Greetings, Internet! I hope everyone is staying as safe and sane as can be. This week, I finished season one of “The Wire,” started harsh vocal lessons, and listened to hella Sarah Jarosz. Daily summaries below!

Day Four Hundred and Seventy-Seven (7/2/21)

• Someone came to look at the refrigerator! It can be fixed!
• Vocal exercises followed by working on a very simple cover (i.e. something I can perform in public someday). Then worked on an original.
• My pantry was delivered! And then I filled it with lots of things. My kitchen table looks so much less cluttered now.
• Tried to record some things, but then nighttime came and time flew just getting ready for bed. The Subway Series was rained out tonight, so you’d think I’d have fewer distractions.
• Oh, and period cramps. Those hamper creativity, as well.
• Total videos watched from other YouTubers: 0. Today was hectic enough with repairs and deliveries and sorting out my pantry.
• Currently feeling: The pantry really makes my living room/dining area look more homey (and not just because I put like, five boxes of cereal on top of the pantry, because an abundance of cereal boxes is typical behavior in my family). Just a bit more tidying up and I’ll actually feel less embarrassed with mixed company in my apartment.
• Currently looping: Spiritbox’s “Blessed Be.” You know how you had that one friend in high school who bragged about liking a band before it was “cool”? Well, these are the future cool kids of metal. I’m calling it.

Day Four Hundred and Seventy-Eight (7/3/21)

• Did the FES cycle. Am now totally caught up on “Legends of Tomorrow”!
• Heated up a matcha beverage while watching the Mets wallop the Yankees. Lol.
• Briefly FaceTimed three of my blockmates while they got ready for a mutual friend’s wedding! This is the wedding I would’ve gone to if I had a ride/wasn’t terrified that the airline might break my chair.
• Figured out a more time-efficient way to watch a bunch of YouTube videos.
• Worked on re-recording “Dear Prince Charming.” It just…needs work. Overhauled the lyrics, added electric guitar, tried to figure out a bass line, etc.
• Total videos watched from other YouTubers: 11. And there are fifteen more I need to get through.
• Currently feeling: Wish I could’ve gone to my friend’s wedding. I also wish I had managed my time better today. I didn’t have time to go in the standing frame because I chose to work on musical things (and also cleaned up my living room). And I took an hour to drink tea and watch baseball. That one hour could’ve been spent in a standing frame. There’s no winning when you have a limited number of hours in the day. And I’m still going to bed close to 1am. #teamtimeturner
• Currently looping: Regina Spektor’s “All the Rowboats.” Now there’s a songwriting genius. For reals.

Day Four Hundred and Seventy-Nine (7/4/21)

• Happy Fourth of July! Oh snap, I need to rewatch “Independence Day.”
• I very much dislike fireworks. They’re pretty to look at, but they’re too loud for me.
• Went to a bakery for some cinnamon rolls ^_^ Went to the matcha latte place only to realize I had gotten there too early and they hadn’t opened yet. Whoops.
• Watched a couple more episodes of “The Wire.” I’m two episodes away from finishing season one.
• Thought about going back to the matcha place, and then realized doing so would result in less music time. So I did not. And I finished recording most of an original song, and kind of sort of tried recording a very simple cover. I don’t know what I’m doing with my channel anymore. There’s like sixty-five covers. It’s a lot.
• Yay, Mets! And, ah well, two out of three isn’t bad.
• Found out that a friend of a friend who uses a wheelchair had her chair damaged during a flight. She was flying back from attending a wedding. Nice to know my fears weren’t entirely unfounded, but also, that airline (Delta) damaged her frame. HER FRAME. That’s six weeks without a chair right there. Effing airlines.
• Total times outside: Eighty-Seven!
• Total videos watched from other YouTubers: 30. I had a lot to catch up on.
• Currently feeling: Almost 1am again. I had a good streak going of pre-1am bedtimes. Perhaps tomorrow I’ll get my act together sooner.
• Currently looping: Regina Spektor’s “Après Moi.” I’m just in a Regina Spektor mood I suppose?

