Hungaroring, 2009

The one weekend break has left us with a lot to take in; The confirmed resignation of a scandalous sex Nazi, the death of a Formula 2 driver, and the arrival of Formula One’s youngest driver ever – to possibly make history by killing everyone else on the road-, just to name a few. But before we delve into the current, let’s look back a little further to the previous race at the Nurburgring; therein lies a piece of news that probably still deserves some highlighting.

Mark Webber, Aussie hero, drove superbly throughout the race and despite being served with a penalty by ‘Comrade Clipboard’ from upstairs with reckless endangerment, came back to win it in much style. Personally, this speaks to me in volumes of the Red Bull team’s commitment and drive towards overcoming the odds in what appears to be a largely challenging season for most teams, including the likes of Ferrari and McLaren whom have been taking turns at keeping warm the rear end of the pack for the most part.

Speaking of rear ends, Max Mosley’s resigns. To a certain extent, I can agree that he gave the sport some of its best years. However, I think after a sex scandal or two involving Nazi type role play, a couple of attempts to turn Formula One into a tea party discussing things like garden tools and diesel and causing the Formula One Teams Association to threaten leaving for a breakaway series, you can see my frustrations. Upon his departure, and conveniently enough, Max made known his preferences of having Jean Todt replace him. And so it followed Jean’s agreement to stand for the upcoming election, obviously without too much hesitation or contention. Yet, there’s an aching sensation in my back that says to me there’s a concerned consensus growing on the idea that with Todt being an ex-Ferrari Team Principal, and continuing to have to working relationship with Ferrari on many fronts, he may be a little biased towards the Ferrari team. This is why, if needed, my vote will go to to the next candidate, whoever he is. Ari Vatanen, the former Rally man turned politician seems like a nice enough chap, he’s an ex-Finnish, so he probably won’t do much talking as we’ve learnt from recent Finnish drivers in F1. Moving along…

Death in motorsport is a rare occasion. The passing of Formula 2 driver Henry Surtees hit us all like an Indian man would do his wife. Kidding… The victim of a concentrated misfortune of events saw Surtees face the wrath of a stray wheel from another car and not make it to tell the tale of being hit in the head with a Formula car tire. Considering that the Formula 2 is a relatively new introduction to the open-wheel racing line-up, there is a growing concern for its level of safety. Basically, wheels should not detach from these cars. They are supposed to stay attached even after a collision. So what went wrong with the car ahead of Surtees that lost a wheel? I know what went wrong. F2 cars are made based of a Williams 2005 F1 car. A car that made no serious attempt what so ever to challenge for anything other than being at the middle of the pack for most of the season. Now why, would anyone pick a car that lives in the middle of the pack for any other reasons than a mother’s love? Serious speculations arise everyday on how and why such a thing could happen, certainly someone, namely Comrade Clipboard, will have an answer and more importantly a safer solution soon enough.

Scuderia Torro Rosso have recently swapped a fairly experienced driver with one that has no experience what so ever in a Formula One car, well played? Yeah right… Sebastien Bourdais has been axed from the team and is reportedly seeking legal action against STR for a breach of contract. STR in the mean time have signed on Jaime Alguersari who will participate in his inaugural Formula One race this weekend at the Hungaroring. With new rules and regulations of Formula One stating that there shall be zero testing allowed outside of the set and agreed upon sessions, the now youngest ever Formula One driver will not be able to have any test drives with the car prior to the event itself, practically throwing him into the dragon’s lair with nothing but a frog. A stroke of genius by STR? Obviously it’s impossible to say in Formula One realms, and I’d hate to be wrong in saying that we can all expect mad crash frenzies this weekend. Yeah, you read that right.

 

The Grinch takes a bow..

Right now, I’m looking through the hall window at my neighbours Daihatsu Charade and thinking to myself, “Thank god I’ve got one myself”. My father bought me that car, and how I’ve run out of superlatives describing how good it goes. Without trying to be overly ambitious in my appraisal of the Charade, I can’t help but to think of furry rabbits and dancing ponies to say about it. It’s durable, efficient and an absolute joy to drive. Faults, if any, were brought on only by my own misuse and neglect.

