Life of Olga.

[Olga]

5th of February, 16:12.


Yesterday I never did sleep in the morning after making that entry, so I was pretty much limp and lifeless for the entire day.
What's more, I had to look after my sister, who has a tendency to get annoyed by anything if it doesn't do what it does, especially when it comes to members of the family giving her sweets.
Greedy little creature. I still love her, though...
So there I was, sitting nearn her at 8:30 in the morning, trying to entertain her by reading Peter Pan.
She suddenly started bawling at the top of her voice and complained that she wanted a sweetie.
I had no sweeties to give, so after Valentina finished the cleaning I turned Polina over to her (I had managed to calm her down by doing a seal-with-a-balloon impersonation).
Then I went online, spoke to Tom, Adam and Erik, and got some more sheet music... Tom's still feeling depressed but he doesn't know why, and I can't make him feel any better, which I find very upsetting... In the end I made a rather miserable atempt at taking his mind off things by making hm explain how the hell you were suppose to play a F major chord.
Blasted guitar.
I've tried playing "Unintended", and I can do a little, but since the strings aren't very stretchy yet the whole thing sounds like a banjo.
I keep getting visions of myself sitting in a cabin and playing a banjo whilst singing some folk song, possibly The Hedgehog song.
Scary.
It sounds very bad no matter what I try, even with simple chords like C... But I'll conquer the damn thing, see if I don't.
Then I sorted out my clothes for the trip... And washed the rest at around one past twelve in the morning. Stupid insomnia and laziness.
I watched about half an hour of Battle Royale 2, but then got kicked off... I'll finish watching it today, hopefully, since the parents are out on some business trip.
But I need my sleep...
VIENNA TOMORROW! VIENNA TOMORROW! VIENNA TOMORROW!


I'll get to see Elena!
Mwahahahaah.
I love my sister.
Anyway...
Since my mum had to wake up early to go to Elets (their destination) and therefore leave my little sisrt alone I had to take her place...
I'm never sharing a bed with Polina, ever. She smellt badly, and if I turned my head round to breathe normally her little hand would shoot out, grab my chin and turn my head into her direction.
She'd also keep sneezing and spraying snot (she's a little ill) and resting her legs on my stomach.
I got very little sleep, and at 12:00 precisely I left her and got some sleep in my room... "Heaven, I'm in heaven".

[Olga]

10th of February, 14:07.

I am sorry I didn't update for a long while...
I am in Austria right now. Choosing your future location of education is not very fun. Ugh. For me it all comes down to two possibilities: the Webster unievrsity in Vienna where I will be able to live with my sister and therefore get accustomed more quickly OR I can stay in Russia and try and attend the Highest School of Economics (Vishaya shkola ekonomiki). The latter will be very hard to enroll at, so of course the easier way out would be the Webster uni, but, eh...
I'm not so sure I want to live here that much...
I'm sitting in the Webster uni at this very moment, and happily abusing one of their computers. The hall is pretty small, but it's not too crowded.
I have already been to one lesson (Marketing) which I found pretty interesting (if I study in Austria Marketing will almost certainly be my Major) and the next on the list (again, today) is Busines Administration, which so far seems pretty intimidating (because of the person teaching it). 2 hours. Blargh. I can't participate much, either, since I know absolutely nothing on the subject.

Anyway...
I've already been to two museums: Leopold and Kunsthalle.
I got to see some very interesting exhibits in Leopold, the most important being by Scheele and Klimt (WOO!), and found out about a rather interesting artist named Alfred Kubin, whose works I saw in one of the books availible... Very, ah, interesting sketches, yes. There's a particularly unusual one of a boat in the ocean that is having trouble staying afloat because of a storm raging on, and out of one of the waves a large skull is leering at the poor sailors.
I'll be sure to check the stuff out as soon as I come back.
In the Kunsthalle only two exhibitions were availible: the myths and legends of guitars and rock, and something called St. Sebastian. Having not very much money with me I picked the latter (it was cheaper) not knowing what it was about.
It turned out to be a sadomasochistical exhibition on St. Sebastian, and works devoted to him, including around 5 videos (one of them was especially strange - erm, I won't go into the details, describing things really isn't my strong point. Oh hell... It was about a man who had cystic fibrosis and enjoyed hurting himself and engaging in masochistic sex. Fun) and things of the like. All in all I did enjoy it... In any case, I don't regret going.
I am no sure what's next on the agenda...
I am planning to get Elena to go and visit the Mumok (Museum of Modern Culture) with me sometime soon, since the only chance to do that next will be Thursday. Bugger.
Had a text convo with Tom the other day. At least my cell phone is left, so since I can't use the internet much there is always SMS.
Ah well, I have to go to the library now, cheers.

[Olga]

11th of February, 15:00

I'm using the university's computer again...
Well...
Last night wasn't that much fun.
During that Business Management lesson (during the break, to be precise) Elena got a telephone call from the police, saying that a pipe in her bathroom had burst and spewed out gallons and gallones of hot water into her apartment. The fire brigade was called by the neighbours, the door was broken down, and apparently the water level reached a limit of about 5 centimeters...
On the phone my sister was told that the whole thing was one big wreck, everything was completely ruined, and things like cothes, electrical appliances and books were to be thrown away because of the water.
Even things located not on the floor (on the desk, cupboards, etc.) were "kaput", they said, since the hot water had caused her flat to become a Turkish sauna.
We didn't stay until the end of the lesson (obviously) and sped down to the local police office, where we were given new keys (the lock had to be changed by the fire brigade after the door was demolished), not a lot of comfort and a more detailed account on things.
There the officers confirmed that the apartment was a complete detritus, and the two guys there started flirting with Elena, which really wasn't the best thing to do since she was hellishly upset (your house is wrecked, your stuff is never to be used again, all your books are clammy and to be thrown away, your laptop is broken. How would you feel?). They had found her number whilst digging through her stuff in her model portfolio (they had to phone the modelling agency).
Well, we took the keys, went to the flat, and things turned out to be a lot better than we thought. Most of the clothes were dry (or at least only a little bit damp), the laptop was alive, only one book was completely waterlogged (of all the books one her book shelf the water chose to take the life of one of mine. Ugh), only about 3 pairs of boots were ruined... Even my cell phone charger is still OK, but I haven't checked my MP3 player charger yet. I'll do so today.
It's impossible to live there right now on account of the all the water in the floor. The gys sent to replace the floorboards said that since there was such a huge amount of water there it'll take 3-4 weeks to dry the whole thing out, so Elena and I had to move somewhere to spend the night. Luckily she remembered a hotel I had stayed at around a year ago, and we're spending one more night there, and then we're moving somewhere else... Probably some hostel/small apartment... No idea where yet, though... The owner of the flat promised he'd find someplace tomorrow, but he still hasn't said anything.
Overall, it's pretty bad. My sister will start looking for a new flat soon, but since she's got a horrendous contract that says that she has to notify the owner of leaving 3 months beforehand she'll have to pay for an apartment she isn't even using all these three months.
*Sigh*

I don't even know how to comfort her or anything... I'm not of much help since I hardly know any German, so all I am is a ballast.
I'll be leaving soon, thankfully, so it'll be easier for her.
She's got an exam tomorrow, too, and it'll be difficult to study, since our hotel room is not the most comfortable place to learn...
Gaaaaaah.
I hope the bloody plumbers burn in hell for this.


She's got a lesson at 15:45 (25 minutes away now), and I'll have to spend a further 2 hours at the uni doing something, and there aren't any messengers (well, I see the point, otherwise the students wouldn't stop using the computers), so I'll probably go soon and take residence in the library (I've got Vonneguit, Mikes and Wodehouse (ending in a couple of pages, though, and it's not a Jeeves book, so it's not very enjoyable) so they should last me a while) and maybe finish off my sandwich.
I just got a call on my cell. I pressed the little green button just in time, but the eprson on the other line hung up. The number was srange, though... Not Russian, Austrian, English or Cypriot, so it's a little mystery... I have never seen that code before. Maybe the person will call again... I really can't help feeling curious as to who the hell it was, since I doubt the fact that it's anyone I know personally.


Roight...
I've run out of things to say, so I'll be trotting off soon.
I need some sort of way to entertain myself. I can't spend hours texting Tom all the time (I think he's getting a little tired), and neither Erik nor Adam ever reply (OK, I lie, Adam wrote to me today. It took him a bloody day. Jeez).

I'll go and have lots of fun fun fun in the uni now.
Meh.
Cheers.
(...This took me 26 minutes to write, yikes).


Oh, and since some of my clothes were soaking wet (my trunk was on the floor) I am wearing different socks, and one of them is too small. Joy to the world.

[Olga]

16th of February, 09:56.

I'm tired...
Well, Valentine's Day Eve went off with a bang, if you ignore the fact that I got some, ah, undesired attention in one of the clubs we visited.
Saw "Something's Gotta Give".
For some reason their AIM session didn't appeal to me.
I detest the use of "u" and "r" instead of "you" and "are".
Eeeeerh.
I drank 3 strong cocktails, and after failing to become drunk my sister told me I was phenomenal.
Tom was sure I was sloshed.
We took a taxi back (it was around 2 am), and my bags still weren't packed...
So we slept around 4 hours, and when I woke up I was still, well, swaying, but I managed to have enough control over myself to not forget anything.
In the aeroplane I sat between some Korean girl and an old Russian man... Fun... The latter kept pushing me with his elbow by accident, and in the end I asked him to move. He was a little embarrassed about it, but then in around 20 minutes he resumed his initial position.
I found something loud on my player's playlist and turned it up full blast just to annoy him.
After coming back I realised that I had missed the Valentine's Day flashmob (shame), but, eh.
We had a celebratory dinner.
I got the bottle of Asti Mondoro all to myself.
So I drank it all within half an hour... Mwahahah.
I stayed for hours in the GW sleepover chat...
Then TeamSpoke with Mark (Spanky, who shortly left), Mark, Maj and Ben.
That lasted rather... Long...
Very long....
And then, after discovering that I was sick and had a small fever I went to sleep... And woke up again this morning about an hour ago...
Tired...
Thirsty...
Sick...

[Olga]

February 17th, 17:12.
I'm still sick.
http://www.fools-paradise.com/olga/Picture%2030.jpg

I drink a lot of liquid...
Tea, Red Bull, etc...
http://www.fools-paradise.com/olga/Picture%2031.jpg
I really need to get better...
I've got a fever again.
Oh well.
Yesterday was spent sleeping, drinking medicine and talking on TeamSpeak again.
Today = the same...
My mum is at my future university right now, finding something out.

[Olga]

29th of February, 12:54.

It's certainly been a long while.
I apologise.
My laziness has no excuse...
Anyway...
What's happened over the past 12 (!) days...
I'll just list the most important events, and since it's been a little hard to keep track of time (staying at home all the time has that effect on you) they'll be muddled up timewise.

I've found another possible direction in my future education...
Thing is, arond a week ago I got a phone call from my English teacher.
I was pretty surprised since school's over... She told me that a man named Chris Maughan, head of the Cambridge School of Arts and Sciences was coming over to our school to give a master class (don't ask), and some students were invited to attend.
I'm still not completely sure why she told me about it, but I think it might have something to do with the fact that I'm pretty much the only pupil (or ex pupil) who's able to speak English fluently...
Out of my class only two people got invited, one being myself and the other being (TADADATAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!) Alex Sherbakov.
Who could ask for more?
He's training to be an architect (his future univesity's supposed to be ÐœÐ�Ð_ХИ), and he's been taking lessons for around 2 years now... So he's a genius when it comes to drawing.
Apart from ordinary (and no so ordinary) pencil sketches he's also fond of expressionism and abstract art, and so he brought along some of his latest works to show to Maughan.
We sat for about 3 hours in that classroom and the guy taught us how to make plaster masks (using a substance called, erm, algeadine? Can't remember. Used in the dental industry)... And gave us a small lecture on his school and what it gives its students.
He gave me his e-mail address, and I sent him a message that same day. He should return to England sometime next week...
I'm not aiming for any sort of design career... The reason the whole thing interests me is because, apart from giving their students the chance to get outstanding knowledge and experience in the art field, CATS (as the school is known) has some sort of agreement with RADA, and drama has been my biggest dream...
Not that it's very probably, but it's worth a shot anyhow. I'm not losing much in terms of time, so if I fail it there I can always come back to Moscow.
It's still debatable whether I'll make it there anway... I sent Maughan some drawings of mine, and although I know they're quite bad I can get better (they're the very first things (literally) I drew with shading, so I can get a lot better).
My mother is all up for it, and promised me the support needed...
Dad'll agree with anything my mother likes, so that's settled.
Of course, I'd rather live and study in Russia, and compared to Moscow Cambridge isn't too thrilling (been there), but it's not too terrible.

