Blogien lukeminen ja seuraaminen on jännä juttu. Olen harrastanut sitä vuosia, mutta viimeaikoina, oikeastaan useaan kuukauteen, en ole pahemmin jaksanut seurata edes hyvien ystävien kirjoituksia kovin aktiivisesti. Paitsi nyt ihan viime viikkoina. Jostain löytyi taas into seurailla, into, joka on selvästi ollut kadoksissa aika pitkän aikaa.
Samalla olen tullut tehneeksi myös erinäisiä blogilöytöjä. Osa on ollut uusia ja osa vanhoja tuttavuuksia. Niitä tutkaillessa en ole voinut lakata ihastelemasta sitä, miten ahkeria ihmiset jaksavatkaan olla blogiensa ylläpidossa! Kaikille tämän blogin seuraajille kun lienee varsin tuttua se, että itse olen vähintäänkin ailahtelevainen blogaaja.
Alta löytyy esittelyt muutamista näistä löydöksistäni ja vanhoista suosikeistani, joiden pariin on ollut ilo palata.
* * *
Reading and following blogs is interesting hobby. I've done it for years but lately (for the past several months) I haven't really felt like doing any of that. I haven't bothered to check regularly even the blogs of some of my dear friends. Except now for the past couple of weeks. Now I've been browsing tons of blogs with a fresh excitement. And let me tell you, that excitement was lost for a long while.
While browsing the blogosphere I've found many intrestning blogs, both new and old for me. While reading them I could not help but feel real admiration for the people writing them with such a diligence. I could never do that as you can probably tell from this blog.
Below I introduce few of the new finds and old favorites I've been reading lately.
Langalla Kalliossa
Essin blogi on tosi perinteikäs neuleblogi, mutta koska minun ja hänen makunsa selvästi risteävät monessa kohtaa, on tätä selaillut kiinnostuksella viime päivinä. Olen muuten miltei järkyttynyt, miten paljon erilaisia neuleita joku voi saada aikaan vaivaisessa puolessa vuodessa, kun itsellä ovat jumittaneet samat työt kesken suurimman osan kuluneesta vuodesta...
A super traditional knitblog by Essi but as our preferences in patterns seem to match quite well, it's been a joy browsing through the blog in last few days. I'm also almost shocked about how many projects she's been able to finish just this year while I've managed to stay stucked with the same projects almost the whole time...
Hupsistarallaa
Vanha suosikki, jota selvästi en ole lukenut pitkään aikaan, kun Terhi on sitten viime "tapaamisen" ehtinyt pullauttaa ulos sekä vauvan että jakson Blogistania-televisiosarjaan. Ansaitusti, täytyy sanoa, sillä tätä värikylläistä ja sopivästi äänekästä blogia on äärimmäisen hauskaa lukea.
An old favorite that I obviously haven't read in a great while as Terhi (the blogger) has given birth to a baby boy and starred an episode of a TV show about Finnish boggers. She totally deserved the TV gig as this colorful and "noisy" blog is such a fun one to read.
Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
Pidän kovasti, kun asioita lähestytään hieman kierosta tulokulmasta, sopivasti pilkettä silmässä. Tässä blogissa on juuri sitä. Ja lisäksi minua tietyllä tapaa viehättää kioskikirjallisuus, joten tätä blogia on ilo seurata.
I love when people aproach things from somewhat twisted angle. This blog does that. And I do have a thing for trashy books. So this blog is just joy to follow.
Nörttitytöt
Nörttityttöt-blogi ei ole ihan uusi tuttavuus, mutta nyt palasin sen pariin. Ja jokainen juttu ei kolise, mutta erilaiset näkemykset ja kokemukset ovat enimmäkseen mielenkiintoista luettavaa. Sitäpaitsi tätä kautta tulee sellainen olo, että meitä vähän nörtimpiä tyttöjä on muitakin. :)
Nörttitytöt (Nerd girls) is not the newest of new blogs to follow for me, but to this I've also reasently returned to. Not every article hits home with me, but every week there is something intersting to read. Besides while reading this blog I get a real sense that there is more nerdy girls than just me. :)
26.5.2012
ESC 2012, Finale
So tonight it's time for the finale, the most exciting and nerve- racking part of the whole competition. By this time you have picked some favorites (or even that one specific favorite) and keep hoping also other people in Europe agree with you about what's hot and what's not this year. You might also be betting with your friends on which are the winners this year, even tough it's incredibly hard to predict when you have over 40 countries with a very diverse cultures voting. But for me that's part of the fun: you can't take it too seriously when you just can't know how it'll turn out in the end.
As for tonight, it's as hard as ever to guess who'll be the big winner. There is no Ryback or Lordi this year. What I'll do here is comment on the six songs that have gotten straight to the finale (the big five and Azerbaijan) and after that I'll make some guestimations on how it'll turn out tonight. But first the 6 songs we have yet to hear live.
1. United Kingdom - Engelbert Humperdinck : Love Will Set You Free
I have to admit I had no idea who Humperdinck was before I heard this song. But then again I have never heard of most of the performers in ESC. Love Will Set You Free is such a classical ballad and a very good one. When Humberdinck is singing you do believe every word he says. It's just beautiful and definitely one of the best ballads in this years competition.
9. France - Anggun : Echo (You And I)
This is such a weird song, but in a good way. You really have to concentrate to it. But to me it's a sweet treat. I love Anggun's voice and this is such a interesting song that it has been one of my personal favorites for a while. But to be frank, I don't think this will make super well tonight, it won't be a winner song. Or at least that's my guess.
10. Italy - Nina Zilli : L'Amore È Femmina (Out Of Love)
Amy Winehouse. That was pretty much the first thought I had in my head when I saw Nina Zilli and heard this song. Because, if you can't hear and see the similarities with these two singers and their music, I don't know what you've been listening to. But to me this is better than Amy's music. And again this is one of my favorites this year. I'm only sorry that Nina isn't singing her song in Italian, because it's even better then. (If you haven't heard the Italian version you can listen to it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7B2Z0E35mw )
13. Azerbaijan - Sabina Babayeva : When The Music Dies
You know, I would have been much happier for Azerbaijan's victory last year if this had been the victorious song. I mean, this is in no means my favorite song this year, but it's still light year better than the song that won last year. I don't think this is a winning song this year when there is so many nice ballads competing, but I wouldn't be surprised if it made rather well tonight anyway.
19. Spain - Pastora Soler : Quédate Conmigo (Stay With Me)
Again a proper ballad. I think this is the best song Spain has sent to the competition in years. I mean, it's not one of my personal favorites, but I definitely wouldn't mind if Spain did well this year.
20. Germany - Roman Lob : Standing Still
He's such an eye candy. (Can I say that?) I mean, I really don't mind looking this video again and again and again. And what's even better, the song is a nice one too, something I don't mind hearing again and again. I can't quite justify putting Roman on the top of my list just because he's so cute but as the song is also nice to listen to it's definitely on the favorites side of the table.
All in all I think the big 5 have really stepped up their game this year. There isn't one bad song here, as also Azerbaijan has a good song this year. I'm pretty sure all of them will make it to the top half in the scores, or at least they would deserve it.
As for who'll make it to the top tonight, it's really hard to say. There are few safe bets for the top 10, such as Russia and Sweden. These two have been on the top for a long time so no-one should be surprised if one of them will be the winner but I don't think that someone couldn't come from the behind and grab the prize from under their noses. For example also Serbia and Italy have pretty good odds on the betting sites. After these four there does seem to be a bigger gab in the odds before the next countries.
All the above mentioned four would also be in my top 10. Other than that my picks at this point are Ireland, United Kingdom, Estonia, Romania, Cyprus and Germany. And let me note that this isn't the same as my favorites. These are my estimations of what could actually do well. But I'll definitely re-evaluate my top 10 after we've heard them live.
In any case we'll have an exciting night ahead of us!
PS. About the second semifinale: As I predicted, it' was really hard to guess who would get through to the finale. I got 7/10 right, the same number as in the first semi. The ones I got right were Serbia, Macedonia, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Turkey and Ukraine. I'm very pleased that Georgia didn't make it, little bit sad that Portugal didn't and horrified that Lithuania actually got through. Honest to God, how did anyone like that?
24.5.2012
ESC 2012, Second semifinale
Again in English as I'm again doing this last minute.
About the previous semifinale: I made my gestimation of who will go through to the finale after all the performances and got 7/10 (Russia, Ireland, Iceland, Greece, Romania, Moldova and Hungary) right. I think that's an ok result. I was sorry to see that Israel didn't make it there, but in the other hand happy that Hungary got through despite many saying it wouldn't. And THAN GOD Latvia has such a boring performance that they didn't get enough votes.
If we talk about the show in general, I felt it was set back several years (even something like a decade) due to the not so good camera work, hosts that tasted like cardboard and super huge and boring stage where the performers were mostly just lost. The show has looked so great during the last 5-7 years that the contrast was quite big.
And then to the songs we'll hear tonight!
1. Serbia - Željko Joksimović : Nije ljubav stvar
Željko is an old favorite and the ballad is a nice one with that special Balkan flavor. I'm pretty sure it'll get to the finale and rightfully so.
2. F.Y.R. Macedonia - Kaliopi : Crno i belo
I'm not a big fan of the fact that this song turns into a rock song in the middle. I like the melody and her unique voice, but I'd enjoyed it better if it had followed more the style it had in the first verse. And the screaming - I'm not a fan of that.
