| Past few weeks |
[Dec. 27th, 2008|01:38 pm] |
This year has opened me to a few new experiences:
1) first time I organized a hiking trip, which turned out to be great success;
2) first time I performed in community theatre (in staging of "Father of the bride" play);
3) only second and third time that I performed piano in public, both times to very gratifying critical acclaim;
4) first time I took guitar after 2 year break from it :)
This year also brought closures to very lengthy engagements...
1) VT started early this year and finally officially ended on Wednesday, December 17;
2) My TKD in J.Kanabay's training academy ended on Saturday, December 20
Many years, many memories...
Thanks to a colleague at work, I started working on my salsa fairly consistently. At the rate I am going, I will hit the dance floor very soon.
Last, but not least,- I finally met my soul mate!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS! |
|
|
| (no subject) |
[Apr. 15th, 2008|04:43 pm] |
We use IM extensively at work. Since I practically don't use IM otherwise, my knowledge of new inet language (simplified alphanumerics and commonplace acronyms) is not very vast. I know "the basics": LOL, TY, BTW, TINSTAAFL, HOW RU, CU, etc.
Well, today one of my colleagues sent me LMAO... So, I looked it up. The definition starts with "LMAO - that's what happens when you ROFL too much".
That's how I learned two more acronyms... :)
WTF
Can somebody tell me why people get very creative and original with a language like this? Poor parents of american teenagers and just lazy office rats now need to learn one more language that will be forgotten in a few years (when its users grow up, hopefully). |
|
|
| Scientific proof of Exodus |
[Apr. 1st, 2008|01:58 pm] |
It would be hard to find a person, brought up on principles of Western philosophy, who hasn't heard of exodus - the famous second book of pentateuch (torah) describing how jewish god helped jews become free of egyptian slavery.
For a very long time scientists could neither explain the entire biblical exodus nor confirm that it had actually happened. Well, that's about to change now - I saw a TV broadcast yesterday on HISI ("History - international") channel, where Simkha Jacobovici (extraordinary archeologist and populist) sums up a theory that not only confirms biblical exodus but also explains it from scientific point of view. Timeframe of the event had to change, of course. Still, the theory is very promising!
Read more here. |
|
|
| Пигуа |
[Mar. 7th, 2008|09:37 am] |
"Пигуа" на иврите означает "теракт". В очереденой раз он произошел вчера в Иерусалиме, но он сильно отличался ото всех предыдущих. Очень советую ознакомиться с этим
материалом. |
|
|
| Tomatito on Saturday |
[Feb. 13th, 2008|11:57 am] |
Last year Vicky (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) vikeshap) invited me to a flamenco guitar concert at NYU, which was present as part of "Flamenco festival - 2007".
Thus, she, Marina (la_mare) and I decided to check it out. The concert was absolutely amazing! Nunez and his quintet gave quite a show, and all three of us were very excited and had a lot of fun.
Now that I was so inspired by last year's concert, I decided to go to this year's equivalent.
So, past Saturday I went to a flamenco guitar concert of Tomatito and his quintet. Though individually all performers are quite talented, the concert overall wasn't that great. Tomatito made quite a few careless mistakes on guitar, and he behaved like a well-recognized celebrity who doesn't need to impress the audience anymore. |
|
|
| (no subject) |
[Jan. 28th, 2008|11:36 am] |
Russian/Soviet film festival is taking place nowadays. Most of these movies are incredibly good. I came up with a list of movies I would like to see, and if anybody wants to join me on any of them, I'd welcome the company.
| Date |
Time |
Title |
Duration |
| Feb 5 (Tuesday) |
19:50 |
"Летят журавли" |
98 min |
| Feb 7 (Thursday) |
21:00 |
"Курьер" |
88 min |
| Feb 10 (Sunday) |
17:15 |
"Dersu Uzala" |
141 min |
| Feb 11 (Monday) |
18:15 |
"Дядя Ваня" |
104 min |
| Feb 11 (Monday) |
20:20 |
"Свой среди чужих, чужой среди своих" |
97 min |
| Feb 12 (Tuesday) |
20:30 |
"Dersu Uzala" |
141 min |
| Feb 13 (Wednesday) |
18:30 |
"Зеркало" |
108 min |
Full listing |
|
|
| (no subject) |
[Nov. 19th, 2007|04:10 pm] |
The past few months have been quite eventful in many areas. So will be the coming few weeks (until early February).