Right.

Watched Burton's "Big Fish" a few days ago... Awesome film. Good music, interesting storyline, great acting.
I discussed it with Alex :D (as well as other things like music and games, but, eh).
I miss my classmates... Odd, really...
Oh, I got mistaken for some celebrity in the cafeteria near the cinema I went to. Heh. I love it when you get special service... Personal waiters rule...

Svetlana's in hospital... Apparently she felt a slight pain in her belly, her mum went panicky and called the ambulance.
Sveta's been under a lot of stress lately, and to feel calm she's been drinking practically litres of valerie liquid and pills, and when she tried to resist the ambulance and tell them that she doesn't feel bad she fainted and regained consciousness only in the first aid van.
The doctors thought that she had appendicitus and operated...
As it turned out her appendix didn't need cutting out at all.
Gotta love the medicine here.
So now she's lying in hospital number 52... I meant to pay her a visit yesterday, but due to heavy rain and problems at home I never went to the city, and I'll see her tomorrow instead.
I missed the flashmob, too :(
I'll have to wait about 2 weeks 'till the next one is organized...
Not fair.
But, eh.
So tomorrow it's Sveta, the postal office (got to pick up my Amazon stuff and mail a couple of parcels) and the media market.
Maybe the cinema, but I don't know yet.


As for online things...
I haven't been using messengers much lately...
I just don't feel like talking to people... I'll probably get over it soon, but all I use at the moment is TeamSpeak every once in a while.

Oh, I'm doing better on my guitar playing, too :D I can almost play Radiohead's "Bulletproof" and "Fake Plastic Trees" (but it's difficult)...
Thing is, my guitar book doesn't provide every chord needed, so I often can't even try things simply because I don't know what I should play.
I found an infinitely easy version of Muse's "Unintended" which involves about 4 chords that are easy as hell...

Anyway, got to go and read out loud for Polina.
Cheers.


Oh, I got a few things scanned...
http://www.fools-paradise.com/olga/Photos/5683.jpg
(Mwahahahha, Sherbakov's right behind me)
http://www.fools-paradise.com/olga/Photos/73.jpg
(Now he's in front of me. Whoo)

[Olga]

4th of March, 15:34.

Graaagh.
I hate the beginning of new months.
My evil internet provider steals $99 from me, and I have to nag my parents for more credit...
So I managed to persuade my mum to get me some MTU-Intel cards (4 x $25) and now she's in the hospital to visit the dietologist and then she'll get a haircut... After the hairdresser finishes, my mum will gawk at the mirror, gasp, clutch at her heart, bulge her eyes, turn to the unfortunate girl who had cut her hair and will scream her head off at her.
She'll then spend around 4 days glaring at the family (we always think she looks wonderful, but she thinks, of course, that our words are nothing but flattery) and on the fifth day she'll look at her reflection, wink at her self and faff her hair cautiously.
If, in the end, she thinks that overall her makeover was successful, why waste all those nerves..?


Anyway.


Today's Thursday, right?
Yes.


On Monday I paid a visit to Svetlana in her hospital...
http://www.fools-paradise.com/olga/metro.GIF
Took me around 45 minutes to get to the station first.
Then 20 more minutes to find the bus.
I sat on the bus.
It turned out to be the wrong one.
Another 5 minutes... I found the right one...
I got off, walked around for 15 minutes and found a hospital...
It was the wrong one.
I asked a lady, and she told me that I had to go to the bus stop and get off at another stop.
I sat on the bus, and, just to make sure, asked another lady on the bus where the hospital was.
She smiled, laughed and told me that we were on that stop.
The bus doors closed, so I had to ride to the next stop, get off, and come back.
Eventually two old women pointed towards the right direction...
I walked for around 15 minutes down the slippery road (after months of snow and frost, the 4 degrees Celsius weren't good... Everything was melting...), took the right turn, and ended up in front of a broken-down building with a crumbling brick wall around it.
It was the first "corpus" of the hospital.
I needed number six, the one next to the morgue.
I asked one of the nurses (she was smoking outside the building) where number six was located, and she laughed (what is it with people laughing at you when you ask for directions?), pointed in some vague fashion and said "Right, straight, straight, left, straight, left and then just follow the wiggly road".
I went the way she pointed and got slightly lost... There seemed to be wiggly roads going in every direction...
I must have looked confused because a drunk man took pity on me and walked me to the building.

Overall, it took me around 35-40 minutes to walk that bit.
When I finally made it, the guard inside told me that visiting hours were over, and that I was late by around 15 minutes, and if I wanted to go through I should call the doctor.
I did.
The doctor grumbled at me, and said that no Miss Grishankova was present in ward number 618.
I called up Svetlana and she came down to greet me...
I gave her her books and music, and we sat there, near the guard, discussing the hospital... Sveta told me about some of the habits of the patients that lay near her. Apparently now she knows everything there is to be known about climax.


After the hospital I went to the post office and picked up my Amazon package...
I am now the proud owner of three new Robert Rankin books and one Neil Gaiman one :D
http://www.fools-paradise.com/olga/Image065.jpg
I sent a parcel and started waiting for my dad's driver to pick me up...
I was bored... And I rang up Tom, just as I had threatened him the night before.
He picked up the phone on the fourth try... Coward.
Although our conversation only lasted around 5 minutes, my phone credit went down to $0.55... Now it's the same number, only with a small minus to its left side (but my dad promised me that he'd give me some credit today. Let's hope he doesn't forget).


The weather, as I've said before, was terrible...
Fog everywhere.
http://www.fools-paradise.com/olga/Image063.jpg
That's what the surroundings looked like on the way back (I took it from the front seat of the car).

The head of the college still hasn't replied.
Bastard.

Nothing particularly eventful has happened since that...
I've been studying and revising Maths, and trying to play the guitar... Oh, and I've resumed piano playing, too. I swear I'll get that bloody Waltz, even it kills me.

Ooooh, lookie, me at about 12 years:
http://www.fools-paradise.com/olga/1.jpg
Somehow I don't see that many changes, apart from the glasses :chuckle:

[Olga]

10th of March, 02:00.

There really isn't much to say...
The most eventful day lately was Women's Day, i.e. 8th of March.
In the morning I got a text message on my phone from Alexei...
w00t.
It's nice to know that he hasn't forgotten about my existence...
Anyway.
I went to the cinema with Sveta to see School of Rock.
Pretty good film. Made me want to learn to play the guitar even more, and that's pretty difficult :D
After coming back I mooched about and finally went online...
Spoke to Erik, Adam, Tom, and various other people, and took part in a celebratory chat.
Got drunk on champagne and Martini Bianco.
It's really odd how I sem to lose control of all of my movements (hands especially, I couldn't type) but the mind stays crystal clear.
Anyway...
Discussed guitars at length with Tom.
He's my official music consultant.
If I get a bad guitar, then, I get to blame everything onto him. I love having a scapegoat.
Oh, by the way, guitars...


My dad said I can buy anything up to $1000.
But since I still have to get things like amps and cords I'll have to take something around $750.
Probably either a Gibson or a Fender... I really like the Gibson Voodoo, but it's expensive, but oh so beautiful... I go crazy just looking at the bloody photo.
http://show.hi-fi.ru/img/catalog/402/gibson_sg_voodoo_big.jpg
Isn't it a dream?
But I really can't settle on anything just yet... I 'm getting to use my dad's driver on Thursday, and then I'll visit a couple of music shops to try out all possible variants.
http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/51/519640.jpg
OOOOOOOH!
That one's great, and not too expensive, either.
Mwaahahahah.
As far as I know the shop I am visiting is the biggest in Russia, so I'm sure I'll be able to pick a decent instrument...

[Olga]

13 of March, 18:11.

I never did go anywhere on Thursday...
Stupid cold...
Apart from that I was smart enough to stay up all night and my eyes were, erm, quite red after about 10 hours near the computer...
So the overall picture wasn't exactly pleasing... Red eyes, runny nose, hoarse voice, slight fever and ruffled hair.
I'm not surprised I wasn't allowed to go.
I'm still sick, but it's not as bad... The pain still hasn't ceased, but at least it's not as bad as it was, and I can talk a little more.
I've been staying up all night too much lately...
Should stop doing it...
Waking up at 15:00 is slightly suspicious, I think.
Yesterday after watching a game of "What? Where? When?" I went online...
http://www.tvigra.ru/images/table_mu.jpg
Mwahahahah.
I managed to answer two whole questions using my phone.
Someday I'll make it there, I tell you...
For those interested:
"What? Where? When?" is one of the most famous TV shows here.
It's been running since 1982, and although it was forbidden one time it still exists today.
It goes like this...
6 people are admitted to a game.
There are four games in each season.
Four times a year.
So that means 16 games per year, so it's not an event I like to miss...
During the game the players (usually people not very young as the game requires considerable knowledge) sit at this table:
http://www.tvigra.ru/images/inhouse.jpg
I have already submitted a picture of the round thingy, the roulette somewhere above.
The roulette is spun (but it looks like a child's toy, one of those spinning thingawossnames), and after it stops spinning the players have to answer the questions the arrow on the roulette is pointing to (the questions are mailed to the studio from all over Russia and the nearlying countries like Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, the Kyrgyz Republic etc., and put onto the table. Look at the small white arrows on the table - that is where the envelopes lie, because once a question is answered/not answered it is removed from the table, and if the roulette arrow points to a blank space, i.e. the little white arrow points to the next question in line. Clockwise, see).
The questions are always hard as hell.
They require both general knowledge in practically all fields out there as well as the abilit to think and use your logic.
The players get 1 minute to think, and if they are incredibly stumped and have no theories, they may call the "masters" of the game, those who do not participate but are watching the game near the table, and they will get the chance to discuss the question for 20 seconds.
If they get it right, they get one point.
If they don't, the person who mailed the question wins and gets a certain sum of money, determined by the TV viewers (if you like the question, you call one number, and your call adds 20 roubles or so. If you don't like it, you phone another number and the money is subtracted).
The count goes to number six.

Well...
The TV viewers whose cell phones are registered with MTS may send their answers to the game within one minute (during the one minute of discussion), and the viewer that gets the most done gets the chance to make it to the club (it's called a club, yes) and take part in the games.
My current record is three correct answers, gotten by myself...
Unfortunately at the time I had no money on my phone, so this remains my own little private victory.
Mwaaaah. I'll make it there someday, I tell you.
Or at least send a question that'll stump the players.
See, you can send the game one question during the game itself (it's a live broadcast) to their internet thing.
So come on, guys, gimme something interesting I can ask them...
I could do with a little money. The average sum is around 15 000 roubles, i.e. around $500.
The biggest win of a TV viewer so far is 70 000 roubles...
70,000.00 RUR
Russia Rubles = 2,454.42 USD
United States Dollars
Nice, eh?
All you have to do is send them a question that's hard enough to stump them.

Hmm...
I'm getting carried away, ain't I.



I'm probably going to take a break from my messengers for a few days.

Next week I should be well enough to finally get my guitar (after browsing through the site's catalogue I came the conclusion that the Fender Fat Strat is among the best possibilities. Pretty and comfortable. I don't know for sure yet, though).
I'll not make any more entries until I get it...
Cheers.

[Olga]

23rd of March, 19:32, Tuesday.

