Category: Views & Opinions

Yesterday I attended two seminars: stocks and options trading. Let me share my summarized insights.

Stocks and Options Trading

Between stocks and options trading, I’ll give more credit to the latter. What’s the score?

Option stocks rank as one of the most successful financial crafts there are in these days. Option stocks basically provide traders with the utmost diversification, flexibility and control so that they can both protect the stock collection and likewise be able to generate an increased financial investment over time.

There are various reasons why this trading system proves to be beneficial at all costs. But then among the domineering reason is that it can be utilized with whatever the condition of the market is and for every little objective investment there is.

Also, an option stock trading system can be purchased at a low rate and can still be sold all throughout the rise and fall of the prices in the market. It means that the vendor is not required to sell the stock impulsively just because the market’s condition will change in time.

Another thing is that the option stock trading system can be mingled up with any other contracts pertaining to option stocks and with some other financial products that are geared towards security or profitability.

Time and again, the investors can adjust the salable prices of their stocks over a definite interlude of time. This strengthens the promising reward which the investor may earn despite the unpredictable fluctuation in the stock prices that come every now and then.

What concerns affect the buyers of option stock trading system? When it comes to stock option deals, the buyer is only posed with some limited risks.

Moreover, the buyer is not to lose something which is more than the fixed price of an option or that of the premium. There is always a specific time that is set for the expiration of the stock and when such contract of expiration is not met, the option will somehow expire in a worthless manner.

The truth is, logically speaking, the larger the returns so can be the losses on a leverage manner.

It would be very hard for someone to predict the outcome of the investment on option stock trading systems. Before a final decision must be made, there are a lot of concerns to look into.

By all means, option stock trading is very much complicated compared to the stock trading itself since the trader should be very careful in looking into the directions of the market and its conditions: up, down or sideways.

For actions: call, put or hold. All traders need is a fused alliance of careful examination and wise money management to arrive at the most successful outcome.

Remember that person you passed in the street yesterday?

I pass hundreds of people every day. I swept past them on pavements and stared at the backs of their heads in queues. There are countable times I’ve helped them for directions. But at the end of the day, all of them are just a presence, a constant annoyance and a minor detail. How could you be expected to remember one specific person, one solitary face amongst all those bodies and all those conversations?

The fact is you couldn’t.

The day would pass and all those souls would blend into one, form a canvas whose detail you just couldn’t focus on. Nobody would expect you to remember that one face, for it to stand out or stick in your mind. Nobody would expect you to wonder what was in that one person’s head, what troubled them or stirred them, what they were passionate about, what they loved or what drove them to tears, to breaking point. Nobody would expect you to care enough to be curious.

But we also have a chance to defy expectations. Here is a life, a face, a living and breathing soul. It looks different but in essence, it’s just like everyone of us. It has dreams, regrets, loves and loss. It has stories running in rich seams from its past, right through its present and into its future. And it’s here, right here, waiting for you.

We live lives that are busy, loud and hectic. They play out in an increasingly impersonal world; one where fear is easier to find than trust, where stranger danger stalks our streets as the sun sets ominously. Years ago we could fall asleep safely with doors unlocked. Today’s safety only comes when a lock is turned, a bolt is thrown; when shutters are drawn to keep the world out, to keep it at bay.

This door you see is unlocked, and it will swing open if you push it. The challenge is to come in, step inside and put a name to one of those many faces you pass, day in and day out. Question is, what for?

Sometimes we go into a room only to forget why. We forget words, names and what we were going to do but I have a theory that this is more to do with all the things we have to juggle as we get older than any brain deterioration. Friends, peers, jobs and life’s stresses all compete for our conscious and unconscious attention.

Last week, Louie and I read a book titled Brain Rules 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School by John Medina. It’s a powerful and helpful read, and I encourage everyone to read it as well.

Brain Rules talks about how the brain works, covering different areas such as exercise, sleep, stress, wiring of the brain, short and long-term memories, etc. These are the top tips I’ve uncovered to improve our brilliant brain’s memory, from the book and from everyday life.

How to Improve Your Memory (Brain Rules)

1. Get enough sleep.

Your brain, like everything else in the body, needs enough rest and sleep. When you’re tired creativity and problem-solving skills are low down on the brain’s list of priorities because it’s not functioning at its best and you’ll find your memory struggles, too. Get enough good quality sleep.

2. Get the right amount of exercise.

Body exercise is good for the brain as you take in more oxygen and stimulate the production of essential chemicals and hormones that the brain can use to process information. If that wasn’t reason enough to get outside for a walk or go dancing, exercise also reduces the risk of heart attacks, diabetes and obesity as we age.

3. Get enough love.

Humans are social animals. We don’t do well in isolation and need our friends and loved ones around us. The emotions, conversations, challenges, positive strokes and support we get from them stimulates the brain. Those with the most active social lives had the slowest rate of memory loss.

4. Get enough laughter.

Think of all your favorite laughter sources. A good belly laugh makes the whole body happy. Not only does it stimulate multiple areas of the brain but we get the release of feel-good hormones (endorphins).

5. Deal with stress.

During times of stress and depression, we release too much of the hormone cortisol which can destroy brain cells. So not only will quality of life be affected, but also memory when we’re under pressure.

Stress busting techniques include meditation, counseling, relaxation techniques, journal writing and talking your situation over with trusted friends. Do what works for you.

