Ukrainskaya Dusha

Ukraine it is; I'll be shipping out to Kiev late October for the presidential elections to be held on Halloween. Sorry, Kriston. We'll have to do our Napoleon Dynamite costumes another time. And for those of you still wondering, my utter delight in the states of the former Soviet Union stems almost entirely from little tidbits such as this, from the Lonely Planet travel guide:

"A country whose state song declares that 'Ukraine has not yet died' might not seem the most uplifting destination, but don't let that deter you."

The phrase Russkaya dusha, or Russian soul is short-hand for the passions and famously enigmatic workings of the Russian psyche. It's no surprise to me that a Ukrainskaya dusha would be equally cantankerous.

Anyway, it's going to be a momentous presidential election over there, but I imagine you won't hear too much about it, because I hear through the grapevine that there's something electoral going on over here at roughly the same time. I'll be sad not to be in this lame-o poliical town for the festivities, but I guess that means I'll also miss any explosions targeting our freedom.

Everybody, cross your fingers that I'll be toasting John Kerry with a sloshing glass of Ukrainian vodka somewhere around 6am Kiev time on November 3.

UPDATE: I just re-read that last sentence, and realized that if I were a politically right-leaning person reading this blog, I'd instantly think "Christ! These liberals really are a bunch of commies!" Seriously, toasting Comrade Kerry with Soviet vodka? With supporters like me, who needs Swift Boat Veterans for Truth or Douchebags of Liberty?