I just got back from a 3-day visit to Yerevan.
Well it looks like I got half the research done that I wrote about (Lena and Nune date).
On Saturday, after a nice spaghetti lunch at Madlene�s, I got an invitation to the really hot and really new Cabaret show. Yes they even have them here.
I arranged to meet up with Madlene that evening at the theater next to the manuscript library and when I arrived, who was there but none other than Nune!!! I figured it was the perfect moment to ask her out and went straight up to her, giving her a big hug, like a long lost friends. She was so accepting of my advances that I popped the question and she accepted!
So we went into the show and my ticket that Madlene gave me put me sitting next our very own Raffi K. and Zabel. I told them about my date and they would not believe me. I was a bit disturbed by their lack of belief and wanted to change seats with the people sitting next to Nune, so then I could wave to Raffi with my arm around her, but by this time the lights were dimmed and the show was about to start.
Someone from the staff got on stage and announced that that this show was being videotaped and asked us to be extra active with our laughs and clapping. It reminded me of my youth and going to a game show taping where we learned how to clap so it would sound like there were many more people in the audience then there actually was.
The show began and I have a feeling that it was funny, but I really could not find the humor in it. The guy sitting me my left and his girlfriend were into it, but Raffi, Zabel and I seemed to be forcing ourselves into being extra active.
At intermission, we got up to stretch and Nune walked up to me to comment on how much I seem to have been enjoying myself, being that I was clapping fast, hard and loud (something I learned at the taping of the game-show). I wanted to keep our relationship on an honest level so I confessed to her that I really was not getting the jokes and was just clapping to be supportive. She smiled and said that she too was not getting most of the jokes. Raffi, who I had to wake-up when intermission came told me that he and Zabel were going to leave and invited Nune and I to come along (I think he did this just to see if I was really going to date Nune). I�m not sure who Nune came with, but she didn�t give it a second thought and next thing I knew, we were off to have Punchig�s (cream filled doughnuts) and chocolate milk, at the Grand Candy store.
I have to tell you that Nune and I really hit it off. She is not at all conceded like I had picture her to be, but she really is very popular. At the Grand Candy store, everyone was staring at her. One woman had her son pose kind of next to Nune, and pretended to be taking his picture, but in fact had the camera pointed at Nune. She was not at all phased by this. I mean if it was me, I would have had my date confiscate the camera and try to sell smiley an signed publicity picture. Not Nune, she is just one of us.
From the Grand Candy store, we went to a middle-eastern restaurant, which I guess Nune is a regular, as they were very attentive to her every need. I asked where the restroom was, as I guess I had too much chocolate milk at the Grand Candy store and they told me that usually they don�t let the customers use it, but seeing who I came in with (Nune), I can use it all I want. Talk about celebrity power!
Nune�s friends showed up after the Cabaret and we sat around and had a great time. The only thing I did notice was that when she got talking to her friends, she kind of left me out of the conversation. During those times, Zabel made up for the shortfall and made it a point that Nune would notice. Irregardless, I was having a great time, just to be able to sit next to Nune.
I noticed that Nune�s attention span is somewhat short, as before her friends were done with their meal, she wanted to leave and invited me over to her place. I could not believe the offer and almost said no, but figured that the night was still young and it would give me something to write about.
We took a cab to Nune�s flat and for a celebrity I have to say that I was impressed with what a humble place she has. It�s right in the center of Yerevan and looks like a fancy Ikea showroom, but still reflected to me that this was one down to earth woman.
We sat to tea and talked a little about me and then about her. I learned that her up coming concert (the one with the $100 tickets) she has made changes so there will be no $150k outdoor theater built and it will now be held at the Hamaler (sports complex) and the tickets are now in the $20 range. I guess all the stuff we wrote about her on the log made sense to her.
Just as the night was starting to get interesting, there was a knock at the door. It was one of Nune�s friends Eric. He joined us and we all talked until I could see that there was no end to my visit, so at 1 AM, I gave Nune a big hug and thanked her for the evening. She told me that she had a good time too and wanted to see me the next day. She said that she was working on the Diaspora Conference committee and invited me to join her at 7 PM at the MFA. Of course I accepted.