6. Get the right foods and nutrition.

The right brain food is essential for memory and the right diet can help improve it. Enough said.

7. Get enough brain exercise.

Do crossword and jigsaw puzzles, Sudoku, complex board games and chess which are all good brain aerobics. The brain is like a muscle so “if you don’t use it you lose it.”

Exercises should be new, challenging and fun because these qualities all make the brain create new neural pathways that we talked about above. One fun exercise is one that is mentioned above. 😉

So to improve your memory, whatever your age, remember NESSELL–nutrition, exercise, stress, sleep, exercise, love, laughter–is what you need. Also, now’s our chance to defy expectations.

Case in point: Circumstances can change. Accidents can happen. And most of all, we can use our own free will to go in a different direction. So no, nothing is written in stone.You can change a future foretold. Never give anyone else the power to dictate your own future, no matter who they are.

While Mom and I were watching “Perfect Match” last night, Dad entered the room—and with a sudden burst of exaltation, he told us what the astrologer on TV foretold for 2011. Most specially, he highlighted the prediction for his sign: Aries, year of the sheep. He said 2011 is a positive year for this moon sign; hard work and ability to react to situations on time will be the guiding spirit for progress this year.

With his rising suggestion, I remembered my encounter with Robert Valencia. About four years ago, I met with this person. He’s a Vedic astrologer whom we contacted through paranormal expert Jaime Licauco. Why? I’ve always been interested with just how astrologers see flashes and foretell instances of the future whether it be for a specific person, group or organization, country or the world. So I thought I wanted to give it a try myself.

Robert asked for my complete name, birth date, birth place and exact birth time and printed my birth chart prior the date of our meeting. From there, he made his analysis and arranged a discussion with us.

Our meeting lasted for two hours. Without knowing me personally, he has been able to describe me extensively. He gave suggestions on how to go about in my tracks and decisions in life. Seeing my inner character and nature, he provided me with hints of things to watch out for—with respective date ranges—and advice on career and relationships with other people.

While listening intently to his words, I took some notes down on paper. Here are some of his general insights. For those who know me well, you can compare the real me versus the me which he has seen through the birth chart reading here during your idle time.

• You are fond of art and literature, great in conversation, modest, quite discriminative, economical, prudent, practical, active and methodical with good mental abilities.
• You have knowledge of many subjects, a great sense of justice and many good friends.
• You have much strong power to influence people.
• You are very adaptable and capable of sudden changes to meet the needs and demands of circumstances. However this trait may make you appear to be a ‘difficult to understand’ person.
• You generally have a small family and many have frequent changes of residence.
• You undertake many long and short journeys but will remain accident-prone.
• Sometimes you will be shy and timid and may lack self confidence. You will need to be alert and cautious of powerful enemies. You will have generally harsh relation with others, no good relations with the members of the family but a very happy relationship with your spouse.
• The areas like business or work connected with earth products, software engineering, finance, banking, literature and art will suit you very well. However due to your inherent adaptability you will do very well in many other areas that demand intellectual acumen. Ailments like worms in intestine, dysentery, diarrhea, constipation, malnutrition and nervous weakness will be quite common.
• You have a calm nature. There is a peculiarity while you’re smiling; your smile has the magnetic power to attract others. This inherent quality produces a vibration on others and it becomes difficult to leave the native once such acquaintance takes place. You can easily get respect and honor from the public. You are always in readiness to help the needy for nothing in return. You don’t like to deceive others even if it costs your life. In spite of this good quality, the reward you get in return is nothing but criticism and opposition. You do not believe in a posh living.
• Your life is full of frequent ups and down. At one moment you rise to the top and another moment you fall to the bottom whether in professional field or in the mental world. In other words, luckiness and unluckiness comes without intimation.
• In the work field, you keep strict discipline.
• You possess excellent all-round knowledge. You are a good adviser as you have the capacity to intervene and settle various disputed matters. Lot of responsibilities will have to be undertaken before you can climb one step of ladder of success.
• Period up to the 30th years of age will bring in unexpected circumstantial changes both in the family front as well as in the academic and professional or business field. Period between 30 to 42 years of age will be the golden period, when you can settle down in life. If you live beyond 64 years of age, there will be remarkable accumulation of wealth and all-round success in the business field.
• You can enjoy a happy married life. Your husband will be wealthy and loving. You can enjoy good benefits from your children. First will be a son and followed by two daughters.

As I write this, I know that the future is uncertain and we aren’t sure what’s to happen. I don’t totally believe in the stuff written above plus the other things he mentioned not posted here; I just want them to stay as my guide at times when I feel I’m not in tune with the universe or live in the kind of world where I can only do things that I want to do. As well, I don’t subscribe to the view that I should just wander aimlessly and follow my bliss.

Life is in constant flux, and stuff that happen within seconds, minutes, or days could greatly affect a fragile psyche, long term.

We have our destiny. I’m not even sure if we can change it (as we never be safe from the scorching sun, the heavy downpour or the dreadful snarls of the fashion police).

But this thing is for sure: we can direct it. Serendipity is everywhere. If we recognize that joy can be found by those taking the time to experience life rather than just charging selfishly through it, we will come to understand serendipity.

Miracles are impossible, yet the impossible often happens when the human mind refuses to accept that something can’t be achieved. Miracles will only cease to exist when we stop believing in them.