My Windows, part 2 (Small update about me)

Have changed my office location. Well, actually almost changed the job – stayed in the same (non-for-profit) company though working for different program now.

The program to which I devoted three years of my one and only life has been finished. It was quite fun – giving grants to Russian youth for implementing all sorts of social projects and useful initiatives for the benefit of their local communities (let`s hope), though finally I was a bit disappointed with the whole idea. It was great enough to visit their towns - all over Russia, from Kaliningrad to Vladivostok, and the distance between them makes eight-hours time difference by the way. Anyway there was three-year limit from the beginning so no regrets. By the way it was US money to be distributed there which actually added some charm (if not extreme) to the whole thing thinking about some aspects of life in modern Russia. Never done anything wrong but somehow felt a bit questioned at times.

So now it is another story: IT sphere, computers and communication, education for the future; financed by serious business, and me managing the contracts in the middle of that chain going from huge corporation to modest internet centers all over Russia. Not that exciting because reporting grant contracts sometimes reminds living a nightmare (well, that sounds exciting).

Anyway all that gave me the new office space, a bit crowded but with a lovely view from the window. Enjoy! (I like the gate).

The famous Tretyakov Gallery is on your left with its vast collection of art, painting mostly. The nice street full of pedestrians is Lavroushynsky pereoulok (Lavroushynsky lane). It is ended by the Moskva river which you can`t see from here because it`s just a river. And sort of on the horizon you may see one of the Kremlin palaces (there are several of them plus cathedrals on the territory of the Kremlin, I suppose everybody heard the name).

It is the Bolshoy (meaning “Big”) Kremlin Palace, supposed to be the best one. Here are some - interior pictures

And that`s my actual table as it is. (Hey, I`ve just moved in, so... yes, it`s messy).

With the new table I`ve got the map. Don`t know why but I like maps. They are beautiful, according to my taste, though somebody can confirm that I am not the best navigator. I admit I might have some difficulties, while walking or driving, but the thing is - I am where I am right now which proves that finally my navigation is successful enough (can all that be called success?!)) The thing is – I never know how to start and where to go – I perfectly see the map but until you understand the direction… So with all my brisk and confident walk I always start in the wrong direction. Actually, and I discovered it recently – I just need to walk in direction opposite to what my feelings tell me. Perhaps it`s some sort of topographical (anti)talent.

The picture which you hopefully see on the screen of my desktop was made in Brussels, on the bus stop with busses going to the suburbs with that cinema studio mentioned below.

Need to go now. Au boulot!

Oscar, la Dame Rose et moi

(*and forgive that immodest title today)

Salute, time to briefly testify what happened.

So there was me and the trip to Belgium. And there was the route looking like: night train from Moscow to Vilnius, then plane to Paris, and train to Brussels after, with some buses and underground in between. Which actually saved me some money on travel expenses and - as a bonus - kept me out of Moscow for a week. Fair enough. Plus sure there were lots of walks - me changing hotels every day because last minute booking (and that`s literally) is seldom a reasonable idea. Yes, my logistics was challenged by several obstacles but finally was precise and perfect enough.

- Paris, Brussels… what were you doing there?!
- Moving every single day to the next hotel.

All that doesn`t really matter because finally there was me in the real (!) cinema-studio outside the Belgium capital. Watching (and for the first time in my life) how the movie is being done... No idea how to describe that but let me put it clear: that was wonderful. And nothing else to add here, that was totally amazing and interesting in every moment. Honestly I was hoping to participate more actively, like carrying cables or stuff, but I had a chance just to observe things with a minor physical activity (like passing a special black screen covering unnecessary light once, come on, am proud of it). And that`s only fair, was glad to follow the rules.

I definitely saw what a professional business movie-making is. Perhaps that is an obvious statement but it`s always handy to see things in real. The documents and planning, the team work, working for one project which by the way keeps people together just temporarily. “Silence, Action and Cut” rhythm of activity. Whatever interesting conversation you have you stop it after the “Action!” word and nobody can guarantee you will remember it after the “Cut!” word. Being the real two-day long witness I respect cinema people on a new level now. And everybody was just nice, gentle and open. Lunches were also good.

So the film... Since last Monday Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt is shooting his second film (second as the film director, because there are already several others based on his books but made by other directors). Now it is “Oscar and the Lady in pink”, already a real success as a book and as a theatrical play in many countries.

