Mariqueen Maandig of "West Indian Girl"

In Search for House on a Saturday Night

The night started out at Bistro 412. Typical place that required you to dress up prissy and uncomfortable and charged you cover after 11pm. It was one of them places that transform from a restaurant into a club at night. Problem is that it is rude to kick out your diners. There was a party in the patio, where they usually play House. The DJ was setting up, but the old folks from the party before were still chilling, mingling and chatting. And inside, they were playing some nasty hip hop radio mix shit. Fuck that.

Off to Cardiff we go. No dress code, no cover, good music. We usually hate this place on a Saturday night because it gets too damn crowded. But around 1am the crowd thinned out, and we made ourselves some space in the back. Then the music got weird. THEN THE LIGHTS CAME ON. Son of a bitch.

We remembered that someone had a party tonight at his house. We were still antsy and blueballsy from not getting our fix tonight, so we find out where he lived and crashed the party. Cool dude we met a few weeks ago. He was a fellow electronic music lover and we were going to hook up his iPod to get some music. But we couldn't plug it into ANY OF THE SPEAKERS AROUND HIS HOUSE. All we had were a few CDs. We played them and now we're getting a little frustrated. Then we remember that there is one place that never closes, and always has good music, energy and crowd.

At 3.30am, we say fuck it, leave San Jose, and head to San Francisco's EndUp. At 4.30am, we're sitting in the car outside EndUp. Two of us bust open some beer to celebrate our arrival, and the other two in the backseat pop open cans of Red Bull.

"Are we ready?"
"Let's go"
:D

We left just in time to see the sun rise on our drive back.

Beware of tiger

Can You Feel It?

Down the road or across the street?

This sucker looks more promising.

Cheetahs

Underground

Just got back from an underground House music thing. They made us send an email with our phone number. They sent us back a text message on the day of, with instructions to call a number for directions. When we called the number, a voice message told us that the location will be revealed at 10pm. Sneaky shit!

It was in a warehouse. Dark and smoky. Before long the floor started getting wet with spilled drinks. DJs spinning in the corner. A circle forms. The music starts out hard. Some trancers get in the circle, one at a time, followed by some top rockers. I wasn't feeling their flow. I didn't like that they danced like they wanted to battle; like they were trying to outdo each other. Fuck that. Stepped out for a bit.

Soon the house got deeper. Groovier. Aww yea that's it. The "ravers" thin out now, some house dancers start to join in. Now I can feel the flow. Yea hit me with some broken beat. The wet floor has turned sticky now. Haha. But damn, the music takes me to some floor work.

It was hot and everyone was sweaty. 6 hours later, our legs are gone and we head home.

W. Edwards Denning

"William Edwards Deming (October 14, 1900–December 20, 1993) was an American statistician, college professor, author, lecturer, and consultant. Deming is widely credited with improving production in the United States during World War II, although he is perhaps best known for his work in Japan. There, from 1950 onward he taught top management how to improve design (and thus service), product quality, testing and sales (the last through global markets)^[1] through various methods, including the application of statistical methods such as analysis of variance (ANOVA) and hypothesis testing. Deming made a significant contribution to Japan becoming renowned for producing innovative high-quality products and becoming an economic power. He is regarded as having had more impact upon Japanese manufacturing and business than any other individual not of Japanese heritage. Despite being considered something of a hero in Japan, he was only beginning to win widespread recognition in the U.S. at the time of his death. ^[2]"

When America laughs and says fuck you, go to Japan and become a hero. Who's laughing now?

Pierre Marie Brisson

"Sir, if you step any closer, I will have to have you arrested"
"Are you an artist?"
"It's usually the artists who stand up really close to look at the artwork"
"What is your profession?"
I'm an engineer.
"Ah, so you would appreciate the details and emotions that go into creating something beautiful"
I can relate to the emotions that drive and motivate, but we are not allowed to use our emotions.
Yes, it is mechanical, clinical and precise.

We then chat a little about structure, composition, design, collecting, personal expression, and how strongly she feels about Brisson's work. She hands me a card and mentions that I can browse his other works online. But the pictures don't do them justice, she says. Yes, there is depth and texture. I thank her and excuse myself to catch up with my friends.

"Call me when you're ready", she smiles.

Biography

GT500 GTR

Holy shit Google, have you no shame?

I just got this LinkedIn message:

Hi Aaron,

I looked at your profile and was impressed by your experience with Xilinx. I wanted to see if you might be interested in exploring opportunities at Google. Please feel free to contact me directly. I appreciate your consideration and look forward to hearing from you!

Best regards,

Eric Bullock
Technical Sourcer
Google, Inc.
720 225-3652
ericb@google.com

I couldn't imagine what he could've been so impressed about that he felt motivated to contact me, so I checked to see what my LinkedIn profile said:

Software Engineer at Xilinx
FPGA Physical Implementation Tools, Placer group

I personally find this insulting. He is obviously not interested in my skills or in me as a person, because there isn't much in my profile that describes me.

He is just spamming me in a blind attempt to meet his quota of monkeys. The worst thing is that he is copy-pasting some template that pretends to be "impressed". And that is dishonesty.

E..mmmm..a Griffiths

Black R35

Smashing roadblocks on the road to victory

Another mystery solved
I'm finding issue after issue while testing my new system
Funny thing is, the problems aren't usually mine
I spend days trying to figure out why it isn't working
Then discover that, oh, our existing systems are deficient
So hack hack hack I go --- systems upgraded.
Shit, it still does not work
Fuck, here's why... there are problems within the existing systems
I wonder if they had ever even worked
Fix fix fix
Haihs

Brooklyn Terry @ Feeling Friday

Sunday twisties

Subaru WRX turbo, Mazda Miata, Nissan 350Z. Screaming engines, brisk night air, and the comforting embrace of lateral Gs. Control has become easier since starting a little strength training. Stronger legs helped with footwork and delayed fatigue. Core and arm strength helped with steering and stability. More limits surpassed; more speed ahead. Time for a wash.

E-Joe

Fuckin E-Joe...

Luce, La Solitudine

Foreign languages are sexy.

Religion

Even agnostics have something to argue about. You could be agnostic with an inclination toward the existence of God, or you could be an agnostic who believes that God is unnecessary. Neither can ever prove if either theory is correct.

