Wipe out!

So I totally bought it on the sidewalk alongside Bolshaya Moscovskaya on my way to VEMZ today. I was walking to the bus stop, where I catch the #7 trolleybus (the only public transportation that goes all the way to VEMZ), and it was snowing: a strong, steady, wet snow, but without the fearsome winds of the other day, so at least it was tolerable. And it was a little warmer, being about -5C or so. Anyhow, I was about half a block from the bus stop when the #7 passed me. Now, I know from experience that the #7 comes along roughly every 15 minutes (unlike, say, the #8, of which there are at least six for every #7 that rolls past). I did not wish to stand in the wet snow for fifteen minutes waiting for the next #7 to roll up, so I did what I have done many times in the past when in this situation: I began to sprint for the bus stop. And about three steps later I was flat on my back with the wind totally knocked out of me. Complete wipe out. Apparently, running in the snow is trickier than it looks. (Hey, don't laugh! I grew up in Florida.) As I lay on my back feeling thoroughly unpleasantly battered (remind me to never get kicked in the ribs, mm'kay?) I received an utterly incredulous look from the middle aged chap who, after witnessing the miraculous flying devushka, helped me to my feet. I also a stern lecture from a passing babushka on the dangers of running in the snow. "Devushka! What were you thinking? You should not run in weather like this! Next time you could get hurt! You need to walk slowly and carefully..." Yeah, well, she was catching the #8, so she only had to stick around the chilly, wet bus stop for thirty seconds after slowly and carefully shuffling herself there. Meanwhile, I waited a full seventeen minutes for the next #7. Yes, I timed it. At least I had my lovely, new, warm, orange, down-filled coat. Pleasure in the simple things, Annie, pleasure in the simple things.

At VEMZ (I wasn't late, although usually I arrive 20 minutes before the start of class, and today I was only about three minutes early). Nearly all of my students were there (a rarity of late, as they've been off on sporadic business trips quite frequently in recent weeks), and they were hoping that my "tardiness" meant that I wasn't coming due to the weather. See, today was their Oral Exam and they would have loved an excuse to avoid taking it. I don't know why they were all so worried - they did exceptionally well. The lowest grade was an 87, and the rest were in the 90s, with 97 being the highest. Rock! I am so proud of them. Let's hope their written exam (Thursday) goes as well. And of course there are the three oral exams I'm giving on Tuesday... we shall see. It's unfortunate that so many of my students missed last Friday because of the crazy weather, as it was the last review day before exams...