The Charade boasts a highly economical, reliable, and sturdy, normally aspirated 1000cc (993cc if we’re being politically correct) engine that drive the little front wheels all over town. Not the best power to weight ratio, but after spending countless hours with a calculator trying to get your budget for the month down to the cent, you’ll appreciate a job well done by Daihatsu. If more power is your fancy, options include a 1-liter turbo, a 1.3-liter and a 1.6-liter as a retrofit, made available for that little extra pony power.

Inside the car now and it’s ample cabin space for everyone. The Daihatsu Charade was definitely built with more than a degree of comfort in mind. Unlike the Perodua Kelisa and the Perodua Kancil (both equally unimaginative in style and lacking in comfort, nothing I would consciously be involved with in any case), The Charade boasts a conveniently designed interior. The dash and its components are all well organized and fitted to a snap, the seats are as you would expect most 15 to 20 year old car seats to be and the air conditioning, sublime, upon proper maintenance of course.

Forget about the facts and figures. What I must stress on the most is that the Charade belongs to a very small and unique group of cars that are simply, honest. Honest in every sense of the word. Honest in the sense that, you feel every inch of the steering with nothing lost in translation, from steering input to the throttle response. A dream of a car to own and drive, and it has been a privilege to do so myself for the past 5 years. Odd how this is actually getting tougher to write. I didn’t think I would get so caught up with a car like this… Nevertheless..

Never suffering a breakdown or a failure of any sort that was unexpected, the only time the car ever cut off on the road was due to an electrical failure, caused by a negligent previous owner without any regard for proper car maintenance, and it happen on our way to get it fixed too by a proper mechanic. Other than that minor chink, nothing, 5 years of no issue other than regular maintenance stuff, clutch, brakes etc… How’s that Mr. Modern-Break-Down-All-The-Time-Car?

My last drive with the good ol’ Charade wasn’t a long one, but rather a ride of acknowledgment and accolades. I thought back to all my experiences with the Charade and all the places it took me. And with this being a public place, a lot of the things I did in that car I can’t mention, or else I’d be in a lot of trouble. But to the ladies who were there with me on those experiences, you know what I’m talking about. Of course, rendezvous such as those weren’t everything.

They say a man loves his drive the most when he’s alone. I’ve had some of the best drives and times of my life in that car. I don’t know for sure what was it exactly that was so appealing about driving the Charade, apart from the ‘honest’ characteristic of it. But wait, I think it has to do with that ‘honest’ bit again. Yeah, it does, thinking about it. I guess it’s just the feel of being in this raw place without too much technological and visual aesthetics to remind you of what a material world we’ve grown accustomed to. Yeah, that sounds more like it. Maybe it’s because you sit so low to the ground. Maybe it’s because you hear that little 3-cylinder engine roaring to go right in front of you. Maybe it’s because you can trust in the fact that all that there is to driving this car is to drive it. No stupid on-board computers telling you what you can or cannot do, or what you should or shouldn’t do and crap like that. None of that nonsense, all you have to do is drive it and it drives like you want it. Maybe that’s why I’ve had some of the best experience of my life so far in that car, because I was able to, the car allowed me to.

My final words for the Charade are chosen with careful thought and consideration without being overly biased towards it – “Righteously satisfying”. With this I say goodbye to my own. The ‘Grinch’ as I’ve nicknamed accordingly because of the colour being green. 5 years of memories and taking me places and I must say goodbye now. If I was in a more financially allowing state, I would have definitely kept it. But unfortunately, “Now isn’t the time fella, you go on and give someone else the experience of their life now.”

That was indeed rather tough to write. I’m surprised by how caught up with it I am. All well worth it I’m sure.

 

The one inside, he’s like The Stig of all things literary..

