Eating Muffins

Posted by jukkahoo

OK, it’s really Saturday, but I just got back from SF-mafia at St. Urho’s Pub. If you’re ever in the neighbourhood, feel free to drop in every other Thursday (odd weeks, like week number 1, 3, 5, 15, 37, 41 and so forth) starting from 6PM’ish.

Decent crowd today: some less seen figures like Päivi, out-of-towners like Juri and way-long-ago-last-seen like AnttiJ. Nice. Had a good discussion with Toni about Viivi Hyvönen’s new novel Apina ja Täysikuu. Everybody should go and buy this book, and then read it. If you can’t buy it, borrow, and read. Good, interesting, new, thought-provoking SF mixed with fantasy, detective stories and whatnot. I dare to call it very much New Weirdish. There, I’ve said it.

Tomorrow to Turku and then to Tammere on Saturday. Now: Sleep.

Posted by jukkahoo

Last two days have been bit more "exciting" than I expected, as I was transferred to another place at the Work. New gig, new duties, new everything. Pretty busy. Overtime."Spennailua", as we from Helsinki would say. We’ll see how this goes. In actuality, this particular stint will last only until Wednesday, when I will take over the job I’ve been meant to take for some time now. So this is really a wee interlude, but holds a fair number of new things that probably will be important in the long run. Especially if this gig continues over the original eight months. Here’s hoping.

I wouldn’t also mind some kind of a holiday. Next weekend I’ll be busy travelling, three cities in two days. And there’s still quite a number of things I’d like (and especially Sari would like to see me) so in our new flat. Like drilling holes to the walls in order to put art, shelves and various and sundry hanging objects to there. As well as paint my HIFK-mural. So my next three weekend (following this travelling wilbury -one) will be dedicated to homestead maintenance.

This is funny. Really funny. I wish someone would do this for real and in album form. I’d buy a copy.

Posted by jukkahoo

"You
maniacs! You blew it up! Oh, damn you! God damn you all to hell!"

I’m thinking Åcon2 programming. I think we did pretty well last time with the proposed schedule, so I guess we might just continue with it. It looked like this. I think we might talk about translating, books (always a good plan), post colonialism in SF, forgotten authors, and perhaps BS.

65 days to go.

Oh, the bit from Planet of the Apes is answer to a question at a quiz at Åcon. Might be worth a few points.

Posted by jukkahoo

Various interesting foodstuffs by something called Clearspring have bee seen at shoppes. Like these absolutely luvverly Teriyaki ricecakes I’m right now munching away with some fizzy and fruity. Horribly expensive, but looking very nice, clean and Japanese. English, by looking at the label, I see. This package says all kinds of things, like allergy free, vegan, wheat free and so on. And good.

Anyway. Today we had a little meeting at Mr. Tähtivaeltaja’s place and such was the fervour and sparkle of wit, that the apartment next door caught fire! We (or Toni, really) were wondering what on earth is this slight, foul smell, when we heard sirens. And lo and behold!, fire trucks and firemen! And proper FIRE! Intense action for few minutes and then it was all over, wisps of black smoke as the lonely reminder of someone’s personal tragedy.

After all this commotion, we needed beer and since it was the monthly meeting of the Espoo (and nowadays also Kauniainen, Kirkkonummi and Klaukkala) Science Fiction Society ESC, we went to Tapioca. ESC were also having their annual general meeting, but I managed to avoid all important positions of influence (and work) and almost esc-ape without any official duties. Somehow I was burdened with 2nd Assistant Bookkeeper title. I’ll live.

ESC are planning some nice things or the future: ESCON will be held in 8th of October, they are publishing another book (first one was the simply brilliant Hannun basaarissa), and arranging another excursion into mystical Espoo! But what they do to trump last year’s superior Hunt for the Giant Ape in Iso Vasikkasaari? Tough act to follow that one.

