Posting Pictures of You and Your Lady

[KenC]

I'm very proud of them, tough as nails, both of ''em

.
As well you should be proud!
KenC

[jb]

Thanks, Ken,

I'm more proud that the boy graduated high school at age 14 and will finish up with his MSEE at age 21, but he's still a good looking boy in any case.  He's worked very hard for his degree, never earning a single "B", all "A"s through 5 years of University without any pussy courses I might add.  Like his mom, a real math and physics wiz kid.

[groovlstk]

more,

I must say he looks less sacred before this jump than the other guys in the plane.

JB, the Marty Feldman-looking guy seems about to give birth! Not that I'd trade places with, mind you...

[Vaughn]

jb,

 Those are some great photos! One of the guys in that group shot
resembles a paratrooper with whom I shared a train compartment on
my way back to Moscow last month. He asks me, Будете пицца?
Pizza? Did I hear right? He digs into his duffel bag, pulls out a box, and
inside was his Mama's Sicilian deep dish creation. We talked all night
about aviation, the Cold War and Italian recipes...

  jb, you've got multiple reasons to be proud. I only hope I can steer
my three daughters towards the achievements your family has realized.

[KenC]

Thanks, Ken,

I'm more proud that the boy graduated high school at age 14 and will finish up with his MSEE at age 21, but he's still a good looking boy in any case.  He's worked very hard for his degree, never earning a single "B", all "A"s through 5 years of University without any pussy courses I might add.  Like his mom, a real math and physics wiz kid.

Um, don't they call that a "Red" diploma in Moscow?
KenC

[jb]

uuhhh,,why do I suspect the input of Lena here?   Who else would know about the coveted MSU red diploma? Yep, a Red Diploma is what we're talking about.  Maximum academic achievement.  Magna cum laude is at least 80% all "A"s, no more than 20% "B"s, no "C"s; summa cum laude is all "A"s through 6 years of a higher math and science program.  We have our fingers crossed for the Red Diploma.

[jb]

Vaughn,

Thanks for the kind words.   Three daughter you said??? Hummmmm....(cogitating here)

For the benefit of the newbies just tuning in, my wife and I have been a couple for a very long time.  I had helped raise and educate these two boys for several years before we actually tied the knot. They are very much my sons in spite of the fact that they have a biological father not on the job. 

[PeeWee]

Here's my latest addition to the family photo album.  Dima, (Dimitry) youngest stepson, has become a Russian paratrooper.  Thankfully, this is just a summer training thing as he goes through ROTC training as he prepares for his final year at Moscow State University to complete his Masters program.  He graduates in the spring with a MSEE and hopefully his GC will get him on a plane over here ASAP.

Here is a book that h e might be interested in, jb. It was published by a photo journalist/paratrooper friend of mine.

 www.amazon.com/gp/product/1580084168/sr=1-7/qid=1153807154/ref=sr_1_7/104-7445188-4222325?ie=UTF8&s=books 

If the link did not work you can find it at Amazon.com  as "Afghanistan: A Russian Soldier's Story" (Paperback)
by Vladislav Tamarov

After reading he might rethink his dream to fly. Maybe not.

Peewee

[KenC]

jb,
Lena's cousin graduated with a red diploma in something to do with computers.
KenC

[Jet]

jb,
Very nice pics. Ya know, Dima is one of the rare few guys that makes me reflect on my own life and say to myself "What the f**k have you been doing all these years!"
You aand Etna have every reason to be very very proud!

[catzenmouse]

jb,

 I was thinking along the same lines Jet wrote. I cringe when I think of all the time, money, and brain cells that I wasted at that age out there trying to "find myself". What did it get me? A few interesting memories and having to go back to school later in life to get a "real job".

 Dima has got a great future ahead of him and he'll probably be able to retire and travel the world at the same age that I was just starting to get my sh!t together and catch a clue. You both have - Done Did Good!

Ken

jb,
Very nice pics. Ya know, Dima is one of the rare few guys that makes me reflect on my own life and say to myself "What the f**k have you been doing all these years!"
You aand Etna have every reason to be very very proud!

[Wild Orchid*]

jb,

 I was thinking along the same lines Jet wrote. I cringe when I think of all the time, money, and brain cells that I wasted at that age out there trying to "find myself". What did it get me? A few interesting memories and having to go back to school later in life to get a "real job".

 Dima has got a great future ahead of him and he'll probably be able to retire and travel the world at the same age that I was just starting to get my sh!t together and catch a clue. You both have - Done Did Good!

Ken

I dare to say it requires talent as well, so don’t bit yourself up.

My boy failed his 2 exams, he is changing his course altogether. There are no crossed fingers for us as far as Red Diploma is concerned.  We will be veeeeery happy with the Blue one. 

[PeeWee]

I dare to say it requires talent as well, so don’t bit yourself up.