Ah yes, the long anticipated blog post. Well I do apologize to those who actually have an interest in these things, but I have been away on business so to speak, I’ve been kept busy learning how to write better actually. Thing is, I’ve never been to a school where they teach you how to write specifically, so it’s something I’ve had to work hard for recently to try and get better at it. Reason being that I’ve finally landed a job that requires me to just write, yes, thank you congratulate me, feast upon my magnificence, ok maybe not. But what worries me the most is that, when I do look back at my previous writings, I can’t help but to associate them with words like juvenile, unpolished, and amateurish. It’s quite embarrassing actually.

I have devised a plan however. So what I’ve been doing, apart from spending countless hours on an Xbox, I’ve been reading, and reading a lot oddly enough. For the first time in my life, I actually have a preferred writer whom I admire and respect thoroughly. And this is all new to me honestly, I’ve always been the kind of person who would flip out at the sight of a fresh book forced on you to be read because your aunt just bought it for you and she expects a thorough discussion on its contents in a week’s time, bugger…

Well I can’t say if there’s been any improvement apart from an increased/ improved vocabulary, which is a good thing of course. My guess is, the only way to gauge this would be to try and hold on to my new job as best I can I think. I really want to; I love the idea of getting paid to just write. If anything, I believe that writing is the most uncommonly natural thing that comes to me, apart from music. No special classes or special interests in reading at a young age and zero toleration for literary nonsense, I would then have none of it.

But what I do remember, particularly back in high school, is a knack for submitting the most ridiculous essays imaginable for exams and such, just because I could. I can vaguely remember sitting in my chair, being handed a topic to write on, and then losing myself in the moment and minutes later, shazaam!

I had a theory back in high school that any language class taken in high school would solely be a test of ones grammar and nothing more, because, that is the point of a language class in high school, no? To ensure that you can speak fluently and with proper grammar, right? I mean, I had my doubts about high school teachers actually taking an initiative in trying to teach students something that stemmed outside the realms of their designated salaries. The bulk of it comes down to the silly ways of our educational structure as seen fit by our so primitive government.

Anyways, knowing this left me at an advantage here, so long as I stayed grammatically correct, somewhat politically correct and economically decent, I could write about anything I bloody well wanted to write about. So anything from talking slippers to werewolves with stigmatic experiences were some of the things you would expect from an essay written by Christopher Aaron back in high school. Unfortunately, that has to change now.

I’ve found that reading helps and through that I’ve read that reading helps also. And what I’ve realized now is that, although I can’t and won’t be a judge of my own writing prowess, I’ve found myself with a new voice. You know that voice inside your head, the one that doesn’t speak when you speak but doesn’t stop speaking when you stop speaking? That’s the one.

Previously, I’ve noticed my ‘mind voice’ to be that of a younger person, a bit more casual, and slightly cool. Oddly enough, these days, I do believe an Englishman has taken up residence within. He sounds much more ‘proper’ and intellectual in a way. I wonder if it’s because of all the British magazines and videos I have been watching lately, but I think he’s doing a good job up there. I feel more ‘knowing’ with him around.

Well, at the least, something has changed ever since I’ve made a conscious attempt at getting better with this writing thing. I just feel an overwhelming desire to be ‘able’ in all I do. I think that’s a good thing. Otherwise, it’s like spending a holiday away in a foreign land and realizing you didn’t pack enough clothes or money. What will you do then? I guess it’s always just better to prepare and occasionally prepare more than you would be required to.

 

Feuding Fiasco’s Batman!

Jon & Kate annouce plans for a divorce, Chris Brown gets to take out the thrash and Will.i.am floors Perez Hilton. Oh Lordy!

First with the first. Anyone else here ‘Jon & Kate’ much?… I do. From one thing to another and from what little I know, it all started with rumours of Jon seeing this other chick, then photos on Jon with this other chick, then videos of Jon with this other chick and so the rest goes. Rumours of Kate with another man follow accordingly. Leaving me wondering if all this is just another depiction of how all that’s well doesn’t end well with marriages and relationships. I’m left with no choice but to find myself with more reasons for wanting to be more careful when choosing someone to spend the rest of my life with, that could be something you take away from this too. It doesn’t surprise me too much when I get called things like ‘picky’ and ‘fussy’ these days.. Pfft..

