Ha! And you thought that was it. Nope, here's another one.
This happened about 6 years ago during my consolidation year.
While having my placement, I met a doctor who was about 7-8 years older than I was, but at that time he appeared to be in the late 20's. The staff had noticed he seemed to have a thing for me, from the way he joked with me and talked with me. It made me blush, because well, stuff like this don't happen in real life. Only on Grey's Anatomy.
One day after work he suggested we hang out and go for dinner. So I said sure. It's like one of those things you add to your list of things to do before you die: go on a date with a doctor. But really, I thought he was funny and gentle to talk to, and smart. So I figured I'd give him a chance to get to know him better.
We got to the place and settled on the top floor of the restaurant where it looks out into downtown. Couldn't really see much because it was a bit dark. But otherwise we ordered our food. Our conversation however, was...all over the place. He would say something, and I would either acknowledge or look at him with a weird face, like wtf did you just say? Totally did not understand a word. It was like we were having conversations with a wall. There was no feedback or acknowledgement of anything that was said. I really couldn't figure out if something was wrong with me for not understanding our conversations or whether his way of talking was just way too confusing for my brain. P.S it had nothing to do with medicine.
It went on for pretty much most of dinner. The awkward conversations and lack of acknowledgement of what was said when I spoke of something. We could never talk about one thing before moving onto the next thing.
So we walk to the subway stop, where we both had to take the train northbound. But before that, he was talking to me about something and then he stopped walking for a bit, so it made me stop in my tracks. It was silent so I looked at him. And his face was RIGHT THERE. Oh, he was trying to kiss me. I leaned backwards and gave him the longest stare. Awkward.
We continue walking to the subway, got on, and maybe had another random conversation about something. As his stop approached and he got off, he gave me a peck on the cheek.
I believe that was the last time I saw him.
Monday, June 15, 2015
Saturday, June 13, 2015
Date Fail #3
Third time's a charm! Well maybe. This story happened right before I graduated university. It's crazy how it felt like it was only yesterday.
I was basically minding my own business, prepping for a mini graduation trip to Vegas, when I get a message from a girl friend from high school. We used to hang out a lot back in the day but due to busy student life, we never really got to hang out. She said she has this friend who wanted to meet me.
Uhhhh. Ok how did he even "know about" me? "Oh he found your profile on my Facebook friends list". He was going through her list looking at profiles and somehow he landed on mine. I don't know, maybe something about my face really awed him. I kid.
So after that, he kept bugging her that he wanted to meet me. Okkkk a little bit creepy? Then again, Facebook is for stalking. She tells me oh he's a nice guy. I went to school with him all these years and he's really nice. She suggested we all meet up at a mall to go shopping. It's a funny thing because I actually needed to go shop and buy some stuff for my trip. So I asked one of my trip buddies to come along.
My guy friend picked me up and drove us to the mall to meet up with the 2 girl friends and the potential date. So it was a 5 person trip. We got there and didn't see anyone there, so we chilled for a bit. At last the 3 showed up. First handshakes and introductions went well. Then the next thing you know, the girls grab my guy friend away and walk fast away from me and this new date to go shopping. Awkward much?
So now I'm left to walk with this date, feeling a bit awkward from all this. He was basically shoved into my face. The conversations were normal I guess, nothing significantly weird from what I can recall. We basically followed the group to whatever stores. They decided to do a dress up game. Pick an outfit and go change into it, and we all show off to see how ridiculous it looks on us. It was fun for a while. But it's really weird to be coming out of change rooms to this dude you've only met a couple hours ago and giving him a fashion show.
The last store we hit, I figured now it's time to bail. While I was changing into another outrageous outfit that the girls had picked for me, I texted my guy friend and said LISTEN, WE NEED A PLAN TO GET OUT OF HERE.
So of course we are having this text message conversation while I'm half dressed. Multitasking for the win. At last after my last fashion show, my friend tells them his mom needed the car and he needs to come home asap. I said I'd go as well, but I don't remember what reason I gave. They were fine with it and we said our goodbyes and probably did some number exchanges as well. As we got into the car, I gave my friend a big hug and said THANKS FOR SAVING ME! We both laughed as we went home.
Over the next week or so, we texted back and forth, and he really wanted to go for another date, but I said it won't be a good idea. He kept pushing for just a coffee, something simple. Nothing more. I don't remember specifics about what I said to him, but I probably said something mean that hurt him. Lo and behold I am blocked. And then he moved to the West Coast. The girl friend never asked about it again, nor did she set up another date.
At least I managed to get what I needed for my trip to Vegas!
I was basically minding my own business, prepping for a mini graduation trip to Vegas, when I get a message from a girl friend from high school. We used to hang out a lot back in the day but due to busy student life, we never really got to hang out. She said she has this friend who wanted to meet me.
Uhhhh. Ok how did he even "know about" me? "Oh he found your profile on my Facebook friends list". He was going through her list looking at profiles and somehow he landed on mine. I don't know, maybe something about my face really awed him. I kid.
So after that, he kept bugging her that he wanted to meet me. Okkkk a little bit creepy? Then again, Facebook is for stalking. She tells me oh he's a nice guy. I went to school with him all these years and he's really nice. She suggested we all meet up at a mall to go shopping. It's a funny thing because I actually needed to go shop and buy some stuff for my trip. So I asked one of my trip buddies to come along.
My guy friend picked me up and drove us to the mall to meet up with the 2 girl friends and the potential date. So it was a 5 person trip. We got there and didn't see anyone there, so we chilled for a bit. At last the 3 showed up. First handshakes and introductions went well. Then the next thing you know, the girls grab my guy friend away and walk fast away from me and this new date to go shopping. Awkward much?
So now I'm left to walk with this date, feeling a bit awkward from all this. He was basically shoved into my face. The conversations were normal I guess, nothing significantly weird from what I can recall. We basically followed the group to whatever stores. They decided to do a dress up game. Pick an outfit and go change into it, and we all show off to see how ridiculous it looks on us. It was fun for a while. But it's really weird to be coming out of change rooms to this dude you've only met a couple hours ago and giving him a fashion show.
The last store we hit, I figured now it's time to bail. While I was changing into another outrageous outfit that the girls had picked for me, I texted my guy friend and said LISTEN, WE NEED A PLAN TO GET OUT OF HERE.
So of course we are having this text message conversation while I'm half dressed. Multitasking for the win. At last after my last fashion show, my friend tells them his mom needed the car and he needs to come home asap. I said I'd go as well, but I don't remember what reason I gave. They were fine with it and we said our goodbyes and probably did some number exchanges as well. As we got into the car, I gave my friend a big hug and said THANKS FOR SAVING ME! We both laughed as we went home.
Over the next week or so, we texted back and forth, and he really wanted to go for another date, but I said it won't be a good idea. He kept pushing for just a coffee, something simple. Nothing more. I don't remember specifics about what I said to him, but I probably said something mean that hurt him. Lo and behold I am blocked. And then he moved to the West Coast. The girl friend never asked about it again, nor did she set up another date.
At least I managed to get what I needed for my trip to Vegas!
Date Fail #2
This story happened about 2 years ago as well. Again, names will not be disclosed.
It was beginning of August when a friend of mine tried to set me up with her boyfriend's friend. They both tell me he's a nice guy, he's very shy but he will open up once he gets to know you. That's a pretty normal response in getting to know people.
So, during one sunny weekend, they planned a double date. I drove to my friend's house to meet her and there was where I met the date. We took one car and went to a summer festival in Oakville. They were right. He was pretty shy. I felt like I was doing an interview grilling him with questions. Eventually as the night went along, he was more open to talking and having a good time. At night we all went roller skating. I suck at skating/roller skating so to be skating in that arena in the dark was a nightmare. The date was concerned and literally held my hand the entire night. I still fell and bruised my thigh (and I got the picture to prove it even to this day!) on the rink. That's what happens when you get too confident, skate too fast, and face plant to the ground at lightning speed.
The night ended off with good byes from everyone. Eventually the date asked for my number and that was it.
Over the next few days I would get a text to see how I was doing. Primarily my bruised thigh because it looked like someone really beat me up. It was nice that he was concerned for my well-being. I laughed it off saying it'll be fine. Just takes a few days to heal and I'll be good. Except I won't be roller skating again.
A few days before the first "date" by ourselves, I get a message from my girl friend saying my date really admired me. And was speaking praise, and wanted to marry me and be with me forever.
Wait. What?
I just met you. But that kind of creeped me out. Now I didn't feel too comfortable going out alone with him. But once again, I figured this is my friend's friend so I don't want to disappoint. So let's just do this date for goodness sakes.
The date comes to pick me up from home. As I approached the car, he came out of the car to open the door for me. Aw how nice. Except he really got in my face to give me a peck on the cheek. Something that I'm not used to, and certainly not on a first date for me. So it really threw me off. I think I almost fell backwards from shock.
The ride to the restaurant was scary. I'm not sure if it was the perfume I was wearing or if I was really intimidating but he just seemed so SCARED to drive. Changing lanes into cars, freaking out when a lane merges, cutting people off without knowing. And then the frequent "oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh". Please don't crash, is what I kept saying to myself in my head. I've never met someone who was so scared to drive a girl before. I guess I do give off that vibe.
So now we are approaching a strip of restaurants. I don't remember exactly how the conversation went, but it was basically I didn't really book a restaurant...I just chose three and...I'll leave you to figure out which restaurant to go to! Umm..sure? I guess? So I chose one. We head there to have dinner, and after ordering the food, it was some awkward silence, and some awkward topics. During the meal, it was dead quiet. I remember him apologizing for being so quiet, because he was enjoying his food too much. Yup, great to know.
We walk down the street to get some ice cream. Then after some more chitter chatter I was dropped off at home, and he was already looking forward to a second date. I said....well I don't remember what I said. But the vibe I got was that I wasn't keen on doing a second date.
Fast forward about a week or two. During each day he would text and use a lame pick up line. It really wasn't going anywhere so I told him to stop with the lameness. The message was not received because I still ended up with bombarding pick up lines from him on a daily basis. Eventually he got mad at me for ignoring him and started accusing me of everything (can't remember the specifics anymore). And then I blew up at him after that, for being a douche bag.
Eventually we stopped talking. But when I saw my friend, she would tell me he really admired me. He really hoped things would work out. I was like an angel sent to him. But now he was depressed and wanted to join the army to move on with life.
We did eventually have small chat about a year later, but then lost touch as the years went by. I heard he is doing well, so I wish him the best in his endeavours and also in serving our country.
It was beginning of August when a friend of mine tried to set me up with her boyfriend's friend. They both tell me he's a nice guy, he's very shy but he will open up once he gets to know you. That's a pretty normal response in getting to know people.
So, during one sunny weekend, they planned a double date. I drove to my friend's house to meet her and there was where I met the date. We took one car and went to a summer festival in Oakville. They were right. He was pretty shy. I felt like I was doing an interview grilling him with questions. Eventually as the night went along, he was more open to talking and having a good time. At night we all went roller skating. I suck at skating/roller skating so to be skating in that arena in the dark was a nightmare. The date was concerned and literally held my hand the entire night. I still fell and bruised my thigh (and I got the picture to prove it even to this day!) on the rink. That's what happens when you get too confident, skate too fast, and face plant to the ground at lightning speed.
The night ended off with good byes from everyone. Eventually the date asked for my number and that was it.
Over the next few days I would get a text to see how I was doing. Primarily my bruised thigh because it looked like someone really beat me up. It was nice that he was concerned for my well-being. I laughed it off saying it'll be fine. Just takes a few days to heal and I'll be good. Except I won't be roller skating again.
A few days before the first "date" by ourselves, I get a message from my girl friend saying my date really admired me. And was speaking praise, and wanted to marry me and be with me forever.
Wait. What?
I just met you. But that kind of creeped me out. Now I didn't feel too comfortable going out alone with him. But once again, I figured this is my friend's friend so I don't want to disappoint. So let's just do this date for goodness sakes.
The date comes to pick me up from home. As I approached the car, he came out of the car to open the door for me. Aw how nice. Except he really got in my face to give me a peck on the cheek. Something that I'm not used to, and certainly not on a first date for me. So it really threw me off. I think I almost fell backwards from shock.
The ride to the restaurant was scary. I'm not sure if it was the perfume I was wearing or if I was really intimidating but he just seemed so SCARED to drive. Changing lanes into cars, freaking out when a lane merges, cutting people off without knowing. And then the frequent "oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh". Please don't crash, is what I kept saying to myself in my head. I've never met someone who was so scared to drive a girl before. I guess I do give off that vibe.
So now we are approaching a strip of restaurants. I don't remember exactly how the conversation went, but it was basically I didn't really book a restaurant...I just chose three and...I'll leave you to figure out which restaurant to go to! Umm..sure? I guess? So I chose one. We head there to have dinner, and after ordering the food, it was some awkward silence, and some awkward topics. During the meal, it was dead quiet. I remember him apologizing for being so quiet, because he was enjoying his food too much. Yup, great to know.
We walk down the street to get some ice cream. Then after some more chitter chatter I was dropped off at home, and he was already looking forward to a second date. I said....well I don't remember what I said. But the vibe I got was that I wasn't keen on doing a second date.
