Drink up, dreamers, you're running dry.

I should be spending my day off doing useful things, like the tax return that plopped onto the doormat last week. Instead, I'm reading the Journal of Social Archaeology, drawing Incan art and writing about Eurovision. I think I've got this self-employed starving writer thing sorted.

( The Semifinal 2 lot. )

( The Big Six. )

And that's your lot for this year. I've stocked up on Bucks Fizz for Saturday and I'm already plotting where to stick up the homemade flags and classy LED blinkenlighten. Let the cheese commence!

( Just look at his wee dimply face! )

And that's that for the semis! Just making the final preparations for tomorrow's shenanigans, which consists mostly of not drinking the rest of the terrible wine, colouring in flags I missed for the sweepstake (sorry, Armenia! D:) and buying some fine quality poundshop tat. Join me as I ruin social media with my dribblings and lament the favourite not winning with Graham Norton from 8pm!

Can't believe it's a week today when the semifinal hits us, presented by the BBC Three stalwart Scott Mills and, er, Ana Matronic from Scissor Sisters. Yes, really. (But no more drunken Sara Cox? Shame, it made the semis that bit more entertaining) Meanwhile, my outfit is ready, and despite being drafted into what promises to be an excellent D&D session for most of the afternoon of the final, me and my cheesy pineapple cubes are READY. BRING IT.

( The rest of the wittering. )

(Possibly) coming next, the result of cobbling together a Spotify playlist of every single country's available entries and listening to them in a marathon that has so far stretched over one working week. May feature full lobotomies.

Yes, today is a month until the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest, and in what is fast becoming an annual tradition (see last year's offering), I'm already preparing for the festivities. Beverley's dress from Abigail's Party is on order from eBay, the fondue set is polished, cheesy pineapple cubes are at the ready and this time round there's been a lot more Euro cheesiness. Oh yes. I discovered that the official site archives (and livestreams) the semis, finals AND national selection shows back to 2007. So the HDMI cable duly came out, Saturday nights were booked up, and bad-quality 240p videos all the way from Moldova and elsewhere were enjoyed by all. Since, ooh, February. Lovely.*

Anyway, without further ado, the first part of my take on this year's lot. So, as some might have already done at our wedding, ALL RISE FOR THE EUROVISION NATIONAL ANTHEM**
( Cut for lots of rambling )