Life's been... Interesting for the past few days.
I finally got my lovely guitar on Saturday.
http://www.fools-paradise.com/olga/Guitar%20photos/Picture%20207.jpg
http://www.fools-paradise.com/olga/Guitar%20photos/Picture%20193.jpg
Fender Standard Fat Strat :D
Waaah. Easily the most gorgeous thing I own right now.
The colour's blue metallic... I wanted to get one with a maple fingerboard (the difference is that the maple ones are light) but the shop didn't have them in stock.
I can't take my eyes off it... I wish it'd be "hands" instead of "eyes", though - I can't play it much because my mum makes me study during about 80% of the time I am awake; I hardly get to use the computer, except on rare times like now, when I need to browse through University and school ratings in the UK.
Makes me wonder why she let me buy the instrument in the first place...
So I either practice acoustic songs (if I strum weakly she usually doesn't hear me) or wait until she goes somewhere (outside, shop, walking with Polina) and plug in my amp... Which is, incidentally, a Marshall MG 15CD.
Lovely stuff.
So far I can play a few simple songs, and bits of Smells Like Teen Spirit, Champagne and Song 2 (which I've more or less mastered). Trying to start Plug in Baby, and almost done with Black Star.

Another, more serious, matter is the one concerning my education...
On Sunday I declared that economics wasn't for me...
Then, after around 4 hours of shouting and talking slowly (but loudly) about what I meant by "studying art" I managed to persuade my mum to give art a go...
I'm not good at art. Maybe a little better than average (the teachers I have spoken to said I had potential), but that's it. I can get better, though. Nothing can make me think that there is such a thing as "being born" with a talent.
I got a call from the woman who organized the visit of the head of the Cambridge school of Art and Design to our school, and apparently she is scrutinizing my drawings this very hour.
She promised to call back and say if I stand a chance of getting admitted...
If I do, then Hello England!
I'll be seeing her tomorrow in the city and have a chat with her; she should explain things like what I get out of that school, what it prepares me for, etc.
Wish me luck...
Also, tomorrow I'm going to see a play called "Cyanide potassium - with or without milk?" in the theatre on Malaya Bronnaya str. with Svetlana... Called the place up today, and we should be able to get the tickets there an hour before the beginning.
Thursday is Philipp's birthday, which is going to take place in a club called "Friday's".
Saturday is Kristina's birthday.
I still have to get both of them a gift, and I have no idea what they want... Ugh... Phil's is probably going to be something music-related (he is a very talented singer and piano player. Someday he'll become famous I tell you) but Kristina... What to do about Kristina...
Righto...
I have got to go now, little sister needs attending to.
Cheers.

[Olga]

29th of March, 2:47 am.

In order:

Philipp’s birthday.
After a while of searching I got the guy a Darkness CD. You never know, he might like it. If not, serves him right for not coming to my party… Barfturd.
The celebration took place in “Friday’s�, a bar/restaurant type of thing in Tverskaya.
Not a bad place, actually… But not exactly something I’d do if given the choice. Too bar-ish.
Anyway…
Most of the class was there… The only person missing was, of course, Masha – I’m beginning to feel worried about her. All that studying will drive her crazy someday.
Overall I’d say she studies at least 35 hours every week at least. Probably more.
There I got acquainted with Phil’s out of school friends… Chiefly two girls who turned out to be mad about Cyprus.
“OH MY GOD!!!! YOU USED TO LIVE IN CYPRUS???!!! LIKE, I LOOOOVE THAT PLACE! LIKE, HAVE YOU BEEN TO “RUMOURS�? OR “THE BASEMENT�? OH, MY BOYFRIEND LIVES THERE!!! HE IS A CYPRIOT!!!!!!!!!!!!�
The girl who said that last phrase then showed me half a dozen photos of one of the ugliest men I have ever seen.
…Bleached hair on a very tanned and wrinkled Cypriot who was intended to be dark by mother nature really doesn’t look good.
They made me promise that the next time I went to Cyprus I’d give them a yell and we would al go to Aiya Napa… I’d quite like to go there, actually – beautiful beaches are said to be there…
I also texted Julie, which was another good outcome of the evening – I’ve not spoken to her in ages, so now we’re getting in touch again.
After that I got a couple of drinks, spoke to Sherbakov and Gorbachev (he’s not related to mister Mikhail Gorbachev, by the way) and left.
I sobered up by the time I came home, but all that smoke (not mine, obviously) that drifted round in the restaurant got soaked up by my clothes… Now I have to give the damn things a wash.
Next day was spent sleeping and arguing with my parents about education.
Saturday – I never went to Kristie’s after all…
I feel very bad about it now, but I felt terrible at that moment, so I just couldn’t make myself get up and get ready.
Slept for the entire day… And night, too. Studied in between naps.
Sunday, i.e. today.
The big news is I SHALL GO TO THE BALL!
That is, I really will go to Cambridge to study in the arts and design school.
I still don’t know how on earth my mum managed to persuade my dad to give me permission, but it happened.
I’ll study for one year on the Foundation Course, and then, if I feel that I really should pick one of the specialties and make it my profession, I am staying for another year, taking A-levels and then enrolling into some English university.
However, if I feel that I don’t have it in me, I return to Moscow and study economics…
To feel more sure of myself I’m applying for a spot in the Moscow HSE (High School of Economics) and then taking an “academ� - a student’s leave thing – for a year. Then, when I come back, I will not have to go through the horror of entry exams again. What will be left of my knowledge of Maths by year 2005?
Yes, you got it… Zilch.
After hearing the news I spent all day wandering around with a happy smile on my face…
I’m still not sure if what I am doing is right or wrong, but I’m certainly going for it.
…I then played a little guitar, read “Feet of Clay� again, and went here.
I’m starting “Anna Karenina� tomorrow. Saying that I love Russian literature without having read it would be blasphemy.
I’m also getting to grips with fitness… Go go go, sport?
Need to give Svetlana a call…
My Webmoney account is still screwed… The money I transferred to the eBay guy still hasn’t reached him, but nevertheless it has been subtracted from my account. Hmm.
Cheers.

[Olga]

3rd of April, 11:48 am.

Things have happened...
During the last few days ever since I wrote my previous entry, my mother has been nagging me about education...
"It's too long. It's too expensive. You'll be too far away. You won't find a job afterwards. You'll have to go back to Russia. Your father is sick."
It was the last argument that made me stop and think... Apparently my parents have been hiding the fact that my Dad isn't exactly very healthy right now, and at the rate his job is making him work he's likely to get a lot worse...
She repeated those ideas for a couple of days, and yesterday I cracked.
I told her that yes, fine, I'll study economics or marketing, whatever, just leave me alone.
She then started saying something, I started crying (for the first time in God knows how many years) and she started comforting me.
In any case, that's it. I'm not going to study art at all, since there's no such facility here that prepares you for university... Everyone gets ready on courses during school, and my school didn't provide that which is necessary to make it to any arts university in the country.
Awesome.
So now I will have to study day and night to get ready for the mathematics entry exam.
...


Hopefully my parents will give me a day off so I can attend a flashmob/see Svetlana/go to the cinema/go to Arbat, but judging by my mother's current mood is highly improbable.
Buh-bye.

[Olga]

5th of April, 08:10 in the morning, Monday. Location - Cafemax internet club.

Weeeeeeell...
One out of three things planned isn't so bad...
So I didn't go to the flashmob...
Or see Svetlana...
But, hey, I went to the cinema. Joy.
Oh, and found out the price of the standard tie that used to be worn by nice little communist kiddies during the Soviet Times. 100 roubles, nice.

I also realised that I hate mobs of giggling girls.
God damn them.
Honestly...
I sit in the cinema, the film starts.
If anyone's seen "Secret Window", they might remember that at the very beginning all the audience sees is Depp's face up close for about 30 seconds.
Right...
*Depp's face appears*
There's a slightly confused silence issuing from most of the people present.
Giggle.
Giggle.
Giggle giggle.
Giggle Giggle Giggle Giggle Giggle Giggle Giggle Giggle Giggle Giggle Giggle Giggle Giggle Giggle Giggle Giggle Giggle Giggle Giggle Giggle Giggle Giggle Giggle Giggle Giggle Giggle Giggle Giggle Giggle Giggle Giggle Giggle Giggle.

ARGH.
WHAT THE HELL IS SO FUNNY ABOUT AN ACTOR'S FACE?
I'm sorry, it may be a normal thing to do, but it irritates me, badly.

Oh, and during one of the commercials before the start of the film there's an ad about "Troy".
For some odd reason the narrator speaks in English, but there are Russian subtitles in the bottom to make life easy for those who can't comprehend.
No one really likes the subtitles, not really, and they just stare at the screen in silence, admiring the pretty Greek fleet. Words flash across the screen.
The actors' names flash across the screen.
*Whisperrustlewhispernod*
BRAD PITT!

Gee, aren't our linguistic abilities admirable?

Then I went to a bookshop, finally got Tolstoy's (a few days before that I found out that there are, in fact, not one but three whole very famous Tolstoys, all of them related, all of them writers, who lived in the 19th-20th centuries, and we've got books of each at home, too) "Anna Karenina" (and a whopping big book it is, too - 800 pages of smallish print. I can't wait to start it, actually. I love big books with a passion) and a medium-sized book with Huxley's "Point Counter Point".
Yeeeeeess...

Then I went to the apartment (my parents couldn't pick me up because they were already tipsy by the time - 'twas a holy day), read, and went to bed at 21:00.
I never did fall asleep...
But two o'clock in the morning I realised that I wouldn't get any sleep at all and tried to use the WAP chatting device on my phone.
To my surprise there were 39 people in the chat at 2:30 am... It wasn't particularly interesting, though, because you had to update it manually... And all I got from that was a nasty joke ("What's soft, furry, white and sucks blood?" I'll personally congratulate anyone who guesses, I laughed out loud).
Tried to access the English chat. It turned out to be allergic to me and kept giving me an "Unknown file" message.
It wasn't fun...
There was no computer, no cable TV (there was ordinary TV with 4 channels that stopped broadcasting just as I got up from bed), no music (my player ran out of power, I should have recharged it) and no tea.
I started texting random people on my phone...
Spent a little time doing that, then gave up sat doing absolutely nothing for one and a half hours, got dressed (one of the best things about the apartment is the ability to do anything you want without being seen. I love walking around naked) and finally made up my mind to go to an internet club as soon as I saw signs of sunrise.
So I went out at about 6:00 am... It was lovely outside - not too cold, and the sky was gorgeous... I even took a picture of it (hey, I had nothing better to do whilst walking to the underground). It should make it to my inbox from my phone shortly (I just MMSed it to myself).
I was surprised by the number of people outside - people with dogs, people comig back from parties, people going to work... I never realised that life began so early... Heh.
So now I'm here... In the internet club, finally... My Mum should be picking me up in around 4 hours, so I'm in no hurry...
But I should get going anyway.
Oh, and here's the promised photo:
http://img45.photobucket.com/albums/v139/CommunistOlga/Image023.jpg

[Olga]

13th of April, 17:32.

Well... I think I've made a final decision to do with future education...
Yesterday I told my sister that I will study in an art school in Vienna and live with her. As far as I know, she is going to start looking for a new, larger apartment where both of us will be able to live (her current one is tiny - her bedroom acts as her workplace, living room and dining room).
About the school...
According to Elena it's situated in the best region of Vienna (WHOO!), and I will be able to try out 6-7 subjects.
No photography or fashion/textiles, but there's sculpture, ceramics and web-design... And furniture design, too...
'Course, there are also traditional subjects availible, like painting, life-drawing etc., but I do not aim to become a painter. Working as an illustrator could be rather interesting, though...
It's also relatively cheap (compared to the school I had originally wanted to enroll in and the university I'd wanted to study in in Moscow) and takes people of all levels, so even though I am rubbish at most things compared to others I can learn. The course lasts 4 years, and after finishing it I will get a diploma claiming that I am an artist (doesn't it sound grand?).

Anyway...

About three days ago I had to go to the dentist's... 2 shots of anaesthetic in my gum, yargh.
I hate shots :sad:

What else...