Lawyers

[14:32] me: these lawyers have no idea what's going on
[14:32] me: even if he's tech-inclined, he doesn't even have electrical engineering basics
[14:32] me: he just knows some terms, and how those terms go with each other
[14:32] me: a bullshitter, essentially
[14:33] him: yeah, well
[14:34] him: thats the nature of things
[14:36] him: are you bitching about bullshitting lawyers? who cares
[14:36] him: thats like complaining that the sky is blue
[14:36] me: that's true
[14:37] him: it takes bullshitting to BE a lawyer
[14:40] me: that's funny that the value that lawyers add with their expertise, is bullshit
[14:41] me: "because of my experience in bullshitting, i will take your document, and turn it into a legal document by adding bullshit"
[14:41] me: "you cannot do this without me, because you do not have sufficient experience or training in bullshittery"
[14:43] him: trial lawyers, especially
[14:43] him: finding technical arguments for one thing or another can be done by real experts in other things
[14:44] him: only law experts can do some legal reasoning like that
[14:44] him: but not all lawyers are not these kinds of law experts
[14:44] him: they are just bullshitters, most of em
[14:45] me: haha
[14:45] him: and by law experts, i mean going and looking up some logical reason why this or that is false because this other thing is true, so therefore it must be illegal by combining these 3 laws together for you to do what you did
[14:45] me: check this out
[14:45] me: my reply
[14:45] me: to his question
[14:45] me: [0047] [Please explain the distinction and how the order of fit affects fittability.]
Suppose you are playing horizontal Tetris. But with 2 pieces, < and <>
If you put < followed by <>,
you get <<> and they fit nicely together
If you put <> followed by <, you get <>< which doesn't fit nicely together.
[14:45] him: heh
[14:45] him: tell him this is the fish theorem
[14:46] him: :)

Corum Bubble Skeleton

Perception changes

It's cool that a 1-storey drop doesn't seem scary anymore. And more interesting that I leaned against a 2-storey stairway rail thinking, "this could be doable".

"We stand upon the brink of a precipice. We peer into the abyss – we grow sick and dizzy. Our first impulse is to shrink from the danger. Unaccountably we remain. By slow degrees our sickness, and dizziness, and horror, become merged in a cloud of unnameable feeling. By gradations, still more imperceptible, this cloud assumes shape, as did the vapor from the bottle out of which arose the genius in the Arabian Nights. But out of this our cloud upon the precipice's edge, there grows into palpability, a shape, far more terrible than any genius, or any demon of a tale, and yet it is but a thought, although a fearful one, and one which chills the very marrow of our bones with the fierceness of the delight of its horror. It is merely the idea of what would be our sensations during the sweeping precipitancy of a fall from such a height. And this fall – this rushing annihilation – for the very reason that it involves that one most ghastly and loathsome of all the most ghastly and loathsome images of death and suffering which have ever presented themselves to our imagination – for this very cause do we now the most vividly desire it. And because our reason violently deters us from the brink, therefore, do we the more impetuously approach it. There is no passion in nature so demoniacally impatient, as that of him, who shuddering upon the edge of a precipice, thus meditates a plunge. To indulge for a moment, in any attempt at thought, is to be inevitably lost; for reflection but urges us to forbear, and therefore it is, I say, that we cannot. If there be no friendly arm to check us, or if we fail in a sudden effort to prostrate ourselves backward from the abyss, we plunge, and are destroyed."

Except that the thrill is thinking I can thwart destruction.

Good mix

House and beer mix well... music... awesome.

Have my feet shrunk?

Having my right foot slip off the brake pedal during heel-and-toe is scary...

Lights

Nifty lights, and garage in the middle of nowhere.

Tikitiki tISH, baby

me: there are lots of beats in house
me: it's like pop jazz
me: if there is such a thing
me: the drums go trrr t t t t t trrrr t t t t
me: and the bass goes dum da dum... da de dum da dum...
me: and then occasionally there's the tISHhhhhhh of the hi-hat
me: tikitiki tikitiki tISHhhhhhhhh
me: trrrrrrrrr t t t t t t ..... trrrr t t t t t t
her: oh my god......
me: and you can play with the music, in dance
me: it's like another instrument
me: step step stepstepstep hop step step shuffle shuffle step step
me: tikitiki tishTISHhhhhh
her: blahhhh booo beee dooo keee koooo ahhhh
me: badabada badabada dum dum

ECU and non-linear throttle response

More hidden power. I've been inadvertently living in the throttle's mushy zone. The throttle is drive-by-wire, and is fairly unresponsive until close to when the throttle is wide open. The response is non-linear; I have to step on it to wake the ECU up.

Need more beats

Fuck deez hip hop clubs yo. I need more funky beats!

Feel

"Feel is more important than technique."

I thought this guy was good before. But now I understand... this guy has no soul.

Old love & cars?

Remember Friendster? Yes. I logged in for the first time in ages and clicked on "Who's viewed me". One of the people who looked up my profile was the previous owner of my current car. He has pics of his new baby up. Cute little f*cker. But I guess he misses his old car. So I sent him an email and said hi.

:D

Like throwing a hotdog down a hallway?

You'd have to strap a 2x4 to your ass so you don't fall in

Bahaha

Bastard

(12:08:49 AM) him: this dude was supposed to put on a dribbling show, and danced instead
(12:08:53 AM) him: everyone was shocked!
(12:09:19 AM) me: didn't they know who he was?
(12:09:36 AM) me: or that he did not have a ball?
(12:09:36 AM) him: im jk aaron geez
(12:09:48 AM) me: shit where's my funny bone
(12:09:53 AM) him: i dunno man
(12:10:02 AM) him: do you have a dog?
(12:10:11 AM) me: no
(12:10:13 AM) him: haha.. you might wanna check there first
(12:10:15 AM) him: jk

>__<

Brooklyn Terry

Taking it to the next level

I have been enjoying two books I bought recently, Speed Secrets I and II. The series is an awesome collection of tips on how to drive better, with insightful details and logic behind each tip. I've been practicing a bunch of tips from the book, like:

Speed sensing. The idea is that good drivers can the speed of the vehicle they're driving by using the input from all their senses, without looking at the speedometer. The best drivers have this sense dialed in to fractions of an mph. This helps in all areas of car control, especially in corners, since entering a corner 1 mph too slow could result in a loss of 3 mph exiting it.

The line. I now try to find and drive the perfect line in each corner. Even on the slight bends on freeways. I try to focus on the scrubbing off a little speed on the entry, balancing the car, turning in and maintaining speed through mid corner, aiming for the apex, squeezing on the throttle, and smoothly unwinding the steering to clip the outside line. Then, I squeeeeze the throttle back up to my cruising speed, without looking at the speedometer.

