Death Race: A Film By Filipinos

The other night my beloved wifey and I watched the last full show of the film Death Race (Starring Jason Statham as Jensen Ames) – because Wall-E isn’t showing anymore. And while on my way to meet up with her at the mall, I was thinking of the title which by itself is a no brainer. As it aptly implies, I presume that it’s just all about death and race. No more. No less. But wait…there’s more.

The moment the film started rolling, it immediately captured my attention with some of the words it presented on the silver screen and with some questions running on my mind along with it:

·         2012 in America. Will we be there by this time?

·         Unemployment. Will we be included?

·         Death. Entertainment?

·         Race. Will we be watching another live F1 soon? And when?

My wife, as I expected, started giving her naughty remarks (I always know that it is meant to intentionally annoy me) while I was starting to sink in to the story. But instead of hushing her, I myself made my own mumbled remarks in agreement. And as if those keywords aren’t enough to keep us related to the opening part of the film with its resemblance to our pending future, the opening scene also shows the main character getting laid off from his job in the metal factory. There’s chaos in the line of workers waiting for their turn to get their last pay. At this point, I was beginning to feel uneasy and I was somewhat praying to get over with the factory scene and show the death race itself.

A few frames more, the factory setting ended, thankfully. I did not mind when the succeeding scenes became tragic with Jensen drugged by someone in a ski mask and eventually becoming unconscious just to wake up with police and their hand guns sticking inches away from his face while trying to make sense what he’s doing with a knife in his hand and his dead wife beside him. Needless to say, that landed him in prison.

His role in the prison called Terminal Island became apparent when he was offered to participate in the famous Death Race since his record shows that he was a famous car racer years before. His acceptance of the part will be his way out of the prison facility with the condition that he will win the race. (Sadly, I didn’t catch in the film the reason why he indeed the said career and instead endured working inside the hot metal factory).

So just like any sane man offered to race for freedom, Jensen accepted. And this is where I started to enjoy the film. The main death race had several inmates as drivers and with their own armored, gun-mounted, and extra modified cars. Among them of course is Jensen who had to wear a mask in order to pretend as Frankenstein who was actually the famous death racer who perished in the opening scene but without the fans’ knowledge. The race is viewed online by fans numbering in millions with each paying at least $99 per view while the death racers outrun and “outgun” each other.

While I consider this as a B-movie, I actually applaud whoever was behind it. I’m now beginning to imagine that the people who conceptualized this movie are a team composed of Dana White’s men, ex-FIA officials, troubled American school kids, Twisted Metal (PS1 game) programmers and last but not the least – Filipino drivers.

Why? Because I find this movie a mixture of UFC fighters who are driving F1 cars with trigger-happy American school kids handling the Gatling gun’s remote button. Furthermore, the Filipinos here are divided into two sub-teams. First are those Jeepney drivers who loves to mount anything (such as horse figures, shiny CDs, LEDs, more LEDS, horns, antennas. Just to name a few.) on their jeeps – they are the designers of the Death Race cars. The other Filipinos are those who designed the weapon activation systems – which I wish I’m one of them as sometimes…just sometimes (wink wink), I wish I had those buttons inside my Mary.

Surprising as it may seem, I recommend this movie to let out some steam without doing any harm to the stubborn driver in front of you while stuck in traffic. Road rage alert. Watch out for bald male driver fumbling with the cigarette lighter.

Rookie Rider’s Day Out

 

Almost a week has passed after I bought my motorcycle and I’ve ridden it only once inside our village. It was one quick ride and I’ve been craving to do more. However, since the day after that I had to report to work and rain has been pouring since then, that left me no choice but to lock and cover it up in front of our yard until today.

This morning, weather hasn’t improved and it isn’t exactly what I call a motorcycle-friendly day – it’s gloomy and the threat of rain is looming over the horizon. But the call to take another ride took over my worries of getting wet. I felt a sudden mix of anxiety and excitement once I got home after dropping my wife off the shuttle bus stop.  After parking my car I prepared for my maiden motorcycle ride.

And so from the very start of the preparation alone, I was awaken to the world of MC riders; little by little I experienced what it is like to be taking a ride out of the comfort of my car. Here’s my log for today’s ride:

1.       MCs are meant to be started and left idling for a few minutes before taking it for a ride - It’s not unnecessarily wasting gas but it’s a requirement to warm up its engine unlike cars that you can start and step on the gas right after.

