Greetings, Internet! Hope everyone’s as well as they can be. One of my reading groups came to an end, I learned how to harmonize, and I had my first weird covid dream! It involved Stephen Colbert for some reason? Oh, and it also involved a growing mountain that eventually consumed my high school. Like I said, ‘twas a weird dream. Daily summaries below!

Day One Hundred and Sixty-Two (8/21/20)

• Briefly FaceTimed my sister and niece this morning. I consider it a personal victory when my niece smiles and lets out a happy squeal when she sees me making goofy faces over the phone.
• Did the FES cycle.
• Last reading group of the summer! Oh, how I wish I could dedicate this much time to every academic book I had to read. Alas.
• Watched more “The Great British Baking Show” while scrolling through astrology memes. Sometimes when the Pisces (my Sun sign) memes don’t make sense, the Virgo (my rising sign) ones do. Then I put down my phone and did arm exercises. Because Virgos know how to stick to a schedule. #virgorising
• Currently feeling: That moment when song lyrics and a melody pop into your head, but you’re in the shower so you can’t write any of it down. And then you dash out of the shower and dry off your hands as quickly as possible so you can write the lyrics into your phone. This used to happen to me when I was in seminar-paper-writing mode, except instead of lyrics I’d make notes like, “Don’t forget to add a section on ninth-century queenship!” My bestie commented that I don’t know how to have a hobby, and she’s totally right. How could I not throw myself into the deep end of anything I pursue?
• Currently looping: “More Love” from “Little Voice.” It’s cute and upbeat, okay? “There is enough / So ask for more / To fill you up / Nobody’s keeping score / Do you know / What you fight for? / What you fight for? / I want more love.” I don’t care that it’s cheesy. Sara Bareilles can write all the cheese she wants and I will love it.

 

Day One Hundred and Sixty-Three (8/22/20)

• Family visit! My niece has the purest expression of joy on her face while eating a croissant that my mother baked. Also, she does not want to share her croissant with anyone. Smart girl.
• I went outside! So that makes seven times in a hundred and sixty-three days. Oof.
• Did a mini chocolate delivery. I posted a haul I did from The Chocolate Room, and a friend asked if I would need help consuming a pound of chocolate almond bark. I would, indeed. So she stopped by my building and picked some up. Gotta love my friends.
• Blockmate virtual hangout! It had been too long. I missed my blockmates oh so much. We were joined briefly by the cutest labradoodle ever. I also finished drinking a bottle of wine that my family didn’t finish earlier in the day.
• Currently feeling: Finished the evening sobering up while watching the 2015 live-action version of “Cinderella.” The film itself is gorgeous (like, costumes and setting are stunning). Cinderella’s dress is just, I swoon. In another life, I could rock that dress. Not so much in this life. That dress does not do well for those who sit. It’s funny because I literally wrote a song about how I’m done with pursuing a partner, and then I fawn over this film in which Prince Charming (hello, Richard Madden) searches the whole freaking kingdom for Cinderella.
• Currently looping: My Chemical Romance’s “Helena.” I’ve been going through the emo tunes lately, and gosh, I still love them.

 

Day One Hundred and Sixty-Four (8/23/20)

• I had my first weird covid dream last night (that I remembered). I was in a school that was pretty much empty, and for some reason this was my high school, and my history teacher (of course the only class I’m sitting in, pretty much alone except for the teacher) is Stephen Colbert. That’s right. He looked really somber. There was a mountain that kept growing across the river (my high school was right by the Hudson). It was going to hit the high school. Mr. Colbert (if he’s a teacher, he’s going to be discussed like a teacher) gave me an assignment that involved me leaving the room (presumably to safety). Basically, I had to bring an item of his (it looked like a small family heirloom?) to another teacher (questionable whether that teacher was in the building). I’m not sure why he had to stay in the room as the mountain consumed the school, but he did. Then I woke up.
• Did the FES cycle. Finished “The Great British Baking Show”! Now to watch the holiday specials?
• Did a FaceTime with a couple of HGSE friends. #triotime
• “WONDER WOMAN 1984” TRAILER. YES. ALL OF THIS. YES.
• My “Girl Crush” cover hit 100 views! Ahh!! Also considering it a personal victory that my top ukulele cover is Belle and Sebastian’s “Piazza New York Catcher,” because that was before I got a proper microphone. It’s also not the most popular song I’ve covered, which means that there’s a Belle and Sebastian fan base that digs the ukulele. There are probably dozens of us! Dozens!
• Worked on a song. Not enough hours in the day!
• Currently feeling: Can’t. Stop. Watching. Live-action. “Cinderella.” I just love love, okay? I love unrealistic fairy tales that have lost all of the gore of the originals, and the idea that there might be a world out there that values kindness and courage.
• Currently looping: The Barden Bellas did a cover of “Love on Top.” Or at least, most of them did. Where is Cynthia Rose? Totally dancing in my standing frame to this song.  Also, I’d be like 1000% better at harmonizing if I had done acapella/not been rejected from all of the acapella groups. What? Me? Bitter? Never.

