Most people would be surprised that Russian is actually a very pretty language. We Americans have a particularly harsh idea of what Russian sounds like: angry, grating, scary. THIS clip exemplifies how most Americans would feel if confronted by a Russian (or multiple Russians). While it's true that markets and talking to strangers can be intimidating, the language is not to blame! To prove this theory I'm going to compile a list of particularly catchy songs (mostly because Kim wouldn't humor me and stay up late listening to Russian music). I'm not going to bother trying to translate them..I'm probably not even going to screen them well enough to tell if they're offensive. The meaning isn't the point though..if you can understand it you already know that the stereotypes about Russian are false.
Russian is particularly well-suited to music because it's lyrical and rhythmic. Personally I like rap (I don't know if this is surprising to anyone...but yes, I am a big fan of rap music. When I drive I really like to listen to trashy rap because it's super catchy, but I'm too busy driving to listen to the lyrics). I'll save this category for a little bit later though, since not everyone might share this opinion.
[One thing about Russian music though....it almost always includes either techno dance beats or an accordion...if you're lucky you get both in the same song!! ]
Let's start with one of my favorites -- the sultry, mulleted, and oh-so-debonair Dima Bilan. He started off as a sort of joke to me, but he grows on you over time.
This song is just kinda sweet. Plus it reminds me of Captain Planet.
***poetry break***
Another favorite
This is what Braveheart would look like if it were set to Russian folk music. Although, this is closer to what most Russian folk music sounds like.
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Rap Time
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I've already shared my favorite rap song (Еще Один День -- Ю.Г. ), so I'll try to add in some new ones.
This one's pretty classic...it's about hunting a Yetti!
Faktor 2 has some really fun music too. This one is making fun of American music (including Eminem, Snoop Dogg, and Usher). The title is "I want to be on tv"
The background music for this one intrigued me. The singing is a little forced, but the rap is ok.
Now, for my final point let's hold a little competition:
RUSSIAN RAP vs GERMAN RAP
The German reminds me of skipping for some reason.
Alright then, I'm satisfied. I can go to bed now.
Well, Christmas has come and gone once again. If I were 5 this would be the worst day of the year (Christmas countdown: 364 days), but at 21 I find that Christmas itself isn't so exciting. The gifts are nice but fewer in between than in the old days...I suspect that's mostly due to the fact that I have more expensive taste and don't make Christmas lists. Now I mostly look forward to Christmas break as a whole: 1 month with no classes, no homework, no dorms, time with family, good food, and lots and lots of sleep. I could think up some moral to go along with this, but now is not the time for essays.
Actually, I don't really feel like writing this at all (I almost deleted everything, but I already had a paragraph..). I thought that perhaps a good ol' blog post would be a good way to get rid of my boredom, but that is apparently not the case. Yes, I know that I just talked about how great Christmas break is in my first paragraph and now I'm complaining about how bored I am....but boredom isn't such a bad thing. Not this type of boredom at least (where if I really really felt like it I could find something to do, but there's absolutely no obligation to be useful).
I really haven't done anything at all this break. I've probably been outside less than 5 times (so much for that tan)..and generally it's just to go to Wal-Mart for supplies. I read a book (The Kite Runner -- pretty good). Watched some movies. Eventually I'll make a pilgrimage up to Cottonwood to see the old town and hang out with friends...but I don't know when. It's 4 hours away which means it needs to be a multiple day affair, but it also means I'll need to apprehend one of my parents' cars for that time...leaving them carless (which doesn't really work so well). I really hate traveling right now. Let's see....in the last year I've traveled:
Wasilla to Seattle to London to Moscow to Irkutsk: 10, 414.4 miles (by plane)
Irkutsk to Ulan Bator (Mongolia): 324.4 miles (by train)
then back again....another 10,738.8 miles
Wasilla to Sahuarita (AZ): 2669.3 miles (by car)
Sahuarita to Wasilla: 2669.3 miles (by plane)
Wasilla to Houston: 3267.9 miles (by plane)
Houston to Sewanee: 666.3 miles (by car)
Sewanee to Sahuarita x3: 4372.2 miles (by plane)
total mileage: 35,122.6 miles......plus a few hundred miles here and there
For perspective, the circumference of the earth is approximately 24,900 miles.
That was also probably more math than I've done in the last 3 years combined. That is not a bad thing. Just don't judge me too harshly if for some reason you are nerdy enough to check my math and find I missed a number somewhere.
