One nice thing about living in an apartment with no internet connection is that it allows me to get a lot more work done. Other than watching the news and "Novaia Volna," a kind of Eurovision song contest for post-Soviet space, I've been pretty much living an internet and television-free life here. Consequently, I've been getting a lot done. Today I woke up around 10:30 and have spent pretty much the entire afternoon working on an article I've been writing. The absence of distractions has been, I have to say, very nice in this respect.

For now, however, I'm off. It was raining earlier today, but now the sun is out and I feel like doing a little tourism—as well as visiting the post office in order to indulge my internet habit, at least for a little while!

Today is my Dad's birthday—-happy birthday, Dad!