2.       I wore (needed) shirt, jeans, sneakers and a helmet (which I got free from the MC dealer).  These are the minimum – although one item in the newly debated LTO guidelines state that a leather jacket is a must.

3.       A P500 in your wallet is more than enough for a full tank.  I have a full capacity of only 3.7 liters or P200 worth of gas. That’s just sweet. I’m yet in the process though of figuring out how far 1 liter can go.

4.       Signal lights do not automatically turn off after executing a turn. Don’t forget to manually switch it off or you’ll be giving wrong signals to the vehicles behind you.

5.       A jacket is needed for an early morning ride like I did. I realized midway of my trip that my nipples are getting harder with the cold wind blowing all around me. Ti abi. The LTO must have the thing against stiff rider nipples.

6.       You can’t scratch your nose or any part of your face while your helmet is on. I unconsciously tried doing it and saw some smiles by the sidewalk. That’s embarrassing.

7.       Fixing something somewhere in your crotch is a no-no.  Need to elaborate?

8.       Water puddles isn’t fun anymore. I love to go fast on these while driving my car (making sure of course that no one’s around to be reached by the splash), imagining myself in a Peugeot and trying to beat Sebastian Loeb.  Now I guess I’ll have to get used to imagining beating Jeremy McGrath instead. Just kidding.

9.       Coasting isn’t possible. My MC’s shifting pattern does not allow (or I may be wrong) me to shift to neutral after achieving a sustainable speed like in a downhill.  But then, other than being illegal according to the rule of defensive driving, MCs fuel consumption is already thrifty compared to cars (or cages, as MC riders call it) so coasting isn’t significant anymore.

I covered 32 kilometers for this morning’s ride and it felt good to be out on the road and coming home safe. It’s not actually scary as most people (usually wives and those without MCs) would say. The rules that need to be followed are still similar to driving a car except for some other things that need to be observed – such as staying visible to other motorist, giving more focus due to the obvious reason that the rider is exposed to all elements and maintaining balance at all times.  

With my introduction to the world of MCs, it opened me to a new perspective. I’m now beginning to feel empathy to those people who have no choice but to take an MC to work despite heavy rain, I now respect their space on the road, and I now understand the need for car (and any other 4-wheeled vehicles) drivers and MC riders to co-exist in order to create a healthy and safe commuter environment. Of course I still believe that education is the key to achieve orderliness and hopefully, more people will soon get educated enough to drive safely.

 

Postscript

Having holding back from telling my mother about the idea of buying an MC, I finally called her after this morning’s ride and told her all about it. I was expecting some sort of worried remarks coming from the other end of the line, but I was all smiles when I heard her say, “Ay gali? Ano ginbakal mo? Ang mga pambabayi na motor? (Really? What did you get? Those feminine motorcycles)”

 I was laughing when I asked her what she meant by “feminine” motorcycles and I laughed harder when her description fitted that of the underbones –the one I currently have.  She must be expecting me having a motocross (also known today as motards) which I remember were the “in” thing when I was yet a kid. Anyway, I explained to her that underbones (and scooters) are now the trend as they are cheaper and have lower displacement – thus, lower fuel consumption; AND that they’re not just for women. (she’ll be mobbed in the forums with those remarks. hahahaha)

I was still wondering about the unexpected jolly remarks from her after I ended our conversation, and then I remember that she was the one who taught me how to ride a bike during my elementary days. I recalled her patiently holding on to me until I felt comfortable with the balance and she eventually came running along while I pedaled it all by myself.  From my late high school to college years, she  likewise never questioned my scuffed shoes, tattered jeans and tiny bruises when I was into BMX flatland.  AND she even approved when I came home with a haircut which has the word “BMX” shaved behind my head.  Come to think of it, she’s a cool mother. (Baw!)

 

 

Something Looks Familiar

This afternoon I was once again in the waves of ennui and surfing the internet trying to figure out what to do with the rest of my Sunday while feeling guilty of having to skip mass again and while also waiting for my wife to come home.

Emails checked. Multiply.com updates checked. Friendster.com scanned – not much friends in friendster (isn’t that an irony?). Favorites list scanned back and forth. Lurked forums done. Emails rechecked again for the nth time in just a couple of hours. Thankfully I’m free from mouse to keyboard ratio recording or I could be sending red signals to the ergonomics guru of our company.

