In-case you’ve been wondering where I’ve been lately..
2 weeks ago I finally decided to make the big switch by dumping Windows Vista and installing Ubuntu.
For those of you non-technogeeks out there..
Ubuntu is simply the Linux Operating System bundled with a very usable GUI and open source applications.
Now since I’m the kind of guy who needs to understand everything (or at least believe that he does) I dove head first into this mysterious subject.
Needless to say it’s been a whole new world that has really blown my mind and delivered an experience beyond my wildest imagination as to what a PC can do.
Not only is Ubuntu incredibly BEAUTIFUL to look at but its also STABLE as a rock and PERFORMS like there’s no tomorrow.
Simply put.. My PC was transformed into a completely different machine.
Sure the hardware’s the same but its obvious that the software is what makes all the difference here.
So I think its safe to say that I’m never going back to dear old Vista..
As I continued with this fun technical adventure a certain deja vu struck as I remembered what it was like to finally put my foot down and learn the REAL TRUTH about Russian Women.
All the parallels were certainly there.
- The initial anxiety of the unknown.
- The steep learning curve.
- The joy of discovering a hidden treasure.
- And the deep reward of incorporating this discovery into my life.
I think the meta-physical scientist and writer Terence McKenna said it best.
“Culture is your Operating System.”
And whatever Operating System you’ve installed completely determines how you perceive and interact with the world.
So if you find yourself pondering about the meaning of life.
(and in particular about Real Women..)
Understand that for the most part the Western Women who surround you pretty much came pre-installed with “Vista”.
And these same ladies are strutting around thinking that their bloated and buggy GUI “shell” is the greatest thing out there.
But meanwhile in non-Vista land..
There seems to exist a whole different class of women who continue to run along just beautifully without crashing and having to reboot all the time..
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Congratulations on dumping the “oh Hades, my computer just froze again and lost all my projects……AGAIN” OS. I tried installing Ubuntu on my laptop, and couldn’t for some reason. I wound up adding a bootloader and OS X mac on it instead.
Too bad most Americans are on the Vista operating system. We (they) just voted in a socialist for president and the father of the Violence Against Women Act for vice president. I wish I was in the Former Soviet Union right now.
Ronald “Ron” Paul 2008.
Good to see ya back GL, I was wondering what happened to you…
RW,
Never had a problem with Vista… probably because I use Macs. Never had a problem, glitch, hick up, or crash.
That being said, I am VERY jealous that YOU get to pal around with Mascha and all the other lovely Russian ladies… and I don’t.
That just isn’t fair!!!
P.S. WHen do we get another Mascha video? With another long and cold Canadian winter looming, she certainly would brighten up a grey gloomy season.
I’ve been learning about Linux myself, using a distribution called Xandros. It seems to run better most of the time on one of my old PC’s but it sometimes runs slowly. It does not lock up, crash or force me to re-boot like windows does. I’m sure glad I wasn’t conned into buying Vista, because I’ve been hearing all sorts of complaints about it. Something is really wrong when an old Athlon runs faster than a new computer several times faster on Vista!
Taras
Multi-boot here on my Vostro 1000 Dell. Kubuntu 7.04; Kubuntu 8.04; and XP. Multiboot brings its own problems, such as changing UUID for partitions, not recommended for raw noobs.
Assuming use of Firefox, if you run into URL’s that won’t work, try installing USER AGENT SWITCH which spoofs URL into treating you like IE. One place it won’t work is some yahoo stuff, which actually tries to adapt to your OS/browser.
I do get crashes, especially in Firefox, but normally only the app goes down.
Puppy is really good on small machines. 4.1 is like 93MB for full service.
LOL. Love the analogy gl. Keep it coming. Do you really get that many emails? Holy cow. I don’t think that I get that many in a year including spam. Welcome back any way.
Can we get a video with the two lovely girls in the picture? And please, more Mascha!!
Bruce, The blonde is Mascha, and the redhead is Jenna.
Hi GL,
First of all I’d like to congratulate you on your blog, it certainly puts things into perspective for all the readers.
Having read the articles and seen the photos, I can not help but wonder if these girls are really single and really looking for a commitment with a western man.
The reason I ask is because I myself have decided to embrace the project of finding a Russian girl for a serious commitment and I would love to get in touch with some of girls you posted in your blog to get to know them better.
