Bahrain F1 Race in Malaysia

    On the weekend of Oct 2nd to Oct 4th 2026, the Bahrain F1 race was held in Malaysia, at the old Sepang circuit, where the last F1 race held there was in 2017. 

   By all accounts, it was a success. The different F1 teams posted many videos and gifs celebrating Malaysia, its food, culture and major spots to visit, on their Social Media accounts, leading up to the race. The Bahrainians financed everything, and even flew in their own staff and attractions to liven up the whole event. 

   So basically it was Bahrain F1 2026, held in Malaysia. 

   Additionally, for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team, it was like a major home-coming, as Petronas Oil and Gas is the quintessential Malaysian company. (im sorry Air-asia, and even Malaysian Airlines and Maybank, y'all dont count) 

   It also made sense, due to the fact the Singapore F1 race was right after that, on Oct 9th to Oct 11th. Singapore, Malaysia's richer southern neighbour, the city-state that's a 4 hour drive from Malaysia's capital, Kuala Lumpur. Singapore's Marina Bay F1 circuit is famous for being the first ever 'Twilight' F1 race, A.K.A the first ever F1 race held at night.

    But hang on a moment. I want to point out, there is a reason why F1 was only held at Sepang between 1999 and 2017. No F1 race has been held at the Sepang F1 circuit for 9 years. 9 years! 9! Why? 

    In fact there's not just one reason, but several. Let me explain:

   Firstly, the cost. The Malaysian Govt and Petronas Oil and Gas (Malaysia's state oil company) was paying up to 60 million US dollars a year just to hold the race there. But there werent enough people buying tickets and attending the race in past years to justify that enormous expenditure. This time Bahrain was financing it, but next time, if Malaysia is on its own, can they afford such a massive expense? Clearly not, especially since its been proven F1 fans prefer the rival Singapore F1 race which was just down south.

   Secondly: the remoteness of the location. What most media did not report, was how transport and logistics were a complete nightmare. But Singapore's Channel News Asia (CNA) did, and god dayum what a bloody mess it was. Lines and lines of people had to walk all the way, 2 hrs to the next transportation hub, buses were late, if they arrived at all, and it was very hard to get from a to b. Basically, the Sepang F1 circuit is in the middle of bum-f**k no where, and organizing anything there is basically a logistical nightmare. Hence any food and drinks there costs the earth, about 4 or 5 times the cost compared to else where in Malaysia. 

   Thirdly: the crazy weather. Either it was scorching hot, and F1 drivers had to constantly hydrate themselves. Or it would be literally raining cats and dogs. I shit you not, in 2009 the rain was so bad, they had to stop the race, and even on this 2026 race, they had to temporarily stop the race until the rain cleared and it was safe to race again. (Fortunately the monsoon rains didnt dump fish, snakes, crocodiles and even manta rays on the Sepang circuit track, like they did on the streets of Bangkok city) 

    But in the end: Petronas is not just any old oil and gas company: It's partnership with Mercedes-AMG in F1 racing has led to ground-breaking research that has produced industry leading racing lubricant, Petronas Syntium, and the profits of this research has gone to swell the coffers of the Malaysian Government. Can Air-Asia, Maybank or Malaysian Airlines claim anything similar? Can any other 'Malaysian' company claim the same at all? 

     That is why, Sepang F1 racing circuit track or no, I am still very proud of Petronas's partnership with Mercedes-AMG, and Malaysia's involvement in F1 racing. I always fill up my gas tank at Petronas's petrol stations, and experience a tinge of patriotic pride, whenever I see the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 team zoom past on a F1 circuit 

   

  

Finding my own rhythm

   

  I used to be pressured by some one i used to know, to perform Mehdi's 5x5 Strong Lifts

   

   Pros of 5x5 SL

   - Builds great strength really fast

   - Simple

   - Lower Body Focus, to build strong legs especially

    Cons of 5x5 SL

    - Very taxing, can't do anything else for the rest of the day

    - Hides deficiencies. For example my shoulders and arms were compensating for a weak lower back, and weak lower core, that were exposed during long day walks. 

    - Strength only good at gym. Sadly, in everyday walking, i get winded very quickly. 

