Sunday 24 December 2017

Where's my 7 year itch?



Another Christmas eve, another me 7 years back:

12 months to financial freedom

I were still in Athens, Greece then.

Now I've been back Singapore for 6 years now...

For most married couples, 7 years would be about time for some "do but don't get caught" clandestine shenanigans!

Surprisingly, I haven't got the itch yet? Hey!


Animals to this watering hole have come and gone. Some come for a visit and then disappear for months and even years... Then pop by again to disappear once again. But they've left a deep impression on me.

Some have stayed from the beginning. They are part of the wacky charm and silliness here. And yes, many readers come here to read their comments more than my blog posts...

There is dialogue here.


During these 7 years, my blogging style has changed and evolved.

From sugar-coated story telling (still pokes) to more in your face "what were you thinking" frying pan to the head pokes.

This is like real life mah!

New friends, new colleagues, new neighbours - we super friendly and fake polite.

When we can poke and "suan" people we've known for quite a while, we know its a deeper and more real relationship - on equal footing. The gloves and masks are off!


I've realised I can talk about anything under the sun. Blogging is a lot easier if you are "rojak"!

And when we don't take ourselves too seriously. I'm not an authority of anything; and no one died and made me Indian Chief!

I also don't spend hours to research and aggregate that sort of thing. Write a summary on a summary on a summary?

I write off the cuff from memory in one flow. I'm not a perfectionist. I'm more "agar agar can oredi". And this lack of "care" shows...

Thank goodness I have readers smarter and more knowledgeable than me that practice "trust but verify", and more importantly, they do point out my mistakes:



Eh! Wrong poet lah! Its Du Fu, not Li Bai!

You mixed up the South Sea bubble with the Tulip bubble leh...

Hello! Your cheena cannot make it! 小时后 and 小时侯 not the same!


If you've played competitive sports before, you'll know we can't improve our game if we only play with weaker players. Wink.

There are some serious dragons at this watering hole here!


The secret for my "longevity" in blogging?

Having fun!


And I hope you had fun too!








29 comments:

  1. What you want to be itchy about - go back to work overseas? :P

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rainbow girl,

      I'm not complaining. I'm just curious I have no itch?

      That means I still enjoy what I do :)

      Blogging has not become a chore or stale... yet!

      :)

      Delete
  2. SMOL,

    Itchy to get married?

    Ben

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ben,

      I do enjoy the company of women :)

      I'm an incorrigible flirt!


      I'm not lonely. I'm happy being single right now :)

      I'm egoistic?

      我眼里只有我自己...

      LOL!

      Delete
  3. temperament,

    Oh! No wonder I got no itch!

    I have not earned the "right" yet ;)


    Of course monogamy is not a "natural" behaviour amongst mammals!

    If it was "natural", Jesus would not have to say, "Do not commit adultery."

    ;)


    Sometimes I just don't understand some men. They knew they are not 1 woman man. Why the hell they want to get married and still fool around outside for?

    Wouldn't staying single be easier?


    ReplyDelete
  4. Merry Christmas SMOL!
    希望你心想事成,青春永驻。

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. WolfT,

      Merry Christmas to you too!

      I like you! You sweet talker you!

      青春永驻?

      Now this is not something I hear everyday :)

      Yes! To Youth and Beauty!

      Stay forever young at heart ;)


      Delete
  5. Hi Jared,

    I was wondering what itch you have until you mentioned you have no itch because you're still faithful to your blogging hobby. Good! You found the right hobby. No need to have itches anymore.

    Do you have itches in your other hobby like trading/investing such as speculating in new asset classes, new tactics, new strategies? That will be fun to know.

    Talking about trading itches. What happened to coconut and fat88? Maybe they developed new itches and disappeared from the regular water-holes. Coconut seems to have disappeared from your blog. fat88 disappeared from his own blog. I particularly like fat88 and follow his blog because he was humble enough to admit openly that he had lost his edge even though he had a great success with a proven 19-year track record as floor trader.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hyom hyom,

      Just like blogging where I keep myself "fresh" by experimenting with different writing styles over the years, when it comes to trading and investing, I do push myself beyond long only strategies and Singapore only vehicles ;)

      I'm more global macro which means the futures complex is great to express my thesis on future trends to ride.

      Agricultural commodities I've no freaking edge since I usually last in the pecking order... By the time I get the weather reports, its like looking up at the sun... I'm 8 minutes 20 seconds late already!

      I'm super impressed when retail bei kambings share they "invest" in agricultural stocks. They must know something that I don't! I am guessing they are working at the farms in Lim Chu Kang?


      When it comes to industrial metals, now that's something I am currently expanding my competence to. Even if I don't trade them directly, the knowledge gathered from this inter-market analysis can come mighty useful for my stock investing and currencies trading ;)


      Delete
    2. hyom hyom,

      coconut you don't worry. He'll come when he comes ;)

      When he feels like it, he can write a hundred comments. And if he no feeling, he'll do radio silence for months on end...