Instead of spending Easter Sunday with family as usual I visited the Highest School of Economics with Svetlana and attended two lectures... One on their Economics faculty and the other on MIEF (the international institute of economics and finances). It's my backup plan if I fail at art.
After paying a visit to the uni we went to Moo-Moo and then to Arbat...
Ah, Arbat.
Brilliant place.
I'm going to get my portrait drawn sometime soon when I have enough money... The portraits made there are incredible.
We walked along the stalls (there are around 20 of them in the whole street) trying to find a cheap Pioneer tie of the Soviet times... They turned out to be manky, ugly and expensive.
We gave up on the idea and decided to make our own ties out of some red fabric soon.
Svetlana walked around, trying to find a decent badge (you know, the sort given to pioneers, snipers, soldiers, KGB-ers) and ended up getting both herself and myself a couple of red badges...
http://img45.photobucket.com/albums/v139/CommunistOlga/Picture_288.jpg
Pretty, innit? Around 50 years old, I think...
Then we helped a couple of tourists make themselves clear to a shopkeeper (a word of advice to those who ever go to Moscow - never buy anything on Arbat for its original price. Get a Russian acquaintance to haggle with the seller, as the buggers tend to ask forerigners for enormous amounts of money for small things...); I got myself a Soviet soldier hat (after a lot of bargaining... Yes, I'm greedy. But it wasn't even particularly good quality! "Za krasivye glaza" my arse...).
Behold:
http://img45.photobucket.com/albums/v139/CommunistOlga/commiehat.jpg
That's it, really.
Today my parents left for the UK, but I don't get the freedom I was hoping for... An aunt came here to look after Polina, and she's a tyrant.
She's dragging me away even as I am writing this.
Cheers.

[Olga]

VOTE 10! http://www.orangehippo.ru/contest/view_photo.php?id=200
In return you will receive eternal gratitude.

[Olga]

15th of April, 21:35.

Hmmm.
Don't ask me why I broke my rule of writing only once a week.
Boredom, see.

Okies...
Nothing particularly astounding has happened.
Took a couple of photos...
Oh, Svetlana and I decided to get rid of our single status.
Males of Moscow beware.
Ah...
I also picked up a package at the post office today.
It turned out to be Rosemary's book (it finally reached me!).
I love you Rosemary.
The package contained King's "Nightmares and Dreamscapes", plus a small letter with "To my communist friend" written on the envelope, a photograph of her looking slightly, erm, masculine (but I have to admit that there was something sexy about it, somehow. Don't look at me like that! :Paranoid: ) and 4 thingamajigs... Not sure what, actually... But they spelled out my name (there was a different letter on each thingy). I found an old guitar string and attached the thingies to it for lack of anything stronger. I don't want to lose them...
But really, it took me completely by surprise. She doesn't even know me that well (she was kind enough to offer to send me the book I couldn't find in English) and was so sweet about it, too... I walked around smiling at everyone with the hugest grin you ever saw after opening the big envelope thing. Once again, thank you, Rosemary, even though you won't read this. You made my day.
http://img45.photobucket.com/albums/v139/CommunistOlga/rosesbook.jpg

I couldn't be bothered to edit out my address.
I sincerely doubt the fact that anyone who I dislike will consider spending the time and money on sending me anything as small as a letter.
Besides, I spent ages editing some stuff for Deviantart, so working with the editor is getting tiring.

That's it, really.

[Olga]

17th of April, 23:32

I really and truly believe that the past week has been the most boring and uneventful week in my life.
The news in brief:
Aunt Raya (who came over to look after my little sister as I am obviously not trusted while my parents are in the UK) is a powerful tyrant who has an Achilles Heel, as I've found out yesterday - she likes to drink, and we downed two Tequizas (tequila and beer mix).
Alexei called me up yesterday.
It's very funny how I, with my horrendous knowledge of technology, am still contacted by my classmates whom I haven't seen for 2 months since graduation day when they need help with their computers and cell phones. What's even funnier is that I always manage to help. Ironic, don't you think...
So. Alexei wanted help with the GPRS on his Nokia N-gage. Poor handsome idiot. I'd showed him how to do it, step by little step, at least three times when doing it for various schoolmates...
Of course, I could humour myself and say that "No! He called me up because he just wanted to speak to me and couldn't find any better reason to do so!" but really, let's be realistic.

Polina is still a brat.
However, she manages to switch on her "cute" mode just when needed, and now Tom is under the impression that I have the world's cutest little sister.
http://img45.photobucket.com/albums/v139/CommunistOlga/polina.jpg
Now who can resist a face like that...

Yesterday was spent campaigning for the Orange Hippo photo competition. I am pretty sure I lost. *Cue "Joy to the world"*
But, hey.
I didn't sleep that night or afternoon.
I've also just spent at least 5 hours trying to fall asleep and failing, which is vaguely surprising considering the fact that I didn't get a minute of sleep before.
Currently drinking myself to sleep with a Martini Bianco and Martini dry, or whatever the second one is. I've tried everything else, at any rate. Herbal teas are naff and simply fail to work.
I might watch Donnie Darko if even the alcohol doesn't make me drowsy.
*Exit, stage right*

[Olga]

23rd of April, 16:25.

Argh.
How many of you have been in situations when the decision you make is going to change your life, and one of the outcomes is surely positive whilst the other one is negative, but you don't know which is which?
I don't know if I made the right choice.
Gah, not sure at all.
What scares me that if I did the wrong thing after all, I won't get the opportunity to turn back.

Well...
Too late to ponder on it now, I suppose.
The bridges are burnt, I'm going to Vienna in the end of August.
Goodbye Moscow, goodbye bloody Economics...
Hello German language, healthy life and a feeling of being absolutely at loss all the time.

Maybe even "hello Arbat and my fellow hobos" in 10 years' time...

...Not something I like to think about, but it's a thought that is impossible to ignore. The prospect of complete and utter failure.

But, 'ell...

I'll give it a go.

Чем чёрт не шутит...


Other than that...


I'm still not sure if I'm going to Cyprus this year.
To be quite honest I'd rather stay (even though that would mean I wouldn't get to see Jules and the others) because I have to study and get ready...
But apparently mum thinks that I don't have a say in this, so on the 6th of May I will probably be on my way to Nicosia, and then it's just an hour's drive to Limassol.
I don't want to go.
I don't want to be near my mother on the same floor in the same room. Every time we talk we end up screaming at each other. Why doesn't she just accept my choice and leave me alone... She's just making me miserable.


Ah well...



Hopefully tomorrow I'm going to pay a visit to the Izmajlovsky fleamarket where me and Svetlana will stock up on our Soviet merchandise (we don't have that much time left 'till the May demonstration - there will be a huge parade on May the 1st and we plan to dress up according to the mood); plus I have to se if my stuff from eBay is there yet, get some blank CDs and maybe see a film ("В�адник по имени Смерть" - "A Horseman named Death" about the terrorist acts in Russia in 1909-1910. I have a thing for history-related films). Unless mum decides she doesn't want to give me a lift...
I'm off now.
The only reason I got on in the first place was because I had to write a business letter from my mum to someone she and dad met on the EBRD in London this year.

[Olga]

25th of April, 1:46am.

Today was a wonderful day.
True, it did get off to a bad start (I woke up too late after no sleep, my mum felt too tired to go anywhere which made her more irritated than usual so she decided to scream at me and Polina and we only drove out to the city at around four o'clock in the afternoon) but, hey, look at the positive side:
I got myself a spiffing Radiohead poster (which, admittedly, got slightly crumpled when it was rolled up, but it still looks gorgeous and large):
http://img45.photobucket.com/albums/v139/CommunistOlga/Rotation_of_Image082.jpg
Saw Com Lag for sale:
http://img45.photobucket.com/albums/v139/CommunistOlga/Image081.jpg
I didn't get it, though... getting Radiohead on Gorbushka media market is a sacrilege. I'll probably die waiting until we get it, but there will be artwork and such (yes, I'm a naff little girl, spare me).
I got myself a guitar capo (it's called a "capodaster" in Russian, heh - I had to waste some time explaining what I wanted since I didn't know the Russian name for it. The shopkeeper must have thought I was a loon).
I received one of the items I won on eBay - Discworld Noir for PC with 3 backup CDs if it doesn't work on my computer.
Also...
I just felt so good. This may sound crazy, but I'm incredibly glad I was born female. (Go on, laugh your head off)
I also noticed some peculiar and funny things about people in the underground... I discussed it at length with my mum, but it's far too abstract to be put into words here. Besides, it's something very obvious that I only discovered now, and most people are probably aware of it...

Good morning (since I'm certainly not going to go to bed now... maybe in eight hours or so... Damn insomnia).
Ah, and I made a new avatar thingy. Might replace the one I use on the Museboard.
http://img45.photobucket.com/albums/v139/CommunistOlga/possibleavatar.jpg
Like?

[Olga]

Tuesday, May 25th, 21:04 pm.

Limassol, Cyprus.


Yarrrawarrawarrawarra.
Revelationz

Cypriot guys are actually very god looking sometimes (Julz, forget what I said on our first drinking session. I take it all back). Especially that one guy I met in the shop... Mwah.
Avocados here are all dreadful, no matter where you buy them. Tested and tried. Urgh. They're dry and disgusting.
Good bokshops are non-existant here.
B-52 shots quite frankly suck, and they're expensive.
I realised that it's true: I do love it when people speak with British accents. Why oh why are there so many Brits here... I'll go crazy this way... Must get earplugs, or I'll ravish someone on the spot someday.
Cypriot rock sucks.
Hector (one of the people in my former school) rules, and has a nice smile.
"Th" is a bad, bad rentals place. They don't have Battle Royale, OMFGWTFARGHSUXXXXX!!!!!1
Silverfish aren't human. They're aliens in disguise. I mean, it's not possible for anything earthly to be as horrible as them.
Julie is, quite simply, awesome.
You can never use too much sunblock cream.
I really do love myself.


So, what's happened lately?

Elena (my big sister) stayed with us for the first week.
She's put on a little weight and is terribly depressed about it, but she looks fine no matter what she says...
During the first week I sneaked into my old school and attended a pre-exam lesson.
It feels incredible realising that what they are currently oing and will do next year I have already completed. I love Zhukovka - fast forwarded education isn't so bad after all.
Met up with some people, and (*gasp!*) they recognized me, and I recognized them. Hector rules.

On the first Friday night me and Julz (best friend) went out to have a drink in the Tourist area.
We drank. And drank. And drank. And walked at least 15 kilometres.
On our way back at 4 am or so an astounding number of cars (seeing us make our wobbly way towards home) offered a lift.
Too bad they didn't realise we were going the other way and that we weren't drunk enough not to know that.
The next day we still swayed and tilted when walking, Julz had a headache, and I was fine. My liver must have become tougher since that Martini night a while back... ince I obviously had more than ever...
On the day after that Julz felt horrible, and I was peachy.
Odd.
Oh well.
I'm probably wossname, immune to hangovers (more or less now), if you don't cout the slightly foggy thoughts.
Elena left on Sunday the 16th.
Julz and I met up a couple more times, and we went out again on the following Friday.
We had (before going out) agreed that we would not drink, oh Lordy, no no no.
After walking around 5-6 kilometres and then taking a cab to the cinema (we were hoping to see The Butterfly Effect), we found out upon getting there that the movie was over (i.e. the showtimes thing I saw was outdated and there was something new instead).
So what did we do?
We drank.
And took photos.
So yeah, look out for the "Olga and Julie BIG NIGHT OUT DRUNKEN PHOTOS!" album when I get back to Moscow and use my MMS service (I can't send multimedia messages when I'm abroad).
The next day Julie had a hangover.
I felt wonderful.
Honey, I promise you we won't do this again while I'm here. Well... Maybe a drink or two, but not more. Wanna wanna Zombie.

Lesse.
Her mother is almost certainly giving birth this week (it will be a girl, apparently), and on the fateful night I might go on a sleepover to Julie's place to keep her company. hope to be able to rent Battle Royale here (even thought it's dubbed).