Not really knowing how to bail out of my PC’s chair which is getting claustrophobic and butt-hot while I move the mouse aimlessly, I suddenly realized I was looking at Formula1.com’s interview with the recent winner of the Canadian grand prix, Robert Kubica. Having watched this last race’s replay (I was at work when it was shown live), I must admit that it was one of the most exciting I’ve seen so far this year. It was one for the books of fame and for the books of unfortunate events, which by the way F1 races will always be – even the famous Michael Schumacher has its own share of fame and shame.  This is the race wherein Lewis Hamilton rear-ended Kimi while on their way out of the pit lane - which brings the conspiracy theorists like me raise an eyebrow out of suspicion.  Hmmm.

Robert Kubica of course wasn’t one hypocrite not to accept the fact that he felt more hope when these two leading drivers crashed. It was not only his day to win but it was his day to lead the drivers’ championship with 42 points. After all, his consistency during the past races eventually paid off and June 08, 2008 became the day for him to be in the middle of the two drivers in the podium for the first time. It was the day BMW claimed the most coveted win of every races. It’s the day their sponsors have been waiting for…and wait, something looks familiar in the picture. Ahhhh…our company’s logo.

I’ve got used to seeing Mclarens and Ferraris (Renault, of course included) exchanging top positions for years that it took me until now to realize that right beside BMW’s logo is Intel’s. It may have something to do with the fact that Intel’s Philippine site is closing this year that I forgot to cheer my heart out when the whole BMW team was cheering and savoring the huge champagne during the awarding ceremony.

BMW and Intel’s win may have been late to be fully relished especially for us working for the latter, but as they always say, “A win is a win”. Now I don’t know if I’d be celebrating next time if BMW takes the 1-2 position once again. Hopefully yes.

Go BMW. Go Intel. Greetings coming from a Ferrari fan.

***

Frankly speaking, i never thought the BMW guys behind have any chances of winning a 1-2. Now, I stand corrected. Taken on April 2007 in Suria KLCC.

Being a Gas Miser

It seems that gas price hike will be here for quite a while for reasons that the average person like me will never really know. Factors such as the Middle East’s peace and order situation; the US recession which until now Dubya haven’t directly accepted to be happening; China’s sudden demand for automotive as most Chinese got tired of riding bikes - it’s a pity but sooner or later obesity will be as common as dumplings in China; locally, we can blame our government for deregulating the oil companies – but this is debatable. These are just a few of things that caused the soaring oil prices.

So while we are busy thinking and picking who’s supposed to be blamed other than ourselves, it may be just right for us to start looking at the mirror and check if we’ve done our part to alleviate the effect of this situation which is way out of our control. Not only that we get to save our pockets and wallets, we also get to save our sanity and most importantly, our environment.

And so today, as I’m lazily surfing the web, my mouse led me to Ecomodder.com which has this article, “104 hypermiling / ecodriving tips …” And guess what? I’ve been doing most of their tips already. And so I grabbed my own top 10 so that others may learn as well.

1) Drive less. Avoid driving if you can. Just think about the heavy traffic you’ll encounter on your way and this will help convince you.

2) Track your fuel consumption. Take a conscious effort to track your fuel mileage. Our Honda City’s digital Trip A and Trip B meter is a big help when it comes to this. By the way, please, track your consumption when you get home. You don’t want to run over pedestrians or other cars while fiddling with your calculator.

3) Leave early and don’t rush. It’s funny but I’ve been thinking of doing this yet. Having a car makes most of us think that we can hit the snooze alarm a couple of times in the morning with the assurance that we can beat time to work by driving like a crazy Takuma Sato. But this shouldn’t be the case I realize just now. This is a No-Win situation: You get irritated because you expect everyone to rush just like you do, and you get to pump unnecessary gas in the process.

 

4) Note your transition points. Ecomodder says, “If you regularly travel the same roads, make a conscious effort to note (memorize) the points along the way where transitions occur that maximize efficiency”. By doing so, you can actually plan where to safely coast (if I remember it right, I read that it is illegal to coast in some states in the US), anticipate turns and brake points.

5) Avoid drive-thrus. This is to avoid idling. Save on gas. Save on fast foods.

