In 1997, I took an “Engineering Economics” course. This was one of the best courses I ever took, because what it REALLY taught had nothing to do with Engineering; it had to do with MONEY and INVESTING. During this class, we had a project in which we would pick $5,000 worth of company stocks and see how they went.

If I had actually invested $5,000 in those stocks, they would now be worth (You ready for this?) $9436. That’s nearly double!

Now, before I tell you what companies I had pretended to invest in, let me say that two of them are now out of business, the third has lost Two-Thirds of its original value. So what were they?

American Trans-Air (Gone)
Gateway Computers (Gone)
Advanced Micro Devices (Lost 2/3 value)
Apple Computers (Yep! The Winner!)

Apple was $22.19/share in 1997. Now it’s $209.79. I would have made about $4,436 over 12 years, or a 188% increase. I think.

…But, given my previous history of ACTUALLY buying stocks, going from $1,000 to Zero, I’d say my genius is still in question.

Why is the apostrophe necessary? Diff’rent Strokes used it! Why didn’t What’s Happening use it? bah. i’m getting off track. the purpose of this blog entry was to update my adoring fans as to what I’ve been up to. Well, fans, let’s see. first off, today, I just FAILED my 70-643 Microsoft exam. Egads! Oh well, it happens. I could blame everybody else, but would that be the right thing to do? Yes, yes it would be. It is everybody else’s fault except mine. However I forgive you all, and fully plan to re-schedule the exam within a week or two’s time. I shall probably order some ancillary study materials. Just don’t let it happen again, OK, world?

Mia’s hitting the stage where her cognitive skills and personality are beginning to develop rapidly. Her vocabulary increases at breakneck speed, and she’s starting to get a little bit of the terrible two syndrome. Yes… soon, the supernanny in me will have to start coming out. The Brat Whisperererer. Only, I probably won’t whisper. It’ll be more like, the Brat Yellererer. It is 25% her fault I did not pass my exam.

I got a bag of sun chips here, and guess what: There is still a surmountable bunch of caloric intake with sodium and partially hydrogenated vegetable oil that is going to be consumed during the crafting of this missive.

Speaking of writing, I have discovered a wonderful new world of fiction. The author is Terry Pratchett, and he writes fantasy novels. “Whoah, whoah, whoah! I don’t like elves & shit!” well, too bad. you’re reading MY BLOG. so GTFO if you don’t like it. The “Series”, I suppose you might call it, is the “Discworld” universe. But, let me tell you: Beyond that, it bears less resembalance to a tradititional Tolkein-like fantasy, than to say, Douglas Adams’ “Hitchhiker’s guide” series. If you like Douglas Adams, you will like Terry Pratchett. But, don’t start with the first book. from what I’ve heard, the fist couple books sucked. I was recommended “Guards! Guards!” but I have not read it. I HAVE read “Going Postal” and “Making Money” and they are pretty good. It is 12% Terry Pratchett’s fault I did not pass my exam.

Sigh, I must prepare a sippy cup of milk for said brat. An additional 2%.

BACK! so i’ve been getting a lot of cd’s from the library and ripping them. I’ve got like nine George Carlin CD’s, and I also just got about five Richard Pryor CD’s. Rodney Dangerfield, Lenny Bruce, Stephen Wright. Also, music. A co worker has turned me on to the Kinks, so I’m exploring that vast musical ROOT of ROCK now. I had no IDEA the Kinks went back to the 60’s! I just don’t understand how they stayed under my rock & roll Radar for so long!! George, Richard, et. al, plus the kinks, are 5% to blame.

MMmmmm. Sun Chips. 2%.

We continue to be debt free, build up the nest egg, and look to the future through the scope of a high-powered .38 caliber rifle. The Future is TOAST! I will PWN the future!! I will forgive the Future its blame for my failing the MS exam, as it is never really here.

We will be in CHina for the better part of February. Actually Jan 30 through about Feb 20th or so. THREE WEEKS! The People’s Republic of China is also 6% to blame for my certification debacle.

We of course had a great thanks giving up in Hebron/South Haven/Portage/The Dunes. We had a full house, and I saw my grandpa, my parents, my mom’s sisters and their spouses, and my cousin erin and her spouse, my sister and her friend. Collectively, you all hold the greatest responsibility for distracting me away from my studies, and you ought to be ashamed of yourselves for tempting me with such good food, heartfelt family love, and awesomely fun game playing in Origins and Outburst! God, I love family game holidays!! They are so much FUN!!!  30% of your Daily Allowance of Why I failed my Exam.

my Comcast rebates are finally in, so… I guess it’s time to cancel the cable. *sniff* it was fun while we had it. But I cannot justify an extra $60/month just to get DVR recordings of a few shows, the most important of which, are available streaming online. Hoarders, Survivor, Barney, Thomas the Tank Engine, those three shows constitute about 80% of my TV watching. Survivor alone is probably 5% to blame.

Speaking of which, Hoarders is now half over… so, if I start watching now, I can >> through ALL the commercials! HA HA Ha ha haaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!

me