понедельник, марта 27, 2006

MLB one week away!

I'm not sure if you guys know or not, but I happen to be a pretty big baseball fan. In fact, I watch just about every Baltimore Orioles game that appears on TV. Last season I believe I hit 90% in that catogory. (I would have gone to a game but, well things happen, and tickets get sold out after a 2 hour drive and I don't really want to talk about it). Yes in just one week Baltimore Orioles Baseball will be back in action. Gees, just one more sport I will be missing while in Russia. Well, I'll only miss a month and a half, BUT that just happened to be the most winningest time for the Orioles last season. Hmm, maybe this season we'll actually win when it counts and not die after the all-star break. Well, I believe and I always will.

Orioles World Champs in 06 Baby!


P.S. be sure to watch opening day for me (April 3rd!)

среда, марта 22, 2006

Music

This will be quick, the computer is working strangely today.

Last week in Petersburg, I managed to make a return trip to the Money Honey club. I really like this place. It's rock your typical "American West" looking bar with a great Rockabily band and plenty of swing dancers (that's only the first floor). This is followed by a second floor with a discoteka, billards, air hockey, shooting gallery, and another stage for what is usually a rock/punk/whatever band. This week was no expecption. I really liked the band that played. I guess I would call them punk, but they played everything from ska to indie, plus they even covered some traditional Russian songs, which was really cool. The best part is the cover is only 5 bucks for the whole night and this place it open till 6 in the morning (and one my friends was actually there to see the sunrise).

Good times had by all.

Gliches

There seems to have been a slight glitch in my last few posts, all posting under the same date. I don't really know why, but I seem to have fixed it, I haven't been that inactive.

вторник, марта 21, 2006

Back From Peter

Well it's been a week and I've return from my little vacation to Petersburg. What can I say it was great. I managed to hit all of my planned sites too (that would be the Mexican resturant, Sushi bar, and blini (pancake) stand). The best way to describe the trip would definitely be delicious. I'll have a couple post coming on this one. I managed to do quite a few things in Peter, don't want to bore ou all with a huge post.

I also returned with quite a few pictures. I noticed that I haven't been posting many pictures lately. Well I've certain;y replenished my supply of choices so you should except a few in the next few days or weeks as well.

The big news today would be Spring. Happy spring everybody, as today is the first offical day. I see that back home it is well underway too. Here we got a snow storm. Well, it's not that bad, the snow is melting very rapidly, I'm actually surprised. But I can say that we are almost averaging above freezing temperatures, should only be a few more weeks, can't wait. Yesterday was also my name day (That would be St. Joseph), of course it was also Sunday, so perhaps you forgot, I know it happens.

Anyways Happy Spring, Happy St. Joseph Day, Happy Lent, etc, etc, etc.

понедельник, марта 13, 2006

Off to Peter

Let's see, tonight I'll be on an overnight train to St. Petes. My teachers have graciously opted not to assign any homework, so I've got a very nice vacation ahead of me. I'll be in Petersburg till Sunday, so I most likely won't be posting. (There is an of chance that the big beautiful Petersburg internet cafes will be to nice to past up, but we'll see)

Winter is finally starting to thaw out. Right now I believe it is above freezing, somewhere around -1 to +1 C. It's great, I don't think I've ever enjoyed 0 degrees weather so much. I don't need my heavy coat, I'm wearing light gloves and everything. But I can already see that the next few weeks will not be all that fun. There is a lot of snow around here, and when it gets warm snow tends to melt. This means there will be a lot of water and slush real soon. Well, actually there already is a lot of slush. Plus you have to be careful where you walk. Stay away from buildings, because the snow falls off of roofs pretty frequently.

One more thing, in case you follow the show, "American Idol" has finally hit Russia. I've seen plenty of clones here before but now the actual copyrighted show has premiered, same music and everything.

Sometimes watching TV here is like going back in time, I see shows that I used to watch 5 years ago, but have already died in the US. Strange.

вторник, марта 07, 2006

Week here week there

I'm going to complain about the internet one more time. I find it very inconvenient here! There I said it.

Moving on, I was in Moscow last weekend for a birthday. Fun was had all around and I had an excellent Thai dinner, Moscow has the best food ever! Actually I will be back in Moscow next weekend too. Why? Well, I' ve got another birthday to attend. Hopefully that will be the last Moscow trip in a while, as fun as it is, Moscow can be expensive. The big thing is I'll be going to Petersburg in 1 week exactly. I can't wait. Not only will it be 5 days of no class, but Petersburg also happens to have some of my favorite restaurants and bars. I plan to eat very well there, sushi, Mexican, sbarros, it will be great.

P.S. I finally saw Underworld 2 the other night and I must say that felt none of the disappointment I expected to feel like after I saw the first one. There was general improvement all around and I actually enjoyed the movie (plus Kate B. even say a few words in Russian!).

четверг, марта 02, 2006

More on Lent

So with Ash Wednesday already yesterday I thought I would expand a little on Lent here in Russia. I was surprised last night at Mass to see that here we receive ashes sprinkled on the top of the head, not on the forehead. It was weird, but ashes are ashes I guess. Does anyone else know of it being done like this elsewhere, or is it just a Russian thing?

I've found a few interesting things on the Orthodox Lent that I also thought I'd share. First off in Russian Lent is called "Velikii Post" (basically the great fast). In America we have Mardi Gras of "Fat Tuesday", I think in Brazil they have the Carnival, or maybe I'm wrong in that, but here in Russia we have Maslinitsa, or the Last day of Blini (pancakes). It's your standard pre-lent food celebration. Since Orthodox lent begins next Monday, this will be celebrated on Sunday, which should mean a lot of blini for me to eat.