      As for fat88, its a good reminder that someone 19 years as insider can find it hard... Just like the many hedge fund managers that have "retired" after decades of success.

      Contrast this to retail "snake oils" who make it sound so "easy"!?

      Just download this app or software. Just one workshop. And it takes just 5 minutes a day! Easy!

      I am glad fat88 stops blogging.

      In has last few posts, he was "promoting" this "scammy looking" MLM forex trading thingy from Hong Kong.

      There are many ways to make money... Why do this to less savvy readers and risk muddying your reputation?

      I was a bit disappointed. And sad.


      I hope I never have to come to this...


      Can you poke me HARD if and when I capitulate and treat my journey companions as part of my Sales Funnel?


      Delete
    3. SMOL,

      Totally agree. I think that it will be fun to express one's views freely with no strings attached. Take things lightly like a pinch of salt.

      Free conversations will mostly lead to new-found insights.

      Ben

      Delete
    4. Ben,

      Talk "male chicken" sessions the best!

      I poke you; you poke me. No one gets triggered or offended.

      Just say say only. Why so serious?

      Not as if one is "right", we'll get a Nobel prize?

      LOL!




      Delete
    5. SMOL,

      Well said. Free-Rein Discussions are the best. The most important thing is to adopt the attitude of "Zen" and be open to different opinions of others.

      Ben

      Delete
    6. Hi Jared,

      You probably were too disappointed and sad to read fat88's last blog post. It should redeem him and hopefully regain your respect.

      http://fat88trader.blogspot.sg/2015/02/risk-taking.html

      I expect one day this Forex trading would collapse if the authorities start investigation on how genuine the trades are, such bogus trades can be created unless it's traded with regulated and reputable brokers.

      I can see that they are able to cover the loopholes quite well and raise funds legally, so it might be safe at the moment. Of course, I have started to withdraw my profits to reduce the risk.


      To a successful trader, losing a 19-year edge is equivalent to a salary worker losing his high-paying job in a company that he worked for 19 years. Traumatic experience. I suspect fat88's loss of his 19-year edge made him vulnerable to the scammy looking forex trading scheme.

      Sure, I will poke you HARD should you one day turn to the Dark Side and become a snake-oil Sith Lord. However, I find that extremely improbable unless ... your trading account blows up. Still, if your trading account really blows up and you need to earn a living, wouldn't it be cruel of me to poke you HARD and damage your rice bowl? I wish you all the best in your trading journey so that I do not have to be cruel. Your journey companions are too smart to be bei kampings lah anyway, thanks to your educational blog. I am sure they will poke and scratch you hard if you got the wrong itch.

      Delete
    7. hyom hyom,

      I would like to hold a veteran of 19 years on a higher yardstick than a bei kambing's clueless sharings.

      But I would agree on the "traumatic" part...

      That's why I would appreciate someone will JOLT me HARD so I can remember my 除心 whenever I strayed off the path。

      Its easy when we are strong and healthy; not so when we are hungry and desperate...


      Delete
    8. Even with 19 years experience veteran trader could lose big?

      That shows how tough is trading for cash flow

      Delete
    9. CW,

      Its a familiar tale like in US when SIMEX floor traders got "disrupted" by technology as exchanges closed their trading floors.

      Not everyone could make the transition to computer screen trading.

      Now its even harder with algos taking over the roles played by traditional human scalpers...


      Since most retail traders don't scalp, they have no clue or cared.

      So the spin continues...

      Trading and investing are "easy". Buy this automatic trading software or adopt this passive investing strategy.

      Either way, "Look ma! No brains needed!"


      Delete
  6. Merry Christmas SMOL!

    Have a good one. Cheers to our friendship!

    Woot

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Unintelligent Nerd,

      Merry Christmas to you too!

      干杯,朋友!


      Delete
  7. SMOL,

    That's the merit of being single. Having options is "nice"!

    Ben

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ben,

    The essence of 庄子's Taoism is:

    1) Being true to oneself

    2) Freedom to live the way you want


    :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. temperament,

    Opinions are cheap.

    Putting money where our mouth is - now that's conviction!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Putting X% or XX% of their net worth into it that is true conviction. I salute them!

    ReplyDelete
  11. CW,

    Looking at your CPF, I'm glad you had conviction on your 10 baggers ;)

    Imagine if you had "only" invested 1000 shares each for your DBS and Keppel?

    LOL!



    ReplyDelete
  12. ahm i'm here la! in fact i read blogs every trading day, never missed, just that most of the time the topic wasn't interest me.

    ah fat, i still remember his forex trading and i too have doublt cos i know how hard trading really is!

    so smol, keep blogging and i'll lent my support whenever i can, just press button only what.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. oh merry christmas and a happy new year everyone!

      Delete
    2. coconut,

      I knew you're still around ;)


      Writing and/or reading blogs should never become a "chore". If it were, then something has gone "wrong" somewhere...


      Don't worry, I'm still having loads of fun. Haven't suffered from writer's block yet (I hope I don't jinx myself).


      Thanks for your generosity, patience, and support all these years!

      Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and family!





      Delete

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