the solo trips, 12.8.23

my dad was supposed to come with, but he’s had rsv since about the third week of november. he’s doing better, which is a good thing, but i can tell he is still very tired/worn down. i hear him coughing at all hours of the night and i feel so bad. he said he’s going to rest up and i’m hoping by the time i come back, he’ll be a little better than when i last saw him. still though, it feels strange boarding a plane alone. it’s not something i’m used to, especially after the last year and a half. perhaps this is just an in-the-meantime-in-between-time type thing, because i miss having someone to travel with.

not just anyone, but that someone.

you know?

-ratha, 10:02pm, 12.8.23

10 minute cardio, 12.7.23

going into the new year, i’m starting to make a few small changes. one of those is incorporating more cardio into my workout routines. i’ll save wednesday for cardio but add on 10 minutes of power walking to the end of my weight-training days. this way i can cool down and still do something productive. i think it’s because my diet along with other everyday stressors that my resting heart rate is anywhere between 70-73 these days. i want to get it back down to what it was in 2022, which was around 60, and i think incorporating more cardio can assist in that. the diet for sure has to change along with a few other things. they will in due time, but i have to remember to start with small steps.

literally.

-ratha, 10:21pm, 12.7.23

the target parking lot (again), 12.6.23

i went to target in cambridge after work to look for a tree skirt. they only had the 48inch ones, which meant i’ll definitely have to order off amazon. when i got outside to walk to my car, the sky was looking pristine. i can’t explain the phenomenon, but it happens quite often in parking lots, especially target parking lots as of late. though it’s been getting darker earlier, the trade-off isn’t so bad when sunsets look like this.

who knew we could find peace of nature in a concrete jungle?

-ratha 4:56pm, 12.6.23

the grinch of bad timing, 12.5.23

i waited all morning to see if i had early access to the only shoes i wanted this holiday season, the reverse grinch kobe vi’s. i sat and waited, but at 11:56am, i left the lab and went to the bathroom. then i came by my desk to get my jacket because the lab was cold and ended up talking to jennifer for a few minutes. as soon as i walk in the lab, my watch notifies me that money texted me. he said he didn’t get early access. as soon as i get to my phone, nike gave me early access! it was 12:07pm by the time i logged in and my size as sold out smhhhhhhhh. the only time i wanted shoes, i got early access, and fumbled by a few minutes. i have a tendency to leave my phone places because i don’t need it, but this morning was terrible timing, smh.

i’ll try to get them for retail when they come out, but if not, i guess i’ll have to go the resale route.

-ratha, 1:02pm, 12.5.23

falling asleep to me, 12.4.23

most of my spotify top 5 songs (actually all of them now that i’m thinking about it) are songs i fall asleep to. i love music i can fall asleep to. i don’t know why, but that’s just been the case my whole life. i was listening to a song i recently recorded last night, one that i want to drop this month, and i ended up falling asleep to it. i didn’t realize it until i tried to turn my head into a side-sleeping position, and my headphones woke me up. realizing what had happened, i was surprised. it may not seem like much, but it’s an accomplishment to me.

if not an accomplishment, a step in the right direction at the very least.

-ratha, 10:02am, 12.4.23

the air jordan iii white cements, 12.3.23

someone bought my used air jordan iii white cements off ebay today. these are from 2011. they are well worn, but for some reason, still sold for $96 bucks. i remember camping out in my car for them, then buying two pairs, then wearing one. i still have the other pair on ice as crazy as it sounds. i first wore them to a dinner at chili’s in beaver creek as i won a free dinner courtesy of midnight bowling at buffalo lanes. i spent most of my senior year of high school and freshman year of college wearing them. so many memories, so many good times in these shoes, but it’s time for me to let them go.

i’m doing better at not giving sentimental value to objects so i can downsize, but it’s hard not to when it comes down to these.

-ratha, 9:25pm, 12.3.23

the tree, 12.2.23

the tree is up, now it’s time for the presents to go underneath!

-ratha, 9:11pm, 12.2.23

the last tree, 12.1.23

i went to saugus target because on the app they said they had limited inventory of the christmas tree i wanted. i looked around the holiday section. it was a mess, but when i turned the corner to look at the trees, there were two boxes. one on the ground was ripped open. then there was one on the rack. upon a closer look, the one on the rack was the exact one i was looking for! i looked around the store after reading the label like is this a joke? i scooped it up and checked out. when i brought it in the house, i noticed it was a return. i have a few things i have to do, but i hope that everything will be all good when i put it up later tonight.

also, welcome december.

i hope if you’re reading this, that this month will be full of blessings.
so full that it’ll pour into next year.

-ratha, 10:49pm, 12.1.23

spotify wrapped 2023, 11.30.23

today is the last day of no shave november and no nut november (things i don’t partake in), but also the day of spotify wrapped. drake is my number one artist (who would’ve thought), but the top 5 list goes as:

1. drake

2. tyler loyal

3. summer walker

4. sy ari da kid

5. joe trufant

spotify gave a location for people with similar music tastes and san diego was mine, which is ironic because the only person i know in san diego for sure doesn’t share the same music taste as i do, though we’re of close relation lol. my top podcast was crime junkies, with dateline nbc a close second. spotify labeled me a time traveler because i listen to songs on repeat, which adds up. i will never go back to apple music, i love spotify wrapped too much.

shit is like a holiday to me.

-ratha, 10:53pm, 11.30.23

ceiling leaks, 11.29.23

i went into the studio to get some shoes i sold. when i walked in, there was water dripping from the ceiling. i took the tiles off in an attempt to figure out where the water was coming from. i couldn’t and i didn’t want it leaking all night, so i woke up my parents. my mom was up, but i felt bad for my dad because he is battling rsv right now. we troubleshot the problem and found out it was the washer. the washer was filled with hella water. i googled the problem and i came upon a water valve inlet. i ordered the part from amazon and it should be here for the weekend.

i’m hoping that is the problem because i’m running behind on laundry and i need to get back in the studio.

-ratha, 2:11am, 11.29.23