And left foot braking. Reduces the lag when moving between throttle and brake. The secret weapon of high-speed corners. It's fun, partly because of the challenge of training my left foot to do something completely alien. When I get it down on the beater, it'll be another period of learning on the more sensitive brakes on the Z.

Suddenly driving is no longer boring! By the end of the year, I should be able to make the cars dance.

Funny I never noticed before...

I love triangles!!!

First time, noticable body roll

Pushed a corner a little harder today; no traction control to interrupt this time. Tacked on a few more lateral Gs, and a squished on a little more body roll. No loss of traction. Neutral steering. The car can go faster.

Absinthe

The most popular misconception about absinthe is that it is a drug, or at least similar to a drug in effect. This is not true. The hysteria surrounding absinthe in the early 20th century fueled the misconception that absinthe was a powerful intoxicant, caused hallucinations that drove men "mad", threw them into epileptic fits, and made Van Gogh slice off his ear. The truth however, is both more interesting and less sensational:
Absinthe differs from almost all other drinks in containing a higher percentage of alcohol - up to 72% - and of course in containing extract of wormwood, or Artemisia absinthium, to give it its correct Latin name. Wormwood is a herb related to the daisy family that grows wild in many areas of Europe. From ancient times it has been prized as one of the most valuable medicinal herbs. An Egyptian papyrus from
1600BC recommends wormwood as a stimulant and tonic, an antiseptic, and a remedy for fevers and period pains. Pythagoras thought that wormwood leaves in wine would ease childbirth, and Hippocrates also recommended it for period pains, as well as anemia and rheumatism. Today, wormwood oil, the oil obtained from Artemisia absinthium, is used as a counter-irritant in many common over-the-counter pharmacy products, including Vicks Vaporub.

http://www.drinkupny.com/product_p/s0390.htm
Lucid represents a breakthrough product for the U.S. market, as it is the first true, Grande Wormwood-based Absinthe of its type available since before prohibition. Unlike imitators in the U.S. and the many so-called "Absinthe" products that litter the international markets, Lucid is crafted directly from select whole herbs, including Grande Wormwood, and never from cheaper assemblages, macerations, extracts or oils.

The Absinthe Ritual:
http://www.absinthespoon.com/absinthe_ritual.html
http://youtube.com/watch?v=40k7SkXi3Rc

Digitally Buttraped

[11:29] me: fucking php
[11:29] iamyou: why?
[11:29] me: php5 does not work out of the box with mysql anymore
[11:29] me: i upgraded from php4 to php5
[11:29] me: and now i gotta do the monkey dance to make php5 work with mysql
[11:30] me: i'm pissed coz i did the monkey dance 4 times yesterday, but it still didn't work
[11:30] me: i'm also pissed that the monkey dance is not well documented
[11:33] iamyou: ooo ooo ooo ooo AH AH AH AH
[11:33] me: yea that's what i tried first
[11:33] me: but that didn't work
[11:33] me: so i tried AH AH AH AH ooo ooo ooo ooo
[11:33] me: and then AH ooo AH ooo AH ooo AH ooo
[11:35] iamyou: now fling poo
[11:38] me: good news is it's easy to develop facebook apps

You get what you pay for

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7rrk3ZjN-I

Friend's yorkie's latest trick

We didn't mean to teach her this trick. But somehow she learned a trick called "Where's Aaron?" It must've been through unconscious repetition, but now everytime she asks her puppy that question, it comes running to me excitedly.
My friend just tried it --- she darted out of the room, then came back later all sad because I wasn't there. This dog kills me with cuteness.

Watches

Note to self: you like Panerai and Bell&Ross watches.

Driving thought of the day

More technical cars are harder to drive fast, but are able to go faster.

Corollory: it takes less effort to take a corner at 100% on a POS car, than it is to take a corner at 60% on a more technical car.

Sha and Steve

SUPER CLEAN

Bro Rape

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zvTRQr7ns8

Hot damn

Yaw sensor disconnected

The car feels uninhibited and lighter with the electronics disabled. It's almost like bricks were taken off the wheels. Before, it felt like I was sloshing in mud. Now I feel everything. And everything feels precise.

But it could be my imagination.

Hungry for power

The temptation for forced induction is strong.

Truth

Stack enough misconceptions together,
and out comes blinding truth.
People are just so hungry to believe.

Ray LaMontagne - Jolene

Cocaine flame in my bloodstream
Sold my coat when I hit Spokane
Bought myself a hard pack of cigarettes in the early morning rain
Lately my hands they don't feel like mine
My eyes been stung with dust and blind
Held you in my arms one time
Lost you just the same
Jolene
I ain't about to go straight
It's too late
I found myself face down in a ditch
Booze in my hair
Blood in my lips
A picture of you holding a picture of me
In the pocket of my blue jeans
Still don't know what love means
Still don't know what love means
Jolene

Drugs unleash the inner poet.

Retards

Something to try

I must try Balut one day:
http://www.handsonkitchen.com/forum/poultry/balut-381/#post1161

Keep on climbing

Damn, she didn't show up today. I'm gonna f*cking keep climbing for as long as there's a possibility she'll be there. It's the only lead I have right now

I've uncovered a bunch of things to work on for climbing. Most immediate is to quieten the body.

Indoctrination

Car depreciation sucks

Every week, I see one of these posts:

350z in two years
ok im 14 right now looking to get a g35 or a 350z when i turn 16.I been practicing driving my mom's 07 camry hybrid and my dad's lamborghini diablo SV (ONCE OR TWICE).My parents need me to take my little sister to school,
when im 16 so i need a reliable and safe car also want it to be fast.So i was just wondering if a g35 and 350z are good starter car and if they are safe cars also.....
THX
(i been driving around my block and in huge parking lots for a year now so when im 16 i will be a good driver)

And also one of these:

totalled my 2006 Z!!!!!!
i f*cking hit my neighbors fence!!! to make the story short..i spin out of control, when i was accelerating i hit a bump and made my car flew to the curve and straight to the fence, hitting a orange tree!!!
now i need a new car!!
what should i get?
touring Z fully loaded...
G35 coupe 2007....
evo 9
sti wrx
bmw 335i turbo charged.........????
my dad just got the M3!!!!