Luckily New Years is right around the corner. I have high expectations for 2010. 2009 has been alright, but I'll be glad to see it go.
My birthday is also soon...the big 22. January 29th if anyone is curious. Mail all presents and/or checks to my school address, please. I might settle for just a card...but bonus points to all who buy me something. My favor can be bought.
Also, thanks to all who stopped by after my last post. I doubt you'll ever come back, but the popularity was nice while it lasted. Here's a secret: I like to stalk everyone who visits just like they stalk me. It's called "statcounter". It's not nearly as interesting as reading my blog, but it does say how many people read it and gives me a nifty map.
In general I spit upon Twitter and curse its name, but luckily one of my suitemates doesn't share my opinion and noticed that a fellow Twitterite had stumbled upon my latest entry and spread the news (with rapid speed, might I add: kudos to you mystery tweeter). So...about 100 people stopped by over the next 2 days, as compared to about 3 the week before. I'm still not going to get a Twitter account though. Ever. I struggle enough with thinking up worthy facebook statuses...in fact, 90% of the time I just don't have one because I decide whatever I thought about saying would be boring to the rest of my 200 some friends on there.
There's another subject: facebook "friends". In reality it's more like facebook "people I met once and thought were cool enough that I wanted their names on my page.....and then I never talked to again". I've been thinking about doing some purges..but I would feel a little bad. Someday I may actually want to know what they're doing. Maybe I'll be looking for a job and they'll have some influence and I'll be like "HEY FRIEND! Look it up on facebook, we're like bffs!! Your statuses show up on my news feed ALL the TIME!" and they'd be like "OMG YEAH! I saw those photos you posted last week! You're hired! Here's $1,000,000,000!!!" And then we'd talk to each other in real life.
Friends are a status symbol too. If you have over 1,000 of them you must be amazing, and if you have less than 100 you should get out more. Maybe sometime I'll suck it up and either get rid of some or start talking to them again....or facebook will just get better settings. I care more about the photos that my best friend posted than who the person that I met once in highschool is now friends with. Or, maybe the unthinkable will happen and facebook will cease to be the most important thing in life. Maybe I'll just get a phone.....except that I hate phones. Maybe I'll just get something else that's equally as personal but not a phone. Smoke signals could be fun. While you were at it you could make s'mores.
I finally got with the times and watched the new Star Trek (my family generally just waits until things come out on DVD instead of going to theaters). Everyone was right: it is a really good movie, and the Russian guy was pretty cute. He really is Russian..I looked it up on Wikipedia.
Well, look at that. I went and wrote a blog after all.
Merry day after Christmas,
Happy Boxing Day,
С Новым Годом,
and Happy almost 2010!
Here's a nice little reminder of days bygone (even more bygone than 2009): an excellent day of iceblocking. This is how you sled in Arizona.
Signing out,
Amanda "Completely Uncalled For" Conrad
The title has very little to do with this entry, but I thought it was catchy.
I've been hungry for the last couple of days. I'm talking abnormally so. Generally I have a pretty high hunger tolerance, but this morning nearly began with me tumbling out of bed and promptly starving to death right there on the floor...the sole witnesses to my misfortune a pair of dirty socks, a package of stickers, and a pile of Russian notes. Luckily I keep a stash of emergency poptarts in my closet for just this sort of occasion, and I managed to scarf one down before I lost consciousness. Then I went back to reviewing for my 19th century Russian Lit. final.
I attribute my brush with death to the fact that McClurg's food has been steadily decreasing in quality since Thanksgiving, and I can only be sustained by old pizza for so long. To remedy this, I proposed that Kendra and I go out to eat for dinner. Unfortunately, the most classy restaurants in the area are Mexican (which Kendra doesn't really care for), and Subway. Considering the fact that we've eaten at Subway about 392574827542 times this semester, we decided to visit its neighbor: Waffle House. For those of you not from the east/south who have no idea what Waffle House is, here's a picture:
From its appearance (and all Waffle Houses look the same) Waffle House was built in the 50s...and then never altered again. They specialize in (what else?) waffles...they do offer other food choices, but I would not recommend you try them. People keep coming back because you get a lot of food for cheap, and they are ALWAYS open...even on Christmas day (they had a sign up advertising this and seemed very proud of this fact). Anyway, for once Waffle House was almost full, so Kendra and I got squashed back in the corner booth right next to the break room. This placement actually turned out to be quite strategic. It seems there's been some drama in Waffle House as of late -- SOMEONE has been leaving threatening letters! But wait, that's not all! At 9:00 on this very night (December 11, 2009) a showdown was scheduled to take place. All of the waitresses seemed antsy...no one knew what this new development in "As The Waffle Turns" (as our waitress dubbed it) would bring! Angst lingered palpably in the air...mingling poetically with the stale smoke and rancid cooking grease. Would everything turn out to be just a gross misunderstanding? Would the Sewanee mafia show up and "settle" the problem once and for all? Would fisticuffs break out in the parking lot???
