[863] Bug Build

A few days ago, last December 9, 2020 to be precise, I accompanied my folks to some errands at the bank. It's been a little over a month or so since I last went out, when my daughter had to get anti-rabies shots because her skin had been deeply scratched by our new puppy's teeth. That's another story.

Anyway as I was waiting in the car for my folks to finish I decided to make a list of how I'd build a Beetle. It was a pretty general list, but I listed down in order of priority the stuff I would love to have done on the Beetle. Here is that list, that I've modified yet again.

Get the Beetle itself, preferably a Super Beetle. Why a Super Beetle? It handles and rides better and is supposedly more stable than standard Beetles. There's no "death wobble." While a Super Beetle may not be as collectible as standard, pre-1967 Beetles, I also can't afford those older models. I'm also guessing pretty soon these Super Beetles will also become more collectible as more of them are lost to disrepair.

Engine maintenance. Make sure the engine runs well, doesn't leak oil, is reliable, and is not a fire hazard. I'd also move the fuel filter somewhere safer, based on stuff I've been reading on VW forums.

Front disk brake upgrade. This will always be my first modification. Safety always comes first and upgrading at least the front brakes to disk brakes will improve the stopping power a lot. I'm not talking about just any front brake system either. I'll be using the recommended brake upgrade kits for Super Beetles. I'd read you could use Porsche brake systems for Beetles (here's another link about Porsche brakes on Beetles) but I'm not sure if that is needed for the kind of engine I'm planning, which will most probably be bone stock.

Upgraded wiring harness. I've written about it once, and I'll keep on writing about it. Upgrading the wiring harness to more modern equipment will make it safer and easier to maintain in the long run. Plus if that Beetle still has the original harness the wiring might be old and brittle, or if it's been modified to hell it might not be safe depending on whoever did the wiring.

Rear disk brake upgrade. This isn't as important as the front but would be a welcome upgrade as well.

Upgrade to alternator and 12v battery if needed. I'm not sure if Super Beetles still used generators and 6V batteries but modernizing it would make finding parts for repairs easier.

Body repair, repaint, improvements, and modifications. Make sure the car is rust free and has no dents and dings. Straighten any bends and make sure the chassis is fine. My peg for the colors would be the Salzburg Rally Beetle: silver body, black front and rear decklid. For modifications I would remove the outside chrome trim. Upgrade the doorknobs and the front and rear decklid handles. This is the stage where I would install pop-out windows for the rear passengers. Definitely add heat and noise insulation for the interior, as well as a custom-built rear luggage space.

Install Memminger ABS. Another modern improvement I'd want for safety purposes. I've read on forums about this ABS system being installed, I just need a good mechanic who knows his or her stuff to install this.

Engine rebuild and mods. This is different from making the engine reliable. This is where we overhaul the engine and improve some components to make the engine more reliable and hopefully more powerful. Stuff like an improved crankshaft pulley, oil cooler, and whatever else would be a practical and affordable upgrade for the engine to last longer and maybe improve fuel consumption. Maybe a carburetor or air cleaner upgrade but not dual carbs. Yet.

Customization. This is where the dream goes sort of wild. I'll be "rambling" in the following paragraphs.

New front and rear seats, definitely with headrests. It would be nice if the rear seats were 60/40 fold forward for easier access to the luggage space. Three-point seatbelts for both front seats, as well as two or three seatbelts for the rear seats. Honestly I would like it if a horizontal bar could be safely and securely placed behind the rear seats so I could have three four-point harnesses installed for the rear passengers.

For the interior I would install new dome lights with LED bulbs. If I remember right there were lights above both doors, but I'd rather have the lights moved to the center above the rear view mirror for the driver and front passenger, and maybe another light in the back for the rear passengers and to illuminate the rear luggage space. I would also want to install a racing steering wheel, if not the Momo Prototipo then the Sabelt SW-465.

Aesthetics. I'm a big fan of the stuff Vintage Speed Taiwan is selling. It's pricey but I've read great things about them. I really like any variant of their Black Mamba sport shifters, their roof racks, and their custom door pullers.

New pedals. Honestly I would prefer a racing pedal box since I'm totally daydreaming. If I can't have that then just new pedals.

As for the dashboard, I'd rather remove the padding if it was really ugly and beyond the state of repair. I would install a speedometer/tachometer combo gauge as well as a volt meter, a fuel gauge, an oil pressure gauge, and an oil temp gauge. Standard stuff I think I would need to make sure the Beetle is running well.

The sound system is something I haven't discussed yet, and I'm not really sure what I want. I was thinking of getting those Bluetooth rechargeable speakers and just having a custom made attachment on somewhere for it, but the quality and volume might not be good. So I'd like to have a decent basic sound system set up with (gasp!) a decent 1-DIN modern stereo system with Bluetooth and auxiliary USB. I may be a fan of those retro looking modern stereo systems but they're just too expensive. Maybe a smallish subwoofer to be placed in the rear luggage area as well as some decent mid-range speakers.

Exterior mods. I'm talking about rims. I still have a thing for RS Watanabe style rims, but I'm also starting to grow fond of the Fuchs Porsche rims for the Beetle. Additional front fog lamps mounted on the bumper, and a rear LED chase light bar to act as not only the third brake light, but additional turn and reverse lights. A Thule roof rack with their roof basket (I know I wrote I was a fan of the Vintage Speed Taiwan roof rack but the it's either that or Thule). Headlight eyebrows.

Yeah this blog is pretty long already. Basically made a link dump for this. Hopefully I'll have the opportunity to at least achieve my dream of owning a classic Beetle. We shall see.

Out.

[862] Goodbye Flickr

I deleted my flickr account a few days ago. I joined that site around 2005 or 2006, but have been relatively inactive since maybe 2008.

I've dumped photos there to use for this blog, and was very happy when they gave everyone 1 terabyte of space. Business is business though and they changed formats and switched to 1000 free photos.

Makes me sound like a cheapskate but with all the stuff I'm paying for it just wouldn't be worth it to pay for a photo/video dumping site. Honestly it makes more sense for me to spend for cloud storage in google because I can also back-up documents instead of just photos and videos.

Most of the photos I had on my account were backed up already anyway.

Will I miss flickr? Not really. I'll miss the people I used to interact with there regularly. The good folks who fanned the flames of photography. Unfortunately I've stopped shooting, my trusty Canon G16 still works but is starting to show its age. And mobile phone cameras are taking really good photos now.

So farewell and thank you, flickr. I won't be missing you that much,

Out.

[861] Super Beetle Musings and Links

 I've been reading a lot about classic Volkswagen Beetles. They're still at the top of my list of dream cars I would love to own. And as always, my taste changes depending on what I've read and what I've learned.

I've been a big fan of the Salzburg Rally Beetle, which is basically a Super Beetle with a couple of mods. I've blogged about it before (pretty sure I have, I'm just too lazy to find my post about it). And while I'd love something like that, my current dream retromod build is a wee bit more different.

Right now my dream Beetle is the more modern, and not as valued, Super Beetle. Why? Because I'm realizing that thanks to that car's MacPherson front suspension makes it a bit safer to drive, as well as giving it a better turning radius and less bumpier on uneven surfaces.

