what may or may not be hard reality

This'll be first a little bit soapbox and a then little bit swoon-y adoration - I think I have a leetle bit of a new crush. Her name is Chely Wright and she just recently came out. You know, she was on Oprah and Ellen and in all those magazines, and that morning talk show, and I'm sure you've all heard of her. :P And there are a lot of people who are writing a lot of stuff about this being a publicity stunt, and how she's not famous enough to warrant this kind of attention, and yadda yadda.

Yes, she timed this really well, with the album and the book and the coming out. Sure. But why shouldn't she be a smart business person about this? Can anyone tell me why we should deprive this wonderfully articulate person of maximizing her 15 minutes of addressing the issues still faced by a lot of gay people all over and the world on national television? Sure, teenagers these days are coming out all over the place, and they're brave and articulate and stand up for themselves and their rights... but these teenagers don't make up the entire population of gay teenagers.

10 years ago when I was in high school there was a boy the year above me who killed himself because he was gay. I didn't know him well, but he was a friend of friends, and I wasn't out at the time, and it was terrifying. I'm pretty sure that still happens. (And shame on you, New York Times, for saying that coming out doesn't matter anymore.) So what I wanted to say was that she claims that's her goal, to reach those kids who don't have anyone at all. And just because she timed it well for maximum exposure doesn't mean those kids don't exist. In fact, by maximizing her exposure she's making sure she's reaching as many of those kids as she can, while being quite the posterchild of a gay posterchild.

She's only been doing this a short while, but so far I'd say she's doing pretty darn well! I admire her a whole lot for being so seemingly at ease in a situation that should be frightening as heck - which is where someone might point out that of course she seems at ease, she's a great actress, and this is how she markets herself, to which I ask again. How is this in any way harmful to the Cause? That she's comfortably and articulate while talking about gay issues? I'm clearly on Team Chely here!

Which is how we got to the adoration and the crush thing. Seriously, she's so pretty! And she's articulate and smart and has that long gorgeous hair going, and I really admire her. My dad raised me on the older, bluesier kinds of country, Patsy Cline was a bit of a house goddess, so in all honesty Chely's music is a little to modern and pop-y for me, but I still like it, in a generic country kind of way - haven't listened to the new one yet, it's in my next online shopping order, and they say it's a little different, so we'll see, but I'm still crushing a little bit on her. Of course it matters that she's gay. I'm really not much of a music fan, I very rarely listen to music, but I am a fan of pretty and well-spoken ladies who talk openly about being gay.

Go Chely Wright!

I cannot get over how green it is outside. It's like the trees have exploded and now there's green *everywhere*.

( My Fair Lady in Stockholm last weekend, semi-pointless ramblings )

( And some clips of Helen Sjöholm singing. I'll say that she is by far my favourite musical theatre performer of all times. )

Put your music player on random.
Post the first two lines from the first 32 (I only did 19, 'cause I got bored) songs that play, no matter how embarrassing the song.
Let everyone guess what song and artist the lines come from.
Bold the songs when someone guesses correctly.
Looking them up on Google or any other search engine is CHEATING!

Comments screened to begin with, but I'll bold the ones someone gets correct (without giving out the answer, so you can still guess...) Fail! I thought I'd set it to screen but I totally didn't stick around to check... so oh well. But if you think I'll believe you if you claim to be honest enough to put in the ones you know that someone else already knew, go right ahead and list those too.

( first lines undere here )

I ♥ Björn Gustafsson. OMG. (and the kid is younger than me. i'd hate him if i didn't love him so much.)

"And 12 points go to... SssssSweden!"

Yes please.

And Charlotte, ♥ you lots!

Malta, I love you. The rest of Europe, not so much right now. *glare*

There are hedgehogs fighting, or possible mating, outside my window. They're circling each other and making hissing noises.

Well, I'm safe and sound and home, and it's all awesome. I will do my very best over the next few days to post some pics and stuff, but first and foremost, CONGRATULATIONS CHARLOTTE PERELLI!!!!! So I know it's a week late, but being true fans of the Song Contest and unable to watch the show at the time we somehow managed to stay away from Swedish newspapers, and Swedes in general, and didn't actually know who won until we came home tonight and could watch the taped show, so to me it's all new!



