The Highs, the Lows...

Did you watch? Did you see? Are you OK?

Lovely JJ,
who won for Austria.

Eurovision 2025 has been and gone. I had a marvellous week, thanks for asking. From the first semi on Tuesday, I was giddy. The sparkles! The dance moves! The ear worms! It was electric. On Saturday morning, I had the pleasure of talking to Martin Adams on Riverside Radio. This is an annual treat. We talk Eurovision, disagree on our favourites, and I defend the UK song while he's largely critical. What I always hope to convey, is the sentiment that it's not about winning. Sure, for the jubilant country, it's a big deal. Fair play to Austria! But we have to get out of the mindset that if we don't place anywhere, the whole thing's a waste of time. Wrong! Even for those that tuned into Saturday's final and ignored the months-long build up, you were given a gift! Twenty-six songs, a host of singers, musicians, and dancers, wrapped up in the biggest party ever - all broadcast for you on your sofa. Stop whining and enjoy yourself. No one likes a grump.*

For those that were here last week and read my slight indifference to this year's songs, I have an update. After seeing them performed live in the week (a whole different ball game from YouTube vids) I found myself actively rooting for Finland. The POWER of the thing! It was DELIGHTFUL. A brief mention for Belgium too. They didn't qualify on Tuesday but it hasn't stopped me from adding them to my ECS playlist. Every year a select few songs make the grade and join previous favourites. This year, I've included  Belgium, Finland, Netherlands, UK, Sweden, and Austria. I imagine you'll have done similar.

By hook or by crook
I will get that word count down.

Writing News

I'm in the early stages of editing. Right now I've been reading each chapter, taking out erroneous words, simplifying cumbersome sentences, and smoothing out the general bulkiness. I'm nowhere near changing plot lines or characters yet. That's still to come. Right now it's the most basics of basics. My aim is to reduce my 75000 words count by about 10,000 words. It's a struggle. Mainly because along with the deleting and simplifying, I'm adding bits. This is not the plan. Annoyingly, however, in pursuit of clarity and flow, there are times when extra paragraphs are needed. All I can say is, it's a work in progress. 

Culture

Here's what happened. A few weeks ago, my brother went to a gig in London. He sent vids to the family WhatsApp and raved about the thing. That prompted my dad to get on online to look at tour dates at a venue closer to him. Next thing you know, I get rung up and asked to buy tickets. ('We're out all day so can you sort it, Nicky?' I was also out at the time, but we'll let that slide.) Next thing you know, I've bought three tickets for me and my parents, and on Wednesday we headed to the Theatre Royal St Helens for the gig in question.

He was singing 
Any Dream Will Do
here. Huge audience
harmony participation.

What was the gig? Oh, didn't I say, sorry. Yeah, it was James B. Partridge and his show, Primary School Bangers. You know, that teacher that stands on stage with his keyboard and leads the audience in a singalong of school hymns from assembly? It's not just assembly bangers either. There's also nineties pop, nineties advert jingles, and nineties kids TV themes. (It's quite nineties heavy, to be fair.) Not going to lie, I was slightly sceptical before hand. It doesn't feel that long ago I used to be dragged to church to sing hymns with my parents for real. Paying to do it on a Wednesday night felt wrong. But I digress. It was actually... EXCELLENT. Funny, nostalgic, relatable, and energising. Who else can go from Flo Rida to Shine Jesus Shine in the same set? James B. Partridge, that who. The other lovely thing was the second I walked into the theatre, I saw my mate Clair. The whole evening was top fun. Who'd have thought it?

Semi-eaten, and all the
bread is gone. But still!

Food and Drink

I've finally lost my Rudy's virginity. You know, the pizza place opposite the bombed out church? (I'm talking Liverpool, by the way. Other locations exist.)  I've walked past loads and never made it there. Happily, this has changed. I was meeting a friend a couple of weeks ago, en route to a gig, and he initiated me in the ways of Rudy's. The problem was, because my train was late, it was a bit whistle stop. I shovelled in the pizza and glugged back a glass of wine and I was out of there. But that was OK. It meant I had to return a few days later. All I'm saying is, the veggie campana is a sharing platter right up my street. Toasted almonds, roasted peppers, olives, artichokes, mozzarella, and the loveliest bread. Of course I've tried to recreate it since, and of course I've failed. I can't quite pull off the bread - a cross I will have to bear.

Lockdown drinking
when I invented Wine Slush. 

Out and About

The patio is finished. My working day is no longer soundtracked by a loud radio and assorted men accompanying it. I have my silence back. Meanwhile, I'm trying to recreate the heady Saturday nights of lockdown. No, I've not gone mad. I still remember the awfulness of that period but I think my brain is suppressing the really bad stuff. Because one of the nicer things that happened was I ate outside every weekend. It was bid to pretend I was eating tapas in a European back street. Or drinking in a northern beer garden, at least. My memories of those Saturdays were of interesting alcohol, picking at the pickiest of teas, and sitting outside 'til dark. Soon, garden furniture permitting, I'll be able to do that once more. This week's Out and About is contained to the immediacy of my back garden. 

I know this week drags. Post Eurovision Depression (PED) is a recognisable condition. Among the Eurovision fandom at least. Things will undoubtedly feel a little flatter than they usually do. Be kind to yourself. Go gently. It will pass. Until then, whatever you do, please...

...have a lovely week, folks.

*The online debate continues to rage about Israel's inclusion. The EBU's stance is the same as last year. The Israeli broadcaster KAN is who they have jurisdiction over, and as KAN haven't broken any membership rules (unlike Russia's broadcaster) the EBU have no cause to boot them out. According to this video, there's another good reason to keep them involved. It's fair to say for many people, these reasons are of little comfort when faced with news reports of genocide. It seems the debate will continue.