IOAN GRUFFUDD - THE SWEET AND THE FABULOUS IOAN

WHY GO TO SLEEP WHEN I CAN STAY UP AND FIND THESE FUN VIDEO CLIPS ALL NIGHT? TOO much fun!! My very first introduction to Ioan Gruffudd was as William Wilberforce in the movie Amazing Grace. Then I saw him in the Forsyte Saga and Hornblower. Ioan is from Cardiff, Wales and was recently married to Alice Evans in Mexico on the beach with best man, Matthew Rhys by his side.
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ioan gruffudd
Uploaded by echidna82

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IOAN ONLINE IS NOW ASLEEP, WAITING FOR PRINCE CHARMING

Ioan Gruffudd and Alice Evans

THIS IS BITTERSWEET. THE END OF A GOOD THING

I stayed up all night "holding the hands" of members of the most fabulous actor's website in cyberspace. We were there for the website's last minutes. The link went out one hour and 25 minutes, approximately after it was supposed to go out. We part with sorrow, but with our senses of humor well in tact. We had some laughs and had some melancholy. We "sang" some songs and kept it alive on life support to the very end. We didn't want it to go out without the humanity that it encouraged and maintained for the nine years that it "lived". So, we were there with one another.

The website was the brain child of a woman of integrity, just a fan of Ioan Gruffudd, really. Her name is April and she deserves our gratitude and admiration. But so, too, do the wonderful members deserve a gold medal, who as far as I could tell in the two short weeks that I posted and read their posts - are the cream of the human race. This only reflects well on Ioan, my William Wilberforce of Amazing Grace, as it is him that drew us there. The website was born April 6, 1998 and it died May 1, 2007,by my eastern standard USA time at 4:25 a.m.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kwvqSP5dbU

You’re My Heaven sung by Wynonna Judd

My heart goes out to Ioan who found fault with the site which in reality supported him to the last breath of its existence. The site was as much for him, as it was for his highly regarded and intelligent enthusiasts - his fans.

It is difficult to think about Ioan in the same way as I did, before I learned of the situation. I have tried my very best to support all sides. But honestly, I am thoroughly confused that a website that essentially is his best "publicist" couldn't have been salvaged by talking about the misunderstandings, find clarity and negotiate, so that Alice Evans, his fiance, would feel comfortable with www.ioanonline.com.

I saw nothing on the site by way of the members attitudes and expressions that was disrespectful essentially. Perhaps something, somewhere could have been construed as hurtful or distasteful to Alice. But sometime in our lives, it would be beneficial to learn how to talk out the things that we allow to divide us and that we allow break our chances of getting along, instead of mending and healing. We all live in this universe. And until the universe is no more, there will be spats, misunderstandings and different perspectives.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Na5qkH9e_rs

People Get Ready I don’t know who is singing this wonderful version. The pictures have nothing to do with my post. But the song is so peaceful, I thought it fitting.

The song that I wanted, Peace in this House, from Wynonna Judd’s CD “Her Story: Scenes From a Lifetime” wasn’t found on Youtube, yet. But, I did find the lyrics to her song:
Peace in this House

Hey kids turn off the tv, no i don't want to watch the evening news so come on over here and sit down next to me, and let your momma look at you, and you and you.your beautiful faces that i wanna keep safe as long as i can, i'm telling you right now, there's gonna be peace in this house, there's gonna be peace in this house. there's gonna be some tender talkin and sweet little nothings that add up to the somethings we can do without,there's gonna be peace in this house some belief in this house. every good thing that ever happens, happens from the inside out
i'm telling you now, there's gonna be peace in this house
did i tell you today that i love you, you're the reasons for everything i do and sometimes i think the only hope for this world is the love in you, and you and you.
let's try to be patient
let's all play nice
cause everyone's gonna get a slice of this pie
there's gonna be peace in this house
there's gonna be peace in this house
gonna be some tender talkins
sweet little nothings that add up to the somethings we can do without
there's gonna be peace in this house
some belief in this house
every good thing that ever happens
happens from the inside out
i'm telling you now, there's gonna be peace in this house

A sense of justice, fairness, clear-eyed welcome and a good dose of humor would just be a good thing to actually give a try. How in the universe do we ever expect Peace on Earth if we can't discuss our differences?

I wrote many lo-ong posts at April’s out-of-this-world’s website for Ioan Gruffudd, www.ioanonline.net, but this is one that I wrote near the day’s end of the last day of the website:

! I'm Here UNTIL the Lights Go Out... Your Grace Has Been Amazing

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I just signed in for the first time today.