( Comments on the non-winning performances here. )

( And gushing over Charlotte (and a few other things) under here... )

( And a video of the winning performance here! )

Gosh, I don't think I've ever literally laughed until I cried before...

I saw My Fair Lady at the Opera House Friday night, a wonderful Christmas present from my aunt, and it was fantastic. I've loved the movie with Audrey Hepburn since I was a child, I had a tape with it recorded off the TV, and practically wore it out, but I had never seen the stage version before. Hadn't really had any desire to, a lot of my love for the movie (or so I thought) was tied in with my love for Audrey Hepburn. Turns out I had just as much fun (if not more) seeing it on stage. The music is beautiful, and I realized I still knew pretty much all the words, and recognized all the instrumental parts, too. They've done a somewhat new translation, and changed the location, and updated a lot of the time-particulars, while still keeping with the traditional costumes and such. A lot of it was very tongue-in-cheek, and absolutely hilarious. Good, good, good.

You know that scene where Higgins takes Eliza to the races, and she proceeds to tell people about her suspicions regarding the untimely passing of her aunt in the fanciest English she knows? It's funny in the movie, but in this particular stage version it was absolutely hilarious. It never ended. Her monologue just kept going and going and going, perfect dead-pan delivery, until I was, quite literally, crying from laughing so hard. And hearing the sniffling around me, I don't think I was the only one.

Also very much awesome about this particular stage version was the presence of a drag queen in the homeless ensemble. I wouldn't know about other stage versions, but I don't remember one from the movie. A tall muscular guy in a skimpy skirt and wild wig, looking very much at home in the outfit, wonderfully effeminate. She always danced the girl's part whenever the ensemble were separated into girls and guys, and even got lucky a few times with sophisticated men in high shiny hats and capes. It was awesome!

And Pearce. Wonderful Pearce. The costume design sketch I posted yesterday doesn't do her justice at all. She was androgynous, went by Pearce as opposed to the movie's Mrs. Pearce (although the program lists her as Mrs. Pearce, but she was never referred to by that, ever, so I feel very free to disregard it, I never would have known if I hadn't read the program), also somewhat younger, and absolutely gorgeous, held her head high (not at all frumpy as in the sketch), and had really great chemistry with Eliza. Mmm, fanfic. I really should write some. She dressed in high-waisted pants with suspenders and a strict white shirt, hair in a tight knot, and also dressed all her maids in skimpy little black-and-white outfits, and seemed to quite appreciate their appearances.

Fantastic fantastic show! Yay!

Finally, an L-Word Quote of the Day:

Kit: "Once, I gave a blow-job to a horn-player."
Gang: *stunned looks*
Kit: "So I could get a line of cocaine!"
Helena: "And afterwards, how did you feel?"
Kit: "High."

~The L Word - 4x07 - Lesson Number One

When I think of Christmas music, the one artist who always comes first to my mind is Sissel Kyrkjebø. She's a Norweigian singer who has the most incredibly beautiful voice. And just like Helen Sjöholm she seems to have a glow about her when she sings, it's obvious how much they both love what they're doing. (She's also just plain gorgeous to look at.) Whenever there's a Christmas concert on TV, or a collection of Christmas music, chances are Sissel's gonna be there. I realized the other day that I hadn't heard much of her this season, turns out she's been in the US doing something or other, and has a new album out, in the US of course, which would explain why she hasn't been around here much lately. Either way, I love her, and have spent a whole lot of time the last few days watching her on YouTube. Sadly, there aren't a lot of her Christmas stuff on there, but a whole lot of other clips. First out is a favourite of mine from way back, might have been the first time I ever heard her, a beautiful ballad called Innerst i sjelen with lyrics that I've obviously never analysed (I realize as I listen to it now), and then under the cuts are a few more classical pieces (her voice is really at its best when she sings classical). Listen!