On the photo: Michele Laroque ("Lady in Pink"), Amir Ben Abdelmoumen ("Oscar") and Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt (author and film director). Photos taken from www.michelelaroque.com.
The shooting should be finished in January, though in Canada.

Oscar, interpreted by the little bruxellois Amir, doesn`t look the same now, because... have you finally read the book?

The story has been rewritten for the scenario and for a good reason – to show the evolution of the character. Of one of the characters... That will be a film worth watching, no doubt. Not that I was signing any documents concerning confidentiality but just don`t want to spoil pleasure of expectation for you, so... suspense.

Needless to say how much I appreciate what happened. New experience, meaningful conversations, tons of new information, smiles, big thoughts and small questions to myself... As some of you may know, all that happened in quite an intricate period of my life. Job issues and new ambitions, questions about potential childbirth, global politics and questioning my feelings towards my country and people, general attitude as well – somehow surprisingly all that became my everyday tension since this August and may be called something like “stress occasionally overcome by small nice moments of life but stress anyway”. Not that I finally solved that now, but... life`s going on.

So thanks for attention today. I guess there is not much valuable information about the film here, but knowing how talkative I am... If you are lucky to be around Moscow now or if you know my email address. Welcome, though time, time... Ciao now!

Reading and healing

One of my bedside table books: To be healed by the earth by Warren Grossman. It is not only about healing, but could be understood universally. The book which you may open on any page and start reading comforting text or watching relaxing pictures. It makes me so calm and serene :)

The chapter read yesterday – “Generosity”. About importance - and even necessity - of giving. Both giver and receiver get benefits from that, because giving allows the nature`s energy to flow.

The proof experienced yesterday – washing the windows at home. As perhaps someone knows, "my home" is a tiny little room in the rented three-bedroom apartment shared with two landladies of respected age (62 and 82), which may sound a bit pathetic but no condolences – that is my choice and financial decision. Anyway...

Washing the windows is quite a commitment, especially when you are not the biggest fan of household chores, so I felt pretty antagonistic when they suggested me to help them with all (all!) apartment windows, which makes four rather huge ones. Not that I wanted to quarrel about that, but I didn`t want to do it. At all. But being sort of a nice person... And once the decision was made, I experienced sort of a calm fatal feeling. And the windows were washed. I mean - by me :) Feeling myself almost the hero of the neighborhood, which - perhaps - proves that giving is good :)

Read right books :) Peace to everybody :)

Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt, almost in Moscow

Meaning – his plays in Moscow...
Somehow unexpectedly I became interested in the work of Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt. And what I`ve discovered: almost everything is already translated into Russian, published in several (!) editions, his plays are in the repertoire of many (!) theaters all over the country already... Well, okay, now I also now :)

His “philosophical” plays are interesting – in the sense that otherwise, without that “easy” manner, I perhaps wouldn`t read anything about French philosophers of the past. We all are too busy for that... (*bad joke).

I liked his stories more. Or are they novels? Three of them are written as by a child or a teenager, so we see the story as the young main character saw it. “Oscar and Lady in Pink” , “Monsieur Ibrahim and the flowers of the Koran” , “L`Enfant de Noe” . Briefly, these are the stories of young people in complicated or just terrible circumstances, and how they search for truth, how they learn about life, about people and about themselves. They are not sentimental but they are true. They are worth reading.

Several Moscow theaters have his plays adapted to Russian. “Oscar and Lady in Pink” (14 letters to God) was interpreted by a very reputable Russian actress Alice Friendlich (from St-Petersburg). My web search investigation showed that those plays were played in many towns, in professional and amateur theaters, and always got approving feedbacks and enthusiastic reviews.

As for me I saw “Libertin” last Friday in Moscow and it was good :) Interpreted by the troupe of the Satire theatre . I definitely liked the scene décor – an imitation of the French park, and the dialogues were also distinct and meaningful, not lost anything from the original Schmitt`s idea, so the final applause were merited.

Funny thing – once you are interested in something – you start to see it all around you. Now there are many Schmitt`s books in the shops I see, the French center has his books in Russian and French, they even have a DVD with one of his plays and the film based on his story... He is quite a productive author and well-known in the theater world. The point is - am a bit surprised anyway :)

By the way, Mr.Schmitt was in Moscow, in 2005, for his one more new book.

