1203 Toyota Avanza and Toyota Veloz

Autodeal's already done an excellent comparison between these two vehicles. However there's something else I'm curious between these two vehicles.

The Toyota Veloz is listed under SUVs, while the Avanza is under MPVs. As far as I know they're exactly the same vehicle with one being more premium than the other. Here's an Autodeal comparison between the top-of-the-line Avanza and the entry level Veloz. The price difference is around PhP34,000.00. Top-of-the-line Avanza versus the top-of-the-line Veloz's price difference is PhP166,000.00.

I've always thought a 5-to-7 seater would be an ideal second car. The reason for this was having a bigger car that can carry either more cargo or more people. If you think about it though, maxing out the people in an Avanza or a Veloz would greatly reduce the cargo capacity.

So the solution for this is getting a roof rack and registering the vehicle for top loading. The Veloz already has roof rails, so all you need to do is get whatever cargo solutions you want, be it a roof basket, a cargo box, or both to use as needed. For the Avanza you would definitely need to get a roof rack and the cargo solution you want.

What I'm trying to say is that I'd still get an Avanza and whatever savings I have would be enough padding to get a roof rack system and whatever cargo solutions I'd want. Sure the Veloz might feel more premium and I won't need the roof rack system, but I think I'd rather get the relatively more affordable Avanza so I don't spend as much.

Out.

1202 - December

It's the last month of the year. I'm still somewhat surprised how fast time goes.

Plenty of things have happened this year, and to be honest I will say most of them have been positive moments. Or the good things more than outweigh the bad things.

I guess this is part of my continuing growth as a person, I'm trying to be more of a "glass-half-full" type of person. Still a realist, but trying to see the bright side of life. Like that Monty Python song in Life of Brian.

Out.

1201 Cars

Lately I've been watching a good share of car reviews. These reviews are for cars that are sold locally here in the Philippines. I have to be honest, there are a lot of cars that are catching my attention for different reasons.

I'm talking about the EVs and hybrids. I've blogged about these recently because the preventive maintenance service costs and charging costs for hybrids seem way cheaper than what you would spend on a traditional internal combustion engine vehicle, Wigo included. I saw a video on youtube about how much a couple spent for their BYD Seagull's annual PMS and it was definitely less than PhP7000.00. Add to that the relatively cheaper costs of using EV chargers and you can see why I'm interested in them. Same with hybrids and plug-in hybrids. They both might be a bit more expensive then full EVs but you will definitely feel the savings one way or another. The biggest issue with these types of vehicles is how much the replacement battery will be when the time comes.

And speaking of hybrids, I'm really, really curious about the Toyota Zenix Hybrid and the BYD eMax 9 DM-i Premium. They both look like really practical hybrids, although they also both seem a bit too massive for mall parking. Specially the eMax 9. There's also the MG 3 Hybrid+ and the Toyota Ativ on the opposite side of the spectrum. Smaller city cars that are also hybrids.

I would really love to be able to try and test drive all these cars. We'll see.

Out.

1200 Jogging Update

A few weeks ago I switched my increased my interval jogging from 3:1 to 4:1. Honestly I don't know why I chose to do this, I guess I was looking for something to break the "monotony" of my workout.

It has been a challenge. At first I was wondering why my pace was almost the same as my 3:1 intervals, and I realized it could probably be due to many things. The theory I feel is most plausible is that my body is more tired during the four minutes of jogging that when I do my one minute walk I'm walking slower than my walking pace during my 3:1 intervals.

The past two jogs I've done I've been a bit mindful of my pace and so far I've been averaging less than 8 minutes per kilometer. I've also noticed in my Tozo S3 smart watch and Tozo Health app that my heart range does reach the red zone (max heart rate zone) during my recent jogs. I'm hoping this is good because I'm pushing myself a bit more and my body and heart are adjusting so that eventually I'll be spending more time in in the aerobic zone than the anaerobic and max zones.

For now I'll keep aiming for being consistent in doing at the minimum three three-lap jogs a week. And one day of this kettlebell workout a friend of mine sent.

Consistency.

Out.

1199 Powering Through

It's been a relatively rocky few weeks for me. I'm just thankful I'm able to power through these things that are happening to me.

I'm allowing myself to feel bad about myself a bit but at the same time I'm telling myself enough is enough and just go on. There's nothing else to do but keep moving forward.

Out.

1198 Christmas 2025

The (actual) holidays are just around the corner. I'm not writing about the Philippines' "Christmas Holidays" that starts from September 1 and ends on the Sunday Feast of the Three Kings.

We've started purchasing gifts for friends and family, and I've left this job to my wife. She's very qualified and willing to do it by herself since she's move shopping savvy and thoughtful than me. If it were me I'd probably give everyone rechargeable lights or a dry bag to act as a go bag.

Am I excited for the holidays? Yes and no. Excited because I'd love to have a short break and do things that aren't everyday things I do. It'll be a chance to rest, hopefully meet up with my friends and family, and just recharge so I can be ready for 2026.

Out.

1197 (Sort of) Dream Garage

I've blogged about dream garages for a long time, and now comes yet another blog about my current, sort of, dream garage.

This assumes money is no object, but at the same time I'm being practical and reasonable. This is also going to be a three car garage because that's how many cars we have right now. My folks drive one car to-and-from the province. Then there are two left here to be used as needed. One car gets more use since it's more fuel efficient and practical to use that, and the last one is our massive hauler, meaning it can carry all of us plus cargo. So I'm basing my dream garage on how we live currently. And here we go.

Two Toyota Yaris Cross 1.5 SE HEV CVT and one Toyota Zenix 2.0 Q HEV CVT. That's it. Two similar cars that are relatively small that you can use for city driving and take on road trips, and an MPV that can fit seven people max and have some cargo space. And all of them are hybrids.

Let's discuss the Zenix first. Given that it's not as big as our Super Grandia, some compromises will have to be made. Like (legally) adding a roof rack and cargo box for hauling more stuff on road trips. And maybe bringing along a stepladder to make reaching the roof a lot easier.

Then we have the Yaris Cross. I'm choosing this over the Corolla Cross because it is smaller in dimensions, meaning it'll be easier to park it in mall parking areas. You don't have to worry about space getting in and out of the car. I've experienced having difficulty getting in our old gen 3 Rav4 in a parking lot because a Fortuner was beside us. I did get in but with great difficulty.

And there it is. Three cars that all of us can drive. As for the "assignments," one of the Yaris Cross will be for my folks and their road trips. This is because they're basically doing this with their Raize now. So why not just keep the Raize? Space. Every time they go on their trips the Raize is fully loaded. No one can ride because the second row and trunk are full of stuff. Hopefully a slightly bigger vehicle will help.

And that's it. I honestly was considering the Toyota Ative 1.5 HEV CVT because it's also a hybrid, but according to websites it's actually longer than both the Yaris Cross and, surprisingly, the Avanza. Plus it has less cargo space.

Again, this is just a dream garage with money not being an object.

Out.

1196 The Wigo

I'm really thankful we got a Toyota Wigo. With the recent non-stop rising price of fuel per liter, the fuel-efficient Wigo is helping a lot.

At best we've been getting over 10km/L but the caveat there is that my daughter spent the past three or so weeks either online schooling or on a week long break. It's still a big help to spend a relatively smaller amount to fill up the Wigo.

At worst with all the traffic bring and fetching my family to and from their respective schools the Wigo can still give me around 8km/L. Bad yes, but still way more efficient than the Rav4. Don't go thinking driving style affects consumption, because I'm not the one driving most of the time.

So yeah, I've grown to like the Wigo even more than when we first got it. I set a budget, researched what cars fit that budget, and chose the Wigo. I do have some minor regrets but they're more nitpicks than anything. I would still pick the Wigo over the other options, which were basically the Suzuki S-Presso and the Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback.

Out.

1195 Thoughts

The year is almost over. Depending on the situation time seems to either move oh so fast, or oh so slow. A lot has changed this year for me, personally.