6) Windows up. This is a no-brainer in the Philippines. Here spitting is not a crime. Do I need to explain further? Hahaha. Just my reason for driving windows up, but it has something to do with aerodynamics/wind drag which has an effect on the gas mileage; and of course back to the spitting thing.

7) Heavy traffic: play the accordion. Ecomodder says, “If faced with worst-case “stop & crawl” traffic conditions, leave as much space ahead of you as possible and continually “accordion” that space to keep your vehicle moving near a constant speed while the cars in front of you stop & start.   

Yes, some people will cut into the space you create ahead of you. Deal with it. 

Note that this may aggravate following drivers who can’t absorb the big picture, and that must be taken into account.” Well, I’ll try to deal with it. No promises though.

 

8 ) Minimize air conditioning use. Ecomodder says, “Air conditioning requires a lot of power. Use it sparingly”. Once again, AC on or off, don’t forget to keep those windows up. Believe me; you’ll thank me for this tip once you get to drive here in the Philippines.

 

9) Be smooth. I think I qualify as one. Just don’t ask the jeepney drivers I’ve honked at which brings me to my top 10.

 

10) Don’t keep up with the Joneses. Ecomodder says, “It [sic] easy to be competitive when driving. Resist knee-jerk retaliation to other drivers’ aggressive actions. Don’t let other drivers lead you astray from your driving style.” Now this is more like a test of my character rather than a test to save gas. The pinoy Joneses are the hari ng kalsada (king of the roads) – your “friendly” jeepney/tricycle drivers. I guess I’ll be able to keep up with this tip if I leave home early to work.

 

There you go. Let’s save gas the rational way and please stop sending me emails to boycott the giant oil companies – it’s foolish, it’s temporary and it just won’t work.

reference: Ecomodder.com

 

Preparing for Bum Days

 

Every working day seems to be getting gloomier and gloomier. Don’t get me wrong but I’m quite sure I still exude a positive look to most people – to my colleagues, to my peers. In short I’m becoming a professional hypocrite. Ti abi. But that’s the way it should be right now. There’s no point in surrendering even if the fight seems worthless. Sooner or later I’d be a bum. But until that time comes I try to be positive. Remember: choose to be happy.

And what am I doing to prepare for these days? I make sure that I equip myself with “bum tools”. And what are these so far?

1.       Unpaid car. Nice to drive around with. Necessary to eliminate couch rashes.

2.       Books. Lots of it. I think I’d be able to read most of it while in career hibernation. I’d start to worry when I start re-reading my wife’s Archie comics.

3.       Cable TV and Internet subscription. Other than being certified bum tools, both may well be my connection to the outside world; which reminds me to check the schedule of the TV show Til Debt Do Us Part.

4.       DVDs. Got to have popcorns and beer to go along with these.

5.       Brother. Yes, a brother, a brother that can help me distribute my resume print outs while on a job hunt. It’s a Brother all in one printer. Nice tool.

6.       Rubik’s cube. I don’t know if the recent recession and attrition is the reason why this cube puzzle was revived. I’m seeing a conspiracy here.

I think I’ve got quite a stockpile already. I’m sure these could pretty well keep me occupied for days to come.

***

The Brother all-in-one printer that we got is the 150C model. Although, we’ve checked HP’s  and Canon’s model before finally purchasing it, I still consider it an impulsive buy. Hahaha. Anyway, as reckless as it appears, I think we got ourselves a good deal as I’ve been actually eyeing to have one since more than a year ago. A printer, scanner and copier in one package and at the price of nearly Php 4000 (<USD 100) is well spent. I guess.

This brand may not be as popular as Canon or HP when it comes to printers, but the features it has are competitive enough. Its interface is user friendly. And its overall case and parts appears sturdy. It actually reminds me of our Brother portable typewriter which I’ve done a good deal of torture but still remains in operation until now after more than 15 years. Hopefully this multi-printer will stay strong just like his brother (pun intended).

Scanned images and print outs appear better than expected as well. At first we got disappointed when the photo prints outs had lines in it, but then after reading the user’s manual (duh!) and following the instructions, a better print came out. I can’t say it’s perfect, but it’s like just any other photo I received from my sister who I know got a Canon photo printer and from some friends who developed their digital images thru professional developing centers. By the way, it has 4 ink cartridges (black, magenta, cyan and yellow) which makes it economical. Only the consumed color gets to be replaced. Needless to say, my resume will use up only the black one first.