The next day at 7 PM, I made my way to the MFA and Nune was outside waiting for me. We walked in together and she got me passed the metal detector, which I guess my belt-buckle or maybe my gun was setting off. Since I was with Nune, she vouched for me and I was in without a strip search.
I was introduced to all her friends and some of them already knew me from the logs. She told to sit at the head of the table. In walked the chair of the meeting and I guess I was in her spot, but instead of asking me to give up the chair to her (which is what I would have done and not in a very nice way), I guess she realized that I was Nune�s date and asked me in a very diplomatic way to share the head of the table with her. I remained seated and the chair stood the during the whole meeting. Looking back at it now, I guess I should have given her the chair. Sorry chairlady.
The meeting was great and I want to really say that this is not going to be like the first Diaspora conference of 1999, but something very different (in a good way). I really get the feeling that this conference is going to be worth attending. Not because Nune and I are going to be there (though that wont hurt), but because we are going to address many of the problems that Armenia is facing, with a plan to have on going work to solve many of them. The chairlady, without a chair encourage us to invite as many people as we could so they would get on a plane and make their way out to Armenia to attend. I can say from a couple of message that I recently got, that some of our readers are attending because of all the bugging I�ve been doing. So here is another plug for the conference. Click on this link to go straight to the registration page of the Second Diaspora Conference (but do this after you read the rest of my log).
The meeting finished and after Nune was able to satisfy her adoring fans appetite for her attention, we jumped into a cab and were off to dinner.
She told the driver to take us to the Thai Kitchen on Grill Street. I could not believe my ears and remember Lena and how I told her that I would take her out for Thai food. So here is something that Nune and Lena certainly have in common.
Nune told me that her friend Eric was going to be joining us. I guess Eric is Nune�s bodyguard or something, as he always seems to show up. Nonetheless, he�s a really nice guy and besides I just wanted to get to know Nune for the study of what Lena and her have in common and Eric didn�t at all stand in our way of getting to know each other.
We had a wonderful dinner and because I was leaving early the next morning, I ended our date at the restaurant, thanking Nune for the wonderful two days of dating. I have to say that it was a very pleasant experience.
As for my date with Lena, that will have to wait until my next trip to Yerevan, which I guess will be around the time of the conference.
Well it looks like I got half the research done that I wrote about (Lena and Nune date).
On Saturday, after a nice spaghetti lunch at Madlene�s, I got an invitation to the really hot and really new Cabaret show. Yes they even have them here.
I arranged to meet up with Madlene that evening at the theater next to the manuscript library and when I arrived, who was there but none other than Nune!!! I figured it was the perfect moment to ask her out and went straight up to her, giving her a big hug, like a long lost friends. She was so accepting of my advances that I popped the question and she accepted!
So we went into the show and my ticket that Madlene gave me put me sitting next our very own Raffi K. and Zabel. I told them about my date and they would not believe me. I was a bit disturbed by their lack of belief and wanted to change seats with the people sitting next to Nune, so then I could wave to Raffi with my arm around her, but by this time the lights were dimmed and the show was about to start.
Someone from the staff got on stage and announced that that this show was being videotaped and asked us to be extra active with our laughs and clapping. It reminded me of my youth and going to a game show taping where we learned how to clap so it would sound like there were many more people in the audience then there actually was.
The show began and I have a feeling that it was funny, but I really could not find the humor in it. The guy sitting me my left and his girlfriend were into it, but Raffi, Zabel and I seemed to be forcing ourselves into being extra active.
At intermission, we got up to stretch and Nune walked up to me to comment on how much I seem to have been enjoying myself, being that I was clapping fast, hard and loud (something I learned at the taping of the game-show). I wanted to keep our relationship on an honest level so I confessed to her that I really was not getting the jokes and was just clapping to be supportive. She smiled and said that she too was not getting most of the jokes. Raffi, who I had to wake-up when intermission came told me that he and Zabel were going to leave and invited Nune and I to come along (I think he did this just to see if I was really going to date Nune). I�m not sure who Nune came with, but she didn�t give it a second thought and next thing I knew, we were off to have Punchig�s (cream filled doughnuts) and chocolate milk, at the Grand Candy store.
