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Thoughts: October 2022


26.10.2022

20:26 Surprisingly enough, the trip from the last entry wasn't the last one for the month. Back in late August, an acquitance of mine invited me to go to a far north city of Murmansk for a week with her. I barely knew her back then, but I wasn't the most sober person on earth so I accepted the invitation. So, last week, from 16th till 22th I stayed with her in an apartment (she herself was born there), working remotely and occasionally going out, meeting her friends etc.

Here are some pics from there.
I had no expectations from this city, so I accepted the typical neo-Russian depression of it as something completely normal, natural even. Overall it's just a typical provincial Russian city with it's own local flavour that it successfully shows to any outsiders who wander in for one reason or another.

However I have an interesting feeling lingering inside of me. Since I was there for quite a while, since I was mostly just leading my usual life working for most of the day and occasionally going out, and since her friends accepted me and were really kind, I sort of feel like I didn't just "visit" Murmansk, but that I "lived" a small life there, even if not a long one. So, even though objectively it isn't exactly the best city in the world and even though I won't likely visit it ever again, it was a good time.


10.10.2022

22:19 Last weekend was really damn good. I had a sudden trip to Saint Petersburg by an invitation from J. (the one from August). She was throwing up a little gathering honoring her move to a new apartment, which was the main event of weekend. There were like 9 people there, we were playing some games, chatting and generally just having fun. Hopefully there will be reasons to write about one of the guests here later. (◔◡◔)
We also had a little sincere chat with J. and her friend about something, which felt honestly felt quite cathartic.

The next day J. couldn't go anywhere, so I was just wandering around and visiting places my dad used to visit almost every day for 5 years when he was a student here. In the evening I went to a (literally) secret bar with J.'s special other N. The conversation was kinda stiff at first, with both of us not being great conversationalist, but the more glasses were had, the more we realised we have quite a lot in common. One of the outcomes of the night was a promise by me that I will read Zamyatin's "We", and a promise by N. that he will read "Brave New World".

On the last day I had a little walk with J. who showed me an amazing bookstore where I bought 2 cool books, a tea/coffee store where I bought some of either. We also visited the interior of the Saint Isaac's Cathedral. Then we returned to her home where, while N. was still fast asleep recovering from last night, we had a great and sincere conversation, just like back in August. It kinda dragged on, almost making me miss my plane back home.

Each visit to this city makes me love it more and more, that much is clear.

I still haven't finished the summer vacation page... God please give me the power to at least finish the cover.......


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