Nothing is perfect though. So upon installation I saw some issues with it. The scanning software doesn’t have a preview(hopefully, I just missed it), unlike my Canon’s LiDE 20 which I find very useful as it lessens scanning time when doing small size papers such as paper bills which I used to test it. I later read in the manual that it’s illegal to scan money. Don’t worry I don’t intend to forge my 500 bill. Though I wish it will multiply just like that. Ti abi.

Lastly, I find the AC cord and USB connections weird. I expect the AC cord to be at the rear part and the USB port just somewhere visible. The port is hidden underneath the scanner bed which must be lifted in order to access and connect th cable. I’m still wondering why its designer decided to place it this way. I can’t see the reason why (I just don’t know if the other multi-printer brands are set up just like it).

 (AC Cord on lower left corner. Scanner bed is shown as lifted to access USB port)

(Red arrow pointing at USB port) 

Overall, this neat multi-printer will make the top brands a run for their money. It’s like David vs. Goliath. It’s like AMD vs. Intel…hmmm. It’s a stretch, but let’s not go there. It’s for another blog.

Is Auto Financing Math or English?

One of the benefits of killing time – that is, for me, blogging – is that I get sit in front of my PC, stare blankly at the glowing CRT and instinctively placing both my hands on the keyboard’s home keys. That may sound a bit lame for a killing, but lately, that is what it is. This is also one of the times when I dream I have my own tread mill and gym set which would be a healthier way to pass time away. So while I’m not there yet, I’ll let my typing fingers do the walking for now.

Just a few weeks ago while unconsciously surfing the net like a “career zombie” trying to find a plan B after the inevitable pull out of our company, I chanced upon a sticky thread in one of my favorite automotive hangout. The thread is titled: …is looking for new talent . That intrigued me. I was then thinking: I can drive, I can do two-point reverse maneuver, I can blindly pass through Daang Hari at night & I can grab the hand brakes while my wife does an 80 kph turn. Well, what could be better than that? So I clicked to read on.

To my disappointment they’re not looking for dummy drivers. Pun intended? They’re looking for someone who can do Auto journalism. Come to think of it, they’re looking for some dummy of sort. Yes? While I haven’t seen my plan B yet, I might as well make this my plan C. I sent a private message to one of the administrators.

Unfortunately, I received no acknowledgment since then. I actually returned back to the thread to check if my foolish mind failed to see when it was posted. It was just recently. Damn.

Today however, while I absentmindedly check my emails after a graveyard duty, I saw an email from the car forum. My mind woke up in an instance. I’m once again fantasizing of being inside a brand new Toyota Camry for me to do a review; inhaling deeply and sucking all the new car scent it could offer; fiddling nervously with its keys while contemplating on what it could offer as it zoom past Cavite’s potholed highway to test its wide wheelbase and torture its suspension. Reality though sets in just as soon as it left me. Part of the email reply said, “Can you do an article on Auto Financing? Make an outline first, then [sic] we’ll start from there”. He must be kidding.

The reply just confused me. It appeared to me as two separate things. Auto Financing is an oxymoron. Know I’m wondering if Auto Financing is either Math or English.

Yahoo! power came in handy. I tried to check what the blog word has to offer regarding Auto Financing. Surprisingly, I didn’t fully expect what I’d find.  The search yield tags made me cringe. It was after all where I’m currently at right now – in debt, financing needed, bad credit, etc. Did someone say before, “What you don’t know won’t hurt you?” It was too late for me to undo. I’ve read it already.

Doing an article about Auto Financing is like doing an autopsy to myself. I would be writing like:

 “…The best time to purchase a car is right after a job promotion. Is your company’s inventory piling up? Is your company getting less attention? And Did the CEOs just recently focus their investments in Vietnam? Is your stock price in a plateau state? Screw it all. You still really need a car. The best financing deals are up for grabs.

Don’t let this chance go to drain. The local dailies motoring section are flooding with irresistible offers. Most dealers are now competing for market share and deals range from 5% off, all-in offers, 3 years + 1 warranty. The list is almost endless (read: You really need a car).