Let's start with the must-haves. I definitely would install a new, modern wiring harness. This would make it sort of easier to maintain the car's electricals and modernize it a bit. Along with that wiring harness would most definitely be an upgrade to an alternator instead of a generator.

A good sound system is also a must have. While I am a fan of the Retrosound modern radios with classic looks, those things are also expensive as heck. So I'll take a standard 1-DIN radio with bluetooth and auxilliary cables. Maybe add decent speakers for the front and rear without sacrificing the luggage compartment behind the rear seats. So no subwoofers. Or maybe those small ones that don't eat too much space. I don't really know, I haven't done research on in car entertainment.

Disk brakes are also a must. Bare minimum is front disk brakes, ideally all-wheel disk brakes. This improves braking for a really old car. I also wouldn't mind installing an ABS system if there is someone competent who can install it.

For the interior I would love to have a Black Mamba custom shifter from Vintage Speed. Maybe replace the pedals with newer racing pedals just so they get a bit more modern. Seats I would love to keep stock or upgrade to ones that have better side support and neck support. Also get new seat belts for the front seats and install good seat belts for the rear as well.

For the exterior The Vintage Speed custom roof rack also looks amazing. Aside from this I also would love to have pop out side windows for the rear passengers of the Beetle. Also classic eyelids for the headlights. Some classic JDM bullet side mirrors would be a personal touch I want to install. It may look weird for some but I want to see what it looks like on a Super Beetle. I'd also love to have a Sabelt steering wheel installed instead of the classic looking steering wheel. I did say I want a retromod Super Beetle.

Aside from these I'd want a Kamei front splitter because from what I've read this helps keep the car stable in relatively higher, highway speeds. I'd also love to install a real LED chase light bar to act as third brake lights and also additional turn signals and reverse lights. I'd mount the chase light bar right behind the roof rack so higher vehicles will still see the lights when I brake.

And that's it. Those are the things I'd like to do if I had the money to buy and fix up a Super Beetle. Now time to go get me some lottery tickets.

Out.

[860] Pets

We now officially have five pets in the house. That's a new record, if I remember things right.

We originally had two cats, Chula and Chuling. A Persian and a Siamese. Then our yellow Labrador Clancy came after a few months that we didn't have a dog. Early this year a stray kitten found our way to the house, whom my daughter named Cranberi.

Now we have a mixed breed puppy, Cola. She's the daughter of Clancy to a half-Labrador half-beagle dog who lives in the village. She's also a chocolate brown color, our first ever Lab with that color.

It's been relatively chaotic dealing with Cola. She's hyper, she's nibbling everything. Cranberi has surprisingly been very behaved. Except when she's in heat. She's been a lot more decent that what I was expecting. It could possibly be because she rarely enters the house. When she does, like the past few nights, she sleeps in what should have been Cola's cage.

The set up of the house is still a bit confusing right now. Hopefully as these new pets grow up they learn to become behaved and house-trained. We shall see.

Out.

[859] October Updates

 Covid-19 is still around. I still dislike going out of the house.

We're still surviving, and still going on with life.

I've been fine tuning my Monday to Fridays exercises, and because of this I haven't been completing them. Two weeks ago I got a migraine and a weeks before that I was mentally down so I stopped exercising. Last week I decided not to exercise daily because I've been feeling really fatigued.

During this workout down time I've been watching some youtube videos and looking for exercise alternatives that will help improve my overall strength, specifically my upper body strength. I've starting incorporating some beginner calisthenics workouts to my Tabata sequence. Basically using some of those workouts in the "cardio cycle" of my workout.

I've also been looking at newer kettlebell strength training exercises for my back/shoulder and leg/arm days.

I've decided not to push myself too much anymore because aside from starting to lose interest, the weather also is getting colder and making it harder for me to get up early. My target now is to be able to work out at least three times a week. If I can build momentum then I'll try to add more workout days.

It's all back to impulsive stuff again.

Out.

[858] What D&D Character Am I?

I Am A: True Neutral Human Ranger (4th Level)

Ability Scores:
Strength-10
Dexterity-10
Constitution-11
Intelligence-13
Wisdom-14
Charisma-10

Alignment:
True Neutral A true neutral character does what seems to be a good idea. He doesn't feel strongly one way or the other when it comes to good vs. evil or law vs. chaos. Most true neutral characters exhibit a lack of conviction or bias rather than a commitment to neutrality. Such a character thinks of good as better than evil after all, he would rather have good neighbors and rulers than evil ones. Still, he's not personally committed to upholding good in any abstract or universal way. Some true neutral characters, on the other hand, commit themselves philosophically to neutrality. They see good, evil, law, and chaos as prejudices and dangerous extremes. They advocate the middle way of neutrality as the best, most balanced road in the long run. True neutral is the best alignment you can be because it means you act naturally, without prejudice or compulsion. However, true neutral can be a dangerous alignment when it represents apathy, indifference, and a lack of conviction.

Race:
Humans are the most adaptable of the common races. Short generations and a penchant for migration and conquest have made them physically diverse as well. Humans are often unorthodox in their dress, sporting unusual hairstyles, fanciful clothes, tattoos, and the like.

Class:
Rangers are skilled stalkers and hunters who make their home in the woods. Their martial skill is nearly the equal of the fighter, but they lack the latter's dedication to the craft of fighting. Instead, the ranger focuses his skills and training on a specific enemy a type of creature he bears a vengeful grudge against and hunts above all others. Rangers often accept the role of protector, aiding those who live in or travel through the woods. His skills allow him to move quietly and stick to the shadows, especially in natural settings, and he also has special knowledge of certain types of creatures. Finally, an experienced ranger has such a tie to nature that he can actually draw on natural power to cast divine spells, much as a druid does, and like a druid he is often accompanied by animal companions. A ranger's Wisdom score should be high, as this determines the maximum spell level that he can cast.

Find out What Kind of Dungeons and Dragons Character Would You Be?, courtesy of Easydamus (e-mail)

[857] October 2020

It's October 2020 already. The last quarter of this year.

I was planning on writing something, the idea had formed in my head earlier. Unfortunately I forgot what it was supposed to be.

I'm still surviving. Times are challenging and honestly there are times I really just want to give up but for obvious reason I cannot.

Fuck 2020.

Out.

[856] My Thoughts on Small Houses / Minimalism (?)

 Note: I'm using Helvetica now. I have no idea why Trebuchet is gone from blogger. Oh well.

I've been fascinated by small and tiny houses ever since a few years ago. Recently I was able to watch a documentary about minimalism on Netflix.

While I believe these are good things to aim for, I find it frustrating at times when I try to look for small houses or minimalist content in youtube. The reason for this is simple. Money.

At least if you try those things out here in the Philippines money might be an issue. Well, technically those small condominiums being sold that I could probably afford qualify as a tiny house with their dimensions.

Also living a minimalist lifestyle seems great to follow, but at the same time it feels like most of the people I've seen on youtube vlogging about these things have a relatively strong financial safety net that they can risk these things.