Cultural life... The coming 2007-8 season is abundant with magnificent events among music concerts, ballet, opera and broadway shows. The Saturday 10 days ago was probably the most eventful that I have had in many years: music concert in early afternoon (Gabriela Montero reciting on the piano - she was so good that I bought her latest CD), "Natural history" museum during the rest of the afternoon (visited a few of the new exhibitions) and opera in the evening ("Cinderillon" - wonderful performance!)
Coming up: Gil Shaham, "Curtains", "Mamma mia", "Cyrano de Bergerac", etc.
Music life... Inspired by "Samarabalouf", I am actively forming a band to play music close to gypsy jazz and mid-eastern styles. I have already found another guitarist, and I think I got the percussionist/bassist. It's a new venture for me, but I think it will work out well.
Among other plans, I am getting ready to produce my first CD (recording mixture of Russian bard music and my own instrumentals)... SO EXCITED!!!
Past summer was definitely my best hiking season to date. I was hiking almost every week in many different places: White Mountains, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Harriman/Bear mountain state parks, South Mountain preserve, Sourland preserve, Swiss Alps.
Next year (if all goes well): Alaska, Peru, Prague/Budapest, Blue Ridge parkway
I have a lot more to say but not enough time to write... :( |
|
|
| Note to myself |
[Jul. 31st, 2007|10:53 am] |
Wow!
Who could have thought...
In a matter of 10 days I came across 3 different books with subject matter that may greatly change my world-view and perception of Life and Nature altogether.
One is about self-healing and luck, another - about different approach to the scientific method of analysis (having very far-reaching consequences for all sciences and beyond), and the other is about a certain mathematical theory in recent years capable of explaining "the divine".
Since I have been developing my current perception of the world for many years, I definitely wouldn't want to forget it in a few weeks; therefore, I will post most of it here (in several chunks) - in private and "under cut". |
|
|
| Dan Brown may be right afterall! |
[Jul. 26th, 2007|09:41 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  grateful | ] |
"Da Vinci code" was one of the few books lately that I have "devoured" in a matter of hours. And it's not just the easy-going style of narration - it's the ideas that have been stirring my mind for a while.
Dan Brown, author of this book, proposed a few ideas that would seem radical for a devout christian. For example, perhaps, painting "The last supper" contains more than just the visible portion. Who knows - maybe, it contains some hidden message.
Many people took this supposition as absurd. Yet, according to today's news, Dan Brown may have been right. An italian programmer did find images of templar knights and a woman with child hidden in this painting! |
|
|
| White Mountains for Labor Day weekend |
[Jul. 13th, 2007|02:57 pm] |
|
Guys,
I am thinking of going hiking in White Mountains (that's in NH near ME) for the Labor day weekend (first weekend of September - Saturday to Monday). So now I am trying to set up a group of interested adventurists.
Would you like to join this group?
If so, please let me know as soon as possible.
Thanks.
|
|
|
| Rodrigo y Gabriela in NYC |
[Jun. 22nd, 2007|09:02 am] |
I heard them on internet (thanks to lerka for mentioning them in her LJ awhile ago), and now they are coming to NYC to perform at SummerStage (that's in Central Park).
The date is set: July 1 (Sunday) at 3pm.
Who would like to join? |
|
|
| Even more important day tomorrow (Saturday, June 9, 2007) |
[Jun. 8th, 2007|09:35 am] |
I am very grateful to all who wished me luck for yesterday's "eligibility" test. It definitely helped, and it worked - I passed! Now I am eligible to participate in the actual test for my first ever black belt.
This test is going to be much-much harder, but I feel I am prepared for it both mentally and physically.
Tomorrow morning is the "moment of truth" for me. So...
Wish me luck (again)! :) |
|
|
| VERY IMPORTANT DAY TODAY !!! |
[Jun. 7th, 2007|10:20 am] |
Today I am taking the "eligibility" test. If I pass, I am allowed to test for my first black belt in TKD. Naturally, this is one of the most important days of my life for the past 5 years.
Wish me luck!
|
|
|
| Russian version of Craig's list |
[May. 24th, 2007|05:31 pm] |
| [ | Tags | | | fun | ] |
| [ | mood |
| | amused | ] |
I have recently come across "Vasin" list - equivalent of "Craig's list" in Russian language. I am having so much fun reading it!!!
My favourite entry so far: "ЛИФЕГАРД И ФРОНТ ДЕСК"
Version for NY & NJ: New York & New Jersey |
|
|
| navigation |
| [ |
viewing |
| |
most recent entries |
] |
| [ |
go |
| |
earlier |
] |
| |
|
|
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif){kind=small}