Buying our first stock
Hey all, how’s it going? I have some fun news to share: in the depths of this economic crisis, Shinobu and I bought our first stock! After the big crash last week we borrowed $5,000 from her mom and bought 35 shares of Apple, Inc (AAPL). I am now a part owner in that great company! 
We found a securities company here in Toyama (Nomura) through which we got the stock. It was very easy- set up an account, dump money into it, then give them a call. Once we get our security code mailed to us (any day now), we’ll be able to trade from home via the Internets.
Apple has been growing by leaps and bounds the past few years, as many of you know from my frequent propaganda mailings (which worked for some, but not for others- you know who you are!!!!). They are a leading tech company that makes great stuff, and they’ve been doing very well even though other tech companies haven’t. Earlier this year their stock was trading at over $200 per share. Recently, thanks to the multiple crashes, the price went down to under $100. Time to buy! Shinobu really snatched on this opportunity, and thanks to her mom, we were able to create some cash. Naturally we are very grateful to her and will repay with interest!
The only down side of this purchase was that the moment we bought it, the stock was at its highest point in the past few weeks (116). Apple came out with new notebook computers last Tuesday, and I thought that that announcement would send the stock up, but instead it went down! Complicated story… Anyway, we’re now checking our “portfolio” (he he) each day, and it’s kind of exciting. Lest you think I’m crazy to invest in such hard times, I’ll have you know that I basically have followed the advice of Warren Buffet:
“A simple rule dictates my buying: Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful.”
This is a fantastic article, and I highly recommend you read it if you’re interested in a hopeful take on our current economic disaster.
Anyway, that’s about it. We’re now excitedly checking all the financial news with renewed interest. We’ll see how it goes. Like Buffet, I’m extremely confident that things will turn around, especially with O in the White House. It’s nice to know we’ll be able to benefit from that.
Oh, and don’t forget- for your next computer, buy Apple! The new MacBooks are amazing! Don’t believe me? Just check out this fascinating mini-documentary on how they made the new machines:
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TFiJ20: Luke & papa do a triathlon
On a hot hot HOT day in July (Saturday the 13th, to be exact), Luke and papa participated in the annual Yatsuo Triathlon. This was my 2nd time, having previously done it in 1999. Of course it was Luke’s first time. I did the “athletes” course, which consisted of a 750 meter swim in the pool (where Shinobu works), followed by a 16km bike ride on a hilly course, and finishing with a 5km run. Luke did the kid’s course: 100m swim, 2km bike, 1km run.
Oh, did I mention it was a VERY HOT & HUMID DAY?
The week before I practiced each day with Luke. His difficult point was riding a bike, especially with going up hills. Since there were a couple of inclines on the kid’s bike course, Shinobu and I were rather concerned. Using his old kiddy bike, there was no way he could ride up even a slight hill, so a few days before the race we ended up buying him a new bike! “It’s an early birthday present”, we told ourselves. This new bike had 5 speeds, so he was able to go up hills better, but would it be enough? We were worried…
Papa’s race started at 9 am. The swimming was very hectic. Since it was in a pool, each swimmer had to go down and back three times (150m), making sure to duck under the lane divider each length. The start was staggard, but since there was such a difference in ability, it wasn’t long before guys were passing and lapping each other. It was a nightmare ducking under the lane dividers, as there were often several swimmers pushing and shoving for position! I had to take care not to get kicked in the face.
After the swim, I ran outside and down to the bike changing area. I had my spot, and proceeded to change into bike mode. I wasn’t rushing, knowing it would take all I had and more just to survive the entire distance on the HOT HOT HOT day. Luke and Shinobu were cheering me on. When they saw I wasn’t rushing, they started teasing me: “Hurry up, Papa! You’re too slow!!!” they shouted. It was funny.
The bike course was a ride through the foothills of nearby Yamada village. The first part was this VERY LONG incline, and boy was it a killer. After that it got better, and the final bit was going down that long incline. That was fun!
The running course was thankfully flat and simple- just three laps from bridge to bridge on the Ida river, next to the pool. Still, it was HOT HOT HOT, so this part of the race was very difficult. Thankfully they had water stops, so I made sure to douse myself in ice cold water frequently. While cooling me off, this also made my socks and shoes very squishy and heavy! I shuffled along, leaving a trail of watery footsteps behind.
Finally I finished! I was very happy that I could make it. Immediately, however, I climbed up a hill to watch Luke come in on his bike. Shinobu and I cheered him on, as you can see in the video. We were really proud of him! He ended up with a gold medal for his trouble, a prize given to all the kids who finished. He’s only seven years old, and already he’s gaining a lot of great experience, not to mention health and fitness.
In the end we all had a good time despite the heat. We’re looking forward to doing the race again next year.
Here’s the video. Please leave a comment and let us know what you think.
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Hello! My name is Gerald Talandis Jr, and I'm the webmaster of this blog. I'm using it as a tool for staying in touch with family in friends around the world. I've been in Japan since 1993 and currently teach English at the 
This is my wife, Shinobu. She's originally from 
Luke was born on July 29th, 2001. He is now an elementary school student and loves sports, like his mama. Each week, Luke swims, plays soccer, and goes to a gymnastics class. He is also studying English and dreams of visiting the USA someday and becoming an Olympic swimmer, like his hero Michael Phelps.
Our daughter Max was born on March 7th, 2007. She is currently attending nursery school and is learning to walk, talk, and eat by herself without making a mess. She is growing by leaps and bounds, and loves Micky Mouse, Hello Kitty, and Anpanman.