I've come to change my perspective, and I've been constantly mindful of how I think and react in the hope that my consistency will help me become a better person overall.

A lot of things have happened as well this year. Some good, some bad, everything a learning experience. I can only hope I can continue with my newfound perspective in life so that I don't go back to my old self. I guess I can allow myself some moments to fall back to my comfort zone, but only to release the negativity. Everything else must be done moving forward.

Out.

1194 2x Dream Groupset

I keep jumping back and forth between 1x and 2x for my "dream groupset." While I like the simplicity of a 1x groupset, I do sometimes think about the smoothness of shifting using a cassette that doesn't have relatively extreme jumps in the number of teeth between gears.

This I think is the biggest advantage of a 2x system over a 1x. So if you go for, lets say, a 46/29T chainring with an 11-34T cassette, you'd get a 1:4.18 ratio for speed and 1:0.85 ratio for climbs. Now imagine trying to achieve this with a 1x, you'd need a 46T chainring and 11-54T cassette. If you had a 10-speed bike then the jumps in number of teeth to get from 11 to 54 would be a lot more jarring than going from 11 to 34.

Anyway I'm just theorycrafting here. Considering groupsets for a bike I'll probably never own. Hell, I don't even ride a bike anymore. But if I were to find a huge sum of money I'd probably get the Microshift Sword groupset. Sure, I like Sensah's groupset but then again I think Microshift is an upgrade over Sensah and other components I could buy from Shopee.

So without further ado these are the Microshift sword parts I'd get.

• Sword 2x Rear Derailleur 9/10 speed. I was originally thinking of getting the 1x RD so I could have even bigger gears for the cassette, but then knowing it's a 2x I already have a ratio of 1:0.85 and I think that's more than enough.
• Sword Front Derailleur 2x10. Probably a band clamp, but depends on what frame I'll be mounting it on.
• Sword Left Drop Bar Shifter 2x10 and Sword Right Drop Bar Shifter 2x10. I have no idea if the other Microshift drop bar shifters are compatible with the Sword Derailleurs so stick to Sword it is.
• H-Series 10-Speed Cassette 11-34. The cassette featured on the Sword page is an 11-38T cassette, and with a 29T smaller chainring that would be a ratio of 1:0.75, maybe something I won't need.
• Sword 2x 46/29 Crankset. Then I'd try the 165mm crank arms. Right now I believe the crank arms on my bike are 170mm.

So you may be wondering why I didn't consider Shimano, SRAM, or Campagnolo. Well, they're expensive is the plain and simple reason. Sensah or L-TWOO groupsets don't feel like upgrades, more like lateral movement. So Microshift Sword it is.

Out.

1193 My Adjusted Exercise Plan

My back is feeling a lot better, however there are still moments when I plant either of my feet in a certain way that I will feel some tweaks on my back.

This means that I guess this coming week instead of going on my usual interval jogs, I will be walking instead. And I have no issue with this. While I do believe I should rest my back, I also feel like I'll be wasting whatever progress I had with all my jogging activities so the next best thing to do is just walk to get my heart rate up.

I'll be doing this for this week unless my back starts feeling even better. If it does then I shall be trying to do my interval jogs again, with a twist. I increased the jog duration from 3 minutes to 4 minutes.

Out.

1192 My Back

I hurt my lower back last Wednesday morning. I was loading my wife's stuff in the van and since there were dog droppings on the ground I maneuvered my right leg and planted it I guess in an awkward angle to avoid the poo. The pain was instantaneous, and stabbing.

I could walk, but at a limp. Planting my right leg sent pain through my lower back. Fortunately it wasn't so bad that I needed to go to the hospital. I took pain meds and added a hot plaster strip on my lower back. I was in pain the whole day.

Thursday morning I was feeling better, but my lower back felt tight. I still got sudden surges of stabbing back pain depending on how I moved my body. I still took pain meds. By the afternoon I was feeling good enough to go out for a nearly 3 km walk. I know I won't be jogging any time soon in case I accidentally re-aggravate my injury. Plus I need to bring my daughter to an important event on Saturday so I need to be physically ready.

Today is Friday morning. My back is still tight, not as bad as yesterday. I'll be resting until maybe Monday and if I feel good enough, I may just go jogging. Or doing kettlebell core / lower back exercises.

I have no idea if it's a flexibility thing or a weak lower back thing, but I want to avoid experiencing this kind of pain again if possible.

Out.

1191 My 2025-2026 ESPN NBA Fantasy League Team

Last Saturday the NBA fantasy league I've been a member of for over a decade held it's fantasy draft. I had the first pick since my keeper, Alperen Sengun, had the lowest player ranking among all keepers. 

Here's my team based on draft order.

1. (Keeper) Alperen Sengun, HOU
2. Jalen Williams, OKC
3. Desmond Bane, ORL
4. Austin Reaves, LAL
5. Isaiah Hartenstein, OKC
6. Toumani Camara, POR
7. Reed Sheppard, HOU
8. Jaden McDaaniels, MIN
9. Egor Demin, BKN
10. Mitchell Robinson, NYK

This year I tried (emphasis on tried) a build that would focus on assists first since you can get quality rebounders late in the draft. In hindsight I think I screwed my draft up trying to draft players who average (roughly) 10 ppg 5 rpg 5 apg. I have no idea if these guys can propel my team to a decent standing.

I was originally planning to draft LeBron James but because of his sciatica I thought it would be too risky. James Harden was also an option, but his FG%, 3P%, and TO were just too glaring for me to risk him. Hopefully Jalen Williams can provide 70% of what Bron or Harden brings.

Then I decided to draft 3-and-D guys early, meaning Bane and Reaves. I'm hoping this season that I won't be dead fucking last in 3-pointers made and in 3P%, as is tradition with teams I build in our fantasy league.

Hartenstein was my fifth pick and a good go-to big man. Last year he averaged a double double of points and rebounds with a decent amount of assists and blocks as well. Camara is a semi-risky pick since I have no idea if he's starting and how many minutes he'll get. Based on his Basketball Reference page, Camara does seem like an up-and-coming 3-and-D stretch 4.

Sheppard is another risky pick. During the group call we had while drafting we were all joking how no one wanted to draft Sheppard despite his high ranking in ESPN. I finally bit the bullet and got him, hoping he'll see more playing time and contribute more in Houston this season with Fred VanVleet out with an injury. Jaden McDaniels is Minnesota's primary defender and from what I saw of his stats last season he should be a decent source of rebounds and a good source of stocks (steals and blocks).

Demin is another risky pick, someone I would consider expendable if he doesn't put up numbers with the Nets. Robinson is my new Lamar Odom, someone I always draft because I'm a fan. However since I'm trying to be more serious with my league this season, the Blockness Monster may be a drop candidate if I can find another big man who'll give better numbers. I'm sticking with him at the moment since I still have no idea what role, how many minutes, and what numbers he'll have with the new look Knicks.

At the moment my top three drop candidates are Sheppard, Demin, and Robinson. I most likely will give them a week or two to see how they're doing before I start adding and dropping players, unless I there's someone on the waiver wire that goes supernova with numbers early on. We shall see.

Out.

1190 Wigo in Hindsight

This isn't going to be a negative blog, these are just the things I would probably do differently before we purchased our 2024 Toyota Wigo G.

