Unikissa's blog

For some reason, I have this annoying person living inside of me. I call her the “promotional bitch”, and here’s her story.

She adores, loves and almost lives for music and music alone, loving several artists and bands at the same time. Some more than others, some forever, some for a short period of time. A lot the bands stay in her heart for years and years, altho the big love for them might tune down a bit along with the passing of time and the discoverings of new artists. A few of them have been with her since she was 16, creating a lifelong soundtrack for everything that’s happened to me. Good and bad.

Anyway. Very often this person makes me think & do things I shouldn’t be wasting my time on, really. She makes me obsess about a group or a solo artist so much, that if my friends or the rest of the world don’t love them (yet), I can’t help but trying to spread the love. Make them like these artists too. I know it’s really annoying. I’ve been called a groupie, a fangirl, a teenager, and in a way I take these names as an insult.

So, what I have to live with, is the urge to promote carefully picked musicians no matter what. I don’t (usually) get paid to do it, nor have I been asked to do it. I just feel good doing it. And it takes up my time, sometimes money, and most of the time it’s pretty useless since I’m only one person. It annoys me, but at the same time it makes me very happy.

I’m on the edge of starting a campaign of my own again, and it seems I can’t stop myself from doing it. I’m thinking about how to make the world to see them, I’m wondering about that nonstop, making plans, throwing them aside as bad ones.

And I haven’t even asked them if they want me to do it. What is wrong with me, doctor? How can I get rid of this need to be the promotional bitch?

Sometimes sad music can bring you down, sometimes it can cheer you up, make you cry out of happiness. Even if you just did something stupid, were really ashamed and felt like no-one likes you anymore.

That, in a small scale, happened to me within the last hour, sitting here in the darkness wearing my dear tiny Sennheisers. I was hysterical, did something rather silly, hated myself for doing it – until I randomly started listening to Jason Mraz’s songs on Spotify (Man gave name to all the animals! Hilarious lyrics!). After that, I surfed to YouTube to watch this.

I still feel a bit bad about how I sometimes can’t control my enthusiasm, but I’m also happy about the fact I am, even after this tiny emotional storm, alive and breathing. Yes, Mr. Mraz – life is sometimes very wonderful.

(At least when you find the right music for the moment.)

So. I flew home from Sweden/Denmark tonight, but it actually took two take-offs from the Copenhagen airport to finally get to Helsinki. They had problems with something electrical equipment the pilots use to do their job (no idea what, “nothing serious”), and we had to turn back after 30 mins of flying. At the Copenhagen airport they even had firetrucks waiting for us – normal procedure, said the captain. Still, pretty exciting!

The funniest moment was when, after telling us something is wrong, the captain’s announcement started bzzz’ing and breaking off. The Finns burst into loud laughter and I couldn’t help but giggle too – says something about this nation. We’re not afraid to die as long as it’s funny!!

The week in Lund was peaceful, lovely, relaxing, fun – I also got to see Grand Avenue twice, which was a huge cherry on top of everything! On Thursday night me and Miikka (aka CK) met the band and some fun people backstage and continued to a small pub nearby. We got hammered, played at least 20 Beatles songs from the jukebox and some MC Hammer.. I also have a video clip on my cellphone with a lot of darkness, laughter, loud rattling noises and a few flashing streetlights. The video includes a shopping cart and some pain, too. Might not make it public anytime soon, although it is hilarious.

On Friday night I hopped on a train to go to Copenhagen (again! I crossed the border 6 times within the week) to see the band play in Albertslund. CK went home that morning, so I had to make it a solo adventure. And what an adventure it was, indeed. I got lost in the damn suburbian hellhole of a mall and missed several songs. Oh well, at least I got a few photos and a chance to say hi and bye to the guys afterwards. Totally worth the trouble. They are such amazing people, polite and fun, making sure a random foreign girl doesn’t get lost in the city and whatnot. I wish they get the attention and good things they deserve.

Again, makes me want to believe in karma and people getting what they deserve.

It was so nice to spend time with Aija. Really really nice. We haven’t been able to spend a lot of time together lately (her moving to Sweden might have something to do about it) and now we got a whole week – minus my fangirl action – and although we didn’t do anything that special, it was the best week. Watched a lot of good movies & series, made some christmas decorations and amigurumi for their home, took Siru the dog to long walks to a nearby pond, ate good veggie food and enjoyed life.

Aija might’ve not enjoyed ALL the time with me, since I was pretty violent during nights while sharing the double bed with her. One night I had a dream someone was trying to stab & kill me, so I kicked the killer real hard in the stomach. Well, it worked, I didn’t get stabbed since I woke up to Aija’s whining and cursing. I’d kicked her instead. I would’ve laughed at the situation, but I realized instantly it wasn’t a light touch of a foot that hit her.. embarrasing but, you have to admit, a bit funny.

Well, it’s almost 4am and I’m starting to feel a bit cross-eyed (as we say in Finnish, isn’t it the same in English too huh?).. might have to leave the photo editing until tomorrow.

If you have Spotify, please listen to my current favourite track from Grand Avenue: These Days. I love the whole album “Place to Fall“, but this song’s been playing in my head since yesterday.

And a couple of photos – Grand music and flying Einari. Hope you like ‘em.

On the road again.. My flight leaves in a few hours and I still got some shopping & a lot of packing to do. But here I am, sitting in front of the computer, wearing a towel around my hair. Oh well.

I’m testing some new layouts, and so far nothing has been The Right One for me. I got so bored of the old one! This one still has a stupid “read more” button even if there isn’t more to read, but I’ll take a look at the code a bit later. Right now I really don’t have time for that, right?!

Anyway, I’m going to Sweden for a week, Lund to be exact. Gonna spend an evening or two in Denmark, since a favourite band of mine, the excellent Grand Avenue is playing in Copenhagen and nearby! Wooo! It’s been a year and a half since I saw them in Los Angeles.

Maybe it’ll feel like I was back in California when they start playing? Well, a girl can always hope.