Z totalled !!!!!!
We were doin do-nuts at sum mall near by. Security was on us and chased us and my boy in his new 350z crashed his car into a guard rail. I feel so bad. Kid just got the car not too long ago. Hopefully he will get another one. He really loved his car and he is a good kid. R.i.p. PINKY!

totaled the z
wow i cannot believe it last night about 6ish i was driving with my friend we were going pretty fast and then it happened lost controlled skidded across the freeway off to the side down a small hill flipped twice over a fence and landed on the wheels i dont really remember it but my friend does and he told me it we flipped couple times i cant believe it ive read soo much crap bout 350z getting totaled and here i am talking bout how it happened to me i got a fatty a** ticket but im fine jus a f***ed up face damn its crazy i didnt get any pictures cause the cop said he was chasing after me and saw what happened which i think is bs cause i didnt see no cop after me but me and my friend are find prob not gonna get a new z only 2 months old im thinking of getting a used truck but im only 16 my mom or my dad has to buy it and right now things dont look good but i live 20 miles from school and haVE TO DRIVE but thank god im still alive and nothing serious i love my z and i really messed up and i take full responsbilty i wasnt driving safe in the bad conditions. thank you

Fucking kids.

Run

My legs are like jello
But where I go they can't follow

Fast

Damn, he was fast. Little Mazda Protege5. I needed bigger balls to keep up with him. Or better familiarity with my car...

350ZX TT commercial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0B8UG7pK9Q

So I'm having a dream. I'm in a turbo Z.
And these guys are after me.
But they can't catch me.
So they get a car.
But they can't catch me.
So they get a plane.
Jussst as they're about to catch me
twin
turbos
kick
in.

5.10 Prodigy

The best trail running shoes ever! I got these last week and took em out for a spin one evening. Shock absorption is A+, stability is A+, and the sole is crazy sticky. Exactly what I expected from a running shoe made by a climbing shoe company. I felt like climbing, running up and jumping onto everything!

Incidentally, I went climbing with some friends on Sunday, and completed my first 5.10 route :D

All good things must come to an end

Are there any good clubs anymore? Clubs like: Paradise Garage...
I hope so. I'd like to think there's more than the nastyfest of wannabe-G and 'ho trash, that is clubs these days. No, please don't tell me any more about your skanky ass, your diamonds and your chrome spinners. You are not hot, and you are not badass; get over yourself.

Don't forget yourself

I've needed to remember not to forget myself. With engagements and company, many distractions can suck your flow a different way. It's been a while; I haven't been myself. Lately, it's a case of being in a world of dogs. I love dogs, but sometimes they're like babies.

Open your eyes

Bobby Caldwell - Open Your Eyes

I see you in a lonely place
How can you be so blind
You're still regretting
The love you left, left behind
Oh darling

I've seen you go through the changes
Sitting alone each night
Are you expecting to find the love
Love that's right

Darling open your eyes
Let me show you the light
Girl you'll never find a love that's right

Darling open your eyes
Let me show you the light
Girl you think you're so wise
You're so wise

There are times
When you'll need someone
I will be by your side
I take my chances
Before they pass, pass me by
Oh darling

There is a light that shines
Special for you and me
You need a look at the other side
You'll agree

Darling open your eyes
Let me show you the light
You may never find a love that's right

http://youtube.com/watch?v=UTauo3NM5IA

Open doors, but too heavy to budge

I'm starting to see opportunities, but I don't have the resources to make things happen.

2007 Review

I celebrated by putting 3 layers of polish on the car. And I decided today, that I cannot rely on my current job to get me the monetary compensation that I want. I'm just going to treat it as a cushy job that pays the bills. I'll have to take matters into my own hands.

Time

Time is the most valuable commodity. Think about money, power, or relationships with people. Time can be converted into any one of these things, but the reverse is not true. Time spent cannot be regained.

Feeling in different languages

There are so many ways to express feelings. It's fascinating to hear how other languages express the same emotions. For example, certain songs express thoughts in a way that's only possible in a certain language. You can't always translate a song to another language and have the same effect. The inflexions, consonants, syllables and vocal changes --- they are all language dependent.

Listen to Laura Pausini in La Solitudine. Or Hikaru Utada in First Love. In the first line of the first verse, she sings, "Saigo no kisu wa..." In English, it is, "Our last kiss..." She could put that much emotion into the first line, only because of how those thoughts spell out in Japanese. You can't naturally stretch the single-syllable words in "our last kiss" to have the same effect.

It's plausible that you experience the world in different ways, through different languages. Why should we confine ourselves to feel in just one?

There is a buyer for everything

The products just have to reach the right audience.

Sweet, $

Congratulations! Your Disclosure has been approved by the Patent Committee to receive a “Patent Disclosure Award” & "Patent Pursue Award". You should be receiving the above awards on the July 15, 2007 payroll period.

Services and products

I am getting more inclined to ditch the idea of product development altogether. There's too little value to be added in goods and too much work. Unless you come across the holy grail in the form of the killer product, of course. Isn't it much more profitable to sell services? Or rather, sell things such as convenience and efficiency.

Lorenza Ponce

Flipping through the channels, I froze when I saw her on stage with Bon Jovi in his 2007 Unplugged session. When did she join the band?

Violinist/vocalist Lorenza Ponce has been mesmerizing audiences worldwide with her mastery of the violin, hauntingly beautiful vocals, and her dramatic yet graceful stage presence. Recently, she was the lead violinist and string arranger for The Dixie Chicks 2003 Top of The World Tour. Lorenza Ponce is the violinist of choice for rock superstar Bon Jovi, has toured extensively with Sheryl Crow, and was the featured violinist/vocalist for new age megastar John Tesh's One World PBS Special.
http://lorenzaponce.com/bio/index.php

Happiness is a choice

It's all a matter of perspective. Choose to be happy :D

Tradeoff: maximum reward vs opportunity

I must tread lightly. Because I have found myself thinking that if only I were at Google, I could make this project awesomely sweet. They have swifter technology and brute manpower, but I have the idea. I feel like they're hundreds of hungry Chinese ready to pounce on my Disneyland.

Busy vs free

Some people try to end up as busy as they can. Overbooked, overscheduled, unnecessarily stressed, burning both ends of the candle and constantly struggling to get enough sleep.

Some other people try to be free. Busy is only justified if it's for something important, and there is no such thing as busy for busy's sake.

The Magnificent Seven

... was inspired by The Seven Samurai.

Car night

It's late and no one's awake. Kinda lonely being up at this time. It used to be more entertaining.