      Then gym trainers always pressured me to do bro splits (Chest Day, Leg Day, etc). Trouble with this is for example after Leg Day my legs would be like jelly, and I could barely walk. Or after Chest Day my chest would be terribly sore. 

   In both cases, I would be in a foul mood, and in pain, and I could hardly do anything for the rest of the day. Why? Such programs severly tax the Central Nervous System, not to mention putting immense pressure on the spine, and on internal organs like the Esophagus. 

   These days I designed my own advanced Push/Pull program, with a little more emphasis on Pull, to correct poor posture

   The great thing about my own program is

    - improved stamina, with improvements in lower back and core strength

    - Loads more energy, to complement my daily activities

    - Broader shoulders, more balanced developement, leaner more athletic frame

    - Better mood, more relaxed. 

      See, i noticed a dude doing Lunges in the gym. Lunges seemed great for him. I tried Lunges too, but my wonky knees gave way and I spent a week in bed. That was when I realised: I was my own man. With my own strengths and weaknesses. 

   What worked for others (Squat heavy 5x5 Sl, Bro splits, Lunges,etc) may not work for me. Took me a long while to figure out what worked, but i finally figured it out, and It's been working wonders so far. 

 

   Lighter weights, many more reps and sets, focusing on different parts of the body, at different angles. That's a better way to go. 

   And: Chocolate Milk is great protein for recovery

Review: The Odyssey (2026) by Christopher Nolan

   

    "What you most want, is what you most cant have. And what you most can't have, is what you already had, and lost." 

       - Odysseus

    Imagine surviving a decade long siege of the greatest city of the era, only to be by consumed by cyclopses, enthralled by sirens, and massacred by armoured giants and a terrifying sea monster? 

   And all because your leader, in a moment of egotistical folly, did something really stupid to jeopardize your return journey home? 

   Well, this taught me a harsh lesson: Always control one's ego and impulses, and it really pays to keep one's mouth shut. 

    Of course, there are other lessons to be learnt from Homer's classic, the Odyssey, but this one is perhaps the most important. 

    Matt Damon, gives a stellar performance as Odysseus, an old military veteran, haunted by regret and remorse for his actions in the Trojan War, whose brilliant plan of the Trojan Horse culiminated in the burning and sacking of Troy.  

   Whilst there are many modern elements in Nolan's adaptation, I'd argue Nolan largely stayed true to the source material, and special mention goes to Tom Holland as Telemachus. It is through Telemachus's search for his father, Odysseus, that the audience learns, from tales told to Telemachus from other individuals, the story of his father's sacking of Troy, and Odysseus's return journey back home. 

   Perhaps why the Odyssesy is such a classic, is because, at its very heart, it is an exploration of human nature, betrayal, and human failings. And Ann Hathaway has to deal with Odysseus's failings, as the strong queen Penelope, holding the fort as Odysseus is away for 2 decades. Truly what a sad state of affairs Ithaca has fallen into. All the military vets left for war long ago. The remaining men did not know how to string a reverse bow. It was not a matter of strength, but technique, and Odysseus, having returned, successfully strings the bow, and fires the arrow through the 12 axes, then proceeds to massacre all 108 suitors. What an iconic ending that stayed the same and lasted through the ages. 

   If you have the time, and you like ancient Greek epics, do take a dive into this 3 hr long masterpiece, and fall in love with a time and place very different from our 21st century world. And the scene with Odysseus's dog at the end? Broke my heart, and I cried a little. 

    9.5 out of 10. Highly recommended. 

True Ghost Story

    This happened during my first internship...way back in my first summer out of college, back in 2013. 

    Although I was a C.S major, and was supposed to take modules in advanced math and computing,  I took electives in accounting 101, in my first year, and for the first summer out of college, I applied, and was accepted as a book-keeper for an educational software firm on the sunny island of Penang. (Dad helped too) 

    The idea was simple. I had a cousin, who was a Pharmacy major. But she took a summer to intern in the Corporate Communications department of a Big Pharma company, to learn the PR side of the business. Similarly I had a college senior, who was in Automotive Engineering, but took a summer to intern in the marketing department of the Toyota Motor Asia Pacific head office in Singapore, as again he wanted to learn another side of the business, to make himself more well-rounded. 

