The Antidote

Just as I felt that I had my personal philosophy nailed down pretty well, I read another book that shakes everything up.
The book is "The Antidote", by Oliver Burkeman. It's basically an attack on our trying too hard to be happy. It simply says that it's alright to fail. Trying to achieve goals too passionately may be, in itself, the cause of our unhappiness.
He starts out by going to a seminar held at the "Glass Cathedral". Thousands of people are getting hyped up and enthused, but do their lives really change or is it just a temporary "fix"?
From my experience, I have to say that setting high goals and positive affirmations and goal collages haven't really done much to improve my life. In fact, when it comes to finances, it may have done me a lot of harm. I always start off with the goal of becoming a millionaire and then I lose everything I have and more in the effort. If I set the goal of moving to Mexico and living on the beach I may have achieved it years ago.
In this book the author talks about how being too focused on a goal can be disastrous. He used as an example the 1996 expeditions to Mount Everest. That was a terrible year because three teams decided to summit on the same day. There was a traffic jam at the "Hilary Step' a bottleneck near the summit. Had they turned back at the time they should have there would have been no causalities. But each team was too focused on reaching the summit, that day. Well, it turned dark and it started to blizzard. It was a disaster, much like my stock, option, and commodity trading. Only I have yet to die because of it. Although there have been many times that I've been suicidal.
The book goes on to say that it's alright to fail. In fact failure is a normal part of life. Basically he explores the acceptance of our lives and being happy with it. It reminds me of an old song "You Can't Roller skate in a Buffalo Herd, but You can be Happy if You've a Mind Too". If I remember right, Roger Williams sang that. It summarizes much of the rest of the book.
Well, I've got a lot to think about. I think I'll go back to my visualizations, and goal setting, but I won't worry about it so much. In fact, it may be that I have to find out what God has planned for me since my plans rarely work out, anyway.

Book Recommendations

This is just a blog on books that I recommend. I'm into metaphysics, investing, working the welfare system, and researching living abroad.
Starting with metaphysics since how you view reality has a major effect on how everything looks:

• "Illusions" by Richard Bach, This book has had a major effect on my life. It deals with the fact that matter is an illusion. This may be hard for someone who hasn't been exposed to that paradigm but from what I've seen I have to say that it's true. Don't be surprised if you find yourself outside, dissolving clouds, shortly after reading it. That is a normal side effect of reading this book. Some of his other books are well worth reading as well.
• "Science and Health With Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddie. This is the book that started the religion of Christian Science. It is the source book for a lot of Metaphysical writings. 
• "Riches within Your Reach" by Robert Collier, Collier was influence by Eddie's writings but in my opinion, his writings were clearer than Eddie's and I find him to be very inspiring. 
• I also recommend books by Wayne Dyer, Depok Chopra, and Eckhart Tolle.

Collier's books tend to get into wealth building and investments but some of the writers that influence my thinking on investments are:

• "Secrets of the Millionaire Mind" By T. Harv Eker, This is a good starting point to change yourself so that you can accept more money into your life.
• "Getting Back to Even" By Jim Cramer, I recommend all of Jim's books although I haven't read his first one yet. It will help you become a better investor. Also if you are serious about investing you would do well to watch his show "Mad Money" on CNBC at night.
• "Aftershock" By Wiedemer, Wiedemer and Spitzer. I have the feeling that they are doing a good job of predicting the coming collapse of the economy. I almost hope I'm wrong but it should help a person prepare for the future.
• "One up on Wall Street" By Peter Lynch. This is a classic on how the common person can beat the Wall Street experts. Lynch was one of the most successful mutual fund managers of all time. 

