Eurovision 2017 and me

It's been a long time coming, but the Eurovision Song Contest 2017 is finally upon us! My Eesti Laul 2017 post details the significance of one particular Eurovision preselection show in my life at the time (which occurred on the eve of a particularly eventful day!) but the entire pre-season has played an integral role in my life!

Albania kicked things off on 23 December, selecting my favourite from 2015, Lindita Halimi, on the same day as had a lovely reunion with my former volunteering co-worker! Fast forward four weeks, and fresh from getting the drunkest I'd ever been (which was superseded on Eesti Laul night) and singing U2's With Or Without You on karaoke, I went out for the second day in a row as Georgia and Belarus chose their entries. After several bars, a club, a kebab shop and a friend's house, I eventually found out the results at Waitrose at 4am, and was utterly delighted that Belarus had chosen their first ever Belarusian language entry by Naviband, which is still my favourite today! The UK's national final was next, and I witnessed Lucie Jones's majestic winning performance in person! The following day, as Finland decided, I was living it up at a U2 tribute concert, and even got to meet "Bono"! I watched the Swiss national final concurrently with the GB vs Canada Davis Cup reverse singles matches for no reason other than Sebalter performing during the interval, then forwent the German selection in favour of a Battle of the Bands competition. I prioritised Eesti Laul semifinals and chatting about eventful nights out over the other selections in mid-February, but got back into things with Latvia at the end of February, and was pleased when Line won, although the lyrics have since become a source of irritation. The Eesti Laul final made for the perfect pre-party to what became a twelve-hour bender, the last hour and a half of which I spent lost on the streets of Exeter. Finding out Verona won at about 10:00pm led me to ramp up the alcohol intake, and impair my memory from about 2:00am onwards, but one thing happened that was impossible to forget. Sunday 5th March was the calm after the storm, as well as the day that two of my favourite songs were chosen. Despite spending the whole day (well, from 08:30 onwards) at home. I tuned in to Romania's final extremely late, and at the exact moment Ilinca feat. Alex Florea emerge victorious, I was notified that I had a visitor, who thankfully was happy to sit through the victory performance of their yodel/pop/rap song. I was alone again by the time Portugal chose Salvador Sobral's sweet Amar Pelos Dois, and the two songs are now inexplicably linked to the memories of that visit.

That was as far as I got before Portugal won the Eurovision Song Contest 2017.

The subsequent fifty days (sequel to a post I never wrote)

Fifty days of struggle, of trying to accept but not knowing how, of recklessness and letting fear take hold. Fifty days of learning, of acting okay but not quite being all right. Fifty days that contained enough crying to make up for the lack of it during the fifty days prior. Fifty days that contained wonderful moments for sure, but also regrettable ones, and many that were both. Fifty days of excessive alcohol consumption, and appreciating how it can make you do things you wouldn't do sober. Fifty days that were.

Despite the melancholic introduction, I know it wasn't all doom and gloom, and to prove it, here's a hastily put together list of fifty things from the last fifty days that I'll take with me, through the next fifty days and beyond!

Knowing that the gluten free rocky road pleased Hannah
Having the third best score in the blue roll challenge
The sheer joy I feel each time the pen landing in the tube (hoping the used of present tense doesn't preclude further success at the challenge!)
Catching up with the Pharm girls the Biomedical Ball
Making Rosé wine
Taking photos in the photobooth at Thekla
Seeing Patent Pending live again, hearing songs I needed, and knowing far more lyrics this time
Talking to Joe from Patent PendingCooking chilli properly this time
Having a blood test
Getting the all clear from the blood test
The London Eurovision Party (especially Slavko)
Correctly guessing Levina was going to the toilets, following her, and then meeting her!
Getting Patent Pending's covers album for a reduced price
Almost getting to the end on Higher or Lower
Discovering Salvador Sobral's album
Dancing alone to Dance Alone in the lab toilets
Being in the lab beyond midnight
The pep talk from Lydia after being in the lab beyond midnight
Sending U2 a video of myself cooking gnocchi
Soraya making me realise I'm not a "sensible drinker"
Reading a 53-page paper in one night
My utter delight at Pospisil beating Murray, and later Federer beating Kyrgios
Several walks to supermarkets
The beauty of the new 6/7 branding
Buying a round of Jägerbombs
Eating Ampelmännchen sweets that were 28 months out of date
Getting to chill out at home over Easter
Amar Pelos Dois becoming chicken bites song
Photographing gorgeous sunsets
Watching old Take That videos and PowerPoint presentations I made
Laying beneath the moon
The Code being 809
Supersonic nail varnish
Creating several great nail art pieces (and keeping up appearances on social media!)
Potting two reds (and one black) in pool
Taking selfie videos while singing along to Eurovision songs with Em
Getting 37 points in a pub quiz
Ensuring I eat decent meals (even if they're microwaved)
Making up the A366 negative control solution completely by myself
Listening to Occidentali's Karma at 19:44 and becoming convinced it'll win Eurovision
Listening to Sweetest Thing, Always and various other songs in the lab
Getting incredible joy from dancing to Beautiful Day and C'est La Vie
Learning that any key excludes Ctrl, Alt and Shift
Singing I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For on karaoke
Getting a meatball marinara from Subway after missing the train
Dancing on the bench at Timepiece
Dancing on the tables at The Monkey Suit
Being accepted and listened to by various people in spite of my eccentricities
Hugs