How easy - 10 things I think

10 THINGS I THINK

1. I proffer my absolute solidarity and support for the Occupy Central protesters in Hong Kong. China should keep it's promise of 'one country, two systems' and allow the people of Hong Kong to determine their own destiny. They deserve free and open election, unfettered and uncorrupted by the influences of Beijing. 

2. Thoughts and prayers to Formula One driver Jules Bianchi for a full recovery. What a horrific freak accident at the Japanese Grand Prix this past weekend. Motorsport has gotten exponentially safer over the decades but the inherent dangers are still so ever real. #ForzaJules

3. Giants are in the baseball postseason and I'm not getting anything done at work or at home while the games are on. It's always an incredible time when the Orange and Black makes it to October. 

4. Thanks, geniuses at MLB, for sticking the NLDS on premium cable channels only. It's like you folks are just begging me to watch the broadcast via illicit methods. 

5. Sebastian Vettel making the move from Red Bull to Ferrari next year is a very big deal indeed. Not that he just became the favorite for the 2015 championship because Ferrari hasn't shown for the better part of a decade that they're capable of building a championship caliber car. 

The real story is the internal turmoil at Red Bull Racing that led to Vettel's exodus from the team that he won four-consecutive titles with. A large part has got to be Vettel's vote of no-confidence on Renault building a functioning power-unit. Adrian Newey taking a lesser role on future car designs is probably another significant factor. Heck, even Adrian Horner is speculated to not be long for the team, with many picking him to replace Bernie at FOM. 

Red Bull Racing might be a shell of its championship self in a years time. Vettel made the right decision. 

6. Did I mention in previous blogs I like San Francisco's unique Indian-summer weather? Yeah, three straight days of 90 degrees and sunny changed my mind with much haste. When you're not used to such relatively severe weather conditions, the heat can be quite draining on your body, like something pressuring down on you constantly. I'm glad it's over now. 

7. Ebola has reached the United States and I'm like 'there's no such thing as too much Purell.'

8. The Fed Up documentary is a must watch. It's not about body image, it's about being healthy. You owe it to yourself to get educated on the food products you ingest. At the very least, you'll gain a new and more kind perspective on people who are obese/fat. 

9. My pick of new shows for this fall season:

• Gotham
• Selfie
• Black-ish

10. This:

The eternal equinox - 10 things I think

1. You need to watch Emma Watson's beautiful and moving address on gender equality at the United Nations. After that, gentlemen, please put down your pledge at heforshe.org. 

2. It's fall television premier week, so from here until December I'm just going to be in my pajamas watching shows everyday during the night hours. That is the life indeed. 

3. Scotland voted to stay in the United Kingdom, which is interesting because America's founding fathers had no idea that seceding from the British empire could be so... civilized. Could have saved us the hassle of a revolutionary war and everything. 

4. Happy autumnal equinox, or more colloquially, the official beginning of fall season. For San Franciscans, however, it's the beginning of our Indian summer. It is as cool as it sounds. After that we go straight to winter. I wish that wasn't the case though, because the change of colors during autumn is one of the loveliest things mother nature does.  

5. Updated my phone to the latest iOS 8 and I absolutely cannot tell the difference. Probably weren't suppose to anyways given that the eight iteration of Apple's mobile operating system is more a polish job than evolutionary overhaul. Thanks for the free stuff though, Apple. 

6. John Oliver will win an Emmy award next year. Book it. I love his program on HBO. 

7. I think it's about time to replace my five year old Macbook Pro with something just a bit faster. It still works, obviously, but editing photographs on it recently have gotten too stuttering to a point of distraction. It's been a valiant machine, my circa 2009 Macbook Pro, time to give it a proper rest. 

8. You can't change a person, but if that person wants to, he/she will change because of you. 

9. All my support to those in New York City marching and fighting for action on climate change. Good on all of you. I believe climate change is the issue of our generation, and it transcends all borders. Remember: we've only got but one planet. 

10. This: 

To the beautiful you - 10 things I think

10 THINGS I THINK

1. I am currently boycotting watching NFL games on television. After last week's cluster-fuck of events, I simply cannot continue to support a league that is so cavalier and careless with such important moral issues. I'm not sure what the impetus will be for me to reverse course, but the NFL definitely need to doing some major house-cleaning and shore up its conduct policies. 

2. It may be an utterly useless skill in a word connected by wi-fi, but I now know how to crimp and make ethernet cables. Add another bullet-point to the resume. 

3. Just devastating what happened to Giancarlo Stanton. Fast-ball straight to the face without catching any helmet and not bracing yourself is probably a batter's worst nightmare. 

4. Really though, now that Luca Di Montezemolo has officially vacated Ferrari's chairman position, can we please revert the awful 'LaFerrari' name back to its prototype designation (F150)? 