( Se ilden lyse - from the Olympic Games in Lillehammer 1994 )

( To God be the Glory - with the Oslo Gospel Choir )

( Adagio )

( O Mio Babbino Caro )

( Laschia Ch`io Pianga )

I *finally* got this week's installment of We're Getting Nowhere to work! I don't even watch South of Nowhere, but their recaps with accompanying reenactments and various snarky comments of varying relevance is one of the most hilarious things I've seen in recent times. Jill Bennett is freaking hot! (and she got to make out with Mariel Hemingway. *guh*) Karman is adorable. Dara is hilariously random. They're all funny as hell. I have no idea how I managed to get so hooked on people I don't know talking about a show I don't watch, but come next week (or whenever, they weren't entirely clear on that) they'll start vlogging about a show I not only do not watch, but that I *emphatically* don't watch. America's Next Top Model. I'm just so not a reality tv person. That said, no way I will not be watching their vlog. So sadly I assume I will know all kinds of things about the show come next season. *shame*

I'm also watching Lucy's episode of Burn Notice, and I gotta admit, not too fond of the main character guy. However, his girlfriend is hot, and OMG, Sharon Gless!!! Eeeee!!! Lucy looks kinda weird, though, but I've only seen her in one scene so far, and she was weeping all through it. What is this show about, anyway?

I kinda like the Dixie Chicks... but after a while their voices get a little grating. I need to put my Patsy Cline CDs into the computer so I can mix it up. (And also; 512mb worth of music on my phone isn't nearly enough. Gah!)

Meep. I installed IE7 this afternoon, or whatever the number is, and my computer has been unhappy ever since, and it totally didn't get rid of my problem where opening IE automatically deletes the opera.dll file from the Opera folder that is apparently a crucial file when it comes to running Opera. Grrr... However, installing IE7 did let me install VeohTV, which now lets me easily save videos from Veoh (read AfterEllen vlogs), which is awesome. Meh. I should re-start. Or just go to bed and hope all will be better in the morning.

Over at Dorothy Surrenders Dorothy (also known as Dorothy Snarker from AfterEllen.com) posts her 'weekend crush' every weekend. I'm not gonna do this regularly, and it's not even weekend, but the general idea fits well.

Now, you all know that I'm a fan of Melissa Etheridge. Dolly Parton I've never listened to as intently, but growing up in a house where country music was the main fare until I got old enough to buy my own albums I certainly like her a fair amount. Thanks initially to above-mentioned AfterEllen (tho in this case globalgrrl) I watched a bunch of clips from Melissa & Dolly's collaboration back in 2003 on CMT's Crossroads, and fell instantly for Jolene. A song I've known forever, but never paid much attention to. Until I heard Melissa sing it. Now, of course I'm biased, because I've never met anything by Melissa that I didn't like, but this is an unusually lovely cover. I love Melissa's voice, and she and Dolly do some really nice harmonizing.

Wow. LJ really isn't up to much this weekend. Or maybe everyone's busy doing stuff so they don't have time to update. I've got a day off, and I'm lazy as can be, it's very sweet. There's a curtain of snow falling outside the window, a light light curtain, that I can't actually make out the individual flakes without my glasses, and the grey daylight makes everything seem very soft. I like sunlight, I really do, but there's a kind of painful brilliance to it. It's beautiful and amazing, but then it's so much more of a downer when darkness falls. When the sky is this light solid grey, without any darker threats of heavy rain/snow or storming, everything's just wrapped in cotton, and then it slowly segues into twilight and then into darkness only it never gets entirely dark when there's snow and the sense of contentment and protection. It's the kind of day you can wrap yourself in and feel all huddled up. I do have issues with grand views and far horizons. It just takes too much energy to constantly extend my awareness so far away. They're beautiful for a moment, too beautiful, and then I get so tired. And the sun and the blue sky are awfully far away.

And I was gonna say something about choir stuff, but uh, Semagic ate that while I put the computer to sleep for a moment earlier and then the Academy Awards started, and now it's the middle of the night (ehem) and I'm exhausted, so that'll have to be later. CONGRATULATIONS to Melissa for winning!!!! Yay!!!! And of course there was Ellen. I loved some of it, liked most of it, and she looked really really gorgeous in that white suite. I was rooting for anyone *but* Jennifer Hudson, and see how that turned out, and it would have been so nice if Peter O'Toole had won, but people say Forest Whitaker was deserving. I have no idea. Mostly I'm tired.

This seemed fun enough! From evil_leela:

1. Put your iPod or MP3 player on random.
2. Post the first line from the first 20 songs that play, no matter how embarrassing and let everyone you know guess what song and artist the line come from.
3. Underline (or bold) the songs when someone guesses correctly.