Washed the Z and shined her up with some Z8. Then did the interior for once. SEX. Dropped her back at the apartment and picked up the MX6. That bitch's trunk wouldn't open earlier. And power-steering's been giving me problems lately.

I was hungry after detailing the Z so I went to pick up some grub and brought it to my "work area" (the coin-operated car wash area that was well lit). I had with me: my toolbox, paper towels, power steering fluid, hand pump, flashlight, 2 burgers and small fries. I wolfed down the fries and chomped down half the burger, then set it aside as I crawled into the trunk from the back seats. Damn trunk... how does it open. I found the latch and worked it but the trunk won't budge. After a while I shifted the flashlight and noticed that I had somehow cut myself and I was bleeding all over the place. Eventually I see a little clip that goes 'click' up and 'click' down. Hmm. I pushed it up 'click', then tried manhandling the latch again... *THUNK* the trunk opens. I must've accidentally shifted the clip earlier. Oh well, trunk fixed.

On to the next item --- popped the hood. I finished the first burger and started on the second burger. I set it down near the bumper. The fluid I had was cherry red. The fluid in the reservoir was some nasty ugly color. Squish-squish-squish I worked the pump and the old fluid was sucked out. I kept doing this for a bit. A cop car doing its rounds drove by; I poked my head up, hid the tubes behind the open hood and smiled. I didn't want them to see that I was playing with power-steering fluid and have them fuss about my disposal methods. Ah finally... time for the new fluid to go in. Thick, syrupy, pinkish-red. I could already tell that it would do some good. I started up the car, turned the wheel around a couple of times. Mmmm felt good.

Then I decided to examine the intake. Filter looked good. Interesting airbox. What the hell? There was a loose piece of paper caught in there. That must've been equivalent to having a stuffy nose. OMG the engine oil was low. Am I leaking oil? I topped it up when I got home. I shall check the level again tomorrow when the oil settles. I cleaned up and enjoyed a feeling of accomplishment, and a sense that things were now better than they were.

Smooth

... is a buttery, silky weight transition through a turn. Nice braking, downshift... mmm perfect rev-match. Downshift. Open up throttle, steady steering through the apex. Full throttle into graceful bliss...

Is that it

She called the other night, asking me what I was up to. With some friends, I said. She said she wanted to hang out. Not tonight; I've made other plans. She keeps insisting. After a while it got to me. Then I started to get the feeling like I was obligated to, but then I thought what the hell is going on? Oh no you have no right to make me feel shitty. How's your boyfriend, I asked her. What was more disappointing than what she'd do with other guys while in a relationship, was hearing her try to rationalize it. I don't want to play this. And I hate needy people.

I figured out the cause

... of the over-straining of my lower back muscles when paddling. My outside leg weakens over time, and I unconsciously start to support and stabilize my upper body with my lower back. The result of this is that my lower back muscles start tightening up and seizing.
What I tried yesterday was sliding my inner leg forward a little, to help support and stabilize my body more throughout my forward lean. This took off alot of stress from my lower back and hamstrings.

I'm having power steering problems

Steering on the mx stiffening up after long drives (overheating?). I hope all it needs is new fluid.

One step at a time

When working on (seemingly) open-ended projects, I sometimes forget how refreshing it is to have a to-do list. Or rather, a to-do-today list. Get it done, check it off, close and done for the day.

Material possessions and (lack of) character

The only qualification anyone needs to purchase something is money. And money doesn't automatically imbue you with character.

EDFC

Trying a dampening setting that's 5 clicks tighter. Cornering feels sharper and crisper.

Note: Oil changed. 49700 mi.

Tweaking the stroke

This is a picture my coworker sent me yesterday, critiquing my dragonboat stroke. Things to work on:
1. "reach more with top arm"
2. "bury the blade before pulling"
3. "rotate more to keep hips under torso, so that the lower back doesn't support the weight of the entire upper body lean"

Someone could have told me about 3. earlier. My back's still all jacked from Tuesday's practice.

Oh I see

So that's why she stopped calling. She's in a relationship now. Good for her :)

Fat nasty tube amp

The electric guitar has been sitting there forever. When do I plan to get an amp? So many dirty licks to play.

Sometimes I forget to breathe

Breathing is supposed to be taken care of my brain unconsciously. Yet sometimes my brain forgets this as it's multitasking, and my breathing is interrupted. Then when I try to focus on breathing, I get distracted. I need to relearn how to continue breathing while I'm concentrating.

Something I'd like to practice

Don't give advice if it's not asked for.

Stupid zealots

Some of the people who give religion a bad name are the stupid zealots. And I don't say "stupid" to emphasize my opinion, but I mean stupid as in dumbass. Instantly recognizable for their boisterous enthusiasm and religious paraphenalia, these guys enjoy sidestepping logical reasoning and often "take things as they are". When questioned, they resort to childish banter such as "because the Bible says so" or "because that's how God created them". They sound like pre-programmed, indoctrinated drones. When I see people like that, I lose respect for them as a human beings. Last I checked, God created humans, not mindless sheep. So ironically, as religious as they think they are, I consider them an insult to God's creation.

Going faster

The more comfortable I get with the Z, the farther I push. I got home today a little tense, and my hands were trembling slightly. It was the feeling of fear mixed with excitement. I drove smoother than I ever have, but somehow I felt like I just walked away from a car wreck. I felt excited because of how well I drove, but I felt fear because all my actions were unconscious. Was I in control?

It reminds me of the feeling of: many hours of preparation leading to a split-second of perfect, reflexive choreography --- a moment so fast that I cannot consciously comprehend it, even though I understand that it happened.

What the hell

She has a boyfriend... yet she acts like she doesn't around me. Why is she flirting with me?

Spending cap

I need to control my spending...

F*ck this bullshit music

Dress up, drive, get drunk, shake booty, rinse, repeat.
I'm getting tired of all this bad music. This Memorial Day weekend I was just plain tired. And I'm wincing at the thought of alcohol. I guess it has alot to do with the company.

Morning thoughts on driving

I'm glad I chose the MX6.

