OT & NEW PLAN to all:>
Off-topic part:
Mark, You said it! I bought a digital studio last year. . . but before I could get time to set it all up in a proper environment, I am already selling it and buying all new gear. . .LOL! The goal now [aside from MIDI], is to stay 24-bit / 96k from the mic-pre, through the board, to the multi-track, then mix discreet 5.1, still at 24/96k right to High-definition CD, as well as compatible stereo 2 mix at 24/96k. . .and all locked with SMPTE, of course.
You know, once you achieve that level of resolution, there really will be no need to try and improve upon it for 10 to 20 years. . . the only significant improvement would be a fully optical signal chain. . .lightspeed and fibre-optics. . . And at this point, at least in the recording world. . .that isn't even on the drawing boards yet.
So when you say 'the money is a means to an end' . . .yes, why of course it is. . . it means we get to buy cooler toys!! LOL! And they are so much more affordable than in the 70's and 80's.
I started making records and writing songs and arranging on records at 13. By 17, I had a goal in life. . .to be rid of the need of expensive bulky studios and even musicians. . in order to get all that music out of my brain [which is a BIG challenge - extremely prolific] as simply as possible. . . .To see this through I tried everything . .at about 21, in 1979 I was put in charge of my first pro studio . . .as house producer/ chief engineer. After 7 years of college, in 1985 I bought my first MIDI rig. . .sequencing on a C-64, with Sequential Circuits "Multi-timbral" synths and a full Yamaha DX rack [weren't those cool?], etc. And by the following year was in Santa Ana, CA at what was called "Whitefield Studios" . . writing full-time for NBC Sports, ESPN, USA Network, ad clients, jingles, industrials, you name it. . .5 years later, I finally owned my own studio loaded the way I wanted, SMPTE/MIDI and built to my specification. . .with about 90db separation between the vocal room and control room, yet only 3 feet between singer & producer. . .total eye contact. . . unfortunately, my partner had to sell out a few years later, due to divorce. . . and it was disbanded.
So after 20 years of touring, studying and sessions all of which would keep me up until 4am nightly, I finally got burned out. Started a totally unrelated biz, which I sold off 4 years ago. . . [royalties from both have kept me well since]. . . .but I made a pact with myself and a promise to my composing mentor [and best man at my wedding from his wheelchair], Paul Dunlap [150 movie scores and 300 TV shows]. . . the promise was that I would only return to music 'on my terms'.
Well, as you point out, Mark, the money becomes the means to bring about that right of music 'on my terms.'
To all. . .
. . . . . . NEW PLAN . . . . . .
So here is the new plan as I have approved with my wife and have returned with from good counsel. . . . .I trade my seat warmer off from October to April. Go defensive to hold my gains, then let the rest of the world trade from April to October. Other than gold and earnings plays in July, we really just sat on our hands all summer. . .and it was the same the year before. [Incidently, none of this affects Insighters.com in any way. . . it is still coming along, and now that family illness is improving is about to go back on schedule for launch.]
Remember, I believe the markets are getting more and more seasonal.
So for 2 months, from about April 20th through June 20th, I will work on music, books and vacation [three things that go well together] . . .I may trade a bit between June 20 and July 20. . . but from wherever I am . . .and not 24/7 as I do now. . .then July 20 through Sept 20, I am mostly gone again. . . .and by October 1 we are back in business to make as big of gains as we can until the following April. So with much of December away too, it works out as roughly a 50/50 split between stocks and music. . .
For me, this could be the answer in keeping me FRESH in both areas. Stocks can burn you out just as easily as music can. . .especially when you are giving your all every day. Also, I am already behind schedule on my trading series. . . so the free time will be used for writing books. . .both interactive and traditional.
I don't like doing ANYTHING part-time. . . so I won't. I will be full-time completely devoted to stocks for one half the year and the same with being creative the other half. At least that is the plan. . . .the reality is that it is more like timing the ocean. . . so there will be some drift in and out of both. . . and the dates are not hard and fast, since the markets seem to drift forward by about a week or two each year. So we try it for 5 years and see how we feel. <g>
When we are on Insighters.com, it will be full of terrific leaders of all sorts [if you aren't on the mailing list to be informed about Insighters.com, you must write me at Rande@writeme.com]. . . and under this plan, we are less tempted to try to keep trading long in a bear market [this summer we worked hard to keep trading mostly sideways. . .wasted energy?]. . . and this way too, I get something more than just money out of all this work. . . [aside from the wonderful enjoyment of hearing about helping make one of you a new millionaire or helping your family meet debt obligations or college goals, etc which is a true joy and honor]. . . .under this new plan, I would also receive personally, the ability, the time and the right to compose and create as I wish. . .which is a honed version of that original life's goal.
I hope everyone understands and accepts this plan for the coming millenium [not all of it]. . .but for now we have 5 months to kick some serious booty!!
Rande Is |
