Greetings, Internet! I hope everyone’s staying as safe and sane as can be. This week, I started decorating my apartment with photos, slogged through some secondary literature for my dissertation chapter, and watched lots of sports. Daily summaries below!

September 9, 2022

• My mother and I got a pistachio brioche from the nearby bakery. So good.
• Finally started putting a bunch of photos in my apartment. I’m so excited to show my sister when she visits. I ordered from Nations Photo Lab, and the photos look fantastic.
• Worked out!
• One of the #triotime ladies stopped by to say hi (she was in my neighborhood because there’s a store near here that does sample sales).
• Okay, the first semifinal was like, fine, but the second men’s semifinal at the US Open is NUTS. Holy cow, the energy is INTENSE.
• I mean, good for Casper Ruud and everything (he won the semifinal earlier in the day), but like, this semifinal could’ve been the final. It is that good. I’m like, holding my breath with every point.
• Dang. Can’t wait to see Tiafoe in a final someday. But also, holy cow, let’s go Alcaraz.
• Wordle: In four!
• Currently feeling: That was so much spectacular tennis. Just, wow. I don’t even know how the Mets game went because I was just hopped up on tennis. Don’t tell Mr. Met.
• Currently looping: Tennis. I guess “currently binged” makes more sense in this case. But yeah, wow, so much glorious tennis.

September 10, 2022

• Did the FES cycle. Caught up on “She-Hulk.” Dang, such a great show.
• My boyfriend’s here! And he brought cookies!
• Aw, I’m sure everyone at the US Open was rooting for a third set, but Ons Jabeur played one heck of a second set. She’ll be back (or she’ll win the Australian Open in a few months, who knows).
• Yay, Mets!
• Watched the second “Rings of Power” episode with my boyfriend. Aw man, another great show. What are they calling this? Hot nerd autumn?
• Wordle: Whoops.
• Currently feeling: Hot nerd autumn is the best.
• Currently looping: Amaranthe’s orchestral version of “Crystalline.”

September 11, 2022

• I mean, could anyone in the NYC area ever forget? I still haven’t been downtown to really check out what’s been built in that area for years. I should probably go and see the memorial.
• Yay, Mets!
• Got in an hour of dissertation research, so yay!
• That was some US Open final. Dang. Even my boyfriend liked it, and he’s not really a sports person (seriously, he just watches the Mets for Buck Showalter’s scowls).
• Caught up on “Rings of Power.” I haven’t read the necessary appendices, so I’m a fan? Don’t @ me, Tolkien fans. Some of us are just big fans of the movies and completely forgot everything we read in the books.
• Watched “Starsky and Hutch” (the movie). So much fun. I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to see it.
• Wordle: In six!
• Currently feeling: A little tipsy from the cider I drank while watching “Starsky and Hutch.” Wheeeee.
• Currently looping: Just some Sarah Jarosz tunes. Nothing surprising here.

September 12, 2022

• Worked on some dissertation stuff! The guy who wrote the thing that’s like, the current scholarship on social mobility in the early middle ages, seems determined to prove an argument for which he lacks convincing evidence.
• Worked out!
• Put up some photos! This place feels far homier now.
• Oof, what is happening, Mets?
• Is it worth watching the Emmys when you haven’t seen most of the shows?
• Oh, wait, I’ve seen “Squid Game” and “Ted Lasso.”
• Yay, “Squid Game”!
• Yay, “Ted Lasso”!
• Oh snap, I should start watching “Abbott Elementary.”
• And catch up with “Succession.”
• And start “Severance” and “Only Murders in the Building.” Meanwhile, I still haven’t watched the latest “House of the Dragon” episode, which I’ve heard is bananas.
• WHY IS THERE SO MUCH TELEVISION?!
• Wordle: In six! Yikes.
• Currently feeling: Mercury is in retrograde, and I’m already feeling the miscommunication vibes. Seriously, the part of my brain that worries I’ve said the wrong thing is in constant overdrive. But at least I’ve worked on my dissertation for a bit today?
• Currently looping: My VALentine playlist.

September 13, 2022

• Bad drainage day. I know this is why I’m going in for a procedure, but UGH. This is just so annoying and frustrating and it kills my entire day.
• Productivity? What’s that? All the energy I’d spend on work is going to taking care of the area that needs to be operated on.
• I’m catching up on “House of the Dragon” instead.
• Well, that was certainly an interesting episode.
• Very interesting. Egad.
• Well, I still did some dissertation work, so go me.
• Harsh vocal lesson! We’re shifting to fry screams. Wish me luck?
• What is going on with the Mets?
• Wordle: In four!
• Currently feeling: Didn’t do the standing frame today because I was nervous about drainage. I wonder if I can do extra standing tomorrow to compensate? Eh, probably not. Maybe I’ll try to get in thirty minutes so I don’t feel like I squandered the day PT-wise.
• Currently looping: Neko Case’s “Wild Creatures” compilation album.

September 14, 2022

• Dissertation work! I…really don’t understand this guy’s argument. And by that, I mean, I understand what he’s saying, but it’s not very convincing.
• Therapy!
• First academic zoom talk of the academic year! Environment in the Carolingian period. Good stuff.
• My bestie came over! The catch up was long overdue, and yes, we talked until past midnight, because that’s just what we do.
• Wordle: Whoops.
• Currently feeling: It was nice to go to an academic talk. And to catch up with my bestie. Just wish I also had gone into the stander. That’s two days in a row now. Whoops. Oh gosh, my hip flexors must be so tight.
• Currently looping: Sarah Jarosz. You can’t be surprised by this point.

September 15, 2022

• Did the FES cycle. Watched the season finale of “Harley Quinn” and didn’t realize it was the finale. Dang, it was so good though.
• Started the process of making a will. Because I figure I should do that?
• Ow, pre-period-ish cramps. Since going on birth control, my period has gotten all wonky.
• Did some dissertation reading. I’m glad I’ve been somewhat more consistent about reading this past week. Especially since this is like, a book on early medieval social mobility, and that’s exactly what my chapter is going to be on. So it’s nice to have a starting point.
• Even if this starting point is badly argued in many ways and any good points appear in a sea of messiness.
• But like, don’t tell the scholar who wrote said book that I said that.
• My bladder is mad at me. And it keeps spasming. WHY. JUST. WHY.
• <chugs water>
• It behaved itself for the last third of the Mets game, so that’s nice. And yay, they won!
• Okay, my bladder is calmer. Thank goodness. I think it’s PMS-related? Because it’s definitely not a UTI.
• That moment when you get a text from your childhood best friend who met your college/current bestie while out. Small world.
• Wordle: In four!
• Currently feeling: Wondering how much more time I should spend on reading prep work for this chapter. I know once I start writing, I’ll have to read a bunch more things while I’m writing, so I guess I’ll finish close reading this one book and then review my notes on another book that’s semi-related that I’ve read closely, and then read a few more articles (less than ten?), and then commence writing (at which point I will probably end up reading many more items, but at least I’ll have something of a base to work with beforehand). Yeah, this is me typing and planning out loud.
• Currently looping: Kamelot’s “I Am the Empire” live album. I should’ve listened to the whole thing through a while back. I’m not as familiar with Kamelot’s discography as I am with, say, that of Unleash the Archers or Nightwish. But I’m a fan.

Thanks so much for reading! Stay safe, get your boosters, and don’t spoil “House of the Dragon” for me, because I’m still an episode behind!