Fast forward about a week or two. During each day he would text and use a lame pick up line. It really wasn't going anywhere so I told him to stop with the lameness. The message was not received because I still ended up with bombarding pick up lines from him on a daily basis. Eventually he got mad at me for ignoring him and started accusing me of everything (can't remember the specifics anymore). And then I blew up at him after that, for being a douche bag.
Eventually we stopped talking. But when I saw my friend, she would tell me he really admired me. He really hoped things would work out. I was like an angel sent to him. But now he was depressed and wanted to join the army to move on with life.
We did eventually have small chat about a year later, but then lost touch as the years went by. I heard he is doing well, so I wish him the best in his endeavours and also in serving our country.
Tuesday, June 09, 2015
Date Fail #1
My good friends know all about my crazy date stories and tell me I should write a novel about my experiences. I figured I'll select some of the odd ones and talk about it. Identities will be with-held as I don't want to get my butt sued. Because you know, everyone these days like to sue each other for no apparent reason.
This story happened about 2 years ago. Someone I knew kept telling me she wanted me to meet her nephew. He was a bit older but she figures he needs to get out more, because all he does is game all day. I don't remember how many times I said no, but she kept pushing. Please? He really needs to meet people.
Ok fine, just for you I said. So she gives me his number. By the way, he's expecting your call! Oh great lovely, that makes me feel way better. Talk about stress. After pondering for who knows how long, I finally text the guy and tell him who I am. I get a reply back pretty fast.
So after some texting back and forth, we finally agreed to meet up somewhere. We couldn't decide where because 1) I'm indecisive and 2) He's home so often that he probably doesn't even know where the nearest McD is. He finally decides on a restaurant in a mall, so I said sure let's meet there.
I arrived first to the mall, on time, and went straight to the restaurant. Except something looked odd. The restaurant was closed. And I don't mean it was closed for the day or for the time being. But it was CLOSED DOWN. Like, the place didn't pay their rent fees and got kicked out.
Great. I saw a guy look at the front sign as well, and thought it was my date. I had no idea how the guy looked like, but from his facial expression, he was not expecting a date from anyone. So I gave the date a call and said, look the restaurant you chose is closed down. Shut down. Nada. No more. He freaks, like oh my gosh I'm so sorry. Totally didn't know because the website said it was still open.
Ok now we have to choose another place. I suggest one off the highway so it would be easier for him to find. So we decided to meet there instead. Of course he was already late, and arrived to the back up restaurant before me (since I was still having to drive back down). So finally we meet.
The most awkward handshake ever.
We go into the restaurant and we sort of talk. But it was mostly a meal of silence.
The most awkward dinner ever. Of silence.
I think we both knew that the person responsible for getting us together was trying to set us up, and we both met each other against our wills.
Needless to say, we said our goodbyes and never talked again. Hate to say it but I don't even remember the guy's name.
The next day the friend comes up to me and asks how'd it go?! I said....ok.....awkward....silence. And since then, she has never introduced me to her relatives again.
Some lessons learned:
1) Be on time. Being punctual really plays a huge factor. It's like going in for an interview. If you are late for your job interview, do you think the boss wants to hire you?
2) Be sure the restaurant or event you are going to actually exists.
3) Some periods of silence is fine if you're eating. But if you're staring at each other for 2 hours not talking much, then it's already a disaster.
4) Try to be out-going. Yes you may be shy, but nothing is more of a turn off if you sit there silent most of the night.
5) Silence is not always golden.
This story happened about 2 years ago. Someone I knew kept telling me she wanted me to meet her nephew. He was a bit older but she figures he needs to get out more, because all he does is game all day. I don't remember how many times I said no, but she kept pushing. Please? He really needs to meet people.
Ok fine, just for you I said. So she gives me his number. By the way, he's expecting your call! Oh great lovely, that makes me feel way better. Talk about stress. After pondering for who knows how long, I finally text the guy and tell him who I am. I get a reply back pretty fast.
So after some texting back and forth, we finally agreed to meet up somewhere. We couldn't decide where because 1) I'm indecisive and 2) He's home so often that he probably doesn't even know where the nearest McD is. He finally decides on a restaurant in a mall, so I said sure let's meet there.
I arrived first to the mall, on time, and went straight to the restaurant. Except something looked odd. The restaurant was closed. And I don't mean it was closed for the day or for the time being. But it was CLOSED DOWN. Like, the place didn't pay their rent fees and got kicked out.
Great. I saw a guy look at the front sign as well, and thought it was my date. I had no idea how the guy looked like, but from his facial expression, he was not expecting a date from anyone. So I gave the date a call and said, look the restaurant you chose is closed down. Shut down. Nada. No more. He freaks, like oh my gosh I'm so sorry. Totally didn't know because the website said it was still open.
Ok now we have to choose another place. I suggest one off the highway so it would be easier for him to find. So we decided to meet there instead. Of course he was already late, and arrived to the back up restaurant before me (since I was still having to drive back down). So finally we meet.
The most awkward handshake ever.
We go into the restaurant and we sort of talk. But it was mostly a meal of silence.
The most awkward dinner ever. Of silence.
I think we both knew that the person responsible for getting us together was trying to set us up, and we both met each other against our wills.
Needless to say, we said our goodbyes and never talked again. Hate to say it but I don't even remember the guy's name.
The next day the friend comes up to me and asks how'd it go?! I said....ok.....awkward....silence. And since then, she has never introduced me to her relatives again.
Some lessons learned:
1) Be on time. Being punctual really plays a huge factor. It's like going in for an interview. If you are late for your job interview, do you think the boss wants to hire you?
2) Be sure the restaurant or event you are going to actually exists.
3) Some periods of silence is fine if you're eating. But if you're staring at each other for 2 hours not talking much, then it's already a disaster.
4) Try to be out-going. Yes you may be shy, but nothing is more of a turn off if you sit there silent most of the night.
5) Silence is not always golden.
Beware of Random Scammers
You know, those people who stand in random parking lots and then go up to you asking you for money for gas. You know what I'm saying?
I bring this up because after finishing work today, I was coming out of the staff parking lot. To get out, you have to use your ID to scan out. So right in front of the gates stood this older looking European man. He could really be mistaken for a patient or a family member. This guy is smart. He stands where people would have their windows rolled down already so you don't stand much chance ignoring him. Plus because it's rush hour time, traffic would be heavy, so you'd have no where to go.
Anyways, I had my window rolled down to scan out. Lo and behold, this old man was looking at passing cars but not really doing much. As soon as he saw my car, he waved at me. I thought, well maybe he's lost. The first thing he says? "I need to go to ____ and _____, just a drop off. Not too far away. I really need to get there. You're like my daughter, and I'm like your father. So you be good and drive me?"
Ok first of all, if you really need to go to a place, you take a taxi or TTC. Or get a friend to drop you off. If you really needed to be there, you'd walk there. Either way, you would not be wasting time waiting for some random stranger to pick you up and give you a lift.
Needless to say, I told him I was going the opposite direction, sorry. And drove off. He probably thought because I looked young and drove a "fast" car, that I would be naive enough to fall for his words. Think again old man.
It also reminds me a few years back when I was still in university. I was accompanying a friend near Eaton Centre when she had to go to the bank to do some stuff. So I said I would wait outside. By outside, I mean by the bench IN the mall. So this wasn't outdoors, but it was still in a mall.
I was sitting there minding my business when this middle aged man came up to me and asked if I spoke any Chinese. I replied back in Mandarin. So he started talking to me in Mandarin. He looked pretty lost so I thought well, maybe he's lost and needs direction.
Well, the story he told me was completely off. He has a condo here at Yonge/Dundas and was going to visit a friend in Ottawa the next day, but realized he has almost no gas left in his car, and needs money. And we're not talking $5. But more like $70. He said he would accompany me to the bank and wait for me to get the money. He would also pay me back, so it would require me to give him my cell number.
So many warning bells going off in my head that I decided to just try and run. But wait, gotta wait for my friend. To kill time, I pretended I had no idea what he was talking about. It's kind of fun playing stupid but then again, you never know what's going on in their heads. Best to just leave.
My friend comes back and sits down on the bench with me. She later told me she didn't say anything because she assumed the guy was my friend, when in fact I had no clue who the heck he was. So while I told the dude I don't have any money on me, and I can't help him, he decides to start yelling at me!
Like what? You want money from me and then you start yelling at me? People these days. This is why I don't just randomly give my hard earned cash away to random strangers.
Needless to say as my friend and I were walking away, he started walking behind us and yelling at us. I never forgot about that day, even to this day.
Another one was at the KC parking lot with my mom. Some dude approached our car and asked for money because his car ran out of gas and he needs to be out of town for whatever reason. We just drove off.
Really? You need to be somewhere? Gas up ahead of time idiots. Or call CAA for help. Your stories are pathetic. Not enough money for gas? Maybe you shouldn't own a car.
To anyone out there who has not experienced this yet, this is just a head's up. Especially for the young ladies who have a heart to want to help people. You may want to help them, but in the end their intentions could be something much worse.
Friday, May 29, 2015
I love going to the Dentist.
....Actually, no I don't. I'm pretty sure most people are not excited or happy to be going to the dentist.
This is my experience with the many dentists I had visited in the past. If you would like to skip it all and go down to some recommendations, scroll to the bottom.
I'm not sure how many people have had bad luck with dentists, but I figure I had to visit about 5 or 6 different dentists before I finally found a good one. My teeth were perfectly fine until about grade 7, when people referred me to a dentist that used to go to our church. There was a good amount of people that went to him, so we figured let's go to him from now on. Plus he wasn't too far away from home.
We'll call him Dr. A. The first visit, he says I have perfect teeth. It was mostly assessment and what not. The following week I came back to have cleaning done. Lo and behold, Dr. A says I got 7 cavities. Holy damn what? 7? How the heck did I get 7 cavities in less than a week? I didn't even eat any candy that week. But as a patient, you trust your dentist's judgment right? I had to go multiple times to fix those so called cavities. I later found out this dentist had pretty much lied to us. I didn't have any cavities actually. But instead, he used that excuse so he could buff all my teeth. When I mean buff, he buffed all my enamel out. Basic tooth anatomy 101: Enamel is the white layer on top of every tooth, the outmost protective layer of a tooth. If that thins out, your tooth is more susceptible to cracks, damage, cavities, and that could lead to more problems in the future. This dentist was a freaking crook. Took advantage of our insurance.
Anyways great, now that all my enamel is gone, my teeth became super sensitive to touch. Hot and cold liquids, and chewing food. Sensodyne for life now. I switched dentists to see if I could somehow fix this problem, but every dentist I went to assumed I was grinding my teeth at night. So 2 of them gave me a night guard for use at night. I used it for a while and then got lazy so I stopped using it.
Late 2008 was the beginning of a tooth nightmare. I had gone in complaining of sensitivity and pain in my left molar. The new dentist I went to (we'll call him Dr. B) did a thorough assessment and found a huge cavity hiding in the back. It was hard to tell by xray but it looked like the tooth could be saved. It wasn't touching the pulp, or so we thought. Cavity was taken out and the area was cleaned, then sealed. And off I went. In the next few months, the tooth was way more sensitive than before. Sensitive to everything, even air. I kept telling them something was wrong, but I was told it was normal to feel a bit of sensitivity. Ok, fine I'll just suck it up and deal with it.
About 10 months later, 6 days before I went to write my licensing exam, there was a dull pain in my jaw. It came and went, nothing too significant. I didn't think too much of it but figured I'll keep an eye out. The next day (5 days before the exam), the pain came back and stayed. But it was bearable. On the third day, that's when all hell broke loose. The pain became excruciating that I could not stop crying. This time, the pain went from dull to sharp, and was hitting my entire jaw line, up to my head, giving me the worst headaches. Headaches that went past 24 hours. It would not go away. I knew the origin of pain was from that molar, and I just wanted to rip it out so the pain would go away. It was pain mixed with feeling itchy in that area. I hit up the emergency room, and the nurse gave me a Tylenol regular. I take it but it does nothing at all. We wait about 3 hours before being called in, and then another hour before the doctor actually comes to see me. The MD assesses and says my gums are swollen red, and says it's infected. No sh*t Sherlock.
He says there is no dentist on call at the hospital. The only thing he can do is write a prescription for an antibiotic, and take some Advil for the pain. I said the nurse gave me a Tylenol 500mg. He tells me it's not a NSAID so it wouldn't help. Hello, I know that, your nurse gave it to me. Shouldn't you be prescribing me some Morphine? This isn't some normal tooth pain or arthritic pain. Advil and Tylenol will do no good at this time! So I waited 4 hours to be given an antibiotic prescription. Lovely.
