Greetings, Internet! I hope everyone’s staying as safe and sane as can be. This week, I binged the “Harley Quinn” animated series, wrote a lot of my dissertation chapter draft (but still have a ways to go), and listened to the new Spiritbox album! Daily summaries below!

Day Five Hundred and Fifty-Four (9/17/21)

• My parents joined me for lunch, and then they drove me to the surgeon’s office.
• The surgeon said that I have two options. Neither is good.
• My mother picked up something delightful from a nearby bakery because the surgery options have made me sad. I’d rather not get into it. <eats cherry brioche and drinks jasmine tea>
• Did more dissertation writing.
• Are you full of unwavering and inexplicable optimism? Then the Mets are the team for you!
• Total Times Outside: One Hundred and Twenty!
• Total videos watched by other YouTubers: 5.
• Currently feeling: Thank goodness for new music and cherry brioche, because I kind of know which surgery option I have to go for, and it’s going to be a doozy.
• Currently looping: Spiritbox has a new album! I’ve already listened to “Eternal Blue” two times in a row (maybe three; I wasn’t counting). SO GOOD.

Day Five Hundred and Fifty-Five (9/18/21)

• Went to Push to Walk! Nearly fell asleep on the car ride home (don’t worry, I wasn’t driving #lolcitygirlcantdrive).
• Had ramen with my mother.
• Talked with a nurse who specializes in SCI about surgery things. She alleviated some of the doom and gloom, but I still need to talk to the surgeon to confirm the alleviation.
• Dissertationing!
• Finished season one of the animated “Harley Quinn” series.
• Total Times Outside: One Hundred and Twenty-One!
• Total videos watched by other YouTubers: 0.
• Currently feeling: Just gotta keep writing.
• Currently looping: The Pretty Reckless’ acoustic rendition of “Only Love Can Save Me Now.” That twelve-string guitar is gorgeous ❤

Day Five Hundred and Fifty-Six (9/19/21)

• Cramps. Oh, the cramps. Seriously, menstrual cramps were not high on my list of “things I’d like to regain post paralysis,” but here we are.
• Dissertationing! #alldayeveryday #sortof
• Okay, I have no idea where this chapter is going. I mean, I know where it’s going, but I got into a section and have no idea how much detail needs to go into it. Eh, it’ll sort itself out.
• Call with one of the #triotime ladies!
• Watched an interview between my vocal coach and Lzzy Hale. It’s a two-hour interview, so it might be a lot, but omg, Lzzy Hale uses straws to help her sing. That is all the endorsement I need. LZZY FREAKING HALE.
• Did some vocal exercises and played guitar. Needed a musical break.
• Total videos watched by other YouTubers: 1.
• Currently feeling: SO MUCH DISSERTATION. But like, in a good way, because the writing is happening and it needs to happen.
• Currently looping: Taylor Swift’s live performance of “Lover” from her concert in Paris.

Day FIve Hundred and Fifty-Seven (9/20/21)

• Did the FES cycle. Was on the phone for well over an hour (mostly on hold) to sort out whatever issue is happening with my oven (those extended warranties have a knack for causing headaches).
• Back to dissertationing! I’m not sure what part of me thought it was a good idea to literally check every chronicle entry that this one article mentioned about famine. Like, to be fair, I had to check, because this guy just cited the chronicle without saying what the Latin from the relevant passage was. Dude, give me the whole paragraph so I know there isn’t something your article mentions that I might find relevant. And so, I went through hella Latin today and have hella footnotes to show for it.
• Took eating breaks and watched more “Harley Quinn.” I can’t believe I’m referring to dinner as an “eating break,” but it’s dissertation writing time, so this is where we are.
• Did anyone else know that Bryant Park was doing these awesome live music events? They’ve been livestreamed on YouTube this whole time, and I literally just found out about this today. And I live less than a mile from Bryant Park. I feel like such a silly person. How did I not know about this? I listened to so much awesome music this evening on the livestream.
• Total videos watched by other YouTubers: 10.
• Currently feeling: So tired from typing and footnoting. But I hit my word quota for the day and got a decent amount done, so I should be happy about that.
• Currently looping: There’s a lullaby from the Goat Rodeo Sessions called “All Through the Night,” and I adore it. It was also recorded on Live From Here, and it’s just magical.

Day Five Hundred and Fifty-Eight (9/21/21)

• Went to Push to Walk! Nearly fell asleep on the car ride home.
• “Up” was on cable, so my mother and I watched some of it. I think it’s the best Pixar movie.
• Dissertationing! This chapter is getting kind of long. But that’s good.
• That feeling when you think the Mets might start the game well, and then they blow the lead.
• Total Times Outside: One Hundred and Twenty-Two!
• Total videos watched by other YouTubers: 5. I’m so behind, but the dissertation comes first!
• Currently feeling: So tired. But the dissertation is chugging along.
• Currently looping: Spiritbox’s “Halcyon.” The new album is amazing.

Day Five Hundred and Fifty-Nine (9/22/21)

• Happy first day of fall!
• Music lesson! Realized that my guitar strings are hella old and need to be replaced.
• Realized that I have neither the tools nor the spare strings to do this restringing.
• Ordered the tool and spare strings. That was the easy part, I suppose.
• Watched a tutorial on how to restring a guitar. Honestly, not as terrifying as I thought it would be. But also, might require a bit more dexterity than I can muster. We shall see.
• Recorded a cover that will go up tomorrow. It’s probably good to take a day off from writing.
• Got a facial. Realized how tense I am. Again, it’s good that I took a break.
• Total Times Outside: One Hundred and Twenty-Three!
• Total videos watched by other YouTubers: 29. I think I caught up.
• Currently feeling: I may be halfway through this chapter? Like, halfway through the first draft/idea. If my advisor thinks this one bit of analysis should include more data, then this is going to be at least 25-50% longer. #superchapter #theresoneineverydissertationright
• Currently looping: Spiritbox’s “Sun Killer.” It’s the first song off the new album, and dang, it is good.

Day Five Hundred and Sixty (9/23/21)

• Phone call with the surgeon. The recovery period is going to be (if I’m lucky) six weeks of being completely housebound. Ugh. He also harpooned the optimism that the SCI nurse gave me. More ugh.
• Went to get lunch with my parents. Felt slightly less ugh.
• Posted my cover of Michelle Branch’s “All You Wanted.” This song is my jam.
• Dissertationing! At least my work is a constant in my life.
• Therapy! Felt like absolute garbage going in. Felt less like garbage an hour later.
• Realized that I needed to replace my watch. Luckily, the same model appears to still be available even though I bought my watch years ago.
• Total Times Outside: One Hundred and Twenty-Four!
• Total videos watched by other YouTubers: 2.
• Currently feeling: Meh. At least I hit my dissertation word quota for the day.
• Currently looping: Jaymay’s “Hard to Say.” It’s so sweet.

Thanks so much for reading! Stay safe, get vaccinated, and check in on your dissertationing friends.