The former is the Russian pronounciation, the latter is the Ukrainian. I use these two interchangeably. My first language is Russian, but I love Russian and Ukrainian the same. And I hate all the politics that get in the way of beautiful things, such as the sharpness, the clarity of Kiiii-ev, the rounded, breathy softnessContinue reading “Kiev and Kyiv”
Monthly Archives: September 2007
Well-mannered frivolity
Because things have been intense around here. My hair’s Gone Dark (like the horizons of human enlightenment). I was blond two years ago, and a redhead the year before, and now I’m a brunette. I must say, I like this metamorphosis of mine the best. Dark hair + pale skin + blue eyes = IContinue reading “Well-mannered frivolity”
You can’t always get what you want
A woman living next door to my aunt here in Kiev was attacked last month. She and her rommate were private masseurs: good-looking, surgically altered, and in the habit of charging large fees, if their rent was any indication. I don’t know if they advertised sex-work – but they have gently implied to my (conservative)Continue reading “You can’t always get what you want”
I like to think I’m not easily flustered, BUT
Jill’s re-naming of Russia’s “National Conception Day” as “National Russians Fuck Like Cold, Pale Rabbits In Furry Hats Day” was pretty damn silly. Maybe I’m still smarting over the “when you all die out” comment – but I thought that “Blades of Glory” did a much better job with an former-Soviet-bloc ethnic joke, wherein theContinue reading “I like to think I’m not easily flustered, BUT”
A friend just sent this to me
In my case, this link did not come with an explicit warning. Which was unfortunate, since spontaneous vomiting can do a lot of damage to a keyboard. I really haven’t got anything witty to say about this one… yet. ~UPDATE~ It’s a hoax. Should have read the testimonials. They’re hilarious, in that creepy way.
Natalia A. 