I can't. I have a wife and a daughter, quality education is expensive, my folks are getting older. So living in a small house is out of the question since I doubt I can even afford to renovate our current house (the house I grew up in).

I've tried to see what I can do to minimize the stuff I own. I've tried to sell or donate clothes I don't wear anymore, and I usually try to give away old gadgets I own that still barely work. Or I just throw them away.

So what's my point? I guess it's this: As much as I want to try to live a minimalist lifestyle in a small house, I don't think I can afford to take the risks. Hopefully I can afford them one day.

Out.

[855] 2020

This year is just too challenging. So many events happening from out of nowhere, plus trebuchet apparently not working anymore as a font in this new blogger.

I don't even know what to write anymore. It's been a roller coaster ride of positivity and negativity for me. One minute I'm feeling okay, the next I feel sad.

I really don't know what to make of things. As always, I soldier on. I survive, I learn how to persevere, and I hope for the best.

Until when, though?

Out.

[854] Routines

I've started figuring out my routine these past few weeks. I'm constantly tweaking and adding new things once I manage to successfully incorporate things in my routine.

I'm going to try to do my Tabata workouts Mondays to Fridays. I've found some good combination of workouts that I hope will help me improve my health. Right now I'm doing 3 cycles of 4-minute cycles. Each cycles is made up of 8 alternating 20-second exercises and 10-second rests. After each cycle I have 50 seconds of recovery before moving to the next cycle.

After doing some stretches to warm me up, my first cycle is now pure cardio. Alternating jumping jacks and 20-pound kettlebell swings. This is to get my heart rate up for the next cycle.

Second cycle is also the most intense with regards to effort. For legs it will be alternating goblet squats with a 20-pound kettlebell and calf raises with two 40-pound kettlebells. If I'm focusing on the back it will be deadlifts with a 20-pound kettlebell and bent over rows with the same 20-pound kettlebell.

The last cycle will be a bit of the cooldown cycle with relatively easier workouts. I'll be doing 20-pound kettlebell hammer curls and tricep extensions for arm days. For shoulder days it will be standing 20-pound kettlebell pull-ups and left/right oblique exercises.

I know those work outs aren't perfect but I'm looking for stuff I can do in my room without making any excuses not to do it.

Originally I was doing random exercises every Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays. Now that I've gotten the habit of doing it regularly my goal is to work out different sections everyday and leave the weekends for rest.

I originally did legs and backs one day, but it was too draining and I dry-heaved a lot after the exercise. While that isn't a bad thing, I honestly think I should just distribute the effort evenly.

And don't worry, I've read about these exercises and watched different youtube videos to find the best form for me. Hopefully I can continue this even after the quarantine is lifted.

Out.

[853] Seven Months In

Seven months of 2020 have gone by. Seven long months.

From one perspective I can say it has been amazing, in the sense that I'm learning new things about myself and trying to become a better person. From another perspective it has been hell, because I really had plans this year.

I turned forty this July. I had plans.

I turned forty this July. I'm still learning new things. Not just in work, but in life as well.

I can't wait for the pandemic to end, I can't wait to be able to do things I usually do again. Even if I have to take extra precautions to be able to do them, I can't wait.

Before the quarantine started I was fortunate enough to hang out with one of my best friends. We took an early morning drive to Tagaytay and had breakfast in Santa Rosa. Just hung out for a few hours, chatting about random stuff and just generally catching up on life.

Maybe a week or two later the quarantine started. Things changed, but I'm still surviving. No joke, I'm really grateful I'm still surviving. Despite my usually negative mindset I am aware enough to know I need to find a better way of seeing things. Unfortunately this pandemic hasn't helped me, but I still survive.

Out.

[852] Wax On, Wax Off

Last Sunday, July 19, 2020, I decided to give my trusty silver 2001 Toyota Rav4 a wash and a wax. The day before I already tried to clear the yellow off the headlights as best as I could, so I decided to try to give the car some cleaning. It's literally been a while since it got cleaned and waxed, as far as I can remember.

The main reason why I decided to do this was not because the car needed some love. It was a more selfish reason. I wanted to do something productive during the weekends, and seeing as how the pandemic is still going on I really have no plans of going out unless absolutely necessary.

I was also getting a bit bored and fatigued playing computer games all day. And I sure as hell was in no mood to practice anything related to 3D, but that's for another blog post if ever.

So I washed the car. I mixed some human hair shampoo with a bucket of water and gave it a good scrub. I rinsed off the really diluted and barely soapy water then proceeded to dry her off. Once that was done I used this really old bottle of wax that I found in the garage. I applied it in sections and buffed it out as well. It took me a good hour-and-a-half to do everything, give or take a few minutes.

It was tiring, more tiring than my typical fifteen-minute HIIT / Tabata workout I do every MWF. It was also fun, in a challenging sort of way. I'm thinking of ordering the correct car shampoo, wax, applicators, and microfiber towels so I can clean the car even better next time.

It was a good change of pace from what I usually do during these past few weekends. Hopefully I can use this as a launching point to finding more productive things to do during weekends. Honestly I've been feeling drained and burned out these past few months, specifically when this goddamned pandemic started. I'd rather not go into that anymore.

Out.

[851] On This My 40th Birthday

Today I celebrate my 40th birthday. During the middle of a pandemic, in a year full of sadness. From Taal Volcano erupting, to the sudden passing of Kobe Bryant, the Australian wildfires, and on a personal note, the passing of one of my good friends and mentors, 2020 has been a relatively horrible year.

Yet here I survive. I keep fighting despite all the negativity and sadness and tiredness I am feeling. I know it sounds melodramatic, but I guess this resilience and hard-headedness is part of growing up and maturing.

I wanted to do a lot of things for my birthday, I wanted to eat the food I wanted. Due to circumstances beyond my control I'm celebrating it a lot more differently than what I wanted. Yes, I feel bad, yes I feel angry. Part of me, though, is convincing myself that I can't always get what I want. That I should just accept things and find a way to cope and overcome.

People keep telling me to be grateful, and I guess I should. Don't get me wrong, I am grateful for a lot of things. I guess I should just find a way to make that be the dominant mindset in myself instead of all this negativity.

Forty years. I wonder how many more I have left. This has been quite a journey.

Out.

[850] Birthday Wishlist

As is tradition when my birthday is nearing, I like to write down a wishlist of stuff I wouldn't mind receiving. Because I'm a greedy bastard. So without further bullshitting from me, here are the things I wouldn't mind receiving. And yes, these are all things I doubt anyone would give me.

• Honda BR-V. Any automatic variant. I know we're still in a quarantine but if things finally get better and people are allowed to travel again, I wouldn't mind driving around in a new family vehicle. BR-V fits the bill since it can seat five to seven people. Seat five and you have generous cargo space in the back.
• Suzuki Jimny. Another ride? Sure, what would I use when the BR-V is coding? Plus this will be my toy car. I'm getting too old and I've lost my "need for speed" so I don't drive as fast nor do I have any plans of going too fast anymore.

Some of you may be wondering, "What about your dream car, the Volkswagen Beetle?" Good question. While I would love to own that, I'd rather own some really modern, fuel efficient rides with air-conditioning at the moment. Besides, I'm pretty certain maintenance costs for both the BR-V and Jimny will be crazy.

