Life is Getting Better

I was reading Saxifraga's blog the other day and she mentioned that her Russian colleague saying "life is not too bad" which reminded me of my Russian colleague who could always be counted on, when asked how he was doing after some rather unfortunate incident - such as fur seals biting our Zodiac in half in the middle of the Bering Sea and barely getting rescued by a fishing crew, or watching the Russian fishing vessel we almost chartered go up in flames and sink in the harbor while we stood on the bridge of another vessel, or even as falling off a cliff and breaking his arm - "life is getting better" (best said in a Russian accent). On one trip which seemed to have more then the usual allotment of frustrating circumstances this saying became our mantra.

Another example of Russian humor: this boat is named the Titanic (2006)

He claimed it was a "very famous Russian saying" and so I asked him how it originated. Here's the story as he told it "There was a Russian man who was an alcoholic, who smoked a lot, and who had no more money so he decided to commit suicide. He went into a public toilet to do so and while he was there he thought he might as well use the toilet first. While peeing he saw a pack of very fine cigars and thought, I will smoke this first. When he was done with the smoking he saw a bottle of the finest Russian vodka, and he thought I will drink this first. Then, having smoked the cigars and drunk the vodka, he said to himself, why should I commit suicide? Life is getting better."

The tale is an interesting insight into Russian humor, humor being one of the cultural things that I fins people are the last to fully grasp. To most North Americans it's a rather grim tale. Every Russian I know laughs uproariously at this tale. However, when I found myself upside down like a turtle in a hole with a 30lb pack on the Russians I was with found it most disturbing that I was laughing so hard I could hardly release the pack from my back - this an American style of humor; to laugh at oneself when one is in trouble. Anyway, I wonder, if that was the same story that Saxifraga's colleague was thinking of?

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I have been given a lovely award from Hypoglycemia Girl at her 366 blog, the E award for excellent blogging. She says it's for my amazing photos and fascinating stories! Awww... really?The Mad Hatter and CAE of VWXYNot? also awarded me the E, with the latter saying that I write "wonderfully evocative descriptions of a life that is very different from my own and that often makes me yearn for those higher latitudes." I am most honored. Thanks to all of you! Hmm...it's tough deciding who to pass this on to, many of you are deserving of it... I think though that I will pass it on to Hel and her Truth Cycles for all the lovely walks she takes me on and to Matriarch for her detour as Redstocking where she boldly explored US politics.