Unfortunately, we ate dinner at 7:30 and didn't get to find out. Our waitress said she was going to start charging a $5 cover fee at the door though..and we were welcome to come back (provided that we brought our own beverages and popcorn).
I have officially decided that I'm looking forward to graduation. 17 years is a long time to continuously be in school, I'm getting rather burnt out.
Of course, it doesn't help that I'm in the midst of finals right now (not that I have that many). It's so unfortunate that they always time finals for the times when you care the least about school. After the hustle and bustle and lack of sleep accumulated by the final days of class, I'm pretty sure that 99.9% of students would rather (insert drastic action here - it's too late to be creative) than read anything else about that subject for at very least a month. Sometimes they'd rather not talk about that subject ever again...I find that I fall into this group most often.
Luckily, break is just one week away. *Conveniently* my two finals were scheduled in the very first and very last time slots. Maybe I'll do something interesting during my week of repose like go on a hike. In reality though I'll probably complain about the essay I still have to write, sleep, and play bejeweled all day. I have never claimed to be the most active person in the world.
I can't wait to go home for multiple reasons. Here are a few:
1) It's Christmas
2) Walking from my room to the kitchen does not involve any of the following: a) cold, b) 1/2 a mile, c) motivation
Well...those are the main ones really. I guess family will be nice too =P (and yes dad, I do still want a ride from the airport)
Here's a fun link for all of you Tetris players (courtesy of Kim and Collegehumor.com):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAOSdHFXdU8
Oh, and P.S. Jared -- I'm still winning
Things are settling down here and life has, for the most part, returned to normal. I'm very pleased to note that November has been much better than October. About a week ago I checked my mail for the first time in a considerable while. This year's dorm is about a mile away from my post office box, so since my incoming correspondence has pretty much dropped to 0 I usually only bother to make the trek once every week and a half or so. However, on the rare days that I do have something there's about a 70% chance that I won't be able to open my box and will just give up in defeat and decide to try some other day. Apparently the trick to opening it is to not be me, since no one else has problems with it. Anyway, a week ago I found both a letter from Ludmila Vasilevna (my host in Russia) and a Halloween package from my mom -- happy day! I have a miserly streak though, and have only grudgingly shared a few cookies and a box of nerds with 1 of my suite mates. Don't worry though, I'm learning my lesson...the thought of candy now gives me a slight headache. Now I'm pacing myself
You should write me. Or send me things. My mailbox is lonely...and so am I!
Ok...that picture might be a little extreme, but you get the point.
As you can perhaps tell from the title, I've been listening to a lot of music lately. I go in cycles when it comes to music: sometimes I listen to it all day, sometimes I won't turn it on for a week, sometimes I only listen to music in foreign languages, sometimes that makes my head hurt. Most recently I've been in a Russian music mood...more specifically a Братья Грим (The Brothers Grim) mood. Since it's Russian I doubt most of you folks will understand, but it's ok because I barely understand the lyrics myself. This group focuses more on the overall sound, so I feel like the mood should be fairly universal even to you non-Russian-speaking readers. Click HERE! I'm assuming that worked, I'm bad at this linking business. And yes, there is a rutube. If you like it enough, повторить means repeat.
If you like rap with meaningful lyrics, try this one-- Еще Одинь День (One more day). My favorite lines are:
Куда спешить? Зачем стремительно так жить? /Where are you rushing? Why are you living so hurriedly?
Зачем забывать, что можно дышать, можно любить?/ Why have you forgotten that you can breath, that you can love?
Ведь можно жить, а можно просто проживать! /You can live life, or you can just live through life!
If for some absurd reason you like English, I've always liked OneRepublic's song Stop and Stare.
I also have no shame in admitting that I like THIS song. I don't care what you say, it's sweet and has nice bass.
For bad days, go here
For romantic days
If Bollywood is your style
If you need to drive
Or if you're on a boat...
If you've got hurt feelings,
Just let it go.
There really is a song for everything.
Enjoy.
