Greetings, Internet! Hope everyone’s staying as safe and sane as can be. More “Binge Mode,” more “Clone Wars,” and more doomscrolling social media as our government was attacked by domestic terrorists. Daily summaries below! (The explanation mark is meant less as something cheerful and more along the lines of incredulity that people seem shocked that the diehard supporters of this president behaved like domestic terrorists.)

Day Two Hundred and Ninety-Five (1/1/21)

• Did the FES cycle. Watched more “Clone Wars.” I’m already more than halfway through season one.
• Wound cleaning.
• Cleaned my makeup brushes. I’d been putting it off, but I’ve been using the same face palette for like two years and I needed to change palettes. Which means I should also deep clean the brushes to avoid contamination.
• Watched the “Doctor Who” New Year’s special. It feels like the writers just throw daleks in when they can’t think of another villain. Jodie Whittaker deserves better.
• Currently feeling: I need to practice my instruments more. I’d like to spend time on the basics (e.g. scales, chords), but usually by the time I finish my FES cycle and other PT stuff, it’s time to eat. And then I have to watch other people’s YouTube videos so that they’ll watch mine. I may have to stop doing that. It eats up a lot of time and I don’t post nearly as often as other people do. I suppose I could take a week to practice basics and then post a video that’s like, “Hi! Here’s my channel!”
• Currently looping: Regina Spektor’s “My Dear Acquaintance (A Happy New Year).” I thought this was a nice way to cap off the holiday music season. Most likely tomorrow I’ll go back to listening to non-holiday music.

Day Two Hundred and Ninety-Six (1/2/21)

• Woke up late again. I think I need to put my alarm somewhere I can’t reach unless I literally sit up.
• Wound cleaning. I think I may have to go in before my scheduled follow up.
• My parents came over for a New Year’s dinner (we didn’t want to have it yesterday on account of the terrible weather). My mother baked a pie. It was amazing.
• Currently feeling: Realizing that at the end of the month, I have to participate in a teaching workshop so that I can teach next month. Holy cow, this is happening quickly. Suddenly realizing I might not have time for everything that I already don’t have time for. Also realizing that if I did have time for everything, I would add more things because I can’t help it.
• Currently looping: Finally started listening to my Spotify “Wrapped” playlist. BTS’ “Mic Drop” was my second-most listened to song, so I listened to their live version today.

Day Two Hundred and Ninety-Seven (1/3/21)

• Woke up with my alarm because I put my phone somewhere I could only reach if I physically sat up. Success!
• Did the FES cycle. Watched more “Clone Wars.”
• Did a bit of recording. I tried doing a cover last year that didn’t sound quite right, so I’m attempting it again. We shall see if it works.
• Virtual hangout with my bestie!
• “Avengers: Endgame” is on TNT. Listening to “Binge Mode” has really put me in a Marvel mood. Also, I’m reminded of how much I love Captain America. I mean, all of my friends know he’s the standard by which I judge all men (#thisiswhyimsingle). But like, that super soldier serum amplified all his good qualities (e.g. compassion, humility).
• Currently feeling: And now I’m back to going to bed late because I was up watching “Endgame.” Whoops.
• Currently looping: Ad Infinitum’s “Marching on Versailles (Acoustic).” I got really into Ad Infinitum last year.

Day Two Hundred and Ninety-Eight (1/4/21)

• Wound cleaning. Definitely going back to the surgeon sooner than my followup. Please tell me what’s wrong with me and tell me it can be fixed in a way that only causes temporary discomfort.
• Did arm exercises while watching “Clone Wars.” Done with season one. I have gotten more than my money’s worth from Disney+.
• Reworked some of an old demo. Lyrics are hard, but I think I’m okay with them now. I might be able to fix it up enough for a YouTube post. Maybe.
• Was on the phone with a medical supply company for over an hour. Bah.
• Music lesson! More work on guitar melodies. It’s like my instructor reads my blog and knows that I want to work on scales and things (he doesn’t).
• Recorded a keyboard part to a cover that will probably not go up this week.
• Rewatching “Endgame.” Still happy crying over Captain America and Peggy Carter. And sad crying over Black Widow. So much crying in “Endgame.” Listening to Mallory Rubin (“Binge Mode”) talk about how she gets emotional watching sci-fi and fantasy shows makes me feel better about how emotional I get watching sci-fi and fantasy things.
• Listened to Ad Infinitum’s quarantine concert. Melissa Bonny is amazing.
• Currently feeling: I wonder what it’s like to be in a band. Or at least to have musical collaborators.
• Currently looping: Kermit the Frog and Fozzie Bear’s “Moving Right Along to 2021.” It’s the same song, just with a quarantine music video. Gosh, I love the Muppets.