The following morning, we called up dentist #3. We'll call him Dr. C. We told him what happened the previous night, so he pushed all his appointments for the day to accommodate me first thing in the morning, as it was an emergency case. And this was my first root canal. I had no clue what to expect, but I can tell you that it hurt like a biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitch. It was probably very painful at this point because whatever was going on inside the tooth, it was already infected beyond repairing/saving the pulp. The pulp is the part in the tooth where there is blood supply along with nerves to keep the tooth alive, so to speak. When a cavity becomes deep enough that it touches the pulp, the pulp becomes inflamed. The longer it remains inflamed, the harder it becomes to save the tooth and leads to an abscess. Infection occurs and when it is not treated, it travels into the blood stream, and then you'll have way bigger problems. The last thing you want is for it to hit your brain.
During the procedure, Lidocaine was given, but in my opinion, not enough because I felt everything. I kept signaling to give me more, which I believe I was given 4 needle shots in total. But while he was pulling out the pulp/roots, I could still feel it. It's hard to describe, but it's like when you hit your funny bone very hard. And you get that painful weird sensation for a while. Yeah, it's like that. Except it's in your mouth. To get to the pulp, the dentist or endodontist drills into the tooth from the top, removes the pulp, nerves, and any bacteria or debris and a thorough cleaning is done, before the area is filled. If you feel any pain, ask for more freezing. The most difficult part about root canals on the molars is that molars have more nerve endings than the rest of the teeth. The average is about 3 nerve endings/roots. So it will take quite a bit of Lidocaine to numb everything in that area. I was told for this specific tooth, there were 2 dead nerves and 1 live nerve, hence why I was feeling lots of pain.
Finally after about an hour, it was all done. After a root canal, you get a temporary filling. Eventually you'll have to go back to the dentist after a couple of weeks at least, to get the permanent filling done. And then finally, a crown to be put on top of that tooth, so it won't shatter when you eat. Now that there is no nerves or blood supply going to that tooth, there should not be any sensation left.
I had pushed the permanent filling to be done later on when I received insurance from work. At that time, I just graduated and was no longer under parents' insurance benefits, so I had to pay everything out of pocket. Root canals these days cost about $800-1,000 depending on which tooth. Molars are the most expensive because they take the longest time and contain the most roots, along with bigger pulps. Permanent filling would cost another few hundred. And a crown would cost about $1,000, depending on material. Most common these days are porcelain laced with gold inside.
About 8 months later, I had a part time job but no full time, so there was still no insurance. I still pushed to wait. And that's when problems occurred. At this time, the temporary filling fell out, and the tooth got infected once again. I was put on a course of antibiotics again. This time I was referred to an Endodontist, a specialist dentist. We'll call her Dr. D. She did an xray to see what was going on, and found that there was an extra nerve ending that was not taken out. 4 roots in total?? The initial root canal was not done properly. So here I go, another pulpectomy but it wasn't as bad as the first one. So finally, another temporary filling was done. This time I was warned to not wait so long for a permanent filling. So I said ok, screw it, let's do the permanent filling and get a crown.
I go back to dentist #3 to get the permanent filling and the crown done. Once again, all this was paid out of pocket due to having no insurance. Pricey as faaaaackkkkkkk. This one tooth took about a year and a half to properly fix. Plus a couple grand to fix in total. Could've bought a purse.
Fast forward to 2015. I had a problematic tooth once again on the opposite side, a molar. That tooth had cracked previously and was fixed twice. It had cracked again and part of the tooth fell out. I could tell it was not in good condition so I scheduled to see dentist #3. He cleaned and filled it once again. But it was still super sensitive. He didn't think I needed a root canal because he fixed it. I also had another tooth on the opposite side that was aching for about a year but I didn't really bother to get it checked out because I'm stubborn like that.
A family member had talked about another dentist (dentist #5, Dr. E) and so I was referred there for my second problematic tooth. She did an assessment and said it was a deep cavity but the tooth can be saved. So it was cleaned and filled. Problem is, this tooth became super sensitive than before and it hurt. She told me it would be sensitive for a few days. Well, over a week later it still hurt. So I knew this was not a good sign. That's the thing with dentists. Even if it looks pretty bad, they would still try to fix and save the tooth, and still take a chunk out of your insurance money. Thank God for full time status and benefits.
I remember the Endodontist had told me of a tap test to check for sensitivity and pain. Just knock on your affected tooth/teeth with your nail or with a metal utensil. If there is pain and it lingers, it means the pulp is inflamed. Another test is the cold touch test. Take a Q-tip and put cold water on the tip. Put the tip on your tooth and remove when you feel pain. If the pain lingers, the pulp is inflamed. Not a good sign at all. The pulp cannot be saved. So I knocked on both of my teeth. Lo and behold, they both lingered.
I asked for a referral back to the same Endo that had done my root canal a few years back. The plan was to do one root canal that day on the molar. However, I had told her on the spot about the other tooth that had lingering pain. And she made the decision to do two root canals in one sitting. TWO?! Well, there's always a first for things. But having 2 root canals done in one sitting is not something that anyone would dream of doing.
Once again, the big molar had 3 roots to remove, so lots of Lidocaine was needed. I counted about 5 shots to that area, plus 1 shot to the second tooth (which only had 1 root, so 1 shot of Lidocaine was enough). So in total, 6 doses of Lidocaine. The procedure took about 2 hours. Can you imagine sitting in a dentist's chair for 2 hours straight with your mouth open non stop? Yeah, it's not fun.
2 hours later, the procedure is done, and I look like a swollen chipmunk. It takes about 2 weeks to fully recover and for the sensitivity to go away before permanent fillings are needed, and then crowns being fitted. The cost of having 2 root canals? $2,000. The next bill is for the permanent fillings and two crowns, which is going to cost....I don't even want to know. Paying out of pocket it would be about 3 grand. Thankfully with insurance, at least there would be coverage.
Some lessons to be learned:
1) Any tooth pain is not normal. Get it checked out.
2) Don't skip going to the dentist. No one likes to go, but a check up every 6 months, even for teeth cleaning, is worth it.
3) If you don't like pain, avoid root canals.
4) If you've been told your cavity was deep but it wasn't touching the pulp, pay attention for the next few weeks. If it becomes more sensitive than before, do the tap test. If the pain lingers, it means the pulp is inflamed, and is not a good sign. The longer it lingers, the worst it gets.
5) Regular dentists can do root canals. I would recommend Endodontists because they specialize in those and, in my opinion, do a better job. So get a referral there if you need to do a root canal.
6) Crowns are recommended for molars, as they do the most work in chewing food. You can skip out on it if it's canines (front) or bicuspids (front-side); usually a permanent filling is sufficient. With molars, it's highly recommended that you get a crown to be fitted on top of the affected tooth to protect it for many years to come.
7) Avoid drinks high in sugar. Even if you dilute your drink with water, you will still have 35 grams of sugar in that particular drink. All that sugary stuff is left behind in the small crevasses between your teeth, and over time it will become a cavity.
8) You'll have a higher chance of getting a root canal done if you suffer from the following:
a) No enamel left, leaving your tooth highly sensitive
b) Your tooth had previously cracked
c) Constant work done on the tooth (cavities, cracks)
d) Deep cavities
e) Tooth decay
f) Trauma to the tooth
9) Before brushing teeth, try rinsing out your mouth with salt and warm water. You could actually use coconut oil as well on its own. Take a mouthful of coconut oil and let it simmer between your teeth and gums. In 5-10 minutes, spit out and brush.
10) Brush your teeth and floss regularly. There is no set amount of times you should brush (although most people brush in the morning and at night), but I would recommend brushing after each meal or any time you eat something. Technique is also important as well with brushing. Up and down motion is preferred to get rid of any plaque between the teeth. Scrubbing side to side will not clean much.
11) Marry a dentist. They'll fix your teeth for free.
So there you have it. Take care of your teeth.
This is my experience with the many dentists I had visited in the past. If you would like to skip it all and go down to some recommendations, scroll to the bottom.
I'm not sure how many people have had bad luck with dentists, but I figure I had to visit about 5 or 6 different dentists before I finally found a good one. My teeth were perfectly fine until about grade 7, when people referred me to a dentist that used to go to our church. There was a good amount of people that went to him, so we figured let's go to him from now on. Plus he wasn't too far away from home.
We'll call him Dr. A. The first visit, he says I have perfect teeth. It was mostly assessment and what not. The following week I came back to have cleaning done. Lo and behold, Dr. A says I got 7 cavities. Holy damn what? 7? How the heck did I get 7 cavities in less than a week? I didn't even eat any candy that week. But as a patient, you trust your dentist's judgment right? I had to go multiple times to fix those so called cavities. I later found out this dentist had pretty much lied to us. I didn't have any cavities actually. But instead, he used that excuse so he could buff all my teeth. When I mean buff, he buffed all my enamel out. Basic tooth anatomy 101: Enamel is the white layer on top of every tooth, the outmost protective layer of a tooth. If that thins out, your tooth is more susceptible to cracks, damage, cavities, and that could lead to more problems in the future. This dentist was a freaking crook. Took advantage of our insurance.
Anyways great, now that all my enamel is gone, my teeth became super sensitive to touch. Hot and cold liquids, and chewing food. Sensodyne for life now. I switched dentists to see if I could somehow fix this problem, but every dentist I went to assumed I was grinding my teeth at night. So 2 of them gave me a night guard for use at night. I used it for a while and then got lazy so I stopped using it.
Late 2008 was the beginning of a tooth nightmare. I had gone in complaining of sensitivity and pain in my left molar. The new dentist I went to (we'll call him Dr. B) did a thorough assessment and found a huge cavity hiding in the back. It was hard to tell by xray but it looked like the tooth could be saved. It wasn't touching the pulp, or so we thought. Cavity was taken out and the area was cleaned, then sealed. And off I went. In the next few months, the tooth was way more sensitive than before. Sensitive to everything, even air. I kept telling them something was wrong, but I was told it was normal to feel a bit of sensitivity. Ok, fine I'll just suck it up and deal with it.
About 10 months later, 6 days before I went to write my licensing exam, there was a dull pain in my jaw. It came and went, nothing too significant. I didn't think too much of it but figured I'll keep an eye out. The next day (5 days before the exam), the pain came back and stayed. But it was bearable. On the third day, that's when all hell broke loose. The pain became excruciating that I could not stop crying. This time, the pain went from dull to sharp, and was hitting my entire jaw line, up to my head, giving me the worst headaches. Headaches that went past 24 hours. It would not go away. I knew the origin of pain was from that molar, and I just wanted to rip it out so the pain would go away. It was pain mixed with feeling itchy in that area. I hit up the emergency room, and the nurse gave me a Tylenol regular. I take it but it does nothing at all. We wait about 3 hours before being called in, and then another hour before the doctor actually comes to see me. The MD assesses and says my gums are swollen red, and says it's infected. No sh*t Sherlock.
He says there is no dentist on call at the hospital. The only thing he can do is write a prescription for an antibiotic, and take some Advil for the pain. I said the nurse gave me a Tylenol 500mg. He tells me it's not a NSAID so it wouldn't help. Hello, I know that, your nurse gave it to me. Shouldn't you be prescribing me some Morphine? This isn't some normal tooth pain or arthritic pain. Advil and Tylenol will do no good at this time! So I waited 4 hours to be given an antibiotic prescription. Lovely.
The following morning, we called up dentist #3. We'll call him Dr. C. We told him what happened the previous night, so he pushed all his appointments for the day to accommodate me first thing in the morning, as it was an emergency case. And this was my first root canal. I had no clue what to expect, but I can tell you that it hurt like a biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitch. It was probably very painful at this point because whatever was going on inside the tooth, it was already infected beyond repairing/saving the pulp. The pulp is the part in the tooth where there is blood supply along with nerves to keep the tooth alive, so to speak. When a cavity becomes deep enough that it touches the pulp, the pulp becomes inflamed. The longer it remains inflamed, the harder it becomes to save the tooth and leads to an abscess. Infection occurs and when it is not treated, it travels into the blood stream, and then you'll have way bigger problems. The last thing you want is for it to hit your brain.
During the procedure, Lidocaine was given, but in my opinion, not enough because I felt everything. I kept signaling to give me more, which I believe I was given 4 needle shots in total. But while he was pulling out the pulp/roots, I could still feel it. It's hard to describe, but it's like when you hit your funny bone very hard. And you get that painful weird sensation for a while. Yeah, it's like that. Except it's in your mouth. To get to the pulp, the dentist or endodontist drills into the tooth from the top, removes the pulp, nerves, and any bacteria or debris and a thorough cleaning is done, before the area is filled. If you feel any pain, ask for more freezing. The most difficult part about root canals on the molars is that molars have more nerve endings than the rest of the teeth. The average is about 3 nerve endings/roots. So it will take quite a bit of Lidocaine to numb everything in that area. I was told for this specific tooth, there were 2 dead nerves and 1 live nerve, hence why I was feeling lots of pain.
Finally after about an hour, it was all done. After a root canal, you get a temporary filling. Eventually you'll have to go back to the dentist after a couple of weeks at least, to get the permanent filling done. And then finally, a crown to be put on top of that tooth, so it won't shatter when you eat. Now that there is no nerves or blood supply going to that tooth, there should not be any sensation left.
