Greetings, Internet! This week, I really got into “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” celebrated my birthday, and ate hella cupcakes. Daily summaries below!

February 17, 2023

• Still loving Nicole Byer’s podcast. If you haven’t seen her hilarity, this clip from her guest host stint at “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” is fantastic.
• Rewatched the second half of “The Last of Us” episode five, because it’s just so good. And by that I mean, wow, it’s so well done, but also, it continues to be a gut punch of a show.
• Worked out with an SCI trainer!
• Made myself a large breakfast burrito for dinner. Mmm…breakfast burrito.
• Okay, I’m digging “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and I kind of wish I had gotten into it sooner.
• Tried doing vocal exercises, but I can tell things are getting tight, and I’m worried I’m doing a bit too much too soon before karaoke (yes, I train for karaoke, don’t judge).
• Wordle: In four!
• Currently feeling: I’ve been looking up recipes and like, dang, cooking is a lot of work. I should get a sheet pan cookbook.
• Currently looping: My karaoke playlist, because of course.

February 18, 2023

• Did the FES cycle. Started watching season nine of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” Oh snap, it’s Lady Gaga!
• Got birthday tacos with some friends! Drank margaritas. Because they’re karaoke fuel.
• A friend took this time to give me a plastic tiara and feather boa. So I wore the tiara during dinner.
• Karaoke birthday party with friends! There were cupcakes and cookies (courtesy of my bestie who stopped at my favorite LIC bakery), and ‘80s song choices galore.
• I was tipsy enough to go for Céline Dion’s “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now.” In case you were wondering, this is when the feather boa made its lone appearance.
• Oh, my vocal cords. Le ouch.
• Of course the moment I went to the bathroom was the moment that my boyfriend decided to rickroll everyone. But a friend sent me a video afterwards, and it was awesome.
• Wordle: Whoops.
• Currently feeling: I love my friends, and I’m so happy that they came out amidst a cold that is definitely going around.
• Currently looping: ALL THE KARAOKE SONGS.

February 19, 2023

• Got up early-ish so that I could get ready to meet a friend for brunch. I hadn’t seen her since 2019, so we had lots to catch up on.
• So many mimosas. And my friend alerted the server that it was my birthday, so they brought over this delightful chocolate cupcake with marshmallow frosting. [It’s the featured image for this post!]
• I love cupcakes.
• I told my boyfriend that I wanted to make a sheet pan chicken dish, with mashed potatoes and a veggie stir fry.
• Two hours later (with an assist from my boyfriend on the veggies, because I was getting tired after preparing the chicken marinade and getting the eyes out of the potatoes), we had dinner.
• It’s always like, an hour faster when he cooks, so I’m grateful he’s humoring my attempts to cook things.
• Wordle: Whoops.
• Currently feeling: I’m so happy I got to see my friend (she traveled like, two hours to get here, eat, and then travel two hours back home).
• Currently looping: Not much music today.

February 20, 2023

• My boyfriend is delighted that he’s finally figured out how to cook this semi-complicated ramen kit. As am I.
• So there were a lot of cupcake leftovers after my birthday (I probably ordered too many, along with the cookies). Which means that I ate three cupcakes today.
• I’m not ashamed and I would do it again.
• Oh, these pants are tight.
• Still would eat them again because dang, they’re amazing.
• Worked out with an SCI trainer! Gotta work off those cupcakes.
• Ate leftovers from yesterday’s sheet pan dinner. At least when you cook a big meal and it takes a while to get everything together, you get leftovers for the next day.
• Caught up on “The Last of Us.” Dang.
• Wordle: In four!
• Currently feeling: Love that I got to celebrate my birthday over a three-day weekend. Grateful for my friends and my boyfriend.
• Currently looping: Unleash the Archers’ “Time Stands Still” album.

February 21, 2023

• Happy birthday to me!
• Did the FES cycle. Watched more season nine of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”
• Drank tea and watched more “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”
• Ordered dinner. More RPDR.
• Did laundry because I felt like the laziest person ever for bingeing television.
• Why is there some sick part of me that feels like I have to be productive on my birthday?
• Oh, right, because it’s a weekday.
• Aaand I dropped a tiny plate and broke it.
• Wordle: Whoops.
• Currently feeling: Sometimes it just doesn’t feel like your day, even on your birthday. But hey, at least I got to celebrate over the weekend. And that was awesome.
• Currently looping: More Unleash the Archers.

February 22, 2023

• Went to a doctor’s appointment, and then scrambled to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription before the ice rain hit.
• The sky was clear, and then the ice rain began as I left the pharmacy.
• Cue sprinting back to my apartment.
• Made myself tea and finished watching season nine of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”
• I WAS NOT PREPARED FOR THIS PERFORMANCE. THE BEAUTY. I AM GAGGED.
• I also saw a bunch of references to this like, years ago, but had no idea what was happening. And now I do.
• Okay, so I have no idea how this show normally goes because I started with season nine, but DANG, what a great reality show.
• I shall watch more. But first, dissertationing at some point.
• And learning how to cook. I actually made something decent today in under two hours.
• I also folded laundry and tidied up, so I felt super productive today.
• Wordle: In four!
• Currently feeling: So much more productive than yesterday (i.e. way better).
• Currently looping: Spiritbox’s debut album.

February 23, 2023

• Did the FES cycle.
• I started watching RPDR: All Stars, Season 1. Yeah, I’m low key obsessed.
• Hadn’t dolled myself up for barely no reason in a while. Forgot how much I miss doing my makeup.
• Participated in a History focus group. Realized that I’ve been blessed with amazing History teachers for most of my life, which is probably why it was so easy to gravitate towards the discipline in college.
• Ugh, my bladder is not happy with me today.
• I am definitely PMS-ing.
• Wordle: In four!
• Currently feeling: Today was pretty low key, and that’s not a bad thing. But also, it’s past midnight and I need to get ready for bed.
• Currently looping: KT Tunstall’s “KIN.” Dang, what a great album.

Thanks so much for reading! Stay safe, stay sane, and “put that bass in your walk” (sorry not sorry for quoting a RuPaul song).