That's all of my recommendations for now. I'll probably add some later concerning the "Law of Attraction" which for me seems very real.
Later

A Long Week is Almost Over

It's been a long week. Last Saturday, I told Jim that he should sell half of his Fannie Mae stock. It had already gone up by 980% and I told him he should take half of it off the table. Monday was a holiday so I went to LaCrosse. It went up another 35% on Tuesday. Wednesday it started out by going up then it cratered. By the end of the day it was down to where it was on Monday. Today it went down again. By the time I saw Jim it was below where it was Saturday.
I expressed the importance of being on top of one's investments. He said that Sherry (his wife) was managing it but she was too busy to track things on a regular basis. I encouraged him to get more involved. I don't know what he invested in the first place so I don't know how much he lost, yesterday and today. I do know that he can't afford to make the same mistakes over again. I only wish I knew how he came to invest in Fannie Mae in the first place. It was a great trade, only messed up by not tracking his investment. He did a similar thing with oil in 2008. Maybe he'll learn from his mistakes.
I sent off an e-mail to Wilmington Trust, yesterday. I hope to get some good news from them. At least, they answer their e-mails. It's really important to me. So important that I called a Christian Science practitioner and asked her to pray for me.
I've been struggling with Google Voice at work. We might be able to replace the phone with that. It's a free phone service from Google. I've also been working on Google Sites.  We want to replace our webpage with Google's. I haven't been able to get anything to work. I did get Skype to work with my account. The trouble with that is that I had to pay them $10 to  get my account working. I might have to do that as well for the Peace and Justice Center.
That's all for now. I think I'll get back to posting more pictures on my blog. I could load pictures of the etchings I'm trying to sell.
Later

See-saw day

I've been going through emotional ups and downs all day. I woke up at 3:30 or 4:00 and couldn't get back to sleep. I was excited because I found a phone number of somebody to call who might know what is happening to my Delphi bonds. Delphi is an auto parts company which was spun off of GM in the 1990's. They went into bankruptcy and I bought a bunch of their bonds when they were really cheap.
Now I'm hoping that I'll get something for them.
I sent off an e-mail to a company named Wilmington Trust. They are something called an Indentured Trustee for Delphi. Someone there seemed to know something about the bonds is question. At least I got through to them but it seemed that the news was that the bonds are worthless.
Later in the day I was reading some legalistic gobbledygook that makes me think that my bonds should have been traded for some, more recent, good bonds. I'll have to call again, next week, and see if I can make some sense out of all this.
I'm going to call my Christian Science practitioner and have her pray about this. I've been doing a lot of studying and praying and reading about the "Law of Attraction", lately. I feel that I'm due for a breakthrough. I have to let something good happen.
I spent most of the week at classes with the workforce people. It was good to get away for a while. I've had similar classes in California, years ago. At least I got paid for it this time. I replace the negative battery cable on my van, today. Something was wrong with it and I now feel more certain about my van's reliability. Dan of Dan's Standard did the actual work. I now have no reason to not go prospecting for gold in Eldorado, Iowa. Tomorrow I'm meeting Jim at Java John's. Sunday, Jim and I are going to church in Onalaska, WI. That leaves Monday, which is a holiday (Memorial Day). I'll go then. Maybe I can take Jim with me.
Not much is happening tonight. I'm just hanging out at Culver's and drinking coffee. I'm tired from lack of sleep so I think I'll go home and go to bed early.
Later
Craig

Rainy Day at Java John'

It's a rainy Sunday at Java John's. There are a lot of people here because of the Commencement at Luther. Yesterday, I pretty much had the room to myself.
Yesterday, I couldn't get the car started. I was going to go panning for gold at a town near here, named Eldorado. It took all day to get my portable battery charged up so I could use it on the car. Then I had to hook the negative clamp on the engine instead of the battery. I think there is something wrong with the cable from the engine to the battery. I'm going to replace it next week.
I did some research on my Delphi bonds. That is a car-parts company that has been in bankruptcy. I own over 600 of their bonds. If they become worth something I'll have thousands of dollars.
It turns out that a lawsuit and an investigation is going on. I hope that it turns out well. I need to do some prayerful work on this. I'll take it up with my practitioner as well.
I sent an e-mail to a billionaire who is into philanthropy about getting dentists to take Medicare payments. I hope I hear back from him.
I need to talk with Jason about my idea for 2 websites. One, I would call "Carpool Corner" would be a database for carpoolers. The other would beg for money to help poor people with dental care. I think they are good ideas and I need to pursue them. I could use Google Sites for free to get them going.
I sold one of my old Apple laptops. I got $50 for it. I think this is the first time I actually sold a laptop in the last 5 or 6 years. I hope that Mark is happy with it.
I bought another etching by Malcolm Childers. It was one of his pricier, low-number editions. I paid $100 for it. I'll have it framed and hung at Java John's. Maybe I can get $1000 for it.
Work is going well. I have to go to classes at the Workforce Development Office, next week. It'll be a nice break from the boredom that goes on at the Peace and Justice Center.
I'm reading a book by Robert Collier named "Riches Within Your Reach". I really like Collier's works. Even though it was written in the 1930's it is very applicable to my problems, today. I need to see if there is a way that I can recommend books on my blog that will stay there. I also like books by Richard Bach and T. Harv Eker.
That's all for now.
Later
Craig