• A really powerful gaming laptop. Ideally RTX video card, 32gb RAM, 1tb M.2 SSD, 2tb HDD, and the fastest Ryzen processor. I really wanted to build a desktop but prices are skyrocketing because of the pandemic. Lots of people need to build PCs for either working from home or learning from home. So I guess I'll wait until demand goes down before I assemble my own.
• 24-fret electric guitar with a nice amp, two good cables, and a handful guitar picks. I still have my guitar, I don't know if it still works. Neither do I know if my amp still works. I want to get back to playing the guitar. Find a hobby that doesn't need a computer.
• Power tool for DIY furniture / car maintenance. I watch too much youtube videos. I enjoy "Get Hands Dirty" and am always inspired to DIY our own furniture here. "Chrisfix" is my go-to channel for car related stuff.
• New 3-in-1 printer / fax / scanner. One that uses ink bottle refills instead of cartridges. It's just cheaper and with Martina doing learn-from-home I'm guessing she'll be needing to print a lot of stuff now.

And that's it for now. Stuff I would like to have off the top of my head. There are other luxury stuff like mirrorless cameras and the other stuff but these are the ones I really would love to get as gifts. Not that I'll be getting any of these.

Out.

[849] More Updates

Times have been challenging, and as I continue to survive in this situation, I can only wish I can maintain my strength and my sanity.

I continue to have good days and bad days, but lately I've been slipping. Hopefully I can stay strong and survive.

Out.

[848] Challenging Times

I keep posting about how challenging these past few months have been, and I cannot stop saying it. I really am struggling with how things are now, and once again I need to find a way to cope with all the things happening in my life at the moment.

So we will see what will happen these next few months. I honestly wished things were better, I really wanted a great 2020 but you can see how effed up things are.

I really want to give up but I do know that I cannot. So as I've been saying since maybe January of this year, keep on fighting.

Out.

[847] What The Heck Is Going On???

I have no idea that 2020 would be this eventful. I'm not even talking about the COVID-10 pandemic alone. So many events are happening now, not just locally but in a global scaled.

And to be honest, I'm scared. I'm scared for my daughter who still has a whole, full life to live once the pandemic hopefully gets more in control.

I'm scared for myself and my family because of so much uncertainty going on. Will we still have a safe, secure, and happy future?

Only time will tell, and for the moment I have to keep on soldiering on.

Out.

[846] Updates

I'm still alive, I'm still surviving.

Things have changed here in the Philippines. General Community Quarantine started today, so more people are going out. I just hope everyone remembers to practice social distancing, compassion to others, proper hygiene.

As for me, life goes on. We'll see how things go on.

Out.

[845] Thoughts on My Weight Loss Journey

The heaviest I can remember myself weighing was around 236 lbs or 107kg. This was back in 2016, during an annual physical check-up I had with a previous company. I was advised by the doctor to start losing weight for my own good. They even had me attend nutrition seminars, that I appreciated at the time but also didn't pay much attention to.

You see, discipline and self-control were never my strong suits before. I love food, and I would eat food I loved a lot. Sure I could curb my eating for a few days or so, and my weight would drop by one or two kilos, but it always used to hover in the 105kg to 107kg range until some unfortunate events in 2017.

It was during 2017 that I decided to go walking almost every morning. That was the year I managed to drop my weight below 100kg for the first time since around 2012 (I won't go back to this in too much detail, let's just say I lost weight but since I loved to eat you know what happened after). I was perfectly happy with my final weight fluctuating between 96kg to 98kg. Occasionally it would go to 95kg but again, love of food and eating.

I managed to maintain that weight until 2019, when during one random weigh in I saw that my weight had ballooned up to 99kg again. I think this was the straw that broke the camel's back. Determined (for probably the first time in my life, health-wise) to not go back to over 100kg I decided to try intermittent fasting. And it worked. I powered through the first few months, increasing the frequency of my weigh-ins daily just to remind myself that I did not want to get heavier again.

It is now the 14th of May 2020. I am proud to say my weight now fluctuates between 86kg to 88kg. I've been doing a minimum of 16:8 IF almost everyday, and since this quarantine started last 15th of March I've been doing it non-stop. Yes there are times I'd like to have breakfast (I usually eat lunch and dinner plus snacks) but when I see where I've gotten it's easier to just say I can just wait a few more hours.

While I still refuse to set a concrete goal, right now I'm sort of trying to get below 85kg. And this is the funny part, I also said that near the end of last year. I was hovering between 92kg to 94kg at the end of the year and told myself if would be nice to at least get to 89kg so that when I reach one year of doing IF I can say I lost 10kgs and look where I am now.

I still don't believe in setting a concrete goal for myself. I can challenge myself to reach a certain weight, but I know that with the way I think I get frustrated if I don't achieve something with a deadline. And that can be counter-productive to what I've reached so far. So I'll still gradually push myself to lose weight, but as of the moment I'm happy with where I am at weight-wise.

Out.

[844] NBA All Sixth Man of the Year Lineup

Today I've decided to try and create an NBA team composed entirely of previous NBA Sixth Man of the Year winners. My choices are my opinion only and feel free to form your own team and opinions. I'm not looking for an argument, I'm just wanting to write something. By the way, apparently you can have up to thirteen (13) active NBA players so I'll be fielding 13 players.

First some minor things. I'll be creating this team with the intention of them playing in the present NBA, rules, mindset, and all. Since I only became an NBA fan in the mid-to-late 90s my bias will be towards players I've seen play. Anyway, on to my lineup. I'll be getting their averages from their Sixth Man of the Year season from basketball-reference.com and adding it here.

I'll be posting their stats in this format ppg / rpg (oreb) / apg / spg / bpg / topg fg% / 3p% / ft%.

Center

Kevin McHale. 1983 - 1984.

18.4 / 7.4 (2.5) / 1.3 / 0.3 / 1.5/ 1.8 .556 / .333/ .765

McHale is a low post beast, from what I've read about him in Bill Simmons' Book of Basketball. Don't let the 3p% fool you, he didn't even average 0.1 3pa in that season. Aside from that McHale is the only other big man I'd consider capable of playing center in the current NBA among those Sixth Man Award winners. Bill Walton was a lot older and injured when he won in 1986 and as impressive as Roy Tarpley's numbers were when he won in 1988, I never saw him play and all I know about him was he got banned for substance abuse issues for a few years. Also, rest in peace Roy Tarpley.

Forwards

Clifford Robinson. 1992 - 1993.

19.1 / 6.6 (2.0) / 2.2 / 1.2 / 2.0 / 2.1 .473 / .247 / .690

Toni Kukoc. 1995 - 1996.

13.4 / 4.0 (1.4) / 3.5 / 0.8 / 0.3 / 1.4 .490 / .403 / .772

For the two starting forwards I'm going with Clifford Robinson and Toni Kukoc. Uncle Cliffy is getting the start because of his defensive numbers, something I never expected. I always remember him as a stretch 4 / early stretch 5 during his twilight years in the NBA. I never knew he had good defensive numbers. Kukoc gets the nod at the other forward slot because despite his lack of defense, his range and passing skills will help the team keep the ball moving and give enough floor spacing for this team.