Posted by jukkahoo

Let’s say you’d be organising a science fiction/fantasy/horror convention. Pretend you are, this is purely hypotetical. And you’d have some Guests of Honours ready. Let’s make them all male. And let’s pretend that in order to give your con some sort of aspect of gender equality, you’d want to add a Guest (or two) that are female. Who’d be on top of your list?

And let’s continue this game furthermore: say you’d be organising this con in Finland and you’d be advised not to bring back old GoH’s. New would be the idea, not necessarily age-wise. And one more thing: in order to keep a well balanced budget, that GoH (or two) would have to be either European or already in Europe for reasonably priced travel expenses.

Now, in this completely hypotetical situation, who would You choose?

I’m now off to Hämeenlinna.

Posted by jukkahoo

Just got back from town. I and Sari met with YlvaS från Sverige and had a lovely dinner at Little Nepal. Recommended and probably rather Nepalese, in Indian way as Finnish Nepalese tend to be. Menu in Nepalese was a nice touch. It’s now larger than last we visited, then also with Swedish friends, and I think their food has gotten better. It’s nice, decently portioned and prices. Good little restaurant. Especially liked the mango lassi. Kukhuro Shiraz was marked down as medium spicy, which I first thought as somewhat under described, but soon realised that I probably ate the chili piece in it then. Solid, though. I think Sari had Bhendo Bhuteko, which was very good also. So, recommended.

Had a good chat with Ylva about various differences with Finnish and Swedish fandom, conventions and traditions. There are more similarities among us than differences, but what else is new? Tomorrow we’ll head for Vanajanlinna for Fionna’s wedding, in order to represent Scandinavian fandom there. I dread the possibility of dancing…

I have to share this with you as I find it very endearing. Waldrop is one of my favourites and his short stories some of the finest ever published. Go and buy any collection you see, you’ll see. And if you don’t, you’re weird and boring. Well, not weird perhaps as is, but boring anyway and that is much, much worse.

Kirjava has the first ever translated collection, Musiikkia miesäänille ja lentäville lautasille, with original introduction by the man hisself. Then these’s the new collection THINGS WILL NEVER BE THE SAME: Selected Short Fiction, 1980 – 2005, which is equally great way to introduce yourself to Hard Waldrop. I understand Jan met Howard last weekend at Boskone. *envy*

And finally Eurovision Song Contest. Yes, that one. It’s been barely a year and something since Lordi won the blasted thing. Last year we hosted the event and tried to be poprocky. No result. As we can easily deduct from this, we need metal. Namely, hero metal and therefore: Teräsbetoni. I didn’t watch the actual show (hello!) but as Hesari had the results on their website, I needed to see what those Manowar Lite were up to.

Teräsbetoni had a solid first album with especially great singles as "Orjatar" and "Taivas lyö tulta". 2nd album felt like the "joke" (if there is one) was running thin. Now, with Eurovision Song Contest ("kuuntele kilpailukappaleet" opens a player where you’ll find, among others, Teräsbetoni’s song) they are back with a song called "Missä miehet ratsastaa". Gold, I tell you. GOLD. How cannot one just love a song with chorus like:

"Missä miehet ratsastaa,
siellä lampaat ei voi laiduntaa.
Missä miehet ratsastaa,
kuulee suden ulvontaa."

"Where Men ride,
no sheep can prowl.
Where Man ride,
you’ll hear wolves howl."

("Translation" by moi)

As Calvin used to say: "It’s great to be male!"

Posted by jukkahoo

Miksi Black Jackin suomenkielinen nimi on Ventti? Niinko kakskymmentä? Tarkoitushan olisi saada korttien yhteenlasketuilla lukumäärillä kaksikymmentäyksi. Niinko Venttivan.

OK. Nyt ei aivot pelaa, joten käytetään arkistoja huikeasti hyväksi. Muistatteko M. Arvin kirjakataloogin vuodelle 2007? Huikean muikea Marvin – The Lehden numero viime vuodelta, joka on siis kyseisen otsakkeen mukaisen kustannusliikkeen 100-vuotisjuhlakataloogi, jossa esitellään kunnianarvoisan kustantamon historia yhdessä uutuuskirjojen kera. Tätä(kin) Marvinia suunniteltiin kohtuullisen pitkään ja hartaasti. Jopa siinä määrin, että pidettiin parikin kokousta, jossa näitä kirjoja keksittiin humalapäissään luotiin rakkaudella ja hartaudella.

