Journal Entries
Moving House
Posted Aug 5, 2000
One of the least appealing human activities as far as I am concerned is picking up one's entire worldly belongings, moving them a short distance, then filing them into every available nook and cranny one can possibly find in that new location. I am a hoarder, so the act of putting everything into boxes is horrendous - its like a death in the family, and the act of taking them back out at the other end is even worse. How many people list "unpacking" as one of their favourite leisure activities?
Anyway I say this because in a few weeks time I will be going through this rigmarole once more. We will be leaving our small, nice house to move into a big, nice house about 10 miles away.
The whole process of changing houses is designed to irritate, and I really wonder why it is like this? We pay loads and loads of money to estate agents, solicitors, engineers, building societies, the council and other various hangers on, so wouldn't you think that at least this might make our lives easier? Some hope. Changing house is still regarded as one of the most stressful activities in human life.
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Latest reply: Aug 5, 2000
Internet Stocks (7 March 2000)
Posted Mar 7, 2000
I have just finished reading John Kenneth Galbraith's book - "A Short History of Financial Euphoria" and I have the following advice to give.
DO NOT BUY INTERNET STOCKS
The Internet has created a stock market bubble. The bubble WILL burst. It is not a matter of whether. It is a matter of when. The bubble is following exactly the same patterns of Tulipmania, the South Sea Bubble, and Wall St 1929. "Intelligent" investors think they will see the signs and get out before it happens. The lessons of history say otherwise. A stock market crash happens with few advance warnings. People think that nothing will happen because more "intelligent" people than ourselves (bankers, technology leaders, government leaders, economists etc.) are committing themselves to huge investments in "dot-com" companies. Again, the lessons of history say that this has all happened before, with the great and the good revealed as not so impeccable of character and logic.
Am I scare mongering? Consider two facts. 1) Most dot coms do not make any money, yet they have huge (sometimes billion dollar) market capitalisations. 2) The revenue base of most dot-coms is constantly being eroded, which means that their ability to make money in the future is becoming more and more questionable.
Nick Leeson said in his book "Rogue Trader" that making money was "actually" very difficult. Think about it. Only through hard work, perserverence and a lot of sweat will any of these companies become market leaders in the future. The laws of finance do not change regularly, despite what many people today may think.
CR
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Latest reply: Mar 7, 2000
Death and stuff
Posted Feb 19, 2000
Last week was tough. First of all a very dear aunt of mine died, and then a good friend's mother died. Two funerals in one day. Both very sad. Don't really know what else to say really.
In Ireland, funerals are still a very big thing. People come from all around to commiserate with the bereaved family and friends. I think this is good, because it gives people support when they need it, and it makes you realise that even though huge changes have taken place in this little island over the past few years, there still is a sense of community here. People are still there when you need them.
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Latest reply: Feb 19, 2000
Winter Solstice 1999
Posted Dec 27, 1999
I had the lucky experience of seeing the Winter Solstice on an airplane the morning of the 21st December 1999 (I was flying over to London).
Actually, the sunrise itself was not that impressive - it was a very cold morning and the sun just appeared on the horizon without much fanfare. It was already a brilliant white, not red, so it made prolonged viewing difficult.
I saw another dawn on a plane the week before which was altogether far better. Large cumulus clouds in the far distance went blood red, and then an incredibly bright light shone out between a gap in the clouds. The sun, now a deep vermillion, rose quickly, painting long shadows on the sky-scape far below me. After that, it's amazing I got any work done that day...
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Latest reply: Dec 27, 1999
Thailand
Posted Nov 25, 1999
Back home from Thailand. Nice and refreshed, sun-tanned and depressed at having to go back to work. 
Most of my time was spent close to or in water, both of the salty kind, the slightly chlorinated kind, the sweet and fizzy kind, and the mildly alcoholic kind. I was quite determined to do scuba-diving and my determination paid off. I visited two of the best diving spots near Phuket - Anemone Reef and Koh Doc Mai. There were loads of lion fish to be seen as well as stone-fish, moray eels, box-fish, shrimps, and even the odd sea-horse or two. After a while, you almost forget about the myriads of other tropical fish that surround you while diving.
The snorkelling was excellent also, although the reefs close to shore tend to be quite badly damaged. I swam close to a black-tipped reef shark during one of my snorkelling forays, so I reckon that had to be one of the high-points of the trip. Another memorable incident happened when my wife swam into a mass-gathering of sea-urchins, and proceded to get a little "uneasy". I couldn't blame her really, imagine swimming over hundreds of very large and sharp pin-cushions when it's your first time snorkelling in months! Also while snorkelling I damaged one of my new fins, drenched most of my cash, and lost the key of our hotel-room. (For future reference : never go swimming with your pockets full).
Would I go again? Definitely. Thai people are very friendly and the food and drink is very cheap. The food is delicious. The weather this time of the year is extremely bearable, even if thunder storms are common during the evening. The sea-water is nicely warm, and there are plenty of opportunities to relax and start acting like a little kid again.
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Latest reply: Nov 25, 1999
Woodpigeon
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