Greetings, Internet! I hope everyone is staying as safe and sane as can be. This week, I celebrated the Lunar New Year with my family, scheduled my driving test, and signed up to present dissertation research at some point in the near future. Daily summaries below!

January 20, 2023

• Watched another episode of “Andor.” Okay, this is pretty awesome.
• So many phone calls today.
• My bestie stopped by to be productive.
• Worked out with an SCI trainer!
• Happy hour! Someday I will handle two margaritas without getting drunk. But it is not this day.
• I told my boyfriend that a chocolate store was dead to me, and then bought chocolate from them once they allowed me to make a purchase without having to pay for shipping (because their brick and mortar store near me isn’t wheelchair accessible). He was like, “…can’t you get chocolate from somewhere else?”
• Probably, but I’m particular about my chocolate.
• Wordle: In three!
• Currently feeling: Still tipsy. Drinking water.
• Currently looping: Regina Spektor’s “Tiny Desk” concert.

January 21, 2023

• I think I just accidentally signed up for two conferences in the same week. D’oh!
• Did the FES cycle.
• Football playoffs! Wow, the Giants are sad.
• My boyfriend’s here! He brought cake from his niece’s birthday party. It was unicorn themed. And there was a unicorn headband thing that I of course put on and took a selfie with.
• Omg, and he brought a goodie bag. It has more cake in it! And cotton candy!
• Wordle: Whoops.
• Currently feeling: Why did I sign up for two conferences in the same week?
• Currently looping: Death Cab for Cutie’s “Transatlanticism.” LOVE this album.

January 22, 2023

• Happy Lunar New Year!
• My boyfriend and I went to my parents’ house to celebrate.
• So much food.
• SO MUCH DESSERT.
• And also, lots of football, because my dad watches the playoffs.
• My advisor replied and I do not have to do two conferences. Kind of relieved, but also kind of like, “Dang, I wanted to see if I could do it.”
• Okay, Aubrey Plaza killed it with her Miss Universe FRANCE impression. Those are some brilliant harsh vocals.
• Wordle: In four!
• Currently feeling: It was nice to be back in Bay Ridge for a bit. And it wasn’t too hectic getting there. And it’s nice to point out things to my boyfriend like, “That’s where I played soccer,” and “That used to be a 1-800-FLOWERS, but now it’s a Chinese bakery, and ooh, let’s get some buns!” (We totally got some buns.)
• Currently looping: Catching up on the “X-Ray Vision” podcast, now that I’m one episode away from finishing “Andor.”

January 23, 2023

• Scheduled my driving test! Holy cow, trying not to panic, but also, dang, feels like just yesterday I was gripping the hand controls for dear life for my first time driving in Brooklyn (and, you know, getting accustomed to the idea of hand controls because I’ve grown up watching car chases where there are no hand controls to be seen (side note: where’s the getaway driver scene where someone uses just hand controls? Hollywood, get on that)).
• Worked out with an SCI trainer!
• Ate something that was sitting in my freezer for a while, and freaked out because I thought I did something weird to my stomach, so I countered it with wine. Time will tell if this was the correct choice.
• And now I’m buzzed. Wheeeee!
• Should I stop drunk texting friends? Nah.
• This type of buzzed Val likes listening to metal while washing dishes. Sure, as long as it gets the dishes done.
• Wordle: In six!
• Currently feeling: I still have another lesson or two to go before the exam, but I’m going to need to practice a ton (especially on the highway) before I’m ready to drive my sister around California (and we’ve got stuff planned, so I need to get on that). People who drive tell me that highway driving is less stressful than city driving, so here’s hoping they’re right.
• Currently looping: Lots of Spiritbox.

January 24, 2023

• Went to Push to Walk!
• And got bubble tea afterwards, because of course.
• Therapy!
• Ugh, has anyone else used an IUD before? I feel like I’ve had nothing but side effects (cramping, lower back pain, periods that last over a week) since I’ve started, and it’s been nearly a year.
• Also I’m like, irregularly moody. Not a fan of the side effects.
• My mother made these delightful sweet potato rice puff things. I have no idea how she makes them, but dang, they’re awesome.
• Wordle: In five!
• Currently feeling: There are things I need to get done during business hours that I can’t get done because I don’t have time to make a phone call (usually because of PT or something related to that). And then to cope with the stress, I look at fancy bras that are on sale. I think I need to find a less expensive coping mechanism. My bra bin is getting full.
• Currently looping: Not really any music today, but I did watch the latest episode of “Chopped” (Casino Royale!).

January 25, 2023

• Driving lesson! And it rained about halfway through the lesson, so I got some experience with that.
• Lunch and bubble tea with my mother! Rain or shine, we love boba.
• Caught up with a friend over video chat. It had been too long.
• My mother baked blueberry lemon bread! ‘Twas delicious.
• Dang, it is still raining outside.
• Wordle: In six!
• Currently feeling: I should probably work on my introduction and conclusion while I await my advisor’s comments on my most recent chapter. That seems like a productive thing to do.
• Currently looping: Listening to lots of Regina Spektor.

January 26, 2023

• Did the FES cycle.
• Phone calls. So many phone calls.
• Did some fiction writing, because I haven’t in a while and it was long overdue.
• Watched figure skating for the first time in a while, and dang, there were some awesome performances in the women’s short program.
• Isabeau Levito is fifteen? Dang. Her artistry is incredible.
• Happy to see Bradie Tennell back! Loved her “Cinderella”-inspired free skate from the 2018 Olympic season (mostly for the music and her outfit, but I have to say, her most recent program has a lot more personality).
• Wordle: Whoops.
• Currently feeling: Fallen back into the habit of going to bed way too late. Whoops. I shall work on that.
• Currently looping: My Karaoke Spotify playlist.

Thanks so much for reading! Stay safe, stay out of the rain, and seriously, does anyone have any good experiences with IUD side effects (or does my body just not like it)?