Mutta koska monituinen asia usein onnistuu suuntautumaan kohti Mönkä-nimistä paikkakuntaa, enemmän kuin useampi laadittu huono vitsi loistava idea jäi totetumatta. Alla oleva tekstiviipale on muistiinpanoja kyseisten kokoontumisajojen tiimoilta. ©opyright on tietenkin kaikkien paikalla olleiden indiviidien, mutta jotta nämä hömpötykset neronleimaukset eivät jäisi vain arkistojen pölypuudeleiksi aarteiksi, här tvättas:

Astro Lundgren

Friedrich Wilhelm von Mäntsälä

”Pistä vielä yksi kalja”

Lukemattomia kirjoja

Viimeisen mohikaanin poika

Tuntematon sotilas 2 – Tuntemattomampi sotilas

Wayne
Castle: Unknown Warrior, Under the North Star

Mike
Waltari: Enemy of Mankind, Secret of the Realm

Alex Stone:
Seven Brothers, Shoemakers of Baskerville

Cthulhu sisustusopas

Pieni Cthulhu-opas lastenkasvattamiseen (sarja)

Kapteeni Kekkosen seikkailukirjat (40-luvun Suosikkikirjoja
–sarja)

K. H. Eops: Mitä pyramidin esiin kaivaminen maksaa

Sinä se vasta sopan keitit

Juustot & astrologia – Mikä on juustomerkkisi?

(Ensi vuonna: Minkä sienen alla olet syntynyt? Mikä on
sienimerkkisi?)

Muista myös edulliset pokkaripainokset!

Paragon: Anakin Tossavainen, olarilainen 13-v. tyttö

Synkkään sieluun syöpyvät sanat

Idästä tuleva sarjakuva valloittaa: Voe miu jumalaein!

Anna kyynelten tulla, pyysi noviisi

Voldemar Potka

Käsikirja – käsistä kertova kirja

Parsa on paras

Nuoren miehen käsityökirja

Kohtalon miekan paluu – nuortenfantasia

Varsaselleri, 77 hauskaa reseptiä

Verireseptejä

Dippaa ja paista! – kahdeksan hauskaa marmelaadireseptiä!

Halvalla maukasta, joka kokin tuunauskeittokirja

Etsivä Kokki

Tähteet ovat oikein!

Sitä, Siksi, Silloin – Kansalaisen "vuosi"kirja

Muinaisten sumerien Salattu Viisaus

Matti Vanhanen: Toisteluni

Kun Suomi pakeni: Piia-Noora Kauppi valittiin presidentiksi

Erään hauvan tutkimuksia

Kuka nyysi Puppen bisset? – kuvateos

Ylermi Julmapuuro

Säädytön murhenäytelmä

Jortikka & Alapää

Tikkaseura Alapään nuolijoitten historiikki

Aasian kettiö

Panemisen historia: Opastus oluen tekemiseen kautta aikain

Xenafobia länsimaisessa kulttuurissa

Väitöskirjasarja ”Onpas!”

Viisikko vetää perseet Edith Python

Lumessa ja pilvessä – Suomen mäkimaajoukkueen historia

Krilliherkkuja valaille

Räjähtävä keittiö

Luennon armoilla

Luonnon armoilla: Lasten selviämisopas ydintuhon jälkeiseen
maailmaan

Oluen arkeologia

Ruokaa uhanalaisista eläimistä

Saimaannorppapihvit

Lance Jordan: Ajan pyörää

Mustan linnan valtijatar

Paksupäiset kaksijalkaiset

Pastori Käteinen

Komisario Hopeapoppeli

Miekkavalas kivessä

Vaaleanpunainen yksisarvinen ja muita helvetillisiä kauhuja

”Haju on kuuroja varten”

Nutkracker Sweet

Helvetillinen pauke: Saatanan kirkon kellot

Posket kurtussa

Sun perse on kurtussa

Heräsin naama hanurilla/ssa

Hanuristan

Nahkahousut ja hanuri

”Kaasua, komisario Kokki!”