New Keyboard

Well, I got my new keyboard for the Nook. It's taking some getting used to. It's better than the screen, but I'm still not completely happy with it. A genuine laptop is better to type with. At least I don't have to hunt and peck. It's been three weeks now and I still prefer a laptop.

I've been tempted to get back to trading options. The market is moving up and One Main Financial sent me a letter saying that I can borrow more money. I can borrow $1700, which would get me back into options.

I don't think I'll do it. I told Holly at the VA that I wouldn't borrow money. I think she's right. I would just be gambling again. Last year was very similar to this. I had the easy money to borrow and the market was moving up. Well, that turned out to be a trap. I ended up strapped for money and it took me until recently to get out of the hole.

I don't like having my upside potential limited by working for an hourly wage but that looks like that is just the way things are working out. I probably read too many books about taking risks to reach your income potential. It just sells books. I'm no Zuckerman or Steve Jobs. I'm just Craig in Decorah. I'm probably better off finding beer cans on weekends that I can sell for the deposit. It has to do with reality. That is something that I've considered optional for much of my life.

I think I'll get one of my etchings sold. Someone sent me an e-mail asking me to lower my price to $75. I told him that I had already reduced my price and I was in no hurry to sell it. I hope he bids on it, I could use the money.

Things are going well at the Peace and Justice Center. That's where I work, part-time.

Not much, else, is happening.

Later

A Week Later

It's a week after my last post. I said that I was going to buy puts on the SLV ETF. I did and the first day I was ahead by about $150 on a $200 investment. After that it went down. After two days of collapsing the metals prices stabilized. I was late getting into the trade. If I had bought the puts on the Friday that the collapse started I could have made thousands of dollars. As it was I was too late. It moved in China too much for me to take advantage of it here.
The lesson was to have some money in my Etrade account to always be ready for a big move. A couple of hundred in reserve can make a big difference. I now don't know which way the markets will move.
That move last week might represent the deflation that happens before the hyper-inflation, that people are expecting.
I watched a lot of truly negative videos about the coming currency collapse, last week. I think they are right. The dollar is worthless and we'll go into hyper-inflation soon.
I feel a need to position myself to be better prepared for it. I talked with Jim about buying his land. I think I could afford it with my income from the Peace and Justice Center. I should try to partner with Jim in building a house there.
I don't know what else I can do. Poverty is the big obstacle. Maybe I could make money in a leveraged manner while the currency is going down. The trouble with that is that I would still be in the dollar.
I was thinking about prospecting for gold. The trouble with that is that it would cost money.
I've been spending too much money on my new computer. It's a Nook by Barnes and Noble. I'm finding myself buying apps for it and they sneak in charging me for them when I don't know that they cost money. The Nook has been a big mistake. I bought an operating system on a memory card for it. It worked for about a week then it froze up. I tried erasing it on the desktop but much of it was write-protected. I'll take it to Radio Shack and see if they can erase it.
I had a money-making idea last week. I noticed how the Peace and Justice Center has regular donations on a monthly basis. I figured that if they can get people to donate year after year and they increase their donor list on a regular basis, it could really add up. I was thinking I could do something similar with dental care for poor people.
My experience with poverty has shown me that dental care is something that is grossly overlooked in caring for the poor. It's hard to get free dental care and people need it. I could start a charity and get people to donate on a monthly basis. In a few years, if I took 10% for overhead, I could support myself quite well. I'll have to ask a few people about getting this off the ground.
That's all for now.
Later.