Guards

Manu Ginobili. 2007 - 2008.

19.5 / 4.8 (0.9) / 4.5 / 1.5 / 0.4 / 2.7 .460 / .401 / .860

Darrell Armstrong. 1998 - 1999.

13.8 / 3.6 (1.1) / 6.7 / 2.2 / 0.1 / 3.2 .441 / .365 / .904                        

I'm choosing Manu Ginobili and Darrel Armstrong to start. Armstrong is there for his defense, and Manu gets to start because he has the size and best all-around numbers among the guards I've chosen. Darrell Armstrong is also more of a traditional point guard so he would also help in ball movement and not try to do all the scoring by himself. I could have gone with Lou Will but I honestly feel that his size and defensive shortcomings would be to the detriment of the starters. Plus a Lou Will and Darrell Armstrong lineup would be too small in my opinion.

Now that we're done with the starters, let's focus on my core "big three" players off the bench. These guys will be getting the majority of playing time off the bench because of their versatility and scoring prowess.

Key bench players

Lou Williams. 2017 - 2018.

22.6 / 2.5 (0.5) / 5.3 / 1.1 / 0.2 / 3.0 .435 / .359 / .880
Lamar Odom. 2010 - 2011.

14.4 / 8.7 (2.1) / 3.0 / 0.6 / 0.7 / 1.7 .530 / .382 / .675

James Harden. 2011 - 2012.

16.8 / 4.1 (0.5) / 3.7 / 1.0 / 0.2 / 2.2 .491 / .390 / .846

Lou Williams would be THE sixth man in this all sixth man team. He provides instant offense, range, and some playmaking at the cost of defense. Lamar Odom gives the starting five a tenacious rebounder and good playmaker at the big man slot, plus he can spend some spot minutes at the center position if needed. I'm also a huge Odom stan so I'm making him the first forward / big man off the bench. James Harden is a taller Lou Williams, but at this stage of his career he still wasn't the MVP James Harden we all know today.

Rounding out the second five

Detlef Schrempf. 1991 - 1992.

17.3 / 9.6 (2.5) / 3.9 / 0.8 / 0.5 / 2.4 .536 / .324 / .828

Anthony Mason. 1994 - 1995.

9.9 / 8.4 (2.4) / 3.1 / 0.9 / 0.3 / 1.6 .566 / .000 / .641

Schrempf has similar stats to Odom, and he also provides nearly the same skill set as Odom. Mase (also rest in peace, Anthony Mason) would be the de facto center off the bench. He was also one of the early prototypical point forwards in Don Nelson's Knicks experiment. This rounds out the second unit.

The specialists

Mike Miller. 2005 - 2006.

13.7 / 5.4 (0.6) / 2.7 / 0.7 / 0.4 / 1.9 .466 / .407 / .800

Dell Curry. 1993 - 1994.

16.3 / 3.2 (0.9) / 2.7 / 1.2 / 0.3 / 1.5 .455 / .402 / .873

Bobby Jackson. 2002 - 2003.

15.2 / 3.7 (1.0) / 3.1 / 1.2 / 0.1 / 1.8 .464 / .379 / .846

This brings us to the remaining players who, I believe, are versatile enough to fill different roles and positions for this team. Miller can play shooting guard and small forward while Jackson can play point and shooting guard. Dell Curry and Mike Miller are both excellent 3-point shooters, while Bobby Jackson, from what I remember, was great for his hustle and defense.

So there we go, my thirteen man NBA lineup featuring players who won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award. Looking at my lineup it does appear that the team is lacking in the center category, but that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make in exchange for versatility. Besides, only one true center won the award. The team also appears to be a bit lacking in terms of defense but with all the offensive firepower we have I think this team can at least make the playoffs.

I'm imagining McHale or Manu would be the "alpha" of the team. Remember that I'm picking the players based on the year they won sixth man so Harden still hasn't unlocked his unstoppable game and MVP caliber mindset.

As for the coach, I'm honestly feeling Don Nelson as the head coach of this team. I honestly think he can unlock the offensive potential of this team. He would probably need a good defensive coordinator as his lead assistant coach, though.

Anyway, that's my team. Feel free to make your own lineup.

Out.

[843] My New Thoughts Regarding Social Media

I'm learning so much about the power of social media and how people behave because of the stuff we see in social media. I'm also learning to just treat everything with a grain of salt, not overreact, analyze if it is factual or not, and cherry pick what stuff I see on social media I will believe.

I've also realized it's better to keep my opinions to myself because having freedom of speech doesn't mean standing on a goddamn soapbox and forcing my beliefs on other people. I'll respect your beliefs and agree to disagree if you do the same courtesy for me.

It's healthier that way for me.

Out.

[842] My Birthday Wishlist

My fortieth birthday is still a few months away, but seeing as how we're in quarantine and I have a lot of time on my hands I might as well create a wish list of stuff I wouldn't mind receiving as gifts.

1. Seiko 5 SRPD79K1 or Swatch Irony Night Flight. A luxury item I wish I could own. While I do have a couple of watches already, most of them are digital and more casual looking. Either of these two watches gives me something I can wear for more formal or semi-formal occasions, not that I like going to those things. I'd prefer the former (Seiko 5) over the latter but I really do have an intense liking of chronometer / tachymeter watches.
2. New rims for the 2001 Toyota Rav4. The rims should match the tire specs of 235/60/R16, with a PCD of 5x114.3 so that means I'd need 16-inch rims. Offset should also match. Basically replace the current rims, that need to be refurbished because they are leaking air, some at a horrible rate than the others. I'm not too particular about rims so I'd be happy with any of these Rota models that have : EG6, Rota Racing, or the D-154. Or if I'd be willing to go with 17-inch rims if I could pick the RKRs only.
3. New tires for the same Rav4. This is more of a need, since the current tires are relatively old, even if they aren't that worn. I'm actually quite interested in getting a set of Goodyear Wrangler TripleMax tires. I've been hearing good things about this brand, and hopefully they're a lot cheaper than Bridgestone. Other brands I'd consider are Bridgestone, Firestone, and Yokohama Geolandars.
4. A computer table and shelf combo. I saw the table in Lazada and it looks both practical and space saving. Only concern with this is that there is no space for an extra monitor.
5. A new laptop. Specifically the ASUS TUF Gaming FX505DV. Best bang for the buck laptop I've seen so far here in the Philippines. Of course, with newer models and competitors coming out soon, I don't mind waiting to see if there will be better options out in the market.

Well, those are some of the things I wouldn't mind receiving as birthday gifts. Though to be honest the tires are something I really need to get. The rest are just wishful thinking.

Out.

[841] Palm Sunday 2020

It's Palm Sunday today for Roman Catholics. Technically Holy Week starts today and ends on Easter Sunday.

For most Filipinos this also starts an almost week-long holiday. As a nation we have non-working days from Holy Thursday until Black Saturday. A good number of Filipinos usually file their vacation leaves for the whole week.