Moscow - Budapest - Larnaka - Paphos

So in Cyprus now, solving "personal" issues :)
The flight here was through Budapest - managed to save half the price of usual Russian Aeroflot price. So was enjoying Hungarian Airlines and the whole night in Europe :)

Also managed to "visit" the actual Budapest because still have my "French" Shengen visa. So that was sort of exciting, though need to be continued. The funny moment appeared during the passport control and customs when I had to deal with the citizenship thing. The question by the officer: "So how many days do you plan to stay in Hungary?". My answer: "Well, like four hours" :) (thinking in my head that 9pm still may be considered to be a late hour for the sightseeing tour" :)

Planning to visit more Hungary on the flight back - like whole five hours :) BTW what surprised me a bit: they still have fohrints (whatever), no euro. Ciao now.

PS: have returned the rented car today and bought a scooter, cool.

BBC

One topic + one article + two pictures = some difference.
Regular BBC and Russian speaking BBC.
The text also differs a bit but I saw the pictures first.

PS: the links (if automatically) are opened in the same window, sorry for the inconvenience)

Two facts from my side

Still trying (unsuccesfully) to keep myself aside from talks about “politics” but found the following two details to be quite demonstrative... though still not going to make any analysis, anyway:

1) The radio weather forecast – typically giving weather forecast for the largest Russian towns. Now includes Tskhinvali (the capital of Southern Ossetia). Heard that recently and a bit unexpectedly - while having my cup of tea on my rented kitchen. Felt weird because always considered weather forecast to be absolutely politics-free, but it is obviously not...

2) The Moscow B-Day (861 years now). Once a year, the first weekend of September - to celebrate something like a city holiday. Something the city authorities invented for spending stupid money and stopping the traffic on the main central roads (fine with me). Several lines of security. A crowd walking along the roads and watching shows here and there. One of the main concert stages is specially (temporarily) build on Tverskaya street facing the Moscow City Hall. A group of “Georgian” dancers. Very recognizable Georgian melodies. Female scream from the audience – sort of “hurray” but in a crazy hysterical way. Silence from all others. Nobody cares actually as people just want living their lives – weekend, promenade, some music.



It`s true that enjoying life is my favorite philosophy, and I am with those people enjoying the music, but I am honestly puzzled by such “sweet” facts... like nothing happened... and like people won`t see and won`t understand... so why all that? The weather, the concert - with not a lot of text. "Just enjoy it" sort of thing...

PS: The monument in the center is to Yury Dolgorouky, the founder of Moscow. All other enormous stuff is constructed just for these two days.

A bit of linguistic investigation :)

Nothing to advertise here (on the photo). Me personally don`t visit it – have enough of junk food already, so that`s just samples of Georgian letters making the famous name.

And as you see there are eleven letters here, which is one more than ten needed to pronounce it in a typical version. As far as I know in Georgian you always add a vowel when the name ends with consonant. For example, no David but “Davidy”, no McDonald but “McDonaldy”. That definitely works for names, but perhaps not only. Anyway I was told that :)
And speaking about vowels: there are only five of them in Georgian alphabet (in Russain we have ten ), though the total number of letters is the same - 33 :)

Another fact: There are no capital letters in Georgian alphabet. There is a full stop, but all the writing is one size.

Interesting... And looks lovely :)


Tbilisi underground. "M" is for "Metro" (like in Moscow and perhaps everywhere :))

Ciao now.

Having some hectic time at work now - and actually that`s ending soon, contract`s termination and no more job in a week, hahahah - but still have this desire to show Georgia, though all talks and conversations look a bit postponed now. First I had this depression based on politics, mass media and attempts to influence (me), now I just have a hard time in general, so actually speak soon and see you later :)

Tbilisi: signs, flags etc

Flags and fountains everywhere. People are quite happy with the fountains because they are lovely in hot climate (and actually really helpful). But I`ve heard complains that all that is too expensive for the economy, especially thinking about extremely low social pensions.

Just a sewer manhole in the old town.

The old-fashioned military tailoring shop - in the Old Tbilisi.

City graffiti, no comments

The diplomatic relations with Russia has been stopped today. The Russian embassy in Tbilisi (and the Georgian consulate in Moscow) put their flags down. (quite a bad picture done during the brisk walk in Tbilisi, cuz the guards usually don`t encourage making pictures of such buildings; end of July 2008, still with the flag).