Pins and Needles

I had an amazing weekend. Well, half weekend. My weekend doesn't usually start until Saturday afternoon, as Oleg ususaly has to work Saturdays, and I'm not keen on going out by myself, and most of the Americans are pretty lame. Friday, after the whole visa showdown had me depressed, I laid in bed and watched Cougar Town. The entire first season. Bask in my lame-ness.

Saturday, Stephanie, Karen (an Irish girl studying here) and I had sort of a girls' day. It was supposed to be "go to Ashan and eat at the food court" day, but we got a little side-tracked. Karen wanted to go into Zara to buy a dress for a party that evening, and, being female, Stephanie and I went with her. Bad idea. Zara is expensive. I guess its averagely-priced for Moscow standards, but for Rachel, whose personal motto (besides "Have a problem? Poke it with a stick!) is "Never Pay Retail!"

I paid retail.

What happened was... there was this awesome hat. Very similar to a giant hat I have back home, only straw (not cloth) and not bendy. It was about 2' in diameter. Amazing. 2800p. Which is more than I am willing to pay on what is essentially a joke hat.

http://www.zara.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/11719/en/zara-S2011/61148/254055/WIDE%2BBRIMMED%2BCARTWHEEL%2BHAT

Unfortunately, you cannot see how massive that thing is in that picture. It goes about 6 inches past my shoulders.

Anyway, I found a dress I really liked. But it was $100. More than I've probably ever spent on anything that wasn't car or medicine-related. I decided I'd try it on, just for kicks. It looked amazing. I looked like June Cleaver. But, too expensive. I put it back.

Then I found another dress... khaki color with a brown belt. I try it on. I look like Indiana Jones met 1950's housewife. Pretty much my goal in life. $86. Too expensive. I put it back.

But then Karen buys a dress, and I figure I don't want to miss my chance. If I ever want to be a badass archeologist professor/adventurer by day, and a housewife by night, I need to start dressing the part. I buy both dresses. 5800p. But, I put them on my debit card. As far as I'm concerned, it never happened...

After Ashan (I bought a houseplant for my room. His name is Henry) I went home to chill out a little bit. I'd been invited to a party at my friend Jaidy's, and so I made a little mushroom blini to have something to bring. I also made a mushroom cream sauce for Oleg and I to have with dinner sometime this weekend. Got ready for the party (opted to wear my bright green Springy dress instead of one of my new dresses, as it was a "Spring is finally here" party... Also, was able to wear my new 400p sandals I bought at the market!) and Oleg picked me up. We drove straight to the party, but were there a few minutes early. My knees had been killing me, and I needed food with my arthritis medicine, so we stopped at a Kroshka Kartoshka between our parking spot and Jaidy's apartment. This is a fast-food restaurant where you get a baked potato covered in any sort of "salad" (Russian salad, not the American concept of salad, obviously). I've wanted to try it, but was afraid to go it alone, as I knew they'd ask questions I didn't know how to answer. Anyway, I got a cheesey, buttery potato with marinated veggies. Pretty much amazing.

From there, we went to Jaidy's. We were some of the first people there, but the place filled up really quick. One of my friends, Victor (from Mexico, of all places) brought Capt. Morgan, and that made the night. Its so exciting when we can drink something other than vodka. I socialized with my usual friends (Peirina, her bf Dima, Victor, the American Jeff) and made a few new ones (an Austrian girl here interning, a Norweigian guy who, despite being the cutest guy I may have ever seen, has been unable to find any casual sex in Moscow... I advised him to come to America where, between his good looks and accent, he would be "knee-deep in pussy.") Oleg went off and socialized on his own, largely. Apparently, Russian parties don't usually get so big (there were about 30-40ppl in Jaidy's 2-room apartment) and he been pretty much amazed ever since. I keep being reminded that ex-pats really know how to party.

Oleg drove me through the center of Moscow on the way home. It is such a beautiful city at night. Taking a metro home after a night of partying almost doesn't seem worth it... it is so nice to sit back and look at all the glittery lights while mildly intoxicated (with either a cab driver or sober bf driving, obviously). Although I don't suppose I'll ever actually drive here... these people are crazy.

The next morning, Oleg and I made a ridiculously large breakfast for some reason, and then went to see his Chinese doctor. Initially, Oleg wanted him to treat my chronic sore throat, but I was a little unwilling to have them poke my tonsils with pins so they could bleed out. They also wanted me to go for 3X weekly massages and acupuncture, but a. thats a bit expensive, and b. I don't have an extra three days a week. We decided on once-weekly acupuncture to relax my muscle. For those of you who don't know, I have a really bad muscle knot in my back. Ive had several professional massages, but it just won't go away. So, acupuncture brings in life motto part II ("Poke it with a stick." I assure you this can be changed a little to fit any situation)

The office was a lot nicer than I expected. Very professional. I sort of anticipated a scary back-alley place with drying chicken carcasses and herbs hanging from the walls. This place looked like your average Western doctor's office, only with nice wallpaper instead of white walls.

Oleg came in the little partition room where I was to be poked with me. It was, I will admit, a little awkward to undress in front of him in a medial facility. But I had to strip down to my panties for the doctor to, you know, job needles into my back. That being said, mildly awkward for Oleg have to translate personal medical questions back and forth for me, and for me to be in underwear in front of a doctor I had just met.

The acupuncture itself wasn't too bad. He put 2 needles in the sides of my feet, 2 in my lower back, and 6ish in my upper back. There was an initial sting as the needles went in, but it was just a slight discomfort (probably as the result of being unable to move) afterwards. Oleg and the doctor went to talk some, and I was left lying there. I had to stay still for a half hour like that. It wasn't too bad... I was trying not to drool on their little pillow (something I do when I'm asleep. Sexy, I know) and was listening to the sounds coming from the woman getting a massage next to me. I think I got the good end of that deal... the massage sounded horribly painful. After 15 minutes, Oleg came in and chatted with me, and we waited for my half an hour to be up. When it was, a nurse came in and removed my needles, and put some sort of antiseptic on the holes (which were tiny and didn't leave marks) My shoulders were really sore afterwards, and Oleg had to help me dress. But it was a good sore... I think it was worth it. We go back next week.

After the poking-session, Oleg wanted to take me somewhere to walk around. Which was fine by me, as that is pretty much my favorite past-time here. We went to the Hermitage garden. This little place has about three theatres, and was quite pretty. There is also a little pigeon coup, with an amusing sign advising visitors to please not kill the pigeons. It saddens me a little that they had to put this sign up... There was also a few very pretty gazebos, which we took a picture under. I discovered at the party that Oleg loves taking pictures, so I gave him my camera and told him to go wild. Alas, when you tell a man that, they are keen of taking pictures of you. So, the snow here had yet to melt, but it was so warm, I was wearing sandals, so we took pictures of me, coatless and in sandals, on the snow. There is a venue here for outdoor concerts, and a little heart sculpture (which there were many pictures of me taken under).

Meanwhile, I sang open sorority songs to Oleg in hopes of explaining to him what the hell it is I do in America.

After we got home, we had a lunch of rice with his Granny's kotleta and borsh. I really hope I actually learn to cook like her one day... her food is amazing, and I've no idea how to cook like a Russian. Oleg had some business to attend to, so I spent the afternoon napping and reading about Putin.

http://www.cracked.com/article_19128_7-reasons-vladimir-putin-worlds-craziest-badass.html

I am so broken-hearted to learn about the MSU students who sent him the calendar. I may have missed my chance! Now I have to send him naughty pictures on my own!