And just like the last time Sweden hosted the Eurovision Song Contest back in 2000 Denmark emerged victorious.

With 281 points Denmark won the Eurovision Song Contest of 2013. We'll see you all next year in Denmark.

Because of Eurovision Song Contest next week I thought I should post the songs that Sweden has won with in the past. This is actually the fifth time we are holding it. Don't worry Ireland you still hold the record with seven wins.

Can't say I have a good feeling about any of the songs this year although I do think that Denmark, Norway and Ireland have good chance that even if they don't win will place well. I must say I think Ireland's entry is a bit uneven, I like the lyrics and the music but when the chorus starts it’s like they switch song altogether and it turns into every other pop song you have ever heard.

( 1974, 1984, 1991, 1999 and 2012Collapse )

I've been watching people doing tours of their bookshelves on YouTube or talk about books in general and kind of look like fun and I have just had a course in mediating literature in libraries (it was actually called Mediating Literature in Libraries) and it was fun because we talked about books. After two years studying to become a librarian we finally got to talk about books. It was a course you could choose it isn't obligatory, which is a shame because talking a promoting literature is part of what librarians do and in my opinion should do more of.

So here is the question: I have a YouTube account and I have a webcam and I like to talk about books so should I make a book vlog?

My biggest concern would be that people will hear me speak English and they will probably ask about my accent. I can speak English and English teachers have said that my talking is fine but no real English speaking person has ever said anything. I mix British and American pronunciation and that will probably confuse people.

I think I need to read something by John Green.

Title: This Is Where I Leave You
Author: Jonathan Tropper
Genre: family drama
Publisher: Plume
Pages: 339

Back of the book:

The death of Judd Foxman's father marks the first time that the entire Foxman clan has congregated in years. There is, however, one conspicuous absence: Judd's wife, Jen, whose affair with his radio-shock-jock boss has recently become painfully public. Simultaneously mourning the demise of his father and his marriage, Judd joins his family as they reluctantly sit shiva - and spend seven days and nights under the same roof. As long-standing grudges resurface, secrets are revealed and old passions are reawakened. Then Jen arrives with news of her own: she's pregnant. This Is Where I Leave You is a riotously funny, emotionally raw novel about love, marriage, divorce, family, and the ties that bind - whether we like it or not.

Thoughts and feelings: Funny, sad and dramatic and never dull which makes This Is Where I Leave You one of the best books of this year so far. Going to be interesting to see if it will make the best book this year?

I usually don't read these kind of books because I don't very much like family drama but when the family is as dysfunctional as this one it is a pleasure to read because it makes you feel better about your own life and family. It is always funnier to stand at the side looking on at someone else’s problem than dealing with your own shit.

I don't want to talk too much about the book here because I'm going to be talking about at the book club on Wednesday so I don't want to talk too much about it. I don't particular looking forward to talk about a bunch of old ladies and the odd guy about books since this book will probably the only one they will consider reading. Let’s just say that their choice of books doesn’t agree with me about 99% of the time.

I know that I'm not the most prolific poster but I didn't realize how bad it actually was until krillia sort of pointed it out. 11 entries in 4 months, yikes!

The reason I don't post much is because I my life is so amazingly boring. You honestly don't want me bitching about school - or university college as it actually is called - or the fact that the place I'm staying at while I'm studying might be haunted.

Yes, you read that right, haunted.

And apparently it has moved from dearly departed just being stuck and moved on to things that has never been human. Sounds crazy, right? I haven't noticed anything and apparently they aren't going to do anything to me since I haven't done anything to them. To my great relief I have discovered that I'm about as receptive of the spiritual world as a brick.

I haven't read anything or finished reading anything in march and that was to be expected since I got off to such a great start. I have read school but I don't think anyone here is interested in that.

I haven't become religious but it is Easter and there is an over abundance of religious drama and documentary on TV. I like watching it because I like to know what it is that I choose not to believe in. I’m a big fan of informed choices.

I wonder if republicans have ever read The Gospel of Matthew and especially Matthew 6:24 where Jesus says "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." Or for that matter Matthew 19:24 where Jesus says "Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."

Jesus wasn't a capitalist and I don't think he was a socialist either, but he certainly didn't like the rich nor false pious. He was also very much into forgiving people and his message is certainly a lot different from that of the Old Testament. I must say that god is very bad at judging people. I mean king David had his best friend killed just so he could fuck his wife.

So the Swedish contribution to this year Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö has been chosen and is this:


Hey, Europe! Anyone of you that can beat this? I think you can. I believe in you so don't let me down. I mean UK is sending Bonnie Tyler, and while her song didn't rock my world it is still Bonnie Tyler.

If you disregarded the jury votes and go by the Swedish people alone and their votes we would be sending this:


What do you think? Who should we have sent?

Title: Touched By An Alien
Author: Gini Koch
Genre: science fiction
Publisher: Daw
Pages: 389

Back of the book:

IT WAS JUST ANOTHER DAY IN ARIZONA - AND THEN THE MONSTER SHOWED UP....
Marketing manager Katherine "Kitty" Katt had just finished a day on jury duty. When she stepped out of the Pueblo Caliente courthouse, all she was thinking about was the work she had to get caught up on. Then her attention was caught by a fight between a couple - a domestic dispute that looked like it was about to turn ugly. But ugly didn't even begin to cover it when the "man" suddenly transformed into a huge, winged monster right out of a grade Z science fiction movie and went on a deadly killing spree. In hindsight, Kitty realized she should have panicked and run screaming the way everyone around her was doing. Instead she got mad, searched her purse for a weapon, and, armed with a Mont Blanc pen, sprinted into action to take down the alien.
In the middle of all the screeching and the ensuing chaos, a tall handsome hunk of a guy in an Armani suit suddenly appeared beside her, examined the body, introduced himself as Jeff Martini with "the agency," called out to an Armani-clad colleague to perform crowd control, and then insisted on leading her to a nearby limo to talk to his "boss."
And that was how Kitty's new life among the aliens began....

Thoughts and feelings: I know that the science fiction genre could use some new blood, unfortunately it also needs to be taken seriously and this book is sadly not the book to do it. Because it really isn't a science fiction book. It is an urban fantasy that is masquerading as science fiction. Though it has aliens, advanced technology and the big evil is a parasite for outer space it reads just like every other urban fantasy book I have ever read because you can substitute the handsome aliens with vampires, werewolves or whatever strikes your fancy, the advanced technology might as well be magic and parasites from outer space could be your demons and considering the main villain is called Mephistopheles they might as well be just that.

As a urban fantasy story it would worked wonderfully and probably would be one of the better ones. If I was an editor I would have probably suggested to the author to make the change and also change a few other things. But I’m not an editor, which is probably a good thing. The sex scenes are really lacking. If Kitty manages to have 3 orgasms in a row but I don't even get a little hot under the collar something is wrong or I've read so much yaoi stories over the years that het sex does nothing for me anymore. I think it is just the author that hasn't managed to make the sex scene interesting.

Since I didn’t hate the book I’m going to give it a second attempt to impress me, I’m not passing judgment on an entire series on book one. So I will probably at some point in the not so far away future read Alien Tango.