It’s Friday, no classes, I’m supposed to be working on my presentation, but thought I’d talk to y’all instead. I’m just so happy to have internet connection that I can’t help myself. Last night we went to our neighbor’s, Igor (which means I totally missed our friend’s name — not Eggar, but Igor. Duh!) apartment for tea, had lovely tomato & cuke salad and some apple blinis, I had scotch, which I don’t drink as a rule, but I have decided that if something is put in a small enough glass it tastes just fine. I don’t know the practicality of this lesson, but I had several little shots of scotch without grimacing even once. We didn’t have tea until it was time to go. We were there from a bit after 8:00 until after 10:30 — we tried a couple of times to leave, but he said oh, there’s more and we haven’t had tea. He has a totally connected TV/video/music system, like all those real people in US who are not complete technopeasants like us. He now only watches American movies made between 1947 and 1982 and he wanted one as background to talking. I don’t understand this universal mindset. Then he decided we should listen to a BeeGees concert, maybe their last one?, I don’t know. But with that, I didn’t want to talk, I wanted to dance and sing along. He doesn’t dance or sing along. What’s the point, then? His English is quite good and he has made numerous trips to the US. He teaches at the university, also. We are going to talk to his classes next Friday. I am making a long list of things to get at the store I’m hoping “our driver” will take us to this evening — something not right about being excited to get a collander and knives — but I also need a wine opener, and wine, that a little more exciting.
Everyone looks blankly at us when we tell them about the concert we went to on Thursday of the girls’ jazz choir. No one knows about it, seemingly, or at least has never been. Apparently we did not convince them sufficiently to motivate any interest in future concerts. We asked our students what kind of music they liked and mostly they said they didn’t know. One girl said she hated rock, it was too chaotic. Laird is sure she only hates hard rock, but I’m not so sure. I asked, Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Beatles?, but she didn’t know the names, except Beatles and she didn’t seem to like them. They don’t seem to listen to classical music, so we’re still wondering what they do listen to. Lots of e-readers in Yekaterinburg, that’s good. We’ve been devouring ours since that’s all we’ve had to do while not having internet. Speaking of which, I best get back to my presentation. I wish I could be more motivated. I feel very UNmotivated — think I need vitamins or something. Maybe vodka? GOTTA LEARN THAT STORY! Laird, of course, has enough material for five lectures and is working on the sixth. Gotta catch up! Unpreparedly yours, jm
lairdandjonelle 
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