Christmas Calling You Too?
It's less than a week to Christmas. I don't know about you, but it's hard to concentrate on money and markets and all that stuff the closer it gets.
There's all the domestic stuff that kind of presses in - sending out Christmas cards, putting the lights on the Christmas tree (we wait a while instead of doing this stuff weeks ahead); decorate the tree; set up our Lionel trains under the tree (yes, we still do that), more lights and decorations around our home.
The nice thing is that markets tend to cooperate. Things slow down. Trading volume is already lower. You pretty much know how the year went (not that there might not be a surprise or two!). So you can "let go" a bit.
Letting go is always a strange feeling. But this year, somehow I feel more "on top" of things - which naturally makes me a bit nervous. I hate complacency. And, frankly, with the success I've been having, the biggest thing I worry about is "hubris." That's the thing that all those figures in classic Greek drama suffered from. You start thinking that you're really great to the point where you get arrogant or haughty. I'm not there, and I'm going to make damn sure I don't go there.
So while things slow down, it's time to think, to question. When I start looking at what worked, I'll look at what didn't (and not everything went smoothly or perfectly this year - or any year). Humility will settle in and by the New Year I'll be all refreshed and ready to tackle whatever 2011 brings - at least that's what I hope and pray happens.
But meanwhile, there's nothing wrong with letting Christmas kind of take over now. I'll get to the pressing stuff, and the important stuff this week, but Christmas will kind of seep through the cracks. And before you know it, the great day will be here. Some of our kids who live on their own will either stay or visit. We'll visit my brother in New England the day after Christmas, come back after an overnight stay, have one "free day," go to the opera Thursday night, shop in between to prep for our usual home New Year's Eve party (no going out - haven't done that routine for years) and, once New Year's Day arrives, cook up a nice dinner and help two of our sons (who still live home) get ready for their January trip to Florence (they'll be studying Renaissance literature, peppered with seeing some of Italy. Boy am I grateful they can go together. What a neat opportunity!).
After we drop them off Sunday night at the airport, it's early to bed and ready to wake up January 3rd for a new round of fun as the traders roll in from their Christmas/New Year's break ready to inflict whatever they've got up their sleeves on a still groggy world.
But that's then, and this is now. Now it's Christmas, and then time off. I may or may not post before the year is over. If not, then Merry Christmas to you all! And I hope the New Year find you healthy and happy.
There's all the domestic stuff that kind of presses in - sending out Christmas cards, putting the lights on the Christmas tree (we wait a while instead of doing this stuff weeks ahead); decorate the tree; set up our Lionel trains under the tree (yes, we still do that), more lights and decorations around our home.
The nice thing is that markets tend to cooperate. Things slow down. Trading volume is already lower. You pretty much know how the year went (not that there might not be a surprise or two!). So you can "let go" a bit.
Letting go is always a strange feeling. But this year, somehow I feel more "on top" of things - which naturally makes me a bit nervous. I hate complacency. And, frankly, with the success I've been having, the biggest thing I worry about is "hubris." That's the thing that all those figures in classic Greek drama suffered from. You start thinking that you're really great to the point where you get arrogant or haughty. I'm not there, and I'm going to make damn sure I don't go there.
So while things slow down, it's time to think, to question. When I start looking at what worked, I'll look at what didn't (and not everything went smoothly or perfectly this year - or any year). Humility will settle in and by the New Year I'll be all refreshed and ready to tackle whatever 2011 brings - at least that's what I hope and pray happens.
But meanwhile, there's nothing wrong with letting Christmas kind of take over now. I'll get to the pressing stuff, and the important stuff this week, but Christmas will kind of seep through the cracks. And before you know it, the great day will be here. Some of our kids who live on their own will either stay or visit. We'll visit my brother in New England the day after Christmas, come back after an overnight stay, have one "free day," go to the opera Thursday night, shop in between to prep for our usual home New Year's Eve party (no going out - haven't done that routine for years) and, once New Year's Day arrives, cook up a nice dinner and help two of our sons (who still live home) get ready for their January trip to Florence (they'll be studying Renaissance literature, peppered with seeing some of Italy. Boy am I grateful they can go together. What a neat opportunity!).
After we drop them off Sunday night at the airport, it's early to bed and ready to wake up January 3rd for a new round of fun as the traders roll in from their Christmas/New Year's break ready to inflict whatever they've got up their sleeves on a still groggy world.
But that's then, and this is now. Now it's Christmas, and then time off. I may or may not post before the year is over. If not, then Merry Christmas to you all! And I hope the New Year find you healthy and happy.
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