Because of this current Coronavirus / COVID-19 pandemic we are experiencing, the vacation plans of most people have been changed. I know our plans have changed. One thing is for sure, I will be taking a few days off this coming week to decompress, binge watch show on streaming, and hopefully power through whatever negative energies I've been experiencing.

I know I'm an introvert and I don't like to go out. I also don't like spending too much time in crowded areas just because I feel overwhelmed and out of my element. To be honest, I miss those times I could go out. It was a luxury I could choose to do before, and being able to go out at least once a week was enough to re-charge my social batteries and last me one more week.

Now that I rarely get to go out I end up missing those times when I can choose to just go out to either buy stuff or just cool down in the airconditioned malls of Metro Manila.

Not that I don't get to go out. I'm the one who can go out and buy supplies during this lockdown. The quarantine pass for our house is under my name, mainly because I'm the only who can drive and is within the age range of the quarantine pass. Though the age range has been updated already to allow senior citizens the chance to go out in the event that they don't have anyone to care for them.

Just yesterday I went out for some errands. Had to go buy meat at the meat shop, get some money for my mom, buy medicines for both my wife and dad, and buy other stuff for the house. I'm thankful that I had the chance to go out and decompress, even for just around two hours or so.

For those of you who've made it this far and are wondering, "What does the title have to do with his blog post? I see little to no connection." Well, you're right. I just made that the title because technically today is Palm Sunday in this year, 2020.

Out.

[840] Updates

Once this Sunday (April 5, 2020) rolls around it will have been three weeks since the quarantine was implemented. For my wife, daughter, and I it will have been four weeks.

Why four weeks? Well, school was suspended one week before the Metro Manila quarantine, which was started on the 15th of March 2020. So my wife, who is a teacher, and my daughter have spent over a month already stuck at home.

We've been adjusting to what's been happening. What is important is that none of us get sick with Covid-19, specially my parents. We've been finding a lot of delivery services for our essential needs (food and some groceries) but we will be needing to go out again for more important stuff like medicine.

Last Saturday, March 28, I was able to go to Paseo de Magallanes to withdraw money from the ATM. It felt good to go out and rid myself of a little bit of the cabin fever I've been having. I passed through a few checkpoints, both private and government, and was able to do my errands easily.

My one big mistake when I left was I did not check the tire pressure of the Rav4. It was waaaaaay under-inflated. Like 15psi or less per tire. Unfortunately I don't think the electric air pump in the car was working so I had to manually pump three of the four tires (the last one was holding steady at 32psi) for most of the morning. I was using a hand pump and I had to inflate one tire at a time then let the pump cool down. It was quite a work out.

I don't know how long this quarantine will last, and I am hoping that we can reduce the amount of deaths happening now because of Covid-19. The best thing I can do to help the brave frontliners is to stay at home, keep a positive attitude, and observe proper disinfecting if I do go out for essential item runs.

Out.

[839] 2020

Today is "day 3" in my book of the quarantine in Metro Manila due to Covid-19. Last night an enhanced community quarantine was declared for the entire region of Luzon. Basically we're all supposed to stay at home, and if we need to buy groceries or medicine only one person may go out to drive to the store and buy food.

Whatever good vibes, hopes, and dreams I had coming into 2020 is now gone. I was looking forward to my 40th birthday this year. Now I just want this year to be over, and it's not even the end of the first quarter of the year.

I hate 2020. In fact I've been hating the past few years for whatever personal reasons I have. In case I ever felt positive and thought, "bring it 2020," I have this to say:

"I give up, 2020. You win. Thanks for nothing."

I am getting closer and closer to just giving up. I never imagined I would experience these things in my life, and I only wish I never did experience these things. Don't give me that bullshit about these things building character.

Out.

[838] Covid-19

Well the entire world is reeling under the effects of Covid-19. Locally lots of cases are being confirmed both in Metro Manila and outside.

I can only hope that everyone takes the proper precautions like washing their hands properly and getting check ups if they show symptoms.

Hoarding also isn't cool, and it's sad and frustrating to see so much misinformation being spread on social media and people just believing what they want to believe. Covid-19 isn't a selective virus, it can affect everyone. So let's all stay safe, sane, and compassionate to one another.

Out.

[837] Revised Two Car Garage 2020 Edition

So I've blogged a few times already about my ideal two car garage, and now I'm revising it yet again. This is probably the best mix of practicality and looks I can think of, and it will probably be surprising to some of you (if anyone is actually bothering to read my blog posts).

For my updated ideal two car garage lineup I've decided to go with the Suzuki Ertiga and the Honda BR-V. Yes, two rides with similar seating capacities and purpose.

I'm sticking with the Suzuki Ertiga because it's the cheapest among it's peers (Avanza, Rush, XPander, Mobilio, BR-V, APV) but I honestly feel it has the best bang-for-the-buck. Not that I've ever driven one, but then again, most of my car related posts are purely speculative. Anyway, the Ertiga is relatively cheap and spacious and that's why I picked that car.

The Honda BR-V also serves the same purpose as the Ertiga except it has a more powerful engine with better torque figures, as well as more features included in the car itself. I've read that there's a fuel pump issue with the BR-V as well as the Mobilio but I'm guessing that's a problem that is easily addressed. I hope.

Ideally one of the two cars would have a plate number ending in an odd number, and the other in an even number. Also better if one car has it's coding day on a Monday and the other on a Friday.

The Ertiga would be my main ride with the BR-V serving as the coding car, as well as probably the car my folks would always use when they go to and from the province. They usually go mid-week and come back on the weekend so ideally they'd be bringing the car that has coding on Fridays. Plus I'm guessing they'll need the more powerful engine for overtaking slower vehicles and a taller ride height for bad roads.

You may be wondering why I didn't choose other similar vehicles to the two. I'm automatically ignoring the Rush and XPander because I honestly feel they're just both overpriced rides people buy to look rich. The APV isn't an option since there's no automatic variant being sold anymore, which leaves us with the Toyota Avanza.

The only reason why I didn't pick the Avanza is because the 1.5L automatic is over PhP1 million, but the engine has similar output to the Ertiga. It has the smallest external dimensions but has the tallest ride height. Plus I've driven a 1.3L manual 1st generation Avanza and I did enjoy driving it. While the Honda BR-V is rouhgly PhP150k more expensive the features included in the package, at least for me, gives it more bang for the buck than the Avanza.

So why didn't I just pick the 1.3L automatic Avanza? Well, the engine really is underpowered, not that I drive like a maniac. I'd still like a powerplant that can carry something big and heavy without getting taxed too much. Not sure how great a 1.3L Avanza will go traveling to the province and back, but I'm guessing having a slightly more powerful engine will be more fuel efficient.

Out.

[836] Two Car Garage 2020 Alternatives Edition

Wow, it only took a day and I already have an alternative pair of cars I have in mind. Yes, I'm writing yet another blog post about what cars I would pick if I had a two car garage.

Don't worry, I'm still following the rules I set yesterday. The cars should still be available here through a local dealer, they should be practical, and they should not be the same brands. So here we go.