3. Netherlands - Joan Franka : You And Me
I like the song but I bloody hate her Indian outfit. Too bad it seems she'll have that headpiece also on the stage in Baku. When you don't see that I really enjoy the song.
4. Malta - Kurt Calleja : This Is the Night
Kurt seems really sweet on the video, but the song is just very boring pop song that really doesn't stand out from the mass.
5. Belarus - Litesound : We Are the Heroes
Belarus has one of the wost songs this year. The guys can't even really sing can they? I don't really care to hear this song ever again and don't really think it'll make it to the finale.
6. Portugal - Filipa Sousa : Vida minha
The fado flavor in this song is very nice and I think it's always nice when a country picks a song in their own language and with some national character. For that I hope we'll see Filipa also in the finale even tough she's not one of my own favorites.
7. Ukraine - Gaitana : Be My Guest
This is the mother of all football songs and she has all the moves of a diva. I mean, can't you just see this playing on one of those "best goals" things and performed on a football arena? And I do think this is a good song in that "genre". We'll see how it'll do tonight but if they pull of a great show I'll be happy to welcome her to the finale.
8. Bulgaria - Sofi Marinova : Love Unlimited
I can't really wrap my head around this song. It's not really catchy and I apparently can't quite decide what type of music it is either. She has a nice smile tough.
9. Slovenia - Eva Boto : Verjamem
The singers with the ridiculously huge shower caps. That and the fact that this was some kind of a ballad were literally the only two things I as able to remember from this song before re-listening it just now. So no, I don't think it'll make it even tough it's not a bad ballad.
10. Croatia - Nina Badrić : Nebo
Lovely strong ballad that has an unfortunate spot just after another ballad and just before Sweden. Nina is much better than Eva from Slovenia tough. Let's hope she'll go through to the finale.
11. Sweden - Loreen : Euphoria
I don't know if it's because I've heard Euphoria so many times, but I love this song. It's so strong and beautiful. And Loreen has a great voice and I really hope they don't mess her performance with that shady camera work... And I'm curious to see what the performance will be like as there's definitely going to be no such snowflakes and probably some screen action going on. Euphoria is a definite favorite for me personally and in general in the competition.
12. Georgia - Anri Jokhadze : I'm a Joker
He is so slimy, the is no way round it. The song isn't even quite so bad that I'd wish it to be (in a party it would definitely make me dance), but he makes at least the whole video just unbearable.
13. Turkey - Can Bonomo : Love Me Back
This just makes me happy, especially the traditional Turkish instruments and his smile. It's no winner song but as always Turkey won't miss the finale due to the migration, but that's ok.
14. Estonia - Ott Lepland : Kuula
Estonian is such a beautiful language when it's sung. And it's no exception in this song. Other than that Kuula is a beautiful ballad that gives me goosebumps and a perfect show case of how you can understand the emotions even tough you don't know a word of the language sung if it's the mother tongue of the singer. Ott would deserve his spot in the finale. (By the way, he has a perfect spot just after the energetic song from Turkey and the heavy song Slovakia.)
15. Slovakia - Max Jason Mai : Don't Close Your Eyes
If you know anything of my taste in music you'll know I'm no heavy fan. And this song makes no exception. This just isn't for me.
16. Norway - Tooji : Stay
This is such a trademark Swedish Eurovision song even tough it's presenting Norway and it has some eastern sound in it too. There is nothing wrong with it or with Tooji, but I just feel like I have heard this too many times before (and that Eric Saade just did it better). It'll probably make it to the finale anyway.
17. Bosnia & Herzegovina - Maya Sar : Korake ti znam
This is not a bad ballad but as there is so many ballads in this semifinale, it doesn't really stand out. I'm pretty indifferent about this song.
18. Lithuania - Donny Montell : Love Is Blind
ARE YOU SERIOUS? You sing "love is blind" and then decide to wear a blind fold through half of the song. Not that I'd like this song otherwise either: I've never been a fan of chancing the style of the song completely in the middle of it. I hope being the last song on the stage doesn't guarantee a spot in the finale for him.
In general this semifinale seems to me to be slightly weaker than the first one. Not much but a tad bit. It might be the overflow of ballades tough because they have never been my special favorites in this competition.
As always it's hard to guess who'll do well in the semi before seeing the live performances. But for now I'll guess the ones going further are: Sweden (Loreen is just divine), Norway (boring for me but this definitely has it's fans), Turkey (migration to other countries will assure this), Serbia (Željko already has fans around Europe), Estonia (the best ballad tonight by far), Netherlands (doing its own thing tonight), Ukraine (big, bold, beautiful), Portugal (people love fado), Croatia (or some other of these ballads, I can't really predict which one) and Georgia (because some shit like this always gets through and unlike Belarus he can actually sing).
About the previous semifinale: I made my gestimation of who will go through to the finale after all the performances and got 7/10 (Russia, Ireland, Iceland, Greece, Romania, Moldova and Hungary) right. I think that's an ok result. I was sorry to see that Israel didn't make it there, but in the other hand happy that Hungary got through despite many saying it wouldn't. And THAN GOD Latvia has such a boring performance that they didn't get enough votes.
If we talk about the show in general, I felt it was set back several years (even something like a decade) due to the not so good camera work, hosts that tasted like cardboard and super huge and boring stage where the performers were mostly just lost. The show has looked so great during the last 5-7 years that the contrast was quite big.
And then to the songs we'll hear tonight!
1. Serbia - Željko Joksimović : Nije ljubav stvar
Željko is an old favorite and the ballad is a nice one with that special Balkan flavor. I'm pretty sure it'll get to the finale and rightfully so.
2. F.Y.R. Macedonia - Kaliopi : Crno i belo
I'm not a big fan of the fact that this song turns into a rock song in the middle. I like the melody and her unique voice, but I'd enjoyed it better if it had followed more the style it had in the first verse. And the screaming - I'm not a fan of that.
3. Netherlands - Joan Franka : You And Me
I like the song but I bloody hate her Indian outfit. Too bad it seems she'll have that headpiece also on the stage in Baku. When you don't see that I really enjoy the song.
4. Malta - Kurt Calleja : This Is the Night
Kurt seems really sweet on the video, but the song is just very boring pop song that really doesn't stand out from the mass.
5. Belarus - Litesound : We Are the Heroes
Belarus has one of the wost songs this year. The guys can't even really sing can they? I don't really care to hear this song ever again and don't really think it'll make it to the finale.
6. Portugal - Filipa Sousa : Vida minha
The fado flavor in this song is very nice and I think it's always nice when a country picks a song in their own language and with some national character. For that I hope we'll see Filipa also in the finale even tough she's not one of my own favorites.
7. Ukraine - Gaitana : Be My Guest
This is the mother of all football songs and she has all the moves of a diva. I mean, can't you just see this playing on one of those "best goals" things and performed on a football arena? And I do think this is a good song in that "genre". We'll see how it'll do tonight but if they pull of a great show I'll be happy to welcome her to the finale.
8. Bulgaria - Sofi Marinova : Love Unlimited
I can't really wrap my head around this song. It's not really catchy and I apparently can't quite decide what type of music it is either. She has a nice smile tough.
9. Slovenia - Eva Boto : Verjamem
The singers with the ridiculously huge shower caps. That and the fact that this was some kind of a ballad were literally the only two things I as able to remember from this song before re-listening it just now. So no, I don't think it'll make it even tough it's not a bad ballad.
10. Croatia - Nina Badrić : Nebo
Lovely strong ballad that has an unfortunate spot just after another ballad and just before Sweden. Nina is much better than Eva from Slovenia tough. Let's hope she'll go through to the finale.
11. Sweden - Loreen : Euphoria
I don't know if it's because I've heard Euphoria so many times, but I love this song. It's so strong and beautiful. And Loreen has a great voice and I really hope they don't mess her performance with that shady camera work... And I'm curious to see what the performance will be like as there's definitely going to be no such snowflakes and probably some screen action going on. Euphoria is a definite favorite for me personally and in general in the competition.
12. Georgia - Anri Jokhadze : I'm a Joker
He is so slimy, the is no way round it. The song isn't even quite so bad that I'd wish it to be (in a party it would definitely make me dance), but he makes at least the whole video just unbearable.
13. Turkey - Can Bonomo : Love Me Back
This just makes me happy, especially the traditional Turkish instruments and his smile. It's no winner song but as always Turkey won't miss the finale due to the migration, but that's ok.
14. Estonia - Ott Lepland : Kuula
Estonian is such a beautiful language when it's sung. And it's no exception in this song. Other than that Kuula is a beautiful ballad that gives me goosebumps and a perfect show case of how you can understand the emotions even tough you don't know a word of the language sung if it's the mother tongue of the singer. Ott would deserve his spot in the finale. (By the way, he has a perfect spot just after the energetic song from Turkey and the heavy song Slovakia.)
15. Slovakia - Max Jason Mai : Don't Close Your Eyes
If you know anything of my taste in music you'll know I'm no heavy fan. And this song makes no exception. This just isn't for me.
16. Norway - Tooji : Stay
This is such a trademark Swedish Eurovision song even tough it's presenting Norway and it has some eastern sound in it too. There is nothing wrong with it or with Tooji, but I just feel like I have heard this too many times before (and that Eric Saade just did it better). It'll probably make it to the finale anyway.
