Some Thoughts from the Singapore F1 Grand Prix 2011

Thanks to my mom, my dad and I were lucky (and very, very thankful) to be able to watch this year's Singapore F1 Grand Prix live and in person. It was a great three day event, and there were other support races aside from the actual F1 race cars. There was the 911 Cup and the JK Formula cars - but I'm not sure those are the proper names. I wasn't paying attention too much on the names.

My dad and I were seated at the Bay Grandstand, Zone 3. Light blue section, row 9 seats 15 and 16. Great views.

I'll try and post pictures eventually, but first I have to pic the best ones out of hundreds I took. So for now, I'll just share some of my thoughts about my experiences in watching this amazing event live.

• Watching on TV does not give the sound of the F1 cars justice. To hear it live is just amazing. After a few practice laps on Friday I was already wearing the ear plugs you can buy at the event. Trust me, you need the ear plugs.
• Sebastian Vettel is just that damn good. Period. An amazing driver with an amazing car equals an almost guaranteed win every race.
• Trying to follow the F1 cars speeding all out on the (relatively) short straight made me dizzy.
• The smell was also something else. A mixture of burnt rubber, burnt clutch, fuel, and, sadly, sweaty people.
• The F1's safety car also has an amazing engine sound. Like a very angry rumble.
• The McLarens are really shiny silver. It's not the common silver you see on normal road cars, but a mirror-like finish. Shiny under all the lights.
• The Ferraris were also great to hear. Whether on a high RPM sound or a low RPM sound, it was just fantastic.
• The audience was a bit tame, not as wild as other grand prix where people react more lively. There were some groans and sporadic clapping, but the crowd could definitely liven up. The decibel level of the crowd during the race was too quiet, if you ask me. Even when Vettel passed by doing his victory lap the crowd still didn't go as nuts as I thought they would.

So far that's all I can write about. I will try to write another post related to my F1 experiences, and hopefully I'll also be able to put a link for some photos.

Out.

Getting in Shape

I've posted something about this before, but I just want to post about it again.


I'm doing my best to brisk walk/jog at least once a week. Once. How the hell can I improve my stamina if I only do my brisk walking/jogging once a week?

Basketball.


Last week my two "cardio workouts" were going brisk walk/jogging and playing basketball. Both are cardio workouts, both have different intensities. It felt good to get a (relatively) good workout.


This week I started trying out doing barbell complexes (or whatever it is they're called). Instead of going at it straight with a barbell I'm doing it "a capella" for now. No barbell yet, I want to make sure my posture and form is right so I don't wreck any body part. And I don't plan on using heavy weights when I start. After all, the barbell we have at home has only two ONE POINT TWENTY FIVE KILOGRAM weights on it.


I do plan on getting more weights eventually. First I have to force myself to incorporate this barbell complex exercise into my daily routine. And I have to make this into a habit. I can't just go all out for a week or so and get bored.


All in the name of losing weight and becoming more healthy. I'm just glad (and blessed) to have officemates who share the same goals of getting healthy and losing weight. Although from the looks of it, I'm the one who needs the most work out of all the "serious" ones in the office.


Out.

What's Up With the Weather?

The title says it all.


It still feels like summer. It is super-freaking hot. And humid. The weather isn't even cool. It's beach weather.


No, I don't want the super strong typhoons to hit the country non-stop, but I was also expecting it wouldn't be this hot at this time of the year. And the weird thing is at night there are times when it starts raining like a storm is here. Strange.


I hope this has nothing to do with a) climate change, b) a vengeful god who wants to punish us, or c) the 2012 end of the world predictions.


Oh crap, Tropical Banter's about to start.


Out.