Flying in the former Soviet Union sometimes means:

• waiting for hours and hours in a freezing airport without knowing why a flight is delayed


• finding any seat that’s open to sit in (seat numbers?  huh?)


• stuffing your oversized luggage underneath your seat, with it still protruding out. 


• seatbelts that don’t work


• but excellent pilots who land perfectly in snowy weather!

Watched Mr and Mrs Smith last night, finally.  Thoroughly unimpressive, though how beautiful can two people be!  Still, since they are both skanks, I was also disgusted, watching their interaction with each other.  Loved Vince Vaughn, though.  Next on my list of movies to watch:

Madagascar
Triplets of Belleville
The Incredibles
Closer (though I’m afraid to watch it after reading what it’s all about)

• One of the longest Russian words I’ve encountered recently:  do-sto-pree-me-cha-tel-nos-ti, which means “sights of interest”


• When I got home yesterday, the electricity was out. I read by candlelight, but then someone reminded me – when the lights go out, that’s the worst thing you could do, but then, what else CAN you do?  I wanted to wash my clothes – but couldn’t. I wanted to watch a movie – couldn’t.  I wanted to… couldn’t.. I wanted to… couldn’t.  So I ended up going to bed pretty early.


• Sometimes, not saying something important is worse than saying something stupid, right?


• Paying my phone bill is still very amusing for me.  Like many times, I won’t pay until the phone is cut off, because it’s kind of an ordeal to pay it, only because I’m stupid.   Like, for example, I have to go this office to pay it, and first of all, I can never remember what that place is called, because I never write it down, because I always think “I’ll remember it, I’ll remember it”.  Secondly, the place is not quite far enough for a taxi, but just a little bit far to walk, and tiring… especially with slushy snow and very slippery surfaces (like I encountered yesterday).  Thirdly, I go there, give them my phone number, pay them, and then this lady gives me a piece of paper that could be used as toilet paper (actually, it’s softer than the cheapest toilet paper) as a receipt.  And somehow, she types it into the computer, and it all works out  It’s amazing.  And it’s stupid that I find it amazing when it’s really more absurd to do things electronically, because you never let a piece of paper or a bill pass through your hands. 


• I love the stuff they sell on www.engrish.com.  Each of my Uzbek “crew” got a t-shirt:  “Hurry up the cakes!” “Hello lovely silly” “Give me a hand I’m going to milk the cows”and one with a monkey, pointing with index fingers, forward, with ”time of growth” written across it. I once bought a t-shirt in Japan that had a naked chicken on it (no feathers) and the words “this is a chicken outfit” on the bottom.  ???

Beef Stroganoff:

When you think of beef stroganoff, what do you think of?  A creamy sauce with pieces of meat that you eat over noodles or rice, right?  Here, beef stroganoff has meat, but no cream, and you don’t eat it on top of rice or noodles. You eat it with or on top of fries!  SICK!

A line from a movie that recently made me tear up:

Son, to father, after father rescues his birthday party: Dad, when I grow up, can I work at your company?  That way, we can always be near each other.  (especially poignant because the son had been sorely disappointed by the father earlier)

A taste of Uzbekistan, right in NYC! (where else?)

From the NY TIMES:

And finally..a tribute to my oldest and dearest friends:

The Silk Road Leads to Queens Rego Park now calls itself home to a burgeoning community of Bukharian Jews and the restaurants that preserve their unique culinary traditions. With an audio slide show.   I think this picture was taken 17 years ago.  We are all still friends to this day. And this one, maybe 14-15 years ago.

I found it funny that I wrote this huge essay on a really deep topic, and almost everyone commented on the quote from “Better Off Dead”!

Which means… no more serious Xanga entries.

A request: CAN ANYONE figure out the third line to the song from the Napoleon soundtrack, “Sometimes you gotta make it alone” by Money Mark?  It goes: “Used to love my baby… then my baby left me…  *************.. no my baby don’t like that” — what the heck is he saying in the ***********?  Something about being in a kitchen?

Another question: how do you decide if a movie is good or not?  do you like movies that reflect, deflect, or twist reality?

