The Howling

One thing is for certain: Hevillä ei hävitä.
Not in Finland anyway.

So yes, Ari Koivunen, a lanky, long-haired heavy metal singer won the Finnish Idols.
Tonight he managed to make the judges tear up with a heart-wrenching version of Still Loving You by Scorpions, give me chills with Soundgarden's Black Hole Sun and perform a very decent cover of Sonata's FullMoon.
Anna wasn't really that bad either, I really liked that Portuguese song of hers, it felt very natural and smooth. But as Jone said, she's not Alicia Keys and definetely not Joan Jett.
Ari on the other hand, again quoting Mr. Jone Nikula, could any day replace even Bruce Dickinson vocals-wise at least. \,,/

routaneito dropped by to see the first gig of the Finnish tour of Finntroll.
Too bad Wednesday was apparently The Day of Misfortune and among other not-so-good things we managed to miss the first 20 minutes of the gig, which was pretty much half of the set.
'Twas a great gig though, even though Beast's drums broke soon after we arrived and they had to improvise while the roadies tried to fix the problem. Virta played some Säkkijärven polkka (which naturally made me and Ella show 'em how to polka) and then we heard a very interesting techno version of Trollhammaren. *grin*
Fortune among misfortune was that they played all my favourites only after we arrived, at least Svartberg, Det Iskalla Trollblod, Fiskarens Fiende, good ol' Försvinn Du Som Lyser (Hail Somnium! \,,/) and the brand new, absolutely amazing and absolutely hilarious En Mäktig Här.
It was also good that this time they were donning their troll-gear and warpaint (even though Skrymer was uncharateristically boring and played with his shirt on). Routa is so cool, the guy's hair is to die for. <3 And I want my own Tundra as a pet, a furry little thing peering at you from beneath his wild, curly black mass of hair and looking like he might any minute attack your leg and start gnawing on your ankle. :D Vreth also proved that he's able to lead the troll horde (at least in live situation) even though he's a lanky prettyboy.
There's nothing lanky nor pretty about his voice, though. The lad screeches and growls like the best of them, sounding more like good ol' Katla than our darling Rivfader Wilska.

Katla was there, by the way, unless I'm completely mistaken. He was skulking around after the gig and hanging with the guys. It's funny, the moment I first saw the guy I immediately thought there was something special about him, this pretty smartly dressed somewhat short fellow with long wavy mid-brown hair, sweet-natured looking face and kind of amiable aura about him. I had no idea who he was at first but then something in my head told me: "Katla." I can't be 100% sure of it, tho', because I'm not that familiar with Katla's looks. Interesting anyway. *shrug*
Suvi also got to hug Vreth, poor guy is too pretty for his own good. :D And Ella met again her goddess Erna aka Enary, the ex-keyboardist of Lordi.

And before Suvi left yesterday, we also met suomigoth and her boyfriend Ville in Shamrock. Sometimes I have moments when I wish I had enough patience and dedication (not to mention money) to dress like she does, she looked so stunning. But I guess I'm happier in my comfy cargo pants, earth tones and combat boots running around in the woods.
That's what I've done a lot lately, by the way, as I have a forest pretty much on my backyard, the Riihikallio trollwood. And Isosuo is only about 1,5 kilometers away from where I live, I'm yet to visit it again though.
Heh, I really felt like "true Ranger" the other night when I roamed the nearby woods. At first a pretty little starling followed me a while by flying from tree to tree beside me, and then a white hare jumped on the path before me. And when I arrived to the part of the forest where I knew was located a pirunpelto ("devil's field", an ancient seashore turned into a field full of huge rocks, you can see some pictures of the pirunpelto in question here), I just followed my instincts and wandered wherever my feet would take me. And lo and behold, I arrived to the pirunpelto. It was pretty impressive sight, especially as the waxing moon was shining brightly in the sky while the setting sun was still shedding its golden light in the horizon.
Then I smelled smoke in the air and followed it until I found the smouldering remnants of a small bonfire from a rocky hillside with a very cool view over the faraway city. And when I walked back home, the only light I had was that of the moon, but it was bright enough for me to not miss a single step and every branch and twig threatening to slam me in the face I dodged instinctively even though I couldn't see them at first. I was quite proud of myself. :p
There's also this place in the nearby woods where I often stop to lay down for a while to do some moonbathing and stargazing whenever I return to home in the evening if the sky is clear.

I'm pretty happy living there, the forest as well as my flat feel like home already.
The only downside is that whenever the sun is shining the flat is hotter than a sauna, I think I need a fan or two for summer. And I still need a couple of rugs, a bookshelf, a bedside table, this machine and an internet connection and I'm a happy girl.