[10:54] a: I love the Z
[10:54] a: after driving the mx6 i appreciate the Z more
[10:55] a: the mx6 is kinda like the Z
[10:55] a: i don't know how to explain it
[10:55] a: i feel that everytime after i drive the mx6, i can drive the Z better
[10:55] R: they are both big.. and have a smooth V6.
[10:56] a: the mx6 is kinda torquey
[10:56] a: but not as much as the Z
[10:56] a: and i think it's easier to get used to
[10:56] a: but when i get used to the mx6's torqueyness, i find that it helps me get used to the Z too
[10:56] a: they shift very similarly
[10:57] a: that's kinda cool, i'm glad i didn't get a honda
[10:58] a: i think people shouldn't start with hondas...
[10:58] a: hondas make people bad drivers
[10:59] a: they're too easy to drive

Long commute pays off

Today's one of the days I am glad I chose a place close to the city. Sure it's a little farther from work, but I get to come home from a morning barbeque in the city; shower, take a nap, and drive back up to the city at night without any fuss.

New found appreciation

After driving a car with lower limits, I feel more confident with the Z's limits. This allowed me to push harder; I could better appreciate the way it's built to go faster. I keep uncovering a little more of the car's potential each time. What's exciting is that I don't even think I'm at 50% yet. Also, mentally erasing the car's status as "commuter" is changing my approach in driving it.

Review schmeview

The only thing expressions of "very good work", and "we're impressed with your performance" are good for is ego-stroking. And I do not need anyone to stroke my ego for me.
Appreciate my work? Money is the only language I understand.

Got Rice!

A new addition to my stable. A 164HP, 2.5L V6, 2775 lbs beater. But I'm embarassed to say it's a little ricey.

Histrionic?

I sent a friend off to Vegas today. I will keep her car in my apartment complex. Honda Civic. Driving back home later, I noticed that it blends with everything.

Then I felt something unusual. Not a single person looked my way.

I am embarassed to say that I missed the attention!

In other news, I want a PS2! I never had one, and that amounts to a few years worth of games that I've missed :(

Intake...

The downside to getting the intake is that I keep getting the urge to downshift and open up the throttle. All the people I pass must be thinking: that stupid punk kid.

HEHEHE

Mika growls!

The intake installation was relatively easy. Now the roar has a throaty growl to it, with some hissing. Throttle is more responsive and somewhat smoother. Top end opens up nicely into a wide grin on my face.

Tracking Update For Intense Motorsports Invoice

Your order has shipped.

Intake for the car en route! This'll help a little with breathing. I'm looking forward to installing it this week.

Reference vid

MMmmm

Heineken.

My Brain!!!

AAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!!! I can't listen to another girl talk tonight.

"I'd like for us to be better friends"

Haha whatever beatch. You just want me to be another one of those guys that surround you. I have something you want and it amuses me to not give it to you. I have a very long memory and I hold grudges.

To become the most effective paddling machine...

... is dragonboating. I didn't think I would get into a sport that's so uncreative, or one that requires me to strip away everything that is human. It isn't really about competing against other people. There isn't any trying to outmaneuver, out-think or out-play. There aren't split-second decisions or training to react reflexively. There is no concept of offense or defense. You don't aspire to be a master tactician.

You just try to be the perfect engine in a 20-man boat.

Bruised knee

Knee bruised from failed pop vault variation. Imagine the pop vault:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=39raXNdttxQ
except, picture the right foot slipping on the wall, and the left knee not clearing the top of the wall and ramming into it *THUD*. More forward velocity solved the problem.

Wheels black with brake dust

Went for a drive with my buddy RS near George Lucas' Skywalker Ranch on Friday night. He had never been in my car, so I thought I'd take him for a ride. I was fun taking Mika out on some windy mountain roads again, after spending more time getting used to her. Things feel natural, and it doesn't feel like I'm fighting with her all the time.

There were a few incidents that night. One of them was running into a mob of about 20 guys who looked like they were taking a walk along the road. We couldn't figure out why they'd be there, but it was scary. The next was blasting along a straight road: revved up 1st gear, redlined 2nd, roared into 3rd, and suddenly I saw a cop car approaching an intersection ahead of me from the right! I eased on the brake to slow down, and let it off just before I reached the cop car so as not to raise suspicion; all while hoping that I had slowed down enough to not appear to be speeding.

Surprisingly, VDC did not kick in at all. I was expecting it to, since it has kicked in before at lower lateral Gs. RS theorizes that having 2 people in the car balanaces the car out a little more, while the VDC system is getting confused with all the car's mods and having only 1 person in the car.

Had dinner with FST...

... maybe she's not so psycho after all.

I gots a BIKE!!!

Hello Diamondback Topanga :)
When I said bye to my rickety old-faithful on my last days at my college campus, I looked forward to the day I could enjoy a nice bike. I could resist taking it out for a spin right after I got it. Zoom zoom... something about riding a bike that made me smile! Reminded me of growing up, old times, riding in Michigan winter, and now, being free! Today is the day.

At the top of the slippery slope

Ok, this girl, FST --- I'm pretty sure is flirting with me. The question is... am I allowed to play along only if I'm seriously interested?

Quote

It is easy to tell the difference between the people who have money, and the people who know what to do with their money.

Senna's driving position

It is strange that Ayrton Senna drives with his arms almost completely straight.

Give me a quiet Sunday

4pm was the perfect time to wake up today. Still trying to figure out if that chick FST is psycho or a nice girl with a personality. Let's give it some time. It's fortunate that she isn't stupefyingly gorgeous such that I can't think straight.

I think she's flirting with me

asicsamerica.com

The scene that made my night

HahaHahaHa it feels so shallow but anyway I met someone at a club (let's call her S) and we decided to go grab something to eat after with her friends.

I ask the driver, "Can we all fit in your car?"
He says, "Oh... no. We can't. Can you drive? Why don't you drive and follow me?"
"Sure, I can drive. I'll pull up behind you"
I fetch Mika and swing up right in front of the club entrance, across the road.
VRRrr... rumble.rumble.
She probably stared for 1 minute before she decided to make her way over.
The look on her face was priceless.
Halfway across the road, she paused like she was unsure, then continued.

Huh? Sex on wheels? What's that? :P

Got friends?

Someone I don't really know well and hardly talk to (I also don't really like her) chats me up, asks me how I am, and starts telling me about her new job. I can't figure out why she'd think I'd care.

Getting a patent is easier than getting published in academia

You can patent all kinds of shit. All you need is an idea --- it doesn't matter if it's a good or bad idea.

Conversely, try to stay away from projects that someone else has worked on in the past. He might have filed a patent on the "idea", but delivered utter garbage that you have to clean up for little recognition.

