Haha!

$34?

Sometimes I wake up in the night and think "Holy smokes! Where am I?" and have to remind myself I'm in Russia and all my peeps are in America wide awake doing American things. Sometimes I'm wide awake at noon and think "Holy smokes! This place is expensive," and have to remind myself I'm in Russia and all my peeps are in America where leggings cost $4.50 like they should.

Maybe Frankenstien? Or a Mime? Zombie? Minnie Mouse?

I needs a Halloween costume.

Ghouls

My little Russian children are so funny. This is a fact I sometimes don't grasp until after teaching. Not as in, "teaching is so NUTS I just can't laugh whilst teaching" but as in I'm so absorbed with keeping the lesson on track I sometimes forget the funnyhahaness that comes with a language barrier.

Today during class Dasha accidentally spilled her water all over the October calendar I made for the month. I spent a long time on that thing, so my spirits dampened right along with the newly droopy drippy ghosts that graced that thing. Before I could let my disappointment show, the rest of the kids beat me to it. After a moment of shock, Elina uttered "No . . . the October . . ." and Senya whispered "Halloween . . . " as if the accident erased the holiday itself. Dasha started this very dramatic-for-a-7-yr-old silent and teary cry, face glowing red and head in her hands, so I gathered everyone in to give her a group hug while we mourned the loss of our favorite month.

Only now do I realize how funny that was. Ha! "The October . . ."

More cute news: world's most stylish bunny

This Beat is [Sic]

I'm a sucker for those "25 Free Downloads!" from urbanoutfitters.com. And I always end up being disappointed by them. But look: pretentious ear candy -- for free? An opportunity to intimidate my less musically inclined friends with pre-packaged taste? Besides, anything free in this economy always leads to the thoughts, "why of course WHYNOT?" Especially when it's being offered by a store that sells "This economy sucks" t-shirts for $24.99. Dense.

Anyway, the playlist usually ends up being the kind of music heard in indie B-films that don't play with much of a plot (other than existential life-whining) but are just so pretty to look at. Gorgeous paintings that move for two hours usually made by another awkward white person who is into traveling, you know? When the song comes on you think "sogoodmustdownload" but later, when you listen to it by yourself, you're like "Eff you, Sundance."

Imagine my surprise when I came across this little gem: TV on the Radio dude Kyp Malone's side project Rain Machine and the magic that is "Give Blood." Like, gag me with a spoon, I was so pleased. Made the whole half-hour it took to download the playlist worth it. Not that I was just sitting there waiting for it to download, I was busy making instant potatoes and turkey gravy for my husband of course.

On that note, I thoroughly enjoy "side projects" made by lead singers of other bands. Side project? Really? Or TV on the Radio take #2? What distinctive feature has been brought to this new project that couldn't already be found in the last one, good fellow? Why don't you and Thom Yorke hash that one out over tea, right after analyzing the fame-starved card trick that is "guest" singers.

Sarcasm aside, I love your work Kyp. Keep it up.

A Matter of Taste

I have a deep, passionate, disemboweling appreciation for Animal Collective. And by that I just mean they're pretty cool and I like to play their tunes every once in a while, especially their latest album.

I love living in Moscow but sometimes I feel like I'm in the Great & Spacious Building. Stuff is a top priority out here. The scent of materialism is thick and foggy. This gloomy, glittery city echoes high heel clacks off of St. Basil's. I feel sorry for the rest of the Russian Federation.


Article for some lite reading: Keeping up with the Joneskis.


am I really all the things that are outside of me?
would I complete myself without the things I like around?

The Skinniest Ol' Jeans in the Whole Wide World

Lately I've been reading through journal entries from days long past and coming across entries where I state I'm feeling a creative burst. Like "This film was inspiring," or "I just love the work of Ray Bradbury," or "I just bought some red go-go boots!" Others highlight a creative slump: "There's a void where my pen used to be," "I feel so behind the times, I don't even own a lomo," or "I got up early to work out today but instead made nachos."

When you're young you're working to become someone, either by working in college towards career aspirations or working spiritually or artistically or trying to find out who you are or whatever. You wake up in the morning and you don't know what to wear school. Your attempt at a heartfelt novel is lacking because all you can write about are 20-somethings addicted to drugs though you haven't tried any. When all else fails you turn to your digital camera, because you can hide the pain in your fashionable wardrobe and cheeky avatar.

Times have changed. Life is just different now. I don't write novels, my mom does. No more dating woes, now I date my husband. Taxes, bills, health care and groceries are suddenly upfront dealwithmenow concerns. I didn't have Facebook as a kid, it wasn't even around--just a Geocities homepage and three friends who were anything close to internetty. Now the whole world is on Facebook and inviting me to "I need your number!!" events. The first time I saw skinny jeans I thought "sicky gross gross." Now I have a closetful and groan if I have to wear those required flared khakis to work. Wait, no, I don't even have a khaki pants job anymore. Now Showing: My Life in Black Pencil Skirts.

I'm not old by any means, I'm 24. My egocentric journal entires are fewer and far between now that I'm done with my coming-of-age story. It's all of-age-and-coming from here on out. Now, I write about other people. My husband, my friends, my family, my desire to have children, my sister's desire to have children, the children I teach in Moscow. I get to write about Moscow! My husband and I are doing what most couples have to wait to do after retirement, after kids are raised and gone, after debt is reined in to a manageable state. But here we are, poor as can be, living it up in glamorous and gloomy Moscow.

I'm happier now than I was growing up.

Teenagers. by Jules featuring Alexander Wang tops

Oh that Fashion

I'm into fashion, but not in such a way that I'd ever blog about it.

LIES.

Behold:

But really, I don't think I'll ever post pictures of myself pantless in a poofy shouldered blazer with an oversized beanie and my head cocked to the side like I don't realize I'm taking a picture of myself.

Blogging vs. Jules

So I'm going to try this blogging thing out. Blogging and I have actually been acquainted for a long time, what with the worlds of livejournal, vox, and pitas, but I kind of want to start afresh. Kind of like getting a new date for the weekend. Friday's dinner didn't work out but you're like "Saturday brunch right around the corner! Hope he takes me to Thai! No,really, I'd be into that at like 11am." So here I go with Blogspot, capitalized for respect. Honestly the only reason I got this thing is because EVERYBODY uses Blogspot. I really loved my vox but I couldn't HTML it the way I wanted so here goes Saturday brunch.

How about a video! Yeah!

And a link to a site I love but can't afford, boo.
http://www.pixiemarket.com/