And then some lyrics from a song that has been playing in my head a lot lately:

"Tuota tiiä mie en itsekkään
Minkä tien otan etehen
Juonen juostakseni
Valihen
Tiiä minkä tien otan etehen

---

Korvessa miun kotini
Majani
Marjavarsilla on miun majani

Taiten taivas kirjaeltu
Oikein tehty Otavainen
Miten lie elämä miulla
Miten lie
Elämä miulla mustakulmalla..."

Hmm, since I am not going to Kitee on 20th day (about 150 euros is a bit too much for my budget...) I think I'll make a short trip to Helsinki on Friday, to check on my wolfboy (note: by using the word "my" I do not mean that I think he's mine ;p) and his brothers in arms.
And maybe with luck also get my lovely midnightblue velvet -covered book I'll go buy tomorrow signed. :)
And while I'm there I might also look for a Mothers' Day present for my mom.

It looks like summer has arrived to Finland and brought warm golden days and soft velvet-dark nights with her.
Sunday night really felt like some August night when I walked home with Ella and the boys, and I sat a while with her next to Sigyn (a three-masted barque built in 19th century, floats in the river practically on our front yard and looks like a pirate ship xD)and we dreamed of taking over the ship and flying away with it to the stars, heheh...
Then I took the lads here to sleep for what could be a better way to spend a night than looking after three drunken long-haired guys and then going to work in the morning after three hours of sleep? *grin* Nah, I love those adorable little bastards. ^^
Especially it was fun to hear that I'm "incredibly goodlooking" as almost last thing before falling asleep and wake up to Tommi jumping onto my back and rubbing my shoulders. It was nice change to have someone here overnight. *smile*

Anyway... It was also lovely to go for a walk to Ruissalo yesterday with SITKU team.
First we walked this incredibly beautiful forest path among ancient oaks and thousands of blossoming wood anemones, hearing birds chirping in trees and woodpecker hammer the hollow treetrunks and smelling the scent of the sun-warmed pines mingled with the scent of the sea in the wind. And when we came to the seashore sun glimmered beautifully on the surface and the crashing of the waves against the rocks in the shore was as exhilarating as ever.
Sometimes I am indeed glad that I live in Turku. :) And I should do those forest strolls more often.

Hmm. I'm listening to Evilion right now and trying to decide would I rather have Anna as the new singer of NW or let her continue with her old band because they're really promising. Ah well, I don't know if she has auditioned but if she has, my vote would go to her. :)

I think I have to make a decision whether I'll go to Tampere this weekend to meet the people from Nightwish forum, or will I go to the FME on the next.
I really would like to do both, but that's difficult with only 70€. I could go to Tampere by Zacharael's car so that won't be very expensive, but I'd have to come back by the last train because I have no place to stay. And those damn train tickets are too damn pricy now that I have no student card (or whatever it's called in English...). Gah.

I think I have to borrow some money from my mother for the FME anyway because the train tickets are still expensive, and I'm still not sure will I be there only one day or two because I have no idea where to crash the night. But Friday is a must, gotta see the NW lads if possible, and of course the FMA (Finnish Metal Awards). I'm really excited to see if Nightwish will win the "Metal Achievement Of The Year" Award for the sacking of Tarja. At least I voted for it. ;p

I'm a bit terrified, I must admit. This will be the first time I'll do something like this almost ex tempore. I'm a wuss, I know, but I think it's also pretty interesting that about six months ago I couldn't have even thought about going to a metal music event all by myself (well, hopefully I'll have Veera and maybe also Timo with me this time, but anyway...).
I don't actually even know why I want to go there so badly, but I guess this will be good training for me if I ever become a rock journalist (wow, seems like I have already decided that I want to become one O_O), to see how the Finnish metal scene works etc.

And who knows if it will be a turning point of my life somehow...
The Fate works in mysterious ways.

Hmh. I've been having those strange flash images about those forests again. The misty lake in the early hours of the morning in Nuuksio. Isosuo in the middle of the night. Kuhankuono during a warm summer day. Some various woodlands whose names and locations I don't remember, and then that frustrating, strangely Nightwish-related memory or something like that. Weird.

Ah, anyway... When it will become warmer I think I want to go to Isosuo again. Haven't been there since me and Veera got lost there and almost found ourselves from the airport last spring. It would be cool to try what would it be like to sit in the middle of the quiet, dark swamp listening to Visor Om Slutet...

Heheh, that reminded me one of my poems, Suden Uni. *chuckle* Ah well.
Maybe I should go to sleep now or I won't get any sleep at all tonight.
Goodnight, my children.