   As such, I worked as a book-keeper for a small educational software firm, as my dad got me that job, and to learn about the finance side of the business. But god dayum, I only lasted two months in that summer internship. Here's why. 

   On my final night, I was working late, trying to balance the bank reconcilliations for the previous month. But guessed what happened. 

  The office of that software firm, was on the ninth floor of a corporate building. But at 9pm everything started going haywire. 

  Strange sounds started outside the company windows. Like claws scratching. But it was the 9th floor. At 9pm. I wasn't about to find out if they were pigeons, or something else. I left the curtains closed, and tried to finish up my work. Then the phones started ringing, but when i answered, there was nothing but an eerie silence on the other end. Thinking nothing of it, I simply ignored that too. 

   That was when, some one, or something started typing on the keyboard in front of me...messing up all my work, obviously telling me to leave. 

  I was like all right, all right, I'm leaving. 

  I grabbed my things and left. But just as I was exiting out the door, something eerily like a cold hand swept against the back of my head. As if warning me: 'Never stay in late again' 

  Suffice to say, I tendered my resignation the very next day, and never went back. My dad was furious, but I explained that office was haunted. 

  I was never returning. I never returned.

  In the following years, I took creative writing modules as electives alongside my C.S major, instead of accounting electives like before. And that's what got me writing seriously. 

   Other peers took exciting electives like ballroom dancing, wine-tasting, and Japanese 101. But for me, I kept things simple. I thoroughly enjoy creative writing, and never looked back since. 

  

Signal to Noise ratio

 

As someone with ADHD, i found signal to noise theory extremely helpful in getting things done. 

Signal to noise theory postulates: identify what are the three to five most important tasks to get done today. Not tomorrow, not next week. Today. And everything else, is just noise (distractions to be ignored)

So i identify the three most important tasks of the day, and I try my very best to get them done. Everything else, is noise. 

It has helped me lots. Do give it a try. 

Sample Writing

 Here's a sample chapter, from an old piece of writing

It's  chapter 4, of a space opera I had been working on in the past

Chapter 4

 “You can do it…I believe in you.”

   A tearful face. A rough hand on his cheek.

  Victory carried the memory with him like a scar. When the black shuttle came, and the Sisters of Mercy waved their handheld Void dosimeters over the children, a high positive Void Coefficient flashed on the screen for Victory.

  “Positive 85…” The stern face veiled in a black cowl, body draped in black Zaku-Ten silk, was stunned by the number.

  “Come along, little boy. You’re special.”

   Victory could vaguely recall, his mother bidding him farewell. He could also remember seeing his father, surrounded by a gaggle of his brothers and sisters, and his father’s eyes flickering an artificial electric blue, as the corporate executives accompanying the Sisters of Mercy wirelessly transferred a significant amount of Terran credits to their family.

  The hand he held was scaly and wrinkled. He could still remember the harsh tang of the incense hanging on the Sister of Mercy, who led him onto the black shuttle waiting for him.

  “WAIT! WHAT ABOUT MY SON? TAKE MY SON TOO!”

  “Your son is hardly anything special. His Void Coefficient is positive 25. How painfully average.” The Sister of Mercy said dismissively, waving the mother of the other child away.

   Victory was the only child from his slum selected by the Sisters of Mercy. When the black shuttle roared into the sky, the final memory Victory had of his home, was of the trash-filled river, and decrepit home-steads shrinking into nothingness. And of the wretched people waving from a distance, whose memory served as a burning ember, when things grew dark.

    ****

 “Victory…Over here.”

 “Victory…I’m here….”

   BANG BANG BANG!

   Victory jolted awake. From the dream of haunting whispers and pulsating indigo light.

  “Victory? You have a visitor.”

  “Yes, Aunt Lily.”

    Victory opened the door. Standing next to the short stout figure of the dormitory matron, who had looked after him and his fellow rookies all their lives, was a tall figure in OBC uniform. 

   “General Dante Shaw. Sir. It is pleasure to see you here.” Victory snapped to attention, and saluted Dante.