Went to Kyriakou Bookshop today.
I used to think (when I was 11-12 years old) that the shop was nothing short of a treasure.
Yet this afternoon I discovered that it is probably among the worst bookshops I have ever been to (how I miss all those bookshops in Cambridge... *Sigh*).
No Rankin. No House of Leaves. No Gaiman. No Susan Townsend. Only 2-3 books by King, and I've read them. Nothing interesting at all, and the shopkeeper seemed to be aware of what she had even less than me.
However, I might be in luck, as next week they shall be receiving a shipment, and who knows, they may have the new Terry Pratchett A Hat Full of Sky (release date was today, as a matter of fact).
Oh well...
Got to go to bed soon.
I'm tired.
And I ate too much at the nearby fish taverna.
Oh dear.


Pardon my numerous typographical errors, I have no spellcheck, the mouse is borked and the keyboard is lousy (the keys won't press too well).
Meh.

Good night, readers.

[Olga]

Thursday, 27th of May, 13:03.

Limassol, Cyprus.


Just a short message this time...

Julz and I are going to Nicosia tomorrow!
The reason I'm so excited is because although I'd lived years and years in Cyprus, I hardly ever went to Nicosia, and always stayed in Limassol.
Some background info:
Limassol is a tourist place... Sunny beaches, lakes of souvenir shops, and oceans of tourists (Russian, mostly).
Nicosia is a place most tourists ignore for several reasons:

No beaches (as far as I know)
Long way away (an hour-and-a-half's drive by car)
Very hot
No souvenir shops as such


The only time I had ever gone there was to attend a piano-playing competition when I was around 9 years old. Go figure.
Well...
Today I called up a "service taxi", err, service.
A service taxi is basically a small minibus that may contai around 6-8 people, and the sum of money you have to pay is around 6 times less.
To get to Nicosia by taxi you'd have to pay around 25 Cyprus pounds (probably more), i.e. around 40 euros...
Whereas that particular service lets you go for exactly 4 pounds and ten cents.
So tomorrow the taxi's coming round at 8:50 in the morning, picking Julz up from Pyrgos village (that is, a petrol station near the village, as it's far away) and we're off!
We're coming back at around 6-8 o'clock in the evening...

Why?

Well, why not?

I'm tired of Limassol and of every third person that you meet being a Russian (don't get me wrong, I love my country and its inhabitants, but really).
Besides, there should be a good bookshop there.

Meh.
Got to go and tan myself on the balcony I was just waiting for the sun to show, I've been glistening with slippery tanning oil for an hour now).
Buh-bye.

[Olga]

Friday, 28th May, 22:something. Damn computer clock's crazy.

Limassol, Cyprus.

I'm so tired...
So very, very tired...
We went to Nicosia today.
It was blistering hot.
Apart from that there was another, erm, interesting detail that I'd rather not share out of fear of being accused of being a perverted bitch, which made the trip even more interesting.
Righto.
Highlight of the trip: we found a place where sprinklers sprayed water all around... After walking for over an hour under the sun with no shade to hide in (with the teperature being around 40 degrees Celsius) water is heaven.
...Let's just say that after frolicking on the grassy wet patch we were quite a site to behold.
I'm too tired to type more about the trip.
Uneventful.

Then, after coming back to Limassol, we went to an exhibition consisting of works belonging to senior students of Foley's School (my former school...).
Met some people.
Liked a guy.

I'm tired.
Urgh.
Good night.
Need food.
Need sleep.
Need chocolate.
FOOD.


Bye.

[Olga]

Wednesday, June 2nd, 11:21 or so.

Limassol, Cyprus.

Now that I have a little time...
Nicosia was interesting. Terribly hot, though... Me and Julz got to visit the biggest bookshop in Cyprus...
...Which left me slightly disappointed, as most of the things I was looking for weren't there, but, heh.
They don't even stock hardbacks because it's too expensive (...And I was hoping to get Pratchett's new book in hardback. Blargh).
We walked around the entire city, went near the military Cypriot-Turkish zone, skulked around in the tourist shops, bugged an old man in a music shop (I hadn't touched a real piano for around a year, so I just had to try out the lovely black one) who, as it turned out, used to be (many years ago) a pretty skilled musician who travelled all around the world, playing his saxophone.

After going back to Limassol we went to an exhibition somewhere in the area of the Old Port. I was very surprised... In a good way. The works displayed were of a quality marginally higher than I had expected.
I interacted with some of my old school friends (again), walked around...

Nothing special has happened since.
Apart from Tom's text yesterday. It's amazing how something as simple as an SMS can make you feel so happy.
What else...
Got some new clothes: a pair of jeans, a short skirt (now all I need is a long jacket...) and a smoky-pink frilly tee.

Girls: if you ever feel unhappy about your looks and think that you don't look so hot, go to Cyprus. It's amazing. I've never felt so beautiful in my life.

Julz and I are meeting up on Saturday... Our last night out (I'm going back on Thursday the 10th), so the whole day will be action-packed.
7:30 am - I start walking (another thing - since there are no buses and underground trains I have to walk a lot... So I'm actually more fit now. Heh) to the Wet n' Wild waterpark (where I meet Julz), situated around 10 kilometres away. Can a name for a waterpark get any more perverted than that?
Approx. 17:00 - Julz and I leave the waterpark (yes, we are going to spend around 7 hours there. Go away) and walk back to my apartment.
We wash, dry ourselves, do stuff and get ready for our night out.
Approx. 21:00 - we walk to the Tourist Area (where all night clubs and bars are located).
Approx. 02:00-04:00 - we walk back home. Most probably drunk.


So yeah, that's the agenda for Saturday...



Now I have to put on my swimsuit and rush off to the beach.
Cheers.

[Olga]

Not exactly an entry, but nevertheless...
Just a little note to myself so that I don't forget once I come back.

I spoke to my Mum yesterday...
After an hours' arguing she finally gave me the permission to see if I could organise myself a trip to London in the beginning of August.
Problems:
a) Little time left
b) Getting a Visa for the UK for a Russia citizen is a big issue... I might not get one at all as I still don't have a student's ID card (although I should have it sometime around mid-July as soon as I pass (I might still fail) university entry exams). REMINDER: Olga, ask Olga Vadimovna, the British embassy and the Albion agency if it's possible to get a Visa very quickly and for a not-too-large price.
c) Expensive tickets.
d) Expensive stay.

I'm only going for a week, and if I ask around on the Muse board someone is bound to recommend a relatively cheap and more or less decent hotel/youth hostel where I can stay...
So, yes, that's it, really...

[Olga]

A. S. just called.
The call lasted 02:42.
AHAHAHAHAHHAHAAHAAHAAAHAHAHAHHA.
*Happy gasp*
I feel like dancing now.
He called me up, dammit!


...And I found out that my classmates are getting their certificates of education without me... I'm a couple of hours late, FSS.. They're getting them on the 10th at 12:00, and I'm arriving at around 14:00. How horrible.
I won't get to see them again... Ever... I'll try to see if there is any way I can change my tickets now... I want to see them...

[Olga]

Update:
My mother said that I can change my return ticket to Moscow.
If there are still tickets availible, I'm going back on Wednesday the 9th, thus getting the opportunity to see my mates at school.
*Crosses fingers*
Please, please, please let there be free spaces on the plane...
I'm calling Aeroflot up tomorrow, and see if it's possible. It'll cost around $50, but hey...

[Olga]

Another update.

This morning I called up Aeroflot, and yes, they still had tickets for the 9th.
:D
*Does a little dance*
Phew.

...I'm still zoned out after Alexei's call. Heh.

[Olga]

Sunday 6th of June.

Limassol, Cyprus.

So...
Yesterday I woke up at 8 am. Went back to sleep. And finally woke up at 9 am.
Drove off with Julie (her Dad gave us a lift) to the Wet n' Wild waterpark.

I'll never, ever go there again.
NOTE TO ALL THOSE WHO EVER PLAN ON GOING TO LIMASSOL: do not go to the Wet n' Wild waterpark. Go to Fassouri instead. It's only about 20 kilometres away, but it's far larger, cleaner and more fun.
We went on all the rides, lay on the sunbeds to get tans, played cards and listened to music...
As I found out later, I got a horrible sunburn.
I used to make fun of the ever-lobster-pink English (it's always the English, funnily enough) because they were always pink. Or white, sometimes. But usually pink.
I take my terrible words back.
I must have used half a bottle of sunblock this time, and I managed to get a horrible sunburn (second time now. Oh no), but this time it's my shoulders (it hurts. A lot.), the left bit of my chest and a bit of my legs.
Now I sit here, covered in Christis Strained Yogurt because it's said to help. No aloe vera availible.
After the waterpark we walked back on foot (...at least 8 kilometres in the white-hot sun) to my house, stopping for a pizza and a video rental on our way back.
We arrived, rested, regained our strength and got ready for the evening night out.
We looked surprisinly good... Amazing.
We walked to the tourist area, drank (but very little compared to the previous nights out), went to a deserted kiddie playground in the eucalyptus grove and swung on the swings. Swinging on swings is fun when you're drunk. A most pleasurable feeling.

We walked back.
By the time we came home I could hardly walk... This morning my mother inspected my feet and said that she can't quite work out how the hell I managed to walk so much with those blisteres on my feet...
The blisters are not the normal kind... They are not on the sides of your foot, but on the heel, the meety and coarse part. Now I have two huge bubbles where ordinary skin should be, and if I want to move I have to tiptoe.
Apparently in about 3 days the bubbles will burst, the skin with rip slightly, and I'll need to disinfect the skin so I don't get anything... Won't be able to wear anything but very soft trainers for a long, long while. Well, I suppose it's my fault... No more high heels for long distances for me...

So, we came back, slightly woozy (we'd managed to sober up a consierable bit whilst going back), I made Julie's bed, we went to sleep.
I woke up to a horrible pain in my shoulders. The dreaded sunburn.
As soon as I got up I almost fell because of the blisters.
*Sigh*
I'll never learn.

This will probably be the last entry I make before going.
So, couple of things briefly:
I might raid the bookshop and finally get the damn Googlewhack and Miscellany book (I've saved up a bit so I might now afford both), then I need to get a pair of shoes (but seeing as I can't walk very well it'll be difficult), get a haircut at Fadi's, get the lingerie set, and I'm off.
My flight on Wednesday is around 14:00, so I have to drive out to the airport in Larnaka at around 10:30.

*Yawn*

[Olga]

These are for me, and only me. Can't be bothered to waste the time at home, so I'll just run the search now.
http://www.tours.ru/common/news.asp?id=116&full=T&id_ext_parts=2
http://www.izcity.com/pub/raznoe.htm
http://pregrad.net/pages/2/12.html

[Olga]

TOM.
QUIT LOOKING AT MY BLOG.
NOW.
12th of June, Saturday, 20:30.

Well, I'm back.
The flight was pretty decent... My luggage weighed too much (over 20 kilos), but thanks to a certain lady named Evvie who, for some reason, was very kind to me, I wasn't charged a cent.
I sat next to a young woman whose daughters seemed slightly demented or aria-phobic (if there is such a thing at all) who were, apparently, phobic of travelling by air.

The next day, on the 10th, I went to school. I grabbed some of the textbooks I still hadn't returned to the library, faffed about and arrived too early.
Philipp and Peter were both even earlier than me.
BIG NEWS: Philipp is getting engaged in two weeks. Well, hurrah for you, then... Even if your fiancee-to-be looked like a bitch to me...
Talked to Alexei at length more than once, before, during and after the diploma-handing-out ceremony... He asked me if I was going to the Maxidrome concert (FYI: the Maxidrome concert, organized by Radio Maximum, is the biggest annual rock music event in all of Russia). He is.
Needless to say, I'm getting myself a ticket on Monday.
Sveta might join me, but I'd prefer to go alone... I hate having to be dependent of people, waiting for them, etc.
The concert takes place on thw 19th.
Must hurry.

On Gorbushka market I got Event Horizon and Shrek 2 DVDs (go on, laugh), and Battlefield Vietnam, which is currently being installed onto my computer.
Sveta and I went to see HP3. I quite liked it, but she seemed disappointed.
I lost my eBay Adrian Mole auction.