I really don’t feel like talking too much about Chris Brown. I think he’s getting enough publicity as it is and doesn’t deserve any more. I feel quite strongly about abuse. That ain’t right. If I had it my way, I would have his manhoods dragged across town by a heard of elephants that would occasionally step backwards on them, while they’re still attached. But then again, who am I to give just punishment. Hopefully he’ll learn his lesson while he picks up thrash and scrubs grafitti off walls, yea, like that’ll teach him! (/sarcasm). In Chris’ defence however, I will say this. It was all you women that wanted this equality thing right? So now you.. Ok, ok, I’m kidding! I’ll stop there!

Moving on, Perez gets floored by Will.i.am? True or false? Too soon to tell methinks. The obvious point at 2 directions, Perez the demanding drama queen and Will.i.am the black rapper/hip hopper guy. I’m not poking at racist remarks here. But that’s what the obvious points to… no? Oh well, all I’m saying is that it’s too soon to tell who’s right and and wrong. We’ll leave that to the Poli.. I mean E! to figure out. For now I’ll leave it at ‘Perez gets knocked on his ass by Will.i.am’, it makes for a much better headline, atleast just until the part when you say “so claims Perez”..

More when there’s more,
Chris.

 

Hocus Focus.

Hocus Focus
- The art of complete concentration without concentration.

It’s a thing I came up with a few days ago trying to analyze my driving with my RC (Radio Control) car. Don’t laugh now, those things have better acceleration than most Ferrari’s you see on our roads. I believe Hocus Focus to be something most people find themselves with when indulging completely in something they honestly like. Maybe I’m not explaining it right, but it’s this trance like state where you let loose and let your body begin to work in complete unison with your mind without too much else happening. Hence, Hocus Focus.
____________________________

Anyway, apart from the above, I’m gonna let this one come to me. I’ve been noticing that lately, I’ve been wanting to get in touch with what’s inside, more than what’s happening on the outside. Not a total loss, I have made some pretty good observations about myself,  but I’m feeling like I ought to be relating more to what’s happening outside.

Is this right? Because I’ve been reading a few blogs here and there, and the bulk of it subsumes articles written by people about other people and other events. Is that right instead? Should I be focusing on what other people do? I don’t know honestly. It’s like a choice between what sells, and what feels alright with me.

Well let’s try this. I’m going to stop this post in a few. The next post will be my attempt at this. I feel like I owe it to.. erm.. someone I’m sure…  to see if I am worthy of being a writer. So let’s have at it.

 

Skipping Beats

Have you ever wanted to start something at the halfway mark? As if to skip all the formalities, introduction stages, learning curves, and just get to the point where everything is just shootin’ the breeze?

For instance, just say you were about to pick up playing the guitar. Throughout your learning process, theres a loooong path of having to learn how to tune the guitar, memorizing all the chords and finger positions, and endless exercises to get your finger dexterity up to par, or to a level where you can express yourself well enough and be free of judging eyes and ears. It took me more than 10 years to get where I am with the guitar today, and theres still much left to be desired, but atleast I can say I’m at the halfway mark of where I want to be with it. I am in the thick of being a musician and being able to express myself through an instrument.

In this particular instance, I want to be at a level where I can write fluently, fluidly and interestingly enough to make a living off of it. Here’s my predicament. I applied for a position as a writer in an accomplished magazine. I got the interview, which is tomorrow. The job isn’t even mine yet, and I’m worrying about living up to a standard and how I may appear as incompetent amongst my peers. I was speaking to a good friend of mine about this, he’s been ‘doing it’ rather well for the past few months now with his own job. I envy the guys gumption. His disregard for authority and his ability to keep his head down and get on with the work is the object of my envy. He basically told me to not give a damn and get on with it. Words of wisdom nonetheless, but I’m still chicken shit about it.