My boy failed his 2 exams, he is changing his course altogether. There are now crossed fingers for us as far as Red Diploma is concerned.  We will be veeeeery happy with the Blue one. 

To achieve success at any level is what we all hope for in our children. Blue, red, green...whatever...the accomplishment is what is truely important. My son did the same, WO. Two years as a computer science major at one of the most prestigious colleges in the nation. He did not make it but he knew it. Undaunted he began again. A new major, make that a double major. I did not see his readjustment as a failure at all. His mom and I gave him some slack and a whole lot of encouragement. Last quarter he scored the highest test sciore that had ever been scored in a required calc class at his college. That single achievement became his spring board and he is now well on his way. I just want him to graduate from college and to be happy and interested in whatever vocation he so chooses. Be very happy with the blue one, WO. I would be too.

Peewee

[BillyB]

and more,,, after the jump and he has survived..... Actually he and his buddy are very good looking kids and I'm very proud of them, tough as nails, both of ''em.

What I'm wondering is why Dima's friend is wearing an American BDU(battle dress uniform)? Also in the other pic, nobody is wearing consistant styled BDUs. Doesn't the Russian military supply these young men in training with their own BDUs or do these guys go to the local military surplus store to pick up their own gear?

[jb]

Billy,

Understand that these are Dima's university mates.  Really just school boys, but under the Russian system, they all have a military obligation, (much like the draft, if you can remember that far back), and they must complete some amount of military training while in school.  You may have noticed that Dima is wearing some kind of unit or rank insignia on his collar point that the other guys don't have, I suspect it's just a cadet rank or designation, I'll have to ask him what it is.  Because Dima's normal study course load is rather heavy, he opted to do his required training during a summer semister, as did some of the other boys.

You asked about their uniforms, well, the short answer is; "I dunno".  To that end I'm attaching another, earlier, photo taken right after they were given their uniform issue.  It looks to me like they may have been given some recycled clothing out of the Russian ROTC Rag Bag maintained on campus.  Who knows?   I noticed in some of the other pics he's sent, some of the boys are wearing the BDU shirt and blue jeans so I have to suspect the uniform dress code is not strictly enforced on campus.

I will ask about that when he gets home in about 10 days.

 

[Vaughn]

Interesting photo - look at the lettering on the
sidewalk. Looks like -  с днём рождения -
Somebody's had a birthday!

Nice looking group of guys, ready for adventure!

[ecr844]

Hello Everyone,


I was recently given permission...errr..ordered..ahh..we decided that it would be ok to post a pic or two and relax the no pics policy alittle bit. So here's a few pics of me and my GF from my trip in May.






Eric

[Turboguy]

Wow, nice pic Eric.  You two make a nice couple too.

[ecr844]

Thanks, Turboguy.
Eric

[ecr844]

 Also, congrats on your anniversary Vaughn!!!{Belatedly}
Eric

[catzenmouse]

You've got yourself a lovely lady there Eric! Congrats and keep up the good work!

Ken

[beattledog]

I think that posting the photos depends on the coupe and if , they desire, others to know.  Some people are very private, in their lives, and continue to be so after marriage.   Just my thought.

beattledog

[Doug S]

Where should we "post" the photos?

As attachments to posts in this thread, or in the "Gallery"?

And if in the "Gallery," under which topic or category?

[Elen]

What I'm wondering is why Dima's friend is wearing an American BDU(battle dress uniform)? Also in the other pic, nobody is wearing consistant styled BDUs. Doesn't the Russian military supply these young men in training with their own BDUs or do these guys go to the local military surplus store to pick up their own gear?

I understand little in American military uniform but Russian military does supply those who it drafts with Russian uniform. As Dima is a student of University I doubt that he was drafted exactly by Russian military ( as far as I recall in my times students were drafted only for 2 months and only in those Universities which had military sub-faculties ( but not in parachute forces for sure but in those which were connected with specialization those students get in the Universities)  and they were supplied with uniform for that period) But times could change and physicists from MGU jump with parachutes parachutes now during summer musters - don't know I have a daughter thank God  )

PS Red diploma means 75% of A "perfect" marks at exams which are signed in enclosure list to diploma, ( not all exams are included there),  all so called state exams (some exams at last year)  and diploma project with A(" perfect " )mark  as well and no C marks in enclosure list

[Admin]

Where should we "post" the photos?

As attachments to posts in this thread, or in the "Gallery"?

And if in the "Gallery," under which topic or category?

That is a good question - one of the 'problems' with having a site performing multiple functions, I guess.

Most people in this topic have chosen to 'Attach' their photos to their posts. It is quick and easy.

If you prefer - or in addition - you can add your photos in the Gallery. We have a number of categories there, including: Family Photos, Wedding Photos, Photos taken in various FSU locations (Kiev, Moscow, etc.), and Miscellaneous. If you do not see an appropriate category, just let me know and I can create one.

- Dan