1. License plate ending number. It was shocking when it was announced there would be an odd-even scheme along EDSA as it got refurbished. Unfortunately the ending number I picked wasn't "efficient" (for a lack of a better term). Let's just say instead of being able to pass by EDSA for 3 of 6 odd-even days, I could only pass it for 2 days since one of the days I could pass the Wigo was under number coding. So in hindsight I would have chosen a different end number. Fortunately the refurbishment of EDSA was put on hold so I have no idea if this odd-even scheme for EDSA will ever be implemented.
2. The color. This is our Wigo, and I did ask my family what color they liked which is why we picked the gray metallic paint scheme. Except I really liked the orange color. The yellow wasn't bad either but I found it too desaturated as a yellow color. It is challenging checking the side mirrors during low visibility situations but so far I can cope. I drive slow and carefully anyway. Plus it would have been so much easier to find the Wigo with the orange color since that would also make it stand out a bit more.
3. The tint. I chose the lightest tint possible as a freebie. I probably should not have chosen any tint. Again this has to do with visibility during low visibility situations. I've experienced opening the window fully during a really strong downpour of rain just so I could back the car safely up the garage. Which made the interior of the car wet.

Come to think about it, getting an orange Wigo with no tint would have made things so much easier for me with regards to visibility. Maybe I should have just decided for myself and let my family live with the consequences. Oh well.

Out.

1189 Chibo Okonomiyaki, Mitsukoshi BGC

I met up with some friends from high school yesterday. One of them came back here from the States on a short vacation, and we all agreed to meet up in BGC. We decided to eat in the "food court" of Mitsukoshi BGC, and I chose to eat at Chibo Okonomiyaki.

I ordered the Doutonbori Okonomiyaki. It was great. It was cheesy, it was tasty, and I wolfed it down in a fit of ravenous hunger.

How was the price? Honestly if you ask me it's a bit pricey, but worth it if you plan on eating once in a while. I spent a little under PhP500 for the okonomiyaki and a bottle of water.

I was actually looking around for something else to eat but decided to just eat the okonomiyaki because I've been gaining weight recently. I do think it's enough for a decent meal.

Would I eat there again? Sure. I might even try the other okonomiyakis.

Out.

1188 - Of EVs and Hybrids

A few days ago as I was driving my daughter to her school I saw a Dongfeng Nanobox EV driving along EDSA. I saw it a few years or months ago as we were on the way home from SM Mall of Asia, and the car truly is eye catching.

I don't know why but I like how it looks. It looks like the ideal city car EV for me. It's about the same size as our 2024 Toyota Wigo and also BYD's Seagull. It seems to have a positive review from one of our local automotive websites (that I trust).

EVs and hybrids are really becoming a more common sight on the roads. It's hard to miss most of them, specially because their license plates have the font in green instead of black. This most likely signifies they are either EVs or hybrids, and thus exempted from the number coding scheme here in Metro Manila.

Even if I am intrigued by some EVs and hybrids, like the MG 3 Hybrid+, the Dongfeng Nanobox EV, the BYD eMax7, and BYD's Sea Gull I still don't know if I can honestly choose to purchase an EV or hybrid from brands that haven't been around the Philippines for a long time. I'd still prefer getting Toyota hybrids, like the Corolla Cross HEV, Yaris Cross HEV, and the just-launched Ativ HEV. Heck I wouldn't even mind trying the hybrid offerings from Hyundai.

I guess since these brands have been around for quite some time, I'm pretty confident they won't be leaving the country any time soon. Unlike some brands recently managed by AC Mobility, who seem to be going all-in on BYD. For context, AC Mobility has severed ties with both Volkswagen and some local Honda dealers they managed.

Basically what I'm trying to say is that I'm not too keen on getting a car from an Ayala managed brand should they suddenly decide to stop being the dealer of that brand here. Specially for EVs. As for the other brands I mentioned, MG is relatively known but Dongfeng is a relative unknown for me, even if they apparently have a joint venture with Renault. Still too many unknowns including parts availability.

So while I am still curious about EVs and hybrids, I guess I still want to play it safe by getting from a trusted brand. Not that I can (currently) afford one.

Out.

1187 Car Buying

I've recently been seeing a lot of posts on Facebook by local automotive publications that are showing the latest releases of new vehicles here in the Philippines.

While most of these new vehicles are interesting with regards to features and powertrains and looks, I always wonder what other people consider when buying a car.

Think about it, if you can only afford one vehicle with your hard earned money, what would you consider? Would you try one of the newer brands here that have hybrid or EV powertrains? Would you go with a practical, tried-and-tested brand? Or would you go crazy and bury yourself in debt to get one of the flashy, hot sports cars?

The reason I decided to write this blog is because one of the Facebook posts I saw called one of the Chinese hybrid cars an econobox despite the fact that the car was over PhP1 million. That's nuts for me. Anything over a million isn't something I'd consider an econobox. My Wigo? Now that's an econobox. Less than a million, very basic, very practical. But a hybrid car with a lot more features that sells for maybe over three-hundred thousand pesos more than my car isn't an econobox.

Or maybe everything is relative depending on your income and needs. I guess this is it.

Out.

1186 Daydreaming Cars Again

I've written before that a Honda Jazz is one of my dream cars. Specifically the GE, or second generation, Honda Jazz. Not the manual, as great as those are, but the automatic transmission (CVT?) 1.5 L locally sold Honda Jazz GE. It doesn't even have to have the top of the line trim. Just a working, reliable, automatic transmission and the fuel efficient 1.5 L engine. Because in this daydream I will be modifying the Jazz.

It will be less of a sleeper car and more of a car that's a great fit (pun intended) for a mid-40s dad who rarely drives but appreciates a practical, fuel efficient car, with great audio.

• Update the audio system with a modern head unit that has bluetooth, Android Auto, and Apple Car Play capabilities as well as replacing the speakers with some co-axials. Add an amplifier as well and update the antenna from the old stick antenna to maybe a shark fin antenna.
• Upgrade the suspension and increase the ground clearance by 2 to 4 cm. This will hopefully avoid the car bottoming out on some humps or surprise potholes.
• Add daytime front and rear running lights. Nothing too bright that you'd think your headlights were on at night, just enough to improve how visible the car is when you are driving around.

Then since this is all just a blog post and I have neither a Honda Jazz nor the funds to modify it, I guess upgrade some internal components with Spoon Sports components.

Out.

1185 Would I Feel Safer In a Condominium?

For some context, after I got married my wife and I stayed in a condominium for a year. The only reason we moved out was because my wife got pregnant and after giving birth there would be no one to take care of our daughter once we returned to work.

So anyway, now that I'm older than before I do get anxious every time the weather gets bad. It used to be worry coming from typhoons but as the years moved on even monsoon rains got worse. Lately even light showers can cause really horrible flooding in Metro Manila, as some of you probably know. I won't get into the current events side of things, I will just stay within the title of my blog post. Would I feel safer in a condominium?

This question stems from the strong winds and heavy rains we are experiencing. Each strong gust of wind makes me concerned that a tree branch (or even a tree itself) would break and fall, not just on our house or car, but on people when they get to a wrong place in the wrong time. Or if the winds get strong enough to rip off the roof on our house.

I remember one of the bad storms my wife and I experienced in the condominium. Power went out, we closed all windows, yet the howling of the wind was still very loud. Yet at that time I felt to concern or worry, I don't know if I was just younger then or if staying in the condo made me feel safe. I wasn't thinking about any roof being torn or branches falling down.

Then again, a friend of mine did tell me during one of the super typhoons from decades ago that the generator set on the roof of their condo was blown off. So I guess there's that.

I guess the biggest reason I'd feel safe in a condominium is because I wouldn't have to think about trees or plants or stuff blowing around and hitting the house. I mean, it can still happen in a condo but hopefully the chances are less.

As for cars, well if you get a parking slot away from the edge of the condo then hopefully no flying debris can hit your vehicle as well.

Or maybe I'm just overthinking, as has been the case for my entire life.

Out.

1184 Used Cars

I've been browsing Facebook Marketplace yet again, looking at random cars that pop up. I've also searched for some specific vehicles just to see if they're still around and what the price is for these used cars.

No, I don't have the disposable income to get a used car. Even if I did, I don't think I can afford the maintenance needed for the old cars I want. They might still be practical and fuel efficient for current times, but maintenance might be the biggest reason why it would not be a great idea to get a used car.