I had pushed the permanent filling to be done later on when I received insurance from work. At that time, I just graduated and was no longer under parents' insurance benefits, so I had to pay everything out of pocket. Root canals these days cost about $800-1,000 depending on which tooth. Molars are the most expensive because they take the longest time and contain the most roots, along with bigger pulps. Permanent filling would cost another few hundred. And a crown would cost about $1,000, depending on material. Most common these days are porcelain laced with gold inside.
About 8 months later, I had a part time job but no full time, so there was still no insurance. I still pushed to wait. And that's when problems occurred. At this time, the temporary filling fell out, and the tooth got infected once again. I was put on a course of antibiotics again. This time I was referred to an Endodontist, a specialist dentist. We'll call her Dr. D. She did an xray to see what was going on, and found that there was an extra nerve ending that was not taken out. 4 roots in total?? The initial root canal was not done properly. So here I go, another pulpectomy but it wasn't as bad as the first one. So finally, another temporary filling was done. This time I was warned to not wait so long for a permanent filling. So I said ok, screw it, let's do the permanent filling and get a crown.
I go back to dentist #3 to get the permanent filling and the crown done. Once again, all this was paid out of pocket due to having no insurance. Pricey as faaaaackkkkkkk. This one tooth took about a year and a half to properly fix. Plus a couple grand to fix in total. Could've bought a purse.
Fast forward to 2015. I had a problematic tooth once again on the opposite side, a molar. That tooth had cracked previously and was fixed twice. It had cracked again and part of the tooth fell out. I could tell it was not in good condition so I scheduled to see dentist #3. He cleaned and filled it once again. But it was still super sensitive. He didn't think I needed a root canal because he fixed it. I also had another tooth on the opposite side that was aching for about a year but I didn't really bother to get it checked out because I'm stubborn like that.
A family member had talked about another dentist (dentist #5, Dr. E) and so I was referred there for my second problematic tooth. She did an assessment and said it was a deep cavity but the tooth can be saved. So it was cleaned and filled. Problem is, this tooth became super sensitive than before and it hurt. She told me it would be sensitive for a few days. Well, over a week later it still hurt. So I knew this was not a good sign. That's the thing with dentists. Even if it looks pretty bad, they would still try to fix and save the tooth, and still take a chunk out of your insurance money. Thank God for full time status and benefits.
I remember the Endodontist had told me of a tap test to check for sensitivity and pain. Just knock on your affected tooth/teeth with your nail or with a metal utensil. If there is pain and it lingers, it means the pulp is inflamed. Another test is the cold touch test. Take a Q-tip and put cold water on the tip. Put the tip on your tooth and remove when you feel pain. If the pain lingers, the pulp is inflamed. Not a good sign at all. The pulp cannot be saved. So I knocked on both of my teeth. Lo and behold, they both lingered.
I asked for a referral back to the same Endo that had done my root canal a few years back. The plan was to do one root canal that day on the molar. However, I had told her on the spot about the other tooth that had lingering pain. And she made the decision to do two root canals in one sitting. TWO?! Well, there's always a first for things. But having 2 root canals done in one sitting is not something that anyone would dream of doing.
Once again, the big molar had 3 roots to remove, so lots of Lidocaine was needed. I counted about 5 shots to that area, plus 1 shot to the second tooth (which only had 1 root, so 1 shot of Lidocaine was enough). So in total, 6 doses of Lidocaine. The procedure took about 2 hours. Can you imagine sitting in a dentist's chair for 2 hours straight with your mouth open non stop? Yeah, it's not fun.
2 hours later, the procedure is done, and I look like a swollen chipmunk. It takes about 2 weeks to fully recover and for the sensitivity to go away before permanent fillings are needed, and then crowns being fitted. The cost of having 2 root canals? $2,000. The next bill is for the permanent fillings and two crowns, which is going to cost....I don't even want to know. Paying out of pocket it would be about 3 grand. Thankfully with insurance, at least there would be coverage.
Some lessons to be learned:
1) Any tooth pain is not normal. Get it checked out.
2) Don't skip going to the dentist. No one likes to go, but a check up every 6 months, even for teeth cleaning, is worth it.
3) If you don't like pain, avoid root canals.
4) If you've been told your cavity was deep but it wasn't touching the pulp, pay attention for the next few weeks. If it becomes more sensitive than before, do the tap test. If the pain lingers, it means the pulp is inflamed, and is not a good sign. The longer it lingers, the worst it gets.
5) Regular dentists can do root canals. I would recommend Endodontists because they specialize in those and, in my opinion, do a better job. So get a referral there if you need to do a root canal.
6) Crowns are recommended for molars, as they do the most work in chewing food. You can skip out on it if it's canines (front) or bicuspids (front-side); usually a permanent filling is sufficient. With molars, it's highly recommended that you get a crown to be fitted on top of the affected tooth to protect it for many years to come.
7) Avoid drinks high in sugar. Even if you dilute your drink with water, you will still have 35 grams of sugar in that particular drink. All that sugary stuff is left behind in the small crevasses between your teeth, and over time it will become a cavity.
8) You'll have a higher chance of getting a root canal done if you suffer from the following:
a) No enamel left, leaving your tooth highly sensitive
b) Your tooth had previously cracked
c) Constant work done on the tooth (cavities, cracks)
d) Deep cavities
e) Tooth decay
f) Trauma to the tooth
9) Before brushing teeth, try rinsing out your mouth with salt and warm water. You could actually use coconut oil as well on its own. Take a mouthful of coconut oil and let it simmer between your teeth and gums. In 5-10 minutes, spit out and brush.
10) Brush your teeth and floss regularly. There is no set amount of times you should brush (although most people brush in the morning and at night), but I would recommend brushing after each meal or any time you eat something. Technique is also important as well with brushing. Up and down motion is preferred to get rid of any plaque between the teeth. Scrubbing side to side will not clean much.
11) Marry a dentist. They'll fix your teeth for free.
So there you have it. Take care of your teeth.
Thursday, May 28, 2015
Dress Code and Alexi Halket
If you haven't been reading or listening to the news lately, 18 years old Alexi Halket is a high school student in Etobicoke who got into trouble this week with the principal because of what she was wearing to class that day. According to the principal, Alexi violated the school's dress code by wearing a halter-style top that showed her midriff, along with a skirt that an inch or so above her knees. This was a girl that had never gotten into trouble at school for anything, and had never seen the principal's office, until this day.
She decided to take it to Facebook and post about her issue, saying that the teachers were being too judgmental on showing some skin. She has gotten a lot of support from her peers, and there was a rally fighting for the right to wear whatever girls wanted. If boys at school are allowed to go shirtless during gym class, or swimming, then girls can wear tops that show some skin.
TDSB has said her attire was inappropriate for school.
I'll play the devil's advocate. Girl, put some clothes on. Some proper clothes that cover your midriff.
I grew up in the TDSB and in the 18 years (or 14 years if you don't include the first 4 years of life) of attending public school and high school, I can tell you that covering up is important. If a girl had went to school with a tank top that barely fit over her breasts, she would get the strangest stares from peers and teachers. The initial thought is, is she going in for a porno audition? This isn't a fashion show my dear.
You go to school to learn various subjects to prepare you for university, which will lead to your career. You go to school to learn and prepare for the real world. True, people may not care about what you wear to class, but please have some decency to cover yourself up. If you show up with your midriff showing, then might as well go to class naked. What's the point of teasing your peers (or whoever you're trying to show off to) when you can just bare it all and go naked. Oh right, dress code.
These days, it seems like it's all about entitlement. Which is pretty sad. Because I am a woman, I am entitled to do this and that. Because it's my body, I can wear whatever I want. If a guy creeps on me, then he's a creep, I better call the cops. Seriously? What the heck.
If you want to wear a bra looking top because you want to, then you can do it off school grounds. But schools have dress codes and rules for a reason. To sustain some order so chaos does not ensue. It's purely a learning environment that involves everyone from all types of backgrounds. And everyone should be learning in an environment that is not distracting or disturbing to others. I agree with both the principal and the TDSB that her sense of fashion and choice of wardrobe was inappropriate for school grounds.
If you are to raise a generation to prepare them for their future careers and education, it all starts with something as basic as wardrobe. Would you want to lead a generation that "Yes, wearing a bra top with booty shorts" is appropriate to go to your first job interview? Or better yet, go to work in that attire? Maybe in a strip club sure. If you're working in the hospital, government, schools, business buildings etc., then no. Dress according to what the company says. And that's the thing. Companies all have dress codes. If you don't abide by it, you could be penalized or worst, fired. Do we really want to raise a generation to bend the rules and risk their careers? Because they manage to bend the rules at school, then might as well bend the rules when they have a career?
You might think why the hell is this my business? You're right, it isn't. But when we all have kids someday or deal with kids, it will become your business, and mine as well. Might as well start now. We all have an obligation to pass on to the next generation the rights and wrongs. Following the codes and learning about consequences when they aren't followed.
I want to also ask, where were the parents? Do they not see what she wears before she leaves the house? If my mother saw me wear that to school, she would yell until I got changed. And probably skin me alive. Parents also have a huge role. If you don't teach kids what is appropriate or inappropriate to wear to school, they won't know. They will think anything is fine. Or they can play the rebellious game and test parents' patience but as parents, they have also got to stand up and point out that it's inappropriate for school purposes. If I saw my daughter wearing that to school, she would get beaten with a bamboo stick. Then I'd tell her to wear something more appropriate. Really, who is she trying to impress? Why do you need to impress people by wearing half a cloth when you should be concentrating on learning and studying?
I believe part of the problem is also how social media is so involved in our lives these days. You might have seen stories on different levels where one guy complained something happened at work and decided to share it on social media for help. And then get many responses supporting him or vice versa. A girl decides to share her story of being abused online by perpetrators, and drove her to becoming suicidal. Many people poured their support to her and vowed to find out who were the culprits behind the abuse. Now, a girl who gets scolded for not wearing enough clothes at school gets in trouble, she becomes unhappy and then decides to post it all over social media to get attention and pity. Boo frikkin hoo. Sorry girl, but you don't have my vote on this.
My verdict? Follow the dress code. Follow the rules. Focus on finishing school and finding your career. When you are not doing any of those, you can wear whatever you want or not wear anything at all. Whatever suits your boat. There will always be a time and place that you can wear whatever you want, or lack of (eg. going out with your friends, clubbing, partying). But while you're still in school, follow the rules. It will also reflect a lot on your personality. So if you want to succeed in life, you better have some self-discipline.
In the words of Coco Chanel herself: "Be classy. Anything but trashy."
She decided to take it to Facebook and post about her issue, saying that the teachers were being too judgmental on showing some skin. She has gotten a lot of support from her peers, and there was a rally fighting for the right to wear whatever girls wanted. If boys at school are allowed to go shirtless during gym class, or swimming, then girls can wear tops that show some skin.
TDSB has said her attire was inappropriate for school.
I'll play the devil's advocate. Girl, put some clothes on. Some proper clothes that cover your midriff.
I grew up in the TDSB and in the 18 years (or 14 years if you don't include the first 4 years of life) of attending public school and high school, I can tell you that covering up is important. If a girl had went to school with a tank top that barely fit over her breasts, she would get the strangest stares from peers and teachers. The initial thought is, is she going in for a porno audition? This isn't a fashion show my dear.
You go to school to learn various subjects to prepare you for university, which will lead to your career. You go to school to learn and prepare for the real world. True, people may not care about what you wear to class, but please have some decency to cover yourself up. If you show up with your midriff showing, then might as well go to class naked. What's the point of teasing your peers (or whoever you're trying to show off to) when you can just bare it all and go naked. Oh right, dress code.
These days, it seems like it's all about entitlement. Which is pretty sad. Because I am a woman, I am entitled to do this and that. Because it's my body, I can wear whatever I want. If a guy creeps on me, then he's a creep, I better call the cops. Seriously? What the heck.
If you want to wear a bra looking top because you want to, then you can do it off school grounds. But schools have dress codes and rules for a reason. To sustain some order so chaos does not ensue. It's purely a learning environment that involves everyone from all types of backgrounds. And everyone should be learning in an environment that is not distracting or disturbing to others. I agree with both the principal and the TDSB that her sense of fashion and choice of wardrobe was inappropriate for school grounds.
If you are to raise a generation to prepare them for their future careers and education, it all starts with something as basic as wardrobe. Would you want to lead a generation that "Yes, wearing a bra top with booty shorts" is appropriate to go to your first job interview? Or better yet, go to work in that attire? Maybe in a strip club sure. If you're working in the hospital, government, schools, business buildings etc., then no. Dress according to what the company says. And that's the thing. Companies all have dress codes. If you don't abide by it, you could be penalized or worst, fired. Do we really want to raise a generation to bend the rules and risk their careers? Because they manage to bend the rules at school, then might as well bend the rules when they have a career?
You might think why the hell is this my business? You're right, it isn't. But when we all have kids someday or deal with kids, it will become your business, and mine as well. Might as well start now. We all have an obligation to pass on to the next generation the rights and wrongs. Following the codes and learning about consequences when they aren't followed.