Worry no more. Banks will not only check your credit history, proof of availability…but (a pause and drum rolls is highly recommended at this point) of course also your severance package…”

Ouch. I’d die even before the editor is done proofreading my article. Wait, did I mention what my plan A is? Bum around for months while looking for plan B to Z. Ti abi.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wanted: Dodge Viper Photos

(originally written for my multiply.com blog)

Calling all my multiply.com contacts. If anyone of you is planning to drop by Ayala Town Center for whatever reason this weekend, I’ll be very glad if you can bring along your lovely cameras and take photos of my favorite Dodge Viper.

 

After watching Step Up 2 last night with my wife and while still high with the hip-hop beats and controlling myself to do my shameful mimicry of the b-boys step on our way to the parking lot, we saw some activity at the fountain area and it gave me the feeling that something special is going to be on top of those metal frames. I was right. Just outside was a beat up lorry with a shiny red or maroon (can’t get exact color as it was dimly lit outside) Dodge Viper waiting to be unloaded. I almost dropped to my knees when I saw it and the only thing that prevented me from doing so is the 1^st commandment (hey, it’s Lenten season and hopefully you know what it is).

 

I can imagine right now the throng of Viper fans or just curious crowds it has attracted since the mall opened today. And most probably, any local celebrity in that area will be over-shadowed by its presence. They may even be just contented enough to get near it and most likely dream they have the money to own one – just like I always do.

 

So this week, I’m expecting photos of it coming from my multiply contacts. And whoever post the first picture will have my respect. *LOL*.

 

Good luck! I’ll wait for it.

SNAFU to Clark’s Balloon Fest

“Very nice…High Five…” – Borat Sagdiyev

Having planned a road trip with wifey for quite some time even when we still have our trusty Kia Pride, the 12^th PIHABF (Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta) came as the perfect time and reason. I filed for a 2-day vacation leave from work a month ahead in anticipation of this event. And just like ants preparing for a rainy day, my wife and I went shopping for clothing, food and storage (buying a Coleman cooler justified) a day before we set off.

Feb 10. Past 3 AM. After filling Mary’s boot with the things we need, we excitedly started our trip. The early morning drive went well as expected. Traffic was light from Cavite to the NLEX entrance and in the back of my mind I was already imagining picking a good parking spot and a good vantage point for us to witness the balloon flight before dawn. I fought the urge to floor the pedal so as not to exceed the 100 KPH limit. But at some point I noticed the speedometer pointing at the 120 scale yet the Honda City stayed stable despite it. Realizing the car’s capability, the temptation to go faster became so strong but my sanity and the presence of the speed limit marks along the highway kept me from doing so.

By the middle of the trip we decided to stop by Total gas station in San Simon to fill in some gas. That’s when the most unlikely thing happened. It was as if someone played a bad joke on us. While waiting for the attendant to fill the tank to the brim, my wife and I decided to step out of the car. I grabbed some water in the boot while she picked something in the gas station’s store. Unconsciously, we both locked the doors with the car key still inside. A minute after I shut the boot door and as I was lazily stretching myself I heard the car alarm’s beep followed by the sound of a latching door lock. Damn, for a moment I think I saw myself turned pale. I almost cried out in despair. We are locked out!

After hopelessly trying to wake myself up as if in a bad dream, I started considering some options and eagerly asked help from the gas attendants and other people who also stopped for gas. The inputs ranged from the ridiculous (yet the most direct) shattering of the glass window,  to the tiring and frustrating trip back going to Cavite (a 60 km ride back) to grab the spare key and to the most viable yet costly (Php 1000) option of hiring a locksmith to do the job. Also considered was taking chances if other Honda car keys will match. That one didn’t work, as expected. For the first time I hated Honda’s wave key and alarm feature.

The thought of missing the balloon fest (and ruining our trip) made me decide to seek the locksmith’s –who was referred to us by one of the gas boy - assistance so I called him up. I was greeted by man on the other end of the line sounding a bit irritated (I understand the feeling of being awakened early Sunday morning) yet he was kind enough to encourage me to keep on trying by opening it through the door handle using a stiff wire to reach into the lock. The mixture of desperation, thought of a Hazard Pay’s episode (Discovery TV show), a welding rod wire and persuasion from my wife seemed to work together after that conversation.

And after an hour of trial and error, the lock tab popped. To say I shouted for joy would be an understatement. Upon checking my watch, I learned that we’ve been locked out for almost 2 hours already. So without wasting another minute we continued our trip but only after dropping along their way home the two gas boys who stayed with us until their night shift ended. They were our cheering team during the whole ordeal. My wife and I exchanged congratulations several times on our way to Dau. We kidded ourselves as being able to be in cahoots as carjackers. Honda City owners beware.

