End of the Year Musings

Clearly it's been a while since I've posted, but until recently there hasn't been much of interest to say. Work-wise, there are interesting developments, but until things are definitive I really can't mention them here. (Fear not, I'm not planning on switching jobs again anytime soon.) I'm technically barred from discussing anything related to my employer online as per the details of my employment contract, but I will at least mention that our corporate structure is likely to change significantly in the near future.

Otherwise, with the year drawing to a close, I feel it's a good time to take stock of what I've accomplished. I can't really say 2006 was a success, but it doesn't quite feel like a failure either. My brief foray into the world of hedge funds may appear to be a failure, but I don't think it really was in the end. I definitely learned a lot, despite the fund manager's insanity, and I definitely learned not to take the next opportunity that comes my way just because it's an opportunity. (The ability to negotiate my way to a higher pay-scale was also kind of nice.)

Trading-wise, this year has been a disappointment. While the results aren't final yet, I'm probably looking at about a 10% return overall. That's not bad, all things considered, but I felt very frustrated. A lot of my ideas that I acted on ended up not panning out, and many of the ones I passed on were big winners. I feel like I could have easily doubled my returns had I simply made just a few different decisions. Had I bought CLDN instead of VTSS, for example, or had I pulled the trigger on AAI under $10, it would have been a very different year. I guess the lesson is to be more confident in my ideas and stick with what I know.

In other news, I'll be forgoing the usual trip to DC for New Year's Eve this year. Rather, we'll all be flying out to Chicago to visit my friend Alan. For those who aren't in the know, Al was a friend of mine from college who trained professionally to be a chef. He makes some pretty amazing food, including the world's best ice cream, bar none. (He sells containers of it for $50 a pop, and I completely believe that people would pay for it. It's simply extraordinary.) Anyway, Al is planning an 11-course meal for all of us on NYE, which I wouldn't miss for the world. I feel totally justified in going to Chicago in the dead of winter and shivering for 3 straight days if there's one of Al's meals involved.