I have to tell you that Nune and I really hit it off. She is not at all conceded like I had picture her to be, but she really is very popular. At the Grand Candy store, everyone was staring at her. One woman had her son pose kind of next to Nune, and pretended to be taking his picture, but in fact had the camera pointed at Nune. She was not at all phased by this. I mean if it was me, I would have had my date confiscate the camera and try to sell smiley an signed publicity picture. Not Nune, she is just one of us.
From the Grand Candy store, we went to a middle-eastern restaurant, which I guess Nune is a regular, as they were very attentive to her every need. I asked where the restroom was, as I guess I had too much chocolate milk at the Grand Candy store and they told me that usually they don�t let the customers use it, but seeing who I came in with (Nune), I can use it all I want. Talk about celebrity power!
Nune�s friends showed up after the Cabaret and we sat around and had a great time. The only thing I did notice was that when she got talking to her friends, she kind of left me out of the conversation. During those times, Zabel made up for the shortfall and made it a point that Nune would notice. Irregardless, I was having a great time, just to be able to sit next to Nune.
I noticed that Nune�s attention span is somewhat short, as before her friends were done with their meal, she wanted to leave and invited me over to her place. I could not believe the offer and almost said no, but figured that the night was still young and it would give me something to write about.
We took a cab to Nune�s flat and for a celebrity I have to say that I was impressed with what a humble place she has. It�s right in the center of Yerevan and looks like a fancy Ikea showroom, but still reflected to me that this was one down to earth woman.
We sat to tea and talked a little about me and then about her. I learned that her up coming concert (the one with the $100 tickets) she has made changes so there will be no $150k outdoor theater built and it will now be held at the Hamaler (sports complex) and the tickets are now in the $20 range. I guess all the stuff we wrote about her on the log made sense to her.
Just as the night was starting to get interesting, there was a knock at the door. It was one of Nune�s friends Eric. He joined us and we all talked until I could see that there was no end to my visit, so at 1 AM, I gave Nune a big hug and thanked her for the evening. She told me that she had a good time too and wanted to see me the next day. She said that she was working on the Diaspora Conference committee and invited me to join her at 7 PM at the MFA. Of course I accepted.
The next day at 7 PM, I made my way to the MFA and Nune was outside waiting for me. We walked in together and she got me passed the metal detector, which I guess my belt-buckle or maybe my gun was setting off. Since I was with Nune, she vouched for me and I was in without a strip search.
I was introduced to all her friends and some of them already knew me from the logs. She told to sit at the head of the table. In walked the chair of the meeting and I guess I was in her spot, but instead of asking me to give up the chair to her (which is what I would have done and not in a very nice way), I guess she realized that I was Nune�s date and asked me in a very diplomatic way to share the head of the table with her. I remained seated and the chair stood the during the whole meeting. Looking back at it now, I guess I should have given her the chair. Sorry chairlady.
The meeting was great and I want to really say that this is not going to be like the first Diaspora conference of 1999, but something very different (in a good way). I really get the feeling that this conference is going to be worth attending. Not because Nune and I are going to be there (though that wont hurt), but because we are going to address many of the problems that Armenia is facing, with a plan to have on going work to solve many of them. The chairlady, without a chair encourage us to invite as many people as we could so they would get on a plane and make their way out to Armenia to attend. I can say from a couple of message that I recently got, that some of our readers are attending because of all the bugging I�ve been doing. So here is another plug for the conference. Click on this link to go straight to the registration page of the Second Diaspora Conference (but do this after you read the rest of my log).
The meeting finished and after Nune was able to satisfy her adoring fans appetite for her attention, we jumped into a cab and were off to dinner.
She told the driver to take us to the Thai Kitchen on Grill Street. I could not believe my ears and remember Lena and how I told her that I would take her out for Thai food. So here is something that Nune and Lena certainly have in common.
Nune told me that her friend Eric was going to be joining us. I guess Eric is Nune�s bodyguard or something, as he always seems to show up. Nonetheless, he�s a really nice guy and besides I just wanted to get to know Nune for the study of what Lena and her have in common and Eric didn�t at all stand in our way of getting to know each other.
We had a wonderful dinner and because I was leaving early the next morning, I ended our date at the restaurant, thanking Nune for the wonderful two days of dating. I have to say that it was a very pleasant experience.
As for my date with Lena, that will have to wait until my next trip to Yerevan, which I guess will be around the time of the conference.
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