My First romance with F1

It's been a while since I wrote about F1. My missus thinks so too. I'll have to be brutal here.

I started enjoying F1 in the early 90's. But back then in Singapore, we only had small articles in the local newspaper letting us know who won and where the race was held. It was never shown 'live' on TV. Not even delayed telecasts. I kept reading the name 'Shumacher' in the sports section. And sometimes with a photograph of him. But that was it.

Then our first local cable TV provider, Starhub, came into the picture when it was introduced to the nation. Soon we were able to catch 'Live' F1 in our homes. That's when my passion for the sport really grew. Soon I learned more and more about the sport. How it all worked. The drivers, the rules, the tracks and the politics. It was all so fascinating! It wasn't just a case of cars going round and round on a track. It was much much more than that! I never missed a single race. My hall has a large TV and it was always full blast come Sunday race nights. The whole family including my Mum, who initially hated the sounds, joined in to watch. It really was a blast the neighbours even heard.

I heard stories from my Dad about how F1 actually ran in Singapore way back then, the 60's I believe. Imagine my joy when it came back in 2008! Meeting the drivers, seeing the preparations, feeling the hype. I got the Fridays tickets, for myself and the wife. I so wanted to get the Sunday's race day tickets but the wife couldn't get the day off. And I didn't wish to spend that special night on my own. No regrets.

The wify and I got to meet Lewis Hamilton on that Thursday night. Got interviewed in the papers for it. That's already been written about in this blog.

Now here's when my love for F1 went down the road.

Read next blog.

After all this time, I've forgotten how to use this blog composing part. All those fanciful fonts and jazz. So to hell with it.

It's the 28th of March today, around 0137 hrs. and I'm at my usual place, under the block across the coffee shop. Using my brand new laptop I got 2 weeks back. Tell you more about why and how I got it later. I will however tell you why I'm always here.

There aren't many places a person like myself can find solace of solitude around this estate, let alone this country. So, here, around my neighbourhood is one of a few places I feel I can just sit down, read the 'evening' newspapers and then contemplate about the day gone by. Also I'd then catch up on the online news, which always fascinates me. Also this is where I'd enjoy my usual beer and smokes, as I don't do so at home.

But more than anything, this is where I feel closer to Gizmo and Chuee. For this is where I have the company of about 6 neighbourhood cats! I've made it a point to feed them, as they come and go, every night. They sit with me now, around me, on my table even sometimes. They are familiar with my voice, my presence, even from across the road. They'd see me from a distance and I guess from their acute sense of sight, they'd start meowing really loud. And as I walk past them, saying hello to them, they'd all start following me to my favourite seat. I do feel like the Piped Piper sometimes.

Oh wait, let me go feed mummy cat.

And this is where I write.

It's nice to feel that I'm back doing what I feel I do best, writing. Yes it's been a long time.