If this is a possiblity please email me and we can discuss this further. Thank you for your help!
GL,
I just recently converted to Ubuntu myself. I got hit with a nasty virus that totally hosed Windows XP on my machine; hell, even my anti virus software was screwed! I posted about my experience here: http://markymarksthoughts.blogspot.com/2009/01/i-did-it-fu-dell-microsuck.html. Anyway, I’m not going to even bother getting the recovery disk, because I am NOT GOING BACK! FU Dell & Microsuck!
BTW, I like your analogy about WW having Vista, whereas the Russian lovelies have a more sound OS, hehehe…
MarkyMark
You have such a sweet photo as your background, probably one of the best on the site
I was wondering if some of these ladies frequent this blog? I’m going to Moscow for four months in 9 days and am wondering how best to take care of my skin in the cold. Perhaps they have some advice?
Don’t worry about the harsh Russian weather… Those fine ladies are hot enough to keep your heart and body warm…
The Commonality Of Romance
It would seem that everyone in this forum, and also in several others, spends a great deal of time talking about romance. In fact, I don’t see many people on the internet that are not talking about romance. Okay, so I spend a lot of time checking out and reading dating site profiles and blogs set up for distressed singles.
But if the basic underlying concern or desire of all men and all women from 18 to 80 is romance then I believe there is a serious discrepancy among us regarding our definition of romance.
Consider first this classic dictionary definition;
romance, n. 1. A love affair. 2. Ardent emotional attachment or involvement between people, especially that characterized by a high level of purity and devotion; love. 3. A strong, sometimes short-lived attachment, fascination, or enthusiasm for something. 4. A mysterious or fascinating quality or appeal, as of something adventurous, heroic, or strangely beautiful.
Well, that certainly should clear everything up. Now everyone, just use what you see
here and never deviate from it in any way and we will all live happily ever after.
No? Why not?
Obviously there is something more to this situation. Nothing in life can be that simple, especially if there are ‘humans’ involved.
Or can it?
We all know, for example, that “a love affair” is not necessarily romance. It could be romantic but usually it is anything but. Sneaking around, cheating on a spouse or another lover. The whole clandestine nature of affairs congers up images of passion and intrigue, but for those of us who have seen affairs up close, I think it is safe to say that affairs are much more messy and frustrating than they are romantic. Oh, sure, there are some brilliant moments and even some stretches where time seems to disappear, but ultimately reality blasts back into it and the motel is abandoned for a few more weeks until the next rendezvous can be arranged.
Let me skip past the second definition for a moment and jump to the “strong, sometimes short-lived attachment, fascination, or enthusiasm” one. This is definitely a better description of a love affair. Let me especially emphasize “short-lived attachment, fascination” since these are the most complete and accurate ways we could ever sum up the vast majority of affairs. Love affair by its own name indicates a time line. Affairs rarely last forever whereas love, the real kind of love that is, should. Before even considering such pandering around one must accept that “if they cheated with you, chances are they will cheat on you”. So don’t expect them to be “the one”. By the way, that means you are in the same boat. There are very few innocent players in the world of affairs. Sadly the only innocent ones have been deceived while the players play.
Okay, what about “mysterious or fascinating quality or appeal, something adventurous, heroic, or strangely beautiful”? Well going back to affair as we are using it here, I would like to eliminate the word ‘heroic’ from this definition. Heroic in the sense of something romantic would be like the old Errol Flynn movies. Robin Hood wins the heart of Maid Marian, and so on. I can swear that many an affair began over a ‘mysterious or fascinating appeal or something (someone) strangely beautiful’. There are times in everyone’s life when we see someone who simply demands our further interest and attention. I would venture a guess that more love affairs have begun this way than have life long marriages. It is that ‘strange beauty’ or ‘mysterious appeal’ that tears us away from our status quo. It is the allure of tasting the forbidden fruit which motivates such reckless insanity. And no matter how wonderful it looks in the beginning, we will always discover shortly that this new person gets gas, has to go to the bathroom, and touches things inside their nose.
At this point I would like to continue waiting on definition of romance #2.
