past life as a blast

So I live in Kentucky now, and nearly every day I wake up a little panicked and think "What the hell am I doing in Kentucky?"  Some days I wake up and think I'm in London and then remember that no, I am in Kentucky.  On those days I have a difficult time getting out of bed.   I don't have anything against Kentucky itself.  I'm sure it's a lovely place.  I just don't get to see much of it these days since I have no car and I live in a train yard.  A train yard next to an airport, landlocked and trapped without a car.  Oh, and there have been a series of break-ins and muggings in the neighborhood. Last week a group of people went through the apartment complex, broke in to places, stole car keys and then stole a bunch of cars.  The other day some guys forced their way into someone's house nearby and robbed them.  Yesterday 2 people were mugged in broad daylight next to the campus.

Fortunately I have a lot to be grateful for.  I haven't yet been mugged. I don't have a car for anyone to steal.  And I don't hate trains or train yards.  I kind of like them actually.  I like standing on the bridge that I take to school (not only is my apartment surrounded on all sides by train tracks, so is the campus), and watch them come or go.  They're usually filled up with shiny new Fords. One time I saw a pick up truck pull up nearly to the train tracks and a guy jump out, then the train stopped and he got on.  Curious.

I do spend a lot of time thinking about the things I am grateful for these days.  I got very lucky with my roommates.  Both are young (19 and 21) but only one of them is crazy (she talks to herself most of the time).  The other one reminds me a lot of myself, and we get along fantastically.  She's easy to talk to and her stepdad owns a cattle farm so now I get to eat fresh grass fed beef.  It's awesome.  She's also incredibly kind and fun/funny.  I seriously lucked out, and I enjoy coming home, making dinner, watching tv and chatting with my roommates.  It definitely helps fight off the loneliness.

Roommates (and boyfriend).  We went apple picking last week. 

School is going well too.  I read a lot.  I'd say it's what I do most often.  Apart from the writing and watching Spongebob Squarepants (it's always on and it sucks me in)

I also just finished my London Consortium MRes dissertation (remember how the UK is bizarro land? Over there PhD students write theses and Masters students write dissertations). I posted it last Friday and it got to London yesterday.  This is cause for rejoicing. (yay!)  Now I wait to see if I pass.

So I've been in Louisville for the last 6 weeks and it has been difficult for me.  But on the 30th of every month I get a check (that's today! another cause for rejoicing!) and I don't have to do anything for it but study.  It's a dream come true.  Also I've met a lot of nice people with cars, and so I haven't been entirely trapped in the train yard.  Maybe Louisville will become home soon.

I'm trying to not be too nostalgic for London, but the video for Okkervil River's song "Your Past Life As a Blast" was released today and it's the song that reminds me most of London.  I don't remember if I blogged about it, but I got to hang out with Okkervil River in London.  I met up with them in Trafalgar Square at midnight and walked with them to a club in Soho.  No, really, that happened.  I swear.   Here's proof.

Patrick the hot bass player with his arm around me (and my lovely Italian friend) at a swanky club in Soho. 

And in case you doubt that he is the hot bass player, here is another picture of him being hot and playing the bass.  Oh, it was a magical night.

So here's their new video.  It's lovely.


Your Past Life As A Blast from Okkervil River on Vimeo.