Take THAT, Russia!

I will confess that my evil side tends to surface when I discover a way to turn the tables on the Russians. This happens very rarely, but it does happen! For example. I am now thoroughly used to the fact that I often forget Russian names. They're very difficult for me to say/remember/spell, and the Russians know this. They find it highly amusing.
So, after suffering through this for about a month, I discovered their mutual Achilles heel, and have been cruelly exploiting it ever since--they cannot, for the life of them, understand the name Soper.
This was discovered by the purest chance the first time one of my classmates asked me what my last name was. "Soper," I said. For heaven's sakes--it's two syllables. And (of course) to my ears, an extremely simple sounding name--clean consonants, clear vowels, none of these warm, furry, bristling Russian consonants. There was a little silence while everyone looked at me.
"Yesho ras?" they said, curiously (which basically means--"say that again, please.")
"Soper."
"Eh?"
"Soper," I repeat.
"Hm," they nod, pretending to catch it.
"S. O. P. E. R," I spell it out in Russian letters. Comprehension dawns.
"AH!" they say, understanding. "Soapyerrrrr." (Silly Americans--they just can't pronounce their names right.) I love it when this happens. And don't judge me--I'm not mocking them, I'm extremely fond of these people, but I've waded through two months now of asking people to spell their names, so it's only fair. I think that the consonants almost don't appear on Russian radar--they're used to these very strong, rough consonants, (zh, zzz, rrr, ts, ch as examples) and so the unrolled r's don't really register.
Another headline in today's news is, of course, the weather--cold, but not absurdly so. I'm actually uncomfortably warm if I'm indoors over five minutes without taking my coat off, because I've got this warm knit hat, gloves, scarf, and a very heavy winter coat on (plus two layers underneath.) This is the minimal, pre-winter garb of Russia. YES! Also, Russian men have this really not-acceptable-in-America habit of spitting in the street--I can tell it's cold because there are little frozen patches all over the sidewalk (in Russian, sidewalk is "trotuar." Just thought I'd share that.)
Ah! And, in a wonderful bit of news, I'm going to see Othello in the theater tonight! Woo-hoo! I'll tell you how it is in Russian.