Song choice and Music styles

I can still remember clearly the day when I discovered I can sing (in tune at least).

I was in Sec 3 and was sitting in the toilet doing my "big one".

Feeling bored, I started singing the chorus bits of "Always on my mind" by Willie Nelson.

The night before, I was watching the Grammy awards where Willie Nelson and this song won several awards... I guess it sunk in unconsciously.


When I opened the door out of my stall, I got a loud round of applause and whistles from my school mates that were present. (It's not my singing, it's the acoustics in the toilet)

The simple pleasures of these impromptu moments! Of course we have to be in the here and now to recognise these sprinkling of stardust that were unplanned and unrehearsed.


For those of you who enjoy singing, would you agree that we quickly realise there are some songs and music genres, that no matter how hard we practice and try, it just sound weird or bad when we sing them?

And yet, when we sing certain songs and music styles, it just fit us perfectly?

Strange right? It's not exactly that we do not know pitch, melody, rhythm, and beat....

For eg, I love this song "Stand by me", but it always came out bland and terrible when I sing it. On the other hand, when I sing "Amazing Grace", I can sing it with so much soul and conviction that you wouldn't believe I am agnostic.

What gives?



When it comes to investing and trading, what's the first thing that we should ask?

No. It's not about song choice and selecting the right music styles for us. 

That comes after.

It's whether or not we can or want to sing!


Not everyone have to sing.

We can let others sing to us. We do the listening.

However, music appreciation may need to be cultivated and learned.


And yes, it perfectly OK too if you don't like to sing nor listen to music.

I was glad that a female reader wrote to me recently sharing with me she is not really into financial stuffs... 

The smile on my face was wider than the Cheshire Cat's.

Famous Failures

If you have not failed before, it simply means you have not tried something new.
 

I hunt alone

Have you noticed students of 2-4 studying together at fast food outlets?

It reminded me of my school days.

I never can study in a group.


Someone I liked asked why I don't talk or blog about the stocks I own.

Simple. I hunt alone.


OK, I do reveal some of my trading positions. But that's only when I am talking shop to a veteran full-time trader (he hunts alone too). And I only do so in the comments section where it will do less harm to the casual reader.

(When you are learning from someone wiser and more experienced than you, the etiquette is that you have to strip first.)
 

It's interesting if you think about it. 

Those who hunt in a pack like wolves or lions, they gravitate towards forums, chat rooms, seminars, etc.

There will be an opinion leader, sometimes you can spot the no.2 and no.3 too, and then most of the rest are xxxxxxxxs....


And then there are those that hunt alone like tigers. 

I am not a tiger; more like the HDB neighbourhood cat that meows.

Those of us who hunt alone may meet up at the water-hole from time to time.

We meet; we shoot the breeze together; we go our separate ways when happy hours are over.