Greetings, Internet! Hope everyone’s staying as safe and sane as can be. Evanescence released a new album, pretty much all of my NY friends can get vaccinated now, and I took myself out to brunch! Daily summaries below!

Day Three Hundred and Seventy-Nine (3/26/21)

• Did the FES cycle.
• There’s a chance I may start taking vocal lessons. This girl wants to learn proper technique.
• Teaching meeting! Some of these exams are tricky to grade, and I want to make sure I’m being fair to all of my students (even if that fairness knocks some points off…sorry, guys).
• There’s an option to turn my posts into podcasts! Would anyone be interested in there being an audio option?
• Currently feeling: At that point where I’m just trying to submit things by their deadlines, and just barely getting it done. And here I am trying to add more things to the ever-growing pile. On the one hand, that’s probably not advisable. On the other, it’s pretty on brand.
• Currently looping: Evanescence’s “Broken Pieces Shine.” That’s right, their new album dropped!! And oh my gosh, Amy Lee’s voice soars here. “I don’t know if I will ever be all right / But I have to try.” It’s got “The Next Right Thing” vibes and I am HERE FOR IT.

Day Three Hundred and Eighty (3/27/21)

• Did some audio recording for a cover I’d like to post next week, but I’m not sure how much time I’ll have later in the weekend.
• You know what I’ve missed? Fries. So I took myself to brunch and got fries with my sandwich. And a bellini. Because brunch.
• FaceTimed a friend from way back in the day (like, we met when we were five years old)!
• More audio recording! My fingertips hurt.
• Well, I registered for vocal lessons! Looking forward to seeing where this goes!
• Total times outside: Fifty-Four!
• Currently feeling: Okay, I cannot keep up with all of the posts that other YTers are doing. There are too many. They take anywhere from 30-60 minutes to listen to each day.  I do not have 30-60 minutes per day to comment on all of these videos. I’m happy to watch, I just need time to watch lectures for the course I’m TA-ing, do the reading for said course, work on my own projects, and oh yes, I just started vocal lessons. Side note: I also want to FaceTime people I care about. I’m back on team #timeturner.
• Currently looping: Evanescence’s “Feeding the Dark.” I am really liking this new album. They definitely blended together some of the style they were going for in Synthesis (their previous album), but then added the electric guitar and bass. And drums.

Day Three Hundred and Eighty-One (3/28/21)

• Did the FES cycle. Watched a course lecture.
• Should I get an account at BuyMeaCoffee? I mean, sure, it’s basically a virtual tip jar, but also maybe it’d be better to busk? I don’t know.
• Writing workshop!
• Recorded some keyboard and drum programming for the cover. Now just vocals (and maybe flute?) remain.
• Okay, so, vocal lessons are already tough. Something tells me I may have to unlearn some things, but it’ll be for the best.
• Currently feeling: I think everyone uploads covers on weekends. That must be it. I must have gone through over thirty covers today. I wonder how many of these channels are going to cease uploads once things open up again. And then I wonder if I’m going to be one of those, haha.
• Currently looping: Evanescence’s “Part of Me.” Nearly started crying halfway through the chorus. This may be my favorite song on the album. It’s definitely a warrior anthem made for belting.

Day Three Hundred and Eighty-Two (3/29/21)

• Recorded more audio. I think I have enough for a cover?
• Music lesson! More work on drum programming. Not enough to edit this cover, but enough to figure out what to do on the next one.
• Teaching meeting! Then I emailed my precepts and came up with a lesson plan. Just need to tweak it a bit before tomorrow’s precept.
• Audio mixing!
• Currently feeling: Whoo, people over thirty can get vaccinated in NY starting tomorrow! I’m so excited for a future in which I can invite my friends over to my apartment for tea! Remember tea? Oh, that was glorious.
• Currently looping: Unleash the Archers’ “Apex.”

Day Three Hundred and Eighty-Three (3/30/21)

• Did the FES cycle. About a quarter of the way through season two of “Titans.”
• Went outside for groceries and a matcha latte!
• Work Skype with a fellow grad student friend!
• Precept!
• Vocal lesson practice. Um. Why have I waited so long to do this?
• I need to re-record some parts of the audio for the cover I want to post this week. Will I end up actually posting this week? Er. We shall see.
• Total times outside: Fifty-Five!
• Currently feeling: Guess who’s going to bed after 1am again. This is what happens when you make sure to squeeze in vocal practicing along with precept planning and work. But oh man, I should’ve been practicing all this time, instead of belting until my throat hurt.
• Currently looping: We have new Garbage! They just released, “The Men Who Rule the World.” 2021’s music releases have been absolutely stellar.

Day Three Hundred and Eighty-Four (3/31/21)

• It’s International Hug a Medievalist Day! So, um, <hugs self>
• Re-recorded some guitar.
• Recorded the video portion of tomorrow’s cover. There are some hiccups in the audio (I re-recorded the guitar, but didn’t have time for other things that I definitely notice, but perhaps others might be more forgiving of?).
• More vocal practice! I can already feel my range improving. Dang.
• Precept! My professor stopped by. She took over the conversation, but that’s okay. It’s nice for my students to have some small-group time with the professor.
• Currently feeling: I’m so excited that more of my friends are getting the vaccine. Looking forward to a time in which we can hang out in the same room and just chill. Everyone’s getting bear hugs (if they want them).
• Currently looping: “Someday” from “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” musical original soundtrack. “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” is Disney’s most underrated masterpiece. Like seriously, how is this not in everyone’s Top Five Disney Movie list? The message of the whole movie is about love and acceptance, and looking out for each other, especially the outcasts. (Nevermind the message of the book, which is basically that everything is terrible. Just go with the Disney interpretation.)

Day Three Hundred and Eighty-Five (4/1/2021)

• Keep your April Fools pranks to yourselves. Please and thank you.
• Did the FES cycle.
• My mother’s here! She brought blueberry pie ^_^
• Posted my cover of Lady Gaga’s “Shallow.” Did I do an entire cover just to yell, “ha-ah-ah-ah-ah”? Yes. Yes, I did.
• Therapy!
• FaceTimed my sister! And got to see my niece briefly (who then asked for my mother).
• Currently feeling: Darnit, Nats, why did you have to go and postpone the Mets’ opening day?! That said, I wish the Nats players who tested positive for covid a speedy recovery!
• Currently looping: “God Help the Outcasts” from “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” musical original soundtrack. The movie version is beautiful, but this is just another level. Ciara Renée’s performance is so heartfelt and stunning.

Thanks so much for reading! Stay safe, wear a mask, and go get vaccinated if you qualify!