Wednesday, May 14, 2008

If I had the extra time/ Dream College

Was thinking today about how, if I had the extra time, I would love to invest time in a couple of subjects. I would enjoy reading/studying some various eras in history, particularly Russian and Asian (Japanese, Chinese, etc) history. For some reason, everytime I'm at the bookstore (which, by the way, I'm about to visit with Henry on my day off...), I find myself wanting to read some biography of an emperor or dictator. Not that I'm aspiring to mimic one of these typically ruthless men, I'm just curious to know the origins and backgrounds of these countries. I do read into these things, but it's usually when I'm on vacation. Even then, I only get through about 1/3 of the book. It's the effort that counts, right?

I also am currently interested, again, in Economics. In high school, I became intensely fascinated with finances after playing the Stock Market Game in 10th grade Econ class. It was awesome. Not that we "won" big on Wall Street on anything, but the whole process and gigantic mechanism of "the Market" blew me away. Recently, I invested a fairly small amount of money in some ETF's using ING's ShareBuilder website. It's fun to check on the ticker symbols throughout the day to see how it's performing. Somehow, I see myself checking out the Financial magazines and books at the bookstore this time around.

Anyway, what are some of your favorite hobbies and/or areas of interest? Something you'd love to do more of, if time allowed?

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I would pick up other instruments
like Mandolin and Dobro
I love bluegrass but really don't have a lot of time to pursue it...

Dan said...

Wow...I remember when you were big into the stock market the first time. It was one of our my family/your family trips to N'awlins, and you were flipping through the Nasdaq or something similar in the back of Anthony's station wagon. And I remember wondering what in the world could be so blasted interesting (?!?)about the stock market.

(I think that was the same trip where you p****d me off by remarking, at the Confederate museum, that Jeff Davis must have farted on his saddle---which was on display there---any number of times.)

ManUtd17 said...

Look at these ETFs: FXI (a China ETF) and EEM (an emerging markets ETF). Both have room to grow.

I like dividend stocks that I can reinvest. Recently interested in DUK, PCG and USB.

Other hobbies? Music, listening to. English Premier League.

seantk said...

Duane -

You should play something called a "Dobro," just because the sound of that word reeks of awesomeness.

Dan -

Your memory amazes me. Indeed, I remember reading the book on insider trading at the time. That book made my Mom nervous. It was fascinating, though. I have no recollection of the Jeff Davis/Farting incident, but that makes me laugh that you were peeved. Are you still bitter about that?

Bill -

I have heard of both of those funds. I have the EEM on my "Watch List." FXI might be peaking, or so I've read in a few reports. But.... who knows, really? Very unpredictable. Thanks for the heads up. I'll check out your other listed prospects. Word.

Anonymous said...

I have a banjo at the house I need to learn...but learning banjo is similar to learning clarinet...neither is very pleasing to the ears when played incorrectly. FYI, I took Russian & Japanese when I was at Tech. Japanese is easy; russian, not so much.
Thanks for the add!

steve and randel hambrick said...

if i had the time, i would:
play tennis again (and join a team), read ALOT, lay out in the sun, take long baths, scrapbook and organize photos, walk, take classes for: photography, cooking, pottery, painting, acting.

someday?? hmmmm...

Dan said...

Am I still bitter about Jeff Davis' saddle? Lord, no. I guess it's just stuck in a part of my mind that I can't do away with. It's a curse, really.

The funny thing is, the more I've learned, the more I think he probably did. A lot of those Mexican War vets (Davis led a Mississippi regiment at Buena Vista) came down with what they called back then "dyspepsia"...or what your brother once referred to as "Costa Rhea". I think the "methane production", to put it more discreetly, would have been par for the course for most of them. It must have been hard for their wives to deal with, I'll bet...