day to day, 6.15.23

i went to zara on newbury after work today. i picked up a button-up, and two textured shirts. i like clothing that shows a bit of texture so i was glad to come across a few pieces in zara. i was listening to thank me later the whole time because today’s the 13th anniversary of its release date. i don’t know where i thought i’d be 13 years ago, but it definitely wasn’t in zara in boston shopping for clothes after getting off of work. i don’t remember song lyrics much, but i pretty much know ‘miss me’ by heart. i thought to myself how amazing the leak sounded in meezy’s car when he dropped me off after school, to putting on my thank me later shirt and going to target to buy the physical cd on the release day, to how amazing it was hearing wayne’s verse for the first time in the camborghini, to how incredible it is that i’ve been singing some of these songs for the past 13 years. music is truly a gift in this lifetime. i got goosebumps after wayne’s verse with all those thoughts. as i was heading home, i didn’t want to block the road perpendicular to me, so i stayed back even though it was a green light. this guy honked at me, then went around me, only to partially block the road as the other lights turned green. when my light is green again, i pull up behind him, and he’s stuck at the same spot he was before. i look around and catch eye contact with a mom and her daughter standing before the crosswalk and they just shake their head smiling at me. as the lights go green and progress, the same guy is honking and trying to maneuver his way around traffic. he doesn’t make it far at all, especially considering his antics. i didn’t make much of it because sometimes you have to let people be who they are. i turned up thank me later and listened to the whole album before i pulled up at the cribo. that shows you how bad traffic is for me during my day to day.

my last thought was maybe it isn’t just newbury, maybe it’s just boston that’s full of crazies.

-ratha, 6:13pm, 6.15.23

missing gyms, 6.14.23

ever since my gday, i haven’t been consistent in the gym. more over, i haven’t been consistent with the diet. today was a great example. we celebrated 5s on the second floor, so the company bought us korean food. i had rice and bulgogi beef topped with yum yum sauce. after i thought the meal was over, they brought out drinks and cupcakes. i ate 3 cupcakes. you know i had to flavor both the chocolate and the vanilla plus the mini joints. then they had a babyshower for one of our coworkers and they were passing out pink dum dum pops because she’s having a girl. usually i would say it’s not meant to be, but today was meant to be in terms of cheating on my diet. i’m full lowkey. i could still eat more, but i need to chill. 

better yet, i need to get back in the gym. 

-ratha, 3:24pm, 6.14.23

the morning tragedy, 6.13.23

alan texted me this morning to take a different route to work as there was a bad accident on i-93. listening to his advice, i took i-95 to route 1 to cambridge. it took almost an hour 40 to get to work, which already irked me. i go to work, finish my day, then come home to take a nap. again, when i wake up, i check my phone and alan texts me like he did this morning. turns out the accident this morning wasn’t an accident after all. it was someone committing suicide. they jumped off the bridge off exit 21. they got hit by a car and got killed. some people on twitter were saying there was blood, organs, etc. on the road. it was graphic and gory. it made me feel for the person who did that. it hit a little too close to home because i get off exit 21 and i get on through that bridge every day when i go home from work. from now on, i’ll probably always think of the suicide when i cross that bridge to merge on to 93 northbound.

when i read the news, i thought that if the worst part of my day is traffic, then i am doing okay.

i hope that person is at peace and i pray for their family.

-ratha, 11:23pm, 6.13.23

ice cream drought, 6.12.23

i have been wanting to get the milkyway from dandilyons for the past week, and everytime i’m out, they are closed. tonight before the miami vs denver game, i went to mcdonald’s since i couldn’t make it to dandilyons before tip-off. i ordered the grimace shake and an oreo mcflurry, but of course the ice cream machine was down so i went home empty-handed. it’s all good because tomorrow we’re going to maya and i’m stopping by dandilyons on the way back, so the milkyway will be had.