Rather, I would like to mention some precursors to romance. Let me suggest that romance is the product of loving someone. We can not understand romance unless we feel true love, deep within our being. Oh sure, we can make many romantic gestures to try winning over the affection of somebody, but that sort of romance which comes from lust is as short lived as the gestures themselves. We are somewhat inclined to view every flower, chocolate, and dinner date as romance when our hormones are racing. I assure you, this is rarely the result of love. These things could, and sometimes are, part of a healthy and loving relationship but true love develops over time, not over night. The old classic ‘love at first sight’ is possible of course, but too many people have been seriously mistaken by the likelihood of this phenomenon. Let me add too, that the dating world is still hanging its collective hat on the word ‘chemistry’ as a way to avoid saying ‘looks’. Women, for the most part, in North America cry out for this mysterious ‘chemistry’ but truth be known the vast majority of them are using it as a synonym for a guy who simply looks hotter than hell. Sorry girls, the only chemistry there is more aptly called biology. It isn’t something to deny or argue about, it is just nature operating in full force.
Okay, so how about that other definition of romance; “Ardent emotional attachment or involvement between people, especially that characterized by a high level of purity and devotion; love.” Now we are getting to the heart of romance. (pardon the pun)
Let me paraphrase, an ardent emotional attachment between two people characterized by a high level of purity and devotion; LOVE. Doesn’t that just give you shivers? GOD! It does me.
Here are a few words synonymous with ardent; warmth, passionate, strong enthusiasm, devotion, fervent, burning, fiery. Are you getting the picture? Romance is hot, my friends. Romance is a fervent, fiery, passionate enthusiasm. It isn’t something you do to ‘get’ a mate. It’s what you do to keep one. It’s what you do every chance you get to assure that person that there is no grass greener anywhere on this or any other planet. And believe me it doesn’t have to be newer, bigger, flashier or better every time. Just do the things your spouse desires and let them do the same for you.
Guys, toss your wife’s pjs in the clothes dryer for a few minutes while she’s in the shower or brushing her teeth before bed. I have seen tears in a woman’s eyes because I warmed up her jammies for her.
Ladies, call the other wives and plan a Sunday lunch out with the kids at a park when the big game is coming on so that the men can get together and act like animals for the day without being worried that they are too loud.
Put love notes in each other’s underwear drawer.
Men, when you leave the bathroom put the seat down. Will it kill ya?
And women, when you leave the bathroom put the seat up. You won’t break a nail.
Better yet, why not both of you always commit to closing the lid every time you leave the bathroom so nothing gets knocked into the toilet and you can both go to the terrible effort of lifting whatever piece of the contraption you choose. But for gosh sakes don’t fight about it.
This is about R O M A N C E people. If you are thinking about having an affair, have it with your spouse. It is easier, its better, and much healthier than a broken family.
By simply trying, I think we are all capable of loving just about anyone. And anyone we love, we can also romance. Make the effort. I can almost guarantee it will be worth it.
Hazel, they would probably say smt. like “bear fat”, that we misserable city dwellers can only dream of having. I’m joking but I heard hunters and rangers of Siberia praised it alot (like 100 years ago).
I’d recomend a day cream that’s oilier than your regular one, and maybe wear smt like foundation if you use it n if you plan to stay outside more than 10-15 min. (That’s what I do and I think it helps)
There’s another important tip. Never use a moisturizer right before goin’ out. Let it absorb for at least 25 min.
Hope it helps. Cos it’s goin to get cold by the end of the month here( -20) So take your thickest jacket and wolly sweaters
Kisha, that’s great advice. Thank you
In link is my grandmother in her youth, she is located as a stock image for my deviant art. I posted this for the women I know who are gorgeous in my family and for the sake of beautiful women everywhere. ^_^
Oh Liviana, she’s GORGEOUS. I am so fascinated with the fifties right now. Your grandmother was a friggin knockout!
I have been a fan for a year or so on your site… lots of interesting articles, thanks! In fact, I wish I was able to read some of your insight back in 2002 when I traveled to Moscow for the first time to meet my future wife! We are happily married in Los Angeles now, but Moscow always beckons us to visit from time to time.
Anyways, Im the luckiest guy in the world for marrying a russian gal… she has made me a better person for sure. And I work hard in life to make her happy!
Im glad you have switched to Ubuntu… so its been almost a year… do you still use it? I have used Ubuntu for over 3 years and love it. If you need any help please feel free to hit me up! Im sure you know about site like the Ubuntu Forums, Wine, Happy Penguin, etc.