*Yawn*

On Monday I am also [hopefully] going to a couple of markets... I need to get a hard guitar case (I have to take my guitar to Vienna safely somehow), headphones to plug into the amp (well, I won't be able to use the amp much in the Austrian apartment), cords and used books.
Maybe vintage Soviet things. As usual.
I'm not feeling particularly entertaining right now, so pardon the boredom this entry might cause.

Peter is an idiot. I swear.
Seriously dearest, half of the girls in the school are already in love with you, get lost.

*Yawns again*

Might bid for a Rocky Horror Picture Show metal license plate this night.
Yeah, I'm a nutter.



Got to go and try out the game now... Bye.

[Olga]

Today was another day of revelations.
This time they were quite shocking.
Those who know me more or less are aware of my obsession with the Soviet times...

Well, today a friend of my Dad's, the consul of the Kyrgyz Republic, came over to our house.
Around 3 hours ago he, my mother and my father sat down for a drink in the kitchen, and, as my internet was temporarily borked (and my eyes were getting tired), I sat down to listen to what they spoke about.
The conversation started out with fairly harmless things like literature (the guy spent 15 (or 25, can't remember) working as a teacher in one of the best universities in St. Petersburg, where he taught history, theology, literature, general knowledge, history of asian countries and, I think, "dead" languages).
Soon the topic started to stray away from literature, and we began discussing football (the match between Spain and Russia was on TV).
That soon led to a discussion about patriotism.
Which in turn started a discussion about upbringing.
Which in turn led to discussions about upbringing in the Soviet times.
The guy said that he spent 7 years in some educational facility (he was aged 11-18), how there were 115 kids in one big room, all of the beds crammed next to each other, how around 15 of those kids didn't sleep at nights and read books, as there was no time for that during the day. Reading books was forbidden, so the kids snuck out after night patrol into toilets, stairways, any place that had light and where they would not be caught.

My Dad in turn told us details about his life as a kid.

He talked about things that I never even suspected of.
It turns out that his stepfather (hell, he never even said that it wasn't his real father - he'd kept it a secret), i.e. my Grandad, was part of an organization called "Smersh", which stands for "Smert' Shpionam", which means "Death to Spies".

The Smersh organization picked reliable and dedicated officers.
They shot all people who were suspected of being spies.
Even if there was no proof.

Think 1984.

Any even remotely suspicious faces were arrested, and shot without trial.

Well, my Grandad had a disagreement with one of the officers over some matter, and made the officer swallow an ashtray.
I'm serious.

After that he was sent away to Bratsk (a town in Siberia), his army awards were taken away and he was given a very poor job.
He died around 9 years ago, but Dad said that around one year before his death he confessed that he remembered every one of those people he had murdered, and that they still appeared to him in his dreams. He couldn't forget even one of them.
My Dad's mother worked as a female lumberjack every day, and had to lug wood around 15 kilometres one way and then walk back another 15 kilometres. There was one time when, as she walked back from work with her sister, she and Klava (the sister) saw a picnic of some people from the city. They stole two small pieces of bread because they were so hungry, and she still cries of shame when she remembers that.

My Great-Grandad was shot because he was German.
Another Great-Grandad was shot because he was one-armed. No real reasons were found.
Yet another Great-Grandad was shot because he had money.

My father was always a secret monarchist in his heart. He hated school, and by Grade 5 he was convinced that school gave nothing but the skill to read, and he tried to blow it up. Well, he did, actually, but no real harm was done.
He was expelled. That was 8th Grade.

Before that, in 7th Grade, he wrote an essay on who he wanted to be when he grew up. His literary hero was Vrungel', and the man owned a yacht. My dad quite logically assumed that to have a yacht (after all, Vrangel' had a yacht, so he wanted one, too) you had to be a millionaire.
So he wrote that when he grew up he would be a millionaire.
A meeting took place in the school.
He was expelled.

During his life as a student he got hold of forbidden literature of all sorts, spent hours, days, months typing out books he could get hold of on a typewriter, stuck the pages together...
We still have some hand-typed volumes at home.

Among those works are the Strugatsky brothers, the prodigical Mikhail Bulgakov, Anna Akhmatova, and the rebellious bard Vladimir Visotsky. They are still here.


I'm not quite sure why I am typing this out, but I suppose that it just came as a very strong shock to me...
Studying the Soviet years in school in History lessons (even if the teacher is fairly truthful and smart) is one thing, but actually finding out that all those murders and repressions had something to do with you is completely different...

[Olga]

21st of June, 0:51

Aaaah, life is f*cked up.

I hate Olga V. and Irina V.

I am taking my Russian uni exams next week: to get into MAEL and the Highest School of Economics. Chances are I won't make it even near the HSE, but MAEL is probable enough, and it's really all I need. The exams will be as follows: Mathematics, Russian and English, all multiple choice tests, for both universities.
I'm taking TOEFL on the 1st of July - already paid for it and reserved my spot.

Went to Maxidrom, Russia's biggest annual rock concert event thing.
My little review:

http://www.maxidrom.ru/img/title_maxidrom.jpg
I arrived at around 16:15 (I would have come earlier, only I attended the Global Flashmob and was therefore a little bit late). Walked around, ate for the first time that day (...A "Danish Hotdog" - something horrible and sticky), and proceeded to the entrance of the Olimpijsky Sport Center, where the stage is located. After about 15 minutes' wait in the queue I got sent to the storage camera to dump my rucksack in (they weren't permitted in the building due to fear of terror acts). There I waited for at least half an hour, and finally went into the building.
Walked around, bought a stupid jingly hat.
As soon as the concert started I took the hat off, because:
a) it was too hot
b) there was some girl who was too short to see anything on stage, so she started swearing at me.

I stood close to the stage, but even closer to the speakers. Bad idea.
Also, as people came into the building, it was getting more and more crowded. It got so bad that you literally couldn't move at all, so even simple movements like raising your hands took so much effort that in the end you just gave up.
I stayed the entire while, that is, from 17:00 until 23:30... Came out with my clothes soaking wet with sweat (no exaggeration), including the jacket I had tied around my hips (...how on earth did that get wet?) and my hair, which looked like I had just come out of the shower.
God bless Sasha and his beautiful car, because I was so tired that I wouldn't have made it home at all...
Oh, yes, erm, the music.
All of the bands were brilliant (especially B-2, who not only performed wonderfully, but projected the images of the USSR flag onto the large screen on stage, and... A... Aah... Cartoon soldier girl. Don't ask, but it looked cool), apart from this one group... I think it was Hooverphonic, but I cannot be sure. They took ages to get prepared, and after the first song the crowds started getting restless.
I think that the vocalist, some blonde, slightly overdid it with the singing. Her voice, which was high pitched, was annoying on its own, and the overloud microphone didn't help, either, and I felt physical pain listening to her. I wasn't alone - the people around me started complaining, swearing at her and making fun of the music... Someone: "Oh, cool! I know the words to this song!". The someone starts screaming at the top of his lungs, parodising the girl.
They sang the most songs out of all the bands, funnily enough.

That's pretty much the most memorable thing, really.
In short, it was a magnificent experience, but I just had to mention a couple of unfortunate circumstances.

I'm going to study maths every day until Friday. Maybe I'll pass... Wish me luck...

[Olga]

Wow-wee, life's a-changin' again.

One of the biggest flaws in my personality (in my opinion) is that I am terribly indecisive, and when I do make my mind up about whatever thing it is that's puzzling me I tend to worry about it a lot and then wonder if I should change my decision or not.


Well, guess what?


No Vienna.


That's right, no Vienna.
That means no Webster, no German classes every day, no art school (which is a big, big shame), no living with Elena in a small flat with no living room and a very small fridge, and no boring social life.

You see...

A couple of days ago, at around six o'clock in the morning (some people were talking to me on AIM at the time - they might remember a moment when, after coming back from my early morning bike ride I disappeared for around 2 hours, and returned a little depressed) I had an enormous row with my mother.
It got very, very ugly...

In the end we both screamed ourselves hoarse.
My mother got so furious and excited that she started having trouble breathing and began to clutch at the spot where her heart should be.
I swear I was terrified she'd have a heart attack.

After that row of ours I went to my room, sat down and started thinking.

I won't list all of the thoughts and ideas that zoomed through my head, but you know what conclusion I had come to: I'm going to study in Moscow.


So now my current aim is the the Highest School of Economics, aka HSE, the MIEF course thing, to be specific.
To get in there I shall have to take three exams:
a) English (piece of cake)
b) Russian (piece of a slightly larger cake)
c) Mathematics (a piece so big I won't be able to devour it for millenia).
Maths scares the hell out of me. I have hardly studied during the past 6 months, and the HSE is famous for its mathematicians (after all, they study Economics), so, chances are, I'll simply flunk the test with flying colours. Hell, I'm almost sure I will not even get one question[/i] correct.
In any case...

As long as I make it to the interview I'm safe. The MIEF course requires its students to know English well enough to swallow whole lectures and around 60% of the classes during the course.
The interview will take place in English. So that's one thing I'll more or less ace.
But the interview takes getting to. It's the second and ultimate examonation for applicants.

Kristie has promised to help me refresh most of the things I need to know, and this night she was supposed to ring up a tutor who might know what I need to know best. Kristie, if I pass, I'll pray for you at night.
Svetlana... Well, Svetlana won't help. In fact, she assured me that the maths in the HSE is surreal. Great.

The first exam, that is, maths, takes place on the 16th of July.
Russian is on the 23rd of so.
English takes place sometime in between.

Wish me luck studying?

Oh yeah, and I now have a new printer+scanner+xerox+fax all-in-one machine. Cool.

[Olga]

I have a very nasty feeling I'm going to fail mathematics rather badly.
I took one swift look at the example tests in the university's pamphlet, and, well... Out of the 30 questions there I may be able to answer 3 or so.
I realised that I was in big trouble...
2 weeks left until the exam.

So after paying a visit to Kristina, my second cousin who lives about five minutes' worth of bike riding away, and who has already spent a year in her university (she's studying law) and could remember no maths whatsoever, I decided to give my old maths teacher a ring.
I looked through my cell phone's phonebook. No Natalya Alexandrovna. I looked through my "school diaries" (which acted as homework books and where we got our grades written down. Very important thing) which should have held the phone numbers of my teachers, and it wasn't there. I called my Class Teacher, Irina Viktorovna, only to find out that she's on vacation and will be back God knows when.
I leafed through my mother's phonebook, and found nothing under "N".
I was exasperated. There was no way out of the mathematic nightmare.
Then I looked through my mother's phonebook again, just in case, and sure enough, Natalya Alexandrovna was filed under "B".
After talking to her she agreed to give me tutoring and help out with the things I needed to know most, so tomorrow I'm forking over my university pamphlet, she'll inspect the practice exams and conduct a sort of plan to get me "educated".
I love you so, so much, miss. You're my life-saviour. If I pass the entry exams, I swear I will never forget you and buy you a box of chocolates.
Tomorrow I'm also going to the HSE to pick up my exam permit (it gives me the permission to attend the exams), go see a dermatologist and buy Webmoney cards to pay off my ebay win.
Oh, by the way...
http://www.shrinkle.com/JuneEbay/russian.jpg
That's the top I won.
Beautiful, isn't it?
It may prove to be a little small in the chest and large in the waist, but I'll fix it if needed. It's just so damn gorgeous.
Ah well...

[Olga]

Natalya Alexandrovna - my love for you has increased incredibly today.
You see, not only was she kind enough to offer her help, but when she realised that the questions weren't of the standard school level and she wouldn't be able to explain them very well to me (even if her teaching skills are marvellous) she called up a university professor she knew and asked him if he'd help me. He agreed.
Now, about the guy...
Mr. Dubov is a fascinating man. Nothing less. The first thing I noticed about him (or, rather, his flat) was the incredible amount of books.
Books in the hallway.
Books in the living room.
Books in his bedroom.
Books in the kitchen.
Books on the floor.
Books on his balcony where he grow plants. Cucumbers, I think.
Books everywhere, occupying every cabinet availible stuffed into every vacant hole.

