Greetings, Internet! I hope everyone is staying as safe and sane as can be. This week, I eased back into doing the FES cycle, started writing the next dissertation chapter, and then realized I needed to read something my advisor recommended months ago. Daily summaries below!

November 4, 2022

• Overnight drainage not bad. Daytime drainage also not horrible. Thank goodness.
• Okay, so I’ve had the Moderna covid shots and booster, and each time, I’d be a zombie the next day. With the Pfizer booster, which I got yesterday, I am a bit sluggish, and my arm is sore, but I am otherwise not a zombie. I don’t know if there’s a big difference in efficacy, but dang, I’ll take not being a zombie if they end up being similar levels of protection/prevention of serious illness.
• Worked out with an SCI trainer. My lower back is not happy with me (but like, in a good way, because it was hella tight earlier, and now it’s just kind of tight). But the Pfizer side effects kicked in mid-workout, and I was like, laying on the mat like, “Ugh…”
• Loving the “Jeopardy!: Tournament of Champions.” I saw a guy bet everything on Double Jeopardy!, and then bet everything again on the following clue, which was another Double Jeopardy! And then he got both correct. Amazing.
• Did a bunch of fiction writing. It’s so freeing not to deal with footnotes, but also, I’m definitely starting my dissertation chapter next week, regardless of whether I finish this German article before then.
• Watched “Monsters, Inc.” with my mother because we love Pixar movies.
• Wordle: In four!
• Currently feeling: Thankful that today hasn’t been too terrible with drainage.
• Currently looping: A random assortment of songs on Spotify, much of which involved Kamelot.

November 5, 2022

• Overnight drainage not bad. Daytime is not great. Oh body, you make such little sense to me.
• Did thirty minutes of FES cycling. Really trying to ease into this, even though part of me wants to do an hour of cycling, drainage be damned.
• But also I have to be mindful of it, so bah.
• Finally doing some German translating and dissertationing. Gotta start writing this chapter next week.
• So. Viel. Deutsch. Ich bin müde.
• My boyfriend’s here! And there’s Chick-fil-a.
• This World Series game is tense AF.
• Wordle: Whoops.
• Currently feeling: Drainage is making me sad, but boyfriend is doing his best to make me feel not like a sludge monster. So, yay for that at least.
• Currently looping: Maya Hawke’s “MOSS” album. Highly recommend “Sweet Tooth” if you haven’t already given it a listen.

November 6, 2022

• It’s my boyfriend’s birthday!
• Cue watching television and being a couple of homebodies.
• This is what he wanted, don’t @ me.
• Almost done with “Rings of Power”!
• Then he went to go hang out with his friends in Jersey and I went in my standing frame.
• Wordle: Whoops.
• Currently feeling: When most people say, “Oh, don’t make a big deal about my birthday,” it’s usually code for, “We’re going to do something, clear your calendar.” Like, I don’t want to make a big deal, but also clear your night because we’re getting tacos and singing karaoke. But my boyfriend means it. And I’m like, “Dang, that’s straightforward.”
• Currently looping: Weirdly enough, I listened to a bunch of country music in a Music League. Found a couple songs I liked, including Ingrid Andress’ “The Stranger.”

November 7, 2022

• Overnight drainage not bad.
• Trying to get a head start on holiday shopping, because that’s where we are now.
• DISSERTATION WRITING HAS RESTARTED.
• Workout!
• Aaand already I’m like, “Gregory of Tours loves his status divisions.” Like, that’s the vibe.
• Aaand my inability to write and manage time in a healthy way has begun.
• But huzzah for finally starting to write this chapter!
• Wordle: In five!
• Currently feeling: Feels so good to write, but also I have no idea if I’m interpreting this story correctly.
• Currently looping: Some Ben Folds and Britney Spears, because why not?

November 8, 2022

• Overnight drainage not bad. Daytime drainage also not bad.
• Did a bit more FES cycling. Almost at a full hour.
• Took care of more holiday shopping.
• Trying out some new cranberry pills. So far, I like these. And they’re a fraction of what I was paying before, so that’s a plus (Azo is the brand if you’re interested).
• More dissertationing! Hit my word quota for the day, which makes me happy. The quota is 500 words per day (not including footnotes). If you can get 500 words a day, you can draft a chapter in about three weeks. It’s a slow pace, but it’s doable, and that’s the goal. Also, footnotes slow down the writing process. I refuse to be one of those people who leaves a one-word footnote and fills it in later, because I would completely forget what I meant to put there.
• Watching election coverage with my mother. And eating blueberry bread.
• Wordle: In five!
• Currently feeling: Relieved that I won’t have to watch political ads for another couple of years.
• Currently looping: The Pretty Reckless put out an album of extra things (B-Sides?) called “Other Worlds” and it has acoustic versions of three of my favorite songs from their most recent album. Squee!

November 9, 2022

• Overnight drainage not bad. Daytime drainage is meh.
• Therapy!
• You know that feeling when you’re all set to write and then you realize you really needed to read this one volume of essays that your advisor sent you months ago? Yeah. That.
• <reads furiously>
• <takes notes furiously>
• <still attempts to get in 500 words>
• 500 words! And oof, it’s getting late.
• Wordle: In two!
• Currently feeling: I really should’ve read this thing when my advisor sent it to me.
• Currently looping: Finally got a chance to listen to Arch Enemy’s “Deceivers” album and omg, so good. Alissa White-Gluz is phenomenal.

November 10, 2022

• Overnight drainage fine.
• Went to the surgeon for another post-op checkup. Can’t guarantee things will go back to how they were before the procedure (because medical professionals can’t promise anything), but it’s possible.
• His checking of the area has caused the drainage to be annoying again.
• My mother tried to cheer me up with food and a soft-serve matcha.
• You know what’ll cheer me up? Productivity.
• We’re falling into old habits again, folks.
• Am I up until midnight writing this chapter to get my 500 words in? Yes. You bet.
• My bladder is just dumping water like it’s a game.
• I hate drainage.
• Wordle: In four!
• Currently feeling: Blah. The drainage was doing so well these past few days, but my sister is convinced that the rough drainage today is the result of the post-op checkup.
• Currently looping: Angry music.

Thanks so much for reading! Stay safe, get your boosters, and try some bubble tea!