17. Bosnia & Herzegovina - Maya Sar : Korake ti znam
This is not a bad ballad but as there is so many ballads in this semifinale, it doesn't really stand out. I'm pretty indifferent about this song.
18. Lithuania - Donny Montell : Love Is Blind
ARE YOU SERIOUS? You sing "love is blind" and then decide to wear a blind fold through half of the song. Not that I'd like this song otherwise either: I've never been a fan of chancing the style of the song completely in the middle of it. I hope being the last song on the stage doesn't guarantee a spot in the finale for him.
In general this semifinale seems to me to be slightly weaker than the first one. Not much but a tad bit. It might be the overflow of ballades tough because they have never been my special favorites in this competition.
As always it's hard to guess who'll do well in the semi before seeing the live performances. But for now I'll guess the ones going further are: Sweden (Loreen is just divine), Norway (boring for me but this definitely has it's fans), Turkey (migration to other countries will assure this), Serbia (Željko already has fans around Europe), Estonia (the best ballad tonight by far), Netherlands (doing its own thing tonight), Ukraine (big, bold, beautiful), Portugal (people love fado), Croatia (or some other of these ballads, I can't really predict which one) and Georgia (because some shit like this always gets through and unlike Belarus he can actually sing).
22.5.2012
ESC 2012, first semifinale
I'm bit late with all this, but here is my short commentary of tonights ESC semifinale competitors. To save time I'll write this only in English.
1. Montenegro - Rambo Amadeus : Euro Neuro
This is a sneeky song. It makes absolutely no sence, but I still love it and hope this song will do well tonight, despite the slot as first performer.
2. Iceland - Greta Salóme & Jónsi : Never Forget
In a way there is nothing super special in this song but I still like it a lot. It's so powerful and emotional. Iceland definitely should go throught to the finale this year too.
3. Greece - Eleftheria Eleftheriou : Aphrodisiac
This is pure and uther crap. Sure it's typical Greece song but it's definitely not a good one. And I have permanent trauma from the video and the shiny panties...
4. Latvia - Anmary : Beautiful Song
The horrid ear worm. I can't stand this song and unfortunately I can't get it out of my head either. It definitely doesn't deserve a place in the finale but I bet it'll be one of the songs going throug anyway. I just HOPE it's not going to win...
5. Albania - Rona Nishliu : Suus
The song is odd and beautiful in its own way, but it takes time to understand it. Nice to have something different in the competition but I'm rather surtain it won't do well.
6. Romania - Mandinga : Zaleialah
The durms, the bagpipe, the rolling in the sand. This is europop at it's finest. And I can't help but like it. That said, I have no idea how it'll do tonight altough it has a fantastic slot just after Suus.
7. Switzerland - Sinplus : Unbreakable
Very basic radio friendly rock. I have nothing bad to say about this but there is nothing special in it either. Does it do well or porely? To be honest, I don't really care.
8. Belgium - Iris : Would You?
This song is a constant disappointment for me. It starts sounding like something Maia Hirazawa could sing and then turns into this super nausiatingly sweet song with no emotion in it. I hate to say it as I do love Belgium, but I really wish this won't go through to the finale.
9. Finland - Pernilla : När Jag Blundar
Let's be frank, I'm completely unable to say anything objective about this song. I mean, it wasn't my pick from the Finnish candidates this year but I do like it and as a Finn I just have to wish it does well. I thruely wish Pernilla will get to the finale even just so she'll get the experience as she is such a sweet girl.
10. Israel - Izabo : Time
Israel, one of my definite favorites this year! I love the positive energy they have and that Israel didn't turn this into a political thing. I really wish they'll get to the finale and am very pleased that they have such a good spot just after two ballads.
11. San Marino - Valentina Monatta : The Social Network Song (Oh Oh – Uh - Oh Oh)
If Latvia is an horrid ear worm, this is just plain horrid and definitely one of the most hated song in our library (there are two of us big fans here). I just hope San Marino isn't holding its breath for the win...
12. Cyprus - Ivi Adamou : La La Love
I didn't get this song at first but it did get under my skin after a while. A good europop song and a very good looking video. If they put up a good show they might do well tonight.
13. Denmark - Soluna Samay : Should've known better
I guess there is nothing really wrong about this song but the thing is I just don't like it. And that pretty much averyting I feel like saying about the song.
14. Russia - Buranovskiye Babushki : Party For Everybody
If you have followed the ESC scene at all this year you'll know what a phenomenom these Russian Babushkas have been. And I have to admit I do like them too, they just aren't my favorites. But it's safe to say they'll do well in the competition, no mather what.
15. Hungary - Compact Disco : Sound of Our Hearts
I'm pretty sure Compact Disco won't be one of the big winners this year (all tough I hope I'm wrong), but they have definitely stolen my heart with this song as well as with their very interesting video. Let's hope they have a good show tonigh.
16. Austria - Trackshittaz : Woki Mit Deim Popo
Am I the only one who get's their blood boiling when this song comes up? Yes? No? Oh well, it's safe to say this is not my song nor am I probably the intended audience for it...
17. Moldova - Pasha Parfeny : Lăutar
I have to admit that I can't remember at all how this song goes. But I do remember it's something I enjoy hearing it and that Pasha is very sweet.
18. Ireland - Jedward : Waterline
You know, Jedward was one of my big favorites last year with Lipstick. It was fun and energetic and just made me laugh and dance at home, especially in the semifinale where they happened to have the last performance just like this year. Waterline has all the same Jedward trademarks on it but it's bit less everyting compared to Lipstick. And even tough I'll cheer the this year too, this song just doesn't quite have that special something Lipstick had. I'm sure they'll get far in the competition, might even win too. Just, I wish they'd done it last year.
To conclude, the songs I think will definitely make it to the finale from this semifinale are Ireland, Russia and (unfortunately) Latvia. And the ones I really hope will also make it are Israel, Finland, Hungary, Iceland and Montenegro.
So there you have it, my 2 cents about the songs in this first semifinale. In few hours we'll know how it really goes. I can wait!
1. Montenegro - Rambo Amadeus : Euro Neuro
This is a sneeky song. It makes absolutely no sence, but I still love it and hope this song will do well tonight, despite the slot as first performer.
2. Iceland - Greta Salóme & Jónsi : Never Forget
In a way there is nothing super special in this song but I still like it a lot. It's so powerful and emotional. Iceland definitely should go throught to the finale this year too.
3. Greece - Eleftheria Eleftheriou : Aphrodisiac
This is pure and uther crap. Sure it's typical Greece song but it's definitely not a good one. And I have permanent trauma from the video and the shiny panties...
4. Latvia - Anmary : Beautiful Song
The horrid ear worm. I can't stand this song and unfortunately I can't get it out of my head either. It definitely doesn't deserve a place in the finale but I bet it'll be one of the songs going throug anyway. I just HOPE it's not going to win...
5. Albania - Rona Nishliu : Suus
The song is odd and beautiful in its own way, but it takes time to understand it. Nice to have something different in the competition but I'm rather surtain it won't do well.
6. Romania - Mandinga : Zaleialah
The durms, the bagpipe, the rolling in the sand. This is europop at it's finest. And I can't help but like it. That said, I have no idea how it'll do tonight altough it has a fantastic slot just after Suus.
7. Switzerland - Sinplus : Unbreakable
Very basic radio friendly rock. I have nothing bad to say about this but there is nothing special in it either. Does it do well or porely? To be honest, I don't really care.
8. Belgium - Iris : Would You?
This song is a constant disappointment for me. It starts sounding like something Maia Hirazawa could sing and then turns into this super nausiatingly sweet song with no emotion in it. I hate to say it as I do love Belgium, but I really wish this won't go through to the finale.
9. Finland - Pernilla : När Jag Blundar
Let's be frank, I'm completely unable to say anything objective about this song. I mean, it wasn't my pick from the Finnish candidates this year but I do like it and as a Finn I just have to wish it does well. I thruely wish Pernilla will get to the finale even just so she'll get the experience as she is such a sweet girl.
10. Israel - Izabo : Time
Israel, one of my definite favorites this year! I love the positive energy they have and that Israel didn't turn this into a political thing. I really wish they'll get to the finale and am very pleased that they have such a good spot just after two ballads.
11. San Marino - Valentina Monatta : The Social Network Song (Oh Oh – Uh - Oh Oh)
If Latvia is an horrid ear worm, this is just plain horrid and definitely one of the most hated song in our library (there are two of us big fans here). I just hope San Marino isn't holding its breath for the win...
12. Cyprus - Ivi Adamou : La La Love
I didn't get this song at first but it did get under my skin after a while. A good europop song and a very good looking video. If they put up a good show they might do well tonight.
13. Denmark - Soluna Samay : Should've known better
I guess there is nothing really wrong about this song but the thing is I just don't like it. And that pretty much averyting I feel like saying about the song.
14. Russia - Buranovskiye Babushki : Party For Everybody
If you have followed the ESC scene at all this year you'll know what a phenomenom these Russian Babushkas have been. And I have to admit I do like them too, they just aren't my favorites. But it's safe to say they'll do well in the competition, no mather what.
15. Hungary - Compact Disco : Sound of Our Hearts
I'm pretty sure Compact Disco won't be one of the big winners this year (all tough I hope I'm wrong), but they have definitely stolen my heart with this song as well as with their very interesting video. Let's hope they have a good show tonigh.
