The Squeee

Let the celebrations commence ... even though the song is a bit meh and the legend that is Engelbert Humperdinck came second from last, only just beaten by the rest of Scandinavialand ... save for Norway, who came last with their Eric Saade (last year's Swedish entry) wannabe. I should make a Swedish Ways post about Eurovision, really. Eurovision is kind of a big thing back home. Still, congrats, Loreen! And being Swedish, I can't help but feel slightly triumphant, despite not caring much for the song, Euphoria .

While looking for something completely different on Jasper Fforde's website, I came across the news that book seven of Thursday Next's adventures in the BookWorld is due out in July, somewhere between the 9th and the 20th. Wow, a new one already! The previous one was released only about a year ago! Americans will have to wait until 2 October, which is accompanied by a book tour . There's one due in July here in the UK, but there's no info yet. So, what about the new book? It's called The Woman Who Died a Lot , and is described thusly (cheekily nicked off Mr. Fforde's ffantasmagorical website in the interests of publicity): * * * The Bookworld's leading enforcement officer Thursday Next is at a low point in her life: she is four months into an enforced semi-retirement following a near fatal assassination attempt. She is yet to walk without a stick, has double vision more often than she doesn't, and limited mobility in her left arm. She returns hom...

Today is the day we celebrate the life and works of Douglas Adams. Here's my choice of clothing for the day: (Obtained from Qwertee a while back.) The Squeeze was a darling this morning and volunteered bringing a towel with him to work as well, bless him. I'm probably more into observing Towel Day than he is, but he still does it. :)

Smile, you're in a romcom! It seems that Hollywood churns out films these days with little regard for authenticity, class or style. Script and substance are squashed by cheesy lines and outrageous CGI in the rapidly homogenising movie industry. This doesn’t deter cinema goers, who are happy to spend their hard-earned cash on the spiralling price of film tickets, as well as £8 on some puffed up corn, carbonated water and syrup. Yet from time to time, even this monolith of consumerist mediocrity can drop a blooper so bad that the public can’t stomach it. After much research amongst the Blockbuster bone-yard, some truly horrific finds have surfaced. There actually is such a thing as Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2 (2004) which recounts the wacky adventures of infants fighting to save America’s freedom … for the second time. Yes, there was a Baby Geniuses One (1999), which clearly failed to impress viewers any more than its sequel, as the consensus amongst critics is that both mo...

Today, Norway celebrate their release from the union with Sweden. They celebrate it passionately, so happy are they to be rid of us. Ahh well. Hope you guys all have a great Syttene Mai, neighbourinos! This year, Norway's national day co-incides with Kristi himmelfärdsdag , which is Ascension Day in English. This is the day when, according to the New Testament, flight Jesus Christ took off from planet Earth, or the Son of God ascended into heaven after having died on a cross and resurrected three days later around Easter, if you will.

So much to do, so little time. Currently very busy with work, and have been for the past couple of weeks - and will be for at least part of the week to come, so I'm feeling less and less coherent. Sorry about that. Hopefully things will be back to normal by the end of next week, fingers crossed. Until then, I just hope I'll be able to post as per my usual schedule. Meanwhile, news are: We've finally started watching Once Upon a Time , which enjoyable. It's been picked up for a second series as well, so well done them. Need to set up a series link for Sunday, when Starling begins on Sky 1. Why you need to watch it? Brendan Coyle is in it, with Lesley Sharp. Another show we're watching (and probably prefer over the one just mentioned, to be brutally honest) is Grimm , which, too, is getting a second series. Which is more than can be said about Alcatraz , sadly.

How's about a trailer for the upcoming Batman film, The Dark Knight Rises , to whet your appetite? Part three of three with Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne is out 19 July in Australia, 20 July in the UK, USA and Canada, with Scandinavia and most of the rest of Europe 25-26 July. Can't wait to see Wollaton Hall as Wayne Manor! :D

The first of May, första maj, is a red letter day in Sweden. Emphasis on red. You could stay at home nursing a hangover from last night's Valborg-celebrations, or you could go out and join a demonstration. May 1st is the international labourers' day (or something like that) and the labour union movement in Sweden has traditionally been very strong, if perhaps slightly on the decline in recent years. There was a famous riot in Ådalen in 1931, made into a film by Lasse Hallström or someone. We saw it in class once upon a time. So on the first day of May, it's common to have political rallies and speeches and demonstrations, because Socialism is kind of a big deal in my home country. (If you can't distinguish between Socialism and Communism, go educate yourself now. Seriously. Especially if you think Socialism "doesn't work". Do your homework.) Anyway. Happy May Day; go stick it to the man!