Hungarian Grand Prix Random Thoughts

Here we go! Formation lap before the start of the race. We've got Vettel, Mark Webber, and Fernando Alonso at the top three. Vettel's had this nasty habit of cutting of the 2nd position driver in his few previous starts. Most of which end up to his disadvantage as he always ends up losing places. And here we go...

• Steve Slater (one of the commentators for Star Sports) loves saying, "Let's savor the sound of the engines" if he has nothing to say.
• Five red lights!
• No Vettel swerving, and an excellent start! Alonso overtakes Webber and takes 2nd. Wheel-to-wheel action as they start the race.
• The four top cars, all Ferraris and Red Bulls, are leaving the rest of the competition behind.
• Renault rookie Vitaly Petrov is 5th? Wow.
• Blown engine for Algersuarri (did I get the name right?). One car down.
• Where's Schumi? 13th? Sigh.
• How would Ayrton Senna fare in today's Formula 1 world? I wish I could answer that.
• Not much action anymore. Just cars going round and finding their pace.
• Where's Kimi? WRC? Sigh. (Note: I know where Kimi is. Just wishful thinking.)
• Button seems to be going slow, just dropped behind Schumi. Didn't see why.
• Wow, Vettel is flying. See what happens if you concentrate on going straight at the start of the race rather than trying to cut others off?
• Twelve laps in and Vettel has a 9 second lead on Alonso.

I'm ending this here. Why? I think it's going to be useless to try and do a live blog style blog when I can't even hear what the commentator is saying because the audio mixing has the car's engine louder than commentary.

Out.

EDIT: AFTER POSTING THIS BLOG FOR THE FIRST TIME, CHAOS ENSUES. A FRONT WING FLIES OFF, THE SAFETY CAR COMES OUT, CARS DIVE INTO THE PIT, A RENAULT LEAVING HIS PIT BUMPS INTO A FORCE INDIA ENTERING HIS PIT, AND NICO ROSBERGS RIGHT REAR TIRES FLIES OFF (BECAUSE SOMEONE DIDN'T SCREW IT ON PROPERLY?) AS HE WAS LEAVING THE PIT LANE.

SO HERE WE GO. MORE RANDOM THOUGHTS. MORAL OF THE STORY? DON'T PUBLISH THE POST UNTIL AFTER THE RACE - YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN.

• Webber's now in the lead with Vettel 2nd. However, Webber has not gone to the pits yet. Vettel managed to his pitstop in during the safety car sessions.
• Right now at lap 22 we've got Webber, Vettel, Alonso at the top 3.
• Has Michael Schumacher really lost a second or so due to age? Or is his car just not that competitive?
• Webber is just hitting fastest lap after fastest lap.
• 10 second stop go penalty for car 11 for causing a collision in the pit lane.
• Car 11 belongs to Robert Kubica of Renault.
• What happened to Lewis Hamilton? He just parked the car. Mechanical failure? (Lap 25)
• Uh oh, Vettel's got an incident under investigation. If he gets penalized this will be to Alonso's advantage.
• I cannot wait for Gran Tusimo 5. Watching this race is getting me all excited for that game.
• And Vettel gets a drive through penalty for exceedig the 10 car length distance between him and the safety car. I did not know they had a rule like that.
• Is it me or is Vettel always up to some bone headed antic during every race that jeopardizes his chance for victory?
• Vettel does the drive through penalty and he is pissed, waving his hands around as he drives through. Not a bad deal though, he still comes out 3rd and just loses a place.
• Webber, Alonso, Vettel, Massa with Webber having a dominant 17+ second lead over 2nd place Alonso.
• And once again the race gets 'boring' with a sense of normalcy coming in.
• But it seems Webber is about to pit in!
• Is it me or is Sebastian Vettel catching up to Alonso? (Lap 42)
• Barrichello is in 5th, but he hasn't gone to the pits yet.
• Barrichello has gone 50 laps on his original set of tires. No pitting as of yet. I hope this gamble pays off.
• Multitasking while watching the race. Blogging, researching Red Dead Redemption, and surfing.
• Ooh scary slip for Vettel on the 53rd lap.
• Somethings going on with Vettel. He's suddenly very sloppy. Like he's out of focus or something.
• Schumi's up to 10th place at lap 61. Mostly due to retirements, if you ask me. Either he's really lost his touch or he just needs this entire season to get back to optimal F1 shape. Either way I hope he gets a more competitive car. I'd love to see him go wheel-to-wheel against the likes of Hamilton, Vettel, and Alonso.
• Speaking of Schumi, it's Schumacher vs Barrichello for 10th place! Former teammates, this will be a good battle.
• Barrichello manages to overtake Schumi at the start/finish straight despite the fact that Schumi was trying to shove Rubens to the wall! Good move, Rubens! Spot on!
• Lap 68 and a notice appears saying the incident involving cars 3 and 9 will be investigated after the race. I'm not sure who those are, maybe Schumi and Barrichello?
• Checked formula1.com and yes, Car 3 is for Schumi and Car 9 is for Barrichello.
• Webber wins! Alonso 2nd, Vettel 3rd.