I want to also ask, where were the parents? Do they not see what she wears before she leaves the house? If my mother saw me wear that to school, she would yell until I got changed. And probably skin me alive. Parents also have a huge role. If you don't teach kids what is appropriate or inappropriate to wear to school, they won't know. They will think anything is fine. Or they can play the rebellious game and test parents' patience but as parents, they have also got to stand up and point out that it's inappropriate for school purposes. If I saw my daughter wearing that to school, she would get beaten with a bamboo stick. Then I'd tell her to wear something more appropriate. Really, who is she trying to impress? Why do you need to impress people by wearing half a cloth when you should be concentrating on learning and studying?
I believe part of the problem is also how social media is so involved in our lives these days. You might have seen stories on different levels where one guy complained something happened at work and decided to share it on social media for help. And then get many responses supporting him or vice versa. A girl decides to share her story of being abused online by perpetrators, and drove her to becoming suicidal. Many people poured their support to her and vowed to find out who were the culprits behind the abuse. Now, a girl who gets scolded for not wearing enough clothes at school gets in trouble, she becomes unhappy and then decides to post it all over social media to get attention and pity. Boo frikkin hoo. Sorry girl, but you don't have my vote on this.
My verdict? Follow the dress code. Follow the rules. Focus on finishing school and finding your career. When you are not doing any of those, you can wear whatever you want or not wear anything at all. Whatever suits your boat. There will always be a time and place that you can wear whatever you want, or lack of (eg. going out with your friends, clubbing, partying). But while you're still in school, follow the rules. It will also reflect a lot on your personality. So if you want to succeed in life, you better have some self-discipline.
In the words of Coco Chanel herself: "Be classy. Anything but trashy."
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
It's the Random Crap Thread!
Not sure who even reads these but anyways, as the title states, this will be an entry about random things.
First off, Suicide Squad is an upcoming supervillian movie set to be released into theatres in August 2016. They began filming in mid-April in downtown Toronto and have closed off Yonge St. between College and Front Streets in the past couple days to film some car chase scenes. I had the opportunity to check it out and see what the commotion was about. Seeing the stars of the film (Jared Leto, Will Smith etc) were difficult as it was mostly just the stunt team doing the shoot. Last night they filmed the Batmobile chasing the Joker's sweet pink ride, teamed with the brilliant license plate "HAHAHA". Tonight however, there were no exciting chase scenes. At least not at 11:30pm. The crew were nice enough to let people on Yonge St. take pictures of Batmobile while it drove up and down the street. Because of the amount of people crowded on the sidewalks, they had to halt filming just for this one nice gesture, before telling everyone to leave so they can continue filming. Didn't get a chance to see Joker's ride in person, but from pictures it looks pretty sweet. Filming is set to wrap up sometime in August this year.
Second, it's been a crazy week with planning the poster for the national conference that I'll be presenting at. Not only that, but preparing for next week's staff training on the new machine. Lots of things to juggle but it will be a surreal experience in the end. Thankfully the first batch of staff who I've trained have retained their information well on how to operate the new machines at work. I guess it means I'm doing something right.
Thirdly, it's past 3am and I have a feeling the Joker is running away from Batman just a few kilometers away. Very tempting....
What was the most exciting thing that happened this past weekend? It wasn't the BTR Tuning event. It was.....the start of the Gumball 3000 Rally! Starting from Stockholm and ending in Las Vegas by the end of the weekend. Shmee150 has been constantly uploading various clips of his travels, so feel free to check out his YouTube channel if you haven't already. The theme is...well Las Vegas and poker. Hence why all those supercars are stickered with Aces and Spades, and roulettes. I remember when Gumball 3000 first arrived in Toronto in 2010, and it was pretty exciting. It just sucks that there isn't enough interest versus in Europe, hence why after 2012, Toronto was not on the map. But never know, with enough interest they could come back. *Fingers crossed*
By the way, did I mention already that I don't give a crap about people's thoughts? Yeah, I must've said it way too many times that I forgot. Well, here I say it again. I don't give a crap.
4 weddings this year, and one down already. Might I say, that was one kickass wedding. Very well organized, everything went well, minus that one hiccup when the music stopped playing for about 3 seconds. Otherwise I'm very happy for the friends who have taken the next step in life with marriage. It's not an easy thing, and it takes a lot of work and commitment from both sides to make it work. So I wish the 4 couples the very best! You guys are amazing friends and I am honoured to be witnessing the greatest day of your life!
So apparently they made it illegal for teachers to strike in York, Durham and Peel Region. It's about damn time. I feel sorry for the kids who have to deal with having their education halted because of this constant protest on salary and benefits. When I was a kid in school, I don't recall strikes happening. Maybe a couple of times, but maybe I was too busy playing in the playground to notice anything. Our teachers at that time were very good at what they did. We went on many field trips, had a lot of interactions with kids from different classrooms, a lot of school assemblies, hot dog day...I could go on. The days of being in public school were really fun, subjects were bang on, sex education was minimal (they had split both girls and boys up into separate classrooms), but enough to talk about the basic changes in a boy and girl. It wasn't really until high school that they got more into detail about all that. But nowadays, all you hear is teachers strike, teachers strike, teachers strike. No offense to teachers, they actually have one of the hardest jobs dealing with 20 something odd students ranging from kindergarten to 18 and not everyone can deal with a classroom full of kids, but to constantly walk off on the job and strike is just damaging the kids' path to success. As a kid growing up, I wanted to be a teacher because I could just walk off the job when I felt like it and still get paid for it. I thought it was awesome, and have all the summer months off along with the holidays. Sadly that route didn't work for me. But that's the thing I learned as a kid about teacher strikes. When you see it often, you think that it's right. And if you don't want kids to think that while they grow up, then maybe they shouldn't strike so much?
It is illegal for front line health care staff to go on strike (go figure because if we did, our patients would be dead). Everyone complains of being underpaid, and the fact that we have to deal with life and death in a blink of an eye, and be the main support to a grieving family, plus do all the heavy lifting of patients and clean them, no money can buy the emotional and mental status of what we go through to witness all that in a day. Some people have the gift to deal with it and some don't.
So, I was finally able to let go of the upright piano that I've kept for 20 years to the little ones. That upright was my pride and joy growing up. From the time that I began learning piano, to about 2002, there were many memories. The first piano exam, the first time I learned a worship song on it, and well basically...the first piano. As I advanced to the higher grades, it became harder to hit the notes properly as they were more narrow. And being a fan of presto songs, it was not good for me. Eventually I was fortunate enough to upgrade to a baby grand, and it was a lot better. Those presto songs were insane, especially Chopin No. 5. Once I graduated from ARCT, both pianos just sat there. I ended up using the baby grand more frequently but barely touched the upright. Finally, as I found no more use for it, the little ones were taking up piano lessons and needed a piano, so it was given to them with a snap of a finger. I say goodbye to the journey endured, and pass on the legacy to the future generation. Make auntie proud.
Almost 4am. You think the Joker escaped Batman?
So some may wonder what the heck happened to me uploading those die-cast car videos on YT. They are my other pride and joy. I actually have taken all the necessary pictures and features and have put them together on the laptop. They are somewhat ready to go, but I have to find some background music to put it all together. And with the stupid copyright stuff, some get blocked and some get red flagged. Like really YouTube? Anyways it's either music or you'll hear my boring voice doing a narration of the features of the cars. Maybe I'll do a variety of both and see what happens. Nonetheless they will eventually get uploaded. Just that life and work are busy.
I have also completed a review on the Prada bag as well, but I figured the lighting was not that great (filmed at night) so I may have to re-film everything again in the daytime. It would only give me more joy by boxing and unboxing that heavy bag as if it were all brand new. Saffiano leather is great, but I realized after taking that bag with me on a weekend trip, it started to hurt the shoulders. There is something about that shoulder strap....either that or I was carrying way too much crap for it. But really, it's a bag. The point of a bag is to put all of life's crap in it. And what's the point paying for that price range when you can only carry a wallet and a phone? Yeah, I should totally add that to my film.
Alright it's pretty much 4am. Time to catch some sleep and dream about Batman.
First off, Suicide Squad is an upcoming supervillian movie set to be released into theatres in August 2016. They began filming in mid-April in downtown Toronto and have closed off Yonge St. between College and Front Streets in the past couple days to film some car chase scenes. I had the opportunity to check it out and see what the commotion was about. Seeing the stars of the film (Jared Leto, Will Smith etc) were difficult as it was mostly just the stunt team doing the shoot. Last night they filmed the Batmobile chasing the Joker's sweet pink ride, teamed with the brilliant license plate "HAHAHA". Tonight however, there were no exciting chase scenes. At least not at 11:30pm. The crew were nice enough to let people on Yonge St. take pictures of Batmobile while it drove up and down the street. Because of the amount of people crowded on the sidewalks, they had to halt filming just for this one nice gesture, before telling everyone to leave so they can continue filming. Didn't get a chance to see Joker's ride in person, but from pictures it looks pretty sweet. Filming is set to wrap up sometime in August this year.
Second, it's been a crazy week with planning the poster for the national conference that I'll be presenting at. Not only that, but preparing for next week's staff training on the new machine. Lots of things to juggle but it will be a surreal experience in the end. Thankfully the first batch of staff who I've trained have retained their information well on how to operate the new machines at work. I guess it means I'm doing something right.
Thirdly, it's past 3am and I have a feeling the Joker is running away from Batman just a few kilometers away. Very tempting....
What was the most exciting thing that happened this past weekend? It wasn't the BTR Tuning event. It was.....the start of the Gumball 3000 Rally! Starting from Stockholm and ending in Las Vegas by the end of the weekend. Shmee150 has been constantly uploading various clips of his travels, so feel free to check out his YouTube channel if you haven't already. The theme is...well Las Vegas and poker. Hence why all those supercars are stickered with Aces and Spades, and roulettes. I remember when Gumball 3000 first arrived in Toronto in 2010, and it was pretty exciting. It just sucks that there isn't enough interest versus in Europe, hence why after 2012, Toronto was not on the map. But never know, with enough interest they could come back. *Fingers crossed*
By the way, did I mention already that I don't give a crap about people's thoughts? Yeah, I must've said it way too many times that I forgot. Well, here I say it again. I don't give a crap.
4 weddings this year, and one down already. Might I say, that was one kickass wedding. Very well organized, everything went well, minus that one hiccup when the music stopped playing for about 3 seconds. Otherwise I'm very happy for the friends who have taken the next step in life with marriage. It's not an easy thing, and it takes a lot of work and commitment from both sides to make it work. So I wish the 4 couples the very best! You guys are amazing friends and I am honoured to be witnessing the greatest day of your life!
So apparently they made it illegal for teachers to strike in York, Durham and Peel Region. It's about damn time. I feel sorry for the kids who have to deal with having their education halted because of this constant protest on salary and benefits. When I was a kid in school, I don't recall strikes happening. Maybe a couple of times, but maybe I was too busy playing in the playground to notice anything. Our teachers at that time were very good at what they did. We went on many field trips, had a lot of interactions with kids from different classrooms, a lot of school assemblies, hot dog day...I could go on. The days of being in public school were really fun, subjects were bang on, sex education was minimal (they had split both girls and boys up into separate classrooms), but enough to talk about the basic changes in a boy and girl. It wasn't really until high school that they got more into detail about all that. But nowadays, all you hear is teachers strike, teachers strike, teachers strike. No offense to teachers, they actually have one of the hardest jobs dealing with 20 something odd students ranging from kindergarten to 18 and not everyone can deal with a classroom full of kids, but to constantly walk off on the job and strike is just damaging the kids' path to success. As a kid growing up, I wanted to be a teacher because I could just walk off the job when I felt like it and still get paid for it. I thought it was awesome, and have all the summer months off along with the holidays. Sadly that route didn't work for me. But that's the thing I learned as a kid about teacher strikes. When you see it often, you think that it's right. And if you don't want kids to think that while they grow up, then maybe they shouldn't strike so much?
It is illegal for front line health care staff to go on strike (go figure because if we did, our patients would be dead). Everyone complains of being underpaid, and the fact that we have to deal with life and death in a blink of an eye, and be the main support to a grieving family, plus do all the heavy lifting of patients and clean them, no money can buy the emotional and mental status of what we go through to witness all that in a day. Some people have the gift to deal with it and some don't.
So, I was finally able to let go of the upright piano that I've kept for 20 years to the little ones. That upright was my pride and joy growing up. From the time that I began learning piano, to about 2002, there were many memories. The first piano exam, the first time I learned a worship song on it, and well basically...the first piano. As I advanced to the higher grades, it became harder to hit the notes properly as they were more narrow. And being a fan of presto songs, it was not good for me. Eventually I was fortunate enough to upgrade to a baby grand, and it was a lot better. Those presto songs were insane, especially Chopin No. 5. Once I graduated from ARCT, both pianos just sat there. I ended up using the baby grand more frequently but barely touched the upright. Finally, as I found no more use for it, the little ones were taking up piano lessons and needed a piano, so it was given to them with a snap of a finger. I say goodbye to the journey endured, and pass on the legacy to the future generation. Make auntie proud.
Almost 4am. You think the Joker escaped Batman?
