My manager just caught me with my head tilted over my seat back, staring at the ceiling. Not in a relaxing way either. I had my headphones on, listening to “New Slang” by The Shins, which to me is the right-sounding song for doing such an activity (staring at the ceiling and spacing out, that is).
Mgr (jokingly): It’s gonna be okay, Quynh.
Me: Sometimes you just need to stare at the ceiling for a minute.
Mgr: Yeah, just don’t make it a habit. People will start to notice.
I do admit a nice little discussion about the market tickles my fancy, especially when we’re at a bar or club (it’s the nerd/party girl duality in me). But don’t try to convince me that you’re some investing genius by telling me about the one great stock pick you made last week that shot up 40%. I know year over year your entire portfolio lost 60%. You’re not impressing me.
It’s even less impressive when on a day like today (S&P up over 54 points) you could’ve thrown a dart at a stock and did all right with it. Luck, my friend, luck.
Also… My firm is doing better than your firm. :)
I am happy to announce that come May 15 I will be moving from my Hamilton Park/Harsimus Cove neighborhood Jersey City true one bedroom apartment into a itsy bitsy teeny weeny tiny (polka dot) studio in bustling Union Square.
Now I don’t have a problem with Jersey City. My neighborhood was all right and all. I just wasn’t that close to anything. I mean, it’s a city, and I’m a 10-15 minute walk from work and the PATH train which takes me right into NYC in like 15 minutes (not counting the wait), but when you’re already in that kind of place, “close” has a whole new meaning. This ain’t the ‘burbs. One’s idea of “close” is not a 30 minute drive to get to somewhere interesting (if you find shopping malls interesting), close is not having to walk more than ten minutes to be somewhere. Plus the rents in NYC have really taken a dive lately, and I am paying practically the same amount to live in a much cooler neighborhood. With no roommates! This is an opportunity of a lifetime that nobody in my position would ever pass up.
My parents of course don’t understand me at all. They aren’t thrilled with my current neighborhood in JC, but they’re even less thrilled that I’m moving into the city. They (and it seems a lot of the public, from what I keep hearing from people who aren’t from around here) have this weird 1970s notion of what New York City is like. They apparently think there are still hookers, trannies, and dope pushers in Times Square. Sorry, but the only place you’ll find that is on CraigsList these days.
You think if I keep querying this accounting period without actually changing anything, it will magically fix itself?
Also, why do the Pacman ghosts on my desk keep changing order? I think my cube is haunted…
I happened to listen to a mix of songs on my iPod today that made me realize there’s a lot of songs about being or involving people around my age (23). There’ll come a time when that won’t be the case anymore so I’m loading up on as much as I can get while the getting’s still good. Also, my birthday is next month and I’m starting to realize I have precious little time left of my “youth” and blah blah, all that sappy crap about taking stuff for granted.
New Radicals – “Flowers”
You’re 22 why aren’t you free?
You’re mom and daddy’s victory
Your soul that’s lived a thousand lives
Don’t hide behind a child’s eyes
Five for Fighting – “100 Years”
I’m 22 for a moment
She feels better than ever
And we’re on fire
Making our way back from Mars
(By the way, I find this song incredibly depressing.)
Blink 182 – “What’s My Age Again?”
And that’s about the time she walked away from me
Nobody likes you when you’re 23
And you still act like you’re in Freshman year
What the hell is wrong with me?
Coolio – “Gangsta’s Paradise”
I’m twenty-three now, will I ever live to see twenty-four,
The way things is going I don’t know
Craig David – “7 Days”
What was the deal? A pretty girl aged 24
So was she keen? She couldn’t wait
Cinnamon queen? Let me update
—
If you know more, let me know.
Apparently I talk about the market a lot more than I realize…
Me: i’m gonna get some mcd’s
Eric: ok
Eric: stock?
Me: LOL
Me: no physical
I did not sleep well at all last night, but with what little sleep I did get I had a dream where Bernard Madoff had personally called me and left a voicemail apologizing for losing $395,000 of mine.
In real life, the market’s down and I’m still broke.
Update: But as I mentioned, I had shares of a certain 2x inverse ETF, which I sold today for a whopping net gain of $6.57 after commission. Unfortunately that was in my Roth IRA so I cannot use it to buy lunch tomorrow, and in 40 years it will probably be worth only one item on a fast food value menu.
© 2012 The Mighty Quynh All Rights Reserved.