I had a friend over last night and she told me about a great series she's been following: QI quite interesting. The host is one of my favorite actors: Stephen Fry. I of course had to check it and I uploaded some shows. And I'm totally hooked. Next thing I knew I ordered all the seasons that are on dvd from my trusted supplier Play.com and I also got the interactive dvds.


After this infection of yet another addiction, I started to think why is it, that there are so many genious comediens in Great Britain. What is it about British men? I mean, there is Stephen Fry, who's hilarious, there are two of my favorite authors: Douglas Adams and Jasper Fforde. Granted, Douglas Adams is dead, but still. And there are others. To me these are just the ones that stick out the most. There are of course other people in other countries that are funny, but these guys are totally hilarious and make me laugh out laud. Which is not too bad in the privacy of your own home, but can cause strange looks while reading in the bus for example. One of my later discoveries is also Dave Gorman and Danny Wallace who in their book Are you Dave Gorman? are looking for Dave Gormans mostly in Britain, but also in other countries.

Maybe it's just that I like British humor. Even though I tend to just laugh, the humor always has a bit of twist to it. It usually ironical, which is a type of humor that I love. It's not spelled out for you, but rather you have to find the fun of it. Also, it's sometimes just plain absurd and strange, which always appeals to me. Well, whatever the reason, I'll keep my eye on the British Isles for new acquaintances.

Today we went to see Bon Jovi's Lost Higway concert in Helsinki. For me this was very nostalgic. The first rock concert I've ever been to was Bon Jovi in the same Olympic stadium as today but 12 years ago. And he was as great today as he was then. 12 years ago Bon Jovi was my favorite band and since I'd never been to a concert, it really made and impression. Now I've been to many concerts but seeing Bon Jovi in a full stadium that are shouting and clapping just for him. It was unreal. I've been to smaller arena concerts but there is something about a full stadium. And the amount of noise it can make. One great thing was that since it was outside and we weren't sitting near the speakers, I didn't need earplugs. I'm sure that made the experience even better. I have good earplugs and you can really hear music through them, but the noise of the audience is filtered greatly. Well, I only can say, that there were few things in my teenage years that didn't suck :)

I'm a big fan of lists. I like to read lists. I like to check things off. When I travel, I make a list of everything I need to bring. This is not just a facet of my personality, it's also necessary. I'm way too absent-minded. If I don't make lists, I forget things. Like bringing underwear when going to places. I can manage this even with a list. Luckily it's usually things you can buy anywhere.

But reading lists has become somthing that makes my reading a bit different. I used to just pick up any book from the shelf. Now I'm thinking what would benefit my lists the most. What would be a book that would shorten most my lists. This is a good thing and a bad thing. It's a good thing, because then I pick up books that I just wouldn't get around to otherwise and end up loving, but it's also a bad thing, because I've started to stress about this and feeling guilty if I read outside the lists. Maybe I need somekind of treatment. Wonder if there is listaholics anonymous...

I just saw Sex and the city movie yesterday. And it was fine. Nothing earthshaking. I really liked the tv show more, though. My problem with the movie is that I never liked Mr. Big. I just don't understand what Carrie ever saw in him. And after everything I just don't understand why she would want to marry him.

Also, I didn't like Samantha's story line. Like Samantha putting up weight (what weight?). She just looked better and more normal. And even if she would've actually looked fatter, it's Samantha. She just wouldn't have cared what other people thought. And I really loved Smith Jerrod in the series. He was just wonderful. And in the movie, I don't like that they made him a jerk. Because he really was. And for that I like that Samantha left him, but in the series he was so great. And I think that was my biggest disappointment. I loved their unconventional relationship, but I guess it was too uncoventional to end the movie with that relationship working.

As a whole, I think the movie was watchable. I actually quite liked it. But now, the more I think about it, the more I dislike it. I definitely prefer the series. Already starting the movie with the way the book (I REALLY didn't like the book) starts, I was put off a bit. And how Louise ended up with her old boyfriend. She could've had a fabulous time in New York instead. The movie just got more and more conventional to the end and when the series was more about girls having fun together, the movie was more about finding that man. Not that I always liked the series either. I liked the beginning and the end, but they could've cut few seasons in the middle.

Well, anyway, I didn't have many expectations from the movie, so I can't say I was really disappointed.

I just read an amazing comic book. Liv Strömquist's Einsteins fru. Unfortunately I couldn't find a translation, so if you want to read it, you need to read it in Swedish. I immediately ordered my own copy and also her other books Hundra procent fett and Drift. Liv Strömquist writes comics from a feminist point of view. I mean why doesn't anyone talk about Einstein's wife? Not only did she raise their mentally chanllenged son on her own after Einstein run off with a younger woman, but she actually did research together with Einstein and didn't receive the credit from it in the end. And even though her part in the research is known, it's not talked about.