So some may wonder what the heck happened to me uploading those die-cast car videos on YT. They are my other pride and joy. I actually have taken all the necessary pictures and features and have put them together on the laptop. They are somewhat ready to go, but I have to find some background music to put it all together. And with the stupid copyright stuff, some get blocked and some get red flagged. Like really YouTube? Anyways it's either music or you'll hear my boring voice doing a narration of the features of the cars. Maybe I'll do a variety of both and see what happens. Nonetheless they will eventually get uploaded. Just that life and work are busy.
I have also completed a review on the Prada bag as well, but I figured the lighting was not that great (filmed at night) so I may have to re-film everything again in the daytime. It would only give me more joy by boxing and unboxing that heavy bag as if it were all brand new. Saffiano leather is great, but I realized after taking that bag with me on a weekend trip, it started to hurt the shoulders. There is something about that shoulder strap....either that or I was carrying way too much crap for it. But really, it's a bag. The point of a bag is to put all of life's crap in it. And what's the point paying for that price range when you can only carry a wallet and a phone? Yeah, I should totally add that to my film.
Alright it's pretty much 4am. Time to catch some sleep and dream about Batman.
Saturday, May 23, 2015
What's it like to own a modified sports car?
A question that comes up but doesn't really come up is: What's it like to own a modified sports car?
Now, the more interesting thing is, as a girl, what is it like owning a modified sports car? This should be interesting. And I'll tell you why. There are different classification of "girl modifiers": one who modify their cars themselves, one who goes to a shop or a friend's shop and they help modify her car, or one who does all that and ENTERS car competitions. Those are the hardcore enthusiasts. Then there are the ones who modify it to some degree, and then just uses it as a daily drive. That's me.
The aftermarket parts for the 2010-2012 Hyundai Genesis Coupe has definitely grown over the years. When the GC first came out, there was really nothing. All the parts that came out at first were either a hit or miss. As in, the bumpers or side skirts didn't fit properly so you would have to cut it or trim it down until it fits. Tunes were not available yet, although one of the first tunes that came out was SFR (Seoul For Racing) by Jay. People didn't really know much back then but decided to try out the tune. It was alright at first, but after a while is when the tune started having problems. Then I learned the tuning map was not exactly completed. The map was, you could say..."stolen" from the crew of BTR. Some drama happened and one guy didn't like the other so he took the other guy's tuning map and made it his own. Or that's according to what some people have said. Who knows. Let's just say once again that the car community is full of over dramatic people who you should not waste your time on.
The GC community back then was pretty small and not many meets occurred but when they did, it was nice to meet everyone and remember everyone's names. Sadly over half the people that I've met at that first GC meet back in 2010 either sold their coupes or moved on. Back then, I was not quite interested in modding the coupe. There were lots of unknowns and not enough resources to do it.
Fast forward to 2013. After a terrible break up, I needed something to focus on. And that's where the modifications happened. It all started with a glossy black vinyl roof by ReStyleIt. Something simple. Then someone decided they didn't want their aftermarket tires and rims anymore so I bought it off of him. I saw that the diameter was not quite right. It made a huge gaping hole in the fender. You could literally put your entire fist (or two) in there. So I looked for some springs and got the Eibach Pros. Now it looked better. As for under the engine, a used blow off valve and an AEM intake occurred quick. Then some side skirts that a friend sold to me after his coupe was totaled in an accident. But it couldn't be completed without...a front lip! So got one ordered. Then the 2013 tail lights along with the front headlights that were modified were bought off a friend. This all happened within half a year. Although they were mostly used parts, the bill piled up.
Now for the last batch of modifications, the main focus now was on performance. I had on all the glam, but there was no go. So off I went to get a custom exhaust and intercooler with pipings (which I had already written below on my experience with that particular company). Then the tune to finish it off.
After the tune, I told myself no more mods. It's a waste, and what I've learned too is that once you start messing around with stock parts and putting non stock parts on, your car is not really the same anymore. If there is a problem, you have to fix it. And modified cars have problems alright. The Eibach springs that were on the car destroyed my shocks. So coilovers were ordered and put on. The front lip scraped a curb, damaging the lip, bumper and broke some clips underneath. So the lip has to be sent in for repairs, repainted and new bumper ordered. The side skirts eventually cracked and was hanging by a thread. So new side skirt is on the way. There is never a "I'm completely done!" moment because from now on, it's all about maintenance and fixing the stuff that wasn't done properly in the first place.
So, what is it like from a girl's perspective? It has its moments. I noticed a lot of young guys would try to race or just drive very aggressively around me when I'm just minding my own business. They think I'm some dude that looks for pink slips all night. Neighbours think I own a F-18 Hornet. Every time I start her up, they look and give this weird look. Thankfully the exhaust has quieted down. But it still gives a nice echo in the underground parking. I still get stares. Or the cop that pulled me over that one time. She was probably expecting some young punk but instead saw me and had a triple take. Got a warning and sent me away. I'm thankful for window tints. At least people won't see me picking my nose.
What is it like maintaining a modified coupe? Probably more expensive than a stock one. Not only do you have to worry about regular maintenance for oil, transmission, brakes etc but you also have to worry about your modified parts not falling apart, breaking or worst case: having those mods blow up your engine. The car is capable within its means but if you push it past its limit, of course it will struggle to balance all that out perfectly. Thankfully the coupe is not heavily modified and the only regular maintenance I've had is regular oil changes, but otherwise it's a matter of taking care of the car like it's your house or something. If you neglect it, the result will show. If you work hard to take care of it and maintain it well, it will show positively to those around you as well.
I was dropping off my girl friend from work the other night and taking my time cruising in the neighbourhood when a TSX appeared out of no where and tailgated me. Then zoomed past me at high speed. I was going 40km/hr so it wasn't like I was asking him to race. I caught up to him at the lights, and he motioned for me to roll down my window. And here is our convo:
Him: Are you mad?
Me: Mad? Naaaaaahhh.
Him: I seriously did not know you're a girl. Did not expect that at all.
Me: Yeah, I get that a lot.
Him: You have a nice car!
Me: Thanks! I like yours too. Very reliable.
Him: Nah my car is crap compared to yours. But it'll do for now.
*Light about to turn green*
Him: I guess you are turning left, I'm going straight. I'll see you around!
Me: Yes, you too and drive safe!
What's the point of this? Point is, there are douchebags everywhere in the car community. It's all about how you react to situations. If I was a mad sap and rolled up to him at the lights and started swearing and cussing him out, I'll be damned. I'm not saying what he did by tailgating me was right. People tail gate all the time. Main thing is, how you react to it. Most people think modified coupe owners are drug addicts or are bad people. But if you react the way that a drug addict would when it comes to basic situations like these, then of course people are going to think just that.
Would I modify my cars in the future? Maybe just a tune. And that's about it. Some people say as a true enthusiast, you will always modify your car. But I don't believe that. A true enthusiast is very general. You've got modifiers, tuners, and drivers. If you are a true driving enthusiast, you look for a car that is capable of providing perfect power to weight ratio and you don't even have to modify it. You appreciate the engineering behind it and you enjoy it. If you are more into modifications and tunes to make your car go faster, then you are a tuner enthusiast. But saying "true enthusiast" is bland. It doesn't mean anything.
Do I regret modifying the Genesis? Partially yeah. To turn it all back to stock now would be a lot of work. So I left it as is. And just enjoy the ride as much as I can, before the next car arrives.
Now, the more interesting thing is, as a girl, what is it like owning a modified sports car? This should be interesting. And I'll tell you why. There are different classification of "girl modifiers": one who modify their cars themselves, one who goes to a shop or a friend's shop and they help modify her car, or one who does all that and ENTERS car competitions. Those are the hardcore enthusiasts. Then there are the ones who modify it to some degree, and then just uses it as a daily drive. That's me.
The aftermarket parts for the 2010-2012 Hyundai Genesis Coupe has definitely grown over the years. When the GC first came out, there was really nothing. All the parts that came out at first were either a hit or miss. As in, the bumpers or side skirts didn't fit properly so you would have to cut it or trim it down until it fits. Tunes were not available yet, although one of the first tunes that came out was SFR (Seoul For Racing) by Jay. People didn't really know much back then but decided to try out the tune. It was alright at first, but after a while is when the tune started having problems. Then I learned the tuning map was not exactly completed. The map was, you could say..."stolen" from the crew of BTR. Some drama happened and one guy didn't like the other so he took the other guy's tuning map and made it his own. Or that's according to what some people have said. Who knows. Let's just say once again that the car community is full of over dramatic people who you should not waste your time on.
The GC community back then was pretty small and not many meets occurred but when they did, it was nice to meet everyone and remember everyone's names. Sadly over half the people that I've met at that first GC meet back in 2010 either sold their coupes or moved on. Back then, I was not quite interested in modding the coupe. There were lots of unknowns and not enough resources to do it.
Fast forward to 2013. After a terrible break up, I needed something to focus on. And that's where the modifications happened. It all started with a glossy black vinyl roof by ReStyleIt. Something simple. Then someone decided they didn't want their aftermarket tires and rims anymore so I bought it off of him. I saw that the diameter was not quite right. It made a huge gaping hole in the fender. You could literally put your entire fist (or two) in there. So I looked for some springs and got the Eibach Pros. Now it looked better. As for under the engine, a used blow off valve and an AEM intake occurred quick. Then some side skirts that a friend sold to me after his coupe was totaled in an accident. But it couldn't be completed without...a front lip! So got one ordered. Then the 2013 tail lights along with the front headlights that were modified were bought off a friend. This all happened within half a year. Although they were mostly used parts, the bill piled up.
Now for the last batch of modifications, the main focus now was on performance. I had on all the glam, but there was no go. So off I went to get a custom exhaust and intercooler with pipings (which I had already written below on my experience with that particular company). Then the tune to finish it off.
After the tune, I told myself no more mods. It's a waste, and what I've learned too is that once you start messing around with stock parts and putting non stock parts on, your car is not really the same anymore. If there is a problem, you have to fix it. And modified cars have problems alright. The Eibach springs that were on the car destroyed my shocks. So coilovers were ordered and put on. The front lip scraped a curb, damaging the lip, bumper and broke some clips underneath. So the lip has to be sent in for repairs, repainted and new bumper ordered. The side skirts eventually cracked and was hanging by a thread. So new side skirt is on the way. There is never a "I'm completely done!" moment because from now on, it's all about maintenance and fixing the stuff that wasn't done properly in the first place.
So, what is it like from a girl's perspective? It has its moments. I noticed a lot of young guys would try to race or just drive very aggressively around me when I'm just minding my own business. They think I'm some dude that looks for pink slips all night. Neighbours think I own a F-18 Hornet. Every time I start her up, they look and give this weird look. Thankfully the exhaust has quieted down. But it still gives a nice echo in the underground parking. I still get stares. Or the cop that pulled me over that one time. She was probably expecting some young punk but instead saw me and had a triple take. Got a warning and sent me away. I'm thankful for window tints. At least people won't see me picking my nose.
What is it like maintaining a modified coupe? Probably more expensive than a stock one. Not only do you have to worry about regular maintenance for oil, transmission, brakes etc but you also have to worry about your modified parts not falling apart, breaking or worst case: having those mods blow up your engine. The car is capable within its means but if you push it past its limit, of course it will struggle to balance all that out perfectly. Thankfully the coupe is not heavily modified and the only regular maintenance I've had is regular oil changes, but otherwise it's a matter of taking care of the car like it's your house or something. If you neglect it, the result will show. If you work hard to take care of it and maintain it well, it will show positively to those around you as well.
I was dropping off my girl friend from work the other night and taking my time cruising in the neighbourhood when a TSX appeared out of no where and tailgated me. Then zoomed past me at high speed. I was going 40km/hr so it wasn't like I was asking him to race. I caught up to him at the lights, and he motioned for me to roll down my window. And here is our convo:
Him: Are you mad?
Me: Mad? Naaaaaahhh.
Him: I seriously did not know you're a girl. Did not expect that at all.
Me: Yeah, I get that a lot.
Him: You have a nice car!
Me: Thanks! I like yours too. Very reliable.
Him: Nah my car is crap compared to yours. But it'll do for now.
*Light about to turn green*
Him: I guess you are turning left, I'm going straight. I'll see you around!
Me: Yes, you too and drive safe!
What's the point of this? Point is, there are douchebags everywhere in the car community. It's all about how you react to situations. If I was a mad sap and rolled up to him at the lights and started swearing and cussing him out, I'll be damned. I'm not saying what he did by tailgating me was right. People tail gate all the time. Main thing is, how you react to it. Most people think modified coupe owners are drug addicts or are bad people. But if you react the way that a drug addict would when it comes to basic situations like these, then of course people are going to think just that.
Would I modify my cars in the future? Maybe just a tune. And that's about it. Some people say as a true enthusiast, you will always modify your car. But I don't believe that. A true enthusiast is very general. You've got modifiers, tuners, and drivers. If you are a true driving enthusiast, you look for a car that is capable of providing perfect power to weight ratio and you don't even have to modify it. You appreciate the engineering behind it and you enjoy it. If you are more into modifications and tunes to make your car go faster, then you are a tuner enthusiast. But saying "true enthusiast" is bland. It doesn't mean anything.
