Max is a Published Poet

We got a note that Max's poem "Leon" was chosen for publishing in some annual compilation by student writers. Naturally, the note was accompanied by the order form (only $26.40 per book!!).

Still...

Leon


You are the song on my iPod
      The teammate in my game
              The window on my computer


You are a pop-up on my screen
      An email that shows up
              A video that is calming


You are the sound from the guitar
     The note to the song
            The string to the instrument


You are the engine to the car
     The master of all roads
             The pedal of acceleration


You are the burst from the bomb
     The energy rushing
             The laughter running


You are the clown in the circus
      The fun in the joke
             You are my brother.

A slightly embarrassed Leon called it a collection of random words. Well, we want to think it's more than just that.

Leon's Senior Prom

More pictures here

Comedy Theater

Westport Country Playhouse summer season started with Christopher Durang's comedy "Beyond Therapy" set in early eighties in Manhattan. Very well done, fast paced, great set and acting.... It's nice that in the age of 10 laugh-per-minute sitcoms and comedy shows, the theater continues to entertain. The audience - especially those in more advanced age and more familiar with the era references - was rolling on the floor in spasms and stitches.

During the past few years, the playhouse artistic direction seems to move away from avantgarde to traditional, which probably works better for the box office, but is not as exciting (bad or good) as it used to be.

A week later, we saw Roundabout production of "The Importance of Being Earnest" by Oscar Wilde. Extremely well done and a pleasure to watch. This thing would kick ass of any 10 laughs-per-minute sitcom.

Max's School Trip to Gettysburg

St.Luke's traditional 5th grade trip to Gettysburg to the battlefields of Civil War.

 Макс - под левым передним копытом.

Max's Animation Short

12 seconds. Turn on the sound.

At the Intrepid

The spring break in a full swing, but we didn't go anywhere this year.
 Here are some pictures from yesterday's NYC outing at the Intrepid museum.

See more pictures here

Max in Guys and Dolls

Max's first performance at SLS stage - he plays a Gambler in "Guys and Dolls, Jr.".

Connecticut welcomes new driver Olga

Quiz: Are you 18?

Max's Homework - Wordly Wise Story “It’s Good to be 18”

Wordly Wise Story “It’s Good to be 18”

By Max Lyakovetsky, Feb 24, 2011

Vocabulary Words:

·        vote
·        jury duty
·        play lottery
·        gamble
·        own a credit card
·        buy rifles and shotguns
·        drive by himself
·        join the military
·        get a piercing or tatoo
·        sue someone
·        be tried as an adult
·        rent an apartment

Hey, Mark! I turned 18 awhile ago and got some sick tattoos! You should swing by my newly rented apartment soon and I can show you the sweet Gatling gun I got at the weapon shop yesterday for some million bucks. When you come, we could play for the lottery together, and party all night with the worry of getting sued and serving jury duty.Then we'll go to Vegas to gamble and  pick up two hot chicks and be like "WHOO!" at our hotel. And since I have a credit card, we could order room service for our ladies. We'll then vote for McCain and Palin, and to straighten ourselves after all of this, we'll go to the Army recruiting center and spend our lives in Afghanistan 'till the War on Terror ends. Wait Mark, you're 18, right?

b.Sanya (standing), her sister Lisa and her brother Sasha, around 1920.

Swan Lake

Last Wednesday, the four of us went to see "Swan Lake" at Lincoln Center. The seats were okay and the sound was a bit too soft and the set design was too minimalistic and Odelia tripped and fell (come on, NYC ballet!) and a person in the next row was coughing not stop, but still, it was wonderful and many thanks to Mom to make it all happen.

 More pictures here

Max's Recital on Feb 8, 2011

"Shenandoah" (also called "Across the Wide Missouri")

Pics from Picnic

Here are some (very good) pics by Kostya from his birthday picnic last fall.

More pictures here.

Class Reunion 2011

 Party in Connecticut

More Snow, Again

 

More Pictures

Ice Dam

All this snow and cold weather caused formation of ice dams on the edge of the roof and the backflow of melted from the house heat snow into the walls and windows. We were inventing all sorts of creative ways to trap water (see picture) and to melt snow. Turns out, all these "salt socks" (pantyhose filled with salt and thrown on the roof) don't work. What works is Carlos and his helper precariously balancing on a tall ladder with buckets of hot water, shovel and a hammer.

It's good to know that we are not the only ones suffering from this - apparently this condition is quite common, but last time it happened so wide spread was in 1993. Come summer, we'll be putting new roof and electric ice melter.

P.S. They promise more damn snow this Friday - kids hope for no school, while I'm dreading the consequences.

Конфеты

Вернулась с зимних каникул Ольга, привезла мешок "русских" конфет.

More Snow

With Piskunov's

We met with our university friends Piskunov's who were in New York to catch up on the past 18 years. We spent an evening in the city and at our place and then we went to see "Billy Elliot", which was very disappointing.

 See more pictures here

Winter Sports

Alik and I went for some cross country skiing in the nearby Huntington State Park in Redding.

Click here to see more pictures.

The roads are all clean and snow is starting to melt, so Leon, meanwhile, went out on his bike.

Snow Day

We've got about a foot of snow this past Sunday and spent some fun time on Monday digging out.

Click here to see more pictures.

Killington 2010

Leon and I just came back from the 11th annual trip to Killington. It was overcast all three days but not too cold or too windy. Temps around 25F. Snow was okay, mostly man-made, but not too icy.

Leon with Sergey, Alex, Dennis and Alex's friend

An iPhone video of Leon going down the Chute

Max's Performance at Steinway in Westport Dec 16

This is seriously good! It's only a minute - it's worth a listen.

(sorry for smallish video)

Leon's page for Senior Year Book

 (designed by Leon)

My son and money go to...

 

We haven't signed the papers yet, but it is almost certain.

Celebrities Among Us

 

"... попал под лошадь..."

Here is the link: http://www.greenwichtime.com/default/article/New-ice-age-Skaters-revel-in-expanded-Westport-834313.php

B-Day and T-Day

This Thursday we had lots of friends & family over for Irene's b-day and Thanksgiving. We cooked proper holiday meal, turkey and all, and used the occasion to makeover downstairs rooms (essentially, by pushing all the garbage into my office).

Sorry, we didn't take any pictures hoping that some of our guests would do. So, guests, please add  your pictures to this post.