Long-form

Long-form blog posts and editorials. Topics cover both personal and the world at large. 

No 관심 in that bag - 10 things I think

10 THINGS I THINK

1. It’s official: the mighty BBC has sacked Clarkson from Top Gear due to what has been humorously categorized as a ‘fracas’. It’s absolutely an end of an era for the venerable motoring show. Hammond and May are both likely to follow Clarkson to whatever he does next.

All good things must come to an end, right? I positively grew up on Top Gear, and it’s quite the melancholic moment when the news broke. I’m likely to still watch whomever the BBC choses to replace the three hosts, but deep down, long-time fans of the show all understand that it will never be the same. 

I still want that LaFerrari918, and P1 track battle, by the way. Make it happen, BBC. 

2. It was my understanding that you’d have to be born in these United States to run for the presidency, so someone will need to explain to me how on earth is Ted Cruz - born in Canada - is campaigning for the Republican party nomination. Actually, don’t bother; he’s got zero chance to win the ticket anyways. 

3. It’s a damn shame that with a reigning German world champion constructor, a German driver fighting for the title, and Seb Vettel in a rejuvenated Ferrari car, the German Grand Prix got cancelled for 2015. Worse, it’s position on future F1 calendars is very much in doubt. I join the chorus of F1 fans that lament the continuing lost of ‘tradition’ European races on historic and classic circuits, in exchange for far-flung, uninteresting circuits in oil-rich countries that no one cares about. 

4. After watching John Oliver’s brilliant takedown on the NCAA evil empire, I refrained myself from filling out a March Madness bracket this year. I also did not watch a single game. Call it a boycott, call it having got something better to do than sit in front of the television the entire day, watching sports that ultimately have to effect on my life many years from now. 

5. They never said it was going to be cheap: I just had the first major service done on my WRX STI, and it most certainly wasn’t kind to the wallet. It’s what happens when on top of being a high-performance car, it’s got one extra set of axles more than the typical car (being all-wheel drive and all). The dealership change practically all the fluids in the car: engine oil, coolant, brake, gearbox, and three differentials. They would’ve even washed the car too, but I instructed them otherwise. 

Some of you might ask, why don’t you simply do the work yourself and save a bit of coin? The answer to that is simple: I value my time, plus the fact I live in an apartment complex that hasn’t got the requisite space to perform vehicle maintenance (it also violates the lease agreement). I much rather pay the few hundred for a certified dealership to take care of servicing the car, all the while I’m at work earning. Besides, having a paper-trail does well to the resale value - if I do decide to part with the WRX. 

6. The first weekend of May is going to be absolutely spectacular: the much anticipated second Avengers movie comes out in theatres, and that particular Saturday night is the showdown fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao. I’m so looking forward to it. 

7. Of course I want one those slim and shiny new Macbooks, but I reckon at it’s current first-generation state, it’s just a bit underpowered for what I need. Much like the genesis Macbook Air, it’ll take some time and evolution before the new Macbook can be a machine fit for general consumption. That’s why I’m likely to acquire a Macbook Air in the near future instead. The 11 inch version is arguably more portable anyways.

On other hand (no pun intended), I’m completely uninterested in the forthcoming Apple Watch. I prefer my timepieces to be mechanical, hand-crafted, and exquisite, thank you very much.

8. Congratulations to the Golden State Warriors on their Pacific Division championship. It won’t be long until the time is ripe for me to jump on the bandwagon. Hashtag no shame.

9. I wonder if Meghan Trainor prefers a man with bass and no treble. Something tells me it’s likely the other way round. Her hit song isn’t about confident body-image, it’s about I’m fat and I’m to lazy to loose weight but love me anyways because I’m awesome.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

10. As a person well into his 20s, I tend to take it as flattery when I get carded at bars and clubs. Oh, you think I look young enough to be 21? That’s so awesome! 

However, recently I got carded while purchasing tickets at the cinema to a rated R movie. Apparently, I look younger than 17 to the ticketing person, and that I actually find quite insulting. I’m not sure why that is as it’s but a four year difference from 17 to 21, but I guess as a full-fledged adult, you never want to be accused of still looking like a teenager.  

It's another wolf bite - 10 things I think

10 THINGS I THINK

1. I hope you guys voted yesterday, because if you didn't, you don't get to complain about all the wrongs in our government, local or federal. Voting is our civic duty, and a right that many have died fighting for. It doesn't take an enormous amount of time: an hour or so with the election guidebook is all it took for me. 

2. Go get Taylor Swift's latest album if you haven't, because it's absolutely brilliant. It's futile to resist the musical charm of that statuesque porcelain doll from Nashville: SNL did a sketch about that. 

3. I'm immensely excited for Christopher Nolan's latest epic, Interstellar. In an industry where digital have just about taken over, Nolan is one of the few directors who are sticking with the grand old tradition of film. Best of all, he utilizes 70mm IMAX, a medium so incredibly high in quality that contemporary digital formats can't even come remotely close to matching.

Oh right, the movie has probably got an intricate and thought-provoking story as well - as you'd expect from a Nolan production. 

4. The stock summer performance tires that came with my STI are already close to their end-of-life - and I've only done about 17,000 miles! I guess the tire's tremendous grip has it's trade-offs. Well, nobody said sports cars were inexpensive to own. Michelin Pilot Super Sports, here I come. 

5. The San Francisco Giants's run of three championships in five years is simply unbelievable, especially for a fan of the team like myself that have trudged through the very lean times. Winning the first one in 2010 was already a sweet dream come true, and now the third trophy? Simply madness. 

I'm going to cherish the Giants' recent success to the best I can, because we all understand the possibility that it may never happen again in our lifetimes. 

6. The Furious 7 and Avengers 2 teaser trailers got me yelling to the screen shut up and take my money. The 2015 summer movie season is shaping up to be legendary. 

7. The stereotype of Asians always taking photographs of their food before eating is absolutely true. This past weekend I was at a Japanese restaurant sat next to a table full of young twenty-something Asians. When their food arrived to the table, the lot of them spent the next 10 minutes or so getting just the right perspective to capture. It's a little embarrassing, if I'm honest. 

8. I'm going to put in a request to the powers at be for Marvels Agents of Shield to put on much, much more of Barbara Morse aka Mockingbird. The actress that plays her, Adrianne Palicki, is a total goddess. Please, sir, I want some more

9. It's been scientifically proven by yours truly that BMW drivers are the biggest cocks driving on our roads. The past month have saw my car almost ran into by one these lowlifes three freaking times. I absolutely love the brand, but you'd be hard pressed to find me behind the wheel of a BMW badged car any time soon. 

10. This:

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