Do I regret modifying the Genesis? Partially yeah. To turn it all back to stock now would be a lot of work. So I left it as is. And just enjoy the ride as much as I can, before the next car arrives.
Thursday, March 05, 2015
Prada Experience
I was never really into the whole purse thing until I got bored with the car scene. If I had not gotten all those car parts, I could've just started a purse collection. No wait, I still had a purse collection even during my car modding days. Never mind.
A small back story:
It was October 2014 when I saw this real classy purse. It was a blue Prada top handle promenade handbag that reminded me of the PAN AM airlines stewardess' blue handbags back in the 1970's (or was it 80's). There were quite a few sizes: mini, small, medium and large. Very self explanatory. Just like a pen....ok I'll stop there.
One thing that was a drawback was the price. It was just under 2 grand Canadian. There's no way I'd pay that much for a small handbag. I was heading to the States in a few weeks so I decided to check it out there and see what the price was.
I hit up Vegas and found a Prada store there. It looked pretty new (I was there in 2009 and did not see a Prada store on the Strip). So I went into the store with my mom (bad idea) to check it out. I asked to see the small version of the top handle promenade in various colours: fuscia, light pink, blue and black. My mom thought it was cute. As soon as she saw the price, she almost had a heart attack and pulled me out of the store, trying to convince me that I was on drugs. The price difference was a couple hundred but converting it would save...a few bucks. The Canadian dollar was terrible so it wasn't really worth getting it. However, after we were back at the hotel and she went to shower, this is when I headed back out to the store.
And bought the small version. WHAT?
While the lady was packing my bag into a box, they offered water while I waited and commented on the Prada pink bow wallet I had with me. They were very nice and happy (probably because I had bought an item) but nonetheless it was a pretty surreal experience.
I had it shipped from the hotel back home via air express. When I was able to sit at home and start packing stuff into the bag, this is when I ran into a problem. My wallet could barely fit inside, along with my keys, phone, some make up, and some other random stuff I carry. It was still within my 14 day window to exchange or refund it so I went to the Yorkdale location to see if I could upgrade the size. That's right ladies, bigger the better. Har Har...
I took a look at the medium size promenade bag, and tried fitting all the stuff I usually carry with me into their display bag (i.e the wide wallet, a couple of key holding wallets, glasses case, lip gloss, agenda, S4 phone, card holder, camera) and it was perfect. Just what I was looking for.
Winnie the SA was there to help me, and may I say she was very patient with me as I debated between the colours and size, and what other item I should get. It was possible to exchange and upgrade the purse but she would have to convert the difference. No problem! So off she went to find the medium top handle promenade in cornflower blue for me. It took a while, but the one she brought up was brand spanking new. It had all the protection on it. After evaluating it, and being happy with the result, I paid the difference. I was allowed to take pictures without getting kicked out by security. I also asked Winnie to take a picture with me, for memories of my first Prada bag.
Never in my existence did I know I would get something exclusive like this, but it's one of those things that you try if you can. And if you like it that's great. If you don't, then just sell it. But don't buy items from a particular brand name just because you can collect and say you have it.
People ask how the heck are you able to buy these things? Well that's simple. Don't blow all your cash on purses or other exclusive items when you get your first pay cheque. It takes years to build up your net worth. If you can, save up 70-80% of what you make. The rest is for bills. And the remaining is what you can play around with. Work hard, do those overtimes when you are young, because once you hit 30, you won't be able to abuse your body like that anymore. Most importantly, save save save. Don't go on constant shopping sprees and spend more than you make. That will just land you in trouble. Many people are not rich; people can manage money well and save well, but only if you put your mind to it.
Also, it helps to be single and have no kids. Kids will just make you go bankrupt.
That is all for today (or tonight shall I say). I shall do an update a year from now to see how the bag holds up. For now, the bag is used for special occasions but I may say what the heck with it and just use it as an everyday bag. You never know!
Here are some shots of the cornflower blue.
A small back story:
It was October 2014 when I saw this real classy purse. It was a blue Prada top handle promenade handbag that reminded me of the PAN AM airlines stewardess' blue handbags back in the 1970's (or was it 80's). There were quite a few sizes: mini, small, medium and large. Very self explanatory. Just like a pen....ok I'll stop there.
One thing that was a drawback was the price. It was just under 2 grand Canadian. There's no way I'd pay that much for a small handbag. I was heading to the States in a few weeks so I decided to check it out there and see what the price was.
I hit up Vegas and found a Prada store there. It looked pretty new (I was there in 2009 and did not see a Prada store on the Strip). So I went into the store with my mom (bad idea) to check it out. I asked to see the small version of the top handle promenade in various colours: fuscia, light pink, blue and black. My mom thought it was cute. As soon as she saw the price, she almost had a heart attack and pulled me out of the store, trying to convince me that I was on drugs. The price difference was a couple hundred but converting it would save...a few bucks. The Canadian dollar was terrible so it wasn't really worth getting it. However, after we were back at the hotel and she went to shower, this is when I headed back out to the store.
And bought the small version. WHAT?
While the lady was packing my bag into a box, they offered water while I waited and commented on the Prada pink bow wallet I had with me. They were very nice and happy (probably because I had bought an item) but nonetheless it was a pretty surreal experience.
I had it shipped from the hotel back home via air express. When I was able to sit at home and start packing stuff into the bag, this is when I ran into a problem. My wallet could barely fit inside, along with my keys, phone, some make up, and some other random stuff I carry. It was still within my 14 day window to exchange or refund it so I went to the Yorkdale location to see if I could upgrade the size. That's right ladies, bigger the better. Har Har...
I took a look at the medium size promenade bag, and tried fitting all the stuff I usually carry with me into their display bag (i.e the wide wallet, a couple of key holding wallets, glasses case, lip gloss, agenda, S4 phone, card holder, camera) and it was perfect. Just what I was looking for.
Winnie the SA was there to help me, and may I say she was very patient with me as I debated between the colours and size, and what other item I should get. It was possible to exchange and upgrade the purse but she would have to convert the difference. No problem! So off she went to find the medium top handle promenade in cornflower blue for me. It took a while, but the one she brought up was brand spanking new. It had all the protection on it. After evaluating it, and being happy with the result, I paid the difference. I was allowed to take pictures without getting kicked out by security. I also asked Winnie to take a picture with me, for memories of my first Prada bag.
Never in my existence did I know I would get something exclusive like this, but it's one of those things that you try if you can. And if you like it that's great. If you don't, then just sell it. But don't buy items from a particular brand name just because you can collect and say you have it.
People ask how the heck are you able to buy these things? Well that's simple. Don't blow all your cash on purses or other exclusive items when you get your first pay cheque. It takes years to build up your net worth. If you can, save up 70-80% of what you make. The rest is for bills. And the remaining is what you can play around with. Work hard, do those overtimes when you are young, because once you hit 30, you won't be able to abuse your body like that anymore. Most importantly, save save save. Don't go on constant shopping sprees and spend more than you make. That will just land you in trouble. Many people are not rich; people can manage money well and save well, but only if you put your mind to it.
Also, it helps to be single and have no kids. Kids will just make you go bankrupt.
That is all for today (or tonight shall I say). I shall do an update a year from now to see how the bag holds up. For now, the bag is used for special occasions but I may say what the heck with it and just use it as an everyday bag. You never know!
Here are some shots of the cornflower blue.
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Gucci Experience
Greetings!
So lately I've been trying to look for a clutch-like purse to carry to evening parties. With 4-5 weddings coming up this year, I figured I should change up my purse. The purses I have in my collection are more for everyday use, so they are bulky. Big enough that I will fall off my chair if I had it sitting behind me.
Question is (well there are many questions really) which brand? And on what budget? What colour? What style? What material? You get the idea. It's like asking yourself what to wear to go out for a nice dinner. Except it could take hours trying to figure this one item out.
First thing, I had a budget set. I knew I didn't want to spend over X amount of dollars, so off I went online shopping on various brands. I started off with Louis Vuitton, then Prada, then Chanel. And I fell in love with the classic double flap bag (or what they call the "Reissue"). This was the perfect evening bag that I was looking for. Only problem is...the price. I remember seeing the same bag a couple years ago and I thought it was pretty mad already. But this was already an increase of 10% minimum. In only 2 years! But what I've also learned is if you decide to go the luxury brand route, their products have an annual increase on pricing. Some are twice a year. Highway robbery much?
Anyways, I tried finding used Chanel bags online and they were still expensive. North of $4,000 if you want a really good used one. So I knew this wasn't the right route for me. Keep on looking.
I didn't find much at Prada or LV. Then it hit me. Gucci! I totally forgot. I hit up their website. The first few scrolls, I was turned off immediately. The bags were bland, and they were pricey. But I didn't give up. I kept scrolling until I saw one that I knew was the one. It's called the Emily Chain Shiny Guccissima Leather shoulder bag. Like what in the world! It was love at first scroll. The price was reasonable, and the colour was just right. I searched online to see if it was available in stores. The search turned up NOTHING! How is that possible?! I was about to call the store here but figured if an associate had no idea what I was talking about, they could just say it's unavailable. I figured the best thing to do is to go to the store myself and see it.
So off I go with my girl friend to the Gucci store. We made a quick round at the front and didn't see anything. But wait! There is another section. We turned the corner....AND THERE IT IS!!!
The amount of excitement at that time for me is like having your water broken. And having your kid pop out anytime (of course I can't really relate, but it was a mix of fear and excitement). The sales associate who attended to me (Rachel, lovely girl!) was very helpful in telling me about this purse. The colours, the fabric, the design. She said to take my time in deciding, and gave me her business card along with her cell phone number (no, I was not trying to pick her up). I told my girl friend we should go eat some food first so my brain can think a bit. But really, I didn't want to get the purse and then go eat...in case someone stole it or dropped food on it.
After a while of thinking and eating, we headed back to the Gucci store. She welcomed us back and asked if I was ready or if I was still thinking about it. At this time, I pulled the trigger (not literally), but you know, I said "Ok I'm taking it!"
She went to the back and grabbed the purse and told me to take my time to inspect it. I found that there was a tiny stitching issue which sort of mangled the leather a bit, so I showed her. She was more than happy to go down to the basement and find me another brand new one. So she disappeared to look for it.
While we were waiting for her to get back, I saw the bigger version of the purse and decided to try and look at it more closely. Being the clumsy person I am, I struggled to lift the first shoulder strap (this came with 2 straps), and while I struggled with that, I ended up knocking over the display purse that I was going to purchase. There were maybe 2 or 3 customers in store at that time, with several SAs around and security. Let's just say when a bag of that price falls to the ground, it's a scary moment. My girl friend and I froze in fear, wondering if security or if another SA was going to kick our butt for dropping their expensive bag on the floor. But thankfully nothing happened. It was a bit of a funny moment.
Rachel came back with a brand new bag and once again said to check it over, and to take my time. So I did but this time the bag was almost all wrapped up new. Stitching was perfect. Colour was great, no blemishes. Perfect. I'll take it!
So after all the paperwork blah blah blah, I finally got the purse! I requested to have it put in a box, and she was more than happy to give me one (although the box isn't as sturdy as Prada's saffiano box). Before I left the store, I kindly asked Rachel if I could take a picture with her along with the bag I purchased. She was happy to do so. I told her I take pictures with them when it's my first bag purchase from a big company, for memories sake. She thought it was really cute ^_^
So there you have it! My first experience with Gucci, and it was a very positive experience. Thumbs up!
Check out my youtube channel for an un-boxing and "what's in my bag" review (youtube/yayashi), or what I like to call "how much crap can I fit into this little thing".
Check out my youtube channel for an un-boxing and "what's in my bag" review (youtube/yayashi), or what I like to call "how much crap can I fit into this little thing".
Thursday, November 06, 2014
It's 2014. Where are the girls and their cars?
You are in your (insert whatever car you drive here), just cruising in the city when you get a text from your buddy saying "Hey _____! There's a huge car meet at ____ and ____! Come check it out! Our car club is heading there in about 30 minutes!"
Great, you say to yourself. Assuming you are a single guy, you get excited because maybe you'll get to meet a hot car chick for once! You are tired of heading to all these meets and all it is, is really a big sausage fest. But maybe just this once, you'll meet someone decent. Someone who shares the same passion as you: the love for cars.
You get to the meet, and once again, most of the drivers are guys. The girls that have attended are either someone's girlfriend or one of those Got Ass? models. Very rarely do you see girls who are single, pretty, and drive their own modified cars. It's like trying to find a needle in a haystack. You still chill around with your car crew before dispersing from the meet to go home and rest up.
Now, you wonder where this is going. I will break it down for you.
I'm a chick who drives a modified coupe. I call myself a car enthusiast. I have attended car meets from the east end of the city to central and then west. I started off attending my first car meet back in 2010. I met some cool people and knowledgeable people (or so I thought) and continued to attend weekly meets. The east end meet died off, and I found another meet closer to home and started attending those meets instead. Once again, I met some nice people. I have attended charity car shows and regular car shows in the past. The guys at the meets all thought I was a nice person and wanted to help me gain more knowledge in the modifying world, which is great. It's like I found some gurus that could guide me into modifying cars peacefully.
