Greetings, Internet! I hope everyone’s staying as safe and sane as can be. This week, I set my resolutions for the year, watched the “Harry Potter” reunion, and watched Olympic trials! Daily summaries below!

Day Six Hundred and Fifty-Nine (12/31/21)

• Did the FES cycle. Watched “Snoopy Presents: For Auld Lang Syne.” I’ve definitely been the Lucy Van Pelt of situations.
• So apparently Patton Oswalt predicted MCU and “Star Wars” plotlines during a rambling improvised civilian filibuster during an episode of “Parks and Recreation.” Seriously, he called the opening scene of “The Book of Boba Fett.” Perhaps he gained the gift of foresight when he starred in “Ratatouille.”
• More “Doctor Who” marathoning.
• <sobs about Betty White> She was a national treasure.
• Total videos watched by other YouTubers: 1.
• Currently feeling: Not sure if I have any “end of year” feels, except dang, this year went by quickly. Relieved to be double vaxxed and boosted. Happy to have finally seen some of my friends in person. Thrilled to have performed in front of a crowd and have had it go well. Excited to have TA’d a course (slightly frazzled to have done so over Zoom). It’s funny, we can always set resolutions whenever we want. It’s just more socially acceptable to do so right now. But I have to remind myself that whatever I want to do or start next year, I can start at any point next year. Doesn’t have to be right now, but boy would I like a head start. 
• Currently looping: Still listening to my Spotify 2021 Wrapped Playlist. How could I not?

New Resolutions! As always, these are tangible goals that can be accomplished over the course of the year. None of that “be a better person” nonsense. That is vague and unconstructive.

• Compose an EP (5-7 songs).
• Finish rough draft of dissertation chapters.
• Get driver’s license.
• Submit five pitches/auditions/abstracts (this covers writing gigs, music gigs, and scholarly workshop things).
• Perform live 5+ times (this includes park serenades, so, friends, if you want to be serenaded, I need the practice!)
• Resume harsh vocal lessons.
• Attend at least one live concert (when it’s safe)

Day Six Hundred and Sixty (1/1/22)

• Happy New Year!!
• My parents came over for New Year’s Day dinner. We watched football and ate all of the things.
• Dang, this Rose Bowl game is exciting!
• Okay, I love memes of “The Witcher” season two. Bah, when do we get season three?
• Watched less than half of “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom,” but it was enough to get the plot and to find the whole thing ridiculous. It’s also amazing how much of the trailer came from the final half hour of the movie.
• Total videos watched by other YouTubers: 17.
• Currently feeling: I have many plans this year. Let’s do this thing.
• Currently looping: The Bangles’ “Hazy Shade of Winter.”

Day Six Hundred and Sixty-One (1/2/22)

• Did the FES cycle. Watched a behind-the-scenes “The Witcher” show.
• That feeling when you think the Jets might actually upset Tom Brady, but then of course they lose. I shouldn’t even be surprised. At least the Rangers won.
• Read an abstract for an article that might be good for some part of my dissertation. I’ll read through the whole article soon.
• Did some vocal and guitar practice. It has been too long.
• Total videos watched by other YouTubers: 0.
• Currently feeling: I don’t know what it is about the start of a new year, but I really want to dive into more new music. Or at least listen to the entirety of albums if I like a song or two from it (I still haven’t listened to Halsey’s entire album “If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power”).
• Currently looping: Brandi Carlile’s album, “In These Silent Days.” I’d only heard a couple of songs prior to today, but holy moly, this album is incredible! I’m so late to the party, but now I’m here, and this album is amazing.

Day Six Hundred and Sixty-Two (1/3/22)

• The oven has been repaired! Huzzah!
• My parents came over for lunch, and then they drove me to the surgeon’s office for a follow-up appointment. Procedure will be in late January.
• So, um, this exists. I need to send this to all my friends who are fans of The Killers.
• Still following Amy Schneider’s incredible run on “Jeopardy!”
• Watched “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.” At one point, Mr. Rogers (played amazingly by Tom Hanks) asks a terminally ill man (he’s related to the journalist doing a profile on Mr. Rogers) to pray for him. The journalist asks why, and Mr. Rogers replies that given all the man had been through, he must have been closer to God. And then I realized that able-bodied people have, since my injury, said they would pray for me. If we’re going to go with the “adversity makes you closer to God” angle, then, um, people should’ve been asking me for prayers all that time. Just saying.
• FaceTimed my sister briefly! We browsed fancy chocolate websites.
• Dang, it is COLD outside. Not like Boston cold, but still.
• Total Times Outside: One Hundred and Seventy-Eight!
• Total videos watched by other YouTubers: 0.
• Currently feeling: Looks like I’ll be out of commission doing some post-op care for the month of February. Alas. But it’s for the best.
• Currently looping: Aoife O’Donovan’s “B-61.”

Day Six Hundred and Sixty-Three (1/4/22)

• Did the FES cycle.
• Got to video chat with a blockmate from college! It was so wonderful to see her face!
• Finished watching the “Harry Potter” reunion on HBOMax. Definitely teared up hearing the cast talk about Alan Rickman.
• Total videos watched by other YouTubers: 0. I’m behind. I know.
• Currently feeling: I was supposed to send an email today and read an article. I did neither. I also need to schedule a couple of meetings. Gah. Tomorrow. I shall do the things tomorrow.
• Currently looping: Halsey’s “If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power.” Yes, it’s taken me this long to listen to the album the whole way through, but holy cow, this album is fantastic!

Day Six Hundred and Sixty-Four (1/5/22)

• Recorded some footage for my vocal rerecord of “No Surprises.” Then edited the video and got it ready for an upload.
• Therapy!
• Emails!
• Made myself a large dinner and felt too full afterwards to do anything of note.
• Total videos watched by other YouTubers: 10.
• Currently feeling: Okay, today flew by really quickly and I’m not sure how. But I was not nearly as productive as I wanted to be. Sigh. I have to get things done. Is this like a holiday productivity hangover? If so, then I am not a fan.
• Currently looping: Matt Heafy’s (lead singer of Trivium) cover of “Burn Butcher Burn” from “The Witcher.”

Day Six Hundred and Sixty-Five (1/6/22)

• Happy We-Had-An-Insurrection Day? What do you say when you remember that a bunch of people took some election lies way too seriously and tried to do a coup?
• Did the FES cycle.
• Posted my rerecorded cover of Radiohead’s “No Surprises.”
• Went to the DMV and got my learner’s permit!
• Okay, someone introduced me to this video of Elmo totally losing it over a rock, and I have no idea why it’s going viral.
• My mother baked croissants! They are amazing.
• Watched figure skating and speed skating Olympic trials with my mother. Karen Chen’s coming for that selection committee. I mean, come on.
• Total Times Outside: One Hundred and Seventy-Nine!
• Total videos watched by other YouTubers: 5.
• Currently feeling: I need to get in the habit of setting aside an hour of my day to just do the admin things that need to get done. Because I see I haven’t done things that could’ve easily been done during business hours and I’m like, “Gah, why did I wait, now I have to do it tomorrow.” I’ll get better about it.
• Currently looping: Brandi Carlile’s “You and Me on the Rock” (feat. Lucius). It’s so sweet and adorable.

Thanks so much for reading! Stay safe, get vaccinated/boosted, and have an awesome start to the new year!