My idol.
According to my calculations... Let's see... If we take the average book shelf thing... I'd say that thenumber of books nears five thousand. I'm almost sure there's more than that, though. No exaggeration.

Second thing was his chess-related shelves, of which there were around 7. Many books on the subject, plus his trophies, flags, signs displaying his name (in English - he took part in world-famous chess competitions, see)... Apparently he even knows Zaitsev, who was, I think, Kasparov's teacher. Or grossmeister. Don't ask, I can't remember.
Black and white photos of Karpov, Kasparov, Alekhin (I may be wrong on this one), including a couple where he himself is displayed next to celebrated players, next to the trophies and other such things.
Third, he had an absolutely remarkable collection of stamps, worth (in his own words) around three hundred thousand US dollars. Why the past tense? Because he was robbed two years ago. He knows who did it, as do I now that he's told me (I think he gets a little lonely, so he told me lots of things and gave me a small excursion around his flat to show all of his books whilst waiting for Sergey, my driver, to arrive), but the guy who had ordered the theft to take place is famous and holds a very important spot in the goverment (not saying who. I'll probably get ushered to Siberia like a betrayed Dekabrist for this. Oh noes), so he couldn't do anything about it, and the police didn't even start an investigation as such. Wheeee.

As for his teaching skills, I was really impressed. I have forgotten about 80% of what I used to know in Maths, yet he didn't lost his temper, not once, and kept explaining things over and over again, and I understood, even though it was a lot harder than anything else I've ever tried.

Oh, I took my TOEFL exam the day before yesterday.
Easy as hell.
The only problem was that I had stayed awake all night so the listening exercises were, erm, difficult. I kept dozing off and missing the words, and the examinees didn't get to listen to them again. The test was done on computers using some sort of program that looked like it was originally meant to run on Windows 3.1, I'm not kidding.
Still, it was relatively easy. I get my results in three weeks' time. Hopefully it'll prove to be a small bonus in my favour when the admission to the HSE starts. F*ck am I scared. (Oh, I've started swearing a terrible lot recently. Don't blame me, I'm under a lot of stress). Something tells me I won't do so well. And if I fail...
Well...
I won't go to university this year at all, but spend 2004/2005 getting reading for the next year. Urgh, hell no, I must pass, whatever it takes.
So now it's around 6 hours of maths every day. Blah.
The Russian may prove to be a problem, but not one I won't be able to solve. Piece of cake. English will be... Will be as easy as... Hell, it'll be so easy I can't even find a decent comparison. Well, at least I won't flunk one thing...

My payment for the Soviet top has been despatched. ANSWER ME, BITCH. You got the money, why won't you reply?

Oh well.
I'm off to eat my strawberries and cream.

[Olga]

Words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup,
They slither while they pass, they slip away Across the Universe.
Pools of sorrow, waves of joy are drifting through my opened mind,
Possessing and caressing me.
Jai Guru Deva Om
Nothing's gonna change my world, Nothing's gonna change my world.
Nothing's gonna change my world, Nothing's gonna change my world.

Images of broken light which dance before me like a million eyes,
They call me on and on Across the Universe.
Thoughts meander like a restless wind inside a letter box,
They tumble blindly as they make their way Across the Universe

Jai Guru Deva Om
Nothing's gonna change my world, Nothing's gonna change my world.
Nothing's gonna change my world, Nothing's gonna change my world.

Sounds of laughter, shades of earth are ringing
Through my open ears inciting and inviting me.
Limitless, undying love, which shines around me like a million suns,
And calls me on and on Across the Universe

Jai Guru Deva Om
Nothing's gonna change my world, Nothing's gonna change my world.
Nothing's gonna change my world, Nothing's gonna change my world.


Get the song. Originally by The Beatles, but the version I prefer is a cover by Fiona Apple.

Changes for the n-th time.
I had a big fight with my parents the morning before last.
During it I managed to burst into tears two times, my father's temper exploded 3 times, and my mother never stopped talking.
In the end Dad and I sat down at the kitchen table, with a sheet of A4 paper ripped inexpertly into two parts (we were out of paper, and that sheet was the last), two black ballpoint pens and a book listing Moscow's universities, institutes, academies, colleges and "highest schools".
You see, it turns out that my Dad's opinion of my chances of getting in the HSE and doing well in the economics field basically rounds up to four words: complete and utter failure.
So now, when there are less than two weeks left until I take my HSE (Highest School of Economics) exams, he says that I'll faily at finances and anything to do with banking rather miserably, and that I should try something more artistic that involves socialising and maybe even travelling.
He said that I should consider becoming a construction site worker. Really.

I decided not to argue with him because after all... Parents do know best sometimes (let's face it - we all get angry at them once in a while, but they really have a lot more experience and knowledge. Unless it's to do with technology and entertainment), and I bit back my arguments and now I am applying for another university - the Moscow Humanitarian-Socialistic (nothing to do with communism, bugger off) Academy. It seems to be the best among educational facilities that can give Marketing courses.
Yep, marketing.

Let's put it this way - the idea that I can make someone believe that they need and will die if they don't get an absolutely worthless item appeals to me. Lying is so much fun sometimes.
Just think. Maybe I'll get the chance to numbd society's brains with commercials. Mmmm. World domination. Dimination, too.

Mr. Dubov is as fascinatin as ever. Not only have my mathematical abilities skyrocketed after only three lessons, but he really is a remarkable man in all aspects.

Posting photos of yourself in lingerie discussions on other boards is so much fun.

I have rediscovered the prospect of "sleep", too, a couple of days ago. What a glorious experience.
My sleeping patterns haven't quite been fixed yet, but they're better... I had to do something about them, as falling asleep during my lessons just isn't right.

The eBay girl is mailing me my USSR top this week. Yay.

Good night.

[Olga]

ELENA'S HERE! ELENA'S HERE! ELENA'S HERE! ELENA'S HERE! ELENA'S HERE! ELENA'S HERE! ELENA'S HERE! ELENA'S HERE! ELENA'S HERE! ELENA'S HERE! ELENA'S HERE! ELENA'S HERE! ELENA'S HERE! ELENA'S HERE! ELENA'S HERE! ELENA'S HERE! ELENA'S HERE! ELENA'S HERE! ELENA'S HERE! ELENA'S HERE!

Uh, yes, I am happy, what makes you ask?

Elena = my big sister. My idol, my Goddess, my everything I respect, really.

Yesterday I had another lesson of maths. There was one question in particular that stumped me and my teacher... He didn't really know what to do, so he called up a student who'd just enrolled into some Maths university. The student doesn't know what to do. My teacher (I'm referring to him as Mr. D from now on) calls up a fellow professor. He doesn't know what to do. Mr. D calls up another university professor, and then, after around 250 minutes' worth of discussion he comes up with a way to solve the puzzle, only it's just a way, not the solution itself.

If four highly trained and respected people can't solve a maths question, do you think I can?
I don't, either.
Thankfully the exam is a multiple choice test, so let's hope that the Lady shall be kind to me.

Mhrm.

After the lesson my Dad picked me up, and Elena was already in the car. She's lost a little bit of weight since Cyprus (Good on you, girl), and now she's obsessed with health again...
Anyway...
We come home, Dad barbecues chicken, we eat, etc.
Elena introduces me to my new guitar tuner. Olga, meet guitar tuner. Guitar tuner, meet Olga.
Y'see, I used to tune it using my piano, but that didn't work out quite so well, so in the end I pestered my sister into getting me a real tuner in Austria (they're cheaper there).

After the meal Elena and I made strawberry + vodka + crushed ice cocktails. Which reminds me - this morning, whilst picking strawberries in the garden, I came to the conclusion that Russia will die because of one, and only one thing: not because of a nuclear bomb, not a bad case of anthrax/some other biological disease, not because of a war, not because of Chechnya, not because of mass dementia resulting in country-wide suicides, but because of a strawberry surplus. There. Are. Too. Many. Damn. Strawberries. Can someone with a strawberry fetish move in with me for the summer, please?

Back to the cocktails.
Elena was inspired by the stuff we had in Vienna on Valentine's Eve (yes, I spent most of the Eve out with my sister and her friend because I was in Vienna and had nothing better to do. Go away) in that one bar, so yesterday we decided to try and make replicas of them. It worked quite, quite well, only it would have been better if there was more ice...
My sister had none, though. Apparently after many wild, wild years (she was a big party animal after turning sixteen) she'd drunk so much (surprising, eh, Julz?) that alcohol makes her sick now.
We served the drinks to our parents (...obviously I had one too), and we opened a bottle of Chinese plum wine (warmed up).
That drink is absolutely amazing. Sweet and warming, and aaaaaah... Beautiful.

Isn't it odd how I tend to focus on drinks...

This morning Elena woke me up at 7:15 o' clock in the morning.
We went out of the house.
We jogged.
We conquered the moist roads.

Now our trainers are soaked because of all the dew in the grass.
Next time we're jogging on the asphalt...

About an hour ago my sister made tiny healthy wholemeal pancakes with -- guess -- strawberries. And crushed hazelnuts.
If my sister fails as a businesswoman, she'll almost certainly open her own chain of healthy-and-tasty restaurants. God knows she's an amazing cook.

I'm going to ask Svetlana to get me Pratchett's A Hat Full of Sky. Please, hun?

Rhian is sending me the 5-book Adrian Mole series. Thank you, girl!
The eBay girl has sent me my top...
...Only yesterday, after telling my sister about this, I found out a rather unfortunate thing: it may well be that the top will never reach me, as the Russian customs have a nasty habit of bagging things.
It's probably the demise that befell my Robert Rankin audio book.

Please, please, please, let me get what I want.

Viktor is taking his exam essay today (for MGIMO, one of the country's most famous universities). Good luck, boy.

Oh, and here's a photo of Elena. Drool away to your heart's content.
http://img45.photobucket.com/albums/v139/CommunistOlga/Resize_of_elena.jpg

This photo was taken for the "what are you wearing" thread on the Muse board. Yes, I was bored.
http://img45.photobucket.com/albums/v139/CommunistOlga/Picture_6.jpg

Got to go study now.

[Olga]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAAHAAAAAAH.
*Snortchokegasp*

Однажды Владимир Владимирович™ Путин шел по длинному коридору первого корпу�а Кремл� и удивл�л�� тишине.
- � где в�е-то? – �прашивал Владимир Владимирович™ у �амого �еб� и не находил ответа.
Владимир Владимирович™ дошел до �воего президент�кого кабинета. Приемна� была пу�та. �а �толе �екретар� �то�л еще теплый кофе, на �кране компьютера �ветили�ь какие-то цифры. Владимир Владимирович™ пожал плечами, �н�л телефонную трубку и нажал на кнопку вызова главы �воей �дмини�трации.
Глава �дмини�трации не ответил.
Владимиру Владимировичу™ �тало не по �ебе.
Он �нова вышел в коридор, прошел�� вправо, потом развернул�� и пошел влево, по ходу движени� ра�пахива� двери в кабинеты. Везде было пу�то. Везде на �толах �то�л еще теплый кофе, а на �кранах компьютеров �ветили�ь какие-то цифры.
Владимир Владимирович™ подошел к одному из компьютеров и по�мотрел на монитор. �а �кране шел обратный от�чет. До чего-то о�тавало�ь два � половиной ча�а.
- Ъто че �то? – прошептал Владимир Владимирович™.
Ему �тало �трашно.
Владимир Владимирович™ вынул из кармана аппарат правитель�твенной мобильной �в�зи � золотым двуглавым орлом вме�то клавиатуры, и �удорожно нажал на един�твенную кнопку. Ъаздали�ь длинные гудки.
�икто не отвечал.
Владимир Владимирович™ широко ра�крыв глаза по�мотрел на аппарат, впервые за в�е врем� его президент�тва, не ответивший при�тным жен�ким голо�ом.
Вдруг Владимир Владимирович™ у�лышал какой-то звук. Он под�кочил к двери, на �екунду притаил�� за ко��ком, потом рывком открыл дверь и вы�кочил в коридор. Ему показало�ь, как что-то �крыло�ь за углом. Владимир Владимирович™ по�ле мгновени� нерешительно�ти кинул�� к углу.
За углом что-то тихо позв�кивало. Владимир Владимирович™ глубоко вздохнул, напр�г в�е мышцы, �жал�� пружиной и рванул�� из-за угла.
Вдаль по коридору уходила полна� пожила� уборщица в замызганном �инем халате. В левой руке она не�ла дерев�нную швабру, а в правой – тихо позв�кивавшее оцинкованное ведро, из которого �ви�ала драна� коричнева� полова� тр�пка.
- По�лушайте! – крикнул Владимир Владимирович™ и кинул�� в�лед за уборщицей, - Подождите!
Женщина о�тановила�ь и обернула�ь. Лицо ее было недовольным.
- Скажите, пожалуй�та! – отрыви�то �про�ил Владимир Владимирович™, подбега� к уборщице, - Вы �лучайно не знаете, где в�е?
- В кино пошли, - проворчала женщина, - Вме�то того, чтобы работать, по кинам шл�ют��. Страна, можно �казать, на ладан дышит – а они в�е туда же. В кино! � ты почему не на рабочем ме�те? Кто �траной управл�ть-то будет? Тьфу!
Женщина картинно плюнула, отвернула�ь и пошла по коридору дальше.
Владимир Владимирович™ потр��енно �мотрел ей в�лед.
- В кино?! – ничего не понима� �про�ил Владимир Владимирович™, - � че за кино-то, женщина?!
- Дозор какой-то… - буркнула женщина не оборачива��ь, - Пона�нимают в��кого… работать некому… дозор у них… ночной….
Владимир Владимирович™ �мотрел в �пину уход�щей по коридору уборщицы. �ад �едой �триженой головой женщины медленно вращала�ь черна� воронка, похожа� на рой мелких на�екомых. В горле у Владимира Владимировича™ внезапно пере�охло, а челю�ти �вело от резкой боли.
В коридоре �гущал�� �умрак.

