ON YOUTUBE!!!!

::Looks back at you::

Very pleasing beard display there, Phoenix, accentuated by the backlit twiglet.

You are quite right, Massive, as always, about emotion recollected in tranquility. I like to think that Girls Aloud were inspired by Wordsworth.

It's too short - no Richard speaking!!!

::Looks back again::

Delightful picture, Massive. Am loving the multicoloured reflections in the hair.

Did you do the zoom thing, Maud?

NICE

CUTE

::Really should be in bed now::

Yes, but it's a trade-off between size and sharpness, isn't it? At 400% everything goes a bit fuzzy. Or that may be the Chateau Gizzy kicking in.

Right. Really off to bed now. Sweet dreams under the palm trees but beware the falling coconuts.

Oh, Phoenix, how are we gonna sleep after all this excitement?

All hot and sweaty and no make-up and he can still look like this???

Fab pics (although still recovering slightly from the fact that I fancy a bloke with a beard ).

I have been reading a travel book this evening and discovered that the prime chardonnay producing region in NZ is Gisborne!

That might give him a giggle, MrsLN. I don't like beards either, but then i really hated stubble. And then I changed my mind

I'm strangely relieved to see that he can grow a decent one after the squirrel effort in the Impressionists, which I'm now assuming was definitely glued on.

I thought it looked rather Uhtred, MrsLN, apart from the short hair.

Which one? Not the squirrel?

I can't say as I generally picture Uthred with a beard, although he did have one when he was a slave I suppose?

and a long one!

Obviously haven't had the chance to check this out yet, but is the full 38 minute press conference apparently. Posted by Rob Kazinsky on Twitter last night.

I really must put my mornings to better use, but couldn't resist posting this:

"Richard Armitage (Thorin) spoke surprisingly little, but when he did he had a notably deep voice, exactly right for Thorin, and real gravitas. He walked into the conference with a kind of testosterone charged lope. I don?t think he?ll have any trouble holding the audience?s attention."

Beardy, testosterone charged RA ...and it's not even 8am. God help me!

Just the good bits