My peeps (and maybe your peeps, too):

Life here for locals is generally hard for various reasons… but one group of people, almost without fail, do much better here than the average person.    This group of people also does well for themselves, it seems, in almost every country they live in.  WHY?

This question is very interesting, as it has a lot to do with worldview, i.e. values and beliefs… which I’ve been re-thinking about this week as I was participating in community development training.   Development isn’t just about “teaching a man to fish”, it’s “teaching a man the VALUE of fishing vs. just receiving a fish”… and that takes time… and sometimes a complete transformation of a perspective that someone has had from birth!

In the training were a bunch of these people.   They were all extremely enthusiastic, bright, and excited about the work.  I really enjoyed interacting with them, and none of them knew their native language… well, Russian WAS their native language!   

** I’m talking here about Koreans, in case you hadn’t figured it out, yet, but I guess you could say the same for other Asians, since, we’re all the same anyway. Ha ha. **

Anyway, the history of the Koreans here is interesting – they were all forced here from North Korea by those in power who were afraid of the galvanizing power of having them all in one area… and somehow, I think the largest population ended up here and another -stan.  Also, remember that Koreans were forced into Japan as well at some point.  You can’t REALLY look at Koreans in Western countries in this discussion, since most of them were better educated and that’s been a huge factor in their success compared to other immigrants.

So why have Koreans done “so well” for themselves in so many parts of the world?  What kind of attitude/perspectives do they have that help them succeed, despite various obstacles that other immigrants also face?  I think it’s because they are: 1) extremely hardworking; 2) always want to prove themselves; 3) shameless; 4) willing to endure current pain for future comfort; 5) willing to help other Koreans. 

Not all of these are positive qualities.  Being shameless means that many Korean are willing to do ANYthing to get where they need to go, including bribes.  But being extremely hardworking AND willing to endure current pain for future comfort are huge assets in a country where laziness and short-sightedness are, unfortunately, common.  Your thoughts?

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On a lighter note, I discovered this singer – Teri Moise – when I was in Europe in 1997.  I don’t understand a word she’s singing (it’s “fr-anch” – quick, which movie is that from?) but it sounds so pur-dy.  I love the sound of French and when French people speak English. 

Okay, so.. I guess I won’t make any arguments for Christian rap anymore (hey, I don’t LOVE it… I like what I’ve heard so far).  All your points are valid.  BUT, can we agree on this: rap does NOT sound good in any other language except English.

For all you haters out there who doubt Christian rap (abfab, ckimchi, rehey, jwli), here are some lyrics:

(not the best example, but I couldn’t find the lyrics to the LA Symphony song I like)  Peace out, ’cause these lyrics ain’t so whack…

its times like these that make me say
lord if you see me please come my way
leavin bread crumbs for when i stray
rely on sacrifice and the price you paid
feel me like a fingertip
sometimes i fall i slip
my heartfelt desire be more like you
trying not to quench your fire by the things that i do

on an island by my lonesome stranded
low key and stayin candid
reflect on all the things i try my hand at
search for the equations to persuasions im used to
finding comfort in the zones of closet bones i get loose to
a mountainous fontaine
spinnin and monsoonin
grinnin its high octane
explosive how i came
rollin down hills cause lifes a hastle
encircled by my folly like a moat surround a castle
stay afloat catch a second wind
thin is the air i breathe
teary eyed nose runnin
wipe the snot on my sleeve
im callin on my savior
to be all that i need
please forgive me
my behavior had me lost at light speed

the fear of never falling in love
and the tears after losing the feelings
of what you thought love was
like the dirt still up under the rug
bad characteristics
covered in christs blood
the joy of new birth
and the pain of growing up
the bliss between giving my all
and giving up
the highs and lows
paths and roads i chose
in the cold i froze
trying to ease my woes
in this world of sin
clothes to thin to fend
so to God i send
words of help to win
in grumblings so deep
letters could never express
so the sound of ooh aah
beneath my breath projects

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My life be like ooh aah ooh
Come young diti
Here comes that boy from the capital city
Last up on the Grits new diti
But eight bars

Random things/events of late:

– I recently heard that some author made up, for one of her books, a country called “Kaz-bekistan”, located in Eastern Europe.   How stupid!