Exciting race, and I'm glad I was able to post a live blog of it.

Out.

The 'Handyman'

I just realized that I have no toolbox of my own, even if I've moved out of the house. While I am not a true handyman, I do fancy myself as having a decent amount of common sense and technical savvy to fix simple household problems.

While I do have basic tools, they are scattered everywhere. Yes I do have the standard flathead and philips screwdrivers. I also have a smaller set of screwdrivers (although one philips screwdriver is defective) and measuring tape. And I also have a 'hex key set' (more commonly known as allen wrenches?). But that's it.

Maybe it's time I got myself a toolbox. My father has a toolbox at home and it's really amazing because it does keep all the tools in one easily accessible place.

Well aside from the tools I have (screwdrivers, allen wrenches, tape measure) what else should I get? I think I need to get the following:

• Needlenose pliers. Nothing beats having a pair of pliers around the house, just to help with those things that need some extra grip. Or those hard to reach places that need that needlenose touch.
• Vice grip. For those items that needlenose pliers cannot handle, a vice grip would be the better solution. Plus it could be a good substitue for a wrench.
• Standard hammer and some small supply of nails.
• Sets of screws for the screwdrivers.
• Duct tape. Duct tape can fix anything.
• Electrical tape for those emergency wiring situations.

And that's it I guess. Simple tools for simple household problems.

Out.

Playing NBA GM

So Chris Paul wants to be traded, and his first choice is the Orlando Magic.

I played around with ESPN's Trade Machine and came up with this.

Send Okafor and Paul (rumor has it that any team who wants CP3 has to get Okafor's contract too) to Orlando for Vince Carter and Jameer Nelson.

Vince can still draw fans if he plays inspired, and Jameer could be a fine replacement for CP3. Plus both those guys contracts expire in 2 years, so the Hornets will have the cap space to keep Darren Collison and Marcus Thornton.

Out.

Facing the Harsh Realities

So I guess it goes a little something like this.

I've played by the rules, and I've 'forgiven but not forgotten'. I've become a good trooper, I've become a sociable person, I've done everything they've asked with as little complaining as possible. In other words, I've gone corporate.

You read that right. I am now a good employee. Always comes to work early, rarely takes vacation leaves or sick leaves, doesn't rock the boat, does what is asked, and never complains about the big stuff.

Hell, that's my philosophy at work anyway. You get paid to do your job, and to follow the rules the management implemented. You don't go to work to get the special treatment, so if you don't like management policies and decisions, then just leave work. Don't become a poison, don't influence your otherwise 'innocent' officemates, don't give them the truth that comes from blue-tinted glasses. Just don't. That's what a job is all about.