There's that familiar: Thank you for logging in ilovemylife
when entering www.ioanonline.com in cyberspace that is so nostalgic.

I tried to open another window just now so that I could see it again, but for some reason that little comforting message didn't appear in the new window.

Oh, well. But I did see: Welcome ilovemylife
so that was good enough for me.

Well, here we are......

I am staying on this site until my computer screen does whatever it does when this Gift from the Goddess of Admiral April disappears from my sight.

I believe that means I'll be sitting here until 3:00 in the morning. But that's what I'm doing. Wouldn't have it any other way.

'sides I have spent some nights here over the last 7 days all night long.

I'll be over at the Gallery most of the night, popping over here and about until the fateful minute.

I have committed to myself not to write any more words to Ioan or his Alice tonight. That is done. Here I spend time with you, people I didn't know in any sense two weeks ago. And yet we share empathy, melancholy and are mourning a loss tonight.

Yes, we will survive.

You might be familiar with that old Helen Reddy song: I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar..." Great words for our time of sharing this evening or whatever time of day it is for you wherever you plant yourself on this earth.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPDcMyPlFvw
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We are the Garden. We are the Garderners. We are the Flowers. There are no weeds in our Ioanonline Garden.

I know we have all been saying Thank You to April and all of her dedicated crew. It seems so little to say . . . Thank You. And yet that's all we have. And we in our own ways love you April and the crew....

But what a beautiful thing to have come together and rally behind our leader and see all the emotions being laid out here for the world to see really.

I am a big fan of YouTube, as some of you may have caught onto with all my music links here in my posts, but some of the posters there are bigots, full of hatred, mindless and seemingly not human.

But it is obvious this www.ioanonline.net community with its admirabe, gifted, principled and able leader, APRIL, we here have set the standard in cyberspace as to how to"act" and how to be human.

I am proud to be a small part of this community. It is a blessing to my already blessed life. I genuinely do feel as my online name says: I Love My Life. I walk around my house and it just bursts out of my mouth all of the time. When someone asks me "How are you?" I sincerely mean it when I say with gusto and enthusiasm "I am great, just great!" And here you have just added to my wonderful life with the sharing and caring and humanity that has shown up at the “party”.

Thank you. Each one. I am proud to share the universe with you. And I am especially proud to be a woman. We really do rock. We really do possess the power to change this world and Make It A Better World as William Wilberforce wanted his life to be about. It is so fitting in a way that Ioan so beautifully fleshed out Wilber's life for us to see.

We will carry on. We will see why one day this all happened. We are really an example to the world how to behave in times of stress and our little online/human behavior crisis.

Last Saturday I led a group of common every day human beings in the historic little seaport town of Newport, Rhode Island carrying the Darfur Genocide posters from one historic sight to another historic sight for my speech. The movie Amistad about the slave trade was filmed on the very sight that I stood to give my Darfur speech on Saturday. George Washington sent a letter to the Touro Synagague, one block from this location of Washington Square. We can make a difference in this world. One person can make a difference.

So, I thank you each one for the graciousness that has shown up and continues tonight, today, whatever it is where you lay your head... we are a wonderful example of what it means to be human.

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What I Did for Love and what I found on Youtube was this by Shirley Bassey with that song on it but it starts with When You’re Smiling, which isn’t a bad song for us all.

Here it is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2DL8NmnN2k

Save it and look at it after www.ioanonline.com goes out to cyberspace never, never land….can we hope just be dormant(?) ... and then after a much deserved and needed long rest, find phoenix is a truism.

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What I Did For Love
Kiss today goodbye,
The sweetness and the sorrow.
Wish me luck, the same to you.
But I can't regret
What I did for love, what I did for love.
Look my eyes are dry.
The gift was ours to borrow.
It's as if we always knew,
And I won't forget what I did for love,
What I did for love.
Gone,
Love is never gone.
As we travel on,
Love's what we'll remember.
Kiss today goodbye,
And point me t'ward tomorrow.
We did what we had to do.
Won't forget, can't regret
What I did for
Love
What I did for...
Love
Love is never gone
As we travel one
Love's what we'll remember
Kiss today goodbye.

And point me t'ward tomorrow.

Point me t'ward tomorrow
We did what we had to do.
Won't forget, can't regret
What I did for love.
What I did for love.