16. Austria - Trackshittaz : Woki Mit Deim Popo
Am I the only one who get's their blood boiling when this song comes up? Yes? No? Oh well, it's safe to say this is not my song nor am I probably the intended audience for it...
17. Moldova - Pasha Parfeny : Lăutar
I have to admit that I can't remember at all how this song goes. But I do remember it's something I enjoy hearing it and that Pasha is very sweet.
18. Ireland - Jedward : Waterline
You know, Jedward was one of my big favorites last year with Lipstick. It was fun and energetic and just made me laugh and dance at home, especially in the semifinale where they happened to have the last performance just like this year. Waterline has all the same Jedward trademarks on it but it's bit less everyting compared to Lipstick. And even tough I'll cheer the this year too, this song just doesn't quite have that special something Lipstick had. I'm sure they'll get far in the competition, might even win too. Just, I wish they'd done it last year.
To conclude, the songs I think will definitely make it to the finale from this semifinale are Ireland, Russia and (unfortunately) Latvia. And the ones I really hope will also make it are Israel, Finland, Hungary, Iceland and Montenegro.
So there you have it, my 2 cents about the songs in this first semifinale. In few hours we'll know how it really goes. I can wait!
22.4.2012
Kokeiluja keittiössä - Kitchen experiments 2
En noin yleisesti ole mikään Stockan Hullujen päivien fani, mutta minulla on jo useamman vuoden ollut eräs Hullut päivät -perinne: käydä Herkussa ostamassa vuohenjuustoa. Joka vuosi kun herkussa on myynnissä miltei puolen kilon painoisia chevrepötköjä naurettavan halpaan hintaan. Samaan syssyyn matkaan yleensä tarttuu yhtä sun toista muutakin syötävää, mutta chevren takia minä siellä käyn. Ja sitten kun kaapissa on vuohenjuustoa pienelle kylälle, pitää äkkiä keksiä, mitä kaikkea siitä voisikaan tehdä. Tällä kertaa ensimmäinen ruoka näytti tältä.
Rucola-vuohenjuustopasta
Tämä on nopea ja helppo resepti, jonka kehittelin ihan omasta päästä. Olen joskus nähnyt jossakin samankaltaista pastaa, mutta sopivaa reseptiä ei ollut käsillä, joten improvisoinniksi meni.
Ainekset:
Määrä: 2 annosta
Valmistus:
* * *
Stockmann, the most well known department store in Finland, has twice a year a discount event called Hullut päivät ("Crazy days"). I usually go there to buy food, especially goat cheese which they sell in big quantities with a really low price. And as the Crazy days are this week, I now have a lot of wonderful chevre to use.
Rucola Chevre pasta
This is a quick and easy recipe that I improvised myself. I've seen something similar before but as I had no recipe, just the idea, I had to get creative.
Ingredients:
Quantity: 2 portions
Preparation:
Rucola-vuohenjuustopasta
Tämä on nopea ja helppo resepti, jonka kehittelin ihan omasta päästä. Olen joskus nähnyt jossakin samankaltaista pastaa, mutta sopivaa reseptiä ei ollut käsillä, joten improvisoinniksi meni.
Ainekset:
- 125 g pastaa, mieluiten penneä tai simpukkapastaa
- 1 sipuli
- 15-20 kirsikkatomaattia
- n. 200 g chevreä eli vuohenjuustoa
- n. 50 g rucolaa
- oliiviöljyä
- suolaa
- pippuria
- leikkuulauta
- terävä veitsi
- kattila
- paistokasari
- paistolasta
Määrä: 2 annosta
Valmistus:
- Keitä pasta.
- Leikkaa kuorittu sipuli suikaleiksi ja puolita kirsikkatomaatit.
- Poista chevrestä kuori.
- Kuulota sipulit nopeasti kasarissa oliiviöljyssä.
- Lisää pannulle kirsikkatomaatit, mausta suolalla ja pippurilla ja anna paistua 1-2 minuuttia.
- Ota kasari pois kuumalta levyltä, lisää joukkoon pasta, palasiksi murennettu chevre sekä rucola.
- Valuta päälle vielä hieman oliiviöljyä ja sekoita.
- Jaa lautasille ja tarjoile saman tien.
* * *
Stockmann, the most well known department store in Finland, has twice a year a discount event called Hullut päivät ("Crazy days"). I usually go there to buy food, especially goat cheese which they sell in big quantities with a really low price. And as the Crazy days are this week, I now have a lot of wonderful chevre to use.
Rucola Chevre pasta
This is a quick and easy recipe that I improvised myself. I've seen something similar before but as I had no recipe, just the idea, I had to get creative.
Ingredients:
- 125 g pasta, preferably penne or conchiglie
- 1 onion
- 15-20 cherry tomatoes
- about 200 g chevre (goat cheese)
- about 50 g rucola
- olive oil
- salt
- pepper
- chopping board
- sharp knife
- pot
- a big pan
- spatula
Quantity: 2 portions
Preparation:
- Cook the pasta.
- Cut the peeled onion to slivers and the cherry tomatoes to halves.
- Remove the skin of the chevre.
- Glaze the onion in olive oil in the pan.
- Add the cherry tomatos to the pan. Season with salt and pepper and let them fry 1 to 2 minutes.
- Take the pan of from the hot plate and add pasta, crumbled chevre and rucola.
- Pour some olive oil on top and mix everything.
- Portion out to plates and serve immediately.
25.3.2012
Eve Hietamies: Yösyöttö
Otava, 2010Kun Antti Pasasesta tulee isä, ei mikään mene niin kuin mies on odottanut. Vaimo, jonka oli tietysti tarkoitus jäädä kotiin pientä Pasasta hoitamaan, hyppääkin Naistenklinikan edessä taksiin ja ajaa pois ilman isää ja poikaa. Kun äidistä ei ole pojan kasvattajaksi on Antin otettava pesti vastaan, vaikkei se juuri houkuttelekaan. Mutta miten ihmeessä lapsen kasvatuksesta selviää iso mies, joka ei edes tiedä, miltä osastolta kaupasta löytyy se "äidinmaito"?
Yösyöttö oli mainio lukukokemus, joka tuli ahmaistua ihan poikkeuksellisen nopeasti. Asetelmasta on selvästi tarkoituksella tehty hieman koominen, mutta onneksi Hietamies ei sorru vetämään tarinaansa pelkäksi vitsiksi. Kuvaus Antti Pasasen elämästä yksinhuoltajaisänä sai minut niin nauramaan kuin itkemäänkin. Kirja oli erittäin koskettava sortumatta kuitenkaan olemaan yhtään siirappinen tai liian raskassoutuinen. Ennen kaikkea Yösyöttö herätti jälleen pohtimaan sitä, millaista erilaisessa elämäntilanteessa olevien ihmisten elämä on. Lapsettomana sinkkuna opin tästä myös jotain siitä, mitä on olla vanhempi. Ja oli kirja samalla kiehtova läpileikkaus laajemminkin lapsiperheiden elämästä.
Kaiken kaikkiaan hyvin kirjoitettu kirja, joka ponkaisee suoraan suosikkilistalle ja jota kehtaan suositella niin miehille kuin naisillekin. Minä tartun varmaan pian seuraavaan Pasasten elämästä kertovaan kirjaan eli Tarhapäivään.
* * *
(Title in English: Night feeding) When Antti Pasanen becomes a father, nothing goes the way he has expected. His wife, who was obviously supposed to stay at home and take care of the baby boy, jumps into a taxi outside the hospital and speeds of without the father and son. And the mother is not able to be there and raise their son, it's Antti who has to do the job, even if he really doesn't want to. But how on earth does a big man, who doesn't even know the real name for infant formula, manage that?
Night feeding is a great reading experience and a book that I finished really fast. The whole setting was obviously given a flair of humor in purpose but luckily Hietamies had not written the book to be just a joke. The portrayal of the single dad life of Antti Pasanen made me both laugh and cry. The story was very touching without being too sugary or heavy. It also helped me to imagine what is a different life like. I, a childless single, also learned a lot about what it's like to be parent as the book did portray many different families.
All in all this was very well written book and it went straight to my favorites list. I'll be happy to recommend this to both men and women. I'll probably dive soon into the next book about the live of Antti and his son called Tarhapäivä (Kindergarten day).
10.3.2012
Kokeiluja keittiössä - Kitchen experiments 1
Kuten muutama merkintä sitten mainitsin, olen ajatellut tehdä muutamia muutoksia täällä. Yksi ajatuksistani on ollut laajentaa vähän käsiteltäviä aihealueita ja kirjoittaa juttuja myös selkeämpinä sarjoina. Innoittajana tähän on toiminut mm. Inarin blogi, jossa on juttuja kasattu kivasti erilaisten otsikoiden alle. Nyt ensimmäisenä ajattelin aloittaa sarjan otsikolla Kokeiluja keittiössä, jonka alla on tarkoitukseni kirjoittaa nimenomaan kokkauskokeiluistani. Samalla yritän kannustaa itseäni kokkaamaan enemmän uusia juttuja, koska vaikka pidänkin ruuanlaitosta, jämähdän ihan liian usein niihin samoihin perusruokiin. Nyt siis yritän tehdä useammin jotain uutta.
