Tuesday
Oct182016
It Just Ain't Right
Tuesday, October 18, 2016 at 4:00AM When you visit a foreign country there are things that just aren't right. Often it is hard to put into words, it's just a feeling. "It just ain't right." Here in Russia it is the Snickers bars. You can get the normal candy you expect, but instead of peanuts, you can also get hazel nuts. It just doesn't taste right. Objectively, I would say it's superior, but it seems weird. The price seems odd too, 75 cents for a double Snickers bar. I need to be careful that I don't eat too many.
I had to count twice before I would believe it, but here in Russia eggs are sold in packages of ten. "It just ain't right." Obviously, this does not matter in the least. Following the customs of the ancient Babylonians, who did not use a base ten numbering system, but divided everything into 12's, is not followed in Russia. But yet even though it does not matter, it jars the psyche.
Population density is quite different here. I am in a city of about 100,000. It is not designed with the auto in mind, even the more modern apartments. Most people do not have autos. They ride the bus. For 17 roubles, about 25 cents, you can ride to the center of town. Instead of the expected suburbs, we are living in, and surrounded by, 5-story apartment blocks. Why 5 stories? In Russian law, if an apartment has more than 5 stories you have to have an elevator.
I had to count twice before I would believe it, but here in Russia eggs are sold in packages of ten. "It just ain't right." Obviously, this does not matter in the least. Following the customs of the ancient Babylonians, who did not use a base ten numbering system, but divided everything into 12's, is not followed in Russia. But yet even though it does not matter, it jars the psyche.
Population density is quite different here. I am in a city of about 100,000. It is not designed with the auto in mind, even the more modern apartments. Most people do not have autos. They ride the bus. For 17 roubles, about 25 cents, you can ride to the center of town. Instead of the expected suburbs, we are living in, and surrounded by, 5-story apartment blocks. Why 5 stories? In Russian law, if an apartment has more than 5 stories you have to have an elevator.
Yes, here in Russia we walk to the store, we have our own bags, and when we travel to visit my wife's friends, we will travel by train. "It just ain't right." Intellectually, this seems far superior, but it just doesn't feel right.
I remember seeing a couple in Walmart in Branson, Missouri. I immediately thought, they are Russians. I listened closely, and sure enough they were. How did I know? I am not sure, but the woman's heels were higher, her makeup heavier, they were thinner, and they were dressed too nice. They did not feel right.
No, this blog post is not a travelog. I am writing about the election and Donald Trump. I thought that Trump was not electable. While the Trump sex tape hurt his election chances, this no longer seems to be true. He might actually be elected. I underestimated the banality and unattractiveness of Clinton. But a far more important factor is that things just do not seem right. I see it everywhere I go. I expect it here in Russia, but I don't expect it in my home country. I have an unease I can't put into words. I feel alienated from my own society. Others must feel it as well. How else can one explain the fact that a reality show TV star is this close to being elected president?
"It just ain't right."
I remember seeing a couple in Walmart in Branson, Missouri. I immediately thought, they are Russians. I listened closely, and sure enough they were. How did I know? I am not sure, but the woman's heels were higher, her makeup heavier, they were thinner, and they were dressed too nice. They did not feel right.
No, this blog post is not a travelog. I am writing about the election and Donald Trump. I thought that Trump was not electable. While the Trump sex tape hurt his election chances, this no longer seems to be true. He might actually be elected. I underestimated the banality and unattractiveness of Clinton. But a far more important factor is that things just do not seem right. I see it everywhere I go. I expect it here in Russia, but I don't expect it in my home country. I have an unease I can't put into words. I feel alienated from my own society. Others must feel it as well. How else can one explain the fact that a reality show TV star is this close to being elected president?
"It just ain't right."
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