-ratha, 9:12pm, 6.12.23

an afternoon on newbury street, 6.11.23

newbury street today was a doozy. where do i begin? i parked at copley place and walked the mall. well, not really the whole mall, just to the dior store for some slides. as we walked in, a lady greeted us. we walked around to the men’s section in the back. there were no slides. as we were browsing the wallets adjacent to the wall of sneakers, i noticed the lady who greeted us peep around the corner. as we walked out, she followed closely-behind us to the door. i’ve been followed around in stores before, but it’s just sad at these high-end stores. though i don’t look ‘broke’ per se, it’s probably even worse for people who may not dress in the fanciest clothes. especially because they should treat anyone who walks in there, regardless of how they dress, with respect. so what if some people can’t afford their products, they’re allowed to browse.

another thing that happened was while walking outside on newbury. i was wearing a crenshaw shirt dbaze bought for me in 2021. i had never worn it before, but as i’m minding my business, a guy sees me from 10 feet out and starts saying 'what’s up crenshaw?, what’s up crip.’ he keeps saying it, then as he gets closer, he asks how the child rape charges are going. that shit caught me so off-guard. everyone stopped and looked at us. i have never seen this guy in my life, he was completely deranged. as i keep walking, he keeps yelling. eventually, i turn around and he seems to be walking toward me, but then he stops. we went the day without running into him again, but how wild is that?

now we’re at home waiting to go to all you can eat sushi, hoping we don’t run into no crazies.

-ratha, 6:23pm, 6.11.23

in the sun at cisco, 6.10.23

we pulled up to seaport at cisco brewery for my dog alan’s gday celebration. it was raining on the way there, so i was nervous as cisco is an outdoor spot, but when we pulled up the sun was shining. we paid $33 to park right next to the brewery. it was free to get in. upon arrival, a lot of coworkers were there, but the vibe was a fun one. seaport is the nicest area in boston in my opinion, and to be in the heart of it with live music, jokes and chatter, and celebrating my guy’s birthday; there was nothing better. we left a little early to walk to alo. they have this new jadish-green color that look nice. leaving, we had to use the restroom so we walked to ocean prime. in the bathrooms, they have lifesavers mints in a bowl so you know i had to take (more than) a few on my way out. we’re now sitting in the parking lot of sura waiting for my dad, my mom, and my brother to pull up. i ate a little while ago, but the smell of galbi can make me hungry at any point in time.

it should be a good dinner and rest of the night. 

-ratha, 6:32pm, 6.10.23

spring cleaning rearrangement, 6.9.23

the last part of the studio came in on wednesday. it’s a neve 1073 preamp. i want to upgrade my interface, but that’ll have to wait until later this summer, perhaps early fall. i was in my sneaker closet in the basement before lunch trying to figure out the space for the studio set up. i need to sell a lot of sneakers that i don’t wear (that i’ve never worn) and make room. i mean i don’t have to sell them, it’s just they’ve been collecting dust for years. preferably, i’d have enough room to put a small desk in there along with a chair. i don’t know how i’ll make it work, but i’m sure it will in time.

along with my ep, figuring out the sneaker room will be my summer project.

-ratha, 1:44pm, 6.9.23

3rd floor taco bar, 6.8.23

around 11:20am, dr. waghwani comes to me and says he’s going to the third floor for lunch because they have a taco bar there. i ask him about the details, and they’re hosting it to conclude media day along with our poster presentations. we head up around 11:45am and the line wasn’t that long. i thought i was going to eat tacos so i got 3 tortillas, but eventually i just made a bowl with rice, beans, steak, and chicken as i progressed down the line. i grabbed a few cookies at the end to complete my plate, then a few more cookies for the road back to the second floor. i figure i can work off the extra calories hooping after work today, though as i’m typing this, the clouds are dark and it’s looking like we might not have enough bodies to run.

i’ll have to find a contingency plan for working off the cookies.

-ratha, 3:21pm, 6.8.23

the escaping donut, 6.7.23

i was late to work so i figured why not stop by dunkin donuts to get a strawberry donut. as soon as i pull up, i walk in, and they are cleared out. there are no strawberry-flavored, much less any other type. disappointed, i walk out. when i pull into work, i see two dunkin donuts boxes in the cafe table. i was thinking that the strawberry donut was meant to be, but as i opened both boxes, they were empty.

i guess that’s a sign to stay away from the sweets today, although for a moment, i really thought it was meant to be.

smh.

-ratha, 12:19pm, 6.7.23

bbq popchips, 6.6.23

they dropped new snacks at work. there is this bag of pop chips that are bbq flavored. bbq flavored is my go to, and these are so, so good. plus, it’s only 100 calories. i think i may take a bag (or two) home.

though i’m appreciative of the rotating snack selection, they definitely need to keep these around for the long haul.

-ratha, 2:47pm, 6.6.23