Strange Americans, Part 2

[peacetraveler22]

Today is a special day! The birth date of a very strange American, my Uncle Dean. He is the oldest brother on my mom's side and a unique character. If you ever meet him, you will remember it for a lifetime. He's been a roofer his entire life, climbing on top of houses in boiling heat or freezing cold. Mixing and smelling hard chemicals. A hard laborer with an immense amount of knowledge packed in his brain. This knowledge hasn't been knocked out, despite several falls from high altitudes, broken ribs and even legs in the course of his roofing work.

What's so unique about him? First, he's an American "picker." This is a term for people who travel all over the States, and even the world, searching for unique items to collect. His house is like a living museum, storing one of a kind artifacts intertwined with useless junk. He has huge piles of Playboy magazines from every decade, a lot of Civil War memorabilia, old political posters and buttons, stamps/coins, vintage electronics and toys. The list goes on and on. One day I'll take a visit to his home and photograph some of his "picked" items for the blog. At any family gathering, he's the life of the party. Here, a photo from our Christmas gathering where we had an ugly sweater contest. Notice the bizarre costume? The Nixon button? Yes, this is crazy Uncle Dean! :)



Second, he's an avid reader and military veteran. He was stationed in Germany during the Vietnam war and can spend hours telling you stories about prostitutes he slept with and troops he met along the way. He will say the strangest things, engage in random conversation topics and basically make you scratch your head at times. Is he really from this planet? This is a burning family question.



Do you have such a crazy relative in your family? Someone who always makes life interesting? Please share.

Later in the week, my first post from the Eastern Euro journey!

Comments

[yellowcup-me.livejournal.com]

Very interesting story! Your dad is an extraordinary man :)

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

It is not my dad, but rather my mom's brother. However, my dad is in one of the photos. The gray-haired man with the glasses. :) There are many unusual people in my family, but Uncle Dean is the best! Thanks for reading.

[yellowcup-me.livejournal.com]

Oh! I am sorry! My English is not so good, so, I always miss important things :))))

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

No problem! If you ever have questions about the English language, just send me a message. I'm happy to help!

[yellowcup-me.livejournal.com]

You are so kind! Thanks a lot!!!

[fesma94.livejournal.com]

Well come back!) Very interesting !!! ) Thanks!! Your Uncle is very cool!!!

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Thank you, feels strange to be back in America.

[inamora.livejournal.com]

He's funny and cute )))))
How old is he?

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

He has a great personality! Smart, funny, but he's 68! This is not too old? :) He looks like a homeless person sometimes, but earns a nice income. Maybe he can be your American "sugar daddy." Do you know this term? I will gladly welcome you into my family! :))

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Yes, my family has good genes. Most of us look young for our age. What is the Cyrillic spelling? Is it папик?

[plushevii-zaits.livejournal.com]

Grandpapik, then, to be properly respected :)

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

This Russian word "papic" it's not properly explained through a Google search. I'm not sure I understand the meaning of the word, or whether it is in fact equivocal to our term "sugar daddy."

[siberian-cat.livejournal.com]

Yes, "papik" is "sugar daddy".

[plushevii-zaits.livejournal.com]

If you need a proof link, this dictionary is at your service http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/папик
Anytime, feel free to ask whatever you feel like about Russian language! Or English, too:)))

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[amandakysses.livejournal.com]

Gosh I love your parents so much! Give them big hugs from me. (I love you too)

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

You've met Uncle Dean, or no?

[amandakysses.livejournal.com]

no, just your aunts.. but he seems just as sweet and wonderful.

[general-denikin.livejournal.com]

I'd love to talk with this guy. About opportunities to pick up the prostitutes in Europe and something else.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

The opportunity to pick up prostitutes is everywhere, no matter the nation. :) In some countries, you just have to search harder to find them. On our Eastern Euro journey, no effort was involved. In many of the countries, they were standing right on the side of the highway. Easy access! And probably also very cheap. :))

[general-denikin.livejournal.com]

I was just kidding you. I don't need prostitutes at all. I love my girlfriend very much. It was a kind of joke. But the russian bloggers would said I've been trolling you. Is it a difference for american bloggers between joking and trolling?

