whoa it’s lucky I checked my tickets. My trip to America starts TOMORROW, not Friday as I originally thought.

Better get packing.

So I’ve decided to start a game with whoever wants to play, where we each have $10,000 to buy stocks this week.

If you want to play, you need to email me the ASX code, the price you bought at, and the quantity. Don’t go over a $10,000. We’ll ignore brokerage fees, so diversify as much as you like. I think Rob W and Godez are the most likely to play with us, but I encourage as many of you as possible to get it on the action.

I’ve already written the page that will keep “score” for us.  Glenn and I will have slightly different rules because we picked our stocks to each other in emails last week or the week before, but that’s a disadvantage, believe me, because our stocks have mostly tanked. You can get in now, and start in front of us!

Friday morning I snuck out early to buy Mint’s birthday presents, for her birthday today. Unfortunately I was thwarted to be “unnoticed” by virtue that Robinson’s doesn’t open until 10am, and the phone rang, which woke Mint up, and she was forced to ring me on my mobile to ask where I was, what I was doing and who I was doing it with. Oh well. At least I got a glowing review for my efforts: “You are sweet like honey!”

It’s the laziest way to blog post, but here a few of my favourite vids on Youtube. I don’t know whether the new blog allows me to do this, but I’ll give it a crack.

First up is the Cadbury Gorilla:

Then a film by Don Hertzfeldt, a bitter film: Ah L’Amour:

And finally, a film that reminds me how glad I am to be going to America soon, TSA Gangstaz (bad language warning):

Good news, folks. My share investments are paying off … Today I’m up 2% on the purchase. I’m loving it.

I’m currently reading (via audiobook) a fabulous book, The Time Traveller’s Wife by Audrey Niffeneger. It’s excellent. Apparently it will soon become a movie, starring Eric Bana as the male lead, Henry DeTamble. IMDB link. It will definately be one to see, you heard it here first. Damn it, I just saw a spoiler on the Wikipedia link and I now know a small plot point from later in the book. Damn damn damn.

 Oh just dropped 1/2 a % on the stock market. This could become a new addiction.

I had a personal epiphany last week, and wanted to share it.

Mint’s english is definately getting better. It’s hard for me to tell, most times, because I see her and speak with her every day. But consider, a favourite line shared with everybody last year: “Me say you one thousand again!” which is an exasperated “I’ve told you one thousand times already!”

Last week I heard it again, except now it sounds like: “I tell you one thousand times already!”

It’s not perfect - I’m not claiming that it is - but there are several major improvements: “I” instead of “me”; “tell” instead of “say”; “times” instead of (understood); “already” instead of “again”.

So I’m proud of her, even if last night also featured: “my this one very very this one” with appropriate miming for what each “this one” represented. (her ear was very itchy).

Also, stock market investment is now officially in stage 1: a significant amount - but not the whole beanpile - has been invested, and I chose 4 stocks:  CBA, WBC, QAN, QBE. Heavy banking bias, I know, but what are you going to do? Yesterday they all got creamed pretty much as soon as my “buy” orders came into effect, but I’m pleased to say that today they’re all in the black. A few more months of this and I’m set!

I am LOVING the liquidity of the stock market, and the ability to see exactly how much your holdings are worth, as opposed to my previous investment vehicle: the apartment, which could only realize gains at the final end, and was a source of much angst for the rest of the time. I loved it, but when self-employed, I couldn’t afford it. When gainfully employed, I could. That’s the principle difference I’ve come to recognize.

I like apples. Unlike anyone I know, the only parts I don’t eat are the stem and the seeds - most people don’t eat the hard bit that holds the seeds, but I’m not finicky. If you quarter an apple, pull the stem off whichever quarter kept it, and then use the knife to “flick” the seeds out, that’s my favourite way to eat an apple. Actually, my favourite way is served with a dollop of peanut butter, but let’s face it: that’s something that you can’t overindulge in, being mostly fat.

Yesterday I went to the movies at Emporium and saw Jumper. It was ok, but the highlight was the popcorn. I did a quick shop afterwards in the excellent-but-expensive supermarket at Emporium and got some salmon steaks, shredded cheese, a can opener, and other luxuries that make life worth living. Tonight Mint and I are having a cook-off, with each of us preparing our salmon the way we each like it. My way’s pretty boring, just fried really, but I’m thinking of using my new cheese and can opener to make “chicken custard sauce”, sans the chicken and asparagus, and using it as a sauce for the salmon. I think that sounds tops.

I am rich now,  having funds from the house sale on Wednesday clear yesterday. I did some wheeling and dealing, transferring monies here and there, in an effort to feel like I’m spending it, without actually spending it.