Chapter 12

comfort

Thanks to everyone who asked me if I was feeling ok today. Today was much better I'm happy to report. Its funny cause after I finished my blog last night, my laptop stopped working and I managed to pull my curtains off the windows and have them rip off from the ceiling. I have really high ceilings so its going to be a pain to fix. Alas after some sleep and a few phone calls I was ready to face another day.

Today was fine, a bit busy at work near the end of the day cause we were involved with selling a huge chunk of shares (a placement) and had to wait for that to get all sorted out. Earlier in the day pete told me that he was going to go home tonight, make some pasta and watch office space, which he's never seen. I told him that I liked that movie and he invited me over. Unfortunatly we had to stay so late that our nite started late.

Its funny, I work till 6:30/7pm and it doesn't seem late. My mom called me the other night at 11:30pm and she said "are you sleeping?" and I said "its early!" Its true, the sense of timing here is a bit different. I mean I leave for work at 9:15 am, get in at 9:30am and my day starts with the morning meeting at 9:45. The London Market does not open till noon so from 10 - noon you just order lunch and get ready. From 12-1pm is busy and then you eat lunch from 1-2. From 2:30 NY comes to work (I used to get to work in NY at 6:30am!, thats when I WAS IN! nt when I woke up! How did I do that?) No wonder I was miserable working in NY. So from 2:30 - 4:30 is kinda a lull. Finally around 5:30pm everyone is kinda mentaly wrapping up their day, making calls to 800#s in the states to sort out their lives and feel better that their friends are awake and can now talk/chat with them. London closes at 6:30pm and we just wrap up the day or we can just leave at 6:30pm. I always have last min stuff to do, trade I need to finish or just paperwork I forget to fill out. Then by 7 or as late at 7:30 I scarf up and leave. I have a russian language lesson after work so I'll probably be at work late tomorrow.

So I went to pete's and man, it was really a nice place. First impression is man, this place is warm. pete is always cold. its legendary that his place in london was always at 85F. Nevertheless, its was a great apt. He bought the place gutted, no walls or nothing, it took a year for him to fully renovate and build his home. He lives in moscow and plans on doing so for..a long time... Made my place seem like what it is...a tiny room. Well its not THAT small, its perfect for me and maybe a few people over...but no parties or anything. pete has a nice 120 sqMtr 2 bedroom w/ big kitchen and nice furniture. Its like when I visit kelly when she's dogsitting, she dog sits for these people that have these amazingly huge houses. Some of them have such unique taste that its daunting to think or even try to put the same effort in for yourself. of course he had the whole stainless sleep kitchen and really nice big comfty couches and the larrge 42 plasma tv with speakers speakers speakers. I really think the key to luxuary is the bathroom. He had the huge jucuzzi tub and the multiple jet shower. The bathroom was huge too.

But the key thing is that moscow is not the easiest place on this earth to live. The strange thing is that I feel more comfortable here than I did in London. Now I love London and I would much rather have this set up over there than here but I'm being taken care of at the same time cause there is no way I would have EVER left for russia if it meant that I had to struggle the whole time I was here. I told my boss charles about that when I talked to him about this job during the summer. I dont want to have to worry about things while I'm working overseas. I'm lucky in the regard that they have been really good at making sure that I was comfortable.

pete's place was very comfortable. we both share some of the amenities moscow offers w rides to work and cleaning services...etc. pete's 38, a single guy, and like me can be a bit scattered brain and needs to have some of their stuff taken care of with help from others. Instead of watching a movie, we just sat around and talked and talked about everything. Our pasts, school, our fathers (his dad is a really respected russian ortodox priest in ny...has the biggest beard i've ever seen!), living overseas, london (he lived there too for many years), Italy (he used to have a weekend home in 1/2 hour away form pisa on the coast, greatest place on earth his home there he said, and we chatted about love and relationships. He just broke up with someone after being together for a year cause he just didn't feel anything for her. He didn't want things to progress for a long time, only because he was being polite. The funny thing about he whole love thing is he has photos of her everywhere in his place. she put the photos up cause I think she was really insecure. even his computer desktop background is a photo of them kissing....hahha i saw that and said "oh not here pete...is anyplace sacred anymore?". hes hasn't gotten around to storing the place out. I know he really really misses her dog more than anything. the bowl is still out. I want him to get one really bad, cause when he leaves during the summer, I'll stay at his place and dogsit in his really nice home.

then we talked about the past and the future. He said his father once told him that the greatest way to honor once's parents in this life is to make sure that when they die, they leave a straight tombstone (taken from russian)....meaning that the best way to honor your parents is to life your life in the manner they raised you and be the best, kindest, and moral person that they could be proud of. pete is big on huge quotes and words of wisdom. I quote him lyrics and movies all the time and he loves it...in all it was great a time cause i just miss talking to people. no niteclubs, no resturants or bars or other "places"....just two friends having a chat and drinking tons and tons of....JUICE! he has I think 6 differnt varieties of juice....we were drinking away.

We threw on the incredibles on the background but could not pay any attention to it. I felt really relaxed and started to doze off. I decided that it was my time to check out and end a great quiet evening. sorry no photos today. My camera/phone was dead and i forgot the charger at home. till next time.

posted by RU ETL @ 11:59 PM