Einstein was just one small part of this book, though. There is so much more. And it still manages to be funny. I had never thought of Sting as stalker material, but then again, if you actually listen Every breath you take, it is kind of creepy. I've always loved that song and I probably still continue to love it, but I do think it's a bit disturbing. Well, I'm definitely thankful for the people who brought this book to my attention. How cool is it to find new great authors that you just haven't heard of before. I'm amazed.

On tuesday 22nd of April I was at Hartwall-areena and saw one of the most incredible concerts ever. I've been so lucky this spring. First Zemfira and now this. I mean, I know Paul Anka is good, but I didn't know that he is just incredible live!

I was with my nanny and her daughter. My nanny had actually seen Paul Anka when he performed last time in Helsinki, in Linnanmäki 1959. Of course he was at the Pori Jazz festival last year, so it wasn't as cool as it would've been if that was his last time in Finland altogether. Anyway, the show was great. And we definitely regretted for not paying the extra 30 euros for seats in 6th row. I mean, he walked around the audience. How cool is that. Anyway, we enjoyed immensely. And the new album, Rock Swings, was great. I knew most of those songs as well and they were good covers with addition of Paul's originality. And I didn't know that he had actually written My Way for Frank Sinatra. And to hear that as a duet with Frank (Frank of course on tape, since he is dead) - incredible. I'm out of superlatives. It was so good.

And to hear about his life and old buddies like Frank Sinatra, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Frankie Avalon etc. I mean they all just hung out together and were buddies. I also didn't know that Paul Anka actually wrote all his songs by himself and also wrote a lot of stuff to other people. He is very talented songwriter and a great performer. Just as with Zemfira, Paul Anka didn't have a lot of "show" but he really knew how to take his audience. And the band was incredible. So, all and all, it was worth all the money.

I also made a promise at the concert that if Bay City Rollers ever come to Finland, we'll be there. I mean, if nostalgy can be this good...

I just might be crazy... but then again, taking the easiest road has never been my thing. Just ask my elementray school craft teacher. So, I decided to participate in Blog a Penguin Classic. The idea is that they will send you a Penguin classic and you promise to read it and post a review of it in six weeks of receiving the book. My book will be Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Italian Journey 1786-1788. I have never heard of this book before and I'm actually quite excited about reading it and expanding my knowledge. I have of course heard of Goethe.

I wonder if I can make any comparisons. I mean I've been to Italy a few times. First times actually 200 years after Goethe, in 1986 and 1988. Then again I was 6 and 8 respectively, so I might have a different perspective on things than Goethe, who - after all - was almost 40. Maybe I'll refrain from comparisons. But I'm kind of excited to read the book anyway. It will be my first Goethe.

I have a friend who is a bollywood freak. Or Shahrukh Khan freak. And it's spreading... I at least have cathced the bug. Just last weekend we had a bollywood night and we watched Shahrukh Khan's latest film Om Shanti Om. It was a bit of a parody of older bollywood hits, but even though I haven't seen that many movies, I had a blast. And of course there's my friend who can explain. A movie totally worth seeing. Although, my case is hopeless, since I already belong to the Shahrukh Khan fan club :) I joined a bit reluctantly, but maybe the first movie I saw wasn't the best. Om Shanti Om and Karan Arjun convinced me. I mean, who can resist a movie, where two main characters die almost in the beginning only to be reborn and get their revenge (and girls too...). And the translations to English are hilarious as well. Who has ever heard of anyone thanking their uncle that he took care of them when their parents expired...

One of the greatest things about Om Shanti Om is that it replaced the traditional item girl with SHAHRUKH KHAN and pain of disco (just look at those abs...):

I wouldn't mind watching more of this kind of item numbers. Well, I'm totally a fan of bollywood now. I have even started my own collection, which hopefully will soon include Om Shanti Om and Karan Arjun as well. The bollywood singstar has already been ordered and now we are just trying to find the right time for a singstar night. The virus is spreading...

About a week ago I was in the best concert that I've ever been. And I've been to a few. It was a Russian singer Zemfira and she had a concert in Tallinn, where I went by myself and had a blast. I've loved the cd's but live it was even better. For the first half an hour I didn't remember I could move, I was so awestruck. And when I remembered that I actually can move, it just got better. The new album is awesome and we heard lot of old hits as well.

When I came home I started to wonder what it is in these Russian women that are non-heterosexually oriented. I mean, how are they so capable of making such incredible music. I'm mainly talking about Zemfira and Nozhnye Snipery. I came to the conclusion, that in Russia, there is still a lot of conservative attitudes concerning women and lot of Russian pop stars that are women, tend to try to please the male audience too much. But that's so great about singers like Zemfira, she really doesn't try to please anyone but herself. And that's one reason her music is so great. She also has a wonderful stage presence, I've never seen anything alike.



So, now I know what I'd like to be. I'd like to be like Zemfira on stage. I don't know if that will ever happen, but it's something worth aspiring to. I've definitely found my idol. With this one concert she went above anyone else.