accidents, 4.27.23

back in 2017, i got into a minor accident on university blvd on the way to reedy creek with bagel. that day was the end of the camborghini as we knew it. thankfully bagel and i ended up okay. bagel had a misplaced rib. i forgot what they called it medically, but it was a mild injury which he fully recovered from. when the crash happened, the guy drove off. he knew he was wrong. but there was a bystander who saw it all. he was walking to the family dollar from his apartments. he was the one who pointed out bagel in the car as it sat in the middle of the street. he told me he would give the police a statement, but he had to go grocery shopping. when he came back, he gave the police a statement and he gave me a water bottle to drink and calm down. that was one of the kindest gestures someone has done for me in this life. we exchanged numbers and got lunch a month later. i wonder how he’s doing because i hope he’s doing well.

it’s been 6 years and i still remember the kindness he showed me that day.

-ratha, 10:23pm, 4.27.23

midevening z's, 4.26.23

i came to my room after walking bagel. the plan was to take a quick piss then go for a mile run. when i got up to my room, somebody was in the bathroom so i waited. as i waited, i laid in my bed. as i laid, i felt the cool breeze from my ceiling fan. i grabbed my blanket and turned over. hours later, i woke up. the lakers had lost and the kings/warriors game had just started. safe to say i didn’t run my mile, but now i’m up even though i have to go to bed soon for work tomorrow.

work, smh.

-ratha, 10:44pm, 4.26.23

back to logan, 4.25.23

happy anniversary to my parents. i think today is their 40th anniversary! that’s incredible. to spend 40 years with somebody?? i can only hope lmao. i picked them up from the airport after work today. they came from california for my great uncle’s funeral. of course, i knew his impact on my dad’s life, but it didn’t settle in until i saw a flyer from his funeral on the kitchen island with his picture on it. everyone who has lived will also pass, and all these people have their own unique, individual stories to tell. it’s surreal. my parents usually don’t celebrate their anniversary, so they cooked and ate at the dinner table tonight. it’s nothing special per se, but i guess being together 40 years through all the ups, downs, wins, and losses is as special as it gets.

-ratha, 8:13pm, 4.25.23

monday greys, 4.24.23

it’s a bit chilly, 55 the high, but everything feels cold. i know just a month ago it was single digits some days, but today feels like one of those days.

what a grey monday.

-ratha, 7:32pm, 4.24.23

sunday eats, 4.23.23

for breakfast, an all-star special. for dinner, ribeye with a lobster tail and a crab cake. we also ate by a big ass fish tank that had two beautiful blue fish dancing with each other and a sting ray. the menu was backlit, which i had never seen before. anyways for dessert, i pulled up to larry’s for ice cream. overwhelmed by the menu, i didn’t know what to order when the worker asked me. he gave me a few minutes, then when he came back i panicked, looked at the menu, and told him the first thing i saw which was caramel caribou. we sat outside and ate. little did i know caramel caribou would change my life. it was so fucking good. plus, the chocolate was milk chocolate, not dark chocolate like other flavors such as mint chocolate chip. i had two scoops, which was a lot, but it was hard not to finish because of how good it was. i have to see if dandilyons has caramel caribou, because if that’s the case, that might be my new go-to over the milky way. caramel in ice cream is top tier from the flavor to the consistency.

i’ve been eating so good these past few days it’s been unreal.

-ratha, 10:24pm, 4.23.23

30 rings, 4.22.23

i slept in after our night out. i woke up and we drove to anna maria. we laid out, then spent an hour or two looking for seashells underwater beachside. afterwards, we stopped at a publix for some fruit and candy. there wasn’t any candy particularly appetizing, but the fruit was. there was an elderly man bagging up our groceries. he was told one bag. he looked at me, then said whatever the lady says, goes. i told him that’s right as i held my hands up. he handed me the bag and said he learned that lesson too late as he’s been divorced for 29 years. he smiled when he said that to me, so i smiled back as we walked out. when we got back home, i found a place with all you can eat sushi. we pulled up, ate, then went for some ice cream. the sushi was very good actually, and the teriyaki had white sauce! no place in the northeast has white sauce they serve with their teriyaki. it’s so sad, but it only made tonight’s meal so much better. the plan is to hit the hot tub in a few minutes and i can’t wait.

this might’ve been the best earth day i’ve had in quite some time.

-ratha, 11:43pm, 4.22.23

eating outside, 4.21.23

we went to a place by the river tonight. the ribeye was decent, the sushi was good, and the calamari was delicious. whenever it’s warm out, i enjoy dining outdoors. we were riverside, right in front of two yachts. the weather was upper 70’s. the water reflected the clear night sky. there were planes with messages flying above. constant chatter from a table of 10 to the left behind me. at one point, a guy from that party went over to a table of 4 sitting adjacent to us. i don’t know what happened, but a lady from the table of 4 ended up with a dessert from that table. i don’t know how to explain it, but tonight was a vibe.

i could definitely use more nights like this, perhaps a life like this.

-ratha, 11:02pm, 4.21.23

i don't wanna go to funerals, 4.20.23

last month my auntie passed away. earlier this month, my dad’s uncle passed away. the funeral is in california. if i remember correctly, this is the uncle who conveyed how integral academics are to success. he’s one of the main reasons my dad is who he is today. from refugee camp to phd, my dad’s uncle was a big influence on his journey, at least the early parts. i remember when my cousin got married in california during the late 2000’s, my dad took me away from the festivities specifically for me to meet him outside. i don’t remember what was said between us, but i remember how important my dad’s uncle was to him from that gesture. i just know my dad’s uncle is so proud of him, as we all are. there really is nothing to say to make someone feel better or grieve easier from a loss. all i can do is pray for him and let him know i’m here for him.

it’s been a rough start to the spring, but i know summer will bring some good times to the family and i’m looking forward to it.

-ratha, 10:32am, 4.20.23

the patches, 4.19.23

on the way to a dessert mango lassi after venetian moon, i get pulled right by the train. the officer walks up to the passenger side and knocks on my inspection sticker. i knew it was expired due to the registration debacle last month, but i “haven’t” had time. it’ll have to wait until next weekend. as he is looking in the car, he mentions how he already forgot about the inspection and asked about the patches. i told him the patches were from places i’ve been to. honestly, he was cool. cops get a bad rap (though some are justified), but he was cool. when we pulled up to maya, it turned out my 4 mango lassi order didn’t get put in.

after a 10-minute wait, we were on our way back home drinking mango lassi, hoping not to get pulled again.

-ratha, 11:32pm, 4.19.23

flexibility, 4.19.23

the good thing about my job is flexibility. as long as the work gets done, i can build my own schedule. i came in at 6:30am today to run a 60mg maps. it’s 2:45pm and i’m finished. it’s still an 8 hour day but getting up early and leaving early allows me to beat traffic, therefore it saves an hour (maybe more) of my day. i think i’ll walk bagel at the park, then get venetian moon.

with the sun setting later, i’ll still take whatever extra time in the sunlight i can get.

-ratha, 4:31pm, 4.19.23