19 May 2013

Because of my shoes I’m wearing today

We had a great time last night. Eurovision is so ridiculous that you need to either ignore it completely or embrace it entirely.

With alcohol. (Which is free*.)

So, for those of you who missed it, we've chosen some of our 'highlights'. I use this word VERY loosely.

Our favourite was Malta, who sang a very sweet song, perhaps the only one ever with a lyric about risk assessments....

I don't remember who Graham was talking about on the commentary when he said it (Iceland?), but I'll say it about this song - If the Eurovision song contest was a contest about singing, this could have won it...






Then we loved the Lithuanian entry - a guy whose life is ruled by his shoes!

(One is called Love, one is called Spain...)





Performer with the most terrified boyfriend must go to Finland... she wrote this song as a hint for him to propose to her. I'm guessing she's not into subtlety.





And special mentions for what Jo called 'Sheer Whatthefuckery' (No, Sherlock. It's on the list.)

Azerbaijan:



And Romania. It's...not what we were expecting. This is the one that made Sherlock stop and stare at the screen...





If you want more of the 'fun' you should go here and check out the other videos.

(*The Greek lyrics explain this reference.)

82 comments:

John H. D. Watson said...

Romania...yeah.

Greg Lestrade said...

It was memorable, I'll give them that...

John H. D. Watson said...

Definitely memorable.

Sherlock said...

When can Jo and Lisa come to the park? Can we have cake for breakfast before we go to Italy so I know what to do there? You HAVE to tell me how to ask for cake and ice cream in Italian so I can.

Greg Lestrade said...

I expect we'll do it when we're back from Italy.

I don't HAVE to, because you'll bankrupt us within minutes!

REReader said...

*watches videos*

... O_O

(There's a sleeping pill in the US that uses butterflies in its commercials. I don't think that's precisely the image Eurovision intended to convey!)

Sherlock said...

I like the butterflies I'm getting butterflies after our holiday because if I got them now they might do all the good stuff when I wasn't here and I didn't want that so I'm waiting.

REReader said...

Real butterflies are wonderful! And waiting until after you get back from holiday makes very good sense. Does it matter for the butterflies when you get them, or is all summer okay? And have you decided what kind you want?

Piplover said...

Sherlock, my mom's a teacher and so is her friend, and they get butterflies for their classes. It's neat when the butterflies are about to emerge because you can watch the chrysalis wiggle and jump about as they try to open it. Sometimes it can take a whole day!

Sherlock said...

You have to choose which ones you want and some of them only come out at certain times but this year everything is late because it was rubbish weather for ages and they didn't breed so when we're back we can email them again and see what's going to be the best.

REReader said...

That sounds like an excellent plan--and also good timing with the weather and your trip!

Greg Lestrade said...

You're being very patient, Kiddo, and very sensible. You certainly wouldn't want to miss an exciting bit of caterpillar/butterfly life.

RR - you should bear in mind those were the songs that got through to the final. Others weren't so 'good'...

rsf said...

Uh...wow... Now I definitely will arrange to be watching next year. I mean. Wow. And done before a huge crowd too!

I do kind of like the first one, though, it's uhm... sort of sweet.

Sherlock, you should probably learn the words for cake in ice cream in as many languages as possible. And "please" too!

REReader said...

you should bear in mind those were the songs that got through to the final

... *contemplating opening round songs*

Greg Lestrade said...

You can see the vids on the site I linked to. But, you know, only if you really have far too much time on your hands.

Danger - when's your interview? Or, to get to the point, when do I get to see you in your suit again? ;)

pandabob said...

The first thing the kids asked me this morning was who won Eurovision! Tiny fell asleep by song 20 and Shorty fell asleep before the voting started but they both wanted to know who won!

Eurovision is a mad thing but I love it :-D

Hope you've had a great day and are enjoying your evening :-)

John H. D. Watson said...

L - Wednesday, so quite soon! Wish me luck.

Greg Lestrade said...

I do wish you the very best of luck. Is it in town? Will you have a chance to meet up afterward before you have to pick up Shortstuff?

John H. D. Watson said...

Thanks. :) Yeah, unless it goes a lot longer than I expect it to, there should be plenty of time. I'll call you when I get done, okay?

Greg Lestrade said...

Yep.

You do look stunning in your suit. It's a great colour on you. With or without your loud shirt ;)

John H. D. Watson said...

Thanks, love. I will not be wearing the loud shirt to the interview. Nor, as Sherlock suggested, the unicorn hoodie.

Greg Lestrade said...

dunno. sense of humour is very important for the job... much like being in the army, I imagine.

REReader said...

And it would make you stand out from the pack! :)

John H. D. Watson said...

I'll tell them I got where I am because of the shoes I'm wearing today...

Greg Lestrade said...

not sure there is a pack. Is there a pack?

Your suit will make you stand out, anyway. As completely stunning.

Not many people can wear a lighter grey suit.

Greg Lestrade said...

Is one shoe called love, the other one Spain? ;)

John H. D. Watson said...

Is one shoe called love, the other one Spain?

Exactly.

