So, I started off the morning by oversleeping.

The RA on duty did their routine check-in to make sure everyone was out by 9 a.m.

I was not.

I explained to the RA that I had an insomnia attack (happens at least once a month) and I’d be out of my room in 15 minutes. She smiled at me, nodded and left the room.

I quickly brushed my teeth, changed my clothes, fixed my hair and put on my make-up.

I got on the bus, then the train to head over to my pseudo-office. (Reference “Moving Forward: Day 126.”)

At the market and the coffee shop, I grabbed a muffin, an egg-and-cheese wrap, a latte plus a cupcake.

(Not the most nutritional breakfast, I know. When I’m going to be at the computer for a long time, I splurge on food and beverages.)

My temperament is gonna be tricky this week.

So, instead of avoiding the Bible as I’d normally do at this moment, I decided to dive into it before journaling. Now, I’ve been using the YouVersion Bible app for years on my mobile, and wanted to see if anything was available for the desktop. I decided to Google “Audio bible for Macair,” and came across AudioVerse. I checked out the website, chose to peruse the book of Job and reviewed the list of available audio versions.

(Note: I do not subscribe to the Adventist faith. And, as noted in my “Before You Subscribe” note, I tend to review doctrines and whatnot from various denominations, as I’m a curious cat and a critical thinker who needs to understand multiple perspectives.)

One version intrigued me: the New Living Translation® - her.BIBLE (women’s voices). So, I clicked on that option.

FYI, I’ve been listening to the Message translation for years and this was the first time I listened to an audio version of the Bible that featured a woman’s voice. I told myself I was gonna do a test run for a few minutes (I typically do my devotions in the evening), then get cracking on work. I listened for nearly an hour.

I ended up downloading the apps for AudioVerse and her.BIBLE on my mobile.

I know Jackie Hill Perry narrated the ESV in partnership with Crossway, and I need to listen to this version as well. I’m looking forward to hearing more women—including those with an array of accents (like most of the women in my family)—narrate the Bible in the years to come. It only took 2,000-plus years to get here, and, I’m happy we made it. 🤸🏿‍♂️

After doing my devotions, I spent hours working on the final October entries. I eventually finished uploading all the entries (woohoo!) and before heading back to the shelter, I thought about making a pit stop at MAC, because my powder is almost done.

While I can get a sample of any MAC foundation, I can’t get a sample of their powder. So, I’m gonna need to purchase one.

Folks, NYC is not the place to look scruffy during a job interview or a coffee run. As much as I don’t want to purchase a powder right now, it’s one of two MAC items that make me look presentable to the beige-skinned world as a darker-skinned femme. (Unfortunately, my having to be hyper-presentable is a survival strategy in the Segregated States of America.) After looking up the item on their website, I decided to wait until November to make the purchase, as there most likely would be a sale then.

I wanted to walk around the city today, but, because I just recovered from a sore throat and I don’t currently own a scarf (Reference “Moving Forward: Day 125”), I figured it would be wise to head back to the shelter and rest up.