Day Two Hundred and Ninety-Nine (1/5/21)

• Back at the hospital. Surgery scheduled for later this week. My friends should prepare themselves for post-anesthesia Val texts.
• My mother and I got some takeout to bring back to my apartment.
• TFW the item you wanted to get your blockmate as a housewarming gift is sold out. Rats.
• My “No Surprises (Radiohead)” cover has over 200 views!
• Why yes, I am watching MSNBC just for Steve Kornacki. I think Steve Kornacki may be the only Steve I fawn over who isn’t fictional (here’s looking at Steve Trevor and Steve Rogers). #chartthrob
• But also because I care about the political future of the country.
• #chartthrob
• My niece was asking about me, so my sister FaceTimed me. She seemed genuinely happy to see me and my heart melted a little. I also taught her the word “pandemic.”
• Total times outside: Forty-two!
• Currently feeling: The semester is starting up. I’ve already got things scheduled for the next couple of weeks. It’s happening. Undergrads are being entrusted to my scholastic care. I’m going to suppress the part of my psyche that’s like, “LET’S GO #SHANE ON THIS!” (for context, going #shane means going wayyy too hard).
• Currently looping: Alesso’s “Heroes (We Could Be)” featuring Tove Lo. Not gonna lie, I’ve been a fan of this song since “LEGO: Batman Movie.”

Day Three Hundred (1/6/21)

• Day three hundred! Goodness, it’s already been three hundred days.
• Did arm exercises while watching “Clone Wars.”
• Recorded audio for a cover that might go up next week (depending on how long surgery recovery takes).
• Saw that the Capitol got stormed. Went outside for a matcha latte. This is the time for comfort beverages.
• Video chatted with my sister while we talked about the fact that the Capitol got stormed.
• Where is the National Guard?
• Why are these people not getting tear gassed? Rubber bullets? Oh, I’m sorry, that’s only reserved for citizens who peacefully protest? We don’t do that to domestic terrorists?
• Capitol police have no problem arresting wheelchair users and zip-tying their wrists when we breach security. Are unarmed wheelchair users more threatening than domestic terrorists?
• Thank goodness Georgia went 2/2 for the Democrats. Can DC be awarded statehood now so that they can call in the National Guard when needed?
• Finally listening to my Spotify Wrapped playlist. There are a lot of depressing songs on here. Can’t tell whether that’s the influence of 2020, or whether that’s just my preferred genre. Maybe a bit of both?
• Total times outside: Forty-three!
• Currently feeling: Wishing that our country took actual threats seriously. Also I’m feeling really tired, which is weird, because I was feeling super energetic when I went out for my matcha. Trying to figure out if this is news fatigue or physical fatigue.
• Currently looping: Zedd’s “Stay the Night” featuring Hayley Williams. I needed a peppy dance song for today. Also it’s fun to yell the lyrics.

Day Three Hundred and One (1/7/21)

• Did the FES cycle. Watched “Clone Wars.”
• Therapy! And the low confidence and rampant/unwarranted insecurities strike again!
• Got to FaceTime my sister and niece! She watched my mother bake cranberry bread and she said, “I want cranberry.” She really likes tart fruit, so she probably would enjoy cranberries.
• Unexpected bleeding at the wound site (and yes, I cleaned it this morning). So that happened.
• Currently feeling: Have to fast before my surgery tomorrow. Wish me luck, Internet.
• Currently looping: Taylor Swift’s “Enchanted.”

Thanks so much for reading! Stay safe, wear a mask, and call your representatives.