Suzuki Ertiga GL AT - Yup. I'm switching this alternative edition to something more practical. As of writing this Ertiga variant costs less than PhP900,000.00 and it can seat maybe seven or so adults, depending on their height. Powered by a 1.5L engine it may not have as much power and torque as the BR-V I chose yesterday, but with how I drive I don't think that will be too much of an issue.

Honda Jazz 1.5 V CVT - My practical dream car. This one also costs less than PhP920,000.00 according to their website as of writing. I've always wanted to own a Honda Jazz because of the fact that the seat configuration is just so damn practical and amazing. Folding the seats the right way can allow you to still have one passenger and maybe a load of cargo.

These two cars are the cheaper, and possibly more practical, alternative to yesterday's choices. Between the Ertiga and the BR-V you have nearly the same amount of seating and cargo capacity, with the latter only having higher ground clearance and better engine power and torque figures for roughly over PhP100,000.00 more.

As for the Jazz and the Jimny, the Jazz wins in cargo and seating capacity. The Jimny wins if I decide to go off-roading. Both are cars I want.

So why don't I just pick the Jazz and the Jimny for my two car garage? Why do I keep picking a 7-seater as one of the cars?

Practicality. While there are only three of us, I still consider having extra seating a key since there will be times we will be going out with my parents, or possibly go out with my wife's mom. Plus that huge cargo space with the rear-most seats folded will allow us more space to pack stuff should we decide to go on a road trip.

Anyway here are some other two car combinations in case you were wondering. I'd prefer all of them to have automatic transmission if possible.

• Honda Jazz and Suzuki Jimny. Two of the cars I've always wanted. Sacrifices cargo and people carrying capacity.
• Heavily retro-modded classic Beetle and a BMW E30 Touring. Two German cars. Two cars I've also always wanted to own, or in the E30's case, always wanted to own since 2014.
• Subaru Levorg 2.0GT-S EyeSight and Jeep Renegade. Too expensive, I have no idea how much it costs to maintain both, I have no idea how much they will both re-sell. Too uncommon that they will both stick out on the roads when I'd rather blend in.
• Toyota Innova Diesel and Subaru WRX. The Innova was too expensive to be the main choice but is still very practical. The WRX is just a practical sports car, not that I can unleash the beast except if I go on track days.

And those are some other car combinations I'd want for a two-car garage. Sure I can mix and match any of them but just to write down the reasons why I chose to pair them this way or that is a whole other post.

Out.

[835] Two Car Garage 2020 Edition

It's that time of the year again where I start daydreaming about what cars I'd like to own here in the Philippines.

As usual my categories for the two cars I'd love to own should be:

1. The car should be legally sold here. Meaning you have to buy it from a legit dealer here.
2. Practicality. I could say I'd love two own a Ferrari and a Lamborghini here, but both would be highly impractical. Bad roads, not enough passenger seating, cost of gas, cost of maintenance, size, etc also plays a factor.
3. The two cars can't be the same brand. Why? I read a few months ago one of the ideas to help ease traffic in Metro Manila would be to ban specific car brands during a specific day of the week. I don't think this will happen but you never know in this country.

And that's it I guess. Three things I considered. Surprisingly I chose two rides that cost a little over PhP 1 million. So without further ado, here are the two cars I'd love to have for my two car garage 2020 edition.

Honda BR-V 1.5 S CVT. Looks good, can seat seven (if needed, I'm guessing it can seat five comfortably), decent space for cargo if you flip the rear-most seats. This may be the one of the most expensive choices among what I consider it's peers (namely other 1.5L MPVs like the Suzuki Ertiga, Toyota Avanza, Toyota Rush, Honda Mobilio, and the Mitsubishi Expander) but the BR-V also has the best power and torque output among them. Plus the ground clearance is also one of the highest. I don't have to worry about overtaking in the highway with the BR-V nor do I have to worry if it can climb inclines if it is fully loaded. Plus it has decent clearance that you don't have to worry about accidentally scraping the bottom of the car in deep potholes.

You may be wondering why I didn't choose the Suzuki Ertiga GL AT as the first car. The Ertiga is actually my "If I could only have one car for the Philippines what would it be" choice. This post isn't about owning one car, it's about owning two. So the reason why I'm not picking the Ertiga now is because I'm picking this Suzuki as my second car.

Suzuki Jimny GLX (Monotone) AT. A three-door, smallish true four-wheel drive vehicle. This would be the back-up, color coding car. Or if my wife learns how to drive, this will be my car and she can use the BR-V. Yes, it's small. Yes, it's cramped. Yes, it doesn't seem very practical. But for a city driving, occasional off-roading vehicle? Yes please.

Finally, what colors would I want both cars? Simple, white or silver. Reason being that they don't get as hot as dark colored cars if they stay long under the sun. Plus they hopefully will be easier to spot both in the morning or in the evening.

Anyway that's it. Two practical cars I would love to have in my garage. I didn't choose the Innova since it's really pretty expensive, and the latest model is massive in size. With the traffic and tight parking spaces you'd need smaller rides. Plus both the BR-V and the Jimny have good safety features.

Makataya nga sa lotto.

Out.

[834] The Alternative?

I've been dreaming up of things I would do to my theoretical dream car, any classic Volkswagen Beetle (meaning either regular Beetle or the Super Beetle). Yes I've been daydreaming a lot about it, but honestly there's an alternative vehicle I could do my theory crafting on -- my dad's Suzuki Samurai.

It's old, rusted, and needs work done. It could also be something I could work on with my dad instead of a classic Beetle. So what's the difference, why don't I focus on that?

They both have just two doors. The rear seats are both a bit tight. I guess I could do my research on the Samurai. I've seen some DIY things to do on it from youtube.

My biggest concerns with the Samurai would be stability and ride quality.

I don't know if it's available in the internet but during the Samurai's run there was an article in a magazine about it failing the moose test. Basically that means it tipped over when doing relatively high speed slaloms. Of course you could counter this with the following arguments: a) the Samurai wasn't build for speed, and b) if you drive carefully enough it won't happen.

If I do decide to take the Samurai on long trips how safe would it be when we get to the highway? I won't be surprised if we could hit maybe 70 kph to 80 kph since my dad told me it was capable of going at that speed when he brought it to Lucena from here in Manila.

The ride quality is my second concern because unlike the Beetle, the Samurai is a legit off-roader with high ground clearance. I was able to ride in it a few times and sitting in the front is okay, it's sitting at the rear that's concerning. It is a bumpy ride. I don't know if there are ways to improve ride quality.

To be honest I've also been talking to my dad about what we can do to the Samurai. We haven't done anything yet since we don't really have too much funds to buy the mods I want and we're not really sure what the plans are for the Samurai. We might end up selling it or something.

Out.

[833] Beetle Plans and Kobe Bryant

Before anything else...

I always check my phone when I wake up. After being woken up by my alarm around 4:10am I checked my phone and was surprised to read about Kobe Bryant's untimely death. It was surprising and shocking news, and I had to confirm via google before believing it. Rest in peace to everyone who passed away in the tragic helicopter crash, including Kobe Bryant and his 13-year old daughter Gianna.

Now onward to what I was planning to write about. Another Beetle post.

I've posted before and the more I read online about the Beetle the more I flesh out what things I would do to the Beetle to make it a bit more roadworthy and safer for the modern times.