Sopa de batata doce eli bataattikeitto
Ostin bataatin, koska pidän bataatista, mutta minulla ei ollut mitään erityistä suunnitelmaa sen varalle. Tänään päätin tehdä siitä soppaa. Sopivan tuntuinen resepti löytyi Roderick Dixonin kirjasto Ruokaa rippeistä (Art House 2008), sivulta 94. Kirjan mukaan resepti on brasilialainen. Pääpiirteittäin seurasin ohjetta, joskin pari pientä muutosta tähän tuli. Alla oma versioni keitosta.
Ainekset:
Määrä: 4 annosta
Valmistus:
* * *
As I mentioned couple of posts back, I've decided to do couple of changes in this blog. One of my ideas has been to broaden the subjects I write about and write them under more defined titles. A definite inspiration among others for this has been Inari's blog. To start this I wanted to launch a series under the title Kitchen experiments, where I obviously write about my cooking experiments. I do this also so I'd actually go and try to cook new things. It's too easy to just always do the same old stuff, even when you really like cooking.
Sopa de batata doce or sweet potato soup
I bought a sweet potato couple of days ago because I like it, but I had no idea what I'd do about it. Today I decided on a sweet potato soup. I found an interesting recipe from the book Ruokaa rippeistä (Food from the remnants) written by Roderick Dixon. The recipe is originally Brazilian. I modified the recipe slightly so here's my version of the soup.
Ingredients:
Quantity: 4 portions
Preparation:
Sopa de batata doce eli bataattikeitto
- 2 rkl voita
- 1 sipuli
- 3 valkosipulinkynttä
- n. 6 rkl hienonnettua persiljaa
- 4 tomaattia
- 1 keskikokoinen bataatti (n. 600 g)
- 2,5 dl maitoa
- 1 l lihalientä
- suolaa
- valkopippuria
- 1-3 kattilaa (määrä riippuen siitä, haluatko pestä niitä kesken valmistuksen)
- leikkuulauta
- terävä veitsi
- kuorimaveitsi
- perunasurvin
- kauha
- kulho
Määrä: 4 annosta
Valmistus:
- Kuori ja pilko bataatti. Keitä bataatinpalaset kypsiksi.
- Muhenna bataatti perunasurvimella.
- Kalttaa, kuori ja pilko tomaatit.
- Kuutioi sipuli ja murskaa valkosipulinkynnet.
- Paista sipulia, valkosipulia ja persiljaa voissa noin 3 minuuttia kattilassa.
- Lisää muut ainekset kattilaan. Mausta suolalla ja valkopippurilla oman maun mukaan.
- Kiehauta sekoittaen, kunnes keitto sakeutuu.
- Koristele tuoreella persiljalla.
* * *
As I mentioned couple of posts back, I've decided to do couple of changes in this blog. One of my ideas has been to broaden the subjects I write about and write them under more defined titles. A definite inspiration among others for this has been Inari's blog. To start this I wanted to launch a series under the title Kitchen experiments, where I obviously write about my cooking experiments. I do this also so I'd actually go and try to cook new things. It's too easy to just always do the same old stuff, even when you really like cooking.
Sopa de batata doce or sweet potato soup
I bought a sweet potato couple of days ago because I like it, but I had no idea what I'd do about it. Today I decided on a sweet potato soup. I found an interesting recipe from the book Ruokaa rippeistä (Food from the remnants) written by Roderick Dixon. The recipe is originally Brazilian. I modified the recipe slightly so here's my version of the soup.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoon of butter
- 1 onion
- 3 cloves of garlic
- about 6 tablespoon of finely chopped parsley
- 4 tomatoes
- 1 medium-sized sweet potato (about 600 g)
- 2,5 dl milk
- 1 l broth / stock
- salt
- white pepper
- 1-3 pots (the number depending on if you want to wash them in the middle of the preparations)
- chopping board
- sharp knife
- pealing knife
- potato pestle
- scoop
- bowl
Quantity: 4 portions
Preparation:
- Peal and chop the sweet potato into piecesi. Boil it.
- Mash the sweet potato.
- Scald, peal and chop the tomatoes.
- Chop the onion into cubes and cruch the garlic.
- Fry onion, garlic and parsley in a pot with the butter for 3 minutes.
- Add other ingredients to the pot. Season with salt and white pepper.
- Let the soup boil while you mix it until it thickens.
- Garnish with fresh parsley.
22.2.2012
Kuvakirjat / Picture books (3/3)
Jatkoa kahdelle edelliselle merkinnälle. Continued from the two previous posts.
Tuula Pere & Sanna Pelliccioni: Sanni ja taikakivi
WICKWICK, 2010
Sannin isoisä maka tajuttomana sairaalassa ja Sanni päättää parantaa isoisän etsimällä parantavan taikakiven. Aihe, läheisen ihmisen vakava sairaus/onnettomuus, on ehdottomasti tärkeä ja sellainen, jota on hyväkin käsitellä lastenkirjallisuudessa, mutta en tiedä, onko tässä kirjassa onnistuttu käsittelyssä parhaalla mahdollisella tavalla. Kuvitus on omaan makuuni hieman ankea ja minua häiritsi kovasti se, että kirja jättänee etenkin pienelle lukijalle sellaisen mielikuvan, että Sannin "taikakivessä" todella oli jotakin parantavia voimia. Hyödyllinen kirja monille perheille varmasti silti.
(Title in English: Stella and the Magic Stone) Stellas grandpa lays unconscious in a hospital and she decides to cure him by finding a magical heeling stone. The subject, sickness or serious accidents of a family member, in this book is important and such that it indeed should be handled in childrens litterature, but I'm not sure if this book does it the best possible way. For me the illustrations are rather mirthless and more importantly the book leaves the impression that the "magic stone" that Sanni finds does indeed have healing powers. This said, the book can still be useful for some families.
Grethe Rottböll & Lisen Adbåge (kuv.): Tio vilda hästar - en räknesaga
Rabén & Sjögren, 2011
Hih, kylläpä tuli aikuisenkin hihitettyä pösilöistä villihevosista lukiessa. Kymmenellä hevosella on niin kiire eteenpäin, että yksi kerrallaan joku jää muista jälkeen, kunnes jäljellä on enää yksi. Mutta onko sittenkään mukavaa kiiruhtaa yksin eteenpäin, jos kaverit jäävät jälkeen? Tämän kirjan parissa on varmasti hauska opetella yhdessä laskemaan kymmeneen. Teksti on iloisessa runomitassa ja kuvitukset hilpeitä ja samalla voidaan oppia jotain ystävyydestäkin. Ainoa miinus kirjalle on sama kuin monien muidenin numerokirjojen miinus: tässäkään kirjassa ei käsitellä nollaa.
(Title in English: Ten wild horses - a number story) Oh, how reading about these silly wild horses makes even an adult to laugh. These ten wild horses have such a hurry to get forward that one by one they are left behind. But is it any fun to run forward if all your friends are left behind? I bet it would be fun to learn to count to ten with this book. The text has fun rimes and the illustrations very bright and happy. Not to mention that at the same time you can learn something about friendship. The only issue I have with the book is that it, just like most of the number books for children, does not say anything about zero.
Maulana Rumi: Kauppias ja papukaija
Rainbow Book, 2010 (suom. Jaakko Hämeen-Anttila)
Tämä tarina on poiminta Maulana Rumin Ruokopillin tarinoista, jonka Hämeen-Anttila on kääntänyt kokonaisuudessaan. Käännöstyö on eittämättä ollut tietynlianen kulttuuriteko, mutta minulle jäi suureksi kysymysmerkiksi, miksi tämä tarina on haluttu julkaista myös kuvakirjana. Koko tarina tuntuu kovin irralliselta ja ainakin minun oli vaikea saada kiinni sen motiivista. Lisäksi kirjan ulkoasu on kamalan vanhanaikaisen näköinen: vesivärimaalauksia ja viivakehyksiä. Tätä kirjaa ei tee mieli suositella asiakkaille.
This story has been picket from Masnavi, a book by Rumi which has been translated in its entirety to Finnish. The original translation has some cultural value, but for me it is confusing, why the publisher has decided to separate this story as a picture book. The whole story feels rather disconnected and at least for me it was hard to get a hold on the motive of this story. And this book also looked old with the watercolor illustrations and line frames. This book is one that I don't think I'll recommend to customers.
Inger Sandberg & PennFilm Studio (kuv.): Pikku kummitus Lapanen - taitava isoveli
Tammi, 2010 (alkup. Stor och duktig - Lilla spöken Laban, 2010. kään. Tittamari Marttinen)
Vanhemmat lähtevät illaksi ulos ja jättävät Lapasen vahtimaan pikkusiskoa. Lapanen päättää olla oikein kunnollinen isoveli ja hoitaakin siskoaan erinomaisesti. Vaan kun yöllä alkaa pelottaa, niin kuka kömpiikään kenen viereen nukkumaan? Lapanen (tai oikeammin Laban) on jonkinasteinen klassikkohahmo meillä töissä ja siksi piti yksi Lapanenkin lukea. Traditionaalinen tarina siitä, millaista on kasvaa vastuulliseksi isosisarukseksi, vaikka itse vielä olisikin aika pieni.
(Title in English: Little ghost Mitten - a skillful big brother) When the parents go out for the evening they ask Mitten to look after his little sister. Mitten decides to be the best big brother who he can be and takes excellent care of his sister. But during the night, when things get scary, who climes into whos bed to sleep? Mitten (or Laban originally) is some sort of a classical figure at my workplace and that's why I just had to read one of these books. In the end it's a rather traditional story about what it's like to grow to be a responsible bigger sibling, even if you are not that big yourself yet.
