Summer colds and good times

Summer in Moscow has been going well.  I'm busy with work, making money and not in a completely broken, dysfunctional place.  And you'd think that I might be saying otherwise.  I have had the worst laryngitis I can remember after catching the Moscow-summer-energy-draining cold, which is not good if you're a teacher.  I've also had tons of teaching hours at different locations and get home feeling deader than John McCain's chances at ever becoming president of the United States.  I've even had my hot water turned off for a week due to annual maintenance by the Moscow municipal authorities.  Yet, I'm actually upbeat.  Though, I must say that I want this cold to go away NOW and that alcoholic consumption doesn't help it.

Depending on our students, we all need this from time to time.

Seriously.  Beer can actually make a cold worse (though a shot of pure vodka make actually have antiseptic benefits).  Why, I don't know, but I assume it's because you begin to ramble on when you're trashed further damaging your throat.  And with all the things there are to complain about in Russia, being dry is like trying to train for an Olympic sport!

But Moscow in the summer is not just about enjoying your booze before you think about where you want to go for the weekend.  It's also about hanging out some of the many parks!  Again, I live across from one of the best in Moscow and have made it a habit to take a stroll through it at least once a week.  I don't want to take it for granted before heading back to Petersburg where there is a dearth of many parks even half as civilized.

Ahh, summer rays on summer days.

And yes, there are definitely worse times and worse places to be working off a cold that refuses to be defeated. :)