Avish Zindal Week 14 - "Speed. I am speed."
Almost all car enthusiasts around our generation started liking cars because of one of three things: a talking red car, three British idiots, or a bald guy with family. For me, it was all three (though the talking red car was definitely the first). I barely even remember the first time I watched Cars, and my only real proof of my young age when I first watched and loved it was a small toddler-sized plastic bed that was Lightning McQueen themed. So, I tend to place my estimate at 3-4 years old for the start of my love of cars.
I’ve found it quite interesting that for things you really love, you tend to have much more vivid memories—and more memories. I have quite a few of them that have to do with cars. One of them was when I was ~7, and my dad got a rental Infiniti Q50 for a few days through his company (It has a 3.7L turbo).
An Infiniti Q50 (Fastestlaps.com)
Now, a turbocharger allows for an engine to output much more rapid acceleration than normal, even if it’s average size, like 3.7L. My dad is also a little bit of a car enthusiast, so when he took me for a ride, he decided to show me the car's power. He went to a straight bit of road, stopped, then set off with the pedal pressed down almost all the way. I remember the sudden jolt back as the G-forces pulled me into my seat, and the exhilaration felt as if I were on a roller-coaster. A different memorable experience that is part of my love for cars is one day when I was on the way back from school, I just rolled down the window and felt the air rushing around me. The carefree joy of that moment ingrained itself in my memory, deeply connected to my perception of cars. These early childhood memories, being both new experiences and events related to one of my passions, have stayed with me all this time and have become key shaping experiences in what I consider to be a big part of my personality. I believe that this is because memories don’t just shape personality, but personality shapes what memories are retained.
Hello Avish! You really captured how passion develops early and becomes interconnected with memories. I really liked the tone of nostalgia mixed with specific details within the piece. The structure of your blog was also really natural and had a conversational atmosphere to it. Additionally, the thought provoking statement, "memories don't just shape personality, but personality shapes what memories are retained" was very powerful to me. It is so fascinating that our earliest memoires help shape who we are, only for that same personality to later decide which of those memories we hold on to the most. I really enjoyed your blog and hope to read from you more in the future!
ReplyDeleteHi Avish! Your hook was really well-written and had me intrigued from the get-go. I completely agree with your claims on the connections between "personality" and "memory," and upon reflection, I'm realizing that so many of my memories are rooted in singing. Music has felt like the common denominator no matter what happens in my life, and I think your passion for cars is sort of similar to that: constant and reliable. I do wish I knew what you were referring to with the "British idiots" or "bald guy" though as they reminded me how culturally clueless I am most of the time. That is no criticism to your piece, only something I realized as I read it! I found the last paragraph of your blog especially interesting. Your growth into what you know about cars is something clearly ingrained. Not only that, but I love that that part is so descriptive; it reminds me a bit of a car commercial in fact. Anyway, I enjoyed reading this piece and look forward to reading more of your work!
ReplyDeleteHello, Avish! I thoroughly enjoyed reading about your love of cars and how that came to be, because sometimes, it is not always easy to pinpoint where a passion came from, and I am glad you were able to do so. Even though I know nothing about cars, your blog was still able to immerse me in the world of automobiles, even with the fancy jargon. In fact, I had to look up two-thirds of your hook to understand what it actually meant. Nevertheless, you took me on a journey with how you began to love cars, and I enjoyed how you connected memory to such a cherished topic. Specifically, it is endearing how cars are a common interest between you and your dad, and served as a conduit to strengthen your relationship. The imagery you use to describe the experience of riding a car and the feeling of freedom that comes with it is refreshing to say the least. I enjoyed your take on “Memory” this week, and I look forward to your continued exploration of this topic.
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