I don't know if there's a pack. I don't think so - they seem not to have enough people to go around, but I don't know that for a fact. It's just a feeling from of the people I've spoken with.

Not many people can wear a lighter grey suit.

Is that true? Why not? You would've told me if I were one of them, right?

Greg Lestrade said...

You look amazing!

Because most people don't have the colouring, I guess. Imagine me in one - it'd virtually match my hair. I'd look like a black and white photo that someone had coloured in my face on. It wouldn't be flattering.

Plus they're the most casual end of the suit market, don't think most folks can pull it off. You, however, look amazing, and it suits you perfectly.

John H. D. Watson said...

The things I never knew... Well, thank you. I'm glad you like it, and you were a big help choosing it. :)

Greg Lestrade said...

It was fun! I love it all. If you'd ever told me, as a kid, wearing my mismatched jumble-sale second hand clothes, that I'd be sitting in a London tailor's watching my boyfriend try on suits one day, I'd never have believed you :)

And mine are just...boring and cheap enough to be covered in blood and god knows what and dry cleaned too much and then chucked.

Whereas now I actively care about numbers of buttons and types of cuffs. Really too much.

Olli said...

John--I have interviewed a variety of professionals, and have never once thought to myself, "That grey suit is too light on him." I think you're safe. Besides, it's not about the suit at all; it's about wearing something that reminds you that you're at the top of your game. They will be impressed by you, not by your clothes. So the size of the pack is irrelevant.

And this seems to be a good time of year to interview. (I got a job offer last week!!) So the very best wishes to you on Wednesday.

John H. D. Watson said...

You still look good in them. And I promise you can pick out all my cuff types and button numbers if you want to. ;)

I suppose the bike gear pretty much takes care of what I'll wear to work, which is nice.

John H. D. Watson said...

Olli - ha, good to know, thanks. And congrats! I hope it's a good one.

Greg Lestrade said...

Olli - just glad I don't have to interview him. I'd forget what my own job was, let alone anything else, if he came in all dressed up ;)

And congratulations! Are you taking it?

Danger - no half-decent tailor would let you go without just the right buttons, cuffs, etc. But you do have to pass Mycroft's inspection - which I'm sure has higher standards than mine! ;)

REReader said...

I don't know if there's a pack.

Then by definition, what you wear is the right thing for people interviewing for this job! :)

Seriously, I've always felt that the clothes a person feels the best in are the ones that look the best on them, because they add that extra bit of self-confidence. (And they'll be lucky to get you!)

Congrats, Olli!

John H. D. Watson said...

I admit, that was one thing I did like about the uniforms. You never had to wonder if you were wearing the right thing.

But you do have to pass Mycroft's inspection

True... He approves of the picture I sent him at least. :)

Greg Lestrade said...

You definitely have to try on the full ensemble Tuesday night - Sherlock and I will give our judgement, and we can Skype Mycroft.

(I can assure you that it'll be three against one on the loud shirt, don't worry - and I'm sure Sherlock won't hold it against you for long!)

Now...want to write me a doctor's note for tomorrow? Or should I go to bed?

John H. D. Watson said...

How about both? And then we can stay in bed.

Greg Lestrade said...

Ooooh, sounds brilliant...but I think people at the Yard would murder me.

John H. D. Watson said...

That is a downside. I suppose we'd better just go with bed then.

Greg Lestrade said...

Yeah.

Mind if I borrow your bike tomorrow? No problem if you need it, I can get the Tube.

John H. D. Watson said...

Yeah, go ahead. Just don't say anything mean about BMWs while you're riding it. ;)

Greg Lestrade said...

will it bite me? ;)

I won't. And I'll be very careful.

Olli said...

Thank you x3! I probably will take it... we'll see.

L, I only ever had one applicant who was too attractive for me to run an interview, and that was just as much about the work experience as the suit. Interviewed for a simple IT job and turned out to have a background in military intelligence, and also liked to surf in her free time. I was totally smitten, and don't think I asked an intelligent question the whole time. We did end up hiring her, though not before I made her sit for two more interviews with other people because I couldn't trust my own judgment. For the record, all three of her suits were phenomenal.

John, I guess the moral of the story is to take it easy on the person interviewing you. They may be just as rattled as you are, especially if the suit lives up to its hype.

Anonymous said...

*watches videos*

….remind me again how you guys conquered half the known world? >:-)

*runs away*

Greg Lestrade said...

Ella - not through the power of song, that's for sure!

Although Bonnie could get a decent power ballad out in her day...

Tina said...

... and don´t forget that this is Eurovision, Spandrella - it is not about the music :-)) There´s more than just a lot of decent music in Europe - but who would want to "star" in Eurovision (and then be mocked ever after)?

Greg Lestrade said...

The politics and feeling around Eurovision is unbelievably complex, and best understood after some alcohol.

Anonymous said...

Which is free, apparently.

AftSO

Greg Lestrade said...

Danger, might you be in town later? Or...maybe at the end of work, might you and Sherlock be about?

John H. D. Watson said...

Sure, could do either one really. You want to meet somewhere?

Greg Lestrade said...

