Would have liked to have done more today, but I’m still easing into training.
Today I clocked in at nearly 33 minutes, just about an 11 minute mile. Not bad considering I had to stop and wait for the light to change…twice and I had to stop and tie my shoe…twice….once when it came untied (!) and again shortly after when it became apparent that I had retied it too tight.
I’ll get there. Won’t be setting any PR’s on 6/1 though!
I was able to leave work at a descent hour, and it was still daylight when I got home, so I decided to do a little running.
I took out the insoles of my regular running shoes and put in some Wal-Mart purchased orthodics. Gave me more space in the toes, but I need more cushioning near the ball of the foot. Nevertheless, I pushed on with my calves screaming. I was in pain and tiring fast with the extra weight and extra clothes (still chilly here in New England). But it felt good to get out there. The air smelled fresh.
Just like when I was running last year, I would count down the last mile
Five Thousand Two Hundred and Eighty Feet.
Four Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty Feet.
.
.
.
Two Thousand Six Hundred and Forty Feet.
.
.
.
One Thousand Three Hundred and Twenty Feet.
.
.
One Thousand…and Fifty Six Feet
.
.
.
Five Hundred and Twenty Eight feet.
Beep beep beep!! Done!
And in 32 minutes. Thats about a 10:40 mile. Not too bad. Felt winded, but proud.
I didn’t bet the farm on this one, but it was one of those times where I wish I did. Heck, I only made $38 on the trade. But it’s a heck of a story.
I had heard rumors (not the Fleetwood Mac album, although it is a classic) that the $2 a share buyout of Bear Stearns by JP Morgan was going to get voted down by shareholders. Even Congress was starting to ask questions about it. Shares were already fluctuating well above the $2 level.
So on Thursday, I decided to buy a lottery ticket. I bought 10 shares at $6.20. By Monday morning in pre-market, shares were trading at around $10. I immediately sold it all. Yep, a $38 profit. Barely cab fare to make it home from work. But heck, not bad for 10 shares over a long weekend!
Let’s all just take a moment to bask in my pimptitude!
In the meantime, I made a little more trading a few shares of SLV. Not much, just more cab fare 
But every little bit helps!
Now if only we could do something about BAC 
I managed another two miles today. Before I even got a half mile, I was wheezing and breathing hard 
I’ve got along way to go before the half marathon June 1. Man, this is going to be a pain in the butt. Still made pretty good time though. About a 10 minute mile.
It’s nearly April, and the weather STILL hasn’t warmed up yet. It’s barely in the 40’s and it was windy as a hurricane today. Whatever happened to going out like a lamb?
Well I’ll be. I was safely secured in my fallout shelter on Monday with my canned goods and shotgun at the ready, preparing for the apocolypse, when all of a sudden….Nothing.
I figured with Bear Stearns going belly up, that there would be a huge selloff, and commodities would go through the roof. Nope.
Heck, oil was DOWN on Monday. BAC was actually UP for awhile on Monday. Yeah, the market had a down day on Monday, but not nearly as bad as I was expecting.
Looks like America may continue to exist for awhile after all!
We’ll live to trade another day.
Today, everyone is Irish. So grab a beer and start celebrating! If I had my way, I’d be at the Saw Doctors concert right now, but I got the electric bill from hell this month, so I’m trying to save money So, as Plan B, I’m watching the Saw Doctors live DVD “Live In Galway”.
P.S. If you don’t know about the Saw Doctors, get to one of their shows. Don’t bother with the CD’s, just get to one of their shows. Picture the Irish version of Bruce Springsteen. I’m not talking about angst-ridden anti-Bush Springsteen, I’m talking about early Springsteen. The joy-filled, pro-FUN Springsteen. I wish American bands sang about their country with such fondness as the Saw Doctors sing about Ireland. But that’s a post for another day A Saw Doctors show is rock and roll + nationalism + joy + love = THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE!
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got my green beer in hand, and I’m off dream of Claire Island and the N17.
Oh crap. THIS is bad. After the Bear Stearns reassured the public early last week that things were OK, the company finally admitted that it was in the crapper. On Friday, JP Morgan injected Bear Stearns with some emergency cash. On Friday, Bear Stearns closed at $30 a share (down from $57 at market open). Today, JP Morgan finished the job and announced it is buying Bear Stearns outright… for $2 a share.
The fact that this deal was brokered on a SUNDAY speaks volumes. Word has it it was done to provide some reassurance to Bear Stearns clients and American investors before the Asian markets opened Sunday night, certainly before the U.S. markets opened on Monday morning.
Didn’t work. As I write this, the Nikkei stock index and Hong Kong’ Hang Seng index are both down 4 percent. The Korean stock index is down 3 percent.
I’ll be honest, I never thought I’d see a major financial institution fail in such a spectacular way. This does not bode well for Monday. Wish I bought more SLV. Glad I have the silver and oil that I do have.
Crap, I can only imagine what this is going to do to my BAC holdings. Hold your nose, folks, we’re in deep doo doo.
Update - 11:45PM: I actually just figured out how this will affect my BAC position: Negatively. I’m in way too deep to sell now, so I’m backing up the truck, buying more and averaging down. We Germans are a stubborn bunch.
Update - 11:50PM: I just read that the Fed lowered the discount rate another quarter point today (a SUNDAY, mind you) to help fend off a run on bank. I think this is a bad, albeit expected move. I’m selling some of my Euros (FXE) after the Fed meets Tuesday since they will probably cut the rate AGAIN, BIG TIME. Looks like the Fed won’t be happy until our dollar is worthless. I’ll use the profits to stock up on canned goods and shotguns!
Today was the first chance I got to go running again. I did two miles in 21 minutes. Not too shabby, considering I was pretty winded before I got past one third of a mile. I was also carring some extra weight in the form of sweats, a jacket and God knows how many extra pounds. Plus it was a classing New England Spring day: Raw, cloudy, rainy and barely 36 degrees.
But it felt good to be out on the trail again.
and I don’t care.
I just saw a clip of this guy on American Idol who got eliminated this week. I don’t know who he was, and I don’t care. I don’t watch the show. Aparently, this was Beatles week on American Idol, so all the contestants sang Beatles songs. This kid tried to sing “We Can Work It Out”. Except he FORGOT THE WORDS!! Who the heck forgets the words to Beatles songs?!? It’s not like he was singing the B side to some obscure single. This was one of their hits!
Ahh. These kids today.