Curbing milk curdling

Some milk proteins are very sensitive to heat. Lactalbumin, for example, begins to coagulate as low as 150° F (66° C). Once precipitated, milk proteins tend to scorch.

• Stir
• Fat insulates milk protein (use heavy cream)
• Low temperature, increase heat gradually, don't heat up too high

Sheet music

Andy McKee sheet music and BYAAH! I forgot my capo...

Grados + Andy McKee = Aurgasm

+                                       = !!!!!!!

Macy Gray

As a small child, Macy Gray's affinity for music was obvious; what was not readily apparent was that her destiny would lead to her becomming a vocalist. Born Natalie Mcintyre - the name she would later assume was that of a childhood neighbor — Gray was a quiet child who studied classical piano for some seven years. She explains, "When I was little, I had this really funny voice. Every time I talked, the kids would make fun of me, so I stopped talking. Everybody thought I was shy, but really I was self-conscious of my voice. It never occurred to me that I could sing." Years later, Gray would learn never to say never as college friendships would result in a debut album.

Attending the screenwriting program of the University of Southern California, Gray penned some lyrics as a favor for some musician friends of hers. "When it came time to record the lyrics," she expalined to vibe magazine, "the singer didn't show up, so I sang instead." As the jazzy demo made the rounds in Los Angeles, the positive feedback it received focused not only on the musicians, but also upon the enchanting vocals for which they created the backdrop. At first, Gray was reticent to accept the group's invitation to join, as she had little confidence in her vocal abilities, but the starving college student in her convinced her to accept the relatively high-paying gigs. "I thought he was out of his mind," Gray asserts, "but I did it because I thought it was good money... sing old jazz standards and sinatra songs for an hour for a hundred bucks!". Though she enjoyed singing with the band, and continued to do so for years, her participation in performances spoke more about her love of music and desire for financial gain, than about an increased confidence in herself as a singer. as more and more of her demos with the band began to create more and more of a buzz, Gray was still reluctant to believe that she had talent as a vocalist. "I really thought these people were all lying to me, "she recalls, "and that they didn't know what they were talking about, because I was still thinking about the girl who didn't talk. I really didn't think much of it; it was something to do."

Quote

If its too loud, too stiff, rattles or squeaks too much... you're too old.

SF Parking Map

http://mapmaker.donkeymagic.co.uk/preview.php?map_id=1930

San Francisco Garages and Lots

How nice of them: the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency has put up a list of parking garages and lots in San Francisco.

Braking and ABLS

Even with the vehicle's Electronic Stability Control system turned off, the Active Brake Limited Slip (ABLS) system always stays on. The scenario where ABLS interferes the most for me is when cornering:

Approach corner.
Brake.
Downshift; steady on brake.
Gently start to ease off the brake <---- trail braking
Turn through corner.
Ease on gas.
Straighten + open up.

It looks like the culprit is trail-braking. ABLS kicks in at that exact point where the car enters the turn, and the foot is still lightly touching the brake. The yaw sensor detects Gs and tries to dynamically control braking pressure on all the wheels to prevent oversteer.

I am speculating that ABLS tries to anticipate oversteer by measuring G forces, rather than measuring wheel slips. This would mean that the system is calibrated to factory parts with a conservative configuration. There are a few problems with this:

1. The conservative configuration does not allow the driver to maximise the cornering potential of the vehicle's hardware. Additionally, because the system's G sensor is calibrated to factory parts, it will more significantly restrict the potential of some aftermarket handling mods. E.g., the car has sway bars to prevent body roll, stiff suspension to keep all feet planted around corners, and large+wide rear tires. The car can definitely corner faster than ABLS thinks it can.
2. Causes understeer and interferes with trail-braking.
   

Learning + sharing

I enjoy teaching, but teaching is never ever just teaching. It gets complicated, like anything that is a job.

Disarming ABLS

Cut the orange wire.

DNA is not destiny

The ABLS system works when one of the driving wheels is spinning on a slippery surface. The ABLS system brakes the spinning wheel, which distributes the driving power to the other driving wheel. The ABLS system and ABS will still operate with the VDC system off. When the ABLS system is activated, the “SLIP” indicator light will blink and you may hear a clunk noise and/or feel a pulsation in the brake pedal.

ABLS has held Mika back for long enough. Next project is a minor operation to disable ABLS.

Thirsty and Hungry, but never Thungry

I was really thirsty this morning. I would have otherwise felt hungry this morning. Now that I think about it, I've never felt both hungry and thirsty at the same time.

Fluid exchange

Dirty oil out, clean oil in. vhrrRAAHR!

Featuring: Andy McKee

Andy is the most innovative and exciting fingerstyle guitarist to emerge in years. Still in his 20's, Andy has developed a mastery of the 6-string guitar and the harp guitar that leaves me speechless. He is the most textural player of the instrument since Michael Hedges, and he creates sonic architecture worthy of the great modern composers for any instrument. - Don Ross

His fingers have an amazing voice.

Andy McKee on YouTube
About Andy McKee
andymckee.com

Poison

Ayo its poison, ecstacy, coke
You say its love, it is poison
Schools where I learned they should be burned, it is poison
Physicians prescripting us medicine which is poison
Doctors injecting our infants with the poison
Religion misoverstood is poison -- Nas

Listening to the classics makes me even angrier at the state of rap today; hippity hop no less.

Sky.fm classic rap

Scent of a Woman

Being a blind war veteran gives you the ticket to do whatever you want. No one has the right to tell you to shut up. HOOAH.

Or it is the ticket to begging on every street corner in Austin

Quotes
Scenes from the movie

Is it cheaper to own a 2nd car?

Owning a 2nd car will lower my insurance premium by a few hundred every 6 months (by having a multi-car policy). Question is, how cheap must the 2nd car be for me to save money (considering maintenance, etc)?

Sloth

Here's a pen in one hand, and a notebook in the other. An idea to change the world, but I'm too heavy to get up. The trees are blowing in the wind and the sky is white-streaked blue.

Analysis of hidden parking area at work

X marks the spot. First, notice the blue lines. These approximate the distances of the secret parking area (SPA) to neighboring buildings. It is unlikely that someone from a building other than Building 3 would want to park at SPA, since the hike would be too gruelling for these princes and princesses. That means that most of the people who park at SPA are Building 3 occupants.
Next, notice the purple lines. These are the options Building 3 occupants have, after they enter the campus from Union Ave and head toward Building 3. The first spots they see are the ones closest to Logic Dr. This makes it unlikely for someone in Building 3 to park at SPA, unless the parking capacity of the closer areas have been maxed out.

