In Which Theatre Things Are Discussed, kind of but not really

10.12.2008

I feel like I'm a broken record, here, but I just felt AWFUL, today. I was fine until about halfway through my IR course, and then I felt like my head was swimming and I just felt all around gross. I skipped by Central Asian class and came home, took a shower, and I feel a tad better, now. I thought this was probably dehydration, but I've been buying litres of water the past few days and drinking those, so I don't know. I would say it's my diet, but, I've been eating this stuff for a while, now, so I don't know.

For some reason, trying to decide what I want to do this weekend is bothering me. On one hand, my classes will be over, so I feel like I should go out and do a lot -- On top of that, I only have one month left. But at the same time, I have exams next week, so perhaps I should ... study? Hmm.

Since another BUTTON fell off my coat, I feel like it's a good excuse to buy a new jacket. I wanted to buy a new jacket, anyway, but they're so expensive. I see guys wearing really neat jackets all the time that I would buy in a heartbeat, but then I go shopping and find next to nothing. For example, I saw a guy who just had an all-around nice ensemble going, yesterday, in the post-office. He was wearing black pants with tall black boots, and a black puff jacket that was tight around the waist. It was just sleek. Then I noticed the Armani insignia on his pants, and was like "well, nevermind." Of course, they could have easily been fake, but still.

At the same time, I feel like I've bought a lot for myself, already. Two pairs of shoes, a pair of pants, a hat, a couple DVDs... Of course, I've bought some stuff for others, too, but I'm not going to enumerate them here since said individuals will be receiving said items when I return. I know I'm going to Udel'naya this weekend in either case to buy some more stuff for other people, weather permitting. There are two things I know I'll be able to find (both for the same person), then one other thing I hope I'll be able to find, for another person. There are 18 people on my gift list, and I've finished buying things for five (maybe six) of them. Of course, I've bought a few things for other people, too, but SOME PEOPLE ARE GETTING MULTIPLE GIFTS. So, there's that. Thankfully all the gifts are either flat or small so I guess I shouldn't worry about room for them.

Alright, I'm wasting all my time talking about things people don't care about.

So I'll keep on.

I'm determined to go to at least two more ballet/opera things while I'm here, and I'm determined to see an opera that is NOT Russian. So, I feel like I HAVE to see Swan Lake, specifically, at the Mariinskij. Because ... well, it's Swan Lake, at the Mariinskij, and I'm in St. Petersburg. That's a world-famous play by world-famous dancers, with a world-famous orchestra. I looked up the schedule, earlier, and there are a couple more Swan Lakes this month, but all the seats left are THOUSANDS of rubles... then I looked in January, and there are like 500 Nutcrackers, and ONE Swan Lake, on the 7th of January. The tickets are still pricey, but not that bad, so I think I might buy that ticket and hope to God nothing comes up, since I leave three days after that.

As for the opera, I wanted to see something NOT in the Mariinskij or the Mikhailovskij, since those are the two huge ones, and I figured I should go somewhere smaller and more personal. Vika suggested the Saint Petersburg Opera, and I WAS going to go to two one-act operas there, on Friday, but I didn't buy tickets because I didn't have any time, so that just failed. La Traviata is playing there on the 20th, though, so I'm going to buy tickets for that tomorrow.

So... as for theatre performances this entire trip, I've seen:
-The Magic Flute, Mariinskij Theatre Concert Hall
-Muzhkoj Balet, Dvorets Kultury
-Zolushka, Mariinskij Theatre
-Romeo and Juliet, Marinskij Theatre
-Pikovaya Dama, Mikhailovskij Theatre
-Journal of a Scoundrel, Theatre Ostrov

I kind of wish I went to the ballet a little more this semester, but if I go to La Traviata and Swan Lake... that will make a total of three operas, four ballets, and one play. Which is much more than I NORMALLY see, but it's not like Baltimore has world class performances.

Oh, right, and I went to see two concerts, too. Marc Almond, and "Of the Wand and the Moon" with "Sonne Hagal." Why the hell am I whining? I did a lot.

In addition, I finally got a hold of Yura. He said we couldn't go to Finland the last week of this month... because ... I don't know, his reasoning didn't make sense. Something about the border of Finland and a lot of people ... doing things. Then he was telling me I had to contact the US embassy in Finland to go there ... ? Which I'm pretty sure is ... not true. Since everyone else I know has gone there before no problem. Anyway, I'm supposed to meet him Friday for tea and planning. And then Maneka and I need to plan our trip to the Baltic states.

Alright, can I say something? Or, rather, promise something, to everyone witness and myself. If I ever move here, or, hell, even return just for study and whatnot, I will NOT be one of those ex-pats who hangs out with no one but Americans. Period. Actually, I had more to add on to that but it's mildly offensive, so I'll keep my thoughts to myself for right now.