Eating Muffins

Halme Polvinen Family Collective. You will all be assillymated

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  • Rakkauden husaarinratsastus

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    Posted by jukkahoo

    I think we did rather well with Eemeli’s polttarit (bachelor party, svensexa, despedida de solteiro, festa di addio al celibato, Junggesellenfeier, call it what you will) yesterday. The most interesting thing to me was the outrageously laissez-faire (or benign?) attitude the rest of the bunch had toward Tuomas, Pasi and moi "singing" way until 8AM. Yes, Eight.

    Either you’se guys were soooooooooo wasted or just too tired to care, but not a single word or utterance of complaint. Way!

    In non-music news, I attended my first ever curling-session at the same time and let me tell you people: it was fun. Seriously difficult, expensive, but fun. And then some. The "some" here being the Ultimate Match-up du jour (no, not the game in itself, where we wiped the floor with them Aro Bros team, 7-2) but the kkkkrashing bout btw the lower portion of my parietal and the upper part of my occipital bones and the slippery and determinately tough surface of the curling ice.

    I’m declaring a tie. Sure, it hurt me a LOT more than it hurt the icefield, but I’m fairly certain I could damage it a LOT more, given half a chance.

    Like with a torchblower. Or just opening the doors next summer and switching off the cooling system. Let’s see then who’s the toughie and whose the little puddle on the floor.

    Yes, I slipped and hurt my head. I do that. Slip, I mean, every winter. I seldom hurt myself with these spills and thrills. At the moment, the biggest pain is around my neck, since I apparently tighttened the muscles on my neck when I had the encounter and they sort of "sprained".

    Thanks for the team and also for Fionna, who is now not only older, but also engaged to Mark! Hooray! Wedding bellls are a-ringin’ in the future. Not to mention the "rakkauden husaarinratsastus", which according to this Olde book Ninni is very much fond of quoting, is something newly-married will at on their wedding-night. Apparently it has something to do with being older than 22 years and part of a culturally enlighted family. It’s all very technical and I don’t think any of you, my dear readers, should worry with your pretty little heads.

    Last night Jaakko was having difficulties of getting a song out of his system (something about someone’s mother, Stacy’s?). I could say the same thing about this guy and his piano. Relationship with the previous piece by Sari are more than obvious.

    Laadididaa-dididaa…

    Sing us a song, youre the piano man

    Sing us a song tonight

    Well, were all in the mood for a melody

    And youve got us feelin alright

    Yes yes yeessss, Billy! I got it already!!! You didn’t start the fire and she is always a woman, be that an uptown girl, or a modern woman. Enough with this pressure! It’s a rock and roll to me.

  • No longer alone

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    Posted by Sari

    I have been mocked over and over again for my Billy Joel habit, Our DJ friend Hauta Blommila and Jukka* have been calling me Billy Joel’s only Finnish fan, and Hauta even dedicated a Billy Joel song he played on national radio to "Sari in Valimo". But behold the power of Idols: the winner of last night’s semi’s Ari Koivunen sang Billy’s "Piano Man" and now (Friday night) that song is number one in Finnish iTunes. So there!

    Also, I wonder how many sold copies will get you on that bestseller list…

    * I have to own up that even though Jukka mocks me, he also bought me a 4-cd limited edition Billy Joel’s Complete Hits collection. He is sweet that way 🙂

  • Superbowl XLI

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    Posted by jukkahoo

    Yeah, silence rules.

    Anyway, it’s middle of the biggest show on Earth, the Superbowl. This time in rainy Miami. Halftime show is going on, Cirque Du Soleil did some Miami rumba or whatever and next up is Nigel, or The Artist Formerly Known as Prince, Symbol, err… Prince.

    Boy, does Bears suck! How is it possible that the game is only 16-14 for Colts (oh, how would’ve Patriots KKKRUSHED this feeble excuse for pro football!)? Well. obviously Colts are also playing some really flawed game here, but still. Bears defence: mediocre, often lame. Bears offence: sadly pathetic and Lame City. OK, lucky break with the receiving goal and the one and only decent throw from Grossman reaching for Mohammed. Other than that, purely Colts mistakes. Bears are so going to loose. Well, they ought to anyway. Payton Manning should head home with this one, with Addai and that Rhodes And Harrison. More anon.

    [snorefest]

    Jessuskrist. Worst Superbowl I’ve seen, but then again, I haven’t seen that many. Ten’ish.