I fear the idea of having to work amongst peers with degrees that fit the profession like a glove and the experience that stretches way beyond my faculties. All I have is a degree that isn’t as catered or illustrious, mainly keeping myself busy for 2 years without too much crafting of my own abilities. All I have to bring to the table is belief, hope and fragments of charm.

I’m guessing what it all comes down to is a fear of the unknown. I have that. I can’t even walk in murky ocean waters not knowing whats beneath. So in every instance I find myself threading the unknown, this is how I get unfortunately. What’s worst is, I have all the answers. I know what can and can’t ‘get me’ when I step out into the ocean. I even know if or not it will ‘get me’. I know exactly what I am to do in this case, or at the least I have a pretty darn good idea of it. But still I can’t pull myself around to it.

I take comfort in knowing that I’m not the only one. I’m sure most of you who read this have taken notice of instances where you find yourself in similar situations. It’s like, we know what we’re supposed to be doing, be it to stop a bad habit like smoking, or to make a change to save the earth. But still it takes more than one inner voice to push us towards the next step. I confidently tell most of the people I know who come to me with their issues and problems that, we all know the answers to 98.8% of the questions we seek answers for. It’s just a matter of applying yourself and believing in yourself enough to make that thought happen.

All I can do now is what I am about to do. Nothing more, nothing less. If I want it enough, I like to believe that I can just take it. Because I believe that it is within me, just as much as it is within you dear reader, to take what we deserve for ourselves. I honestly believe that it is within us all to make a choice. A choice of life changing measure, or be it a choice to postpone a trip to the bathroom to finish watching Oprah first. It is within us to do all the things we want to do. It’s only because we deserve nothing less.

So here’s wishing you, and me this time, the best and nothing less…
Chris,

 

I’ve run out of cool headlines to fill this space and I’ve come up with a neat secret game only you can play. If you have a headline thats worthy, use that and don’t tell anyone else. It will be your little secret.

Dear Reader,

I’m gonna keep this one short and sweet. Reason being I’m in need of some sleep.

Moving along, What I want to know is how do you hold on to your integrity? your values? beliefs? Is it a blind disregard for authority? Is it through careful consideration and execution? Is there a method to your madness? What does your cheat sheet look like?

I’ve been having some difficulty of late with this subject. You see, I believe in a total disregard for authority, I ensure careful consideration and execution, and there’s always a method to my madness. Maybe what I lack is a cheat sheet. Life doesn’t allow for anything like cheat codes, walkthroughts and short cuts apparently. What I would give to wake up and find myself in a console game right after I click ‘publish’. I would then click the reset button long enough till the machine shuts down and get off this ride.

I won’t say the past few weeks of my life have been an utter waste of what I believe are the best parts of me. I’ve met some good people. I’ve learnt a lot. I’ve been able to develop myself through this learning. But nothing good comes easy they say. So I’ve paid the price of having to put my talents to sell air. I hate it if you see it as anything less than sheer creativity. I hate having to tell someone something that isn’t true or stems from anything that isn’t how it is in any reality. John Mayer once said that, “If you’re going to come at all, come correct”. I’ve tried my best to live by this. Sadly, I’ve been finding myself moving away from this. Not by any choice of my own, but by my ‘obligations’.

You might be wondering what the buhgeezus i’m talking about. But I was told at this ‘obligation’ today to try and write like this for a certain ‘obligation’ that would be coming up soon. Catch my drift? No? Pay more attention. I’m assuming your intelligence, it’s only polite that in return, you assume mine.

So where I’m at right now basically isn’t a crossroad of some sort. It’s just some fork in the road and me trying to hold on the the 10 and the 2 as best I can whilst steering this beast through.

Should I travel the road less travelled? Like I always do. Or should I go and… wait… I’ve already made up my mind. So I’m not looking for direction of any sort. I’m just in want of a traffic warden to signal me across, acknowledging that I’m en route to whats en route. Hmm.. Seems inevitable enough doesn’t it?