What cars am I looking at specifically? The usual favorites I have. Honda Jazz, VW Classic Beetles, the VW Caddy that was sold here for a few years but didn't really sell well, some really old 4WD cars like the Suzuki Samurai and 90s Vitara, Echo Versos, and the occasional Suzuki SX4.

Notice a pattern of what cars I'm looking for? Relatively small, practical, and (hopefully) fuel efficient vehicles. Mostly automatics, some manuals that I have a crazy idea of restomodding and converting to automatic transmissions, but mostly cars I'd love to own because of their size and practicality.

Out.

1183 AI

I posted on Facebook a few days, or weeks, ago how I felt that I'm on a sinking ship when it comes to AI. Eventually I'll get swallowed by AI. What AI specifically?

AI art.

It's getting incorporated to most of the tools I'm using for work. Now, honestly I'm still up in the air when it comes to AI. I dislike how it learns, because of the possibility that it just grabs whatever it can find without any consent to use for generating stuff.

I am also open enough to know that it can be a useful tool. I just don't know a good workflow for this. I do know that some AI generated art, whether 2D or 3D, still needs a human touch after. You need to clean up the art or the model to make sure the assets are usable for game dev.

But I really am wary about using AI. So I guess I'm on a wait and see approach with it.

Out.

1182 The Honda Jazz

It was such a happy coincidence that this youtube video popped up on my recommendations. It was released five days ago from when I am writing this blog post, so either August 31, 2025 or September 1, 2025.

ReDriven made a great video about what to look out for and what to expect when purchasing a used Honda Jazz GD (aka 1st generation). The video gives great tips on what to look out for, like where to check for rust, excess moisture, and even what to expect from these twenty-ish year old vehicles.

Now I'm pretty sure the Jazz sold in Australia, where the video was shot, has some differences with the ones sold here, but I'm guessing the information they are giving can be applied to cars here. The biggest question now here is where to find a Jazz GD that's actually "relatively worth buying."

I've done some quick google searching and it looks like the GD is indeed a CVT transmission for the non-manual version. I guess this was the troublesome transmission I've read about online. I have no idea how easy or costly it is to fix, but this is something to look out for.

Don't get me wrong, at the moment I don't have the funds to get a used Jazz GD, specially since the prices for Honda Jazz in the Philippines are relatively more expensive than other used cars of the same age.

There's something about the Honda Jazz, at least the first two generations, that I really like. They're very practical and fuel efficient. They have magic seats that can let the car carry so much cargo. They're supposedly fun to drive, and their look is, at least for me, iconic.

Who knows, maybe in the future I'll be able to afford owning, restoring, modifying, and maintaining a Honda Jazz. We shall see.

Out.

1181 Crazy Wigo Upgrades

I know I've blogged about this before but since I really don't have anything to write about I'd like to blog about upgrades and modifications I'd love to do to our humble Wigo. These are more extreme upgrades that I doubt I could afford or want to do unless I suddenly became a multi-billionaire.

• Suspension upgrades. Not just any suspension upgrades, I'd like to raise the ride height by around 20 mm or so and hopefully lessen the play on the suspension when bouncing around. So basically make it stiffer and a bit higher. Not so stiff as to be uncomfortable, but not to soft that accidentally going too fast on humps or bumps causes the rear end to bottom out.
• Higher end speakers and an amplifier. Nothing too extreme, I still want co-axial speakers and a small amplifier so the practicality of the Wigo isn't affected. What I'm thinking is using a higher end brand than the realistic audio upgrade I'm planning to do. As for what brand, I have no idea since I'm not a car audio enthusiast.
• Recaro Classic LX front seats. These will hopefully provide better comfort and support when driving carefully around town and in road trips.
• A fiberglass hood. Weight savings should hopefully offset whatever weight gains I add from my other crazy ideas. I don't want to get a carbon fiber hood because I want the hood to have the same color as the car.
• V-Kool automotive window film (aka window tint) and paint protection film. For the tint I really want the one that offers the best visibility because the current tint on the Wigo is supposedly the lightest tint but I still have a hard time with visibility when I check the side mirrors in dark areas and in heavy rains. For the paint protection film, I'd love to do this after repainting the Wigo. Again, crazy things to spend on for such a humble car.
• RS Watanabe gold eight spoke 14 x 5 rims. Yet another luxury modification for a humble car, but I do love the look of these RS Watanabes. Plus this would move one of the current Wigo rims to the spare tire wheel well instead of the generic steelie.
• Yellow front fog lamps and a rear red fog lamp. I would love to have these installed, to be used for those really rainy nights that you just need a bit more visibility not only for yourself but so other cars can see you.

And those are some upgrades I would do to the Wigo if money was not an object. If you're wondering where the roof rack/bike rack upgrade is, that's something I don't think is pretty extreme or crazy.

Out.

1180 Rain

When I was studying, from grade school to high school and maybe college, classes would normally be suspended when storm signal number 2 was raised. We didn't have to wait for an official announcement from our schools, once it was broadcast over the radio and television that was it.

Nowadays a few monsoon rains is enough to cause class suspensions, not because of the rains but because of the flooding that has been happening even over some normal strong down pours. Isn't that cause for concern? It could rain really hard at 3am causing classes to be suspended but it could be sunny during lunch.

This is because of what has happened to this country. The infrastructure built over the course of my lifetime has not been up to par with what is needed for a dense metropolis. I'm not saying it's not enough, I'm saying it could have been improperly built.

Recently it has become a hot topic how the corruption of DPWH contractors have caused all these floods to get worse because they steal most of the budget and sometimes don't even bother completing the projects they were paid to do. All in the name of greed.

If you don't believe me, here are some links to reports about the rains and contractors.

• https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2025/09/01/2469591/bonoan-out-dizon-named-dpwh-chief
• https://www.philstar.com/nation/2025/08/31/2469436/five-days-worth-rain-swamped-qc-hour-causing-flooding-expert-says
• https://www.philstar.com/nation/2025/08/31/2469304/different-contractors-same-costs-quezon-city-uncovers-more-suspicious-flood-projects

Imagine that, just a sudden downpour of rain can cause suspensions of classes, just because it could flood in a lot of areas? That's crazy. And unsafe for a lot of people.

Out.

1179 Dream Bike Build Random Updates

Today I watched (or more correctly, listened to) a Youtube video from Bike Radar about optimum stem angles to use for a road bike. TL;DW a higher stem angle needed less watts to maintain a certain speed.

I think it is time to update my dream bike build. As always my frame set is the Ritchey Logic Outback Breakaway Medium size.

• Redshift Sports ShockStop Suspension System for the seat post and stem. For the stem it will be the 30º x 100mm stem. Seatpost is whatever will fit on the frame set.
• Salsa Cowchipper 38mm handlebar. I used to want the Coefficient AR (All Road) carbon handlebar, but I did realize that I'm getting older and I'd rather have a nice, safe ride than a faster paced ride. Not that I still ride.
• Ritchey Comp Cabrillo saddle. Again, I have no idea about saddles so I guess one from Ritchey will be fine.
• Microshift Sword 1x10 groupset. As usual being the contrarian I am I would rather have the Microshift Sword groupset than the usual Shimano and SRAM gravel groupsets. I'm hoping these are more affordable (even if this is a dream bike build) and hopefully this is enough for me to actually enjoy the bike. Other details for the groupset is a 165mm 42T Sword crankset and an 11-42 H-Series 10-speed cassette. Yes, my easiest gearing will be 1:1.
• Growtac EQUAL brake calipers. From what little I know, these calipers offer pretty great stopping power considering they're not hydraulic or hybrid. These calipers behave like hydraulic brake calipers in the sense that both pads press on the brake disc instead of the usual mechanical brake calipers that only have one pad press down.
• Shimano PD-ME7000 SPD pedals. Doing my basic internet research shows me that Shimano clipless pedals are better than Crank Brothers. So why am I even considering clipless pedals when I want a relaxed ride? My answer would be, for the times I would want to go serious, of course. This choice also lets me get the next entry.
• adidas Velosamba bicycle shoes. Reviews I've read and watched all say this pair is only good for commuting, and not for mountain bike or more serious riding. Seems like the best pair for me.
• Mavic All Road Disc wheelset. 700c rims with an internal rim width of 23mm and tubeless ready. I still don't know enough about wheels so I'd like a decent and durable set of wheels. None of that carbon fiber stuff.
• Panaracer Gravel King X1 R tan sidewall tires. I'm a sucker for Panaracers, specially the tan sidewalls. I'm not getting the SS for the simple reason that I'd rather have knobbly tires in the event I do need to go to non-tarmac terrain.

