In Which the Televizor is Smottretted

16.10.2008

So, while flipping through the channels, I've noticed another phenomenon. As I've said before, Russians dub movies. All movies. Subbing is unheard of unless it's a REALLY big movie, and on an 'official' DVD. However, their concept of "dubbing" is a bit different than ours. They just have one or two voice 'actors' talk over the movie. So basically it's just all garbled sound because you hear the actual actors talking under the Russian. BUT, it seems that they PROPERLY DUB cartoons. And the voice actors ACTUALLY VOICE ACT. As in, they have EMOTION. And INTONATION. I was watching Pinky and the Brain (Пинки и Брейн!), earlier, in Russian. This is how I know. It's kind of annoying because there were a few movies on I would have loved to watch but the dubbing was just so awful I couldn't stand it for more than 30 seconds. I also found a channel that has a woman in the corner doing sign language translation, which is neat.

I also realised that everything from this country in general is just low quality. There is very little Russian that is GOOD. Literature and orchestral music excepted. Well, I also think the pop music is EXCELLENT, but that's a different sort of excellent.

Or perhaps I'm just a cultural elitist. Whatever.

Oh, wait, no, I'm wrong. Their drag performance is fantastic.

Basically, I did nothing today except go to class. I re-took a quiz, and uh, I feel like I put all the same answers as I did last time. But I don't particularly care for my RSL classes, right now -- It feels like a swarming mass of grammar and none of it is sticking for some reason. I feel like my main source of knowledge right now should be coming from me TALKING with people. But that seems to be rare. We'll see.

I think I'm going to start talking to people more, in general. Asya stopped me on the way back to Smolny, yesterday (She kissed my cheek, too, which surprised me -- I didn't know she even liked me) and we had a short conversation. She was listening to Noise Unit, which surprised me, because I thought she was more into metal. But in any case, after that encounter, I realised that it might actually be rude here to just wave and say "Hi" to a friend when you pass them -- you should at least stop and inquire about their wellbeing or something, unless you're in a hurry. Which no one here is. If this is the case, then it might explain why everyone here is late all the damn time. But in any case, I know enough people with whom I'm comfortable, now, that I COULD do this. So, There's a goal.

Luckily, I have a full weekend. I need to release stress. Tomorrow I'm going to do some work, then I'm going to the Sonne Hagal and Of the Wand & the Moon concert, then right after that I'll be going to Central Station. Saturday, I'm going to ... sleep, then in the evening I'll be going to Золушка(Zolushka, Cinderella) at the Marinskij Theatre. Sunday, I am determined to go to Udel'naya (market), because it's getting colder by the day here and there's no way I'm going in the winter.

So, this entry has no continuity, but oh well. In any case, the past week or two I've been really ... inspired. In general. Mostly in fashion, a bit in art (photography, especially), but in general aesthetics. Also in what I want to read, what I want to write, and so forth. What is annoying is that I can't realise this at all while I'm here. Photography, yes, but in personal aesthetics or anything else, not at all. I simply don't have anything I need. Time included. What's more annoying is that this inspiration is going to dissipate when I'm back in the U.S. I don't know -- I'm a strange individual. Occasionally I'll see or experience something in the U.S. that really drives me to do something, but unfortunately it doesn't last very long; I get bored and I move on. Here, I've been constantly on edge, wanting to release some sort of creativity, but I haven't had much of any outlet. America just doesn't inspire me much. Maybe that will change when I go back. But, Russia inspires me much more, even as much as I hate being here, sometimes.

Morning update (Friday, 17.10.2008):

So, these past couple of days I've had to RUN from the apartment building to the bus stop as the number 7 rumbles down the street. That's been an adventure, but at least I haven't had to wait at the bus stop for any amount of time.

I came to Smolny this morning in order to receive some tutoring, which turned out better than I thought it would. Vika helped me with my problems, then we talked for a while, and she said I spoke Russian well. Which was nice. It was a very comfortable conversation, and I could actually speak with relative ease and speed. I wish I could speak with Tatyana that easily, but I can't understand half of what she says anyhow.

I also came to Smolny in order to use the internet. Of course, the wireless is not working, as usual, so I'm hogging the computer in the office. Later tonight, it seems I will be going to Tri El' after the concert, which is actually mildly annoying... I was hoping to go to Central Station tonight in order to develop relations with young Russian men, which is an unlikely thing to happen at a lesbian bar, but Tri El' actually has better dance music and I should spend time with friends, anyway -- Going to CS might've been a toss-up, as if I didn't meet ANYONE, I'd be there for like seven hours, alone, and bored. So, there's that. Instead, I'll be going to a lesbian bar where everyone there will give me angry glares because I am a man. But that is life.