Friday, October 31, 2008

Have I ever said anything bad about drywall?

If you need drywall hung etc., hire someone. There you have it. The final word on drywall.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Any particular kind of berry?

I wonder if these guys are buddies and went one after the other in the uniform number assignment line. I mean 92 and then sitting right next to him - 93. Quite a coincidence.


Maybe

Monday, October 27, 2008

Never do drywall - ever again

Remind me never to do a drywall project ever again. Anything - other than a small patch job - is not allowed.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

931 Ocean


One of my favorite restaurants just closed. It wasn't a big place - maybe it sat 50 people plus a another seven or eight at the bar. The food was quite good and the service was also good. They sure seemed to try hard. It always seemed busy, but it could be that I showed up when everyone else did. Maybe it just wasn't big enough. Maybe it was something else. It seems like this restaurant thing is much harder than it looks.

Cuppla Quotes

The man who says he is willing to meet you halfway is usually a poor judge of distance.

It's frustrating when you know all the answers, but nobody bothers to ask you the questions.

A bargain is something you can't use at a price you can't resist.

Doing business without advertising is like winking at a girl in the dark. You know what you are doing, but nobody else does.

Friday, October 24, 2008

The Lion Tamer

In this painting by W.A. Rogers, 1904 - the lion tamer stands with confidence and commands the lion's attention. Of course, he knows that should the lions collectively decide to attack, he'll be eaten.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Habanero Peppers - home grown and fresh

You see those little peppers on the counter. Apparently, they were grown in the garden and recently harvested. Together with the tomatoes, this should be quite nice. So - you decide that maybe all this stuff can go in the stir fry. Yes indeed, this will be quite nice.


Make sure you use a cutting board. Don't scratch the counter top. Dice those tomatoes, but not too much - they'll lose their substance. Onions too. Now cut open those little garden peppers and pull out the seeds. I'm not sure if you're supposed to pull the seeds, but I'll do it anyway. Then slice those peppers up into thin strips and chop them up good. Use the tips of your fingers to guide the knife blade and really chop those little peppers into tiny tiny bits. Scrap everything off the cutting board and into the frying pan and we're off and running. This is going to be quite nice.


It's good to clean as you go. Wipe down your counter top and clean the cutting board. Wipe your eye lid, your upper lip and the side of your nose with your fingers. Make sure your fingers still have the oils from the little home grown peppers on them. Now that you feel a bit of a tingle on your eye lid, go ahead and rub your eye in order to make that tingle go away. Rub it a lot.


Turn off the cook top and consider taking a freezing cold shower. Wash wash wash wash scrub, wash wash scrub, wash wash - and repeat. You may just want to rip your eye out or maybe tear your face off and look for a new one later. Nice peppers.

Differentiation

Do the same thing as everyone else and you'll get the same thing as everyone else. If that's what you want - swell. If you dare to be different, go for "better". Figure out what better means and make sure you're a lot better. Being marginally better isn't going to matter. You might as well be worse. It's hard to tell the difference between a little worse, the same, and a little better. Nope - you have to go with significantly better if you want to stand out. Chances are you'll give up something (could be margin, could be control, could be sleep), but you have to do it. Make sure you're right about what better means. Being boldly better wins attention.

Friday, October 17, 2008

Who said it?

It is said an Eastern monarch once charged his wise men to invent him a sentence to be ever in view, and which should be true and appropriate in all times and situations. They presented him the words: "And this, too, shall pass away."

I believe this was Abraham Lincoln.


By the way Abraham; what's with the "oln"?

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

A familiar smell?


This is where folks say "the next time things are up I'm selling". Since a lot of equities are held in mutual funds, and the sell activity gets executed the day following the instruction to sell, we see the consequences of those who can't take the risk or maybe the heat - a day or two later.


Or not.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

A sigh and a beverage are in order


Yes indeed, we are pleased with the market's big up move on Monday. It was definitely good news. It's not time to celebrate just yet. However, a brief sigh of relief and a beverage are in order.

Monday, October 13, 2008

Heavy Lifting - % Ups and Downs


If something (let's say... the stock market) falls 20%. It has to then gain 25% to get back where it started.

10,000 down 20% is 8,000
8,000 up 20% is only 9,600
8,000 up 25% brings us back to 10,000

I hate that.

Friday, October 10, 2008

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Crapnackle - Proposal 106a

What we have here, is a failure to communicate. I say stop selling into a soft (understatement) market and you continue to do so. What about "stop selling" is hard to understand? Don't make me stop this car. I will you know.

Instead of trying to hurt me with your lack of compliance with my wishes, here's what we'll do. Proposal 106a. I'm going to be calm. I'll come over here and stand with my hands on the back of this chair and my feet spread out as far as can. Then, when I say go, you wind up and drive your foot up between my legs crushing my balls and causing me severe pain.

But if I accept that, you will agree to stop selling and to actually start buying stocks. I won't go so far as to require that you buy specific stocks, although if you need suggestions, I have some.

Fair enough?

Autumn to be "Crunchy"

Crunchy leaves and winds at 12 mph - use caution.

Extreme Weather Alert: Meteorologists Predict Intensely Brisk Autumn

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Crapnackle Chimes in - Again

To all people,
Stop selling stocks. Stop it I tell you. Stop it! You're ruining the plan. You see - in order for us to come off these dreadful lows, we need buying. Repeat after me... "Buuuuuyyyyyying". Yes - very good. It's time to quit being chicken and get positive. Buy!

Don't make me beg. Of course I will beg if I have to, but that isn't a fun thing to watch, so let's not let it come to that.

I'll just say, please - if you don't mind etc etc.

There - I've said it. Hopefully that encouragement is the thing that tips the scales. Whew.