meaning of " ochered' "

[Olga Meerson]

The most famous ochered' I know from Russian culture is described in Akhmatova's Requiem. So much for fun. Of course, many great friendships are formed in those queies, but fun is hardly the right word for that whole turmoil of a cultural phenomenon. 
o.m. 

----- Original Message -----
From: Alina Israeli <aisrael at AMERICAN.EDU>
Date: Monday, January 14, 2008 8:57 am
Subject: Re: [SEELANGS] meaning of " ochered' "

> I think fun in lines is in the eyes of the beholder. I was so  
> traumatized by lines coming out of the Soviet Union 30 years ago 
> that  
> for years (maybe ten or fifteen at least) refused to stand in any  
> lines involving more than 2 people.
> 
> Economically speaking the line was the counterpart of the 
> inflation:  
> whereas in the West the price would go up in the Soviet Union the  
> lines would get longer when the supplies got lower. Consequently,  
> connections to buy stuff was the most important currency of the  
> society which led to all kinds of favoritism, stratification even  
> within the nomenklatura and so on. Trade relations were so warped  
> that some of us found it outrageous and revolting.
> 
> Compared to American lines which happen for the toy of the day at  
> Xmas time — Tickle me Elmo, the cabbage patch kids (dolls) (if  
> anybody still remembers) and so on, or the concert tickets (people  
> used to camp overnight) and even the Picasso exibit, two things  
> happen/happened: 1. there was no viciousness familiar to us from 
> the  
> Soviet lines; 2. the market forces took over and some of those  
> concert tickets are sold only through ticketrons and are priced out 
> 
> of reach of students  and the Xmas hit toys (wii this year) are 
> sold  
> on e-bay and Craig's list at twice the cost.
> 
> On Jan 14, 2008, at 4:15 AM, Margarita Orlova wrote:
> >
> > I guess Russians are too self-critical, their lines often are 
> full  
> > of fun
> 
> 
> Alina Israeli
> LFS, American University
> 4400 Massachusetts Ave., NW
> Washington DC. 20016
> (202) 885-2387 	
> fax (202) 885-1076
> aisrael at american.edu
> 
> 
> 
> 
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