1. Sunday, Monday, happy days - Theme to Happy Days - jeremybrettfan
2. Mississippi in the middle of a dry spell, Jimmy Rogers on the Victrola up high - Alannah Myles - Black Velvet - traptfilter
3. So you walked with me for a while, bared your naked soul and told me of your plans
4. Another day, I grow tired, just the same old
5. We got stars directing our fate - Robbie Williams - Millenium - jeremybrettfan
6. Love, love, love, love, American Style
7. Oh lord my god, when I in awesome wonder
8. Winter is here again oh lord, havent been home in a year or more
9. Oh the weather outside is frightful - Vonda Shepard - Let it Snow - jeremybrettfan
10. It's like an ocean tide, slowly washing my shores away
11. Semper crescis aut decrescis vita detestabilis nunc obdurat - ERA - The Mass - quantumliquid (sort of)
12. Childhood living is easy to do, the things you wanted, well I bought them for you
13. Two cigarettes in an ashtray, my love and I in a small café
14. I'm trying to tell you something about my life, maybe give me insight between black and white - Indigo Girls - Closer to Fine - fyca (*cough*cheater*cough*)
15. When love breaks up, when the dawn light wakes up
16. Tell me your destination, could need some inspiration - Alcazar - I'm not a sinner not a saint - freya86
17. It must have been moonglow, way up up in the blue
18. In my mind I go to Carolina
19. It's been years since they told her about it
20. It's been so long since I've touched, so long since I wanted

Uhm, well, feel free to guess. I'll be very impressed with people who get some of these. Mostly just an excuse to listen to some music. :P

And I got a package in the mail today!! Yay!! Three more Queen albums, making me the proud owner of 10 original albums (not counting 'Greatest Hits I, II & III', because, well, the songs on those are really not my favourites, and I like them better in their original setting). I'm currently falling in love with The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke, that I hadn't heard a proper version of before... mmm... Also in my pretty package was a k.d. lang DVD; Harvest of Seven Years (Cropped and Chronicled) which is... insane, mostly. It's videos from -83 through -90, if I understand correctly (I haven't made my way all the way through yet), and god, she's quite insane. They'd be ridiculous, only OMG the woman can SING, and she's so aware of the vids being insane that they become hilarious instead. It's fabulous. And OMG can she sing..... *ded*

And then my father and I went out to pick mushrooms this afternoon. It was quite lovely; the weather looked like rain this morning, but it cleared up and with the sun came warmth, and it was sweet. Riding a bike on pavement is always just transport and about getting somewhere as fast as possible, but biking in the woods is so lovely, much too long since I've done it. I almost found myself disappointed when we got to the mushroom places. (Of course, getting off the bikes also meant that the mosquitoes were able to catch us up.) Now, I can't find mushrooms to save my life, so it was all about my father pointing to them, and then I'd pick them, and he'd go search out the next spot. You'd think chantarelles'd be visible, but it's been a too dry summer so they were all tiny and pale instead of large and pretty and yellow. They're still yummy, though. Mmm.

So my new darling Nicky Hambleton-Jones spent yesterday's episode praising boobies and flirting gently with the lovely Ruby Hammer. Sweet sweet. She's most likely straight, though. I ran a google search and the first 11 hits were for sites that had links to their 'gay & lesbian' section in the frames, and the 12th hit was my own journal, because I'd commented on something gay on CSI in the same post as Nicky. Putting 'lesbian' instead of 'gay' in my search shoves my journal down to 31st hit, adding such gems as mentions of her "power-lesbian glasses" and an article in DIVA Magazine that tells me that I should be hating Nicky for being 'nothing by a waxy-faced drag hag who lacks a reflection in the mirror and probably doesn't cast a shadow either' (slightly paraphrased). And this seems to be the most common response. Mof Gimmers from TVScoop called her "the most evil person on TV" for coaxing tears from her poor weepy victims with bad self-esteem, but went on to change opinion as they concluded that she apparently got a kick out of honest people. Which I can believe. But not that I care what the anti-beauty people yell about, if people are stupid enough to go on those shows, they'd better live with it. And if people can't think for themselves, that's sorta their problem. It's not like they're targeting 13-year-olds. So I enjoyed watching the lovely Nicky; she praised the boobies several times and she was also line-dancing, while displaying a level of insane energy that reminded me of Emily. (Gosh, I love Emily...) She should be a lesbian, dammit.