Greetings, Internet! I hope everyone is staying as safe and sane as can be. This week, I went to an Avenged Sevenfold concert, wheeled around Manhattan to go to doctor’s appointments, and finished “Shadow and Bone.” Daily summaries below!

June 23, 2023

• Finally finished reading the relevant parts of the book in Italian for my dissertation. Now I can get to editing chapters with this new foundationally relevant information!
• Also finished some edits for a second draft (non-academic) to send to an editor.
• My catheters arrived today! Huzzah!
• Got dinner and was given free cookies. I love free cookies.
• Went to an Avenged Sevenfold concert with a friend, and dang, we got nosebleed seats. Literally, we were the highest seats. I was grateful that there were screens, otherwise I wouldn’t have known those were the actual musicians. [Featured picture is of my view of one of the opening acts.]
• Daaang, Synyster Gates is still slaying so hard. SO HARD.
• And M. Shadows is just, WOW.
• SO WOW.
• Avenged Sevenfold knows how to put on a show. So confused why their encore was a set of songs from their new album that’s only been out for like a month?
• Still, great show.
• My Lyft driver on the way back (literally once I got into the car) was telling me this was his first day with a new car, because his previous car got totaled in an accident. So that was great to think about on the way home.
• He also said, “It’s a good thing I didn’t have someone with a wheelchair in the car when it got totaled. They would’ve died.”
• THANKS, MAN. I FEEL SO SAFE DRIVING WITH YOU RIGHT NOW.
• But I made it! And now I am very sleepy.
• Currently feeling: Yay, metal! And yay for productivity! I am so very sleepy.
• Currently looping: Lots and lots of metal.

June 24, 2023

• Did the FES cycle. Am nearly halfway through season two of “Shadow and Bone.” Still a fun show.
• The Mets won! Huzzah!
• Caught up with a friend over the phone I hadn’t talked to in a while.
• My boyfriend’s here! We watched “Despicable Me” because it’s awesome. He also helped me put away catheters, because I didn’t have time last night after the concert.
• It is SO HUMID outside.
• Currently feeling: I feel like this is going to be a humid summer.
• Currently looping: My “Being Social” playlist on Spotify.

June 25, 2023

• I can hear the Pride Parade from my apartment.
• I’m still of the opinion that all parades should be on Staten Island.
• Even the Disability Pride Parade. Which, why is it in July? That’s like, one of the worst months for people of any ability level to be outside (with the exception of August, and all of winter).
• My boyfriend and I watched “Bridesmaids” because I’ve been hyping it up for months now. He said it lived up to the hype. Huzzah!
• I also often forget how adorable Chris O’Dowd is as Officer Rhodes.
• My boyfriend was very excited to try cooking a new recipe. I was missing a few ingredients, so he improvised. That reminds me, I need to get some ingredients (he discovered a bottle of sriracha in my refrigerator whose sell-by (expiration?) date pre-dates the pandemic, so…that had to go).
• Currently feeling: Yay, domestic Sunday!
• Currently looping: Not much music today, but dang, the songs they play during “Bridesmaids” are pretty awesome.

June 26, 2023

• Phone calls, emails, phone calls, emails. Including an email to my advisor that told him I finally finished that book he told me to read five months ago. I wanted to include an “I’m sorry this took so long, but I’ve had to juggle lots of things and this kept falling by the wayside” note, but then decided against it.
• Finally opening mail after like, a month.
• Filled out forms. Paid bills.
• Exciting Monday, folks.
• Oh, and it was raining, because of course it was.
• I think there’s been some movement on getting this shower repaired? But I have more emails to send and phone calls to make.
• Oh Mets, why must you lose again?
• My boyfriend helped me tidy up my medical supplies, which were kind of haphazardly stacked near my door.
• Watched more “Shadow and Bone.” Dang. Kind of hate that each season is only eight episodes long. When is season three of “The Witcher” coming out again?
• Currently feeling: Really hoping my advisor isn’t annoyed with how long it took me to read a book in a language I haven’t studied. Also, what does it say about me that I’m casually worried he’ll be mad at me for not picking up Italian on the fly?
• Currently looping: My “VALentine” Spotify playlist.

June 27, 2023

• Did the FES cycle. Almost done with season two of “Shadow and Bone”!
• Phone calls! Because of course.
• Wow, it has been raining for like, five days straight.
• Lightbulbs are out in the apartment. As if my boyfriend doesn’t already make fun of how dark my apartment is.
• Did some fiction writing!
• Oh snap, I need to respond to my advisor.
• I have no idea what I’m doing with this dissertation. Like, structure, chapter order, etc.
• Currently feeling: Maybe it’ll be decent enough to go outside tomorrow? I don’t think I’ve left my apartment since…Friday?
• Currently looping: Spotify’s “Indie” playlist.

June 28, 2023

• Wheeled about two miles total going to two doctor’s appointments. I took the bus at one point, but mostly I was just trying to see how long I could wheel around NYC before getting tired.
• And now, my arms are so tired.
• Got back to my apartment about five minutes before an absolute downpour started outside.
• Worked out with an SCI trainer! Because obviously I hadn’t put my arms through enough.
• Finished “Shadow and Bone” season two. I’ll be watching season three when it comes out!
• I have so many phone calls I’ll need to make tomorrow while I’m on the bike.
• Currently feeling: So sleepy, because arms and wheeling.
• Currently looping: Switching between Spotify’s Indie and Metal playlists.

June 29, 2023

• Did the FES cycle. Started a new season of “The Witcher” (it came out today! Huzzah!)!
• Put away groceries. Very exciting stuff.
• Worked out with an SCI trainer! I normally don’t do FES cycling and SCI training on the same day, but the original workout date had to be rescheduled. And I do my darndest not to miss cycle days. So here we are.
• Dang, I’m tired.
• Wow, that was such a depressing Mets loss. I’m starting to feel bad for fans who go to the games.
• So I know that race-based affirmative action was struck down, but are we really surprised? Also, if Harvard can’t find lawyers to find a way around this, then I truly will be shocked.
• Wordle: In four!
• Currently feeling: Wasn’t able to get too much done today, because I was doing all of the physical therapy, but also, I’m impressed that I handled about three hours of working out today (plus I did more standing frame stuff at night, because why not?).
• Currently looping: Spotify DJ.

Thanks so much for reading! Stay safe, stay sane, and stay cool!