update

what i have done recently:

tried my hand at being a cop (it's harder than it seems)
read the screwtape letters
thought a lot
booked a ticket to the USA (September!!)
survived a weekend visiting assorted "relatives"
thought about buying a house
attended a 10th year secondary school reunion in the 11th year
took a nice walk down changi beach
walled-up
valued a credit derivative

you know how people say that the truly authentic speakers and grand poobahs speak from experience and how in that way it is even more powerful and moving? i think it's been a bit like that.

it is a bit odd to see bible passages come to life, especially the theorectical / theological ones that pop up in the Wisdom books / letters.

i don't think i'd ever want to own a house. the maintenance is a bitch, and the property tax...! but am looking at an apartment. i hope property prices crater though, so can afford at least a cardboard shack in an area i want. who ever said civil servants were rolling in it?

next change (in the works) - some actually intelligent writing on the aftermath of financial crises. been meaning to write something coherent (like in the past) for awhile now, but work is really draining. can someone suggest a topic at least?

possibly not clairvoyant, but i sat down in fall 2007 (sometime after the subprime crisis hit) and wrote the following down:
- 2008 / 9 everything will go to shit
- inflation
- sovereigns in trouble
- bankruptcies - distressed companies
- stock market to fall ~30-40%
- long slow recovery

partially right... but wouldn't put it down to any individual genius. maybe it's better to take a step back and predict stuff for the medium-term instead? cos the short term is always volatile, and in the long run we're all dead. so MT is the way for rational predictions. the leading indicators are usually right, just ... lagging.

i don't like acting as a service provider.

this is hilarious - http://dabagirls.wordpress.com

it's difficult to believe how it can be 46 degrees C in melbourne! i thought australia had good weather.

it's been quite amazing, growing up and seeing other people. like to think of self as a student of life and people more than anything else. when you were younger, you were with your parents and other people who were mostly like you. pretty controlled. when you get older, it just never ceases to amaze you have weird and wonderful and in what utterly fucked up and amazing ways people can turn out.

and it hurts when the ones in your actual circle just don't get it.