Musing on Influences

Monday July 5. 2010

Well it must be about 37 degrees out today.

I have taken to doing my work at home lately since the summer has begun and fortunately I have a heat-pump. Nice and cool inside, especially in the basement where I have an office.

Fifteen years ago I left the downtown 'corporate executive' world after some 18 years, to become an independant financial advisor, spending (or should I say 'investing') another six years with a big name brand to find out how to run an independant Investment business compliant with the government and all the regulations to protect clients from fraud. Then I spent another 9 years on my own perfecting systems and reducing costs while increasing yields for investors.

The plan was to find an activity where I could put my training and experience to use, still make money, but on my own terms; where whether retired or not, I could still enjoy being functional, plus a financial benefit to others and educating those who need it, in the world of Investment- where words like 'risk', 'loss', or 'gain' don't necesaarily mean what we think, but actually have a range of opportunity values if one is able to see and use them.

I am not rich, but I do have the ability to use my time as I see fit, so I guess you can say I have independance. But then if a client calls, I do have to be on top of the portfolio strategy...and I am.

So right now I write on the blog from the back yard in the Gazebo enjoying the heat wave while I wait for Jimmy to arrive.

Do you remeber Jimmy Williams from HSB?

Talk about independant. He was independant with a capital I and a ton of gusto back in grade nine. If I recall correctly, he was thrown out of school (for attitude towards authority) and then quickly taken back in becuase he was great on the high bars and the team needed him for the competition.

These days my old buddy is a Colour Analyst in motion pictures, working for a private production facility across from Disney Studios in Burbank and Hollywood.

Jimmy is still a Peter Pan, doing things more or less in his own time, yet knowing where his limits are now that he is past the age of 50. He knows what he's good at, which is quite a lot -gymnastics, music, cinema colour technology, gym equipment specialist (working with well known US DVD Exercise Gurus) and traveller.

J & Mary
(Left)

J & Robin Moody (Right)

It was because of Jimmy to some extent, (if I connect the dots) that I have ended up in the world of investment today. You see, back in grade ten Jimmy and Steven Vella had summer jobs at the Montreal Stock Exchange. - (Do you remeber Steven Vella? God, I have not seen him since 1971.) Anyway, they had jobs at the Montreal Stock Exchange. The job was great - page boys on 'the floor'. They got me in.

We had to be at work in the changing room by 9:30a.m., then out on the floor in our uniforms, positionned on 'the line' by 9:58 a.m. before the trading bell went off starting the day's trades. Of course that was well before the TSX took over. Now the Bourse de Montreal is only controlling the options market in Canada.

In the "Options" market, the words most people call 'loss and gain' are looked upon as wonderful opportunites for those who can handle 'puts and calls'. ( Sorry -don't want to bore you, but you might want to read about that world a bit ... who knows you could make some money, or then again lose some too.) (Old acquaintence Mark from HSB who worked at RIM at least knows the value of one kind of option.)

We'd get an hour for lunch and then be finished our day by 4:00pm when the floor closed. One of us would be called upon to take the ticker results over to the Montreal Gazette for publication in the next morning paper.

What a world that was! The action was incredible, but then sometimes it could become listless with inactivty, no one buying or selling. For us page boys, that was when we had to watch out as the floor traders would start pulling pranks on us. "Hey Boy! the Gundy trader would call, "Come here and take this order. Buy me 100 shares of WBC from the trader across the floor at Ames." Then I'd run over to the Ames trader all out of breath, "Sir - I have an order to buy 100 WBC" I'd squeak. "WBC? WBC? What the hell is WBC?" loud enough for all to hear on the quiet floor. So off I'd run back to Gundy. "Uh, Sir, uh ...what is WBC"?

Now all eyes were on me, there was no activity, too calm, the girls on the data input islands at mid floor were in blush tones knowing what was coming. "What's this? Shouted the Gundy trader. You want to know what WBC is? I nodded waiting for my doom. "Wireless Bird Cages you idiot! -boom and pandemonium, wripped tickets flew as if the bull had stepped out of the bear pen. Laughter all round. " You wanna buy some? How 'bout some UGR - Under Grund Rail while your at it? HAAAA HAAA! Ah yes initiation to The Floor. We all went through it.

Tuesday July 6, 2010 (41 degrees in the shade).
Jimmy and his girlfriend came in today from California.

My place first, then off to see his life long family friend Robin Moody, then on to Lunch at Capiche (owned by Charlie Ghorayeb -best restaurant in our sector of Quebec outside of Old Montreal bar none - great wines, good prices and fantastic foods.)

From there it was on to see Jimmy's cousin Butch (his name nowadays is Spencer). He owns a Harley chopper manufacturing plant and has had some of his products sold to the likes of Prince Rainier and Steve Tylor.

One of the Chopper frames at Spencer's (Butch) shop.

So let's see 3 video clips below (make sure you click on the "full screen feature on the right hand side of the clip box before clicking viewing arrow.)