Day Four Hundred and Eighty (7/5/21)

• Did the FES cycle. Am one episode away from finishing season one of “The Wire.”
• My mother’s here! She brought blueberry pie. It’s amazing.
• Tidied the living room while watching a “Harry Potter” marathon.
• Got to FaceTime with my sister and niece! She put on a pair of my sister’s heels and walked around in them with impressive coordination for someone who is a few months away from being three years old. #proudauntie
• Total videos watched from other YouTubers: 10.
• Currently feeling: Just need to do a bit more tidying up, and then my living room will look a bit more like a living room, and less like a hot cluttered mess. #adultinggoals
• Currently looping: Sarah Jarosz’s “Long Journey.” She composed this as a teenager. A teenager. Some people are just ridiculously talented and I have to accept that I will have to work frustratingly hard just to get close to that level.

Day Four Hundred and Eighty-One (7/6/21)

• Went to Push to Walk! Worked with a new trainer. Was so exhausted afterwards that I might have landed on my butt while attempting a car transfer.
• My mother and I got takeout and made it home right before the thunder and lightning began.
• Total times outside: Eighty-Eight!
• Total videos watched by other YouTubers: 0. I have a list to watch, but I didn’t have time today.
• Currently feeling: So tired. Also, my butt kind of hurts from the botched transfer. I’m not displaying any autonomic dysreflexia symptoms (basically, if there’s something very off with my body, my blood pressure shoots up, I start sweating (it’s basically the only time I can sweat), I have horrible headaches, and there’s a litany of other awful things I’ll feel), which I shall take as a good sign. When I had my tibia fracture, I had a cold sweat and felt physically ill. Even with nerve damage, my body tries to tell me when something is wrong. Currently, I’m guessing there’s a bruise on my bottom. Will update if that is not the case.
• Currently looping: Sarah Jarosz’s “Tell Me True.” SO GOOD.

Day Four Hundred and Eighty-Two (7/7/21)

• Music lesson! Working on a collaboration.
• Got a facial that I rescheduled like, three times due to inclement weather. Was supposed to go back in early June. Whoops. Felt slightly more relaxed afterwards (and then my usual facial tension took over, because I’m me).
• Went to get a matcha latte afterwards, and I’m proud of myself for making eye contact AND smiling at a cute guy on line in the store. That will be all my flirtatious activity for the day, thank you very much.
• Watched the Mets win a game as I drank my latte and ate blueberry pie.
• Later watched the Mets lose a game after I finished dinner.
• Finished season one of “The Wire”! Dang.
• Practiced and played around a bit. Not sure I’ll have time to post anything tomorrow. It’s fine either way.
• Total times outside: Eighty-Nine!
• Total videos watched from other YouTubers: 17.
• Currently feeling: Pondering whether to start outlining another dissertation chapter prior to discussing the most recent chapter. I feel like my outline first drafts get thrown out no matter what (that’s just how the writing process goes), but I should really get back in the dissertation mindset (or at least balance the dissertation with musical things).
• Currently looping: Sarah Jarosz’s cover of The Decemberists’ “Shankill Butchers.” I kind of like it more than the original (my apologies, Colin Meloy, but Sarah Jarosz’s voice is equal parts ‘I’m telling you a bedtime story’ and ‘it’s a horror story’ and I’m really here for it).

Day Four Hundred and Eighty-Three (7/8/21)

• Did the FES cycle. Started season two of “The Wire.”
• Therapy! Feeling as blah as the weather outside (although I suppose the weather is more stormy than anything).
• Had my first harsh vocal lesson! I have quite a ways to go. It’s hard to learn how to apply grit when your vocal experience is basically “I love Disney princesses and vocalists who sound like despondent/infuriated Disney princesses.”
• Agreed to do a collaboration! For once, I think I may just have to sing, no instrumentation on my part. That should be interesting.
• Total videos watched from other YouTubers: 11. I did not post anything today because there was nothing to post.
• Currently feeling: Going to bed late again. One of these days, I’m going to go to bed before midnight. And then it’ll probably take me over an hour to fall asleep because my body will be confused.
• Currently looping: Sarah Jarosz’s “Green Lights.” It’s just a really sweet song. Like, “twirling around in a sunny grassy field and laughing, then watching fireworks with someone you care about” sweet. Which is some next-level sweetness, because I despise fireworks.

Thanks so much for reading! Stay safe, get vaccinated, and listen to a song that makes you happy!