Greetings, Internet! I hope everyone’s staying as safe and sane as can be. This week, I finally finished “The Wire” (great show), watched oodles of Olympics coverage, and translated a Latin passage in my previous dissertation chapter so badly that my advisor asked me which dictionary I was using. Daily summaries below!

Day Five Hundred and Five (7/30/21)

• Did the FES cycle.
• Went outside for some groceries. Weather was gorgeous.
• Watched an amazing interview between my vocal coach and Tatiana Shmaylyuk of Jinjer. Her band struggled for ten years before they became more widely known. If I had any metalhead friends, I’d drag one of them to Jinjer’s show (they’re touring the US!).
• Am three episodes into season five of “The Wire.”
• The Mets got Javy Baez, because apparently the Cubs are having an “everything must go” sale. Not sure how I feel about Anthony Rizzo in pinstripes.
• Sent off my part of a collab. It’s not perfect, but I’m not sure I had enough time for a perfect take (the song is kind of out of my comfort zone anyway).
• Read an important article for my next dissertation chapter. Now I should read a bit of one more book, look through a spreadsheet I have of primary sources (of course I have a spreadsheet, like duh), and then I can get into a serious outline planning stage.
• Total videos watched from other YouTubers: 4.
• Total times outside: Ninety-Eight!
• Currently feeling: So productive. Feels great. It’s amazing what I can get done as I fall behind on watching other people’s YouTube videos. Not sure how to feel about that.
• Currently looping: Wagakki Band’s rendition of Evanescence’s “Bring Me To Life” featuring Amy Lee. It’s pretty spectacular.

Day Five Hundred and Six (7/31/21)

• Am about four and a half episodes into the final season of “The Wire.”
• Phone call with my parents, who are currently visiting my sister.
• Started reading a book that’s relevant to the dissertation chapter I want to write. It covers an event that happens centuries after the period I’m looking at, but the methodology/bibliography may be worth poaching.
• Was planning to go outside today, but then decided to go out another day. Got sidetracked.
• Yasss, Mets! Love a walkoff.
• Read a theory that Captain America went back in time (spoiler alert?), and that we came to know him as Mr. Rogers. You know, of Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood. This is now head canon, and I can’t believe I could love him any more than I already did.
• Total videos watched from other YouTubers: 17
• Currently feeling: Got some progress on the dissertation today, so that’s something. Let’s see if I can get to my goal of having a workable outline by the end of the week.
• Currently looping: An acoustic live rendition of Dashboard Confessional’s “Stolen.” That’s some scream Chris Carrabba’s got.

Day Five Hundred and Seven (8/1/21)

• Did the FES cycle. Am four episodes away from finishing “The Wire.”
• Caught up with Olympics coverage from highlights on YouTube. NBC shows so many commercials during primetime that I’ve lost interest in watching.
• Recorded vocals for an original song that maybe (finally?) doesn’t suck.
• Total videos watched from other YouTubers: 5. I have so many more in the queue.
• Currently feeling: Where did the day go? Like, seriously, it’s midnight. When did that happen?
• Currently looping: Jimmy Eat World’s live performance of “Hear You Me.” It’s so beautiful and sad.

Day Five Hundred and Eight (8/2/21)

• Someone stopped by to fix the refrigerator, only to realize that his company had ordered the wrong replacement part. Alas.
• One episode to go before I finish “The Wire”!
• Music lesson! Things are progressing along, but I need to work on my original stuff more.
• Went outside for a quick grocery run.
• Allyson Felix is on her way to the 400m semis!
• Yay, Jade Carey! And yay, Gabby Thomas, for making the finals!
• Oh, Mets. Le sigh.
• Worked on an original song. I took a very depressing song, and made it slightly less depressing, but more direct in its sadness? I don’t know what I’m doing sometimes.
• Total times outside: Ninety-Nine!
• Total videos watched from other YouTubers: 6.
• Currently feeling: My music instructor said he’s going to keep trying to get my confidence up. Because I continue to have none. But I appreciate the effort.
• Currently looping: The Donnas’ “Gold Medal.”

Day Five Hundred and Nine (8/3/21)

• Did the FES cycle. Finished “The Wire”! Great show. 
• More reading.
• Vocal practice! This range isn’t going to get better on its own.
• Watching Olympics coverage while texting one of my blockmates. We fangirled over the women’s 400m hurdles final and stayed up way too late for other coverage.
• Total videos watched from other YouTubers: 3.
• Currently feeling: Going to take a break from bingeing television. Gotta get a chapter outlined and written. Oh, and record a song. Gotta do that, too. Every time I’m done bingeing a show, I feel this fleeting sense of accomplishment that I’m more “caught up” in pop culture, but then I think, “Oh gosh, how much time did I spend watching this show?” And then the work guilt creeps up. Time for some productivity!
• Currently looping: There is a metal cover of “Hellfire” from “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” The video is kind of ridiculous, but I’m here for any dramatic rendition of an already very dramatic song.

Day Five Hundred and Ten (8/4/21)

• Finished some reading for the next chapter. And just in time for my advisor meeting tomorrow to go over my second chapter.
• Ordered hella cans of milk tea. I’m becoming mildly obsessed. But also they’re less expensive than matcha lattes, so.
• Allyson Felix is through to the 400m finals!!
• Daaang, that 110m hurdles final, though!
• Yes, I’m up too late watching Olympics coverage. I blame time zones.
• Total videos watched from other YouTubers: 5.
• Currently feeling: So much Olympics and dissertation work and musical collaborations and oh my goodness, this is a lot. I passed out last night for about six hours straight, and might not get that luxury tonight, but dang, today was full.
• Currently looping: Peter Hollens’ “Epic Disney Villains Medley” feat. Whitney Avalon. It’s really well arranged, and I’m such a fan of “Hellfire” from “Hunchback of Notre Dame” (as I think I mentioned yesterday? So good).

Day Five Hundred and Eleven (8/5/21)

• Zoom meeting with my advisor! Overall, good chapter. But you know you need to reassess some of your life choices when you’re asked the question, “What dictionary are you using for your Latin translations?” Because, um, yeah, I might have botched a couple of translations. And have to do quite a bit of revising. But the core idea was still there!
• Posted a YouTube collaboration of “Reflection” from Disney’s “Mulan.” This song is easily in my top five Disney songs ever.
• Dentist appointment! My first after two years, and I have zero cavities! Cue the confetti! It was also my first time riding a bus since February 2020.
• Therapy!
• Tried to FaceTime my niece, but she was not in the mood for it. Alas.
• Total times outside: One Hundred! Le gasp!
• Total videos watched from other YouTubers: 18. Catching up!
• Currently feeling: Today flew by. How is it already the end of the day?
• Currently looping: Tituss Burgess’ rendition of “Poor Unfortunate Souls” from “The Little Mermaid.” Why did he not play Ursula on Broadway? I am disappointed in whoever produced the show. LET TITUSS ANDROMEDON SING!

Thanks so much for reading! Stay safe, get vaccinated, and maybe check out “The Wire” if you’re into crime dramas.