Greetings, Internet! Hope everyone’s staying as safe and sane as can be. Holy cow, we’re at week 40! NYC got hit with snow (I haven’t gone outside to check yet), I continued to watch “Broadchurch,” and my sister moved to California! Daily summaries below!

Day Two Hundred and Seventy-Four (12/11/20)

• My niece had a hard time sleeping last night, so we all had a hard time sleeping last night. <yawns> Also had a weird dream in which I went to Pennsylvania for a haircut.
• Set up my microphone audio treatment thing. Let’s see if it works. My brother-in-law was super helpful setting it up. But of course I also bothered my guitar instructor because I had no idea what I was doing.
• My brother-in-law also set up my thermostats so I can control them from my phone!
• Tried to read my niece a bedtime story, but she did not care for my Eeyore impression. Alas.
• My sister and I drank bubbly and hate-watched “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker.” Upon second viewing, it’s not as bad as anything that prominently featured Jar Jar Binks, but the storyline was rushed and cobbled together in a manner that was highly irritating (couldn’t some of that massive budget had gone into the story itself?).
• Currently feeling: I’m really going to miss my sister. And my brother-in-law and niece. Next time I see her, she’ll probably be three years old. <Sadness cloud>
• Currently looping: “Portuguese Love Theme” from the “Love Actually” soundtrack. How could you not love this?

Day Two Hundred and Seventy-Five (12/12/20)

• Thermostat was a bit feisty last night. Now appears to be working.
• You know that thing that landed me in the ER a couple of months ago? It appears to be happening again, so I’m doing what I can to fix it before it gets to the 103-degree-fever “oh no, go to the ER” level.
• Family lunch! (I’m telling you, we’re a pod, this is fine.) Last time we’re all together before my sister, brother-in-law, and niece move out west. We did some early gift exchange.
• Applying warm compresses to the infected area. So much warm compression.
• Watched “A Charlie Brown Christmas” with my niece. It’s never too early to warn my niece about the hazards of overcommercializing Christmas.
• Currently feeling: Between the potential health scare and my sister moving to another time zone, I’m trying to keep it together, but am failing miserably. Virtual warm hugs are very much appreciated.
• Currently looping: SVRCINA’s rendition of “Silent Night.” I love its intensity.

Day Two Hundred and Seventy-Six (12/13/20)

• Tried to do the FES cycle, but the touchscreen on the bike decided not to work, and so I could not hit the start button. GAH.
• My mother and brother-in-law stopped by to pick up the things that wouldn’t fit in the car yesterday.
• Went outside and got myself a matcha latte! So much matcha. And now there’s a rewards program at my local matcha place. I’m nine drinks away from a free one! Wahoo!
• Writing workshop! You ever wonder if the three fairies from “Sleeping Beauty” stuck around after Maleficent left? Also, does Prince Charming have an actual name? I personally love Kit from the live action “Cinderella” (2015), although that could be because he’s played by Richard Madden (the OG King of the North).
• Total number of times outside: Thirty-seven!
• Currently feeling: More warm compression. Will talk to a doctor tomorrow. Thankful for no fever. I know from past experience that this thing can escalate quickly. I just wish I knew what caused this so I could avoid it, but I think low blood circulation may be the main culprit (that, and my being acne- and eczema-prone, so my skin is just prone to not great conditions).
• Currently looping: Ingrid Michaelson’s “Christmas Valentine” (feat. Jason Mraz). I dare you to listen to this without bobbing your head and smiling.

Day Two Hundred and Seventy-Seven (12/14/20)

