Ra's Roundup #26
Good day to you everyone,
It’s time for another edition of Ra’s Roundup. The first day of Spring (Mar.19, 2024) is fast approaching. The sunlight that disappeared so quickly in the winter, is now hanging around longer.
Are you awakening from your hibernation, ready to tackle goals? or you have you been in go mode all year already?
February 26, 2024
Catastrophe is all around us, as I am writing this it’s the day after Aaron Bushnell, the 25 year old Airman set himself on fire outside of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC. Before collapsing he shouted “Free Palestine”. Prior to his death, the Cape Cod, Massachusetts native emailed several websites, stating he was “planning to engage in an extreme act of protest against the genocide of the Palestinian people”.
I want to pause right here, and state that as someone diagnosed with bipolar disorder this is the type of shit that would have landed me in the mental hospital. Planning to harm yourself for any reason is medically considered as a mental health issue no matter how valiant or brave the act of becoming a martyr may seem.
The voices that I am seeing online are honoring Bushnell’s final protest and are even asking themselves if this is the level of extremity needed to end war.
I don’t know guys, I’m a simple girl, to me, violence only begets more violence. We may very well see more copycat acts, who knows?
What I do know is that, I’m nothing short of disturbed by all the violent imagery I’ve been seeing circulating online. The tandem dystopian and an American renaissance zeitgeist is palpable. It’s an incredibly deadly time to be alive, since 2020’s pandemic we’ve just been witness to so much death.
Yet, this is all so very status quo. War, disease, famine and strife is in our collective DNA. It’s outside of the status quo that lies our biggest opportunity and, I think that we know this.
March 2,2024
I think the people able to create a oasis’ will begin to stand out amongst the pack. We’re so used to being consumers who ask “Don’t make me think” but I think this is shifting, consumers are beginning to ask “Does this brand make me think?” Better yet, “Does it provoke me?” We want to feel a pulse. We want to feel moved.
Let’s get into this month’s roundup.
First we’ll start with this series of late 90’s, early aughts Unionbay Ads. Prominent in big box department stores the brand was known for targeting teens through its ads. The commercials often featured youth getting into trouble. I think they were meant to resonate with the rebellious sides of high schoolers and grade school kids that looked to them as cool.
Wind back the hands of time and view these AD’s
Unemployed Babysitter which casted Nicole Bilderback who would go on to get a part as a cheerleader in “Bring It On” (2000)
John Corbett (prior to Sex In The City??) in a Unionbay AD
March 3, 2024
A word I learned this week.
mi·cro·cli·mate
/ˈmīkrōˌklīmət/
the climate of a very small or restricted area, especially when this differs from the climate of the surrounding area.
‘Black Kites’. A sculpture by Mexican artist Gabriel Orozco, dated 1997, New York. Medium is hand-drawn graphite on a real human skull.
How does one acquire a human skull? This image immediately reminded me to finish my will.
March 4, 2024
I wanted my chickpeas to have the same flavor profile as chana masala. The seasonings in this recipe made for a delicious dish, I’m going to try it over sweet potatoes but I had it with rice this time. https://minimalistbaker.com/easy-chana-masala/
JPG 1994
Jean Paul Gaultier 1994, what a time.
I found this image of cookie butter coffee rolls and one thing led to another and I found the IG of the bakery that makes them in Maryland. They’re called Sugar Vault Desserts and they look delicious, their other sweets look just as good.
March 5, 2024
I was watching Hindz and he spoke about how much he enjoys idle time as a mindfulness activity. Time just to give your brain a break from external stimulation by sitting in silence, doing nothing. This is also one of my favorite things to do, I like to take a lot of breaks in my day to put my phone a distance away and just sit with a cup of coffee or tea.
That’s all I’ve rounded up for this month! Wishing you all a beautiful, restorative March!
Big Love,
Ra