Only Russians will understand that, and you have to know what "Nochnoi Dozor" is, too.
Julz - if you read this, "Nochnoi Dozor" is some very famous Russian film that has been advertised for weeks. It seems to be among the most expensive filmsin the history of Russian cinematography, and it's, erm, mystical.
All I know.
I have to watch it... That's it, I'm watching it after my maths exam...

http://www.vladimirovich.ru/
CLICKY.

[Olga]

Surprises, surprises, surprises.

I'm going to Vienna after all.
I'm not going to start listing all the facts that made me make such a decision, but this time it's final. I hope. I mean, I've changed my mind... Let's count... Six times, this time inclusive. Maybe more.
Anyway.
My destination is Webster University, where I will study Marketing and Media.
I will also enroll into the Vienna University, where I will take German courses.
Apart from those two I am also going to take art courses, maybe drama, and, of couse, health sessions with Elena that will involve kickboxing and marathon running.
Which means that in a year's time I will be fit, close to being trilingual, better at art and I'll hae experience in the Economics and Management fields.
Awesome.

If I find that the Austrian life is not for me, I'm coming back to Russian and enrolling into the GUU (the Gosudarstvennyj Universitet Upravleniya (where Marketing and Advertising will be my specialty. Probably), i.e. the Government (National) University of, uuuh, Manipulation. Gosh I'm cool).

Elena is being a computer tyrant.
I hardly go online now.

Elena and I are currently working on Dad's company's logo.

Going to MAMARMEN tomorrow to get my university slip thing... It's required for Vienna University.

[Olga]

Let's see if I can recall the things of most importance that have taken place in time since my last entry...

The biggest and baddest was, of course, the maths exam at the HSE.
I came there too early - at around 9:30 am, whereas the exam was due to start at 11:00.
I sat, twiddled my thumbs for a few brief moments, and then proceeded to molesting people using my cell phone. There were three victims - Julz (aka gintonic), who made me feel a helluva lot better, Kristie, who simply wished me good luck, and Tom, who wasn't awake at the time (time zones), but who then apologised by e-mail.
Overall there were at least 500 people or so there that day, all taking the maths exam. Overall there are about 3000 students (maybe more) trying to make it into the HSE this year.
My examination room was room number 446. It might as well have been room 101...

It was the worst test in my life.
Ever.
I didn't manage to solve any of the thirty questions, so I just picked one of the multiple choice answers at random.
I'm quite sure that I failed rather miserably.

After the exam I went home and me and Elena cleaned the three storey house. F*ck spring cleaning and cranky housekeepers...

Yesterday was a strange day...
Вчера был �транный день...
Хот� нет, не �транный.
Про�то очень... Гру�тный, что ли.
Про�матривала � через �вои пи�ьма... Как горько, невыразимо больно �тало на душе... Я ра�плакала�ь... В жизни не чув�товала такой ужа�ной горечи, и было так обидно, потому что вернуть-то ничего нельз�.
�у почему, почему они так бы�то кончают��...
Может, хорошо, что � уезжаю... �ачнёт�� нова�, друга� и чи�та� жизнь, и � забуду то, что было раньше.

...Я даже �тихотворение напи�ала.
Да-да.
Стихотворение. Вы не о�лышали�ь, го�пода.
Хрен его знает, зачем. Получила�ь полна� ерунда, ну да ладно. Зато препрекра�нейше иллю�трирует мои мы�ли в тот момент.

У мен� так душа горит,
Сердце �пу�т� ме��цы болит...
Голова плывёт в вихре водоворота,
Слёзы про��т�� наволю, как в поле битвы рота.
Признаю�ь: не верила до �их пор
В то, что чув�твам не �могу � выразить отпор -
"Кака� ерунда, подумаешь - любовь!"
� теперь... �у почему, почему не повторит�� в�ё �то вновь...
...Пойду � �пать �ейча�, а завтра �гину
(быть может, даже по колё�а, под машину),
Тогда хана тебе, подруга, не увидишь боле �вет
И в�ё, конец, амба, �алют,
Бездна небыти� мен� �ожрёт,
И тогда уж точно "л�мур" не будет,
�а�тупет вечный, чёрный гнёт.

Вот и �удите, до какой �тепени шизофрении � уже дошла.

After the exams I met Marina in a department store. She's slimmed down now, I hardly recongized her.
As it turns out, Philip is in hospital.
Note to all: Philip is one of my old classmates, very, very talented guy (amazing jazzy voice, great improvising skills), smart, nice; someone I think will be very famous in future.
You see, not so long ago he got the urge to look at the stars at night. He climbed onto the roof of his house, and slipped on the dew. He fell down (not sure how many floors there were), and broke his back.
His f*cking back, for Christ's sake.
He'll lie in the hospital for two months, and wear a corset for a further 6 months.
Marina and I might pay him a visit next week.

Today the Baklanovs came for a visit.
Ivan has matured, very noticeably so, too.
http://img45.photobucket.com/albums/v139/CommunistOlga/vanya.jpg
He's got one of the sexiest pairs of arms I have ever seen. His face resembles that of Roma Zver's, somehow.
The Baklanovs organized a Day of Japanese Food.
Mr. B is almost an fully qualified chef in Japanese food (he goes to Japan for a couple of months every year), and they brought along kilogrammes of shrimps, crabs, sushi, rice and other things of the sort along with them, and prepared it here.
I've never eaten so many delicious meals in my life before.

I'm currently a little bit drink on Chinese plum wine.
So don't blame me if the sentences aren't connected too well.
Going to the cikty to get a new punchbag tomorrow.
Which reminds me - I've started kickboxing with Elena.
We hit the punchbag so hard it fell from the ceiling, so now we are buying one that stands on the floor.
I also need to get myself a hard guitar case and blank CDs.
Good night.

[Olga]

Haven't gone online for a small while.

This shall be my shortest entry.

I'm currently dressed in Elena's best top and an old and tattered pair of jeans, my hair is soaking wet, my mother is in a fiendishly bad mood, and I'm exceptionally happy for the following reasons:
a) Today I can pick up my TOEFL test result from Leninskij Prospekt. Finally. It's been three weeks now.
b) In an hour and a half or so I'm leaving for...
*Drumroll*

The casting thing for a show on MTV.
I've been selected out of those people who've sent in their forms and photos. Whoo. If I'm lucky today, I'll get to take part in a show called 12 Zlobnyh Zritelei, aka The 12 nasty/mean/angered Viewers.
There are 12 music critics present on the show, and they criticise the new music videos that are out.
Mwahahahahah.
http://www.mtv.ru/air/programs/12zz/main.wbp
More info on the above site.

I'm also burning the two CDs for Julz today, and mailing them tomorrow.
Gary should be mailing me my CDs today.
Rhian might mail me my books soon enough. I hope.

Cheers.

[Olga]

To be completely and utterly honest, I daresay I've passed.
:D
The woman said that the filming will take place in the middle/end of August.

Short summary:
After picking my TOEFL results from the American Language Learning center (or whatever the name was... I got 283, by the way. 6.0 out of 6.0 marks for my essay, 28 out of reading, 28 out of listening, and 29 for spelling/something else. According to the lady at the table it's a very good result. I bet.) I made my way to the Serpukhovskaya metro station.
After walking around for 40 minutes I finally found the building the studio is located in.
Big, big building.
Security guards.
Big metal plaque hanging outside the entrance, saying "MTV".
I was early by over an hour (...look, I hate being late, see?), so I walked around, had a capuccino in a cafeteria located around half a mile away, and came back just in time to see the interview woman come out and invite us in.
We went up to floor number four, sat down on the windowsill (there weren't many chairs seeing as it was the office), and the woman began interviewing us.
I took a small photo.
http://img45.photobucket.com/albums/v139/CommunistOlga/Image102.jpg
You can see her, and a couple of the goths from our group on the right (I think that they pick out the goths, always. Just to attract attention and yell "Look! We're open minded!" even if they're not particularly interested in the music they're supposed to criticise).
The woman (let's call her F for short) talked to the goth first. She mentioned some of the bands he listed as his favourites (part of the form we had to fill in to get picked for the audition), and asked him why on earth he put down, among bands such as Nightwish and Lacrimosa, such a thing as Tatu. TATU. Tatu
He said that they were very distinguished.
Okay.
Next one of the guys said he liked Reflex.
NOTE: Reflex - an incredibly talentless b-- uuh-- duo (...they're not a band. F*ck no) which has very beautiful girls in it. They can't sing, can't write songs or play instruments. They just look pretty.
I argued with him.
He argued with me.

F then asked us what we thought of Britney Spears.
Someone said something about her last video.
Everyone started discussing what ought to have been done with it if they could improve it.
Necrophilia was subtly hinted at. But very subtly, mind you.

Next was...
What...
Leningrad, I think.
Everyone out of the group hated Leningrad, as it turns out.
I said I foudn them fantastic.
I swear I didn't do it on purpose. It's hardly my fault if I like their videos, and they don't, now is it?

I'm really too tired to go into the details right now, but to put it shortly, I think I'm in.

http://img45.photobucket.com/albums/v139/CommunistOlga/Rotation_of_Re-exposure_of_DSC00321.jpg
What I looked like. ^

Tomorrow I'm going on a consultation in the HSE (English, I think), and then I'm going to the doctor's to the hospital to get a general checkup for my move to Vienna.
Including the gynaecologist.
YEAAAAAAAARRGGGGHHHHH.
I don't care if it's childish.
I don't care if there's nothing to fear.
I DO NOT WANT TO GO TO THE GYNAECOLOGIST.
Die, whatever bitch is going to look at me, die.

*Breathes*

I'm taking my Russian exam on the 28th.

Julz - I just finished making you your CDs.
Enjoy ;)

Good night for now.

[Olga]

Blimey.
Life sucks.
Big flop-- I'll stop there.
I've already sworn in private more than any other time in my life during the last half hour.
That, and I've sobbed hysterically and laughed.

I failed.
I failed my university exams.
That is, I am ONE ****ING POINT short of the required amount.
I have 16.
17 are needed.

Gospodi, kak ya seychas ves' belyj svet nenavizhu.
Ya stol'ko hrenovyh dnej uchilas', gotovilas'....
I vse.
hana.
Tepe