• Woke up an hour late again. Gah. Although, I did go to bed around 1am, so I guess that makes sense.
• Did arm exercises while catching up on late night shows.
• Talked with someone at tech support to fix my FES cycle tablet, only for the tablet to magically start working again on its own. Technology. I can’t.
• Music lesson! I really want this one cover to be elaborate. But I have zero time to record this week until maybe Friday. Maybe.
• Latin tutoring!
• Phone call with former HGSE compatriots (#triotime)!
• Some issue happened in my building where the water pressure shut off. Once it got turned back on, all the water was brown (this is normal when water pressure stuff happens). Except this time it took a lot longer for the brown to go away. I washed my dishes after letting various faucets in my apartment run for over half an hour. Oh, please let that have been enough. Needless to say, this delayed my evening schedule by over thirty minutes.
• Started reading an article for Thursday’s reading group. Got halfway through.
• More warm compresses throughout the day. Had a phone call with my doctor to figure out if/when medical attention should be sought, or if I could treat this at home because I seem to have caught it early. We shall see, but I just have to remain vigilant.
• Currently feeling: Exhausted. So exhausted. And it’s close to midnight. There was so much to do today, and between waking up late and having that water pressure incident, I lost valuable time. My dad expressed surprise that I don’t post a video every Thursday, you know, like it says in my “about” part of my channel (which, who even looks at that?). So I changed the “about” to remove any indication of when I post videos. I post when the song is postable. I post when I have time. I have not had time to record (you know, because last week I spent time with the part of my family that is moving to California literally at this moment?). If I had a time turner, I’d use it. I don’t have one.
• Currently looping: Vince Guaraldi Trio’s “Skating” from “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” Iconic.

Day Two Hundred and Seventy-Eight (12/15/20)

• Woke up an hour late. Need to go to bed earlier tonight. At least I turned on my phone to see that my sister, brother-in-law, and niece all had a safe flight to California!
• Water in my unit appears to be clear now, although now it has a chemical smell/taste it didn’t have before.
• Did the FES cycle (it worked! Huzzah!).
• My mother’s here! Made more sense for her to come earlier in the week because of the nor’easter that’s supposed to hit late tomorrow.
• Phone call with my doctor. No fever, so yay! But I still had to schedule an appointment with a surgeon to see if surgery is required to deal with what’s going on with my body (because whatever happened to me two months ago was supposed to be a one-time thing). Sigh. I guess I’m game for anything that will prevent future ER visits.
• Brief FaceTime call with my sister and niece! She had asked for her auntie, so my sister called. <sniffle>
• This vocal microphone list is kind of very overwhelming. I thought about getting a different microphone, but I think my main issue is that the microphone is just too close to the wall. I’ll see if the portable sound booth fixes that.
• Finished the article I started yesterday, so I’m all good to go for Thursday’s reading group!
• Currently feeling: Today was less chaotic than yesterday. Yesterday, I was wheeling around my apartment saying, “I’m exhausted,” while I pondered how I managed to overbook myself yet again. Today I got enough done that I no longer feel behind. Now to get that level of productivity in addition to a healthy bedtime. Baby steps.
• Currently looping: Mariah Carey’s live version of “O Holy Night.” I know her live performances have been rather inconsistent lately, but this was stunning. Absolutely stunning.

Day Two Hundred and Seventy-Nine (12/16/20)

• Warm compresses and temperature checks. Pretty much all I can do at the moment.
• Skyped with my undergrad thesis advisor! The last time we talked was about two years ago, so there was a lot to catch up on. It’s kind of nuts to realize that he was advising me at a time in my life when I was so very intense about my schoolwork. I’ve mellowed out significantly since then, to the point where I don’t think I could hit that level of intensity again (even if he was my advisor). #recoveringworkaholic
• Watched my bestie’s Zoom comedy show! Those who watched learned a new swear word that I would absolutely use if I had the confidence to do so.
• Okay, how is this not being talked about more?
• Currently feeling: My undergrad advisor said he thinks my future students are going to be lucky to have me. I mean, sure, he’s never seen me teach anything before, but I still (years later and probably forever) take his opinion very seriously.
• Currently looping: Idina Menzel and Billy Porter’s “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm.” Felt like that was appropriate for the nor’easter outside.

Day Two Hundred and Eighty (12/17/20)

• Did the FES cycle. Watched more “Broadchurch.” I’m loving the number of “Doctor Who” actors on the show.
• Reading group!
• Therapy!
• Finally got to record a bit this week. I’m getting more used to punching in, which is great, because this song is like five minutes long and very difficult to get right in one take (mostly because I need to practice more).
• Virtual hangout with my bestie!
• Currently feeling: I just keep telling myself that I’ll go to bed at a reasonable hour tomorrow. I’m just so glad that I got to play a bit of music today.
• Currently looping: Leslie Odom Jr.’s “O Holy Night.” His voice is just magical.

Thanks so much for reading! Stay safe, wear a mask, and portable sound booths FTW!