My first reaction on the screenshot was a plain and simple “OMG! It’s Mascha and Jenya!”
I have never heard of Ubuntu and none of my friends will likely have heard of it. I still use Vista and it has been running stable for three years. Not a single BSOD, only the occasional CTDs when running games. I’m still digging in this websites and will keep digging up old ‘topics’ as the previous one is dated August 2009.
I.. too would like to marry a Russian girl as I get the impression they make good wives.
Joe, they are very lovely women. I’ve lived in several countries, made friends with many nationalities, backgrounds and social classes. Out of all the female friends I’ve had, the Russian/Ukranian ones were the least likely to stab me in the back. If ever there were issues, they would be blunt and honest with me. So refreshing, and as such, I count on them more to have my back during tough times. This should tell you something about the qualities they possess that would make them great wives.
@Joe + Catherine, I still think we should examine people as individuals, simply assuming all Russian/Ukrainian women are fluffy bunnies of sugar and spice would be a bad idea I think.
That said, I do agree, I only met 3 Russian women so far, 2 of which I have become friends and all I can say is…they’re one of the highest quality women I have known.
Yes, you definitely get bad people in all cultures. I could easily write about the darker side of Russian/Ukranian women. No group is without its vices. There is absolutely no denying that. However, countries can be viewed as children with their own personalities. The former Soviet still has fresh memories of horrific living circumstances that have shaped the values and views of its own people. Individuals from there can either be completely corrupted by it, indifferent, or be more appreciative of human commodities such as loyalty, honesty, trust necessary for survival.
One thing I find troubling about many women of all nationalities is what I would consider their borderline obsession with travel. I don’t know anyone that doesn’t enjoy a trip of some sort when feasible; that is not what I am referring to. Near constant travel used to provide stimulation and excitement that can’t be duplicated with more “mundane” daily activities is what concerns me. I have heard many women say that it is a necessity, and that they would die without it. I guess motives and reasoning differ from person to person, but I would enjoy hearing different perspectives on the subject.
Tho I’m only in my mid 20s, I’ve backpacked quite a bit so far, traveled about 22 countries so far, so maybe I can give a bit of insight from the ones I have met. Please pardon my articulation skills, I am nowhere near the writing caliber of some of you people. Please pardon my command of English.
Before I start I want to say most of these women I meet while traveling, as in 99% of them, are women from Western Europe or North America. I think it is because they tend to be ones with enough economic power to travel so often. The other thing is, what I am about to say is a big percentage of the women I run into, and not necessarily always the case.
I think they like it because they get to feel more primal, or animal-like something. Maybe they are tired of the jaded feeling of being secure, and the routine of their jobs and all that. I think they get to feel more, alive?? And sexual, in some way. Although they won’t say that literally, this is just what I gather from my interaction with these traveler girls.
There is also the freedom of, well, having many ‘lovers’. You meet someone, sleep with them, then move on, no drama or anything, there is the intensity of multiple short term relationships when you travel. There is also much more honesty because of this, or sometimes much more lies..but most of the time honesty. This is because you meet someone and you/they know either of you is gonna go away soon, so you make the best out of it and don’t say lies to prolong anything or worry if its going to end.
I’m quite incapable of this love-life, I did try out of curiosity to explore my own beliefs, but after the 2nd short term relationship I experienced in my travels I just didn’t want to say goodbye again, and stop being involved with women in this way because it is not me, as I was beginning to understand that I was a one woman kind of guy.
But some people have no trouble doing it over and over, and some women I met are addicted to this freedom. Of course sometimes there is a lot of promiscuity sometimes in backpacker hostels and they won’t have any ‘bad’ name or anything, as they will always have fresh start and no reputation repercussions.
Maybe they have a reason to be more feminine? As ironic as it sounds, there is a lot of imposed beliefs they can let go while traveling that I noticed. It is amazing how much more receptive, polite and easier it is to approach these traveling women. At a hostel, hotel, camp site or at a beach party, anywhere, its much easier, and they are less likely to filter you through what others will think of them by being with you, because nobody knows. Its as if they will listen to their needs more this way, they won’t care about social status or presumptions as much, and don’t feel any need to compete and compare with their friends as they would back home. Maybe that is why its much easier for any decent male to approach them in this context.