(Yes, I do expect you all to listen to every single one of these. A lot of time and love went into my selections!)
This year is full of contradictions. Paradoxically, it's been one of my best and my worst years. I began the year with an extended Christmas break followed by a great study abroad experience. Then my summer alternated between immense activity and complete isolation. While at times I thought I might go insane from lack of social interaction, at other times I got to see good friends that I hadn't seen in years. I spent a little over a week catching up with Kim on a trans-US/Canadian road trip (whom I hadn't seen since June of 2008). Even though we spent a lot of time driving and listening to the same songs over and over again, we also got to see a lot of cool scenery and wildlife....and avoid getting eaten in our tent by said wildlife, gain valuable work-place experience in the moving industry, perfect our rendition of "My Life Would Suck Without You", acquire a premium German accent, have heart-to-heart conversations, partake in dust art, and I learned how to drive without using my rear-view mirror.
In Arizona I discovered that while moving heavy furniture down a set of stairs is frustrating, moving it up stairs is even worse. I got to make a trip back up to my old haunt of Cottonwood and see Amanda #2, which was also fantastic. Then I spent a few days in extreme suburbia and returned to Alaska.
I had an awful flight going to Alaska, and discovered by accident that I had my ride's old cell phone number...and so failed to let her know that my flight was going to be delayed about 4 hours. Luckily she didn't abandon me, even though she'd had a long rough day too. Even though we were both exhausted, we had a nice little catch-up session (I hadn't seen Tara since she'd come to visit me in Arizona a few years earlier). I also discovered that Fruitland smoothies are amazing.
I got to the house in Alaska to find that the car keys weren't there (a big problem). Luckily, everything got sorted out the next day and it just became a slight mishap rather than a disaster (since there wasn't really any food at the house and we lived 16 miles outside of town). Then I got to have some alone time...something I had severely missed in Russia. A lot of alone time.
However, when I wasn't being alone or admiring the great view of the inlet, I was seeing old friends...some of whom I hadn't seen since I left 5 years ago. Sarah and I learned to open champagne bottles with a sword, Gabe and I went rock climbing and had many a late night chat, Mark showed me the joys of scary computer games and rollerskiing (or being pulled by him on rollerskis), Jessica and I had a nice dinner, and Trevor and I had lunch and my first game of frisbee golf (which I discovered I'm not so good at). I knitted my first scarf ever (although I have since knitted a 2nd...the key is to use larger needles).
Then comes school. I'm living in a great suite with a great group of girls. I'm only taking 3 classes, which means I have an unusual amount of free time. However, I somehow never seem to get enough sleep..even though my classes don't start until 10 or 11 each day. I'm playing 1st in orchestra and have managed to avoid the wrath of the director so far (which is better than I can say for a lot of the other members). My boat for crew has come together surprisingly well. Even though 2 of the girls have never rowed before they've caught on amazingly fast, and we even won a medal at our last regatta (a medal that we earned, not just got because there were only 3 boats). I got an A on my midterm, even though I didn't like my essay. My Fulbright application finally got turned in (and with minimal conflicts). I'm feeling optimistic about the year, and looking forward to Thanksgiving, which is just around the corner.
Unfortunately though, this year has not been without its troubles. October has been an especially emotionally taxing month for me. On October 1st I began the month by oversleeping an important crew practice. I had been up late doing homework, and then had trouble falling asleep, so it's not surprising that I either incorrectly set my alarm clock, or I just didn't hear it go off. As soon as I woke up I sent my coach a quick e-mailed apology, and went back to bed. When I woke back up at about 9 I went through my usual morning routine: get up, bathroom, brush teeth, get dressed, check e-mail. I almost didn't see the e-mail from the dean. It said there had been a tragedy on campus...it turns out that 4 girls driving to the practice I overslept had been hit by an 18-wheeler. 2 of them died instantly, and 2 others were badly injured. I had only met them a couple of times, but it was still shocking to learn the news.
Then, yesterday, I got home at about 8 pm from a busy day and found an e-mail from my site director in Irkutsk titled "Amanda, I have some bad news". This time the news was much more personal. She said that a few days ago Igor (my friend and ex-boyfriend from Irkutsk who was currently in Seattle) committed suicide. His sister wanted me to know that it had nothing to do with me or the relationship, and I believe her. The breakup was sad, but necessary, and we parted on as amiable of terms as possible, but decided that it would be best for both of us not to have any contact for a while. That being the case, I hadn't talked to or heard from Igor in 3 or 4 months. The last thing I knew, he was really enjoying Seattle, found the work he was doing rewarding, and was starting to make plans for the future back in Irkutsk. I guess we can never truly know what's going on in the heads of others though. I don't know how or why it happened. In some ways I don't want to know. It's just heartbreaking to know that someone you cared about could hurt so much that death seemed like the only answer....and that there was nothing you could do to help.