   “At ease, pilot.”  Dante paused, to give Victory a once-over. Pale skin stretched tightly over taut muscles, raven hair wild, bulging eyes blazed with a restless fire.

   “Victory…that’s not your real name, is it? How did you come to be known as Victory?”

   “Because in all the academic competitions, all the capture-the-flag tournaments, I always led my team to a convincing win. Thus, I came to be known as ‘Victory’, sir.” Victory replied, a tinge of pride in his voice, hands clasped behind his back.

   Dante stared Victory straight in the eye. “But you didn’t lead your team to victory during the Tartarus exercise, did you, Victory?”

   “My team-mate made the ultimate sacrifice. I will forever be grateful to her. But it was my high positive Void Coefficient that allowed me to survive that simulation, sir.”

   Dante sighed, and rubbed a hand over his face.

  “It’s true. The psychic and psychological stress of piloting a VANTAR is so great, even a practice simulation could prove fatal. Having a high positive Void Coefficient counts for much. Do you know how you came to have such a high Void Coefficient?”

  “I don’t know sir. I was born in a slum outside Neo-Gyureong Do. That’s all I know.”

  “Neo-Gyureong Do…” Dante heard of the place. It was well-known for being the location of many a kichijon on Mars. He wondered who Victory’s father really was. But he cast all extraneous thoughts aside, and looked at Victory.

 “Time is short. I shall be brief. I was impressed by your performance against Tartarus. I’d like to promote you to the ranks of the Silver Foxes.”

 “Thank you, sir, I’m honoured.” Victory straightened, and stood a little stiffer. A faint smile crept along the corners of his lips.

  “There is no time for the usual induction. The recent ambush by Sino-Tech gutted the ranks of the Silver Foxes. Only Gravity Dragon and Golden Sun are left, and even those VANTARs are in need of serious repair and maintenance. The pilots of those VANTARs are currently recuperating in hospital. We need you to pilot an experimental VANTAR, code-named X, to complete a mission of utmost importance.”

  “Now…sir?” Victory looked alarmed. Beside Dante, Aunt Lily looked sad and surprised at the sudden news as well.

  “Yes, now. Pack your things. You shall move to the Silver Foxes Barracks, today. I will wait for you at docking bay 94.”

  “Yes sir.”

    Dante moved to leave, but spun on his heel to ask one last question.

  “I had a peek at your file. My memory fails me. I can’t seem to recall your real name. What is your real name, Victory?”

      “Song Hyun, sir.  Lee Song Hyun.”

  “Victory sounds much better.” Dante turned, and left, leaving Victory to pack his things.

   ****

  “Victory?”

   “Yes, Aunt Lily?” Victory turned around. His bag was fully packed, and he was about to leave for the docking bay.

   “You’ll probably have some fancy professional chef cooking for you at the Silver Foxes Barracks. You’ll forget about me in no time. But here’s some food for the journey.”

   Aunt Lily held a tin towards Victory. He accepted it with a grateful nod. Even without his psychic abilities, Victory knew what was inside: At the top level, his favourite seaweed and tofu soup. In the middle level, breaded chicken cutlets with curry, and at the bottom level, warm white rice. A spoon was latched at the top of the tin, everything was prepared for Victory’s immediate consumption.

  “No professional chef, no professional cleaning crew could ever replace you, Aunt Lily. You were the bedrock of our dorm, amidst the harsh discipline of the Sisters, and the VANTAR instructors. My fellow recruits and I wouldn’t have survived a day without your love and care.” 

   “Yes. Now go. You don’t want to keep the general waiting.”

   “Farewell, Aunt Lily. Take care.”

    As Victory left, he could hear faint sobbing behind him.

     ****

 

Recent Oscars

  I was disappointed F1 only won an Oscar for Best Sound

  But I'm happy Sinners won Best Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Screenplay,etc, amongst other awards

  Kudos to Weapons for picking up Best Supporting Actress, that witch was really terrifying

  Kudos to K-Pop Demon Hunters for all the awards it won too

  Peace out. 

   P.S Michael B Jordan celebrating his Best Actor win at a local In-and-Out was so wholsome.