I will for one last time carry out this ‘obligation’ and then it will all be over with that part of my life. I’ll put this one down to learning and call it an experience. Nothing in life is without reason and lesson. On that note, I’d like to suggest that you stop for a second from time to time, and think of all the things you’ve learnt in the last 30 secs of your life. Appreciate that in just 30 seconds, you probably learnt 4 new things. Thats my usual count. I’m sure you could do better. Go on, apply yourself and see what happens.

There’s one last thing I’d like to leave you with. It’s from a book I’ve been reading like a bible. ‘Kiss and Sell’. Theres a line that mentions something alone the lines of:

“You can write faster than me, but I will write better than you. And you can even write better than me, only because I will write faster than you.” Something like that…

Maybe it doesn’t relate much to what I was rambling on about earlier. But hey, think about what you just learnt in the last 30 secs.

Wishin you the best and nothing less,
Chris,

 

My effort towards the release of Syu Ki. Heres my 64 characters.

June 19th marks the 64th birthday of Aung San Syu Ki. If you don’t know about her, you should. 

Heres a little about what the campaign is about and what you can do:

A coalition of campaign groups is launching a major new publicity campaign to put pressure on the Burmese junta to release Aung San Suu Kyi (ASSK) before the planned Burmese elections. They would like high- profile individuals and groups to write a 64-word message for Aung San Suu Kyi’s 64^th birthday on June 19^th.  The message will be posted on a new website called “64 words for Aung San Suu Kyi” (www.64forsuu.org) throughout the next month. If you wish to help, you can: 

- Write a 64-word message for the website 
- Record a 64-word you-tube video (with a song, statement, image etc)
- Twitter 64 characters 
(- or ask your friends and colleagues to join this effort!)

Heres a little about who Aung San Syu Ki is:

On May 18th Aung San Suu Kyi was put on trial, charged with breaching the terms of her house arrest after an American man, John Yettaw, swam to her house and refused to leave. The regime is using the visit as an opportunity to extend her detention, which was expected to expire this month. Her trial is ongoing and she could face a further five years in detention. The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has issued opinions affirming that the detention of Aung San Suu Kyi dating back to 2003 is arbitrary, unjustified, and in contravention of Burma’s own law
 
In 1990, Aung San Suu Kyi led her party to win 82% of parliamentary seats in national elections in Burma, despite being placed under house arrest. She has been in and out of detention ever since. She was held under house arrest from 1989-1995, and again from 2000-2002. She was again arrested in May 2003 after the Depayin massacre, during which up to 100 of her supporters were beaten to death by the regime’s militia. Aung San Suu Kyi remains under house arrest in Rangoon. Her phone line has been cut, her post is intercepted and National League for Democracy volunteers providing security at her compound were removed in December 2004.
 
She has won numerous international awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize, the Sakharov Prize from the European Parliament and the United States Presidential Medal of Freedom. She has called on people around the world to join the struggle for freedom in Burma, saying “Please use your liberty to promote ours.”

My 64 characters can be found in the title of this post and on my Twitter site @Chris_Aaron. Wheres yours?

 

In the end, the words wont matter. Theirs atleast..

A steady pattern begins to form with things these days. Even the consistency of my posts take on its own shape…

Im writing this as I’m listening to My Stupid Mouth by John Mayer and talking to a friend about a neo-dysfunctional relationship shes in. Finding it in me to put what I have inside down on paper, or more like e-paper, is a little difficult at the moment. Maybe we can start with the way things are going for the moment and take it from there.

Lets make a checkli.. OH CUT THE CRAP!!!

I was asked by a co-worker the other day if I’m a person who can write from the heart with ease. I boldly said yes… but then again, I boldly may have been mistaken. Maybe it’s because theres nothing in me right now. That happens, right? I partly blame this on my work. I’ve found work to be stealing the best parts of me from right under my nose. I’ve barely had any time with my guitar. I haven’t seen ANY of my friends in a week or so and I go to bed by 11:30pm these days. Pantsy…

So maybe it’s not that I can’t focus on laying out what’s inside, it’s a possibility that a theft has taken place, or a slow and steady dissolution of my brain by those little men inside my body they said would come out and night and fix your body while you slee.. OH MY GOD !!! That was a gimmick to get me to bed wasn’t it!!.. Well was it?

