This is the 3rd year that Singapore is hosting the race and I've yet to go for any of them. As many of you may know, I'm pretty much a petrol head but the fever just hasn't hit me. To be honest, I'd love to go for the races but I simply cannot justify paying for the tickets and still squeezing my way in there. By any chance, if I get offer a corporate suite at a reasonable price, I might actually consider. Having said that, I'd gladly watch the race in the comfort of my couch.
The inconvenience of the race has surfaced too many times to not talk about it. Going to and coming home from work becomes a chore. Having offsite meetings became insane. All because I work right in the middle of Central Business District where the race is being held. The road closures made me wonder what do I actually benefit from having the races in Singapore when on the other spectrum, it made my life so much worse. Although I know the benefits will not be so immediately visible or for that matter, tangible in any form, I'm still not paying any less in terms of taxes.
As a Singaporean, we have always thought that if we could provide a world class race (very much like a world class Olympic event), then we could get much publicity that way. But NO, we are often criticised for not having a great track which I do admit, it's absolutely true. The road conditions are horrible and when you see the machines bottoming up, you wonder aloud, "what an embarrassment!" Of all the taxes I've paid and the inconvenience that the race has given me, I'm still so far from providing one of the most impressive tracks the F1 has to offer. If there's any saving grace, the backdrop of the unique Singapore city night race is amazing.
It's exciting to get visitors coming to town and think that this small dot is more that just a blemish on the map. The impression that are telecasted across the globe only gives potential visitors an excellent image. It is still possible to retain the positive but someone has to work on the negatives to make Singapore the place that we've always been proud to call home. And please, no smart alec scholars who knows nuts about F1 races. We can only wish for an amazing someone to correct the situation. Fingers all crossed, let's watch out for next year.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Goodbye Kokoro
Guess it is about time.
When I first decided to get Kokoro, it as my personal mark of achievement that I can and I will, which I did. It's been a little more than 2 years and over the past 43000km, that little machine has served me well. Despite all the time that it was in VCS to get the piston rings, mechatronics, manifold and whatever not it needs to make it feel good again, it has never failed me. Especially these couple of months after all the major changes, it hasn't even coughed a little. Till today, even merely looking at it makes me feel good about myself. Through turbulent times, keeping up with the upkeeping was draining.
The project began with the major transformation to look like the way when it first arrived. The process is still ongoing and by the next week, it's ready to be adopted for good. The love may be lost but the pressure will be off. A wise decision considering the situation. Time to let go of the love of your life when you know you're ready for the next stage.
This pain will be temporal.
When I first decided to get Kokoro, it as my personal mark of achievement that I can and I will, which I did. It's been a little more than 2 years and over the past 43000km, that little machine has served me well. Despite all the time that it was in VCS to get the piston rings, mechatronics, manifold and whatever not it needs to make it feel good again, it has never failed me. Especially these couple of months after all the major changes, it hasn't even coughed a little. Till today, even merely looking at it makes me feel good about myself. Through turbulent times, keeping up with the upkeeping was draining.
The project began with the major transformation to look like the way when it first arrived. The process is still ongoing and by the next week, it's ready to be adopted for good. The love may be lost but the pressure will be off. A wise decision considering the situation. Time to let go of the love of your life when you know you're ready for the next stage.
This pain will be temporal.
Sunday, September 05, 2010
A Fit
Not the spasm sort but relating to people who makes you feel entirely comfortable around them. When this comfort extends from a person to the entire social circle of this person, it almost feels like a jigsaw fit. Mind you that in life, jigsaw fits will always have the impressions and the lines. The picture will not be perfect but you'd take it for the way it is because you paid for a jigsaw and have accepted the very way it came in. To even complete the jigsaw puzzle should be a feat in itself.
In most young minds, the thought is always the search for the high definition picture. But it occurred to me that the senior folks are very much satisfied with their pixelated screens as long as they carry the right message. In both views, different messages from a very same pictures are conveyed depending on their respective recipients. At the age straddling both bands, the expectations are better managed and not compromised. In search of very different objectives, the starting line will differ.
People come and go in our complicated lives and at various points of the timeline, the same footprints will inevitably cross our paths. The rest of how the history should be written depends on how we write them. Keeping the objectives clear will very likely steer us in the direction of the eventual goal. Having the blinkers on and the sight focused, the end point is never too far away. Yet again, these all boils down to perspective and managing expectations. The noise beyond these, should be ignored and erased. Interference will only slow down the race, albeit the race at walking speed.
In most young minds, the thought is always the search for the high definition picture. But it occurred to me that the senior folks are very much satisfied with their pixelated screens as long as they carry the right message. In both views, different messages from a very same pictures are conveyed depending on their respective recipients. At the age straddling both bands, the expectations are better managed and not compromised. In search of very different objectives, the starting line will differ.
People come and go in our complicated lives and at various points of the timeline, the same footprints will inevitably cross our paths. The rest of how the history should be written depends on how we write them. Keeping the objectives clear will very likely steer us in the direction of the eventual goal. Having the blinkers on and the sight focused, the end point is never too far away. Yet again, these all boils down to perspective and managing expectations. The noise beyond these, should be ignored and erased. Interference will only slow down the race, albeit the race at walking speed.
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