KA SEMENOVA
@kasemenova.bsky.social
Writer, editor, lapsed Russianist
That guy up there on the left is Vladimir, in Titicut Follies. He was my uncle. I’m writing abt him on Substack.
https://substack.com/@kasemenova?utm_source=byline
That guy up there on the left is Vladimir, in Titicut Follies. He was my uncle. I’m writing abt him on Substack.
https://substack.com/@kasemenova?utm_source=byline
I thought I’d reached the limits of hating presidents with GWB (& Cheney) twenty years ago, but lo & behold, I was capable of more.
November 28, 2025 at 1:51 AM
I thought I’d reached the limits of hating presidents with GWB (& Cheney) twenty years ago, but lo & behold, I was capable of more.
Yep, my grandpa wld toss out “women’s libbers” to start crap at holidays, then my dad & uncles would go at him w/Nixon or Vietnam. My grandma & aunts usually got it quieted down, depending on how much alcohol had been consumed. But there were no big ruptures; they’d just do it again next time.
November 27, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Yep, my grandpa wld toss out “women’s libbers” to start crap at holidays, then my dad & uncles would go at him w/Nixon or Vietnam. My grandma & aunts usually got it quieted down, depending on how much alcohol had been consumed. But there were no big ruptures; they’d just do it again next time.
It isn't just the ones she's getting now tho; they would probably persist through the midterms. Trump vowed to primary her, so a (more) Maga competitor would probably make her district a scary place to be during her campaign. She really was looking at nothing but harassment for the next year.
November 22, 2025 at 5:37 PM
It isn't just the ones she's getting now tho; they would probably persist through the midterms. Trump vowed to primary her, so a (more) Maga competitor would probably make her district a scary place to be during her campaign. She really was looking at nothing but harassment for the next year.
Who are the security guys? Russians or Poles?
November 20, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Who are the security guys? Russians or Poles?
Some of us must be born like this. Since childhood, I’ve been puzzled by “pride” esp.—in being American, or a Buckeye (my state/sports)—bc I had zero to do with it. Should I be proud I’m 5’2” too?
Two history degrees later, I am no closer to understanding why ppl need to attach “pride” to the past.
Two history degrees later, I am no closer to understanding why ppl need to attach “pride” to the past.
November 7, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Some of us must be born like this. Since childhood, I’ve been puzzled by “pride” esp.—in being American, or a Buckeye (my state/sports)—bc I had zero to do with it. Should I be proud I’m 5’2” too?
Two history degrees later, I am no closer to understanding why ppl need to attach “pride” to the past.
Two history degrees later, I am no closer to understanding why ppl need to attach “pride” to the past.
And this afternoon, I found the death record for him. He lived 8 hours.
Cause of death: “sudorogi” (seizures, convulsions), which doesn’t say much really. The term seems to be a description of death as much as a cause. It appears frequently in the records.
Cause of death: “sudorogi” (seizures, convulsions), which doesn’t say much really. The term seems to be a description of death as much as a cause. It appears frequently in the records.
November 6, 2025 at 8:21 PM
And this afternoon, I found the death record for him. He lived 8 hours.
Cause of death: “sudorogi” (seizures, convulsions), which doesn’t say much really. The term seems to be a description of death as much as a cause. It appears frequently in the records.
Cause of death: “sudorogi” (seizures, convulsions), which doesn’t say much really. The term seems to be a description of death as much as a cause. It appears frequently in the records.
And not to put too fine a point on it, but this morning I found a birth record for my grandmother’s brother: Aleksandr, born Feb 1910.
It was a real rush bc oral history is that she had brothers, maybe 2 or 3, but we’ve never had names or dates for them.
But I knew enough to be apprehensive too.
It was a real rush bc oral history is that she had brothers, maybe 2 or 3, but we’ve never had names or dates for them.
But I knew enough to be apprehensive too.
November 6, 2025 at 8:14 PM
And not to put too fine a point on it, but this morning I found a birth record for my grandmother’s brother: Aleksandr, born Feb 1910.
It was a real rush bc oral history is that she had brothers, maybe 2 or 3, but we’ve never had names or dates for them.
But I knew enough to be apprehensive too.
It was a real rush bc oral history is that she had brothers, maybe 2 or 3, but we’ve never had names or dates for them.
But I knew enough to be apprehensive too.
He does drive. I saw video Melania posted in like 2015 of him driving them back from Long Island or something. He might not do it very often -- & I doubt he's ever been in a grocery store -- but he did drive, at one time anyway.
November 5, 2025 at 2:38 PM
He does drive. I saw video Melania posted in like 2015 of him driving them back from Long Island or something. He might not do it very often -- & I doubt he's ever been in a grocery store -- but he did drive, at one time anyway.