Category: From Kona

We have been having a lot of vog lately. My sinuses noticed. Vog is Volcano smOG. No amount of EPA regulations will fix it. Madam Pele trumps the EPA any day.

Been working on my distance swimming lately. Of course my idea of distance is maybe 1/4 of a mile. Which is really wimpy over here. Lots of people do a couple of miles every day. I can swim farther. But, it is a matter of knowing that I can do it. After all, out in the middle of the ocean, you can not just sit on the side of the road if you get tired.

Had a fine lunch of mahimahi, rice, and oranges. I started accepting the possibility of going home – I decided not to replace the condiments as they run out. We might end up with just soy sauce and catsup.

Since the economy tanked Chinese New Year’s has been very quite around here. But, the lion did make an appearance at Tante’s Resuarent downstairs. I grabbed a camera and some bills in hopes of getting a good luck bite from the lion.

Much more tranquil at the Seaside Hotel tonight. The school kids left this morning. As did the soldiers. And the suspect next room neighbor checked out this morning. The homeless guys are still here – but they know that if they don’t behave like civilized people they will not be allowed back in next time they get some money together.

After checking on airfares and attending to my stock portfolio – I declared the rest of yesterday a technology free day – except for the iPod Touch. I really should have one no tech day each week. I find that too much online shortens my attention span and reduces my concentration – and – as I age attention and concentration become increasingly important.

It is only Thursday – but the hotel is getting pretty noisy. A less than desirable guy moved in next door. A flock of school kids have taken over the ground floor. A bunch of soldiers are packed into a few rooms. And, several of our homeless guys have moved in to avoid rain that is predicted and to enjoy Superbowl Sunday. The homeless guys are the least problematic. The guy next door is the most worrisome. Maybe he will leave tomorrow. And, I do have earplugs.

Not only is this Chinese New Year’s. 51 years ago today “The Music Died”. Now that makes me feel really really old. (I was shocked to learn about 15 years ago that I was married to a man who didn’t even know who Buddy Holly was. Much less Ritchie Valens or JP Richardson.)

Too bad we can not backup our lives. I suppose if one believes in an afterlife – I guess that is a life backup. But,  for us pagans – we just have to live well and hope we don’t crash too soon. I can accept that.

This morning the dolphins were close in. Close enough for my little ZS3 all out at 300mm. Not quite close enough in for me to dive in and go see them up close. Carlton said that late in the afternoon – when I was safely ensconced in the shade on the deck – they were close in enough for me – but not for him. Oh well, maybe tomorrow.

Looking at the weather forecast back on the east coast – seeing no reason to leave sunny Kona anytime soon.

Lazy day. A little swimming. A little laundry. A little lounging. Bento Boxes for dinner.

After what happened to the Bagdad Museum – every Egyptologist on the planet must be worried.

I did bail out of my NICE Systems position today. What with the time zone – by the time I woke up it was down another 5%. Decided that a nice tidy profit – while not as good as a nice big profit – was better than a nice fat loss.

Also bailed on ABB – which is a European power plant technology company with too much exposure in Israel and the middle east for comfort. Added to the AT&T position. Tried to add to MickyD’s and Intel – but they didn’t drive deep enough. Will rethink everything as the weekend progresses. Right now I am sort of thinking that the Muslim Brotherhood – who hated our US ass long before al–Qaeda – will end up on top. But, the Suez Canal will remain open. We always end up in trouble when out pet dictators get tossed out.

Bet I can get a really good price on a Guided Tour of Egypt for White People today!

Imagine – what if our government turned off our internet and our cell phones. We managed to pull off the American Revolution with only Paul Revere. But, today – could be even decide what to eat for breakfast without communication gizmos?

I just had a sick thought – I wondered what she who must not be mentioned will have to say about the conditions in Egypt. Get her out of my brain. Must apply beer.

We are surely living in interesting times. I was about 1/4 mile out in the ocean this morning when thoughts of my equity portfolio and the recent unrest ran through my head. Good for my oil positions (US Texas onshore and Norway offshore). And potentially negative big time for my Israeli stock. Big time negative enough that if I had been thinking correctly – I would have dumped my position in Nice Systems. Today. Tomorrow might be too late. Nice Systems does intelligence analysis. So, I guess – they can put the whole company on a plane and leave.

Also spending time thinking about how to best use my charitable fund funds. I feel sort of kindly toward the shabby state college that I went to. I can not imagine that anyone would go there if they could afford to go anywhere else. And, that school was my ticket out of the barrio. Would an endowed scholarship or endowed chair do the most good?

Or maybe, I should spend the money in exciting downtown Arlington – send some deserving “first in family to go the college” kid “go to college”. We have lots of emigrant families who could use a hand. Even Community College is expensive in our area.

Suggestions anyone?

Watching Obama and the State of the Union at this instant. Will break out the popcorn for munching during the Republican Rebuttal of the President’s speech. Will break out beers to help me understand the Republican Rebuttal of the Republican Rebuttal.

We had shark, rice, pineapple and avocado for our late lunch today.

Having a nice little spell of good luck in the market. Time to remind self that “bulls get rich, bears get rich and pigs get slaughtered.” I normally do better in bear markets than bull markets. So, this market is making me nervous. I am letting some stuff run a little longer than usual – I am interested in beefing up the Bethany/Combs Lagniappe Fund and there is nothing like appreciated stock for doing that.

I just had a scary thought – Maybe I’ll figure out how much money I spent at iTunes last year. iTunes is my guilty pleasure.  Because Carlton doesn’t see the purchases. So, no Carlton induced guilt.  Too easy to figure out – $390 was the damage. Well, let’s see that is about $1.10 per day. I can afford that.

Thinking about my summer trip. Singapore? or Norway? or just laze around France.

Sorting and deleting photos today – found this image from earlier this month. I think the little white spots that are actually points of light need removing.

The rotogravure section of today’s paper was directed at the “aging boomer”. And, it was filled with all that happy talk crap that we old folk try to get the young folk to believe.

Jane Fonda – and except for her born again beliefs – I like her… Jane Fonda says that “sex is better at 73 than it was when I was younger”. Well, all I can say to Jane is that you must have had a pretty poor sex life when you were 23.

Boys and Girls – sex is not better when you are old. If we are completely honest – it isn’t even as good as it was. Sex still exists – but it isn’t as good.

And, while I am on the Jane Fonda thing… The press does us old women a disservice when they have photoshopped pictures of a  surgically enhanced 73 year old woman as an example of “70 is the new 40” or some such bull.

Old is old. And it ain’t for wimps.