    Short recap:  Jesuspeople won by simply being less bad than the other (probably Jesuspeople too) ones. The main difference was that Colts were football players, whereas Bears were members of the Klutzy the Pääsiäiskäsi Group. Payton "Mr. Perfect" Manning vs. Klutz the Fumbler. C’mon Grossman! Fumble, fumble, hero throw, hero throx, fumble, etc, ad nauseam. Sad performance.

    Bears defensive line was supposedly tough. Tsah, dough more likely. Colts offensive line. Ruled! Manning, one or two incomplete passes and one interception. And close to thousand yards with little hlp from Addai, Rhodes, Harrison etc.

    Grossman… sigh.

    Waah, Patriots would’ve so kicked either teams rears easily. Poor game, less bad team won. Superior quarterpounder finally got his Vince Lombardi and MVP. Congrats to PM.

    The most interesting thing about the game? Apparently the first ever Superbowl, when it rained during the Game. And some people are saying that global warming is not happening? For shame!

  • Räytyvä sydämeni on karavaani(sarai)

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    Posted by Sari

    Mestariluokkaa esitettiin viimeksi Helsingissä vajaat 20 vuotta sitten. Kansallisteatterin Willensaunassa Stalinia esitti Pentti Siimes, Prokofjevia Leif Wager, Shostakovitsia Jarno Hiilloskorpi ja Zdanovia Risto Aaltonen. Se oli silloin suurmenestys, yli 200 näytäntöä. Se oli silloin myös nuoren elämäni yksi vaikuttavampia teatterikokemuksia. Kerrankin tuntui siltä että suomalaista teatteria jatkuavasti vaivaava jäykkyys, hitaus ja pakonomaisesti korostettu fyysisyys oli heitetty syrjään ja luotettu tekstiin. Kahdenkymmenen vuoden takaiset muistikuvat ovat kuitenkin hataria, se mitä produktiosta päälimmäisenä oli mielessä oli näytelmän komediallinen huippukohta jossa Zdanov, Stalin ja säveltäjät yrittävät kollektiivisesti luoda suurta kantaattia Georgialaisen Rustavelin ritarirunoelmasta.

    Jos Siimes on suomalaisen näyttämötaiteen ikoni niin sitä on toki myös Pöysti, jota Kaupunginteatterin uudessa produktiossa komppaavat lähes yhtä nimekkäät Suosalo Zdanovina, Sarkola Shostakovitsina ja Roine Prokofjevina. Ohjaaja molemmissa produktioissa on sama, Kurt Nuotio. Ei siis ihme että tähänkin produktioon ovat lippujen saanti työn takana vaikka Kaupunginteatterin suuri näyttämö vetää kymmenkertaisesti sen mitä Willensauna.

    Tila kuitenkin toimii jossain määrin produktiota vastaan. Mestariluokka on neljän näyttelijän intiimi näytelmä ja ainakin kaukaa parvelta katsottuna jokin näytelmän intensiteetistä katoaa tilaan, vaikka ohjaaja on pyrkinyt sijoittamaan tapahtumat lavan eteen, mahdollisimman lähelle katsojaa. Ohjaus on myös suomalaiseen tapaan liian löyhä. Turhaa tekemistä, turhia hiljaisuuksia. Teksti ei ole kuitenkaan menettänyt mitään intensiteetistään. Kissa-ja-hiiri-leikki diktaattorin ja säveltäjien välillä on edelleen vuoroin hyytävää, vuoroin hupaisaa katsottavaa.

    Näyttelijöistä parhaiten minusta onnistui Sarkola Shostakovitsina. Vaikka näyttämöllä keskiössä on Stalin, pohjaa Mestariluokan idea kuitenkin Shostakovitsin kiisteltyjen postuumien muistelmien esittämään dilemmaan taiteilijan asemasta diktatuurissa. Sarkolan paksujen lasien taakse suojatuva, surullinen ja poliittisessa tilanteessa hapuileva säveltäjänörtti on mainio luomus. Roineen Prokofjev jää hiukan valjuksi, Suosalo puolestaan uhoaa ja ärjyy Zdanovina niin että sanoista on joskus vaikea saada selvää. Zdanov on näytelmän paha poliisi, kulttuuria vastaan vouhkaava filistiini. Välillä lavalla kuitenkin tuntuu unohtuvan että  tämä on Zdanovin tietoinen valinta, ei primitiivireaktio. Pöystin sanojaan hakeva Stalin on lupsakampi kuin Siimeksen luomus, kun hän ja Zdanov ensimmäisen näytöksen lopussa alkavat "soittamaan" Prokofjevin tuotantoa on shokki katsojalle melkoinen koska väkivalta tulee ei mistään.