But here's the problem. They would want more than just your friendship. And when you reject them, all hell breaks loose. Suddenly, you are dealing with a wailing 6 year old who wants his candy but you refuse to give him any candy.
Would a girl really want to get together with someone who wails and acts like a 6 year old? No thanks. And this is why I don't date guys in the car scene.
Don't get me wrong, there are some decent guys at these meets. But I'd say most of them, if not all, would already be taken. And because of that, I wouldn't want to get close to them; you wouldn't want to send off the wrong message would you?
From a girl's perspective, and one who has been to these meets for a couple of years, there are a few things I can list out why a girl would attend these meets:
1) To interact with others who share the same passion for cars
2) To learn more about car modifications, and how they work
3) To cruise with people who drive the same car as you (like how cool is that?!)
4) To take photos of cars (sharing a passion for photography)
5) To be part of the small community of girls who have a passion for cars
You see, none of the above have anything to do with getting into someone's pants. Then again, this is coming from a car enthusiast who is a girl (and my passion for cars is just one passion).
Now, if I can summarize why guys attend these meets, this is what I observed:
1) To see who has the faster and better car
2) Boosted ego (hey, not just my turbo, but gotta boost my ego too!)
3) To share your vast knowledge of cars, or so you think, but really you have absolutely no clue what you are talking about
4) To meet hot chicks
5) To get laid by hot chicks
6) To start drama and rumours within the circle of the club when hot chicks rejects you
7) To start drama with hot chicks' boyfriend(s)
8) Or if you are really normal, you just go to meet new friends
8) Or if you are really normal, you just go to meet new friends
Basically, it's all about the ego for guys. And you wonder why there are less girls in car clubs/meets.
There's a difference when a girl poses on your car to take pictures in a bikini versus a girl who drives a modified car to a meet and calls it her baby or project. If I was a guy, and I saw a girl pull up in her modified car, I would appreciate it. I believe it is all about the mind set and how you interact with the girl. But this is the sad part. Most guys (not all) do not know how to appreciate that nor do they know how to keep a conversation. The easiest way is to look at the chick as another dude and just start talking to her like if she were a dude. But that could only go so far before you realize this dude still has boobs, wears heels, wears nail polish, and takes a purse every where they go.
All the girl really wants is appreciation. Appreciation for her passion in cars. Appreciation in her knowledge of cars. Appreciation that she wants to learn more about cars (if her knowledge does not surpass yours already). But most importantly, appreciate who she is.
So the next time you see a girl at a car meet, don't go running to her with your pants down your legs and your ding dong drooling all over the place (so to speak), and hope that she may fall in love with you. Because I guarantee you that will not end well. Instead, get to know her as a person first. She is human, she has feelings too. Oh yeah, put your damn ego under your bed before you step out of the house. Showing off your car knowledge to her until she dies from boredom is not going to win you points. Communication is a two way street, so you have to hear her out as well. And if you decide to help her out with modifications and installations (and continuously telling her she doesn't need to pay you back for anything), don't expect anything more than a hug or a high five in return. Especially if she has no interest in you as a potential date. If she is a great friend, then I really hope she would at least take you out for a meal.
So to all the guys out there, who let your ego get the best of you: You need to change the way you act around the ladies. I'm not saying go and change yourself, but you can change the way you interact with others and change the way you react to situations. We are raised and live in a society that is all about violence, swearing, being the biggest thugster, being dominant, and letting your ego get the best of you. You want to be the unique one? You do the exact opposite of what was mentioned above.
The hot chick at the car meet rejected you? Or the hot chick decided to go out with someone else? Don't react by swearing at her or by spreading rumours about her etc. That is grade school reaction. You want to be a real man? Then act like a real man. Accept it and move on. Other guys are acting like jerks and being stupid? Or having e-penis wars online? Don't join in. The more you feed the fire, the bigger the fire. So unless you want to burn yourself, then I suggest you stay away from that non-sense.
To the ladies out there, who are car enthusiasts and attend car meets and clubs, I applaud you. There are not many of us out there so I high five each and every one of you for being brave and being a part of a male dominant hobby. Show the guys your on-going projects, and continue to do what you love to do: modifying cars.
To the ladies who are car enthusiasts but who have not attended any meets or clubs, I encourage you to check it out if you have any meets or clubs available in your area. If you don't want to go alone, bring a friend or someone you really trust to go with you. If you are married, I hope to God you wear your wedding ring, and bring your husband. If you are single but don't want to get hit on, wear a ring anyways. What I'm saying is, be prepared for some leg humping. But also prepare your minds as well. Don't let any of the sweet talking get to you.
I am thankful for the good and bad experiences from the meets I've attended. I've met people who were nice, backstabbers, liars, thieves and plenty of douche bags. There are plenty of acquaintances but no good friends in the end. All I can say is, my car meets and clubs are behind me, and that is one chapter of my life that will close.
Cheers!
All the girl really wants is appreciation. Appreciation for her passion in cars. Appreciation in her knowledge of cars. Appreciation that she wants to learn more about cars (if her knowledge does not surpass yours already). But most importantly, appreciate who she is.
So the next time you see a girl at a car meet, don't go running to her with your pants down your legs and your ding dong drooling all over the place (so to speak), and hope that she may fall in love with you. Because I guarantee you that will not end well. Instead, get to know her as a person first. She is human, she has feelings too. Oh yeah, put your damn ego under your bed before you step out of the house. Showing off your car knowledge to her until she dies from boredom is not going to win you points. Communication is a two way street, so you have to hear her out as well. And if you decide to help her out with modifications and installations (and continuously telling her she doesn't need to pay you back for anything), don't expect anything more than a hug or a high five in return. Especially if she has no interest in you as a potential date. If she is a great friend, then I really hope she would at least take you out for a meal.
So to all the guys out there, who let your ego get the best of you: You need to change the way you act around the ladies. I'm not saying go and change yourself, but you can change the way you interact with others and change the way you react to situations. We are raised and live in a society that is all about violence, swearing, being the biggest thugster, being dominant, and letting your ego get the best of you. You want to be the unique one? You do the exact opposite of what was mentioned above.
The hot chick at the car meet rejected you? Or the hot chick decided to go out with someone else? Don't react by swearing at her or by spreading rumours about her etc. That is grade school reaction. You want to be a real man? Then act like a real man. Accept it and move on. Other guys are acting like jerks and being stupid? Or having e-penis wars online? Don't join in. The more you feed the fire, the bigger the fire. So unless you want to burn yourself, then I suggest you stay away from that non-sense.
To the ladies out there, who are car enthusiasts and attend car meets and clubs, I applaud you. There are not many of us out there so I high five each and every one of you for being brave and being a part of a male dominant hobby. Show the guys your on-going projects, and continue to do what you love to do: modifying cars.
To the ladies who are car enthusiasts but who have not attended any meets or clubs, I encourage you to check it out if you have any meets or clubs available in your area. If you don't want to go alone, bring a friend or someone you really trust to go with you. If you are married, I hope to God you wear your wedding ring, and bring your husband. If you are single but don't want to get hit on, wear a ring anyways. What I'm saying is, be prepared for some leg humping. But also prepare your minds as well. Don't let any of the sweet talking get to you.
I am thankful for the good and bad experiences from the meets I've attended. I've met people who were nice, backstabbers, liars, thieves and plenty of douche bags. There are plenty of acquaintances but no good friends in the end. All I can say is, my car meets and clubs are behind me, and that is one chapter of my life that will close.
Cheers!
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
1/18 SLK-class by Minichamps (Review)
I purchased this from Prestige back in Dec 2008. It's my very first Minichamps model and my very first hard-top-drop-top. This is the second generation SLK by Mercedes-Benz (2004 edition) which came in 4 different engine sizes (1.8L I4, 3.0L V6, 3.5L V6 and 5.4L V8) and either a 6-speed manual or 7-speed automatic.
Minichamps has done a great job replicating the 1:1 SLK. The most unique feature is the folding hard-top which can take quite some time to get used to (it even comes with instructions). I'll try to break it down into categories as I do this review.
Exterior
What can I say? It looks like the actual 1:1 SLK! Every curve is replicated with precision. The headlights are well done, doors/engine bonnet cover/trunk close with no problem. My pet peeve for this model are the Benz decals at the rear (on the trunk) and on the centre rims. Because they are decals, they can easily fall off (the one on my rims fell off quite easily), so cleaning/dusting the car can be a challenge.
Here are some exterior shots:
Interior
The seats are leather-like (although not really leather), the floor is carpeted, seatbelts are realistic, and the dashboard and centre console are detailed. You can even see the emergency light button in the middle (you know...that orange triangle button!). Another detail that Minichamps decided to add is an opening/closing centre console, equipped with a cell phone in it (see pictures)!
Engine
I guess a lot of cars in the millenium have a lot of plastic covers that cover the whole engine compartment, so there's a lot of plastic in the engine area, although Minichamps did add a few little details here and there (like labels). Otherwise, good job on the engine!
Paint
I really like the paint that Minichamps used for the SLK. It's a glossy finish and along with its sexy curves, it really brings out the car as a whole (especially in the blue). It's a car that screams "SEX!!" So far I haven't had any issues of scratched/chipped paint and dusting the car is quite easy, because of the gloss.
Hard-Top
Now this is a specific category that only applies to hard-top-drop-top models. Being my first convertible with a retracting hard-top, I can't compare to other models (say, M3 Cabrio by Kyosho). I can tell you though that it is quite a delicate piece of machinery. The screws that fold/hold the trunk together are incredibly detailed and amazing.
With the hard-top down, the roof stores snuggly in the trunk. The roof folds into 2 big, separate parts. The rear glass feels quite flimsy - it sort of swings back and forth - but once the roof snaps into place, the glass is fine.
Speaking of snapping roofs, when the roof is raised, there are 2 tips (shaped like a circle) that you'd have to connect to the top of the windshield - they snap together. It would be easier if they were magnets (like those found on the Carrera GT by AUTOart), but I guess the snapping would make the roof more secure. However, because they are plastic, they could easily break - especially if you like to raise/lower the roof frequently. As a model collector, the best thing to do is to leave it in one position - either have the roof up or down. Or if you display your cars in a display case, you could leave it in the transition form (refer to picture #3 below), but it's best not to play around with it too much as it may break.
Here are some shots of the trunk area:
And here is the sequence of the roof going up:
1
2
3
4
5
6
PRO
-incredible detail
-light-weight
-hard top feature
-glossy paint
-it's sexy
CON
-hard top can be a challenge, especially with its delicacy
-the car doesn't quite sit on all 4 wheels properly (I guess there's some issue with the suspension on mine since it came like that)
-decals can fall off easily
In conclusion, Minichamps did a superb job with the SLK. The details are there, the folding hard-top is unique, the glossy paint is great and it's not too heavy. For all the collectors out there, it's a must have (especially if you're looking for something unique in your collection).
Saturday, January 28, 2006
Challenger: 20 years later
January 28, 1986, Kennedy Space Centre: Space shuttle Challenger will be launching with 6 astronauts aboard, plus the first time ever, a civilian Christa McAuliffe. This will be the 25th space shuttle mission.
As the Challenger launches into space, crowds gather below to witness this wondrous event. Students at many elementary schools and high schools watch this event unfold in class. Cheers are heard in the control room at Kennedy Space Centre.
73 seconds later, Challenger explodes.
This was not a bomb, nor a terrorist act but a major malfunction in the shuttle's main fuel tank.
Now, 20 years later, many remember this event. What was suppose to be a space mission turned into a disaster within seconds.
McAuliffe was the first civilian to ever board a space shuttle. She was here on a "Teachers in Space" program, in which she beat out 11, 000 other applicants to win the space shuttle trip.
The 6 astronauts who boarded this ill-fated flight were: Francis Scobee, Gregory Jarvis, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Judith Resnik, and Michael Smith, all having degrees in engineering and physics.
We won't forget the efforts these people put into space missions. Thanks for being such wonderful friends.
For more information, visit the following:
Challenger launch & explosion (full): http://216.92.181.8/video/010128sts51llaunch.mov
Challenger NASA site: http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/sts51l.html
As the Challenger launches into space, crowds gather below to witness this wondrous event. Students at many elementary schools and high schools watch this event unfold in class. Cheers are heard in the control room at Kennedy Space Centre.
73 seconds later, Challenger explodes.
This was not a bomb, nor a terrorist act but a major malfunction in the shuttle's main fuel tank.
Now, 20 years later, many remember this event. What was suppose to be a space mission turned into a disaster within seconds.
McAuliffe was the first civilian to ever board a space shuttle. She was here on a "Teachers in Space" program, in which she beat out 11, 000 other applicants to win the space shuttle trip.
The 6 astronauts who boarded this ill-fated flight were: Francis Scobee, Gregory Jarvis, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Judith Resnik, and Michael Smith, all having degrees in engineering and physics.
We won't forget the efforts these people put into space missions. Thanks for being such wonderful friends.
For more information, visit the following:
Challenger launch & explosion (full): http://216.92.181.8/video/010128sts51llaunch.mov
Challenger NASA site: http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/sts51l.html
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