5. New York Times' expose on the death of adulthood in American culture is a fascinating read. From my perspective, even though i'm turning 27 this year, I definitely don't feel any more "adult" that I were back when I was 17. Quite strange, isn't it. 

6. There should be no need to announce you're in a relationship on Facebook - especially when you don't even name who the significant other is! Are people so full of themselves that they feel the need to be congratulated on starting a relationship? 

7. At work, people always come to the counter and/or call just when I need to leave the desk for a moment. Meanwhile, I've been sitting in the same spot for an hour and not one peep. Laws of relatively can be such a pain at times.

8. It saddens me to see people get mad or irritated over things that probably won't even matter come the following day. Let's exert our energy on positives things, or matters that will still be of consequence many months afterwards. 

9. I've persevered: I did not preorder the iPhone 6. I adore my bank accounts too much to forsake my not-even-a-year-old 5S. Curse my financial sensibilities. 

10. This: 

Good to be bad - 10 things I think

10 THINGS I THINK

1. The Giant Race was an absolute blast; I'd never thought that running together with 20,000 other people could be so awesome. Of course, having the stunning San Francisco skyline as a backdrop just intensifies the beautiful atmosphere.

I finished the 10K distance in a little over an hour, which was actually faster than i thought I would run. According to the stats, I'm within the upper third percentile amongst all runners, which I must say is quite satisfying. There's no way I can match the physical specimens that posts incredible times; all that matters to me is being healthy and fit. 

I'm already massively looking forward to next year's event. And to think: I used to hate running. 

2. I probably couldn't have had more of a twenty-something living in San Francisco sort of weekend. Went out with the boys after work on Friday for some grub and drinks, ended up half drunk, and did not return home until well into the morning. Naturally then, Saturday was spent recovering from the previous night's activities. I wasn't hungover per se - there was no headache, but I definitely wasn't feeling well.

Somehow, I still managed to get of the house on Saturday to eat lunch with my friend. Afterwards, I simply stayed in and watched television until it was time for bed. Didn't get much sleep because I had to wake up in an ungodly hour to get ready for the 10K's 7am start time. 

After the race I had an american-style breakfast at a restaurant, and then spent the rest of the day watching NFL and Giants baseball at my friend's abode. Mix in a certain California burrito for dinner, and the sum of it all was an interesting and joyous weekend indeed. 

3. The new Mercedes-AMG GT completely copies the rear three-quarter profile of the Porsche 911. It's a stunning looking car - don't get me wrong - but it's one of those design elements you can't un-see once you've notice it. 

4. The video of Ray Rice pummeling his then girlfriend is absolutely horrific. I'm glad he's banished from the league now. While it's never too late to do the right thing, the stern response on Monday from the league and the Baltimore Ravens should have come many month ago. Those entities deserve zero praise for their failure to fully realize the severity of Rice's offense. 

You should never put your hands on a woman. Full stop. 

5. The comedy world is suffering massively this year. The tragic death of Robin Williams still freshly hurting in our hearts, and then last week came the unfortunate passing of Joan Rivers. The pioneer for female comedy, the best I admire about her is the willingness to say whatever the heck that's on her mind, and subsequently not giving one ounce of fuck what other people thinks. 

While I don't think one should be as antagonistic as Joan Rivers can be at times, speaking your mind and not caring what people think is definitely a great way to live through life. May she rest in peace. 

6. The 2016 Mazda Miata will be tough to resist when it hits dealership floors. When you think about the essence of what makes a truly great sports car - front-engine, rear-wheel drive, as small and lightweight as possible - the forthcoming fourth generation MX-5 appears to be it. Best of all, just about any car enthusiasts can afford one.

Your place is definitely not safe, my beloved WRX STI.

7. iPhone users have clamored for a larger screen, and soon we will finally be able to eat that cake with the iPhone 6. I'll take one in space gray, coupled with the navy blue leather case. My wallet, though, has an entirely different opinion. I'm nowhere near the time to upgrade my phone so if I were to get the 6, it's going to cost me dearly (read: full price). 

Someone please stop me! 

8. I just may be the cleanest and tidiest person out of my group of friends. Good thing I haven't got that cleaning compulsion when I'm amongst other people's clutter. Though I'm sure some of my friends wish the contrary. 

9. You know you're old when you tell someone you immigrated to America back in 1996 when you're eight years old, and she replies that was the same year she was born. I think being employed at a college campus will eventually work against me because I keep getting older, but the students stay around the same age range. It will only get more depressing as the years roll past. 

10. Big series this weekend for the Giants, facing the Dodgers at home with a chance to pull even in the NL West pennant race. I'm both excited and dreading the epic showdown because the outcome can either be really good or completely terrible (Giants got swept last time the Dodgers were in town). Won't stop me from watching, of course. The work week needs to be over with quickly.