this isn't even sad, so much as a sign of things bargain-rate apocalyptic

On manipulation:

Seperis: I'll give you ten shares of FTR stock.
Svmadelyn: and bribing with stock is beneath us both.
Svmadelyn: *stares*
Seperis: It is not.
Svmadelyn: Can't we pretend that something is beneath us?
Svmadelyn: Anything?
Seperis: I'm sure there's something.
Seperis: But I'm pretty sure bribing with stock is technically way above us.
Seperis: and we're being pretentious.
Svmadelyn: I hate it on those once every six week occasions where you have a mild point.

Unrelated, svmadelyn and I are trying to negotiate competitive stock roulette for the coming year. Which only sounds insane if you are a sane and logical human being who doesn't use the stock market as a really risky form of entertainment but for logical things like, their retirement or a loft or a trip to Europe. We are not those people. We are people who are trying to negotiate a series of rules for the upcoming year, and I was thinking Dogs of the Dow as a starting point, though while yes not a great investing strategy in itself, it does work as a container list to pick from.

I just wrote out this and realize to myself that yes, I am a person playing stock market roulette with Madelyn for actualfax money. Christ, what have I become. I never did things like this when I was still in SGA. So Dogs of the Dow, two stocks, minimum monthly 50 to 100 invested, one year. Winner by percentage gain or least percentage lost.

Yeah. That's sane.

(I'll be honest, though. Doing this is probably the only way I keep a working savings account. I've never been able to keep one otherwise. The entertainment keeps me from spending. And also, the three day waiting period plus transfer time after liquidation. Works amazingly for avoiding overshopping. It's like the gun law for impulse buying.)

(Actually, this month is my two year anniversary. How weird. I've been doing this for two entire years. Oh Lehman Brothers, what chaos you created in your crashing and burning.)

Anyone else want to play?

Comments

[scy]

Btw, when would this start? As in the new year?

[seperis]

Yes.

[scrollgirl]

I... am both really impressed and kind of scared for you. I hope it's not a *lot* of money you guys are playing with!

[seperis]

Nah, 50 to 100 a month. I auto add 150 every month like I would for a savings account, since I cannot keep a savings account, but weirdly, this I can.

[via_ostiense]

I'm interested in playing--how does this work?

[seperis]

http://seperis.dreamwidth.org/64101.html

I thought I'd offer a paper version as well if you're interested.

[fyrdrakken]

You know, given how unashamedly jealous I was when you announced that you'd made enough to pay off your credit cards, I'm sort of tempted. $50-100 a month is quite possibly an amount I can spare, too. But I have no fucking clue how to go about doing anything like this.

[seperis]

Check my latest post: http://seperis.dreamwidth.org/64101.html

If you come on AIM one night, I can show you how I use sharebuilder over chat if you're interested in the mechanics of how the site works and how it's used. There are other self-service brokerage firms if you google, and some of them are just as good or better (from reviews I read).

[tricksterquinn.livejournal.com]

Geez, how come you never bribe ME with stock? *affronted*

[seperis.livejournal.com]

http://seperis.dreamwidth.org/64101.html

Paper only. Wanna play?

[tricksterquinn.livejournal.com]

I don't even understand what this would MEAN, dude. You know I'm not smart like this.

[calligrafiti.livejournal.com]

That's actually kinda tempting. I received some mutual funds from Dad after he died in '09, and I've turned them into stocks to test some theories. But it's hard to tell if my theories are accurate or if it's just been a happy market for the past 18 months.

Anyway, while you may not have done this in SGA, this would have been a perfect hobby for SV. Someone could have put together the Lex Luthor icon of approval for the winner.

[seperis.livejournal.com]

http://seperis.dreamwidth.org/64101.html

If enough people are interested, I was thinking of doing a paper-only version, no money involved, for a year of gametime. I'm gauging interest in that post.

I received some mutual funds from Dad after he died in '09, and I've turned them into stocks to test some theories. But it's hard to tell if my theories are accurate or if it's just been a happy market for the past 18 months.

Yeah, that's my reaction. I'm getting the feeling that what we're seeing now is not just volatility but something else entirely from earlier financial stuff I read.