Dear Diary,
Many of the people of my empire believe that the only thing that I do and enjoy is ruling the great Russian Empire. This is, however, entirely false. I enjoy many of the finer things in life besides running our great empire. One of my favorite things to do in my past time is attend the Opera. In fact, I have invited many composers and musicians to this country in order to perform and compose many more operas. In Germany (where I was born), music is a large part of life and I intend to keep it that way. I also enjoy writing plays, specifically comedies, which help me escape my otherwise stressful life as the longest ruling and most well known female ruler of the Russian Empire. Maintaining the golden age of this empire and its nobility is no easy task. Not only have I maintained the current empire, but I have even managed to expand our territories into the Americas. My philosophy of the correct way to rule is derived from the writings of Voltaire, who I have been in contact. Sadly, however, he has recently passed away. I must admit, I wept bitterly at the news of his death. Ever since the death of my husband, I have had numerous romances with different men. But before I even consider being with them, I have my assistant spend a night with them to see if they are even worthy of my presence. It's getting late now, and I have to wake at 5 tomorrow morning.
My Regards,
Catherine