    Hyvää teatteria siis, mutta ei loistavaa. Silti, edes säällisesti esitettyjä tekstiin ennen kaikkea nojaavia näytelmiä on tässä maassa niin harvassa että tämäkin on lähde autiomaassa. Jukkakin väitti pitäneensä ja sai vielä illasta hauskan anekdooinaiheenkin 🙂

    Tapahtuma tv:n sivuilta on linkki pieneen viedokoosteeseen näytelmästä.

  • Vuoden pisin yö

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    Posted by jukkahoo

    Tapana on ollut syntymäpäiviä viettää. Tällä kertaa, kun joulukuun 20. päivänä pelinumero vaihtuu jonathanzionista pasisaloseksi, en ole mitään suurempia sitten kuitenkaan suunnitellut. Alunperin pohdin jonkinlaista JETS-aihetta ja siis jaappanin samuraitten syöntitapojen noudattamista, mutta sitten iski päälle väsy. TexMex-tyylinen kuakkomekikki-lettujen täyttäminen vaikutti kohtuullisen helpolta ajatukselta myös, mutta se olisi vaatinut myös järjestelemistä ja se ei nyt kerta kaikkiaan ole viime aikoina oikein kunnolla onnistunut.

    Joten ajattelin selvitä ns. helpolla. Talo on avoinna ja isohko chili on hautumassa potentiaalisia vieraita varten. Sauna saattaa lämmetä illan kunniaksi ja kehon puhdistamiseksi. Mikäli rauhallinen illanvietto maailman söpöimmän (TM) koiran kanssa kiehtoo mieltä, niin Casa Talissa ollaan paikalla.

    Lisäpäivinä sitten lisää jouluntoivotuksia ja mainosta mahdollisesta matkaamisesta.

  • Vaniljaa

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    Posted by jukkahoo

    Whose witholding valuable information? Why didn’t I get the memo?

    Those living next to Jukkaverse know that I have a rather bad habit of liking various soda pops. Several moths ago OLVI branched out and released those luvverly tasty new MAKU-sodas, lingonberry and strawberry/rhubarb, plus that vile salmiakki-one. Then Lordi won the Eurovision Song Contest and Olvi brought us Lordi Cola. Now thy have a new MAKU-flavour: vanilla-cola!

    There’s a domestic Vanilla-flavoured cola! Wahey! Whatever next? (Dare I say it?) Cherry…

    To celebrate this momentous occasion, I was ready to go and buy some celebratory goodies, when a mystical package arrived from US of A. Under all that bubblewrap and scothc-tape wa
    s a galore of fiction goodness and odd sweets. Like the Moose Munch popcorn and some truly nice Argentinian vanilla toffee.

    So I made some Nasi Goreng and drank some vanilla-cola and ate the toffee. Yum. Thanks Jeff & Ann!

  • The Best Shop in the World

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    Posted by jukkahoo

    OK, so I got this email from Fantasiapelit which said that I ought to visit there soonish, as the same (or somewhat similar) email was sent to Matti as well, about this "something interesting that might be right up your alley…"

    What got me thinking: "Well, if it’s interesting to both me and Matti it could be of many a thing…", but as it had to be something out of the parameters ot the normal shop suey (heh heh…) and paraphenalia that Fantasiapelit carry, words like "Adam" and "Ant" came to mind.

    And would you believe!?! I finally managed to find time to layabout to the shop, and Lo! Matti hasn’t been there yet. And what could be that "something interesting"?

    Why, yes! It is indeed the Adam Ant‘s autobiography Stand and Deliver! A book I knew I’d buy the moment I’d actually see it. There – for me – for an undisclosed sum of hush hush.

    Fantasiapelit is simply the BESTEST SF-shop in the world!

    Jam-jam-jammerin’!
    Yabba-yabba-ding-ding!
    Delta Hoy Max 9!!!

    So, obviously I’ve been reading it. Quite a lot actually. It reads very well, albeit, methinks this is more to the fans than to anyone else. Other than therapists. And fans. And sex therapists, really.

    The main point Adam seems to have is his sexdrive, which, from what can be read from the pages of the book, is rather… large. And liberal. One could say that Adam is one horny dude. And then some.

    Lots of nice little anecdotes, especially from the punk-era, as he was there where pretty much everything happened (Sex Pistols‘ first gig was as a opening act for Adam’s first band Bazooka-Joe). From what I have gathered so far, relatively little about the background and inspirations for his music and especially lyrics. That is to say nothing new really that hasn’t been said before.

