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Feb. 18, 10:40 pm

I wonder if this is gonna work, if I update this post instead of creating a new one... Blogger is acting like crazy, keeps killing posts and comments, since yesterday night. Basically, this is something of an S.O.S. message... I feel like I've locked myself out of the house... been trying all day to get back in...

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I was really sleep-deprived yesterday, so all I could force myself to do online was listen to NPR and do some roundups for Global Voices Online.

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On NPR, I've finally managed to listen to the stories by one of my dearest friends, Sasha Kleimenov. Since there was always something wrong with my internet connection, I could never listen to them, and in a way it was like being friends with a writer whose work you've never bothered to read. The NPR archive isn't all he's got: there's more stuff by Sasha on Marketplace, The World and CBC Radio (some misspell his name, though, and it may be difficult to locate his stuff, he told me; and I guess I'm only making it worse by not calling him Alex, as he prefers to be called in English - I'm sorry, Sasha!).

Anyway, Sasha's 2003 NPR piece from Vladivostok - about a local cross-dresser/naval officer - is a real gem. I can't believe it took me three years to listen to it (and I can't believe it's been three years already...)!

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My GVO roundups are, as always, here.

I've never been too interested in our neighbors' politics, but I'm pretty hooked by now.

Turns out ours isn't the only upcoming election in this part of the world. Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic are having theirs as well soon, and some of the stories from those countries are really amusing:

- Two entries at Deleted by Tommorow: on how the party that was most eager to have an early election now most likely regrets it; and on how the Czech and Slovak Social Democrats have joined forces, despite the fact that it's been more than a decade since Czechoslovakia split into two.

- And the Retardo Politics series at the Hungarian Pestiside.hu: posts on one party's "miner problem" and another's "minor problem" are wonderful.

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We're taking Marta to an orthopaedic clinic today, for an ultrasound exam - wish us good luck, pray for us, think positive thoughts our way, whatever works best for you... thanks!

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And please vote some more to help me get that pajama! (Again, a huge thanks to all who've already voted for me!)