A multi-topic blog!

Ah! There is so much to say, where to start....



I've had a very American past few days. Its kindof strange, really.

Last night my roomie and I went out with this guy Chris, from the UK who is a Soviet scholar like us, but is leaving today. We were going to bid him farewell at a cafe which celebrates the KGB, but my roomie had a hunkering for good ole' American food. (ALL she ever talks about is milkshakes!) So off we went to.....
TGI Fridays.

Yes, I'm serious. I had a less-than-spectacular cheeseburger, but DAMN the nachos and the milkshake were good! There were also really really really annoying American teenagers there. Ick. There we discussed my Putin-absentee ballot conspiracy theory, noting that yesterday in the Moscow Times (english language paper) there was an article entitled "Putin says a defeat for Bush is a victory for Terrorism". In the sense that Putin (POO-tin) (or Vlad, if you're in the inner circle) will no longer be able to wage a war against the Chechens. Helloooooo - there is a reason they hate the RUssians. I'm not saying they're right for doing what they do, but Russia isn't helping.

ANYWAY....I digress.....
This morning I went to do my civic duty and vote. One can vote at the Embassy, but since you have to strip down to your skivvies just to get in, they offer other locations. Today's location was....
The Hard Rock Cafe

I am also not kidding.
Adjacent to the very small area where we could uncomfortably fill out our Federal Emergency Write-In Ballot there was the American Women's Auxillery Bazaar. They were selling CHRISTMAS PILLOWS and QUILTS!!!! It was hilarious. All these diplomat women running around being domestic in the middle of Moscow. I wish I had had my camera with me. They were wearing decorate earrings with American flags and everything. They guy that explained to us how to fill out our ballots looks sooooo familiar. He is also from Arlington. $10 says he went to AU at some point. He's my age. But I didn't ask.

But I have to say that they better count my damn absentee ballot. Our tax dollars are Fed-Exing it to the states for me!

The archives are wearing me out.

I had other things to say....
so this British guy - good thing he left today (and is getting married) because I would otherwise totally fall in love with him! The personal pickings here are slim. Where are my dorky-yet-funny academics?

Its a raw fall day here. I need to take my camera with me and capture some of life during this particular moment of autumn in Moscow.

later!