Chosen luxury / weekly wanderings

Currently enjoying Tazo Organic Chai as my evening luxury. Plenty of relaxation and better for me than other desired food and drink alternatives.

Finishing a week in which the fIve focus factors fit in rather well. Looking forward to a productive proactive week.

Brain blip

Rummage: what a great word. I am a rummager!

Mind murmur - consistency flows throughout

I have learned to know and trust what I like and want.  I am so please when several or more of my likes and wants converge, which is what happened recently.

A recent chosen luxury is my subscription to The New Yorker.  The October 17th edition includes Adam Gopnik’s article about The Phantom Tollbooth, which is celebrating its 50^th year. 

This past Saturday, my Son and I attended the RI Festival of Children’s Books and Authors at the Lincoln School.  Norton Juster was one of the Authors!  My Son and I met and spoke with Mr. Juster, who signed the copy that we purchased. 

This convergence provided a fabulous current experience.  It also revived childhood memories.  I remember owning and cherishing The Phantom Tollbooth.  However, I can’t recall reading it; I didn’t read very much.  I don’t know what happened to that book, but I have it again.  This time, I will remember reading it, which I hope too for my Son.      

Chosen luxury - time / fitness focus

I was proactive!!!  Today's chosen luxury was time (same as yesterday).  However, yesterday it was time with my Son (I guess that ended up being family focus) and today it was time for me to fit in the fitness focus.  I had such a great run, and now feel so reenergized and renewed! 

Last week, the fitness focus maintained a proper position.  I completed 5 days of exercise (3 runs and 2 cross-training sessions at the gym) for a total of 3.5 hours.  This week was unfolding horribly until today, when I promised myself a run.  It happened! 

This run reminded me that half the battle is getting out on the road.  Once that was done, staying out was easy.  I ran for 1 hour and felt great.  I ran slowly, but my goal was time rather than distance.   

Pursue the plan

I have been way too reactive. The proactive track awaits. Tasks have been getting done, but my running has suffered. Last week was awesome. This week, not so much. Today, I will fit me in; my fitness factor will be fulfilled with an outside run. Have it happen....

App obsession - cut the rope

I never got into angry birds, but I have to say that I love cut the rope, as does my Son. Happily, I got it on my Dell Streak tablet for free from the Amazon app store. This game is quick and requires some thought.

Mind murmur - finance focus factor

I am new to the stock market as an individual investor. My small portfolio is teaching me so much, most of all that I will not increase my personal involvement in this pursuit.

Today's interesting lesson is the value of diversification. Since entering the market 10 months ago, I have purchased 10 stocks. My overall investment is insignificant to so many people, but I decided that I had to start somewhere; something is better than nothing.

Despite recent volatility, I am not too far below my initial investment. Six of my stocks are up and four are down. Two show double-digit gains, and four show single-digit gains. Unfortunately, the four stocks that are down are way down, well into double-digits. Stop-loss orders probably would have been a wise approach, but....

For now, I will continue to watch and learn.