Greetings, Internet! Hope everyone’s staying as healthy and sane as they are able. It’s been a week. We lost Chadwick Boseman and Tom Seaver. Everything kind of pales in comparison to that, along with the other generally terrifying things that are happening on a near-daily basis. But I suppose I can report on the bright side that I celebrated my one-year apartment-versary. I celebrated by bingeing the entire first season of “The Umbrella Academy.” Daily summaries below!

Day One Hundred and Sixty-Nine (8/28/20)

• My sister and I watched “Les Misérables” while doing the crossword. Every time I see Anne Hathaway perform “I Dreamed a Dream,” my immediate response is, “GIVE HER THE OSCAR” (even though she already has the Oscar for that role?).
• Video-chatted a friend from Cambridge (England)! It was so good to see her!
• Attempted to curl my hair. Probably should have re-watched a tutorial, because my hair did not hold any curls. Higher heat? Hold my hair on the wand for longer? How do people do this?!
• Fixed up some song lyrics. Am less embarrassed with what I’ve written now.
• Read an article from my dissertation bibliography. Aiming to get at least one article/chapter read per day. This one took a bit longer because it was really interesting and relevant to a topic that I want to turn into a chapter, so, yay, productivity!
• 9:30pm: Protests can be heard going down my block.
• Currently feeling: Just a reminder to everyone who’s posting about Jacob Blake’s paralysis as if it was the worst possible thing that could happen to him: Paralysis is not the worst thing that can happen to someone. Yes, it’s traumatic. Yes, it complicates your life in ways you didn’t even know life could be complicated. But you still get to live. When you post about his paralysis as if it’s the worst thing that could happen to him, and you imply that his life is basically over, you’re telling me exactly what you think about people with disabilities and the lives they lead. So maybe check your ableism at the door when you post about someone who has acquired a disability. Focus on the police brutality. Focus on the need for accountability. Heck, focus on Medicare for all (because his medical bills are going to be through the roof and then some). He’s got a long road of acclimation and adaptation ahead of him. Don’t treat his situation like that road isn’t worth going down.
• Currently looping: Still listening to my karaoke playlist and attempting to harmonize with every song. Again. This needs to become a reflex. #hobbywhathobbythisisalifestyle

Day One Hundred and Seventy (8/29/20)

• Happy one year anniversary to moving into this apartment! Currently, I have spent less time in self-isolation than I have not since moving in here. That will likely change within a couple of months.
• Did the FES cycle.
• Got a dislike on my “The One That Got Away” cover. I have a hater!
• Recorded the harmony for a cover. Will have to listen to it a few more times to make sure I’m happy with it, because I always think it sounds okay, and then the next day I’m either like, “Yeah, that’s great,” or, “What was I thinking?” I’ll find out tomorrow which it is. Also tinkered with more song lyrics.
• Watched the pilot for “The Umbrella Academy.” Someone should’ve told me that Lindsey Stirling’s “The Phantom of the Opera” medley plays within the first ten minutes of the episode, because I would’ve started watching a lot sooner.
• Got to catch up over the phone with a friend from college! We hadn’t seen each other literally since 2014, so this was a way overdue catchup.
• Worked on a freelance project.
• Currently feeling: Wakanda forever. I mean, how else can anyone respond? And on Jackie Robinson day. I’m glad that his family was with him at home in his final moments. Marvel better not try to recast him, because no one could bring T’Challa to life the way he did.
• Currently looping: Delain’s “April Rain.” Back on the symphonic metal kick (although, did I ever really leave?)

Day One Hundred and Seventy-One (8/30/20)

• Watched another three episodes of “The Umbrella Academy.” Really want to learn violin now. The plot is predictable, but I like it anyway. Also did arm workouts during one of the episodes.
• Recorded the flute part of a cover. Also trying to get used to doing vocal warmups/exercises everyday. Wish I knew about vocal exercises back when I first learned about, I don’t know, singing?
• Brief visit with a HGSE friend. Even a fifteen-minute in-person visit is welcome relief from befriending the walls in my apartment (although I’m like 70% sure there’s a ghost chilling here. Not so much haunting, just, chilling. Like we get that we’re in here together).
• Watched “Black Panther.” Trying not to sob.
• Currently feeling: My attempt to go to bed before 1am everyday this past week has been mostly successful (I think I only had one night where I went to bed past 1am). I find that I really like getting up at 6:30am, but only if I get at least six hours of sleep. Otherwise, I turn off the alarm, tell myself two more minutes, and then sleep for another half hour. I used to get annoyed with myself for oversleeping, but now I tell myself that I probably needed that half hour, so it’s all good.
• Currently looping: My Chemical Romance’s “Famous Last Words.” Been craving a lot of MCR lately for some reason?