What I did for love

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I AM WOMAN
Words and Music by Helen Reddy and Ray Burton I am woman, hear me roar In numbers too big to ignore And I know too much to go back an' pretend 'cause I've heard it all before And I've been down there on the floor No one's ever gonna keep me down again Oh yes I am wise But it's wisdom born of pain Yes, I've paid the price But look how much I gained If I have to, I can do anything I am strong I am invincible I am woman You can bend but never break me 'cause it only serves to make me More determined to achieve my final goal And I come back even stronger Not a novice any longer 'cause you've deepened the conviction in my soul I am woman watch me grow See me standing toe to toe As I spread my lovin' arms across the land But I'm still an embryo With a long long way to go Until I make my brother understand Oh yes I am wise But it's wisdom born of pain Yes, I've paid the price But look how much I gained If I have to I can face anything I am strong I am invincible I am woman Oh, I am woman I am invincible I am strong I am woman
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I love you.
Thanks for it all.

Sandra, ilovemylife


P.S. I really appreciated what StevieT said above.

And Kazq - I loved singing Auld Lang Syne with you.

And Fishforit, I'll check out your link later - as I was having trouble getting it but I'm hoping that even after the theatre here goes dark - I can still access your link.

You all rock!

Light tomorrow with today. Elizabeth Barrett Browning

__________________

LET'S MAKE GENOCIDE HISTORY:

www.savedarfur.org

www.fidelityoutofsudan.com

www.genocideintervention.net

WE CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE

IOAN ONLINE GOES OFFLINE APRIL 30, 2007…IOAN, AS IN IOAN GRUFFUDD...A TRIBUTE TO THE WEBSITE AND IOAN, Of Course

Ioan . . .“If I Didn’t Care”

Ioan

Gruffudd

doesn't

take

any

bad

photos

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"I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire"

He

is

just

dessert

for

the

eyes

and

fun

for

the

soul

"It Hurts Me More Than It Hurts You" by The Mills Brothers

Source for

all

Ioan Gruffudd's

photos

is www.ioanonline.com

which

will be

no

more...

soon...

Gone too soon.

IOAN ONLINE GOES OFFLINE APRIL 30, 2007…IOAN AS IN IOAN GRUFFUDD...

A Tribute To The Website

and Ioan, Of Course

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APRIL’S . . . WWW.IOANONLINE.COM’S . . . IOAN GRUFFUDD

I am a relatively new admirer of the acting abilities and dashing good looks of and the dapper dresser – Wale’s Ioan Gruffudd. I found this wonderfully managed and rich resource website of Ioan, www.ioanonline.com

But two days ago, I learned the very sad news that the website will close April 30, 2007. This website was not only good for fans of Ioan Gruffudd, but it had to be an unquestionable gold mine for Ioan Gruffudd’s career and his rise to being noticed quicker than he might have been had there been no ioanonline managed - by April. Never being a “thread” reader, lurker or threads’ participant, I had no idea of the turmoil that had been brewing just very recently on the threads there.

Here I include entries of mine that I finally did participate and leave on the website thread where a sad farewell is being worked out by those who have been well-healed members of the threads, as well as people like me, who have been coming “out of the woodwork”:

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I only came looking for Ioan Gruffudd on the internet after I was so impressed with Matthew Rhys on my favorite TV show, Brothers and Sisters.

I believed it all started for me with an Elle magazine article that interviewed Ioan and Matthew together, which I must have discovered here. Otherwise, I don’t remember the details of how I “fell” upon this wonderfully managed site, but I have been impressed with it ever since. I even started my own blog and have done several postings about Ioan using pictures and clips that originated here, although I spotted them on Youtube and I put links to this site on my blog’s postings. My lastest posting was about the Imus mess, but I started the posting with 3 gorgeous pictures of Ioan taken from this site, writing “Just…because…Ioan Gruffudd is beautiful” under the pictures, then going on my exploration of Imus exposing not only his prejudices but all of our flaws. The comprehensive coverage of Ioan through the clips, pictures, his projects past and current and links are phenomenal, here. I so very much appreciated it and admired it. I am relatively a newcomer to Ioanonline.com and wondered just WHO the most capable, dedicated and giving person was behind this wonderful website, so I am staying up way past my personal “curfew” to write and tell you, (now that I know who you are…)

April, to say “Thank You.”

And please, know that I have so many hits on my original post for Ioan on my blog. Even though it is a net “oldie” it still gets hits. And when I wrote to the Blog over at Brothers and Sisters at www.abc.go.com to pitch my thought of Ioan being cast to play Kevin’s beau friend on Brothers and Sisters, that post was never posted by the administrators of the blog. Which I took as a good sign. I provided all the links to them for Ioan here on this website, provided youtubes of your original video clips, as well as the Elle magazine article mentioned above.

