The Stock Market today

It's been a routine for us. As soon as we get up in the morning, I switch on both the television and the computer. I go to CNBC and check how the stock market is faring. By then, the computer screen comes alive, and I open the finance page. I click on the signs for specific stock quotes, one after another, to see whether they were green or red.

While we both (me and my equal half) start the day, with yoga and exercise, our eyes and ears are glued to the signs and words on the television. Why have we become so dependant on the television? Is it doing us any good, giving us ideas, advice on investment? Sometimes I am doubtful. Things happen so fast. It is not merely on someone's advice, but acting or not acting on it, that determines one's profit from the stock market, I think.

But it is all a waiting and observing game. Not totally a casino play, some amount of thought and intelligence is also required. But a lot depends on intuition, and personal opinion. So we both have disagreements naturally, due to our different dispositions. He is cautious, and I am a risk taker. I have less fear and the converse is true in his case.

Accordingly, our buying and selling decisions are characterised by our personalities. Often, when he wants to sell, I want to hold. When he wants to hold, I want to buy. A lot of disagreements arise. But finally we agree on one point, that  need to be cautious. I have learnt from him over the years, that I need to be careful in investing hard earned money on something as whimsical as the stock market.

Monday Morning Blues

It's Monday morning, and there's some blue in the air. It's chilly, looks like summer has come to an end early. Summer in Santa Barbara had been very short this time. It was difficult to figure out if there was any summer for any length of time at all, so soon it came, and then went away.

I've been trying to read books off and on, in between festivals and fiestas. The long line of summer celebrations seem to be unending. The number of programs taking place simultaneously during the recent Viva La Fiesta from August 5 to 9 was exhausting. At least three venues were packed with cultural programs, apart from the children's play and games sections and the food and drinks stalls.

Now that all that is behind us, the air would very naturally seem calmer, and hence, maybe, colder. So much gaiety has gone past. The frenzy was amazing, the drinking was ridiculous, the size of the crowd was incredible.