Day One Hundred and Seventy-Two (8/31/20)

• Did the FES cycle. Halfway through season one of “The Umbrella Academy.” Certain parts of the plot continue to be predictable, but that’s okay.
• Guitar lesson! Working on a schmaltzy tune. May the guy I wrote this song about never find out it’s about him. I also told my instructor that I hope to be the next Phoebe Buffay. He seemed to think I was aiming a bit low, so I shall take that as a massive compliment.
• We have tennis! YASSS. Of course John Isner ended up in a five-set match.
• Currently feeling: I’m going to write this here so the internet can hold me accountable: my goal for September is to post “Jackass” to my YouTube channel. That’s right. You’re going to get an original tune. I’m probably going to do the thing most YouTubers do where they record the audio and then lipsync the video, because I want to record the audio file like an actual audio file, and not in iMovie like I always do (because then it’s harder to mix each layer). But, yes, the goal (music-wise) for September is to upload an original song to YouTube.
• Currently looping: Okay, so Christina Aguilera has a new version of “Reflection” for live action “Mulan,” and I am living for it. As in, I listen to it, and I feel like I can punch evil in the face. And then curbstomp it. You bet I’m going to be belting this in my room for the next few weeks.

Day One Hundred and Seventy-Three (9/1/20)

• Did some arm exercises while watching “The Umbrella Academy.”
• My mother’s here! She brought more croissants. I’m going to need a larger chair by the time this quarantine is over.
• Practiced fingerstyle guitar. This is some legit occupational therapy.
• Reviewed a friend’s potential article submission. May the academic journals cower at her medieval prowess.
• Found out that the insurance claim I submitted for medical stuff was incorrectly submitted, so, back to the drawing board. Or the claims board. Some kind of board. Adulting is hard, guys.
• Disney+ refuses to work on my television. Why, Disney, why? What have I ever done to you?
• Currently feeling: It’s September. Spring and summer have just flown by (and don’t give me that, “Technically it’s still summer” line because it feels like autumn right now). Funny how it feels like life has hit “pause,” and yet everything is still moving at the most unusual pace. Gosh, we’re living in weird times. That said, get a flu shot. For reals.
• Currently looping: Fall Out Boy’s “This Ain’t a Scene, It’s an Arms Race.” Love the rhythm changes.

Day One Hundred and Seventy-Four (9/2/20)

• Did the FES cycle.
• Got an email from my advisor asking to have a chat next week. I have officially reached “my advisor thinks I’ve dropped off the face of the earth” status. I’m sure it’s going to be a harmless chat, but just to be safe, I’m going to plot out six dissertation chapters before the meeting. As Edna Mode says, “Luck favors the prepared.”
• Disney+ continues not to work on my television. I uninstalled and reinstalled it, but nothing. I’ll try it again, but also, I really want to watch live action “Mulan.”
• Submitted a freelance project! Now the daunting process to wait and see if the editor liked it. Also the daunting process of learning how to submit an invoice.
• Got an email update from The Chocolate Room’s GoFundMe page and immediately feared the worst, but thankfully they are still hanging in there. #supportyourlocalbusinesses
• Cleaned my makeup brushes. It is oddly therapeutic.
• My mother tried to make egg creams, only to find that she accidentally had gotten still instead of sparkling water. She then emitted a loud, Skywalker-esque “NO!!!” from the kitchen. On the bright side, an egg cream without seltzer is basically chocolate milk, and no one has a problem with that.
• Virtual hangout with writing buddy! Somehow managed to get tipsy after one cider. I swear, quarantine is making my alcohol tolerance even worse.
• Currently feeling: It’s dismal and gray today. This has led to feeling as though everything I do is meaningless. It’ll pass, but waiting it out is just a punch to the self-esteem. Oh sunshine, please come out. I find that when I feel like this, the solution is always to get like, fifty things done to prove to myself that I’m a productive human being. Something tells me that’s not healthy. I suppose that’s why I have a therapist.
• Currently looping: Live version of Avenged Sevenfold’s “Almost Easy.” It was an Avenged Sevenfold kind of day.

Day One Hundred and Seventy-Five (9/3/20)

• Finished season one of “The Umbrella Academy.” I’m a fan. Of course I did arm exercises while I watched it in the morning. Can’t let my arms get squishy.
• My mother stopped by because she forgot a lot of things in the fridge yesterday. She brought some pizza from downtown Brooklyn. I forgot how much I miss Brooklyn pizza (sorry, Manhattan, but you don’t come close).
• Posted my cover of Jewel’s “Foolish Games.”
• Therapy! What am I doing with my life? I don’t know.
• A moment of silence for The Franchise.
• Recorded “Jackass” so that I actually could share it with people who aren’t my guitar instructor, acting manager, and close friends. Excited for you to hear it!
• Currently feeling: Trying to figure out when to go back to Push to Walk. I want to go back. I’ve been feeling a bit out of shape. I miss the people there. I’m also a little worried that going back means I’ll lose at least one recording day per week. It’s like as I transition back into pre-covid schedules, I won’t be able to devote as much time to something I’ve picked up during quarantine that I like enough that I want to continue with it after quarantine. This is such a silly problem to have, because I know we all want to resume our lives as if we can look back on the pandemic like it’s over. Except that we’re in this awkward middle phase where the pandemic is still raging, but we’ve been putting our lives on hold for nearly half a year now. Finding a balance is tricky. But oh, do I miss my gym.
• Currently looping: The audio mix of “Jackass.” Because I’ve had to listen to this repeatedly to see if I got the audio mix right. Took a break from mixing, then went back and realized the volumes on the tracks are, um, well, they need to be matched up a bit better.

Thanks so much for reading! Stay safe out there, wash your hands, wear a mask, and don’t try voting twice because that’s a felony.