[909] Bike Musings

I've had my gravel bike for a few months now. I can safely say I've learned my lesson riding it, and of course hindsight is 20/20. So with my experiences riding it (unfortunately mostly inside the subdivision because I'm still deathly afraid of riding on public roads here in Metro Manila) I can say what stuff I would have changed from the very beginning when I was buying parts to build it.

1. 11-42 max cassette, maybe as low as 11-34. I currently have an 11-speed 11-50 cassette. I honestly can't remember when I've gone to the biggest gear, because in our area there are no really steep climbs. I only got this because I had "delusions" that I would eventually be riding my bike for long distances to visit friends/family in the province and go trail riding where I would need gear ratios lower than 1:1. In truth I'm still stuck riding around the subdivision where I usually use the 21T or 24T cog paired my with 42T oval chainring. That's why I think the biggest cog I should have gotten was a 42T since that would still give me a 1:1 ratio gearing.
2. Saddle. I've already replaced the saddle with a foam saddle that's longer, but if I just read the details a bit better I probably should have bought the correct one from the very start. The current saddle I use is pretty comfortable but I'm not a fan of how it looks. Yes I still have issues with looking cool despite my age.
3. Fork. The frame came with a front fork but for aesthetics, and a longer wheelbase so it's not purely aesthetic, I should have probably gotten a separate rigid for for the bike. I'm probably going to push through with this soon.
4. Wheelset. I probably should have tried building one from ground up instead of buying the cheaper, pre-made ones from China. The reason for this is because I may have converted the current wheelset I have to tubeless, but having tubeless ready gear would probably have been better to begin with.
5. Tires. I got 700x38 and while I am happy with them and how they look on the bike, part of me is wondering if getting 700x35 would have been enough. I haven't even gone on trails but I'm really hoping I can eventually go somewhere with trails to go biking.

I'm not saying I'm not happy with my bike. I really am happy and proud that I was able to assemble it with lots of help from people. Experience is really a great teacher.

Out.

[883] Pandemic Musings

Today marks the last day of our ECQ (extended community quarantine) I believe this was done to help curb the rising rates of infection because of the Delta Variant of Covid-19. We spent about two weeks in this stricter version of our community quarantine.

Times have been really tough. I do feel bad for my daughter having to go through this pandemic. She hasn't been out of the house that often and I think she hasn't physically seen her friends in over a year.

Now I do know the line, "what does not kill you only makes you stronger," and while I try to be optimistic, it is still personally very draining for me to go through life as it has been happening. I am more than willing to admit that the pandemic has taken its toll on me mentally and emotionally, and no matter how I try to keep things together there are times that I just want to give up.

And to quote Metallica, "... that soothing light at the end of the tunnel is just a freight train coming your way." So while I try to remain optimistic about the future, I can't help but live in dread and anxiety about what's going on right now.

Everyone get vaccinated, stay safe, and be careful and hope for the best because that's all we can do now.

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.

[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.

[731] On the Eve of my Birthday

On the eve of my 36th (yes! amazing how time flies) birthday I only have one wish. Higher salary.

This may seem contrary to what I usually preach to others about being happy with what you have. Except I am happy with what I am currently earning, except I now know that it isn't enough to give my family what I know they deserve.

This mindset might seem similar to my mindset around 2011 - 2013 but trust me, it isn't. Before I used to want, or need, a higher salary. Because I wanted a higher salary. And that is what drove me to my burnout. My reasons for wanting the salary were shallow.

I want a higher salary now because like I said two paragraphs ago, I want to give my family what they deserve. And I cannot do that completely with what I am earning now. I will be compromising the things I can provide.

Does this mean I will burn myself out trying to earn what I want? No. I now know the value of money, and the importance of budgeting finances. I also know that no matter how hard I save for my daughter's future it will directly affect how much I can contribute to my household. So basically do I sacrifice the quality of education I should be giving my daughter so we can live comfortably? No. Do I sacrifice how we live to give my daughter the best education possible? Sort of. Do I need to do that? No.

I will be doing whatever I can to provide a better life to my family. And this includes looking for the best way to earn or make money for my family.

If you want a rough estimate of how much would tide me over for maybe one or two years, I would like to be able to take home about  a month. That would be great.

Out.

[728] Thirty-six

The winds of change blow more frequently now. Not as strong as before, but it is there. I can feel it.

Or if you want another analogy, you could say that the idea has been planted and is starting to sprout. Like an unwanted weed it grows without assistance, slowly spreading its roots into the cracks in the concrete. And once the weed grows the foundation breaks.

Also, my birthday is coming up. I have a few ideas what to give myself. The biggest idea is a new laptop. This current laptop I have is around four years old. I think I got in 2012, maybe even 2011. It has served me well, but it is starting to show its age.

Next on the list is a Playstation 4. I really don't need one to be honest. I broke my Playstation 3 around 2012 or so and to be honest I really haven't missed it that much. Maybe for Gran Turismo only. But aside from that I've learned my lesson.

Another option is a Nintendo 3DS or whatever is the current iteration. I really want to play the latest Pokemon games, and I am not ashamed to admit it. I do enjoy Pokemon, however there are no realistic racing games available for the 3DS.

A long shot is a mirrorless camera. My colleague and seatmate at work just recently got one, a Fujifilm X-T10 and I must admit to being a bit jealous. Mirrorless cameras are offering the one thing I miss from my DSLR -- a manual focus ring. And that is something my trusty and beloved G16 cannot give me. Fast manual focus.

The Fujifilm X-E2S looks really nice. Too bad it's as expensive as the laptop I'm looking at and getting new lenses each will cost a low end laptop.

Anyway I have managed to divert what was supposed to be some "mysterious" ramblings about shit going on in my life into a birthday gift wishlist. Which is for the best since I really have learned my lesson and I don't really want to share my deepest thoughts online.

Out.

[727] License Renewal

I just finished renewing my license earlier today at the LTO Satellite Office in Taguig. I was not surprised that I would not be getting the new plastic license since apparently all branches are out of the plastic used to make the licenses.

So I got my temporary receipt and went home. The whole process took a little over two hours, most of which was spent waiting. Ah, red tape. I can't really complain since things were going as fast as possible. I think the LTO still uses Windows XP on antiquated CPUs so that helps slow things down.

The other thing that slows things down in my opinion is the layout of the office. You have to go from one place to another to get stuff done and in my opinion that just leads to a lot of inefficiency. I know they are making do with the layout of the place but if they could create a process that allows a smooth transaction moving from one window to the next window it would speed things up a lot.

Let's say there's one lane for licenses. Another lane for vehicle registrations. And of course the courtesy senior citizen, PWD, and pregnant women queue. Then instead of making people go around the entire compound jumping from window 3 to 7 then to 1, maybe they could just make three sets of windows dedicated solely for licenses. So go to window A to submit the documents and confirm that everything is correct, then move to the neighboring window B for photograph and signature, then to window C to pay the dues, and finally you can go wait somewhere for releasing.

It's sorta there already, to be honest. Except the windows aren't side by side. After getting my information verified I was asked to go to another window for picture and signature, which was on the other side of the building. Once that was done I was back in the main waiting area waiting for my name to be called to pay the dues. Once that was done it was back out to the other side to claim the receipt / temporary license.

Surely there are more efficient ways of getting things done.

Out.