Greetings, Internet! Hope everyone’s staying as safe and sane as can be. This week, I finished the first season of “Fleabag,” got to 200 subscribers on YouTube, and I GOT TO SEE MY BESTIE. Daily summaries below!

Day Four Hundred and Seven (4/23/21)

• Did the FES cycle. Am halfway through season one of “Fleabag.” I can see why it won all of the awards.
• Watched the third lecture for this week’s course.
• Grading! So much grading!
• Finished season one of “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.” Might’ve cried a couple of times. So good. Made myself hot chocolate to go with it (I have spiced chai marshmallows that needed to be dunked).
• Watched DeGrom pitch a two-hit shutout complete game, hit an RBI single (which spurred a three-run Mets rally), and score twice. The Mets fans are already shouting, “MVP!” at games and it’s only the first month. But also, I agree with them and we are not worthy.
• Vocal practice! And I got through the first third of this week’s vocal lessons.
• Currently feeling: If your to-do list isn’t impossibly long, then you’re not doing it correctly.
• Currently looping: Sara Bareilles’ “Orpheus/Fire” (Live from the Hollywood Bowl). I wish she had done the full “Orpheus” because it’s one of my favorite songs from her most recent album, but alas, the inclusion of it at all on a live album is still something to celebrate.

Day Four Hundred and Eight (4/24/21)

• Did some recording for a cover. Definitely should’ve tried to record more, but I was also learning the song at the same time (it was a spur of the moment “hey, maybe I should cover this song!” thing).
• Went out to get a facial! I hadn’t gotten one since February 2020, so I felt like I was way overdue. The facialist complimented my ability to take care of my skin. Oh, if only she knew the truly terrifying hoarding of skincare that goes on in my apartment. #backupsonbackups
• My vocal instructor requested that everyone in the class get straws for an exercise tomorrow. I went to Starbucks, got one of those copycat Rice Krispies bars, and asked for a straw. Totally normal behavior.
• “Avengers: Endgame” was on television again. I swear, I watch other movies/put on other movies in the background while I tidy up.
• Total Times Outside: Sixty-Three!
• Currently feeling: Should I start “Binge Mode: Harry Potter”? I think I should.
• Currently looping: Miley Cyrus’ live performance of “Wrecking Ball.”

Day Four Hundred and Nine (4/25/21)

• Did the FES cycle. Finished season one of “Fleabag.” Amazing show.
• Vocal lesson! Sang in front of the instructor and five classmates. Was extremely nervous, but got through it. And the feedback was overall positive =)
• My bestie came over! We took off our masks, ordered takeout, and oh my goodness, things felt almost normal. I missed her so much.
• Currently feeling: I GOT TO SEE MY BESTIE TODAY.
• Currently looping: Lake Street Dive’s NPR Tiny Desk Concert. My guitar instructor suggested that I give them a listen, and oh my goodness, they’re amazing.

Day Four Hundred and Ten (4/26/21)

• Watched the final lecture for the course I’m TA-ing.
• Music lesson! Learned more about drum programming. Should be useful for this week’s cover.
• Teaching meeting! Went over the content of the final.
• Did some recording for this week’s cover. Will have to redo the vocals, most likely. Was probably a mistake to attempt recording vocals after an hour of vocal practice.
• Currently feeling: While doing vocal practice, I realized how much my voice has improved in just a few weeks. My vocal instructor told me yesterday that my voice has a beautiful (she said, “beautiful”!) heady brightness mixed into my chest voice. She told me that I should never lose it. All this time, I thought my voice sounded too much like a Disney princess (in a bad way). I’m not crying, it’s just allergy season.
• Currently looping: Kamelot’s live performance of “Sacrimony (Angel of Afterlife)” featuring Elize Ryd (Amaranthe) and Alissa White-Gluz (Archenemy). I love symphonic metal.

Day Four Hundred and Eleven (4/27/21)

• Did the FES cycle. Started season two of “Fleabag.” Holy moly.
• Went outside for some groceries and a matcha latte! The barista didn’t charge me. I was very confused.
• Work Skype with a friend! Got a bit of work done.
• Wrote up a draft for writing workshop.
• Recorded the vocal and flute for a cover. Tried to audio mix. May have to try again tomorrow.
• Total Times Outside: Sixty-Four!
• Currently feeling: Going to bed after 1am again. I really need to get that under control. But also I got a lot done today and I think my matcha latte was stronger than usual, so I’m not sure I could’ve gone to bed any earlier?
• Currently looping: Kamelot’s “Sanctimony (Angel of Afterlife)” feat. Elize Ryd and Alissa White-Gluz (yes, that’s right, I loved the live version so much that I spent much of today listening to the studio recording).

Day Four Hundred and Twelve (4/28/21)

• Some brief audio mixing, and then some video recording for tomorrow’s cover. To be honest, the vocals are a bit pitchy (and belting on an “EEE” sound usually doesn’t sound great). I probably should’ve done another take. Alas. Pressed for time.
• Office hours! A student stopped by to thank me for the semester. <sobs quietly to self>
• Oh Mets, why must you continue to fail DeGrom?
• Finished writing workshop draft. Now to review and then send.
• Currently feeling: I really need to edit this dissertation chapter outline. And by that, I mean, sort out my background information and get my sources together. I mean, I have some sources, but I need to do a deep dive on them.
• Currently looping: Lake Street Dive’s “Hypotheticals.” My musical preferences this week are kind of weird. 

Day Four Hundred and Thirteen (4/29/21)

• Did the FES cycle.
• My mother’s here! She baked croissants ^_^
• Posted my cover of Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball.” Guys, I miss karaoke.
• Therapy!
• Finally started reading a dissertation I should have read about a month ago. Super helpful for what I’m looking at. Maybe not so helpful for my next chapter, but it’ll come in handy when I tackle a different chapter.
• 200 subscribers! Unsure how many I’ll have in the morning, but I’ve got 200 as I’m typing this, so, wahoo!
• Currently feeling: Did I spend a bunch of time reading/researching for a different chapter when I should have been finalizing my sources for this chapter? Yes. Is that a bad thing? Unsure. I’m going to say as long as it’s work on the dissertation, it’s work on the dissertation.
• Currently looping: Arch Enemy’s “You Will Know My Name.” Yasss, Alissa White-Gluz’s harsh vocals!

Thanks so much for reading! Stay safe, wear a mask, and get vaccinated!