That's it. I don't want to list down all the accessories I'd want, but the sure ones are a dynamo hub, front and rear lights, and mud guards.

Out.

1178 Death

Yesterday I found out that one of my college teachers passed away, I think on Saturday evening. He died of a heart attack after playing a few games of basketball. He was my age.

Now before you start thinking how I can have a teacher that's the same age, that's a story for another blog post.

This teacher of mine was someone I considered a friend, so the news did hit me a bit hard. It was also a reminder to me that life is fleeting, and you have to make the most out of what time you have here. Aside from this you also need to have a good perspective on life so that no matter when  your time comes you will at least have had a life that you were grateful for.

Rest in peace, sir Mark. It was a pleasure to have been your student and your friend.

Out.

1177 Tired

Today is probably one of the times I've really felt tired, and that is interesting. I jogged from Monday until Wednesday and decided to give myself a rest day today.

I guess it's work that got me tired. I'm not complaining. It has been a very productive day, week even. Yet I still don't understand why I'm this kind of tired.

It isn't the satisfied feeling I get on typical productive and busy days or weeks. Hopefully I can get a decent night's sleep tonight, or else I probably won't jog tomorrow.

Out.

1176 Kei Vans

I have no idea why I'm getting interested in Japanese kei vans again. It's really confusing when I read about reports of the government cracking down on Japanese surplus vehicles being shipped in while at the same time seeing more and more videos of converted kei vans being sold to buyers almost everywhere in the Philippines.

This youtuber in Japan had a video where he added blow off valves to his DA64 Suzuki Every. ANd while originally the Suzuki Every I most wanted was the DA17 auto-gear shift, I think now I'm starting to lean on the automatic variant that has a turbo.

So, why a turbo? I was thinking how it would drive in the highways here. While top speed is 100 kmh I'm hoping a turbo will make the Every accelerate a bit faster and hopefully be a bit more fun to drive.

Amusing words coming from someone who says he is a slow driver. Imagine it though, a tiny kei van that has a blow-off valve and an improved turbo and exhaust system.

Out.

1175 Bad Weekend

It was indeed a relatively bad weekend. Most of the progress I had sort of crumbled as I reverted to bad habits and bad thinking.

Let's just say I was supposed to go somewhere this weekend but higher priority things happened so I had to cancel my plans. I was bummed out, naturally, but I didn't know I would be this bummed out. On the bright side I've been catching myself a lot of times and trying to control myself.

So tomorrow is the start of a new week and I know I can rebound from this.

Out.

1174: Our 2024 Toyota Wigo G

It's been a year and a few days since we acquired our Toyota Wigo G.

I'll admit there are days when I sort of regret sticking to my budget and not dipping a bit more into savings to get the Toyota Raize 1.2 E CVT instead of the Wigo. However the price of the Raize at the time was way over the budget I had set myself.

So why am I having occasional second thoughts? Well the simplest answer is the height. The Wigo is a car, and the ground clearance is around 160mm so it is a low car. The Raize is taller and has 200mm (I think) ground clearance. Aside from this, since the Raize is a bit longer you have bigger trunk space.

The height only concerns me mainly when it rains really hard for a long time. When flash flooding happens in Metro Manila, and believe me it happens, I get worried. Fortunately so far none of our routes are affected by floods. Or we can find alternate routes that are relatively free of flash floods.

Anyway back to our Wigo. I guess my plan now is to use this car for its strengths. Those are fuel efficiency, practicality, and size.

Fuel efficiency is still great. Lately it's been getting below 9km/L consumption but that's because traffic has been bad since school started for my daughter. It's still not as demoralizing as the 5 to 6km/L of the Rav4 so I'm still not that annoyed. Just irritated. Last school year consumption was around 9 to 10km/L, but for context the traffic now to drop off and fetch my daughter is way, way worse than last school year.

Practicality. The Wigo is still an excellent city car and daily driver. It has ample space for the usual stuff you need to bring to work or to school. The air conditioner is decently cold. Space is also relatively good for three to four people.

Size. Because of the relatively smaller size of the Wigo I never have to worry about being able to enter or exit the car in parking areas. I will have ample space to park and not worry about me accidentally dinging the car beside me (though I do worry about the cars beside the Wigo dinging us since there are a lot of inconsiderate people out there).

There are some issues now that I'm seeing with the Wigo, but hopefully these can be avoided. Here are some of them.

No front windshield vent defogger and no rear electric defogger. We encountered this issue one time when it was raining hard and the front and rear windshield fogged up. I had to wipe the front windshield inside to remove the fogging just to see.

I shouldn't have added a tint. Backing up and maneuvering is a bitch during heavy rains and dark skies. Or even in dark places. I had a hard time seeing the side mirrors and had to open my windows to get a better view. During rains this sucks since the interior gets wet.

Speaking or rain, I am seriously considering getting rain visors for the windows so we can crack it open during rainy days and hopefully address fogging issues, or open the window enough that we can see the side mirrors with minimal rain pouring in. My only issue with rain visors is that you have to stick them on to the doors, or at least the ones available in Shopee.

Then there's my issue with the (literal) horn. Yes, there's only one high-pitched horn installed in the car. I have the one high-pitched horn that was installed in my dad's Raize but I'd rather get a better set that's louder and more aggressive so it can be heard better.

Overall I'm still happy with the Wigo and I feel that this is a great first car for my wife to get used to driving in. It's still a fuel efficient and practical car and with some upgrades I feel quality of life will be improved.

Out.

1173 Biking

If things go as planned I will hopefully spend a few days in a province going cycling with a friend of mine. We had been planning this since around 2022, and things never really went forward.

Fortunately now things appear to be moving forward so we shall see what happens and hopefully everything pushes through. We won't be going on off road trails, as far as I know, and also because I've switched my wheels to inner tubes.

Also my tires and inner tubes are around three to four years old so I have no idea how well they will hold up. As for myself, I'm hoping all my jogging has improved my fitness that I can have enough stamina to ride the relatively longer, and faster, routes we'll be doing in the province.

This just might re-ignite my interest and drive in bicycling.

Out.

1172 August

And just like that, it is already August 1, 2025. More than half of the year has gone by and less than half remains.

It has been a very interesting year for me, if I'm being honest. I opened myself up to new mindsets and perspectives and I've become more active in catching myself from reverting to all the wrong things I used to do.

I'm still a work-in-progress though and I need to keep moving forward. One of the things that I learned from a recent episode of the podcast is to just do it. Stop saying I will do it or that I plan on doing it, and just work on it.

So that's what I'm doing. One step at a time.

Out.

1171 -- Beetle Dreaming

I've blogged about my birth year car dream, my dream Honda Jazz GE, and my dream Super Beetle. It's too bad that the Super Beetle didn't make it to 1980 because out of these three dream cars, the Beetle always ends up moving to the top of my list.

There's a certain charm to the Beetle. The simplicity of the car and the relative practicality of driving something like it is something that will always tug at my heart strings.

So anyway, most long time readers of my blog already know that any dream car of mine will always be a restomod project. I doubt I will ever restore one since I honestly want to get modern tech and safety features in a car as well as improving it's fuel efficiency at the least. It won't be really extreme modifications, but small tweaks that will help improve quality of life while driving a car.

I've been checking out Facebook Marketplace often, looking at old VW Beetles for sale. The price ranges a lot from really cheap beaters with lots of issues (including vehicle registrations and other potential headaches) to really expensive but well cared for models. I'm not really sure what's the best car to get, but I have a feeling something in-between would be best.

In-between meaning it's well cared for and not a beater, but it's not a finished project car. This gives you a reliable base (with hopefully updated vehicle registrations) you can begin your own modifications. And because you won't need mechanical or structural repairs you can use your funds for what you want done on the car.

Out.

1170 -- Birth Year Car

I was browsing Facebook's Marketplace just randomly looking at cars, as I usually do, when I found a candidate for my birth year car. It was a 1980 BJ40 (?) Toyota Land Cruiser.

It is pricey, and it looks like I will still need to do a lot of work on it. Too bad I can't afford it.

I'm also not so sure how "legal" it is. The posting says it has complete documents but how can I be so sure? Plus I also have no idea what the last digit of the plate number is. Still, it's nice to dream.

Out.

1169: The Mitsubishi Lancer "Box Type"

One thing I didn't consider for my birth year dream car was the second generation Mitsubishi Lancer, locally known as the Box Type. I honestly didn't realize it was that look that early.

My dad was able to drive one or two different Box Types when they were assigned to him as company cars, but that was late 80s or early 90s already. So I always thought that that model was a relatively newer model. How was I to know it was from 1979 to 1987? Plus the fact that the Box Type is a classic and I do like it.

Of course, I would rather restomod it than just restoring it. If I could swap a more modern, fuel efficient, and more environment friendly engine I would do just that. Maybe even a transmission swap as well so I don't have to drive stick. Of course upgrading the speakers as well as the head unit to a more modern, Android Auto ready head unit is also up there.

Of course a more powerful air-conditioning system should also be up there in the restomod section to survive the brutal summers here in the Philippines. 

Out.

1168: My New Dream Car

This isn't a specific car. I just thought about it a few days ago and did a quick research on Google.

It would be nice to own and restomod a car that was sold the same year I was born. Sadly this removes the Suzuki Samurai from the equation. For the Volkswagen Beetle I don't know if any were still being sold here (legally, meaning dealer sold) even if they were built in Brazil or Mexico.

So the biggest car I can think of is the Toyota E70 Corolla, or the Corolla DX. And even better, maybe the Corolla Wagon was sold here locally. I've seen a few "classic" Corolla wagons here before anyway.

So there it is. An E70 Corolla or Corolla Wagon. Then restomod it to my desires.

Out.

1167: My "Ideal" Second Car

I've blogged about this before, and will most certainly blog about this again in the future as my preferences and considerations change. As of this moment there are two ideal second cars for me.

The first is the Toyota Avanza 1.5 G CVT. The latest generation not only looks nice, but it's also very spacious inside, at least for the first and second rows. The only reason why I'm considering this is in the event we'll need seating for more than five people, or we'll need more cargo space.

The price is the biggest factor why I like the Avanza. It's just a little below PhP1.1 million. It's the cheapest 5-to-7 seater I know. Other MPVs in the same engine displacement and seating capacity I've considered are the Honda BRV and the Suzuki Ertiga and/or the XL7. Both cars however are way more expensive than the Avanza which is why the Toyota is still the car of my choice.

On the other hand, my "dream" second car as of this moment is the Toyota Zenix 2.0 Q HEV CVT. The biggest reason why I like this vehicle is because it's a hybrid. It's bigger and more expensive than the Avanza but I'm guessing you'll also be getting a lot more features in the Zenix aside from the hybrid capability.

Similar to the Avanza, this ride can seat 5-to-7 people and has a decent amount of cargo as well.

Out.

1166: Tour de France Unchained Season 3

I've been watching Tour de France Unchained on Netflix since I got interested in cycling and road racing. It's an amazing series, but I honestly feel like the editors are creating situations that aren't really there.

The way the music and editing are executed can change your perception of the people being focused on.

Overall it's still an amazing series and it's a shame that this season is the last.

Out.

PS If you're looking for something similar, there used to be a series on Netflix called "The Least Expected Day" which features the World Tour team Movistar. Worth a watch as well.

1165: Birthday Wishlist 2025.02

Here's another set of stuff for my birthday wishlist.

• Nothing Phone 3a (not the 3a Pro). It's not that I need a new phone, but this is a phone I do sort of want. The camera, UI, and hardware is all better than my current OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G, which is a given since the 3a is also I think a higher end phone.
• A Thule Roof Rack System for the Wigo. I think since I'll be getting the "universal" roof rack that means it can hopefully fit on the roof of any car so this will be useful. I'm not sure what model is compatible with the Wigo but I'll be happy with whatever it is. Aside from a roof rack system, of course I'll be needing a...
• A Thule Roof Bike Rack or two, as well as a Thule Roof Cargo Box. The cargo box I want is the one that's half as wide as the car, so that you can mount one bike rack and that cargo box on the roof. Yes, this will tank the Wigo's fuel economy but then again, it'll give me more space so hopefully I can go on adventures in the Wigo with my family or friends. While we're on the topic of vehicles...
• Toyota GR Yaris 1.6L Turbo A/T. My really crazy ideal two-car garage would be the Zenix Hybrid being the primary car and the GR Yaris being the coding car (and my personal car). At least this would have enough power to hopefully overcome the drag from the roof rack and roof mounted gear.
• Nomatic Wallet. I have a Sekrid card holder but honestly this Nomatic wallet intrigues me. It's smaller and theoretically lighter since it's not made of metal. This just means I'd need a coin purse aside from the wallet, though.

And that's my second batch of stuff I want.

Out.

1164: Birthday Wishlist 2025.01

Just some stuff I wouldn't mind receiving as gifts for my upcoming birthday. This comes with a twist because I can probably get some of these things for myself. No order, just explanations why I'd want the specific item.

• 8BitDo's Retro 108 Mechanical Keyboard and LoFree's Touch PBT Wireless Mouse. I am seriously planning to get these two, like 60% sure, just because my laptop has too many dongles connected to it. Biggest problem now is something's wrong with my laptop's wifi/bluetooth card (I think) and if I can't fix that then I guess I need to build a desktop workstation. Separate blog for my laptop issues, let's just say I'm really disappointed that at two years old issues are already showing up.
• Toyota Avanza 1.5 G CVT or Toyota Zenix 2.0 Q HEV CVT. As fuel prices go up, and with a possible odd-even scheme to happen along EDSA if the renovations push through, I think it would be nice to have a second car (not that I can afford the maintenance of two cars, but this is a wishlist) to use as a coding car and for weekend getaways and long road trips (again, not that I can afford weekend getaways nor road trips). The Avanza is the cheaper, more realistic option, and the Zenix is the dream option. Honestly either will do since they both tick the boxes I'm most after, which is interior space, practicality, and fuel economy.
• Xero Shoes Prio (Men) running shoes. I'm honestly curious about barefoot running or minimalist cushioning. I have no idea if this will work for me or not, but I would love the chance to experience it.
• Custom all-road / gravel bike. I've blogged about this before and I will keep pining for my dream build, which at the moment is built around the Ritchey Outback Breakaway frameset. New component would be the Shimano Cues drop bar group set and hydraulic brake calipers. And other stuff I will probably blog about soon.
• A two-bedroom condominium with one or two parking slots in Makati or BGC. This is really wishful thinking but having living in Makati would hopefully save my family and I a lot of time. Moving to Makati moves us closer to both my wife's work and my daughter's school. I do expect some expenses to increase, like association dues, but hopefully the time we save more than makes up for it.
• Merrell Embark Lace casual shoes. Actually any Merrell shoe that's light and low cut would do, I just need a new pair of shoes I can wear when going out. Grip has to be great so I don't accidentally slip.

That's it so far. Stuff I would want on my birthday which will be in a few days.

