10 THINGS I THINK
1. This past weekend I went to a tailor and got measured for a suit. It's for my cousin's wedding at the end of November. My regular occupation doesn't exactly warrant the need for such sartorial dress so suffice to say it will be my first complete suit.
But ouch is a fully-custom suit expensive. I obviously knew of the monetary consequence going in, but yeah, it still hurts when the invoice is presented to you. I'm a firm believer that suits and clothing of that nature should absolutely be tailored and fitted to the individual, otherwise it just looks sloppy and in poor taste. I could've spend a quarter of what I did at a department store but the results will be vastly unsatisfactory.
I'm going to wear the heck of that suit. Get my money's worth, you know?
2. There's no magic like the Giants in the playoffs. Last Tuesday I went to game four of the NLDS against the Nationals, the end of which you can view in the previous blog post. Why did I ask "you do believe in fate?" Because the game wasn't even suppose to occur: it took numerous obstacles and happenstances for me to even have the opportunity to attend the game (we only ever bought game four tickets).
First, the Giants had to win a do-or-die wild-card game against the Pirates, which they resoundingly did. Then, in a five-game series against the Nationals, games four and five is a "if necessary" scenario. The Giants, inexplicably (and I'm a Giants fan), won the first two games. Naturally, our lot felt confident about a sweep because the third game was to be started by the staff-ace Bumgarner. I was fairly resigned that I wasn't going to attend my first ever playoff game just yet.
Well, Bumgarner lost, so game four was on. And the rest, was pure magic. Arguably the best game I've yet attended, it took incredible luck and fate for my first playoff game to also be a clinching game. Outside of seeing a clincher live in the later rounds, I don't think it gets better than what happened last Tuesday.
Tickets stub and video saved forever.
3. I was absolutely gutted and horrified to see the Jules Bianchi crash at the Japanese Grand Prix. It was a freak accident that nobody could have foresaw nor prevent. The diagnosis of Bianchi's head injury is not good at all - about a 90 percent chance he won't wake up. What a tremendous shame: he was a young driver with tremendous promise to take up the reign at Ferrari in the near future.
Keep fighting, Jules; the Formula One community is rooting for you.
4. The past week or so have not been kind to the stock market. It's gotten so bad that, for the calendar year, I am in the red. Obviously, it doesn't really matter in the long term because my investments are not to be touched for many many years. Still, it's rather heartbreaking to see it plummet to such depths.
What's worse, this week hasn't exactly gone all too swell either. It appears it's going to hurt a bit more before it gets better again. Now if only the housing market would market-adjust itself, too.
5. Malala Yousafzai being well-deservedly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize really makes me count how blessed I am, and also, what the heck have I done to change the world around me? (answer: absolutely nothing.)
Standing ovation.
6. Gas prices in the San Francisco Bay Area have dropped to a point where even the most expensive grade has a number three in front of the decimal point. With me driving a car that gets gas mileage in the high teens, this recent downfall in petrol cost is a much welcomed reprieve to my sanity and the wallet. Definitely got to enjoy it while it lasts.
7. It amazes me that my grandmother, whose in her eighties, still got the dexterity and acuity to thread needles and sew stuff. Me attempting to do the same results in hand more shaky than Ozzy Osbourne. I think the point is to stay active and busy even as you venture into your golden years. It won't stave off atrophy completely, but it will prolong the time to reach it.
8. Apple's annual fall iPad and Mac event is tomorrow and I am waiting on the edge of my seat for announcement of refreshed macs - especially the long overdue Mac Mini. As I've said before, I desperately need a replacement for my long-serving 2009 era Macbook Pro.
9. Jennifer Lawrence's response to the nude photo incident is brilliant and perfect. It absolutely is a sex crime - both for the people that stole the photographs, and the people that viewed them once it spread.
10. This:
