luckycanuck

I've not been posting at all for a week or more, so here is the news.


Internets


The internet has been very slow at our place and I've been relying on my portable wireless network that gets awful reception at Chez Canuck.  Two groups of tradies have been here on three days in the past week and now things are working much better.  Hooray!  You can do wonderful things when you don't have to be at work every day.  With one more visit tomorrow we should be up to normal speeds.

Chez Canuck


Helga is leaving.  It's sad.  I was closer to her than anyone else in the house.  She's just moving to a new suburb and we will see her again but this will have a greater impact on me than losing Alleluia.  We have managed to find someone to take her room though.  I put an ad up and within 15 minutes we had a response.  Miss Lara (named for Lara from Dr Zhivago) came by later that evening and we decided on her (after seeing a friend of Esky who woud up taking a place down the street from us.)


The Gym

I've had some pretty good workouts.  Today involved doing a total of 173 pullups.  Tuesday involved participating in a 500m rowing challenge being staged this week and having the second fastest time of the day by two seconds and being asked if I was a firefighter while playing with sandbags. Sunday involved a "heavy day" with heavy weights and low reps.  I managed to bench press more than I ever have and deadlift more than I ever have.  (120kg and 150kg respectively.)


The Fireys

I have officially applied to join the ACT Rural Fire Service.  If I am approved (and I will be) I will become a member within two or three weeks.

Investing

With my "getting fired" money in my account, I have been picking opportunities in the market.  I invested in EKA which is quite similar to AUT in pumping oil in Texas.  I also sank some money into Billabong which fell 25% in one day despite announcing a profit, an increase in sales, and a dividend.  It fell further but seems to have stabilised.  A hoped for quick rebound leading to a sell the next day didn't materialise, but I am standing by to sell if things look right now that the stock seems to be recovering.  I put more money into CCV after they announced a record profit but didn't surge.  They are going to be partially taken over at a premium shortly and I wanted more of that action.  But today it dropped through the floor half an hour before an announcement was made that new proposed government policies might impact their business.  There may have been insider trading at work.  At any rate, I put more in at a discount, but if I had known what others may have known I may have hesitate earlier in the week.  BOW also got a takeover offer which will mean I will almost certainly make a quick profit one way or another.  The share price may have been manipulated down to enable a cheaper offer to be made, but the lowball offer may bring out other buyers and bid the price up.  I will make a profit on this one, but the prospect of a larger profit is there.


General stuff

I'm getting used to this.  This has become my job for the moment and "working" from home has been good.  I made everyone dinner on Monday and have been standing in the front room in the sun feeling happy.

Still feeling detached though, and the gloom is still around.  Therapy hasn't provided answers yet and I'm not sure if I believe or understand the mindfulness techniques, though I do get along well with my psychologist.