Back to the matter with wax on a platter… I have an issue to pick with today. Integrity, and the common lack of it. Going back to this neo-dysfunctional relationship I mentioned in the above, I’ve been reminded once again of a disturbing lack of personal opinion amongst the good people of the world today.

Let me ask you. How many decisions do you make a day, that solely consist of your OWN inferences and digestions of reality, without pushes in any direction from an outside force of some kind? Can you remember? Were you awake?

I think my issue here again comes back to my second post, which was something about rhyming with reason or something of that sort. I’m just fed up with peoples decision making methods. Or maybe i’ve just been around the wrong people. The latter seems to fit more these days…

Or maybe I’m just fed up with some people being so predictable. When people make decisions and choices based on what ‘they’ tell them, it all becomes so obvious to anyone who paid enough attention.

Anyways.. I hope you get something out of this.. god knows I didn’t.. or maybe I did.. I’ll have to think about this one.. I’m off for a shower and its straight off to bed for me. G’nite reader..

 

Puts it down to maturity…

I know, I know… I’m guilty of not posting for a while now. But I have my reasons !! Anyways, here goes…

I’ve spent a few days now with this company that gives me money in exhange for mental slavery. And I must say, its unfolding to be less than expected, maybe because I expected too much. I was expecting the mad rush, the hustle and bustle of the working life and the boss thats just a pain in areas specific to your Brazillian wax outings.

But for the past few days now, the total opposite has occured. I’ve got a boss that calls everyone ‘Dewd’ and has over Rm100,000 dollars worth of toys in the office, office mates that are honest and good people, and a peaceful easy feeling.

I was speaking to Joyce today on the phone, she called me just as I was heading out for some lunch. She asked me what work was like and how I was doing. My response caught me off guard a wee bit and was of some enlightenment. “The funny thing is, this doesn’t seem like work”. I guess that’s an indicator of me liking what I do. I write. I like to write. It calms me. I get to speak of things I wouldn’t ordinarily speak of and to people I wouldn’t ordinarily speak to.

Speaking of bosses earlier reminded me of something a person I personally hold in high esteem of, my uncle, mentioned once. “The two things you should never fear are death and bosses”. I don’t remember why I brought it up, but oh well.. Maybe you can take something away from it.

I think I’ve gotten used to the idea of waking up early, going to work, coming home and trying to make some time for myself and doing it all over again the next day till the weekend comes. I worried so much about having to live with this, but now that I am living with this, its surprisingly alright.

The thing I feared the most is giving up my life. Giving up all the things that make me me, for that matter. My late night/any time of the day guitar sessions, afternoon/or any time of the day social gatherings, random work on my RC time, and stuff like that are all things I hold dearly. Oddly enough, I find that so long as I put in the effort, I can have all those things at a pretty reasonable rate. Being highly self-motivated is a great help too. I love the things I do, so its not hard to do them. So long as I was willing to wake up at 6am on a Sunday morning to head out to the RC track with my dad for a few runs, so long as I made an effort to pick up the guitar every night at around 10pm and jam till my fingers hurt and I was falling asleep on my guitar, so long as I made an effort to utilize my mobile phone to its full capacity , keeping in touch with my friends, plan stuff and to actually do them, I would be able to retain some sanity through all this. I guess it all boils down to how much you want things.

I always believed that if I wanted something bad enough, I would/could just take it. Which is probably why I can play guitar pretty darn impressively and I can race RC better than the average driver even though I have very little track time and all the other things I excel at. Please dont mistake this for arrogance, I take pride in excelling in the things I do, because it took a whole lot of hard work and sweat to get to where I am with these things today. All it takes is for some self application and a commitment to the cause. If you want it, take it…

Anyways, its getting late, and unlike the old me, I can’t afford to stay up till 5am. I have work in the morning. So here’s me putting it down to some degree maturity at least. Good night and be well…

Wishin you the best and nothing less,
Chris,