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

I knew you were kidding. :) Oh yes, there's a big difference between joking and trolling. I can usually recognize the distinction. Internet trolling - this is a Russian specialty! It doesn't happen so much on American platforms. I don't know any other non-Russian, English language bloggers on LJ. We are a rarity.

[general-denikin.livejournal.com]

You're wrong. Lot of americans have been using LJ. Just go to communities like ONTD or talk_politics for example.
BTW you 're looking the same as Anna Chapman. I can barely tell you apart.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

I meant English language travel bloggers. There are others? If so, please tell me about them. LJ is primarily a Russian platform. Very few people in the U.S. even know what it is, although it originated here. Anna Chapman, you are not the first person to say this. :)) In real life, I look nothing like her.

[general-denikin.livejournal.com]

Travel bloggers are rarity on the Earth, not just on LJ. I know english speaking people prefere Twitter or Facebook platforms, but on LJ english speaking community ontd boasts ~ 100,000 users. Pretty much, right?

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

I know about this community, but the content to me is trash. Mostly about entertainment and pop culture, nothing really substantive. I don't equate Facebook with LJ. Facebook isn't a blogging site. It's just for social networking, keeping in touch with people's lives, photos, etc. We don't use it in the same way Russians use LJ. Unfortunately, Americans don't have one platform with a mass of bloggers like LJ. Instead, there are stand alone travel sites/blogs. This makes it much harder to grow an audience. It's easier on LJ if you find the right niche. That's why I like it here.

[general-denikin.livejournal.com]

Yes, LJ is a part of the russian life, not american. That is why you are looking as russian spy.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

:))

[siberian-cat.livejournal.com]

This is American individualism vs. Russian collectivism. :)

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Interesting observation, and completely correct!

[todash-tahken.livejournal.com]

interesting person :-)

greetings from Poland

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Poland! Beautiful country. I liked it a lot.

[real-marsel.livejournal.com]

I love american culture, american tradition, and I do not think americans're crazy.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Some Americans are crazy! My family has a lot of traditions, especially around the holidays. I'll be sure to write about them this year. Russian culture - I can't say I love it, but it's certainly interesting in some respects.

[real-marsel.livejournal.com]

My family has one tradition - cook much meal for Easter and New Year.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Are your family gatherings formal, or informal? My family usually does buffet style, where everyone brings a different dish (food) for the meal. We all grab plates, eat and walk around talking to each other. There's no fancy, sit down dinner or meal. Very casual but fun.

[real-marsel.livejournal.com]

Formal. We sit at the table, have talking and eat.

[vitsky.livejournal.com]

You have a very interesting family. :)

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

They are lovely people! I spend almost all of my free time on weekends with them. :)

Этого добра у нас валом

[andrey-kaminsky.livejournal.com]

My grandfather was a very interesting person. When the war began, he was 11 years old. He had to quit school and start working on a tractor on the farm. At the same time, he began to smoke and foul language. He remained illiterate for the rest of his life. During the war, food was not enough often, and he learned how to shoot crows by a bow, no worse than any Indian.

Re: Этого добра у нас валом

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Are you joking or serious? If the latter, then I think it's a very difficult life being illiterate. Shooting crows? In the U.S., we shoot and eat everything. Birds, squirrels, bears, deer, bison....

Re: Этого добра у нас валом

[andrey-kaminsky.livejournal.com]

My grandmother lived in the Tambov region. During the war, the people there were eating grass. Quinoa, clover, immature ears of wheat. I have no doubt that the Americans also eat a lot of clover. It looks like you can not imagine how cruel war can be. Although, of course, it is better not to know it than to know very well.

[rider3099.livejournal.com]

Your uncle has definitely charismatic personality! :)