Jorma Piirakka

Tomb Clancy –sarja

– Julma tunkeutuja

– Vaarallinen vaara

– Sumusta nousee uhka

– Koston Erkki

– Työn Sakari

Jorma Maskulin: Kultaisen sateen maa

Kana taisteli

Vesä Sisättö: Alkuillan tarinoita: Vähän humalassa

– Tuopista löytyi stobee

Epäkuolleitten runoilijoitten seura

Viheltäen yli sillan

Lapin sodan saksa

Keine anung: saksaa tietämättömille

Linnunradan käsikirja pihtareille

Miksi kukaan ei kelpuuta minun ideoitani suoraa?

Suomalaiset bussipysäkit värikuvina – Emma Numminen

Etelä-Suomen liikenteenjakajat värikuvina

Hurjaa huutoa huussista: Chili ruoanlaitossa

Dostojevski: Amaootta

Dippaa tai grappaa!

Tuhat käyttöä maustamattomalle currylle

Huriseva Harjunpää

GONZOJOURNALISMI!
Sarjakuvia:

– Kiroileva terässiili

– Teräsmies ja Jaska Jokunen

– Ninjaurkuri

– Ratsupoliisi King ja Pyhä Pietari

Chronicles
of the Objects of Power

Humalainen näytelmä – pieleen menneet kiljukokeilut

“Se ei pysynyt mahassa niin pitkään, että se olisi ehtinyt
käydä.”

”Aina alkaa tapahtua, kun juodaan kiljua!”

Suomalaisen kirjallisuuden tätihetkiä

Batseba Pöksyläinen, Lestijärven kohtalokas leski

”Mua fleguttaa”

Henkilö, jonka vaihtoehtohistotiakin unohtaisi

Anonymous Nobodys

Lihapiirakka, kasvissyöjän(kin) vaihtoehto

Filosofisia keskusteluja tyypin kanssa

Elävien kuolleiden runoilijoiden seura

Hegeliä ja ruoanlaittoa

Futuristinen keittokirja

Posted by jukkahoo

Awful sporting day today. Not only did HIFK lose, so did Real and Inter. The latter one wasn’t really helped by the fact that they did lose to Liverbox, as I was sort of counting for Inter to put the Reds out of their miseries (Bransley…) for good. And what do they do? Second rate effort, with Materazzi doing what he does best, f**king it all up.

Today we also chose the Tähtifantasia Award nominees for the shortlist. And the brilliant five books are…

Take a guess. Go on, pick the right ones. Five books out of all those fantasies published in Finnish last year. Translated books, mind you, the originally Finnish fantasies are awarded the Mirrormere Award by the Finnish Tolkien Society.

Which really should consider very seriously Päivi Honkapää‘s Viides tuuli, which just last weekend won the Tiiliskivi Award, given by the Lit. Crit. students of the Tammere University. Viides tuuli is good, solid effort, which deserves much more credit and appreciation than it has so far garnered. I have a personal history with this one, as I was the original Reader of the manuscript Way Back Then. Now, years later, the book is out, it’s good and getting good reviews, wherever good fantasy is appreciated.

I apologise for the relative shortness of these PeBloWriMoes of late. Various duties (or I call them duties, anyway) are keeping me rather occupied. The main one obviously being the move, but I cannot hide behind that one any more, as we have now given away our keys to the Taimistontie apartment. Gone, that happy home I used to call Casa Tali. But will Purotie be Casa Tali Two, or what? The Shadow knows, but he isn’t telling.

I’ll try to be more active with this one in the future and really have something to say. (*chuckle*) As if…