We arrived in the Balloon fest area by past 7 AM, tired but glad we still made it. Parking far from the entrance gate didn’t matter anymore. Just being at the site bustling with people from various sex and ages gathered (or forced to, mostly by either husband or kids) with one interest – to watch an event featuring “everything that flies” – is satisfying enough.

continue…Balloon Fest’s Last Day.

1000 Kilometers, 1 B-Movie, 3 Coffee

 

Yesterday, I had to bring Mary back to Honda for her first 1000 Km check even if it meant having only a 3-hour sleep and waking up by mid-day after a stressful 12-hour graveyard shift. I was at Honda Alabang by exactly 1pm as scheduled.

Expecting the check-up to only last within 2 hours I spent some time eating in their homely cafeteria and then appreciating the customer lounge’s comfy couch and wide screen TV which was showing an HBO thriller that time. I likewise tried to get some cat naps to fill in my lack of sleep. And true enough after 2 hours I was called by the service agent. But to my dismay I was just about to fill in the service form from which the actual check up will commence right after I completed the needed details. I learned that the check-up itself will be after another 2 hours more. Damn. I can’t take another couple of hours watching another HBO rerun. Besides I’m craving for strong caffeine already.

An idea then came up, “ATC here I go again.” I’m thinking I can get some doze right inside one of the lovely cinemas. Ironically as I was preparing myself for a 115-peso-sleep, my body as if under hypnotism led me to The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf’s store. My brain is trying to sleep but my body craved for caffeine. Just great. Inside me is an on going battle if who is the boss.

And so after my body got its coffee, my brain came next and it was selecting between four movies. Well a sleep is what I need so the sleepy brain picked what seems to be a B-movie. Dreamland here I come.

Right after grabbing my ticket for the movie Cloverfield, I excitedly entered the cool and almost vacant cinema, and then picked my spot away from the scattered movie goers. I don’t normally enter in between showing of the film, but then again sleep is my main purpose and so out of the norm I did it.

I was 30 minutes late from the start of the movie and my brain was already trying to prep itself into dreamland. I don’t know if I’m that dazed as I find the scenes quite dizzying but I realized sooner that it’s part of the movie’s effect. The Blair Witch Project came into my mind – Cloverfield’s shots are also set to come from one character’s perspective with its handheld video cam thus creating an amateur effect. Perfect. Just what I need to fall asleep.

I actually don’t know if my brain succeeded into getting its much needed sleep even after my body got its dose of the strong and large Americano. I never knew who won the who-is-the-boss-battle but I woke up watching movie trailers. So I looked at my watch and it was just an hour and a half. The movie finished earlier than I expected. It was a short film.

Upon checking my cellphone I found out that Honda still has not sent me an SMS for me to claim Mary. That gave me another hour to kill. So the curiosity to confirm if I was having nightmares while inside the cinema or had actually witnessed the weird ending of the movie, made me decide to watch the film from the very beginning.

The trailers eventually ended. The cinema lights once again dimmed and the featured movie once again started. And just as I find the ending weird enough, the start itself is just as unpredictable. A couple of people actually booed after seeing the chroma bars and as some weird text negatives uncontrollably started appearing and rolling. Unknown to us audience then, the film has actually started.

Cloverfield’s plot I soon find out was about a couple of young New Yorkers having a farewell party for a departing friend. One of them is taking a documentary of everything that’s happening in the apartment. Some were asked to speak their wishes and goodbyes in the video. This cinematography style went throughout the entire film.

The twist of the story then came. While at the peak of the merry making a loud noise was heard and the place suddenly shook with all the lights in every building outside going out momentarily. What happened next is reminiscent of the 911 attack. There was panic. Buildings crumbled. People running around the ravaged and dusty streets. Everything looked real enough with the amateur video effect.

There was chaos and confusion and video cam went shakier and then everything went blurred. Then the shaky cam captured a monstrous creature that would put Godzilla to shame. It delivered a damaging blow to the Brooklyn Bridge; it decapitated the historic Statue of Liberty sending the head crashing on the parked cars miles away. Suddenly I felt I was among those running for their lives. And more surprisingly I was beginning to enjoy the movie. Wow, I never knew I’d like this movie a lot. I regretted giving in to the urge to sleep when I came in earlier.

