Tag Archives: Amy Tan

Why I Got Out of the Stock Market

Harvest Time

One year.  That was how long my relationship with the stock market has been.  But there was a pre-story, which was training, lots of training, before I found the heart to jump in and play for real.

And to jump out too.  But first things first.

Flashback to 2008.  Giddy and excited and with fake money at hand, I started with the online stock exchange (it offered a practice account).  Prepped by my financial planner, pumped up with some reading I had done here and there and some monitoring of the market, I found I gained some fake USD$600 in a few months.  But I since I was in no real danger of getting poor or rich, I soon found myself bored.  The market bottomed out too, wiping my gains, but ironically, it was also the perfect time to get in for real, to play for real.

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Who Makes Your Decisions For You?

Saving Fish From Drowning

Saving Fish From Drowning

Some of my choices were made for me.

Some times, I am thankful.  Other times, I struggle with feelings of resentment.  The unwavering, hovering influence, decision-maker-cum-ones-who-always-want-to-have-the-last-words-in: the parents, a lover, relatives, friends.

All good meaning.  All who think they are better, that they know better.

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