Bland day

So I didn't want this blog to turn into "what lame and uninteresting things Missa did today" but maybe that's what it needs to be in order for me to have something to write about regularly.  Here's what happened today…

 

1. While getting dressed I was momentarily excited about the colder-than-it-should-be-for-the-end-of-May weather since it gave me an excuse to wear a really cute Banana Republic ¾ length sleeve top that was MIA under a pile of magazines, catalogues, mail, and gift certificates until a recent cleaning binge.   Now the cold and rain has just left me depressed.
2. Today on the subway, there was this really annoying high school girl who had the worst "s" pronunciation problem—the one where it whistles every time you go "sssss", but with her it was so much worse because she had a thick New York "oh no she di'n't" accent with a fast syncopated timbre, and somehow whistled her "t"s also.  Needless to say, she talked the whole time.
3. Had Chipotle for lunch.  They put too much sour cream on my bol. 
4. I started working on the consumer value proposition for a new "product" my company is launching.  I'm actually typing this blog entry into that document, before cutting and pasting it into ye olde blog, haha.  I'm usually more productive, but this rainy, cold weather is killing me. 

Wow, I feel very negative today -- even more so now that the list of things that happened today is only 4 things deep.  Boring! 

 

I suppose I should leave this on a positive note:  The best thing about today is that I'm leaving work an hour early so that the IT guy can move my computer to my new desk.  Desk #4 in 7 months...funny, just met boss #4 yesterday.  The cosmos have lined up yet again.

$$$ and aging and smartness

I’m not posting this to divulge financial information or even for you to continue reading beyond this paragraph.  Just LOOK at this email that Rob just sent to my work account (see below).  At first glance I was worried that I wouldn’t understand it, but I totally do.  I feel like a 60 year old bald man—a smart one though!  This is what elderly people talk about.  What ever happened to racy emails that could get you fired?  Well, I suppose this is getting me into the right state of mind for spending tonight at the country club in my version of a “country club casual” outfit.  I’ll be sure to talk about my awesome stock pick over dinner with Rob’s family.

 

Check out my TD Ameritrade Account info for ETrade stock.  It shows that on April 14, 2008 I purchased 100 shares of ETrade (symbol: ETFC) at $3.40 per share for a total cost of $349.99 (that includes a $9.99 transaction fee, without which the cost would have been $339.99, which is approx $3.40 * 100 shares = $339.99, give or take a penny in rounding.)  Then approximately 1 month later, on May 16, 2008 (today), I sold 100 shares of ETrade (ETFC) at $4.41 per share for a total gain of $431 (which would have been about 10 bucks higher without the 9.99 fee - $4.41 per share * 100 shares = approx $441.00).  So, excluding the two 10 dollar fees, my gain in one month on this transaction was approx. $101.00, or about a 30% gain.  Not bad, except since I held for less than a year before selling I get taxed at approx 40% rate (I think that’s my income tax rate) rather than the lower capital gains tax rate - so that kinda sucks actually.  Darn.  Anyway, I finally MADE REAL MONEY in the stock market, for the first time, ever – even though I’m up about $800 dollars in the last two months in Apple and Visa stock, because those are only “paper” gains since I haven’t sold anything.  Note that I’m still only up about $100 overall in my investment career, due to an unfortunate $700 LOSS (real, not paper) last year when I panicked and sold my Apple stock as it was plummeting from $200 to $120, and only 1 day before it shot up like $15 bucks a share…but then fell back again in the weeks that followed.  I kinda suck at this investment thing…but I’m glad I was able to finally make something real here: Without taxes and transaction fees I made $101.00 in about a month.

 

Now, you own LeapFrog and which you purchased at $6.02 (50 shares) = $301.00 (without accounting for the 9.99 fee) on January 29, 2008.  The stock closed today at $8.98, so you are up 49.17%, or $148.00 (without accounting for fees and taxes), in only about 3 and a half months.  If you hold on to this until January 29, 2009, then you will be taxed at only 15-20% I think (the capital gains tax rate) rather than your normal tax rate when you sell it.  That could be great...even better if it continues to skyrocket.  50% in around 1/3 of a year!  Imagine that we were so happy getting 4-5% from ING accounts in A FULL YEAR.  *Of course, my 30% gain in 1 month is greater than your 50% gain in 3.5 months…but you are still up more money than I am in your 3.5 months of “investing” – and I invested more than 10 times the amount of money you did – actually 20 times the amount you did, and I invested for nearly a year!  So nice work. -Rob

Careerbuilder gets it

 

Now this is some outrageous marketing!

 

See “R-Rated” CareerBuilder ad here: http://www.ere.net/inside-recruiting/news/careerbuilder-backs-off-on-r-rated-182270.asp

 

Wish I thought of this!

 

 

Goldfrapp - emotional, physical, haunting music

I saw Goldfrapp in concert at the Beacon Theater and was reminded why I love their music so much.  If only the show took place in a dance hall or a swank lounge—then it would have been one of my favorite listening experiences!  I’m not going to write a review of the band, but if you want to hear one of the sexiest songs ever recorded, you can listen here:

 

http://www.last.fm/music/Goldfrapp/_/Strict+Machine

 

Let me know what you think J