Out.

1163: Car Thoughts

Yesterday brought the news of a massive fuel price hike this coming Tuesday, the 24th of June, 2025. I've started bracing myself for the increase in fuel costs, as well as basically deciding that we'll use the Wigo as often as possible and have the Grandia as the coding car / back up. This news also made me think about the ideal second car to own, assuming the Toyota Wigo G we have is the "first" car. So here are the cars in order of preference.

Before I start listing off the cars, let me first give some context why they are my chosen cars. We already have the Wigo G, which is a relatively small "5-seater" that we can use everyday as a city car/daily driver. It fits the need, except maybe when heavy rains happen and flash floods appear. So for a second car I've decided it would be ideal to have a 5-to-7 seater. This is in line with having a bigger car that we can use for out-of-town trips. I'm also confident my folks, wife, and daughter can all fit comfortably with no fear that the tires will rub on the wheel well, which I predict will happen if we all ride the Wigo. Plus the second car should have a bigger cargo space while accommodating all five of us, plus a few more passengers if needed.

1. Toyota Zenix HEV Q CVT. This is the hybrid Zenix, priced at almost PhP 2.0M but I honestly feel is still my dream choice. Hybrids and EVs, as far as I know, are still coding exempt until 2028 in Metro Manila, meaning you can drive this vehicle everyday with no fear of violating number coding, or the impending odd-even scheme. Hybrid will also hopefully help improve fuel economy and help out with my fuel budget by giving me better fuel economy.
2. Toyota Avanza 1.5 G CVT. This is my original choice as the second car. It's got a decent size, amazing bang for the buck, and is relatively fuel efficient. It also looks good both inside and outside. I've ridden a few of these when using Grab and they've all been very roomy and comfortable.
3. BYD eMax 7 Standard. This is the first EV I've considered, and it's a 7-seater. It's the cheaper variant of the eMax 7 (with the more expensive variant being the Superior Captain), since this doesnt' have the captain's chairs for the second row. It seems to have decent range so hopefully we can still use this for out-of-town trips. Plus as far as I know the local distributor of BYD is Ayala so I do sort of trust them. It looks like ACMobility has a decent amount of charging stations not just in Metro Manila so hopefully charging won't be an issue. SM also has an EV charging station in SM Lucena as well as a couple of other SM malls outside of Metro Manila.
4. Suzuki XL7 Hybrid. This is the hybrid that isn't. Meaning the local authorities didn't include this in the list of coding exempt hybrid vehicles. I'm choosing this over the Ertiga because this has a higher ground clearance. Though honestly I'd still rather get the Avanza since that's almost PhP 200k cheaper.
5. Honda BR-V 1.5 V CVT. The last choice for a second car is the BR-V. Not the top-of-the-line spec, but the one below that. I'm not picking this over the Avanza because of the bang-for-the-buck.
   

If I'm willing to shell out more than an Avanza but less than the Zenix Hybrid, then I'd rather get an EV with all the benefits of coding exemptions. That's the only reason why the eMax 7 comes in as my 3rd choice.

Out.

1162: New Glasses

I recently got a new pair of prescription glasses. Basically my nearsightedness did not change, but my astigmatism and reading glasses got worse. I guess it comes with age.

The cool thing is I wasn't even expecting to get these glasses until the 14th of June, but it was done and ready for pick up on the 7th. Not bad, and I've already adjusted to the new prescription and frame.

That's it.

Out.

1161: Recharge

Last week from June 10 to June 13, 2025 I joined our company co-work/outing in Punta Fuego. While it was fun and productive, it was also very draining for me.

So way, way back around maybe May or April I already filed my leave for today, June 16. I knew I needed an extra day to recharge my social battery, and possibly catch up on some much needed sleep. Good thing I did.

Earlier this morning I went to Toyota Global City to pay for the insurance premiums of our Wigo for 2025 to 2026. I arrived to early in BGC and had breakfast at Randy's Donuts, where I met up with a former colleague of mine and we hung out to catch up for a few minutes.

Once I was done with the insurance premiums I walked back to Market Market and went home. Overall a very productive morning.

Then after lunch I fell asleep for at least on whole hour, maybe longer. I was tired, and now my body was recovering and recharging.

It feels good for some time off for myself, and I'm glad I got to finish some crucial adulting chores and get some rest so I can be ready to report back to work tomorrow.

Out.

1160 Revisiting My Dream Bike Build

Yes, I have nothing to post. No, the bike isn't changing. I've just decided to change some components. Tastes change and nothing is permanent. Plus since this is a dream build it will be expensive.

Take note that the bike I'm building is less of a gravel race bike and more of an all-road adventure bike. So it will be relatively heavy, it will not be built for speed, and it will most likely be built with comfort in mind.

• Ritchey Outback Steel Break-Away frame set. My dream frame since it can easily fit in a luggage-sized and luggage-shaped container. I have no idea if the Break-Away Travel Bag is included so add this to the list, as well as a couple of Break-Away cable disconnectors for both brake and derailleur cables.
• Cane Creek Invert CS gravel suspension fork. Surprise, I've decided to go for a suspension fork instead of a suspension stem. The logic I have here is with the suspension fork your wrists don't have to compensate when it bounces versus a suspension stem.
• Ritchey WCS Zeta Disc Wheels.There's this Youtube video from Ritchey that shows you how to disassemble the Outback Break-Away. I don't know if through axle bikes have this tech but if it does might as well get the same wheelset so you can protect the bike more as it is packed. Pair this with Panaracer Gravel King SS tires at 35 or 40mm wide and that's it. 

Those are the new parts I've considered. For the groupset and brakes I'm most likely sticking with the Microshift Sword 1x and Juintech hybrid calipers and 160mm disc rotors.

Out.

1159 My Dream D&D Character

Before anything else, I'll be writing about the 2014 (?) 5th edition of D&D, not the latest set of rules that were released a few years ago. I have not read the newest ones.

There is an entry in Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes about the Drow Shadowblade. Since reading it I've gotten curious how to create a build that could do some of the things it could. In the end I came up with this crazy build.

Before I continue here are the reasons why I got curious about the Shadowblade. They have this Shadow Sword, and they can Shadow Step. Aside from that, if I understood the write up correctly, they're basically assassins. No, I am not an edgelord (I hope).

I haven't played nor done a full build yet. I've done lots of theorycrafting sure, but it's literally been years since my friends and I last played a D&D game. I do know that with the DM's permission I will be doing this build, whether the game is serious or not. I won't be doing a deep dive with the build, just some generic details. So here we go.

I'll be using, of course, a drow. Yes, I understand the penalties that race gets when adventuring under the sun. That will be part of the fun. Being the optimizer that I am, I'll be giving him the Variant Criminal: Spy background. So basically he's being trained by an organization to have special skills. Think of the League of Shadows in Batman Begins.

From an optimizer's perspective this is also a nice background to have as it gives your character proficiency in thieves' tools, which I think is always a nice thing to have in case of emergencies.

We're starting out the build with a warlock. Pick your patron, pick your pact. I'm probably going with fiend and pact of the blade. I'll most likely reach level 3 for warlock before multiclassing. Level 3 gives you access to level 2 spells, and I'll be taking Shadow Blade, which was added in Xanathar's Guide to Everything and is allowed to be used by warlocks.

Once we reach level 3 I'll be multiclassing to Monk, Way of the Shadow. Then I'll be leveling this up until level 6, when the Way of the Shadow gets Shadow Step. The final build will have Warlock 8 and Monk 12, or Warlock 4 and Monk 16. It depends on what features I want or how the storyline goes.

So that's it. My Drow Shadowblade build would take effect at level 9. The biggest issue here is that by then I'll only have had one ability score increase so I need to be smart with where I assign the ability scores, or if I pick a feat instead.