I don’t know how to place my finger on it, but it gives them good excuse to just “follow” and feel “Taken care of” by a guy. You can literally lead them and feel like a man without any drama. Its new environment and may not be as safe as back home, so for them, having a man around, they like it. Generally, they love to just relax and follow and have a good time, and some of them behave much more ‘girly’. It is very adorable. But when you do the same thing when you catch up with her again in her home country, it is very different. I have experienced this few times.
I tried my best to answer you Sam, it is more of an understanding and I didn’t intellectualize this before, so I hope I got some of my understanding and perception across to you.
Thanks for a fine response, Danyet. I think you do a fine job writing. I only wish I could begin to communicate in a second language.
Wow, you have done some traveling! It would really be educational and helpful if more people would share their thoughts about their experiences with folks of other cultures(or their own cultures).
Sam, you are actually right and in some individuals travelling may take a form of obsession.
As Richard has rightly remarked to be able to travel is still a kind of status thing. I personally know some women who take a great pride in the number of countries they have visited. Quite often the number of countries is used as an argument of their appeal.
Traveling wears me out.
Kisha, I am guilty of this, it is a status thing for me to a certain extent.
Even though, I started out as genuine curiosity of things around me, in my Asian culture I grew up in, it is not normal to suddenly take off in a backpack and explore!
But lately it has become a kind of medal of pride I wear.
Danyet, you definitely don’t fit the mold. I always picture Asian guys standing around national monuments in faraway places, grinning and taking pictures with $5,000.00 cameras. After a day of it, they typically retire to the local five star hotel, certainly not some crowded youth hostel.
Stereotypes can be misleading, though, can’t they? Until six years ago or so, I believed that all Russian women weighed 300 lbs. and wore scarves over their heads. I guess I can blame that on cold war propaganda. The Beatles told a different tale, but I never listened to the lyrics in those days.
I enjoyed your comments, as always.
Da net, it’s all good as long as you are not trying to use it against other people =)
Hello, Kisha. This has been really interesting for me. After a few days of sitting at the computer going from website to website like a channel surfing teenager, and taking two hour lunches down at The Carousel, I have decided that the need to work is not so bad after all.
This all started when I signed up at one of those glossy Russian Mail Order Bride sites under my friend Harry’s name and e-mail address. I was banned from the site several years ago, so since Harry is in Thailand at the moment, I didn’t think he would mind. At the site, Harry is a 49-year-old retiree with an interest in travel. The response hasn’t been overwhelming, but twenty some twenty-two to twenty-four-year-olds that look like runway models have expressed an interest. I know the score, though. Old Harry could travel to Odessa and Kharkov and fund a few dinners, shopping sprees and maybe a tropical trip or two and be told later that he’s just not their type. Well, anyway, back to the subject. While vactioning here at home in Oakwoods, I perused several hundred profiles at this glossy site and old Match.com and, honest to goodness, 99% of the women listed travel as their primary interest. At the Match.com site, some of the women wrote near essays about the wonders of travel. Like I said, I love a nice trip on occasion as much as the next guy, but I thought this display was over the top.
Kisha, I got a really good laugh out of your line about travel wearing you out!!! I don’t guess you were trying to be humorous, but it was hilarious to me, anyway. Thanks for your response.
Nah Sam, I’m the person who is trying to keep a straight face as much as my life depend on it.
Was not joking though, hate planes and airports the most.
I might even volunteer to test teleport when they invent it.
Sam, I am not too sure what to say or think about this female obsession. My own life consisted of constant travel because of my father’s job. We lived in war zones, and the sort of environments that most parents wouldn’t want to take their kids. While thankful for the opportunities it has provided, it also meant constantly moving away from new friends. While the experience has probably matured me in some ways, it has also left me immature in others.
After posting my comment, I begin to think that “obsession” was too strong a word, but I do think it is an obsession with some people. I have wondered if it isn’t used, like many other things, to fill a spiritual or emotional void. I was unhappy with university and corporate life in my 20s. I remember having a strong desire to “get away” then, and I did as much as possible.
After years of constant movement, Catherine, do you have a desire to continue unabated travel now? How did your experience leave you immature in some ways? You have definitely been well-educated, regardless of where you have been! Your blog and comments here are proof of that.