I don't want to think about him as he must have been this week, I want to remember him as I knew him. If he had a fault, it was that he cared too much. He regularly rescued poor lost foreigners and loved children. Even though he classified himself as a loner and only had a couple of people he considered his true friends, the whole town knew and liked him. He was brilliant, but modest. He looked best when he played soccer...I never did care for his maroon dress shirt that he wore so much. Somehow he managed to be a complete dreamer and romantic...and utterly practical. He always said that he was just like a big child, and I agree. He rescued me from countless dinners (if I didn't like something, he would just sigh and roll his eyes and eat it for me), and always insisted on washing the dishes. I taught him how to make chocolate chip cookies (which he thought were "bearable"..along with PB&J), banana bread, and Chinese fried rice. Together we learned how to make blini...however, he had no skill at all at flipping them. Sometimes he was pensive and didn't understand the world, but overall he was an optimist. We had a lot of good times together. We were different in a lot of ways, and in the end that drew us apart, but through it all he was always a fun and loving friend. He's one of my greatest memories from Irkutsk. Had I known when we said goodbye in Moscow that it would have been for forever, I would have hugged him tighter.
R.I.P Игорь Михаилович Лужков. I hope the next world is better for you than this one was.
Please keep everyone's families and friends in your prayers. Death is never easy for anyone.
Is it procrastination when what you are procrastinating on homework that you shouldn't even be working on tomorrow...because you've already finished today's work and read the 100+ pages of Russian lit for tomorrow? I think I am just an over-achiever by nature, but now I have one less class than usual, so instead of breaking even on my work, I am ending up ahead. I suppose that is a cross I will just have to bear.
Yes indeed, it is going to be a hard semester. My classes start between 10 and 11 every day, meaning that I've got to be out of bed no later that 9 or 10 on my average day. It's just so hard to regulate my schedule so that I'm in bed before 1 am so I can get those all-important 8 hours of sleep. Living in a single also has its disadvantages. There's no one to annoy if I want to stay up late or get up early. It's up to me to fill up all of the drawers and shelves (although actually I've found that if anything I have too much stuff). Sometimes it does get a little lonely though. However, to alleviate this is the fact that while I have a single, that single is connected to a suite consisting of a common room, 3 other singles, and a bathroom. Don't fear anyone, I haven't abandoned my longtime roommate Kendra. In fact, she is sitting next to me right now doing homework and we are sharing cheez-its like old times.
In other news, the plague has hit Sewanee.....or at least Health Services likes to think it has. They've been instructed to call any type of influenza or disease with influenza-like symptoms the swine flu. Whoever thought of that was brilliant.... The flu sucks as it is (but is not that major unless you already have a weakened immune system), but now you've got to call it something like the "swine" flu which just makes it sound dirty. Now every corner of every building has a hand sanitizing station, everyone with the slightest cough or sniffle has been confined to their rooms (where they are ordered not to leave, and served meals by masked health workers) or sent home to their families (where they can infect them and spread this horrid sickness amongst their loved ones and countrymen without being hampered by over-zealous health services officials).
Get over it already people. Honestly, I've had the flu. You throw up for a day or two, sleep a lot, take it easy for a week, and you're good. It is not the black death. Also, washing your hands and using hand sanitizer excessively can actually hurt you. You need to build up some immunities. Personally, I'm pretty sure my body has pretty well gotten the hang of fighting off minor ailments. Probably something about my ancestors living without hand sanitizer (and probably soap for that matter) for thousands of years before I came around.
Yes, I do realize I'm probably going to get sick after saying all of this.
That's all really. I haven't been up to much. I finally mostly cleaned my room. I like my classes. I've been trying to work out every day. I'm still planning to do crew. I survived orchestra even though I literally hadn't played in 9 months (and still had to play 1st). I kinda really need to do laundry.
http://www.i-am-bored.com/bored_link.cfm?link_id=42685
Read the caption. It is amazing. (ps -- look Kim! I figured out how to make it a link!!)
I finished my first scarf ever! I'm going to wear it excessively once it gets cold enough.
I probably should have closed the closet door.