Lane Smith: Det är en Bok!
Rabén & Sjögren, 2011 (alkup. It's a Book, 2010, kään. Suzanne Öhman)
Tässä hupaisassa ja nopealukuisessa kirjassa Apina yrittää lukea kirjaa ja Aasi ihmettelee, mikä se oikein on. Ainakin aikuista lukijaa (ja todennäköiseesti lapsiakin) naurattaa, kun aasi kyselee, voiko kirjalla blogata, surffata netissä tai soittaa musiikkia, tai kauhistelee kirjainten suurta määrää. Ja tietysti lopulta päätyy lukemaan Apinan kirjaa. Lane Smithin hauskat kuvitukset sopivat kuin nenä päähän tällaiseen kepeään tarinaan.
(Orig. title: It's a Book, 2010) In this funny and quickly read book Ape is reading a book and Donkey is wondering what a book actually is. To an adult (and a child probably too) it very amusing to read how Donkey is asking if he can blog, surf the internet or play music with the book. Not to mention when he is horrified about the number of letters in it. And of course he is completely hooked on reading by the end of the book. The fun illustrations of Lane Smith fit this easygoing story perfectly.
Tässä nämä kuvakirja-arviot tällä kertaa. Jatkoa seurannee joskus tulevaisuudessa!
So there are all the picture book reviews this time. Definitely a series that I'll continue at some point!
Tuula Pere & Sanna Pelliccioni: Sanni ja taikakiviWICKWICK, 2010
Sannin isoisä maka tajuttomana sairaalassa ja Sanni päättää parantaa isoisän etsimällä parantavan taikakiven. Aihe, läheisen ihmisen vakava sairaus/onnettomuus, on ehdottomasti tärkeä ja sellainen, jota on hyväkin käsitellä lastenkirjallisuudessa, mutta en tiedä, onko tässä kirjassa onnistuttu käsittelyssä parhaalla mahdollisella tavalla. Kuvitus on omaan makuuni hieman ankea ja minua häiritsi kovasti se, että kirja jättänee etenkin pienelle lukijalle sellaisen mielikuvan, että Sannin "taikakivessä" todella oli jotakin parantavia voimia. Hyödyllinen kirja monille perheille varmasti silti.
(Title in English: Stella and the Magic Stone) Stellas grandpa lays unconscious in a hospital and she decides to cure him by finding a magical heeling stone. The subject, sickness or serious accidents of a family member, in this book is important and such that it indeed should be handled in childrens litterature, but I'm not sure if this book does it the best possible way. For me the illustrations are rather mirthless and more importantly the book leaves the impression that the "magic stone" that Sanni finds does indeed have healing powers. This said, the book can still be useful for some families.
Grethe Rottböll & Lisen Adbåge (kuv.): Tio vilda hästar - en räknesagaRabén & Sjögren, 2011
Hih, kylläpä tuli aikuisenkin hihitettyä pösilöistä villihevosista lukiessa. Kymmenellä hevosella on niin kiire eteenpäin, että yksi kerrallaan joku jää muista jälkeen, kunnes jäljellä on enää yksi. Mutta onko sittenkään mukavaa kiiruhtaa yksin eteenpäin, jos kaverit jäävät jälkeen? Tämän kirjan parissa on varmasti hauska opetella yhdessä laskemaan kymmeneen. Teksti on iloisessa runomitassa ja kuvitukset hilpeitä ja samalla voidaan oppia jotain ystävyydestäkin. Ainoa miinus kirjalle on sama kuin monien muidenin numerokirjojen miinus: tässäkään kirjassa ei käsitellä nollaa.
(Title in English: Ten wild horses - a number story) Oh, how reading about these silly wild horses makes even an adult to laugh. These ten wild horses have such a hurry to get forward that one by one they are left behind. But is it any fun to run forward if all your friends are left behind? I bet it would be fun to learn to count to ten with this book. The text has fun rimes and the illustrations very bright and happy. Not to mention that at the same time you can learn something about friendship. The only issue I have with the book is that it, just like most of the number books for children, does not say anything about zero.
Maulana Rumi: Kauppias ja papukaija
Rainbow Book, 2010 (suom. Jaakko Hämeen-Anttila)
Tämä tarina on poiminta Maulana Rumin Ruokopillin tarinoista, jonka Hämeen-Anttila on kääntänyt kokonaisuudessaan. Käännöstyö on eittämättä ollut tietynlianen kulttuuriteko, mutta minulle jäi suureksi kysymysmerkiksi, miksi tämä tarina on haluttu julkaista myös kuvakirjana. Koko tarina tuntuu kovin irralliselta ja ainakin minun oli vaikea saada kiinni sen motiivista. Lisäksi kirjan ulkoasu on kamalan vanhanaikaisen näköinen: vesivärimaalauksia ja viivakehyksiä. Tätä kirjaa ei tee mieli suositella asiakkaille.
This story has been picket from Masnavi, a book by Rumi which has been translated in its entirety to Finnish. The original translation has some cultural value, but for me it is confusing, why the publisher has decided to separate this story as a picture book. The whole story feels rather disconnected and at least for me it was hard to get a hold on the motive of this story. And this book also looked old with the watercolor illustrations and line frames. This book is one that I don't think I'll recommend to customers.
Inger Sandberg & PennFilm Studio (kuv.): Pikku kummitus Lapanen - taitava isoveliTammi, 2010 (alkup. Stor och duktig - Lilla spöken Laban, 2010. kään. Tittamari Marttinen)
Vanhemmat lähtevät illaksi ulos ja jättävät Lapasen vahtimaan pikkusiskoa. Lapanen päättää olla oikein kunnollinen isoveli ja hoitaakin siskoaan erinomaisesti. Vaan kun yöllä alkaa pelottaa, niin kuka kömpiikään kenen viereen nukkumaan? Lapanen (tai oikeammin Laban) on jonkinasteinen klassikkohahmo meillä töissä ja siksi piti yksi Lapanenkin lukea. Traditionaalinen tarina siitä, millaista on kasvaa vastuulliseksi isosisarukseksi, vaikka itse vielä olisikin aika pieni.
(Title in English: Little ghost Mitten - a skillful big brother) When the parents go out for the evening they ask Mitten to look after his little sister. Mitten decides to be the best big brother who he can be and takes excellent care of his sister. But during the night, when things get scary, who climes into whos bed to sleep? Mitten (or Laban originally) is some sort of a classical figure at my workplace and that's why I just had to read one of these books. In the end it's a rather traditional story about what it's like to grow to be a responsible bigger sibling, even if you are not that big yourself yet.
Lane Smith: Det är en Bok!Rabén & Sjögren, 2011 (alkup. It's a Book, 2010, kään. Suzanne Öhman)
Tässä hupaisassa ja nopealukuisessa kirjassa Apina yrittää lukea kirjaa ja Aasi ihmettelee, mikä se oikein on. Ainakin aikuista lukijaa (ja todennäköiseesti lapsiakin) naurattaa, kun aasi kyselee, voiko kirjalla blogata, surffata netissä tai soittaa musiikkia, tai kauhistelee kirjainten suurta määrää. Ja tietysti lopulta päätyy lukemaan Apinan kirjaa. Lane Smithin hauskat kuvitukset sopivat kuin nenä päähän tällaiseen kepeään tarinaan.
(Orig. title: It's a Book, 2010) In this funny and quickly read book Ape is reading a book and Donkey is wondering what a book actually is. To an adult (and a child probably too) it very amusing to read how Donkey is asking if he can blog, surf the internet or play music with the book. Not to mention when he is horrified about the number of letters in it. And of course he is completely hooked on reading by the end of the book. The fun illustrations of Lane Smith fit this easygoing story perfectly.
Tässä nämä kuvakirja-arviot tällä kertaa. Jatkoa seurannee joskus tulevaisuudessa!
So there are all the picture book reviews this time. Definitely a series that I'll continue at some point!
21.2.2012
Kuvakirjat / Picture books (2/3)
Jatkoa edellisestä merkinnästä. Continued from the previous post.
Anna Härmälä: Sinä et kuulu tänne, Beiron
Ermanno Libenzi & Adelchi Galloni: Roope ja merirosvot
Markus Majaluoma: Sirkus saapuu kirjastoon
Maksimilian pestautuu marsuineen kirjaston apulaisharjoittelijaksi kesäksi. Kun kirjastonjohtaja jää lomalle alkaa kirjastoon virrata mitä eriskummallisempia asiakkaita vierailevasta sirkuksesta. Kirja on ihan kiva ja kuvitus taattua Majaluomaa, mutta ainakaan itse en kokenut tätä erityisen erityislaatuiseksi kirjaksi. En silti yllättyisi, jos lapsia naurattaa tämän kirjan äärellä.
Tittamari Marttinen & Christel Rönns (kuv.): Nepi ja paras koiravahti
Tammi, 2009
Nepi-corgilla on aina kamala ikävä emäntää, kun tämä lähtee päivisin töihin. Helpottaakseen Nepin päiviä emäntä hankkii Nepille koiravahdin, mutta yksikään koiravahdeista ei ole Nepin mielestä hyvä. Ei kukaan ennen kuin yläkerran saparopäinen Alma ryhtyy Nepin hoitajaksi. Nepin elämää on kirjassa kuvattu ihastuttavan kepeästi ja hyväntuulisesti. Christel Rönnsin kuvitukset ovat juuri niin ihania kuin aina. Kuvakirjaksi tässä on varsin paljon tekstiä, mutta kirjaa voi hyvillä mielin suositella vaikka jo lukemaan oppineille koirien ystäville.