But here comes the sad truth. The course I took sent me to a career that doesn't pay well in this country I live in. Yes I make enough to pay most bills, but I still mooch of my folks in one way or another. I can get by with my salary and my wife's salary, but it's not enough for us to do the things we want to do. It's just enough. I don't mind making enough, but surely I was not raised by my folks to settle for enough.

Yes, I honestly and wholeheartedly regret choosing this course. I should've chosen either a management course or medicine. Why? Both those courses could've gotten me paid well in this country. Both those courses could have gotten me the things I really want, and would have gotten me the lifestyle I've been dreaming of living.

Which brings me to another harsh reality. This career of mine supposedly pays well in other countries. Pays more than enough to actually get the things I want in life, and more. Sad to say, I may just be forced to relocate. Not for me, but for my wife and soon-to-arrive child.

It sucks. I never had any plans to leave this country. Sure, every time I travel abroad I end up wishing I could live there, wherever it was I was at at the time. But then I realize that would just make me a stranger in a strange land. Racism or no, equality or not, I'd be a Filipino immigrant working in a country where I honestly do not belong.

Don't get me wrong, the world is small now, and in almost any country in the world you will see different races living there, citizens of that country. Some might even be natural born citizens since they were born in that country already, with only their roots coming from another country.

I don't care if I go to, say, Australia to live and work there and I end up becoming a citizen. So what? I'm not white. I'm not an aborigine. I. AM. A. FILIPINO. I should live in the Philippines. I should die in the Philippines.

And yet, the harsh reality is I have no choice. I have to go work somewhere else. Because it would be selfish of me to just think of myself. And this infuriates me. I shouldn't be forced to go somewhere else just to get good money and secure a good future for my family. Why can't I do it in this country?

Why not? Take a look around this country and you will see why not. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer, and the middle class slowly drift down to become poor. Sure there are exceptions, but they are very few.

The 'smart ones' go abroad and save, become dual citizens, get good education for their children. Then they go back here and start investing. I guess I'm going to end up like that - whether I like it or not.

And I don't like it. Not one bit. People have never stopped to ask me why I don't want to leave this country. And my reason for not wanting to leave is simple.

Because I don't want to.

Out.

My 30th Birthday Wishlist (Also my 275th Blog Post)

My 30th birthday is coming up in a few days. Eight to be exact. And as usual I've got a list of things I'd like to have for my birthday. Although I doubt anyone would give me these things, I'd still make me a nice wishlist. So here we go.

1. My own house and lot. Somewhere accessible, doesn't flood, safe & secure, termite free. All the usual stuff. Doesn't have to be big, but it should be at least 3 bedrooms, 2 toilet & bath, 2 car garage, maid's quarters, and it has to have a nice kitchen.

2. My own car. It doesn't even have to be a brand new car. Right now I'll be very happy with a 2nd hand Nissan Terrano or one of the older Suzuki Vitaras. But since this is a wishlist, I'd really, really like to have the new Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X MR (with the dual clutch automatic transmission gizmo) or the Subaru Impreza WRX STi.

3. A Dean Dimebag ML tribute guitar. Any variant, just as long as it has the Floyd Rose tremolo system. Plus a Marshall Amplifier, no need to be powerful, just for personal use. And a Korg G3, yes, the same effects pad Dimebag Darrell used. Oh and a Crybaby Wah Pedal.

4. Jeans. Levis 501s or 569s. As long as it fits and it's loose. Nothing beats a good pair of jeans.

5. A new laptop. Not that this laptop is obsolete or anything, but I'd like to have one of them Intel Core i7s with a really powerful video card. Maybe an Alienware laptop or something similar, the customizable, really expensive laptops.

6. New sneakers. Either Kobe Vs or even Onitsuka Tigers. Don't ask me how I know about the latter. I just do.

7. Beanbag. So I can loung in comfort while playing with my PS3.

Well those are what I can think of so far. I think if memory serves me correct that the top 3 choices I have here are the same things I've been putting in all my wishlists.

Out.