Work

July is normally slow, so I’ve been finding things to work on that I didn’t get the chance to during the end of the spring semester when we transitioned to online learning and working from home. I took this week off and I’m expecting things to pick up next month a little bit more, especially as it gets closer to the start of the fall semester.

Running

Remember that running group I joined prior to COVID and only got to run with them once? They did a miles challenge and fundraiser for this month; my goal was to run/walk 50 miles. My running slowed down a bit this week because my neck decided to seize up and I was down for the count for a few days. I ran yesterday morning for the first time in a week, and it was just okay. I ended up finishing with 52.87 miles run and walked for the month.

For August, I don’t expect to have runs longer than 4ish miles. It’s hard for me to run in the summer because of my asthma, so I’d rather take it easier and know that I run better in the fall when it’s cooler.

Sports

Baseball is back!!!! And it’s crazier than ever!!!

• 60 game season
• No bubble
• Universal DH
• MOOKIE BETTS IS A DODGER FOR THE NEXT 12 YEARS 😭😭😭
• At least the Toronto Blue Jays have a temporary home?
• Half (well, 21 members, including 18 players) of the Miami Marlins’ clubhouse has tested positive for COVID and the entire schedule is messed up now.
• Two Philadelphia Phillies personnel (one coach and one clubhouse staff member) have tested positive (the Marlins had played the Phillies prior to their outbreak) so the Phillies/Blue Jays series this weekend is postponed.
• The St. Louis Cardinals have also had two positive tests, so their weekend series against the Milwaukee Brewers is postponed, too.
• Joe Kelly fight club is back, folks! He threw behind Alex Bregman of the Houston Astros and high and tight at Carlos Correa. When he struck out Correa to end the inning, words (and facial expressions) were exchanged, and the benches cleared. No punches were thrown, and there were no ejections.
  • THEY WERE SPECIFICALLY TOLD BY MLB THAT THERE WAS TO BE NO FIGHTING THIS SEASON.
  • Joe Kelly received an 8 game suspension, which is equal to 22 games in a regular season.
• Also the Boston Red Sox have seemed to FORGET HOW TO PLAY BASEBALL.

What I’m Watching

TV/DVR

• North Woods Law
• Lone Star Law
• The Zoo
• Rizzoli & Isles (thanks Lifetime)
• NCIS (Wednesday marathons on USA Network)
• The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
• The Blacklist (S7 finale)
• In The Dark
• Celebrity Watch Party
• Tommy

Netflix

• Patriots Day
• I am a Killer
• Down to Earth with Zac Efron
• 13th
• #blackAF
• Fear City: New York vs. the Mafia

Peacock

• Psych 2: Lassie Come Home

Disney+

• Hamilton (just the first hour, I couldn’t get into it)

What I’m Reading

• All My Mother’s Lovers by Ilana Masad: 3 stars
• Followers by Megan Angelo: 4 stars
• Real Life by Brandon Taylor: 4 stars
• Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams: 4 stars
• Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: 4 stars
• Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld: 2 stars
• Self Care by Leigh Stein: 4 stars
• The Only Plane in the Sky: Oral History of 9/11 by Garrett Graff: 5 stars
• Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams: 4 stars
• I Was Told It Would Get Easier by Abbi Waxman: 2 stars
• Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo: 4 stars
• Long Bright River by Liz Moore: 5 stars
• What the Eyes Don’t See: A Story of Crisis, Resistance, and Hope in an American City by Mona Hanna-Attisha: currently reading
• Something to Talk About by Meryl Wilsner: currently reading

(My favorite part of putting together this post at the end of the month is to see how many books I read because I don’t really keep track during the month. I’ve read 44 books so far this year, and even with reading all of the Harry Potters, Goodreads says I’m 7 books ahead of schedule to reach my goal of 65 books for the year.)

Extra Stuff!

While I got bored making puzzles in quarantine, Taylor Swift wrote and put out a new album. Show off. But that doesn’t mean I haven’t listened to it on repeat since it came out. My favorite songs are (this order):

1. the 1
2. august
3. seven
4. mirrorball

My all-time favorite album from Taylor is Red but I really like folklore; very mellow and good background music. I did a Taylor Swift song bracket early in quarantine that you can check out here.

As I mentioned above, I experienced what I call an “adult injury” on Monday when my neck decided to seize up for fun, because why not ruin my vacation? It didn’t actually ruin my vacation; it was hot earlier this week, so I stayed inside, watched TV, and iced my upper back.

I got a new Fitbit! My old one was sort of on the fritz with holding its charge—plus I had it for almost three years—so I decided to order a new one last week when they had a sale and free two day shipping. I got the Versa Lite in Mulberry, and it’s great so far. I like that it’s a smartwatch but a lot cheaper than an Apple Watch, I can start exercise tracking right from it, and I can control what Spotify is playing on my phone on it.

I’m also getting a haircut tomorrow afternoon for the first time since March. My regular hairdresser isn’t back yet, so I’m seeing another hairdresser at the salon, but I just need about four inches chopped off because my hair is annoying me.

My Questions for You!

1. How was your July?
2. What songs do you like the best from Taylor Swift’s new album?
3. Do you have anything planned for August?