Finally the ability scores. I usually go with standard array so here's the starting values with the Drow racial bonuses applied: STR 8, DEX 16, CON 12, INT 10, WIS 15, CHA 14. I was thinking of getting the Resilient (WIS) feat at Monk 4 so I get proficiency in Wisdom as well as an AC of 16.

So that's it, at least in vague and general terms. My dream Shadowblade build. Hopefully I get a chance to play this character in the future.

Out.

1158 Super Beetle Post

I haven't ranted, er, blogged about the Super Beetle in quite awhile.

I recently found out that CIP1 sells left and right door adaptors so you can mount drip rail side mirrors without having to cut the door metal. They also sell the drip rail mount side mirrors.

Now I know that this kind of mirror isn't effective. This post from The Samba has an interesting discussion about the "peep side mirror" and this was an early introduction to this kind of side mirror. People have said it was not very functional and more aesthetic but I don't really own a Super Beetle either so I can just dream about this crazy set up of mine.

I can have either the peep side mirror on the left side and a bigger, traditional side mirror for the right side. Or I can just opt for a more practical, bigger aftermarket side mirror.

Anyway that's it. I guess I still have this impractical, aesthetic focused side of me when it comes to cars.

Out.

1157 Mamak Kopitiam

Yesterday my wife and I had lunch at Mamak Kopitiam in Glorietta. This was the second time we ate there and to be honest I do like eating there.

Our first experience, way way back, wasn't that great. We ordered chicken satay and it was more burnt than tasty. However our other orders, that I can't remember anymore, were good enough for me to want to give the restaurant another chance. Good thing too.

Yesterday my wife had the steamed chicken, I had the char siew, and we ordered roti telur as a "side dish." Everything was great. They were delicious and hearty. Price wise it was also very bang for the buck. I'm probably out of touch with prices and costing because I found my char siew order a wee bit small. Still, we enjoyed the food a lot and will most definitely eat there again.

I just hope they don't close soon, and here are some of my thoughts why I think this might happen. First of all, we ate around 12:30pm and there were still plenty of seats available. I'm not sure if they're just in a relatively "bad" location in the mall where foot traffic isn't heavy, of people aren't a big fan of Singaporean/Malaysian food.

Second, they phased out a lot of menu options. Now I personally think this is a good thing for sustainability since they will need to stock less ingredients. Plus maybe the items they phased out weren't selling so cut your losses and focus on what works.

Bottom line, please give Mamak Kopitiam a try. It's great, it's worth it, and it's relatively quiet.

Out.

1156 - Wigo Updates

Last Sunday I replaced the seat cover of the Wigo with a new set I bought from a former colleague of my mom who now does seat covers.

It was a pain in the ass to replace. There were so many coverings that made removing and installing the new seat covers a challenge. Good thing I decided to check the internet to figure out how to remove the rear seat cushion. Overall it took me maybe a good three hours total to figure stuff out.

It was frustrating but at the same time fulfilling that I was able to do it on my own. Frustrating because the new seat covers had a lot of sweat drops from me. Fulfilling because, like I said, I did it myself. I look forward to trying it again in a few months when it's time to replace these seat covers with the original seat covers.

After changing the seat covers I washed the old seat covers and surprisingly they were dry and stored in an eco bag by the afternoon. I guess it was because it was a sunny day and the seat cover fabric was pretty thin.

Aside from this the mobile phone holder I ordered from Shopee finally arrived. I thought it worked by suction but apparently it stuck on the dashboard with adhesive. Good thing I checked where to place it before sticking it. Hopefully it lasts long and gives me a good location for my mobile phone when I do connect it to Android Auto via cables.

And that's it. What's next for the Wigo? I'm still hoping to save enough money to do a one-time upgrade of the horns, speakers, and hopefully the antenna (and maybe even a small amplifier to really improve the sound quality). That's for another time though.

Out.

1155 - Musashi-Tei One Ayala

Earlier today my family had lunch in Musashi-Tei, a Japanese restaurant in One Ayala. We've eaten there before a few times and I have to say that the restaurant is really bang for the buck.

As a quick background, I think Musashi-Tei is part of the Musashi Group (I just used Google translate on their website). Based on the history on their website, the restaurant we ate in at One Ayala is their third restaurant in the Philippines.

Anyway, each time we've eaten there I've always ordered from their tuna bowl/salmon bowl offerings. You can find their menu here, just use Google translate. I've tried their tekka don (twice) and their spicy salmon rice bowl. These come in a set with pickled vegetables and side dishes. I have had all three side dishes, the tonjiru, mini udon, and mini zaru udon. They all taste pretty good but I think I like the mini udon best.

Aside from a side dish and pickles their set meal also comes with a free beverage. You can pick from iced green tea, iced lemon tea, an iced coffee, and other non-soft drink beverages. Price depends on the side dish.

I really don't have any major complaints. The service is fast, the staff are pleasant, and the food is great. Bang for the buck as I wrote earlier. It can seem pricey but for me it is worth it. Probably why we've eaten there at least three times.

If there is an issue I guess some of the portions are small, specifically when we ordered the tuna sushi (tekka maki) and for the price I felt it was a wee bit too small. That's inflation I guess.

We'll most likely be eating there again to celebrate my birthday. I haven't tried their other restaurants here but honestly I'm very happy eating in their One Ayala branch. Their other restaurant, Musashi-Maru is nearby in Glorietta. We might also give that a shot if time and money permits.

Out.

1154 - Rebuilding the Consistency

It's Tuesday this week as I write this.

Yesterday I was able to do 3 km of 3:1 interval jogging. Earlier today I was able to do 3 sets of my 20 lbs kettlebell workout.

It may not sound much but I am trying to get back to being consistent with my exercising. I can't believe it took me two weeks to recover from whatever flu-like symptoms I had, yet here I am. Back at doing 3:1 intervals for a 3 km jog that I used to be able to do straight.

For the kettlebell workout I did my usual routine of 10 kettlebell swings, 5 goblet squats, 5 deadlifts, 5 per side bent over rows, 5 kettlebell upright rows, 5 two-hand kettlebell presses, 5 two-hand bicep curls, and 5 two-hand tricep extensions.

It may not seem much, or at least for me I don't think it's much, but this is my starting point yet again to being consistent with exercise. I still wish I could get a 35 lbs kettlebell. The reason for this is even doing one or two sets or my routine will probably affect me more than the three I'm doing now.

Yes, I can do more sets but after three I'm pretty tired already. So I guess keep pushing.

Out.

1153 -- Getting Back

This week I've been able to do two interval jogs of two laps, or roughly two kilometers per jog.

It's a struggle. Mentally I feel like I'm not in the mood, but I'm not being too hard on myself. I know I'm still recovering from that flu. I do feel like I'm at 100% or so but at the same time I feel tired. I'm not going to feel that bad for not getting my usual distance per week.

My goal is to get myself back into the regular jog schedule I had. Current aim is to get back to 3 lap full jog for MWF and maybe kettlebells on TTh. We shall see.

Out.

1152 - 2025 Elections

I voted yesterday. I decided to try something new and left a little past 7am, which is when the voting precincts would open for us non-senior citizens.

For context the last time I voted back in 2022 I chose to leave around 10am or later, thinking the lines would be shorter. I think I finished voting and got home around 3pm.

This time I arrived maybe 7:30am or so at Dr. Arcadio Santos National High School, got the location of my cluster from some volunteers at the entrance, and proceeded to the room I was to vote in. Fortunately the lines weren't that long so I ended up falling in line between the second and third floor stairwells.

It took me a while to vote, and I got home a little past 9am. The lines took a while because every time a senior citizen, PWD (person with disability), or a parent with a child would arrive they got priority (as they should). Good thing one of the volunteers instructed the volunteer handling our room to alternate between priority people and the voters in line, because if they didn't do that our line wouldn't move anymore.

So it was a relatively positive voting experience for me. I now know that I should go early to vote. And bring water, a handkerchief, and some snacks just in case.

Anyway I'm not going to comment about the results of the elections.

Out.