Reviewing profiles at local and international dating sites is a depressing experience for me, but that’s where I learned that the majority of females list travel as their favorite(sometimes obsessive) hobby or interest. People willing to look for companionship at dating sites, particularly international ones, are probably more adventuresome than average, so my perception may be skewed as well.
Really Sam, I don’t think you’ve overstated the apparent obsession women have with travel. As long as I can remember, the women who’ve come and gone through my life have always wanted to travel, with the possible exception of a few military wives. Young or old, married or single, most women I have known put a high price on travel as a gauge for measuring success in life, i.e. successful people can afford to travel more than unsuccessful people. So without trying to harken back to my ageless complaint about how women seem to be looking for material gain in all modern relationships, it looks to me like the politically correct way for her to say she wants a rich man is to say “I love to travel”.
However, the rub for me is that I still remember when a women of character spoke of travel as a form of enlightenment that would help her to be a more rounded personality in social situations. I highly doubt such noble characteristics to be prevalent in today’s society.
Catherine,
It would seem to me that you have benefited greatly from the travel your family was forced into during your youth. You sound very mature and well educated to me. If anything, I think that moving in and out of places, finding and then being separated from friends has a way of instilling a strong appreciation for friendship in general and more specifically for adult relationships.
The sense of family that is sometimes missed for children even when they live in one place their whole life would be much sadder than moving around a lot and having the chance to meet so many more people. At least that is how I dealt with our moves as a child. We moved 5 times before my eleventh birthday, always renting places with more acreage to bolster the crops for our family farm.
Richard,
Your ageless complaint is as true now as it was 1,000 years ago. I guess we could reverse things and seek out old rich women, but neither of us could put up with their blather about their passport stamps, and stories about trouble with the household “help”. Of course, most of them are too fat and out of shape to participate in moonlit walks on the beach, so there’s another deal killer.
Several years ago(here I go again), our community was graced with the presence of an irreverent woman that we kids all called Mrs. Buchan. She appeared to be at least part Russian(heck, maybe 75%), so I am keeping on topic here. Mrs. Buchan was a Southern Belle by birth, education and position, if there ever was one, but she retained a mischievous bent and a charming gleam in her eyes. As a nine or ten year old boy, I always tried to stay within earshot of her at church, because she was typically good for an outlandish retort or two. Well, Mrs. Buchan was at a fine dinner party(perhaps in Charleston, I don’t know), and Belle after Belle waxed eloquent about her travels abroad. After a bit, they all turned to Mrs. Buchan and she snorted in the heaviest, deepest drawl imaginable that she had been to Rock Hill(a little town on the N.C./S.C. border) one time. In that company, her response went over like a stripper at a Southern Baptist revival, so, despite her pedigree, old Emma, er, Mrs. Buchan, lost status very quickly. The old girl moved to be near one of her daughters a while back, and I miss her. She had a heart of gold, and helped many, many people quietly. Whether here or in Russia, we could use more like her.
You froze another smile across my face Sam. I think Mrs. Buchan sounds like our kinda’ people.
Noticing some of your other comments, I have to say that I have been looking at the “dates of fate” sites again lately. It is amazing how many women are “easy going”, “laid back”, “honest and humble” at those locations, and how many “love to travel” and “love quiet walks on the beach”. The only really amazing part is how they are such gentle and heartwarming people but all of their kids have different dads and they haven’t been in a “relationship” for a long time and are “just seeing what’s out there”. Yikes!
I really like the ad I read this spring where the woman said something to the effect of, “I ain’t no beauty queen, I can fix my own flats and change my own oil. I don’t care what you think makes a good wife. I am here and I am breathing, what else do you need? Send me your number and maybe we can get together.”
I didn’t respond, even to tell her how much I enjoyed reading her profile. Basically I was afraid to. But ya’ just gotta’ love the lack of sugar sweet, candy coated b.s.
Richard, that add you read seems funny in my book. I had to stop laughing before I can post to thank you for sharing that.
Thanks Westerngirl, I’m glad you enjoyed it. I laughed at it too, yet I can’t help wondering how much of a response she got. Something tells me that there are a bunch of guys that would go for it just to see if she’s for real.
May your holidays be blessed,
I will admit the ad brings out curiosity. Thank you Richard for the holiday greetings. I hope you and your daughter have a wonderful holiday season. To everyone on the board I want to wish you a Merry Christmas and happy holidays.