Hidden parking area UNLOCKED

It felt surreal, like a video game today, when instead of turning counterclockwise round the parking lot at work, I turned right. It was a hidden turn behind one of the buildings, that led to a shaded alley of... parking spots! I had been circling for 5 minutes earlier, and there was no parking available elsewhere. And here... was parking nrivana.
Occupancy was only about 30%, there was an abundance of spots to choose from, no trees overhead, shade from building on one side, wall of trees on another... I keep driving along as if I'm in a dream, and then I see a fellow Z. I couldn't help smiling to myself thinking, "ahhaha... so... you've found this hidden place too".
No matter what time I come to work now, I know I can find a safe place to park, far away from the door-ding goblintards. Best of all, I don't have to play the silly game of waking up early to race for parking spots outside Building 1 anymore. That game is rigged coz the early birds always win...

More gas

Note to self: more gas on downshifts.

Another ding!

That's a ding a month over the last 2 months, even for how careful I park. Show a little consideration, fucking door dingers!

Fear

Fear reminds us that we are vulnerable; that we are weak.
Feeling weakness, pain and getting hurt; reminds us that we are human.

Then comes the challenge. Do you let these things stop you, and quit? Do you back down when things get rough? Do you stop when you can't breathe or when your body is damaged? Can you only perform when you are at 100%? The challenge is to overcome. And this reveals humanity's strength: the human will. To survive. To succeed despite weakness. To overcome weakness. We don't succeed because we are godly. We succeed because we are human.

Happy is the person who isn't distracted by discomfort, that (s)he can appreciate even life's simplest pleasures.

Driving position and the quest for smooth

Good position makes all the difference.

Posture. Being seated snug into the seat gives good feedback, and more contact with the seat means more places to push against the seat with. My clutch is stiff enough that it pushes back. I was previously a little too far, causing some instability in my posture whenever I popped the clutch. With my hips snug in the seat, pushing in the clutch transfers the force up my leg through my hips, and into the seat, instead of translating into displacement. This also helps to stabilize the torso during steering effort and from the lateral forces when cornering.

Foot position. I was losing pedal control and feel from resting my whole foot on the gas pedal. I got better feedback using the ball of my foot. What this also means is that my heel is farther back, allowing me to pivot over to the brake, and be in good position for some heel-toe action. Before, with my heel closer in, I had to stretch uncomfortably to lift my right foot up off the accelerator onto the brake. This also left me in an awkward position for heel-toe, if I did not lift my foot. With the new positioning, I would be hitting the accelerator with the side of my foot, as opposed to my heel (which is unnatural for the pedals I have).

Loose grips. Having a loose grip on the wheel improves road feel, but also dissipates road shock instead of transferring it directly into the wheel. I try to shfit swiftly, but it's smoother when I keep a loose grip on the shifter, and when I'm more deliberate and conscious of timing. There are also a few things I try to consider: the flywheel speed and its acceleration, the speed of the transmission shaft, and the gears engaging and disengaging. I try to disengage and engage the gears cleanly, while keeping a feeling of where the revs are and how fast they've been dropping since I pushed in the clutch.

The article below talks about a few other things, such as having the shifter close to the 3 o'clock position of the right hand.
Brief discussion

Ayrton Senna at Donington Park, 1993

It was a cold afternoon in Donington park, which was hosting its first Grand Prix after 55 years. The rain had dropped heavily before the race, making the track very wet. In these wet conditions we were about to see the finest display of skill in Formula 1 for the last two decades, if not the finest ever.

It was back in 1993, when the duo of the Williams Renault with Prost and Hill was dominating the field. Thanks to traction control, active suspension and Renault ‘s superior engine the two Williams seemed unbeatable. Schumacher ‘s Benetton was the second fastest car in the grid, using the latest spec of the Ford Cosworth engine. Senna was struggling in an underpowered Mclaren, powered by the 92 spec Ford engine and lacking the state of the art technology developed by the Williams team. The qualifying proved once again the great advantage of the Williams cars, Alain Prost and Damon Hill taking the front row in the starting grid. More than two seconds behind were Schumacher third and Senna in fourth place. But the rain would change the odds unexpectedly….

Senna went on to school the other drivers on the wet track, showing once again why they call him the "Rain Master".

Senna at Donington (article)
Senna at Donington (video)
Ayrton Senna (wikipedia)

Double-end bag

Time to bob and weave,
slip and duck!

Driving texts

Race Car Vehicle Dynamics
Ayrton Senna's Principles of Race Driving
Winning: A Race Drivers Handbook
Drive to Win: The Essential Guide to Race Driving
Sports Car and Competition Driving
Going Faster: Mastering the Art of Race Driving : The Skip Barber Racing School
Speed Secrets: Professional Race Driving Techniques

PK shoes

Five Ten Savant <---- omg

Adidas Nova

Delayed onset muscle soreness

Although the precise cause is still unknown, the type of muscle contraction seems to be a key factor in the development of DOMS. Exercises that involve many eccentric contractions, such as downhill running, will result in the most severe DOMS. This has been shown to be the result of more muscle cell damage than is seen with typical concentric contractions, in which a muscle successfully shortens during contraction against a load.^[2]

Some research^[3] claims that DOMS is not caused by the pain from damaged muscle cells, but from the reinforcement process. The muscle responds to training by reinforcing itself up to and above its previous strength by adding new sarcomeres—the segments in the muscle fibrils. This reinforcement process causes the cells to swell and put pressure on nerves and arteries, causing DOMS.

Wikipedia: DOMS

Temperamental Mika

Minimal body roll, high curb weight
decreased cornering feedback
high inertia
increase sensitivity to weight transfer and momentum

53/47 weight ratio, mid driver position
feels like oversteer, but isn't
plan the driving lines

Coilovers, sway bars, 19" low profile tires
the brutal road
jarring bumps

Heavy steering
increased steering effort
firm and constant control
but light touch
isolate bumps from steering input

Sensitive brakes
instant response, ruthless clamping power
feathery braking touch
careful, steady pressure to downshift

Shifting
1 hand leaves the wheel
rigid gearbox
short shifter, frequent shifting
stiff clutch
strong, but calm shifting

Torquey engine, heavy flywheel
unforgiving gear engages
patience and timing
precise control; perfect shifting and footwork.

Sometimes difficult, sometimes we fight, but always worth it :)

Shoes!