Finding ways to make old things new

I served a mission in Ukraine several years ago. This means I lived in the country for several years, and saw quite a bit of what it had to offer. However, a few weeks ago, I decided to go back. But this time, I wanted to see and do things a bit differently.  Naturally, I still wanted to meet up with my great friends from when I lived there, and for the most part I did. However, I also met lots of new friends, and that was absolutely splendid.

Пикник Афиши

Recently in Moscow, there was an event of silly proportions. It's called Afisha Picnic, and it's an open air concert, with artists from all around (but mostly Britain). Franz Ferdinand, Mika, Lauren Hill, Mos Def, и Аквариум were among the bands that performed. My friend Olya turned me onto going, and it was such a blast. Honestly, I was pretty skeptical...it just doesn't seem like my sort of thing. But in the end, I'm so glad I went, and here's why...

The weather was super fun, actually. It rained for about half an hour (out of a ten hour event, that's not too bad), and it just made things more fun. We all huddled under umbrellas, trying to stay  dry and dance at the same time. 

The many faces of Russia

I've been involved in a healthy mixture of randomness lately. I teach English a bit, and that takes me everywhere from the summer-homes surrounding Moscow to the towers of Moscow City (an interesting attempt to build a financial center in Russia). I've enjoyed English lessons while I've been here in Moscow...it gives me a chance to teach (which is pretty fun) and I get to know lots of interesting people.

Besides teaching, I've been hanging out more with the members of my church lately. Most recently,  we went on a camping trip, and it was a blast. I got to know a lot of great people, went swimming, and was attacked by wasps. Overall, that makes a successful camping trip I think.

 Don't you just love the classic look of black and VERY white photos? (this photo stolen from Наташа).

 One reason I like Russia is that I'm not judged for wearing my short shorts. Seriously though, there are thousands of hipsters here who wear cut-off jeans, and if that's not bad enough they roll them up, cause they're not quite short enough. Then they tuck their plaid shirts into them. It's pretty funny.

I absolutely LOVE the Russian countryside. It's so beautiful, and I just feel so relaxed there.

It isn't enough to tell us what a man did. You've got to tell us who he was.

Citizen Kane. It's arguably the best movie ever made according to critics and film festivals. It incorporated ground breaking cinematography, soundtrack, and storytelling. More importantly, I watched it last night, giving it more legitimacy than the reviews of Siskel, Ebert, and Jon Lovitz combined (remember he had a show? no? me neither). 

I was actually really moved by the overall message of the movie-that is, success is futile. Ok, so that's probably not what the movie's message really is, but it's along those lines. As I was watching the movie, I realized just how nerdy I'm becoming (and how much I'm craving some sort of creative medium) because I started taking notes of my favorite quotations as they were said. Before you decide to judge me, and cut off all communication with me, don't. 

I especially liked the character Jed Leland, one of Kane's closest colleagues. From the beginning of the film, Leland sort of acts as a moral critic of Kane, and tries to keep Kane in check. Eventually, because of disagreements, Leland tries to distance himself form Kane's control. We see that Kane destroyed everyone that ever got close to him; his wife, his lover, his friends, his colleagues...everyone eventually left him to try to save themselves, but were ultimately left broken or damaged. Leland said, "That's all he ever wanted out of life, was love. That's the tragedy of Charles Foster Kane, you see, he just didn't have any to give." 

Why did Kane have such a destructive influence on himself, and those around him? In the movie, he himself claims, "if I hadn't been very rich, I might have been a really great man." Kane despises even himself, and dies a lonely old man, clinging to the memory of a lost childhood. What missing pieces are there in my own life? What have I given up to gain what little I have? I think it's easy to justify changing your value system, and I also think you really ought to alter it often. It shouldn't remain the same your entire life, it should move forward, not backward, upward, not forward, and always twirling, twirling toward freedom.

The Simpsons actually did an interesting parody of the film with Mr. Burns and his lost teddy, Bobo. In this version, Burns' missing 'jigsaw piece' (see the movie, it's really pretty good) is actually returned to him, and he is content. The movie shows that the sled was stashed among Kane's mountain of possessions, meaning he had somehow obtained the left item, but not the significance it carried.

Skittlebrau at Peterhof is Wunderbar

After an entire day indoors, we needed a change. So we hopped on a bus and rode to Peterhof, a quaint little palace on the Baltic Seashore.

 Yulia foolishly gave away her only escape from the fountain (it's an umbrella)

 Sometimes it's hard being so sexually attractive

 Don't stop till you get enough...