–I watched “The Translator” with Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn. Sean Penn was great; Nicole Kidman is the quintessential Icy Blonde. This movie featured a made-up country as well – Mutobo.

– Watched NAPOLEON DYNAMITE for, like, the millionth time. I enjoyed it the most this time around, because three out of the four had watched it before and one was a newbie.. and the three of us laughed in anticipation of the moments while the fourth was mostly in shock and laughed at the physical comedy…

– One of my fav activities here is going to foreigner garage sales!  The one I went to this past Saturday was great! I bought: paper cups; a photo album; a folder; a wipe board…among other things.    Then afterwards, a few of us got together for brunch, the first time I have had such a meal here. We made chocolate chip pancakes (DELICIOUS – recipe from the Food Network); bacon; and scrambled eggs… and drank delicious Dunkin’ Donuts French Vanilla coffee.  Aaah.. simple pleasures.

– Celebrated my neighbor’s son’s third birthday.  Parenting here is sometimes appalling… the norm is to scream at the kid when he/she does something wrong, but don’t actually punish them so that they continue to do it over and over and over again.   Also, they’re not really taught to share! 

– Attended a Russian Orthodox service.  It’s pretty amazing how many people still consider themselves Orthodox.  The service is made up of liturgies, sung in Russian, of course… in a beautiful church building filled with icons, candles, and incense.  People stand and walk around during the service.  The music is especially beautiful, as the choir sings a capella.  I like going because it reminds me of the majesty of God… but am glad to know the intimacy of being close to God as well, i.e. calling God “friend”, even though he’s almighty God. 

– Been listening to Christian rap. I usually listen to either really old Christian music (Amy Grant; Twila Paris) or worship music, but I hesitantly got some Christian rap from a friend, namely Grits and L.A. Symphony… and I must say, as I like the sound and beats associated with rap but not the words, it’s nice to have these great sounds accompanied with nice, useful lyrics… 

Random thoughts of late:

1. HOW SAD about the miners, i.e. the whole misinformation thing.  What a way to start the new year.
2. My Russian still sucks.
3. Depressing music makes you more depressed.
4. I hate yoga (my mom sent me a DVD). It’s sooooo slooooooow. And they say things to you like “Be present”. How else could I be?
5. Even though I am looking forward to going back to the US and A (this is the way Borat, on the Ali G show, says it), I’m getting sad about leaving this country.

Random old pic, one of my fav. My baby sister looks SOOOOOOO cute.  She looks like a little gnome.

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I’m listening now to music played and written by the brother of a friend of mine.  At first, I was like “WHAT is this?” but it’s growing on me.  My fav line so far is: “Sometimes my life is dignified…”. He also makes this really funny “oooh-aaah-yeah” sound and it’s even better when you know that he was trying to sound kind of weird.

Most of you know that when I lived in the US and A, I only watched one TV program with any kind of regularity – The Golden Girls.  I guess that’s because when I lived in NYC, it seemed like a waste to stay home on Thursday nights at 7 or 8pm just to watch a TV program. 

But I see that I kind of did miss out on a lot* by doing that, because being here, I’m totally bingeing on TV programs…

For example, I watched 9 seasons of Friends in, like, a month.  I watched one episode after another, sometimes staying up til 3 or 4am to finish.  “just one more… just one more…”  And they were pretty funny, too, even though I didn’t want to like it.  And I didn’t want to like Jennifer Aniston’s character, but I did.  And I ended up loving Joey and Ross more than Chandler, which I thought was strange.

Now, I’ve watched two discs of Season 1 of ALIAS and wondered how did I miss this one?  It’s unrealistic but pretty riveting.  Jennifer Garner has amazing skillz, that’s for sure, and I am in love with her friend, Will, even though obviously, Vaughn is the prettiest CIA agent EVER.  I also love Victor Garber, who was in “Sleepless in Seattle” and also in “Legally Blonde”. 

*stupidest sentence ever