Today I missed the Texas Exes Barbecue.  It took a lot for me not to go to this.  I mean, Texas brisket is hard for me to pass up being that you can't get brisket here.  But since I have to go to Croydon next month for an interview I had to give it a miss.  Hopefully I'll be in Texas before too long anyway and will be able to pop down to the Salt Lick.

Instead tonight Nigel and I settled down to the Eurovision Song Contest, which I always love.  Well, I liked it the past two times I've seen it.  There's nothing quite like this in America.  Our cheesy programs are spread out year round, and we're bombarded by awards ceremonies anyway, so we're desensitized.  Take the talent portion of the Miss America contest, mix it with the Gong Show or maybe Pollo Loco, and you start to get the idea.  Here, allow me to illustrate:

the english is great!  This was Latvia's entry.  Some country's take this very seriously Dan at work tells me.  He also points out that English don't take it very seriously, but they get pretty upset when they lose.  True.

Nigel and I had a lot of fun this week making fun of the UK entry.  It featured rappers.  It's cornier than you're imagining it is. 

Aww... they did their best.  "At least it was better than in rehearsal" said Terry Wogan.

I liked the creepy Russian guy.  I thought he was cute, and I liked his song.

More pictures, and some fun grammar:

these lyrics moved me:

Eurotabulous.

listening to:  the free CD from last month's Wire

secret craving:  DQ's  "Country Strip Chicken Basket"