    So far it looks and reads like a very nice memento for fans, but nothing really that special to write home about. Things could change as there is quite a number of exploits to be read, like the Fall from Grace and That Incident, with the police dressed up as spagetti western hero and brandishing a sidearm etc.  Eminently readable and apparently totally written by Mr. Ant himself.

    As autobiographies go, way better than Mr. Uninteresting aka. Charlton Heston, but nothing resembling the verve and fun that is David Niven (not to mention the likes of Graham Chapman or Julius Marx ).

    Once more: Fantasiapelit is the Bestest SF-shop in the World!!!

  • Kansanedustaja Kasvi ja kuuden sanan sf-novelli

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    Posted by jukkahoo

    Pidän sanomattakin selvänä, että lukijakuntamme koostuu ainoastaan sellaisista ihmisistä, jotka ovat myös kansanedustaja Kasvin verkkopäiväkirjan tuttuja. Jos näin ei ole, niin sinne hus lukemaan, mitä eduskunnan virallisen tietoyhteiskunta-gurun ja sf-fanin päiviin kuuluu.

    Viimeisin merkintä ei ole Jyrkin käsialaa, vaan hänen eduskunta-avustajansa, joka kertoo meille missä mennään kansanedustajan syöpätilanteen kanssa. Juttelin taannoin omien mörköjeni kanssa tapellessani myös Jyrkin kanssa hänen tilanteestaan. Vaikka hänellä se pahalainen onkin melko kiusallisesti onnistunut löytämään sellaisen paikan, josta pois kaivaminen ei olekaan niitä helpoimpia,
    uskoni lääketieteen ylivertaisuuteen on edelleen sitä luokkaa, että se hoitaa myös Jyrkin kotiin eheämpänä kuin koskaan.

    Viime yönä Ameriikan Yhdysvallat valitsivat itselleen uuden kongressin. Republikaanit näyttäisivät häviävän kaikilla rintamilla, punainen vaihtuu siniseksi isolla kädellä. Siinä nettitv:n kanssa yötä viettäessäni mieleen tuli osallistua myös Populaarin kuuden sanan sf-novelli -projektiin hieman näiden vaalien innoittamana pienellä GBLT-latauksella:

    Ihmiskunnan lyhyt historia

    "Aatami heräsi uuteen aamunkoittoon Eero vierellään."

  • NaFaWriMo

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    Posted by jukkahoo   

    Time flies when you’re not feeling too good.

    I’ve been somewhat depressed and down these past two months after Finncon. Multiple reasons and I’m not going to go into them, nothing health-wise, though. Next check-up will be in September 2007.

    I’m trying to get over this slump (of creativity and of gigantic proportions) with new regime. First in order of things: I’m calling November the National Fanzine Writing Month. At the end of this month I’ll have material for three fanzines: Arimoniitti #4 (my long-suffering FAPA-zine), Legolas 4/2006 (the Finnish Tolkien Society’s fantasy magazine, with special theme-issue honoring Robert E. Howard – and his century) and the slightly hush-hush fanzine for something I’ll be talking a LOT soon(ish).

    Same rules apply as with the regular NaNoWriMO, but this is not a novel (evidently!) but material for fanzine(s). 50 000 words. I’m expecting to write a fair deal about Finncon, as well as Swecon and various other little meetings (Kirjamessut etc). Åcon, for sure (hey, Hal Duncan!). We may even soon have a place to have the con. Could you believe that Åland hotels are bidding over us? More info ASAWGI.

    Talking about Finncon: our gracious GoH, Mr. Jeff VanderMeer has started doing a new column –  called Dispatches From Smaragdine – for the SF-Site and what is that fungi… erm, fun guy talking about in his first piece? Here is the evidence, pardon if I’ll go and demonstrate the colour of a fire truck to little Myy.

    And why didn’t nobody told me that Propaganda actually a good band and not just the odd German one with that one good song (Duel).

    More soon.

  • Totally shameless plug

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    Posted by Sari

    As confessed above, this is just a plug to get you to do yourself a huge favour and go to buy yourself a copy of Francis Hardinge’s Fly by Night (Kärpästyttö), which has just come out in Finnish. It is by far the best YA fantasy I have read in a long, long time. Hell, it is one of the better books I have read for a long time. It has a highly original theme, great characters, complex and believable world-building, important things to say about words and reading, and gorgeous, gorgeous language.

    I am biased, because the period Fly by Night riffs from is 17th-century England, my period, but even without special knowledge this is just a funny, exciting and beautiful book which needs to be read.