As always in the event I get to own a Beetle the very first things I would do would be to ensure it's roadworthiness, reliability, and safety. Just make sure everything is running as great as it can. No problems with the engine, brakes, transmission, suspension, and electrical system. Then make sure there are seat belts for at least the driver and front passenger. And make sure the wipers are working and the wiper blades are new.

Once those are done the next step would be to check the entire car for rust. Fix or replace whatever areas are rusted out and make sure to rust-proof everything else.

Those two steps alone would most likely be very costly in terms of expenses but that would just be the most basics things I would need to make the Beetle a reliable daily driver.

Then comes the fun part, the modifications. These are the mods I would do in order.

First off would be upgrading some engine components, like more efficient distributor caps, spark plugs, and upgrading the generator to an alternator. Also from what I've been reading, I'd move the fuel filter from the engine to somewhere nearer the fuel tank.

Brakes are also an important upgrade I would want. Ideally it would be great to upgrade all wheels to disk brakes, but of course even just upgrading the front would be okay. This is one area that I will not accept frankenstein upgrades. Brakes are there to stop the car, and something I'd be more than willing to spend on.

Apparently there are companies that sell wiring harness updates. They use the more modern tech for the electrical system. This includes more modern fuses and the option to upgrade lighting to LEDs as well as using an alternator instead of a generator.

I'd also upgrade the Beetle's carburetor. None of that twin-carb stuff because that would be too complicated. A simple single-carb dual barrel upgrade would be more than enough.

I'd also upgrade the Beetle's lighting. Adding a roof mounted rear facing LED light bar to serve as both a third brake light and additional turn and reverse lights as well. Aside from that I would most likely mount a pair of fog lamps on the front bumper for added illumination when I need it at night. If it's possible I would also upgrade whatever lighting bulbs can be replaced with LED ones, not limited to brake lights, turn signals, and interior lights. Headlight is also a possibility since I've been reading that some 7-inch round headlights meant for the Jeep Wrangler can also fit in a Beetle.

Speaking of bumpers, I'd also switch out the front and rear bumpers with custom tube bumpers in matte black. Give the Beetle a bit of an off-road look as well as hopefully have a sturdier bumper just in case. Since we're in the topic of tube bumpers, I'd also replace the step bars with Baja side bars just to have a consistent look.

I'd also have a Kamei front spoiler mounted to help with stability and fuel efficiency (supposedly). I have no idea how fast I'll be driving this theoretical Beetle but you bet I'd want it to be stable at highway speeds, even if I'll probably be maxing it at 80 to 90 kph.

A roof rack would also be a priority since storage is a bit of a premium inside a Beetle. It doesn't have to be period correct, and in fact I wouldn't mind if it was a custom tube-frame roof rack. I would just want the roof rack to be durable, light-weight, and not cause too much aerodynamic drag. I'd also get a few securing straps, chains, and padlocks to keep the stuff on the roof rack secure and safe.

As for the interior, where do I begin? I'd love to have a Sabelt semi-deep dish steering wheel. I'd probably replace the stock pedals with a racing pedal box, not because race car, but because I'd want something a bit more modern. I'd also get a sport shifter to improve the interior look.

For the seats I'd just upgrade all seats to have headrests. This is a very crucial safety addition in case of accidents since headrests help prevent whiplash. I think.

There are other upgrades I'd want to install but I need to research them some more, like oil coolers and air-conditioning units.

Of course before all of this happens I'd need to own a Beetle first. At least I have a plan already. I just need the funds and the car.

Out.

[832] Loss of a Mentor

On the afternoon of the 17th of January, 2020, one of my good friends passed away due to acute myeloid leukemia. He was 48 years old.

My friend was my first lead in my first job. He handled my interview and gave me my first opportunity to join the world of 3D.

He taught me a lot. He taught me to be professional, he taught me to know the basics. He gave me confidence to grow as a 3D artist.

Outside of work he introduced me to serious photography. By serious I mean learning the rule of thirds, composition, lighting, exposure, and using full manual controls. He introduced me to different genres of foreign films. 13 Tzameti was one of the more memorable movies he introduced me to.

I worked with him twice, in my first job and later on in my fourth job. He helped me grow even more the last time we worked together. I willingly volunteered to be trained as a Unity VFX artist and he was very impressed and happy with how much growth I had. It was unfortunate our employer had issues and I had to be let go due to redundancy, but such is life.

We stayed in contact, as we always do. We couldn't meet up since we were colleagues since we were both busy with our lives.

Imagine the shock I had when I heard from second and third-hand sources that he had passed away. I informed our other friends and they were in as much shock as I was. I went to the wake, saw his body.

Thank you for everything, "Quiapo Ilalim," you taught me a lot and I wish you were still around.

Fuck cancer.

Out.

[831] The Super Beetle

I've always wanted a classic Beetle, no matter how impractical it is. And I did concede a few posts ago that it is more practical to own a more modern car. That doesn't mean I still don't pine for a Beetle.

I've been reading a lot about the Super Beetle lately. While it doesn't have as much value as classic, pre-1970s Beetles there are some advantages to owning a Super Beetle over the Beetle. Handling and safety were supposedly two of them. Because the Super Beetle used MacPherson struts the handling and turning radius were supposedly better. I think it also made it more stable in faster speeds, if you could ever achieve that.

Youtube has helped fuel my Beetle fire. I've seen Super Beetles become autocross machines, or Baja Bugs, despite it supposedly not being a great Baja Bug candidate.

As for me, all I want is a simple, reliable, modernized Beetle. Front brakes should be upgraded to disks, maybe a two barrel single carburetor for the engine, electricals upgraded. Replace the generator with an alternator and change the voltage to the more commonly used voltage for cars, I honestly can't remember if it was 12V from 6V or the other way around.

Aesthetic mods would most likely be a replica Kamei front splitter, a roof rack, and KC rear LED chase light bar to act as a third brake light and secondary turn signals. While we're on the topic of LEDS, maybe upgrade all possible bulbs to LEDs. Maybe even replace the entire headlights with newer, angel eye LEDs.

For rims I'd probably go from 15" rims to 16" rims, slightly wider if possible. Ideally have a full sized spare so in case one of the tires gets flat I can still put the flat tire in the wheel well.

For the paint I keep changing my mind, I used to like the color scheme of the Salzburg Rally Beetle. Then it became satin black. Or plain white so it doesn't heat up during the summer. Or the classic apple green color of the Beetle my Dad used to own. Two-tone could also work, maybe satin dark blue and white. Or a Bumblebee / Beetle GSR inspired yellow and black.

Would I place an airconditioner in the car? Maybe not. The stock engine (that you bet I'll keep as stock as possible) isn't powerful enough to handle moving the car and running an A/C. I'd try to do some slight engine mods to make it perform better. Like a dual barrel single carb Weber. Maybe improved exhaust. And an oil cooler.

Buying a Beetle and applying the mods I have in mind for it isn't practical. I might be able to find a near stock Honda Jazz or Toyota Yaris for the price of whatever I had in mind for the Beetle.

A man can dream, though.

Out.