 

Day One Hundred and Sixty-Five (8/24/20)

• My refrigerator continues to leak. Oof. Maintenance checked it out and there seems to be a temporary solution, but I may have to call someone from that specific fridge company to take a look at it post pandemic. My parents stopped by briefly to help rearrange my fridge and freezer while maintenance was here.
• Recorded part of a cover. I might have to do that thing where I put rugs up on the walls because it sounded a bit echo-y when I played it back. How does one put rugs on the walls?
• Playing things on my guitar until my fingertips hurt when I type. Someday I might actually sound decent.
• Tried to watch the RNC. I just. No. New York does early voting starting October 24th, so if you don’t believe the mail is going to get your ballot in on time and you haven’t yet gotten your absentee ballot, at least there’s the early option. And for those who are wondering about other states, a quick Google search will answer your question.
• Read an article from my dissertation bibliography. Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.
• Currently feeling: My goal this week is to turn off my laptop and go to bed before 1am every night. We shall see how that goes.
• Currently looping: Unleash the Archers’ “Abyss.” Digging the campy music video + metal vibe.

 

Day One Hundred and Sixty-Six (8/25/20)

• Did the FES cycle.
• Um, thank you for the spontaneous pep talk, Chris Hemsworth?
• Writing workshop! Still managed to get tipsy.
• Currently feeling: I miss going to academic conferences. I feel so uncertain diving into a dissertation with the only feedback coming from my advisor. I mean, don’t get me wrong, my advisor is amazing, but I just wonder how my work would go over with a larger audience. Although I suppose that’s what workshops are for. I need to start outlining a chapter draft or something.
• Currently looping: Sara Bareilles’ “Little Voice.” I know I love so many songs off the Little Voice soundtrack, and I’ve yet to see the actual show (why, Apple TV, why?!), but I’m putting off trying to watch the show because what if I don’t like it? So many people hyped up “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” and I barely made it past the first episode without wanting to set something on fire.

 

Day One Hundred and Sixty-Seven (8/26/20)

• Outdoor guitar lesson! My instructor drove in from Long Island because he’s probably the nicest human on the planet. I got to practice harmonizing while squirrel-watching.
• My building turned off the water from 10am-4pm. Never realized how often I washed my hands until today. I feel so dirty.
• Went outside FOR THE SECOND TIME IN THE SAME DAY. Got myself some lunch. I don’t normally eat lunch, but, hey, second time outside, gotta switch other things up. So that’s nine times in a hundred and sixty-seven days that I’ve left my building for the great outdoors!
• It’s 4:01pm! <washes hands profusely>
• Got my replacement hair curler today. I’ll have to give it a go later this week.
• Continued working on harmonies. I want this to become a reflex.
• Why can’t Jacob DeGrom ever get a win? Just, why? What did he ever do to you, Mets’ bullpen? He tried to make your job easier.
• Currently feeling: It was such a beautiful day outside. I remember when I lived in England and there were only a handful of really nice days (the stereotypes about weather in the UK are true), and so whenever they happened I would drop my dissertation work for the day and just go outside so I could fully appreciate the good weather. Got to do that today. ‘Twas delightful.
• Currently looping: I listened to the entire debut Tenacious D album. I might have laughed through roughly half of it, while trying to read an article on peasants in ninth-century Carolingian Italy (which was definitely not funny at all).

 

Day One Hundred and Sixty-Eight (8/27/20)

• Here’s some mandatory reading.
• Did the FES cycle.
• Posted my cover of Katy Perry’s “The One That Got Away.” It took so long to get the harmonizing right (to the point where I asked my guitar instructor, “Um, how do I do this?”).
• Therapy! Oof.
• My sister’s visiting! We had tea and biscotti. After therapy, I really needed that delightful combination of treats. We also drank rosé and watched “The Usual Suspects.” Because I had never seen it. Unfortunately, the ending was ruined for me, but the movie has been around over thirty years, so, it’s kind of my fault for not having seen it sooner.
• Currently feeling: Therapy wrecks you, but in a good way.
• Currently looping: Is it a cop-out to say that I was listening to my karaoke playlist so I could practice harmonizing?

Just a reminder that because we’re at the 24-week mark, if you opened a new tube of mascara three months into quarantine, you best dispose of it. I know I’m replacing my mascara and eyeshadow primer. This is where we’re at, people. Stay safe out there, wear a mask, and buy some stamps.