High Level Meets..

Pic ctto Sir Pow Lo and C Magazine. Thank you!

If I said that 2020 pretty much had a rough start that would be an understatement. Multiple calamities, the death of an icon, and of course the pandemic which we are all experiencing worldwide. It has made an impact in our lives and had greatly affected how we live and most importantly how we perceive our love ones, our lifestyle, what we possess and a realization that no matter how many achievements, no matter how much money we earn, that no one is immune to God’s hand. May it be a painless death during sleep, or a global pandemic which levels just about everyone, no matter who you are, no matter what country you live in, or kung estado mo sa buhay. You’re humbled.

Meets. Gone are the days of disoderly meets. Nowadays, these gatherings are so well organized its oftentimes comparable to a high quality car show or reminds you of those meets in the states. Minsan pa nga the likes of JDMU and Legends meet, or the recent Stance Ph meets easily outshine that of your usual carshow I will not mention the event of course as not to offend anyone. From preparation, to the way they do invites, car slots, to ingress and engress, to the organizer’s time to address the attendees, of course the quality cars and that certain feel in gives you being surrounded by the “real” best in the field. 

Kaya nga pag meron nag rerev or nag buburnout during such a well prepped meet, parang gusto natin kutusan e. What the hell are you doing? Are you stuck in those times? 

These meets, has taught us a number of lessons actually. 

To name a few, it taught us that when you put heart to organizing a meet and your core group are real enthusiasts, purist, JDM or Euro Lovers etc, you’ll probably attract the best atendees and the best crowd. It’ll flow naturally, from media outlets with those high res pics and albums which we all can take reference from, to shared pictures snd discussions. All these trickle down to the existing, would-be’s and the learned. The result is, a meet of people who are “in” if you know what I mean. People in the know, movers, shakers, the influencers, people we sometimes despise but in reality we respect for their fearless compliance of the truth, no matter how it hurts to some. Kung puro peke at Lazada parts ka, labas ka dito. Ganun ka sakit, pero ganun din kasarap yung realization for motivation..

It taught us the true meaning of recognition. That no trophy bought from Cubao or Recto can match a moment in a purist meet. With crowds drawn to your project, mix of praise and awe, multiple snaps pro and non pro, friends gained, shempre ang di maiiwasang inggit and critisim, which is normal. Hindi mo na kailangan yung model mo na ubod ng ganda, ke maghubad pa yan or magsplit sa harap ng kotse mo, you wouldn’t be needing that if you’re running on original limited ed CE28s, Spoon Monoblock, Spoon Gauges, Spoon Buckets, that rare JDM interior, a freshly swapped K series, some beautifully mounted Defi gauges and that paint na halos 1 year mo pinatigas before you had it finalized. 

I remember my friends, their standards, that before you call something a TRD car, Spoon or a Mugen car, my god, the specsheets usually reached the floor. That’s how tune cars are built back then, and hopefully till today with the new generation. 

That when you put heart over money when organizing a meet, everthing falls into place, and that is into every enthusiasts heart. That these attendees are clearly knowledgeable, to know who’s who, and which project car to aspire and learn from rather than trophy which for me signifies fake recognition, just to please everyone, to justify, somehow, the entrance fee. That these meet ups are kinda brutally honest more than anything if you think about it. Get noticed when the build is best, on the other hand left in the dark if yours don’t deserve it. 

So there you go my 10 minute blog salamat sa pagbabasa. By the time you read this I’m probably done with my jog and enjoying chef tania’s breakfast. Stay safe! Be good. :)

Soiree

Joining groups are no different from entering yet another relationship. We are immersed unto various experiences, similar or unique to that girl or that certain group. May your car be a Jazz, an Sti, a BRZ or a Lancer, or even the Miatas or the old school Corollas, you are bound to have your place. To belong, to feel comfortable, an escape from the hassles of work, to exchange ideas, for the funruns, for the parties. 

Some women are more of the adventurous type, while some are meek, and prefer being at home choosing Netflix and bowl of cookies over that night out at Makati. Some are just so damn beautiful, but boy do they give you hell most of the time. On the other hand some are simple, and you’d often embrace moments where you see across life’s horizon, settling down, taking it easy and living a well and stress free life. There are women who share the same passion such as you, she likes to drive your cars or convoy you to Tanay’s Katerina, and there are some who do not comprehend the things that drive us, but nevertheless things work out because of that thing called Pag-ibig. There are trophies if you know what I mean, in our industry its usual, we’re not simply talking about go-see’s here but real interaction, real relationships, tired, fast paced, shallow and often heartless. Your world completely made a 360 turn maybe for the worse, maybe for the meantime. And then there’s this wife material, wherein finally you can take a step back, hang that jersey and witness superwomen. Women who lead, women who work, women who shape the world on and off the the keyboard. Unafraid, free and veering away from that veil which most often hide from in the interwebz. Through the years, relationships taught me so much that my grandkids could be proud, and possibly, make money out of my narrations. Kidding aside, I know most of us men, we’ve seen the world, we’ve been through wars, had the good stuff and even the bad. As Kobe said, we’ve left everything on the court. Knowing we’ve maxed the hell out of our single lives and ready for the next chapter. Maibabalik ba ang oras? Hindi. Nasagad mo ba? Oo. Then congrats at isa ka na din alamat. 

Nagsimula ka sa Civic because it was the in thing, nag Silvia ka, nag Z because of drift fad, nag Lexus for that pure corporate feel at nag Evo to fulfill your villain fantasies of Initial D. Nagattempt ka din mag 4wheel pero bumalik ka sa kotse dahil na dun talaga ang puso mo at nag S2000. Inaway ka ng girlfiend mo, binenta mo ang s2000 because of the memories, nagkabati at bumili ng 86, for some reason  nabitin ka and you repurchased your S2000. Aren’t the best car stories written that way? 

Groups are a hard thing to follow if you think about it. You get inducted, you meet new friends, you interact and find a mixed bag of personalities, attitudes, tendencies and styles which are either alien to you or somewhat familiar. Surely there are disagreements here and there, group chat debates, constant jarring and cryptic post. Mga parinig, mga payabangan, konting cold war between officers and members. How about sponsorhsips and would be sellers. The problem nowadays is everyone wants a piece of the pie, sabi nga nila lahat gusto magbenta. How about breakaway groups, and at the opposite spectrum are new and binding  and lasting friendships, mga nagligawan at nagkatuluyan. These groups are like tests or somewhat like an experiment wherein you’re forced into a pool of people, to see you interact, gain enemies and allies, how it brings the best or worst out of you, how to excel, its a test if humility, or a perfect stage for some to brag. Kung mayroon taong bagay at sobrang active sa Lets Eat Pare primarily because he dines out everyday and occasionally cooks for himself, of course mayroon din taong bagay talaga sa Lets Yabang Pare, yung parang suddenly nilagay mo si Iverson sa isang basketball court. Mayabang, Natural, at kahit natutulog at nagagawa pa din magyabang sa panahinip. 

Thats it for now, a 10 minute blog by yours truly. Take care. Be good.