As the plot thickens, emotions going intense and the destructions getting greater, I felt something in my thigh beginning to vibrate and buzz. I was wondering if I was experiencing a 4D sensation. But damn, it was my cellphone alarm going off.  It was time for me to leave. Never before have I hated leaving a B-movie.

I went out of the cinema feeling bad not having finished the show. I walked out as if with the dilemma if I’ll stay and finish all of it or getting Mary out before Honda closes by 6pm.

My mind’s made up. 10 minutes before closing time I was back in Honda’s service area. It’s getting dark outside when I drove away, and I was still thinking of what I’ve just watched. I was in fact hoping that I’ll be transported back in Cloverfield’s set and would have cared less if Mary and I gets entangled in the devastation. I really got hooked.

*****

By the way, there were a couple more coffee shops Mary brought us within its 1000 Km break in period. She brought us to Bag of Beans in Tagaytay after a cold night dinner at Leslie’s (with my wife’s brother & sister-in-law) restaurant.

A week after that, we took the Talisay road going to Sto. Tomas Batangas. Mary endured the steep, tight and blind turns with me having her just at second gear for almost 15 Km to avoid careening off the road. Eventually that trip took us to a cozy and warm coffee shop in Tanauan Batangas – Dairymoor.

And the verdict? All three coffees actually tasted the same. I just can’t remember which shop cost the least. Definitely not The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf.

*****

Wrote this blog’s draft while at our company’s parking lot, waiting for my wife…

Man is Never Contented

The first time I heard this cliché was way back when I was in elementary. I never knew then that its meaning will become clearer and clearer (not to mention more expensive) as I grow older. Back then it was just begging for He-Man action figures when I’ve got the small plastic toy soldiers. Wanting to have Legos when I’ve got freebie building blocks from sari-sari store junk foods packs. Dreaming of having BB aluminum slingshots when in fact I already have the bayabas(guava) wood piece. Imagining of having Tonka toys dragged around instead of the Milo cans transformed into trucks with wheels cut out from old smagol (slippers). All those wants and imaginations I never got.

So after more than 20 years that 4-word cliché keeps on circling my mind as if it has cache itself in one of the brain lobes and so ready to remind me any time I’m pulling away from reality.

The recent change from our stereotyped Kia Pride to the highly praised Honda brand (though only having the basic 1.3A City) gave me the feeling of a paradigm shift. I felt as if I just had exchanged my push cart to a Bugatti, just to exaggerate of course. But that was actually how it felt. No one can blame me for feeling this way as the change also involved from having our first car being second hand and having the second car already being a brand new.

If having the Kia Pride excitedly made me search the web for support groups then it’s no wonder if I’ve already spent some time browsing and lurking in Honda forums. This is for me to know what the other owners of the same model I have in their mind. I’m keeping a blind eye though on upgrades as I’m just more interested mostly in maintenance…for now.

And then reality struck. My precious Mary has its flaws and weaknesses too. Some of the owners find their City as having poor suspension, dashboards that are easily scratched, rusting hinges, poor gas mileage, rickety interiors and so forth. I did double check if I’m not reading my Kia Pride’s ex-forum. Well the URL has Honda in it. Hmmm.

As if awaken from a bad dream, these finding made me make up my pros and cons list I’ve seen so far.

Pros:

·         Power Steering.

·         Very silent engine. I find it necessary to honk every now and then to keep inattentive pedestrians from straying near Mary while I’m passing.

·         Spacious interior and boot.

·         4 cup holders. Who said you can’t drink and drive?

Cons:

·         Manual antenna. My Kia pride had power.  

·         Very tight boot and gas lever. Having a Rolex is a bad idea. But then again who has a genuine Rolex and a City.

·         Audio player is not MP3 capable. And there are only 2 speakers located in the front. I pity the rear passengers.

·         The side panels and ceiling are prone to dirt stains due to the fabric material.

And so it is proven once again that man is never contented, gid. Of course this is both a good and a bad thing. It becomes good when you aim for a better life but it becomes so bad when you keep on having more wants than needs. It becomes worse when you keep on staring at the seductive Toyota Camry (the web info shows that what I’m seeing are Hybrids. And this means that there are Hybrids now in Cavite?) while inside your new Honda City. Ti abi.

Enjoy it while it last Cris.