who’s listening anyways?, 8.16.24

happy friday. today, i had to get up early for work to do two biotinylations for a filterability study next week as we’re hosting sartorius on-site. as i’m up, it’s like 6-something am and i decide to check my spotify stats. it tells you in real-time how many people are listening and it said one person was listening now. that made me feel good because who the fuck is listening to me at 6am?? well, we have had listens from different countries so i guess it could be not 6am elsewhere, but still, that’s amazing. we’re finishing up the project here soon, so whoever was listening will have a few more songs to listen to.

and hopefully like.

God-willing.

-ratha, 7:34am, 8.16.24

cocaine salads, 8.15.24

i swear there’s crack in the southwest salad at b.goods. this is my 2nd day in a row having it, and the third time this week and it’s only thursday. i bought a salad to go so i will be having b. goods for the fourth time (third consecutively) this week tomorrow. the bad thing is they close early at 8pm, so i’ve been having to eat then work out, but it’s not too bad because the salad is something light compared to what i usually eat. i never ate avocados before this, nor did i really enjoy eating a salad until that one fateful day a month ago when chipotle didn’t have any honey viniagrette and i decided to try something new.

makes me think i should try new things more often.

-ratha, 8:14pm, 8.15.24

new vices, 8.14.24

last year when we went to encore, i wore the watch my grandpa gave me as we went together. i remember thinking it was a nice change of pace from my apple watch. i love my apple watch as my mom gifted it to me when i moved to new england (almost) 4 years ago and i use it mainly for fitness, but it’s good every now and then to wear something different. then when we were in miami earlier this year, lynx told me i should get a regular watch to wear out. last month while i was cleaning my room, i came across the watch my grandpa gave me and it sent me into this rabbit hole of watches. every night before i went to bed, i’d just browse the watch reddit and look at different types of watches. the irony in this is i’m beginning to like watches, but there aren’t many watches i find to be attractive. there are a few on my list i would like to have and add to my collection over time, but we’ll start with fixing the bracelet on the longines i got from ta.

-ratha, 9:15pm, 8.14.24

suprise cookouts, 8.13.24

as i’m walking through the parking deck, i smell a strong burning/smoke scent. when i got to the west lobby i looked outside and it was a cookout. apparently at 11am they were cooking out to 2:30pm for the ‘end of summer’ celebration for the tenants in the building. it was a nice surprise because these events give us a good reason to relax for a little longer in the middle of the day. i ended up getting some bbq chicken, a hot dog, and two burgers along with a stress ball in the shape of a commuter bike helmet. these days at work aren’t so bad, especially when there’s food and giveaways.

still, i can’t get distracted because i gotta make it out this 9-5.

-ratha, 2:11pm, 8.13.24

skybars, 8.12.24

my auntie said to pick up some bread and chips for my grandpa so i went to walmart. they didn’t have the panera bread nor did they have any utz. no utz is crazy, that’s the best chip brand out here. i pulled up to market basket and retrieved the bread with the utz. as i’m waiting in line, i’m thinking of how market basket has this 80’s/90’s aesthetic to it and i love it. even the vests the cashiers dress in takes me back to a place i convince myself i miss. i look at the candy and there’s a chocolate bar called the sky bar. they have like 4 different chocolate variations in one bar, which is such a unique idea. plus, the product packaging is reminiscent of the era market basket reminds me of. for a brief second it felt like i was an adult in the 90’s and it made me think of how wonderful life is and what great feelings come along with nostalgia.

then i looked my receipt and suddenly i snapped back to 2024.

$5 for a bag of chips?

wtfffff

-ratha, 7:02pm, 8.12.24

sushi @ 10pm, 8.11.24

i drove to the other side of danvers to get some pad thai and sushi to satisfy a craving. the pad thai was incredible and the sushi was good, too. though i shouldn’t be eating late, i miss it as everything in the new england area closes early.

well, not everything but most things.

-ratha, 11:43pm, 8.11.24

me and the grass, 8.10.24

the foot/ankle was feeling good enough to cut the grass, and what a beautiful day to do so. i usually view cutting grass as a chore, but somedays it’s a useful tool to lock-in mentally and spend some alone time with me. i put on a podcast or some beats and get the job done. it took me an hour and half in total. after i cut the grass, i always run around with bagel afterwards and that’s one of the best rewards in this life.

i wanna be as happy as bagel in a freshly cut, open field but since i can’t, being present with him is the next best thing.

-ratha, 3:26pm, 8.10.24

wearing my shoes, 8.9.24

i have a ton of clothes and even more shoes i don’t wear. even at the gym, i’m always in crocs. actually, i’m always in crocs. at planet tonight, i decided to wear my prelude kobe iv’s. they’re 10 years old and if i don’t wear them, i’ll risk them breaking/crumbling on me which begs the question of what’s the point in having something you’re not using? that thought leads me to other things such as what’s the point of following someone on social media if you never interact? what’s the point of having someone’s contact that you never contact? what’s the point of having clothes you never wear? what about the jewelry you save for special occasions though you never have special occasions even though every day is a special occasion?

i don’t know, i’m just thinking i need spring cleaning more than ever in all aspects of life right now.

-ratha, 5:13pm 8.9.24

costco history, 8.8.24

history was made tonight when i went to costco for fruit and gas. i didn’t get a that $1.50 hot dog with a drink combo. this was the first time that happened. i say i’m trying to eat healthy so that’s what i’ll blame it on, but in reality, i had ate b. goods before so maybe i’m not so discipline after all.

either way, no hotdog combo for me tonight.

-ratha, 8:32pm, 8.8.24

falling in the air, 8.7.24

i dropped my parents off at the airport at 4:30am/5:00am this morning, then napped, then went to work. it was a long day, but when i got out it felt just like fall. it wasn’t hot, nor humid. it was a bit chilly for a t-shirt and shorts to me. i’m used to north carolina heat, so i am sensitive to the colder weather, but nonetheless i enjoyed my walk with bagel tonight. fall is in the air which means it’s time to revisit some things and become familiar with distant emotions again.

lately i’ve been loving summer, but when fall comes around i’m reminded of my favorite time of the year.

-ratha, 8:18pm, 8.7.24