At my desk? :)

I sort of need you to pick up your bike, I think. But coffee might be good too.

John H. D. Watson said...

I can do that, just tell me when. You okay? It's not a migraine or anything?

Greg Lestrade said...

I sat in a meeting this morning in a stupid position for bloody hours and...sort of got stuck? Had to pretend I was staying there at the end making notes before I finally managed to unfold and shuffle back to my office. Seriously don't think I can safely ride home. Feels like my entire right side is stuck. Completely my own fault.

Sit up straight, kids...

pandabob said...

Its awful that that made me laugh isn't it Greg ;-)

Sorry you're struggling.

John H. D. Watson said...

That sounds...unpleasant. Sorry, love. I can borrow one of the cars and pick you up after work.

Greg Lestrade said...

I'll get the tube, it's fine. Probably do me good to walk a bit. I just say with my right ankle resting on my left knee, all my weight leaning to my right side, all slumped in a chair and just, yeah, stuck like that.

It was pretty funny, AnonyBob. I couldn't admit to anyone I was stuck in my chair!

pandabob said...

it was definitely the trying to convince people there was no problem that I found funny not the fact you were stuck ;-)

Hope you're feeling better now.

Sherlock said...

We're going to come and get you and I'm going to be your chaperone and you say that shaperown and it means a person who supervises and maybe helps someone else so I'm going to supervise you home and on the way home I'm going to supervise and help you buying pizza.

pandabob said...

what a good plan Sherlock, especially the pizza :-)

Greg Lestrade said...

Are you? That's very kind.

I'm much better, still a bit...stiff. I'm sure everyone would have been nice to me if I'd told them I was stuck, but...stupid pride, eh?

REReader said...

That sounds like an uncomfortable position to be stuck in. *wince*

That's a nice thing to do for Lestrade, Sherlock--good for you! I could use a chaperone like you right now--I just had my cataract surgery and I could definitely use some help and supervision, at least for today--ot's sipposed to be better by tonight or tomorrow.

(Please ignore any typos, I can't see all that well with the one eye...but it gives a whole new meaning to the winking smiley: ;) )

Anonymous said...

pride comes before being stuck in a chair ;)

Greg Lestrade said...

Does it surprise anyone to know they arrived early, John dragged along by Sherlock?

Now he's spinning around in my office chair as fast as he can...

(Sherlock, not John.)

REReader said...

Like a one-man roundabout!

pandabob said...

No surprise at all and I'm guessing its not just because of the pizza that Sherlock was eager :-)

John in your office chair would have been so much funnier ;-)

John H. D. Watson said...

Not saying I wouldn't, but it's more entertaining to watch Sherlock. Especially when he stands up afterward.

Greg Lestrade said...

It does look like a responsible, trustworthy Met Police HSCC DI has a gorgeous biker and a small drunk boy in his office after hours...

Probably not the best impression.

John H. D. Watson said...

At least he didn't bring his bubble gun...

Greg Lestrade said...

True!

Just so you know - I haven't been kidnapped. Unless you count being informed that it was 'part of the deal' that we go to the cupcake shop kidnapped. I mean, I might be here for some time. Sherlock is more concerned about cake/icing combos than I am. Which is saying something.

And then we'll be getting pizza...

Might see you about midnight?

John H. D. Watson said...

Cupcakes before pizza is always a mistake. If you get pizza first, at least you can you've got to get it home while it's still hot. See you in a few years when you escape. ;)

Greg Lestrade said...

We are finally heading for pizza.

We now own 12 cupcakes.

12.

Twelve.

Possibly eleven now I've taken my eyes off them to write this.

John H. D. Watson said...

Twelve... Maybe I'll take some to Mycroft tomorrow.

Sherlock said...

I couldn't decide which ones we should have and Lestrade said we couldn't stay there all day and then the lady said because it was late we could have some cheap because she couldn't sell them tomorrow and Lestrade didn't even say no anyway so there.

Greg Lestrade said...

I'm basically a hostage here. I can't pick him up and carry him out of the shop...

we are on the way home though. The garlic bread may not survive. I'm starving!

John H. D. Watson said...

Me too! No opening of the pizza box until you're inside the flat. I want a fair chance.

Greg Lestrade said...

(Because I love him SO MUCH, I didn't eat the garlic bread. Not all of it.)

REReader said...

That was really very nice of the cupcake lady, Sherlock!

(Or possibly the end of a looong day. :) But still nice of her!)

Anonymous said...

Ella - not through the power of song, that's for sure!

It must have been through the cunning use of flags, then.


I'm sorry you're so stiff. Is it from the bike wreck? Please take some proactive steps before you go into full spasm or something horrible. I trust that John will persuade you to go to a chiropractor (osteopath?) or some such if he feels that's a real danger.

-Ella

Anonymous said...

or he'll make the decision himself like a big grown up boy!

Greg Lestrade said...

Ella - yes, from the crash. I just need to, y'know, remember to move a bit more. And not slouch in stupid positions for hours.

Anon - I will try! ;)

Rider said...

Maybe you could relax and make pancakes...

http://saipancakes.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/favorite-arthropods-1.html

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