Back in the US of A

Hello friends and family!

I'm back in the US of A and in typical Gitner fashion, I've immediately caught a cold. Some cosmic force definitely has a sense of humor. On the bright side, I'm all moved into my room and it feels like home already.

I've got to run some errands, but prepare for a Gitnerblog revamp in the coming days as I'm no longer "Living in London." It's good to be back.

USA

Forcing people to study continuously for 4 weeks is cruel and unusual punishment, so I need to vent.

I don't carrrrrreeeeee anymore. Just let me come backkkkkkk!

Yeah, yeah. I'm leaving in four days, but the closer the day to leaving comes, the more excruciating each remaining day is. On the bright side, I've got a concert and BBQ to look forward to.

Knackered and Ready for DC

I'm knackered, as the Brits say. Knackered from work and knackered from nothing. It's strange how within a week, I've gone from feeling like my time in London is too short to feeling like I desperately want to be back in Georgetown. My change of mood happens to coincide with the nearing of my first exam, which obviously has influenced my feelings. Also, the weather has returned to normal: overcast and 55 degrees Fahrenheit, which is fine, except when I know there's something better (SUMMER) awaiting me an ocean away.

This was my second to last weekend working at EB. Work is a good distraction and it's a nice time to chat with people, but it definitely tired me out. A 7:45AM wakeup is not how I prefer to start my Saturday mornings... so I rewarded myself with Starbucks. Vanilla latte... mmm. I can't remember the last time I had one.

After standing for 8 hours at work on Saturday, I went to stand for another 2 hours at a Kaki King concert at the University of London Union. You can read my little review here at the Touch My Clickwheel blog. I felt a little sentimental about the United States while watching Kaki perform, because I remembered seeing her live for the first time a year and half ago at the State Theater in Falls Church, VA. It's not so far in the past, yet I know I've changed a lot since then. Not for better, not for worse; I'm just different. I had some of those "surreal" concert moments that I like to have at concerts where I feel a song is really applicable to life or where I feel a little moved. What can I say? I'm a sap underneath it all. Kaki King was probably my favorite show of London and funny enough, the last song she played was "Jessica."

So... this entry was a little more of the sap of earlier this year. Bear with me. I'll probably be on a roller coaster of emotions in this last stretch to the last exam.

Here's one of my favorite Kaki King songs. Check it out if you're curious what she's like.

Missing DC

I'm back home for the first time in over 7 months and I'm a little unsure of what to make of it. My dog remembers me and my dad does too. My room is pretty much how I left it. The Target is now a Super Target across the street from its original location. I didn't notice any other significant changes on the drive back from the airport.

I wish there was somewhere I could walk right now. I am starting to fear that I'll resort to becoming one of those people that goes to Starbucks to read or write. Normally, that's fine... you walked to M Street; it took work to get there. But to drive to Starbucks and sit down for a few hours? That seems different. Repulsively different. It feels good to be back home mostly because I can be coddled by my parents and leave my stuff somewhere knowing that it won't be displaced by the rightful owners of the space. But I actually already resent the doctor appointments that are stacking up and disrupting my plans to see the people I want to see when I'm home.

This summer definitely cemented DC's place as my home. I had the privilege of living in gloriously decrepit Darnall, in the even more run-down S Street house, and in the fresh but prison-like New South. California is good, but I miss everyone already. Talk to you soon.