It was and still is my hope to get her interested in what I refer to as the "Glass Bead Game". (not exactly the same as Hesse although one could stretch it to be so I suppose..in case you were wondering)
Now just to assuage concern any of my friends or family who may be reading this about my continuing ventures into the market, I want to let you know that I only "play" the market on a very small scale and do so for the fun of it. I'm not a long-term "buy-and-hope" investor soaking every extra penny into this crazy Wall Street Casino. If perchance overnight I were to lose everything I have on the line I would not lose any sleep over it, if that gives you a clue as to my risk taking which is certainly minimal.
I do it for the challenge and not for any real-world need for the money.
The "win" column versus the "lose" column at the end of the year is how I keep score of my own skill and luck. (emphasis on Lady Luck)
Many folks do the same thing but in many different ways, often in unconscious ways to prove something or other, or just for the adrenaline rush but mainly just for the fun of it. Many are safely addicted to going wonderfully crazy watching their football games, rooting for the home team with all the drum-beating hoopla and intensity that goes along with all that. Folks study it all and come know a great deal about the team players and coaches and etc, etc and it gives them something to roll-on about with others of similar interest and it becomes a social thing which is supremely good. Many folks also love playing video games on their computers. It's the safe challenge to often ordinary life which overwhelmingly so, most of are engaged in. It enlivens our often dull existances.
There is a world of competitions to choose from and "get jazzed" about. And a lot of different and valid reasons for doing it.Most are safe.. some not so safe. These are the things make our lives more interesting as well as being a diversion from less than fun things we also find ourselves in.
But neither sports nor video games nor most other forms of competition whether with others or strictly with ourselves have ever sparked the kind of interest and alertness in myself as putting real money on the line. For me, there is no real-world payoffs or real-world losses in any sports or game-playing like there can be on stock exchanges. (and I'm too damn old and certainly way to chicken-shit for ski gliding down Mt Eiger). The "chicken-shit" factor plays into of our all our competing diversions.
And even though it's been demonstrated time and time and time again that ordinary folks such as myself can never beat the "Humungous Banks and Brokerages" who systematically deprive all the rest of us of our hard-earned dollars (as is what is happening now in the greatest transfer of wealth the world has ever seen), I still find the Glass Bead Game to be an enjoyable past time that I can do right here safely at home being a "mouse jockey" buying and selling shares of stock, then waiting and watching to see if I register a "hit" or "miss". I've done both. Hits are a "yippee!". Misses are a "grrrr".
It is a proven fact that so many investors buy into the market when it is nearing its highest and sell when it's at its lowest thus losing their money a good deal of the time. The Glass Bead Game is all about people. The Markets are all about people and our emotions. However, it is a rigged Game between those in-the-know (ie Goldman, JP Morgan and the Federal Reserve engaged in what one could call a bloodless coup) and all the rest of us.
Still, we play the Game with trust (becoming gradually less so with voters and investors)
Anywhooo... it all is what it is.
As I stated previously I am going to try harder to update this blog if no other reason than to record what will become some of my own personal history to look back on later in my life. I'll try to publish something at least once a week no matter how boring it will be. That will be a good start for me.. once a week. Check back on Mondays...
When I'm not out on the road blogging, life up here on the 9th floor overlooking Connecticut Avenue traffic can be pretty common and uninteresting. Hell, I'm pretty common and uninteresting, so whatta you expect?!
So check in at your own risk of falling asleep and your face falling down and painfully hitting your keyboard.
I'm not sure when my next roady is going to be. I probably should go get my pickup in Iowa and toodle down Florida way this winter again. I'm not going to drive old Ruby anymore on long distant trips, poor aging thing that she is.
So until next week sometime.. have a good week all.
My "squirrel's nest view from 9 floors high
(click pic for closer view.. been playing with high rez imaging)
