[786] It Always Comes Back to a Beetle

I find it funny that among all the cars I've ever liked, all the dream cars that I've ever (and will ever) have, it always comes back to the classic Volkswagen Beetle.

Right now my top three dream cars (in order) are 1. any classic Volkswagen Beetle; 2. the Ford GT40 Mk 1 or Mr 2; and 3. Audi RS4 Avant, either B5 or B7. Special mention to the 2019 Suzuki Jimny and the Land Rover Defender 90.

But it always comes back to the Beetle.

It's a dying breed, hard to find a well-cared for Beetle here in the Philippines. If there were well maintained Beetles around, they are being sold for a pretty penny. That's not really an issue for me since I have plans to retro-mod the Beetle.

I could probably afford to buy one, but in terms of reliability and safety I won't be too sure of that. Neither will I be sure how rust-free it is or how well it was maintained.

Most of the car related videos I search for in youtube are about the Beetle. Second would be the Suzuki Samurai since my dad and I have been planning on fixing up his Samurai, but that's a different story for some other time.

Out.

[785] Thoughts

Just when you think you're starting to get a grasp of things, guess again.

I'm not writing this to rant or get angry. I just find it sort of frustrating that when things seem to start going my way, other events happen that derail whatever peace of mind I have.

I'm learning to roll with the punches but it is still a challenge to maintain my calm and persevere. The sad (or funny, depending on your point of view) part is that I'm not even the one severely affected by whatever is happening to my life right now. Someone else is. Whatever I'm going through, someone else is going through much worse.

So I keep fighting.

Out.

[784] Challenges

I guess that book was far more helpful than I thought. I still haven't finished reading it.

Right now life has once again thrown a curve ball. Normally I would have been freaking out by now, but ever since I started reading the book I mentioned in my last blog post, I haven't freaked out as bad as usual.

I won't say it's because I've given up and will just take things as they come, because that's not really how I felt when this new set of challenges came up. It was more of an acceptance that this challenge has already begun and that I will have no choice but to go through this. How I go through this is the crucial thing.

I guess once in a while I will most likely revert to my old self. The one who will bitch and complain and ask why things like these happen to me. Like the book says, though, I will always have a choice on how to react. And it is my responsibility to overcome these challenges however I can. Or at least, that's how I understand it.

I am definitely going to read this book again, and again, as long as I start to feel bad or depressed. It gives me perspective, and it will keep me focused on what I have to do to keep myself stable.

Out.

[783] Self-Improvement

Last Sunday (August 5, 2018) I went to the Greenbelt branch of Fully Booked and bought myself a copy of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson. This book was recommended to me by a few of my friends. Go figure why.

It's a great book. I haven't finished reading it, but from the chapters I've read it has shown great insight and helped me realize a lot of things about myself.

Don't let the title fool you. This book will not teach you how to become an @$$hole. It's just a catchy title. Read the book, and be open-minded about the contents.

I know what I've read is slowly affecting me, and I am hoping it is for the better. I will definitely be giving the book another pass once I'm done reading it. Maybe this time I'll either start taking down notes or using a highlighter to highlight some key points in Mark Manson's insights.

It truly is a great book and I hope it will help me find a better path to happiness.

Out.