"for everybody knows that cars are not exactly tame"

It's an excerpt from this amazing collection of travelling songs. And boy, do I like that line! Parents, if your toddlers love transportation, I recommend the cd to you. I'm glad to have found this gem in a pile of unorganized cd shelf @ Fully Booked.

• 19 songs of non-irritating melodies about a car, lorry, train, ship, boat, plane, bicycles & even a spacecraft
• The voices weren't TOO jolly like in most modern children's music that sounds fake (i.e. forced happiness)
• Even the rhyme is suprisingly inviting. I found myself participating which is a big deal.

More excerpts & artworks of my 3 year old & um, myself (he wouldn't draw tonight):

"the little blue train goes chuff chuff chuff, chuff chuff all day long
all day long the passengers sing chuff chuff chuff, ting-a-ling-ling"

"try and climb on the front seat
 try & climb on the back seat
 turn your keys, step on the start
 to take you riding in my car"

"down @ the garage early in the morning
see the big lorries standing in a row
see the lorry driver loading up the boxes
broom broom broom & off we go"
(yup, this one isn't a lorry)

"3 little men in a flying saucer

flew around the world 1 day
they looked left & right, but they didn't like the sight
So one man flew away"

http://minstrelmouse.co.uk/

clicks CDs (playtime range)

Sometimes All You Need Is A Sticker

Recently, Mr. Jeremy Clarkson came to a decision to buy his daughter a Ford Fiesta for her first car. It brings me back to the first vehicle I was taught to drive in- a Daihatsu Hijet van!

In the film Initial D, Takumi learnt to drive skillfully quick to deliver tofu in time. At 16 years old, I was expected to learn to move the loaf bread machine for our fiberglass business. Needless to say, I wasn't inspired. I hit a big pile of sand.

It also brings me to this vehicle...

Last year, I noticed the amount of pimped Nissan Cube in a youngsters car show. (Okay, judgemental people, we were there because we wanted to check if it's toddler-friendly.) I wondered if the kids actually chose (WHY?!!) to be with the midget Range Rover-ish or simply a car their parents gave them. If the latter, gosh, I never felt grateful with my loaf bread. At least my Daihatsu was meant for something and it's productive. But that Nissan? Maybe they just embraced the funny-looking cube and pimped it accordingly. Tell you what? If you have an ugly car. Save the customization money. All you need is to stick this to your windshield and you'll get everybody's sympathy.

Snooty Showroom

• Not yet open for business
• No cars
• Tinted glasses
• Basically just a square with a sign for what the space will be & its logo

Last night my partner wanted to take a picture of our toddler OUTSIDE the Lamborghini Manila showroom. He was approached by the security guard & was told that picture taking is not allowed. HUH?? WHAT?? It's either the security guard is misinform or the owner forgets that bit of business advertising knowledge. Made me wonder if it's an official Lamborghini dealership. It uses Manila, so perhaps it is, who knows... (I could find out but I don't care that much.) What I do know, there are showrooms who don't allow pictures while you're INSIDE, which is perfectly understandable. But no picture taking of/ at the facade? Really?? The next day, I took a picture anyways (blog purpose). And (as shown above) saw a person guarding the empty showroom from the 'snap snap' people.

Another father & son. Wonder if they were able to take a pic. I didn't see the guard as we passed by lunch time.

Automopets

We brought new pets for the toddler. We were supposed to name our parrot cichlids after race car drivers but we found out that these 'blood parrots' gang up on other fishes so we decided to name them after famous mafia bosses. As expected the new pets are hiding from us but lo! some are already showing some automobile love =)

Pronounce Hyundai

• Funny commercial ad
• Only 30 secs of your life

So that next time you won't feel a little awkward when you must mention Sunday I mean, Hyundai. After all, we've been seeing more Korean cars on the road. Now, don't ask me how to pronounce Koenisegg. I can't even spell the Swedish sports car without Goggle's aid.

Ayrton Senna

Once upon a time, in the worldwide web, there was a blog that began with an entry to pay tribute to (one of) the greatest professional driver of all time:

Ayrton Senna (1960-1994)

ladies & kids,

• Three-time Formula 1 World Champion
• His death was the crucial point in  F1's safety improvements. No fatalies since then.
• Mr. Schumacher, Mr. Hakkinen & Mr. Hamilton's are among his biggest fans.
• Psst! He did well in school so he won't have to study when gets home,  just kart race :)

Top Gear tribute: Season 15 Episode 4 (2010)

One of Great Britain's highest grossing documentary films (2010)

AWW! moment:

1992, in the mid of a race, he got out of his car, RAN ACROSS THE TRACK (OMG!) & helped a fellow driver from a heavy crash! 2 years after, he suffered the same fate...and passed away :(

Favorite quotes:

   "You either commit yourself as a professional racing driver that is design to win races or you come 2nd, or you come 3rd or you come 5th. And I am not design to come 3rd or 5th, I race to win."

   "...everything that I've gotten out of life was obtained through dedication and a tremendous desire to achieve my goals...a great desire for victory, meaning victory in life, not as a driver. To all of you who have experienced this or are searching now, let me say that whoever you may be in your life, whether you're at the highest or most modest level, you must show great strength and determination and do everything with love and a deep belief in God. One day, you'll achieve your aim and you'll be successful."

   "I cannot live on an island of prosperity when I'm surrounded by a sea of misery."

This man had a big heart. It's not a surprise when Brazil had 3 days of national mourning. Lewis Hamilton was there. He was 9 years old.

If Hollywood were to make a movie of him. James Franco will look the part.