April, you’ve done a marvelous job. I don’t know what has been going on here, because I seldom read the chat stuff. But I get the drift that feelings have been frayed and burned. That is a sad thing. I am sorry for all that have been burned, hurt and tarnished.

I will miss coming here and getting my "Daily Minimum Requirement" boost from all this site has to offer. I especially loved you keeping us up with his interviews, which I clicked my way to with enthusiasm. And I so adored the pictures. Where else would we get such a wealth of pictures of Ioan and also of Alice! She is beautiful. The wallpaper pictures were fabulous. I have folders and folders filled with just some of the pictures I garnered from this website. One of my latest, I entitled: “Ioan Gruffudd, Pictures to Die For”. I have raved and raved over the film Amazing Grace on my blog and at speeches that I give about Darfur. Just yesterday, I caught AG for my 15th time. As it was the last day for the film, I had to go one more time. As a human rights activist, I even had to be on a nationwide conference call at the same time. So with earpiece in my ear I listened to the conference call for the 1st hour of Amazing Grace while listening to the meeting report of the Darfur activists with President Bush and updates on the GLOBAL DAYS FOR DARFUR, April 23 – 30, 2007. www.savedarfur.org/globaldays

And thanks to Ioan for allowing us this wonderful site. I am

so

very

sad

that it is coming to a close.

We can’t live our lives to please others.

We can only live our lives with integrity

and keep our faith in the goodness innate in our spirits.

I wish you all the best of life.

And for Ioan and Alice I wish the most beautiful wedding and continued happiness and contentment.

I wanted to say my thanks.

http://ilovemylifebrothersandsisters.blogspot.com/

ilovemylife

Sandra Hammel

Rhode Island, USA

April, blessings...

<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:< After reading so many heartfelt expressions - yours rang fresh, true and even made me laugh at your witty humor. Before tonight, I had posted once only I believe it was...but yes, I think the Pledge is a grand idea. I don't know what caused this - but I gather something was said by some or someone that was unkind about Alice, Ioan's love. I suppose all the celebrities who have sued the tabloids for "certain words" would understand someone who is funding a "place of words" to withdraw his money if it hurt the one person in the world that meant the world to him. I suppose that could be perceived differently by different hearts and minds just as everything in life tends to actualize out - but in the end if one has to make a decision regarding the people we personally love on a day to day basis - or our career and that career's fan base, then I suppose a man of integrity and in love would do what the song "When A Man Loves A Woman" says. *see below

Tough act.

Still all in all this has to be the best fan and actor's website ever. It has certainly helped promote Ioan Gruffudd's career. I will miss it very much.

Thank you, April for all of your heart and soul. This is a work of heart.

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A "Dear Ioan and Alice" letter for all eyes to see

Dear Ioan and Alice,

Whatever has been said or done that has been hurtful, I am in the dark about. I have read this farewell blog at www.ioanonline.com and what I have noticed is that there is angst, emotional pain and a "feeling" that someone has died, but I have also noticed something else. Something to take notice of, acknowledge, draw inspiration from and find reason to celebrate.

There are lovely tributes to April and the others named by the "more qualified" than me to bring names forward. And, also, what I have noticed is the beautiful poetry, song texts and personal expressions that obviously come from the posters’ life experiences, but also it has come because we all came here in search of knowing more about Ioan Gruffudd. A young man from Cardiff, Wales. I didn’t know where exactly Wales or Cardiff was before. But I do now. I know that Ioan isn’t said ee-ehn. I know that Welsh is a beautiful language because I have heard you and Matthew Rhys speak it on a clip of a documentary film I found through this wonderful and resourceful “work of heart” called www.ioanonline.com.

Your God-given spirit and gifts have triggered our God-given spirits and gifts. We inspire one another. Bad stuff aside, there is beauty expressed here on this thread. There is a humanity showing strong, gentleness is in many of these posts, sincerity and love is here for you and for Alice. Yes, I know that we don’t all share the same feelings, thoughts, words and experiences with what has apparently happened as of late. Personally, I haven’t been involved. But I have loved this site for all the wonderful support it has given you and therefore, been a rich resource for me and my use on my blog.