Barack Obama & Loren Long (kuv.): Laulan sinusta - kirje tyttärilleni
(Orig. title: Of thee I sing, 2010) Obama has had a beautiful idea behind this book. He obviously has wanted to encourage hit daughters (and with the same effort other children) to see that they have the potential to anything in the world. This he strives to achieve by telling about people, who have done remarkable things in different fields of life, and what they were as children. A beautiful thought, even if not executed in the most creative way. The big issue I have with this book, especially as it has been translated to Finnish, is that the people Obama writes about are all from the US and that way unknown by Finnish children. That is why I don't think many Finnish families will enjoy this book.
Anna Härmälä: Sinä et kuulu tänne, Beiron
Schildts, 2011 (alkup. Du hör inte hit, Beiron, 2011. suom. Mirjam Ilvas)
Beiron, utelias kylärakki, elää iloista koiranelämäänsä ystäviensä kanssa, mutta kun hän päättää lähteä koiranäyttelyyn, ei hän yllättäen löydäkään omaa paikkaansa muiden koirien joukosta. Härmälä on kirjoittanut kiintoisan tarinan siitä, miltä tuntuu huomata olevansa erilainen etkä sovi joukkoon ja toisaalta kuinka silti voi olla onnellinen ja hyväksyä itsensä. Kuvitukset ovat iloisen värikkäitä ja tukevat hyvin tarinaa.
(Title in English: You don't belong here Beiron) Beiron, a curious mutt, lives happy dogs life with its friends, but when it decides to go to a dog show, it doesn't find its place among the other dogs. Härmälä has written an interesting story about how it feels when you realize you are different and don't fit in, and in the other hand about how you can be happy and except yourself despite that. The illustrations are wonderfully colorful and support the story well.
Ermanno Libenzi & Adelchi Galloni: Roope ja merirosvot
Lasten Keskus, 2011 (Alkup. Robin dei pirati, 1973. suom. Roman ja Lili Schatz)
Voi miten riemastuttava seikkailukirja! Roope asuu isoisänsä kanssa majakassa, mutta ajautuu hurjiin seikkailuihin, kun englantilaiset merimiehet kaappaavat hänet laivalleen. Pienille lukijoille tarinassa riittää varmasti jännitystä sekä hullunkurisia hahmoja ja käänteitä, vähän isommat lukijat pääsevät puolestaan nautiskelemaan myös pitkin tarinaa ripotelluista viittauksista klassikkokirjallisuuteen. Mainittakoon vaikka, että tarinassa seikkailee valas nimeltä Moby Dick. Loistavaa lukemista kaikille seikkailunnälkäisille!
(Title in English: Roope and the pirates) Oh, what a wonderful adventure book! Roope lives with his grandpa in a lighthouse, but ends up in wild adventures when English sailors kidnap him to their ship. There is plenty of excitement, comical characters and plot twists in the story for small readers and those of us who have lived and read a little more can enjoy about the many references the book has to classic literature. For example a whale called Moby Dick makes an appearance. A great read for all who are hungry for an adventure!
Markus Majaluoma: Sirkus saapuu kirjastoon
Avain, 2011
Maksimilian pestautuu marsuineen kirjaston apulaisharjoittelijaksi kesäksi. Kun kirjastonjohtaja jää lomalle alkaa kirjastoon virrata mitä eriskummallisempia asiakkaita vierailevasta sirkuksesta. Kirja on ihan kiva ja kuvitus taattua Majaluomaa, mutta ainakaan itse en kokenut tätä erityisen erityislaatuiseksi kirjaksi. En silti yllättyisi, jos lapsia naurattaa tämän kirjan äärellä.
(Title in English: Circus comes to the library) Maksimilian (and his/hers guinea pig) is hired as a summer depute apprentice in a library. When the library director leaves for holiday, a flood of odd customers comes to the library as circus has just arrived to the town. The book was quite fun and illustrations guaranteed Majaluoma style, but for me this was no way a special book. I wouldn't be that surprised tough if it makes children laugh.
Tittamari Marttinen & Christel Rönns (kuv.): Nepi ja paras koiravahtiTammi, 2009
Nepi-corgilla on aina kamala ikävä emäntää, kun tämä lähtee päivisin töihin. Helpottaakseen Nepin päiviä emäntä hankkii Nepille koiravahdin, mutta yksikään koiravahdeista ei ole Nepin mielestä hyvä. Ei kukaan ennen kuin yläkerran saparopäinen Alma ryhtyy Nepin hoitajaksi. Nepin elämää on kirjassa kuvattu ihastuttavan kepeästi ja hyväntuulisesti. Christel Rönnsin kuvitukset ovat juuri niin ihania kuin aina. Kuvakirjaksi tässä on varsin paljon tekstiä, mutta kirjaa voi hyvillä mielin suositella vaikka jo lukemaan oppineille koirien ystäville.
(Title in English: Nepi and the best dogsitter) Nepi, a happy Corgi, can't stand it when its owner goes for work during the day. The owner tries to find a dogsitter for Nepi, but according to Nepi none of the ones she finds are good. That is until Alma who has pigtails and lives upstairs becomes Nepis dogsitter. The book talks about Nepi with a great lightness and good-humor. The illustrations of Christel Rönns are as wonderful as ever. For a picture book this has quite a lot of text, but I'd be happy to recommend it for small dog lovers who already know how to read.
Barack Obama & Loren Long (kuv.): Laulan sinusta - kirje tyttärilleni
WSOY, 2011 (Alkup. Of thee I sing, 2010. suom. Kristiina Rikman)
Obamalla on ollut kaunis ajatus tässä kirjassa. Hän on selvästi halunnut kannustaa omia tyttäriään (ja samalla muitakin lapsia) näkemään, että heissä on potenttiaalia vaikka mihin. Tähän Obama pyrkii kertomalla eri aloilla merkittäviä tekoja tehneistä ihmisistä ja kuvaamalla heidät myös lapsina. Kaunis ajatus, joskaan ei ehkä kaikkein luovimmin toteutettuna. Ongelmallista etenkin suomennoksen osalta kuitenkin on se, että esimerkkihenkilöt ovat yhdysvaltalaisia ja sitä kautta tuskin tuttuja monillekaan suomalaisista lapsista. En siis usko, että monikaan suomalainen perhe saa tästä kirjasta paljoa irti.
(Orig. title: Of thee I sing, 2010) Obama has had a beautiful idea behind this book. He obviously has wanted to encourage hit daughters (and with the same effort other children) to see that they have the potential to anything in the world. This he strives to achieve by telling about people, who have done remarkable things in different fields of life, and what they were as children. A beautiful thought, even if not executed in the most creative way. The big issue I have with this book, especially as it has been translated to Finnish, is that the people Obama writes about are all from the US and that way unknown by Finnish children. That is why I don't think many Finnish families will enjoy this book.
20.2.2012
Kuvakirjat / Picture books (1/3)
Olen muutamana viikonloppuna lukenut kasan uusia tai ainakin suhteellisen uusia kuvakirjoja perehtyäkseni vähän siihen, mitä kaikkea kirjastomme kokoelmiin todellella kuuluukaan. Pitkiä arvioita en viitsi kaikista kirjoittaa, mutta ajattelin, että voisin luonnehtia kuvakin muutamalla lauseella. Ja turhan pitkän merkinnän välttämiseksi jaan nämä kirjat kolmeen eri merkintään. Saman tapaisia merkintöjä saattaa tulla tulevaisuudessakin, sen verran hauskaa kuvakirjojen lueskelu on.
Some weekends I've read a pile of new or almost new picture books from just to get a better picture about what is actually in our library collections. I'm not going to write long reviews of each of them, but instead I'll write a word or two about each of them in this and the following two posts. I might write something similar in the future too as reading a pile of picture books over a weekend is a lot of fun.
Yih Fen Chou & Chih Yuan Chen (kuv.): Mimi matkii
Pieni Karhu, 2009 (Alkup. Mimi loves to mimie, 2009. suom. Riitta Oittinen)
Mimi haluaa tehdä kaiken niin kuin aikuiset ja matkii heitä ihan kaikessa, vaikka lopputulos ei aina ole sama kuin aikuisilla. Aikuisia tämä välillä tuskastuttaa, mutta lopussa kaikilla on hyvä mieli. Sympaattinen pieni kirja, joka sopii hyvin pienempien lasten kanssa luettavaksi. Näin aikuisemmassa lukijassa se ei kuitenkaan herättänyt suuria tunteita.
(orig. title: Mimi loves to mimie, 2009) Mimi wants to do everything just like adults and mimes them in everything even when the results are not quite the same. Sometimes this frustrates the adults but in the end everyone is happy. Quite likable book which suits well for reading with small children. How ever it does not give that much to an adult reader.
Annika Devert, Jessika Devert & Jenny Karlsson (kuv.): Kikka lukee
Aurinko Kustannus, 2011 (alkup. Kicka läser, 2010. suom. Tanja Kanerva)
Kikka istuu lukemassa ja lukee kirjoista erilaisista perheenjäsenistä. Kummallista vain on, etteivät kirjojen perheet muistuta lainkaan hänen omaansa. Kikan mummi ei tee ristipistotöitä ja enokin on rokkitähti eikä isomahainen telkkarin katselija. Tosin löytää Kikka kirjoista jotain tuttuakin. Devertit ovat kirjassan ravistelleet hauskasti lastenkirjoissa kovin yleisiä kuvia stereotyyppiperheistä. Kirja on itse kullekin hyvä oppitunti siitä, miten erilaisia perheet voivatkaan olla.