I hope we, each one, can notice the beauty being expressed here for you. And for Alice by many. We are all one humanity, one blood and of the same Great Spirit. Words can cut, sting and cause deeper pain than the slash of a knife. I know that. However, let us not miss the genuine love for you that is being outpoured here. Many of us are coming “out of the woodwork” because we are stunned that this place is going to be gone so very soon. I personally feel like someone died in my family. Forgive me for my sense of humor…Maybe a second cousin that I always loved from a distance, but nonetheless, I feel like I am mourning.

I have an entire folder filled with quotes on napkins and paper towels written down in the dark of the 15 times that I saw Amazing Grace, but I feel a little fragile right now and don’t feel like digging out the lines you say, but there is a place in the movie where you, as William Wilberforce, are speaking to the House of Commons MPs pleading in a way for their humanity to come up out of the recesses of their hearts. You are saying that you believe that they all are good people, with good hearts, with humanity. But while Wilber is saying this, he is being shouted down by his peers.

Your loved one, Alice, is precious to you and you have every right and are right to stand by her to show your valiant respect for her. I don’t speak for all, but certainly for my deeply felt emotions and philosophy. And just like Wilber I believe we are all good people in the end. (Well, maybe not Osama bin Laden…again forgive my sense of humor.) We all find ourselves with soft places in our hearts. We all have compassion. All should stand by with courage and integrity - the ones we love .

Along the way, somehow we human beings can make mistakes, we mess things up. We get tangled up. I offer you my olive branch. If I could I would…make amends. I just don’t know how.

I don’t say any of this to point fingers at anyone. I’m just sad... for all. Yes, I will miss the wonderful gift called www.ioanonline.com but my feelings or honor haven’t been hurt. I’m an outsider in this sense. But I feel pain through empathy. And I would like to begin some healing.

I love the spirit that I see in you, Ioan Gruffudd. I appreciate your gifts that you publicly share with us. I respect your privacy and your intimate life.

And I thank all of those who have created this site that we are preparing to say good-by to.

I love the arts. They have been a blessing to me my whole life. Long live the humanity that we get to see in the arts, in theatre, in acting, music, poetry, dance, in art. Long live our human hearts.

I wish you Ioan and Alice the best of life...happiness, contentment, full hearts.

If I could I would hug each one. You, Alice. And also those others who need to heal. "There is one sure way to remind a child of their connection to life and other human beings and that they are important and valuable...it's called a hug." Lauren Munger
I believe this remains true for children no matter our age.

Healing be yours,

Sandra Hammel
online known as ilovemylife
Portsmouth, Rhode Island, USA
http://ilovemylifebrothersandsisters. blogspot.com/
www.savedarfur.org
www.genocideintervention.net

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"There's a chance Peace Will Come in your life
Please buy one..." Melanie Safka

"DO NOT KILL ME
before you search my eyes
before you see through me
and I through you
for a place to be…"
Joseph Pintauro

"Without You" by Mariah Carey

“If nearness kills love what hope is there for humanity?” Sudborough

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Pictures to be found until April 30, 2007:

http://www.ioanonline.com/index.php?set_albumName=album20&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;id=aioan0702578_a_002&name=gallery&include=view_photo.php

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* WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN

When a man loves a woman
Can't keep his mind on nothin' else
He'd trade the world
For a good thing he's found
If she is bad, he can't see it
She can do no wrong
Turn his back on his best friend
If he puts her down

When a man loves a woman
Spend his very last dime
Trying to hold on to what he needs
He'd give up all his comforts
And sleep out in the rain
If she said that's the way
It ought to be

When a man loves a woman
I give you everything I've got (yeah)
Trying to hold on
To your precious love
Baby please don't treat me bad

When a man loves a woman
Deep down in his soul
She can bring him such misery
If she is playing him for a fool
He's the last one to know
Loving eyes can never see

Yes when a man loves a woman
I now exactly how he feels
'Cause baby, baby, baby
I am a man …
When a man loves a woman…

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IOAN GRUFFUDD – A BEAUTIFUL MAN

The movie Amazing Grace is the first film I have seen with Ioan Gruffudd in it. I first became introduced to Ioan Gruffudd through my interest in Matthew Rhys, who plays Kevin Walker on my favorite TV show, Brothers and Sisters. Ioan and Matthew both grew up in the capital of Wales, Cardiff and knew each other in childhood. They both attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, as well as owning a home together at one time for ten years.

Currently, Ioan is starring as William Wilberforce in the inspirational film, Amazing Grace. April 6, he can be seen in the movie, The TV Set.

Here are select photos which were downloaded from www.ioanonline.com which is great source for Ioan Gruffudd admirers.