(Title in English: Kikka reads) Kikka sits reading about different family members. The odd thing is that the families in her books look nothing like her own family. Kikkas grandma does not do cross stitch works and her uncle is not TV-addict with big belly, but a rock star. All tough in the end she does find something familiar after all. The Deverts have nicely stirred up the stereotypical picture of families that we so often find in childrens literature. It tells in a fun way how different families can be.
Marie-Louise Fizpatrick: Pieni kulkija
Karisto, 2010 (alkup. There, 2009. suom. Leena Perttula)
Pieni kulkija ihmettelee, mikä on perillä, millaista siellä on ja miten tietää päässeensä sinne. Kuvitukset ovat kauniin seesteisiä ja kysymykset varmasti monelle vanhemmalle tuttuja, mutta kokonaisuutena kirja tuntui aika tylsältä.
(Orig. title: There, 2009) The small traveller wonders, what is There, what it's like over There and how do you know you've gotten There. The book has lovely serene illustrations and the questions the little traveler is asking must feel familiar to many parents, but all in all, to me the book felt bit boring.
Charlotte Gastaut: Fannys fantastiska resa
Rabén & Sjögren, 2011 (alkup. Le grand voyage de mademoiselle Prudence, 2010. kään. Sofia Hahr)
On aika lähteä kotoa ja äiti komentaa Fannya kiirehtimään. Fannylla on kuitenkin muut asiat muut asiat mielessä ja kun hän päästää mielikuvituksensa valloilleen, on edessä kiehtova seikkailu mielikuvitusmaailmassa. Tätä on moderni kuvakirjallisuus parhaimmillaan! Tämä kirja ei oikeastaan ole lukukirja vaan katselukirja. Tekstiä on varsin vähän, vain harvoilla sivuilla, ja sekin on oikeastaan osa maisemaa. Tätä kirjaa kauniimpaa saa hakea. Suosittelenkin tähän kirjaan tutustumista ihan jokaiselle lapselle ja aikuiselle!
(Title in English: Fannys fantastic voyage) It's time to leave home and Fannys mom tries to get her to hurry up. But Fanny has other plans and when she lets her imagination fly, a wonder and exciting voyage can start. This is a modern picture book at it's best! To be honest, this book isn't for reading at all, but for looking. There is text on just few of the pages and even then the text is more part of the scenery than actual text. It might be hard to find a book more beautiful than this. I warmly recommend this book to every child and adult!
Kaarina Helakisa & Nina Haiko (kuv.): Tuuliin tähystäjä
Lasten Keskus, 2011
Tuuliin tähystäjässä ehdottomasti parasta ovat Nina Haikon sekatekniikalla ja kollaasitöinä tekemä harmoninen ja mielikuvituksellinen kuvitus. Vaikka ei tarinassakaan mitään vikaa ole. Helakisan tarinassa on taikaa ja runollisuutta. Hieman tosin jäi häiritsemään ajoittain turhanaikainen omituisten sanojen käyttö, sillä pienelle lukijalle voi olla varsin vaikeaa joitakin niistä.
(Title in English: The wind observer) The absolutely best part of this book are the mixed media and collage illustrations of Nina Haiko that is both serene and full of imagination. Not that there would be anything wrong with the actual story. It's poetic and has magic in it. What distracted me a bit was the over extensive use of odd words, especially as it can be very hard for some small readers to understand what they mean.
Some weekends I've read a pile of new or almost new picture books from just to get a better picture about what is actually in our library collections. I'm not going to write long reviews of each of them, but instead I'll write a word or two about each of them in this and the following two posts. I might write something similar in the future too as reading a pile of picture books over a weekend is a lot of fun.
Yih Fen Chou & Chih Yuan Chen (kuv.): Mimi matkiiPieni Karhu, 2009 (Alkup. Mimi loves to mimie, 2009. suom. Riitta Oittinen)
Mimi haluaa tehdä kaiken niin kuin aikuiset ja matkii heitä ihan kaikessa, vaikka lopputulos ei aina ole sama kuin aikuisilla. Aikuisia tämä välillä tuskastuttaa, mutta lopussa kaikilla on hyvä mieli. Sympaattinen pieni kirja, joka sopii hyvin pienempien lasten kanssa luettavaksi. Näin aikuisemmassa lukijassa se ei kuitenkaan herättänyt suuria tunteita.
(orig. title: Mimi loves to mimie, 2009) Mimi wants to do everything just like adults and mimes them in everything even when the results are not quite the same. Sometimes this frustrates the adults but in the end everyone is happy. Quite likable book which suits well for reading with small children. How ever it does not give that much to an adult reader.
Annika Devert, Jessika Devert & Jenny Karlsson (kuv.): Kikka lukeeAurinko Kustannus, 2011 (alkup. Kicka läser, 2010. suom. Tanja Kanerva)
Kikka istuu lukemassa ja lukee kirjoista erilaisista perheenjäsenistä. Kummallista vain on, etteivät kirjojen perheet muistuta lainkaan hänen omaansa. Kikan mummi ei tee ristipistotöitä ja enokin on rokkitähti eikä isomahainen telkkarin katselija. Tosin löytää Kikka kirjoista jotain tuttuakin. Devertit ovat kirjassan ravistelleet hauskasti lastenkirjoissa kovin yleisiä kuvia stereotyyppiperheistä. Kirja on itse kullekin hyvä oppitunti siitä, miten erilaisia perheet voivatkaan olla.
(Title in English: Kikka reads) Kikka sits reading about different family members. The odd thing is that the families in her books look nothing like her own family. Kikkas grandma does not do cross stitch works and her uncle is not TV-addict with big belly, but a rock star. All tough in the end she does find something familiar after all. The Deverts have nicely stirred up the stereotypical picture of families that we so often find in childrens literature. It tells in a fun way how different families can be.
Marie-Louise Fizpatrick: Pieni kulkijaKaristo, 2010 (alkup. There, 2009. suom. Leena Perttula)
Pieni kulkija ihmettelee, mikä on perillä, millaista siellä on ja miten tietää päässeensä sinne. Kuvitukset ovat kauniin seesteisiä ja kysymykset varmasti monelle vanhemmalle tuttuja, mutta kokonaisuutena kirja tuntui aika tylsältä.
(Orig. title: There, 2009) The small traveller wonders, what is There, what it's like over There and how do you know you've gotten There. The book has lovely serene illustrations and the questions the little traveler is asking must feel familiar to many parents, but all in all, to me the book felt bit boring.
Charlotte Gastaut: Fannys fantastiska resaRabén & Sjögren, 2011 (alkup. Le grand voyage de mademoiselle Prudence, 2010. kään. Sofia Hahr)
On aika lähteä kotoa ja äiti komentaa Fannya kiirehtimään. Fannylla on kuitenkin muut asiat muut asiat mielessä ja kun hän päästää mielikuvituksensa valloilleen, on edessä kiehtova seikkailu mielikuvitusmaailmassa. Tätä on moderni kuvakirjallisuus parhaimmillaan! Tämä kirja ei oikeastaan ole lukukirja vaan katselukirja. Tekstiä on varsin vähän, vain harvoilla sivuilla, ja sekin on oikeastaan osa maisemaa. Tätä kirjaa kauniimpaa saa hakea. Suosittelenkin tähän kirjaan tutustumista ihan jokaiselle lapselle ja aikuiselle!
(Title in English: Fannys fantastic voyage) It's time to leave home and Fannys mom tries to get her to hurry up. But Fanny has other plans and when she lets her imagination fly, a wonder and exciting voyage can start. This is a modern picture book at it's best! To be honest, this book isn't for reading at all, but for looking. There is text on just few of the pages and even then the text is more part of the scenery than actual text. It might be hard to find a book more beautiful than this. I warmly recommend this book to every child and adult!
Kaarina Helakisa & Nina Haiko (kuv.): Tuuliin tähystäjäLasten Keskus, 2011
Tuuliin tähystäjässä ehdottomasti parasta ovat Nina Haikon sekatekniikalla ja kollaasitöinä tekemä harmoninen ja mielikuvituksellinen kuvitus. Vaikka ei tarinassakaan mitään vikaa ole. Helakisan tarinassa on taikaa ja runollisuutta. Hieman tosin jäi häiritsemään ajoittain turhanaikainen omituisten sanojen käyttö, sillä pienelle lukijalle voi olla varsin vaikeaa joitakin niistä.
(Title in English: The wind observer) The absolutely best part of this book are the mixed media and collage illustrations of Nina Haiko that is both serene and full of imagination. Not that there would be anything wrong with the actual story. It's poetic and has magic in it. What distracted me a bit was the over extensive use of odd words, especially as it can be very hard for some small readers to understand what they mean.
30.1.2012
Herätys! / Wake up!
***
It's been rather quiet here in the blog lately, but it's most likely getting less quiet in the future. The break from blogging has been good for me and now my mind is bubling with new ideas and some minor changes to the blog. But I won't promise that I will post any more regularly than I have in the past. ;)
Tilaa:
Blogitekstit (Atom)