Goals for 2014

[mrmarket]

My goal is to stay employed for another year.

[jiesen]

The biggest problem is finding a suitable swimming pool. All the local swimming pools are "infested" by children.

You could also try making friends with someone at an apartment complex with a nice lap pool. Some are rarely if ever used, and even heated year-round!

[Duniyo]

1. Earn at least 10% return on my investment
2. Develop an investment strategy (I am now piggybacking on this forum picks and get rich quick gurus)
3. Pass the Foreign service interview on March 17th.
4. Develop my public speaking and leadership skills.
5. Learn how to swim
6. Read three books from cover to cover.
7. Improve my writing skills.
8. Learn at least 100 new English vocabulary
9. Take at least 3 Business courses at Coursera
10. Take a vacation (I haven't taken a real vacation in my life and that is true)

Failed the interview the cut-off was 5.25 but my final score was 5.2

[jiesen]

My goals are two:
1) Earn an 87%+ return in one of my investment accounts.
2) Run 13 Marathon or Half-Marathon PR's in 12 races, including the Boston Marathon.

If I accomplish either or both of these, I'd be super happy!
(and if I can do both early, I'll invite 6'4" over to my place to learn Heart&Soul before Xmas!)

Ran my first Half-Marathon PR of the year last week with a 1:27:30. (I'm 1/3 now, so it's not looking good for goal #2)
Now if FB would just return to its correct value of $7/shr then at least I would get goal #1 done.

[jiesen]

Failed the interview the cut-off was 5.25 but my final score was 5.2

Also, I signed up for one business course at Coursera, so there is that.

[Louetta]

Ran my first Half-Marathon PR of the year last week with a 1:27:30. (I'm 1/3 now, so it's not looking good for goal #2)
Now if FB would just return to its correct value of $7/shr then at least I would get goal #1 done.

Cool. Are you running Boston? Saw a training group of 200-300 out in North Andover, MA last Sunday morning.

[jiesen]

Yep, I'll be running Boston- but I'm not out there yet. I'll leave for Boston the Friday before the race, and stay a few days for vacation afterwards. We've got a 200-300 size group out here training for the San Diego marathon, too (but I won't be doing that one this year).

[Louetta]

Yep, I'll be running Boston- but I'm not out there yet. I'll leave for Boston the Friday before the race, and stay a few days for vacation afterwards. We've got a 200-300 size group out here training for the San Diego marathon, too (but I won't be doing that one this year).

Cool. Good luck. Hope there's decent weather. I'll probably go out to Newton just where the hills start.

[billyjoe]

2100 yards. Methinks few people would realize what a long swim that is.

Louetta, I've got 43 consecutive 2100 yard swims. Every Mon. Wed. Fri. going back to January. The shoulders have given up on giving me problems. Wasn't really very tired after 2100 Friday. No back problems or dizziness either. Getting better in my old age. Maybe will set alltime best this year.

--------------------billy

[billyjoe]

Here's my first goal. Increase my winning stock % by at least 5%. Last year I had 53% winners. Lots of the losers were small since it was mostly swing trading. Many $100-$200 losses. This year my methods have changed, longer holding time, greater gains, higher quality stocks, more like Mr.Market if that is possible.

------------------billy

So far so good. Win rate is 61% (14 of 23 closed trades) but the biggest thing is 6-1 dollars gained per dollars lost. Hope to get winning trades up to 67%. Revamping portfolios to make adjustments each Monday. It will take some time with 31 stocks. 7 stocks currently rated as "sell", but ports 1% from all time highs. Sell bad stocks each Monday. Replace with higher ranked stocks and dividend payers with equal or higher div. payers when market trends up. Three main portfolios: High quality dividend payers for Drip---High rated stocks for growth based on 3 month graphs--special buys based on earnings projections, initiated coverage on mostly recent IPO's, long term buys based on group strength and forecasts.

----------------------billy

[Louetta]

Louetta, I've got 43 consecutive 2100 yard swims. Every Mon. Wed. Fri. going back to January. The shoulders have given up on giving me problems. Wasn't really very tired after 2100 Friday. No back problems or dizziness either. Getting better in my old age. Maybe will set alltime best this year.

--------------------billy

Cool. Keep it up. I've been doing more running lately and less swimming. Easier to find places to compete in running than swimming, post-college.

[Louetta]

Yep, I'll be running Boston- but I'm not out there yet. I'll leave for Boston the Friday before the race, and stay a few days for vacation afterwards. We've got a 200-300 size group out here training for the San Diego marathon, too (but I won't be doing that one this year).

No doubt you're already in town. Tripped down to MIT yesterday for their outdoor meet. Looks like decent weather tomorrow, a tad warm for the runners. 60 plus degrees mid-course. I'll be at the 19 mile mark or just short of it. Good luck tho luck, methinks, has little to do with it.

[jiesen]

No doubt you're already in town. Tripped down to MIT yesterday for their outdoor meet. Looks like decent weather tomorrow, a tad warm for the runners. 60 plus degrees mid-course. I'll be at the 19 mile mark or just short of it. Good luck tho luck, methinks, has little to do with it.

Yep, I got into town yesterday, and am staying in Framingham, just a few miles from the start. 60s will be a little warm, but that's much better than the 85-90 temps I had last time I ran this 2 years ago, so I'll take it! Should be hitting mile 19 at 12:15-12:20 as long as it doesn't get much above 65. See you then!

[Louetta]

Yep, I got into town yesterday, and am staying in Framingham, just a few miles from the start. 60s will be a little warm, but that's much better than the 85-90 temps I had last time I ran this 2 years ago, so I'll take it! Should be hitting mile 19 at 12:15-12:20 as long as it doesn't get much above 65. See you then!
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How'd it go man?? Spiffing day out there... Well, a tad warm for running.

[jiesen]

How'd it go man?? Spiffing day out there... Well, a tad warm for running.

Went pretty well. Despite warm weather I still managed a decent time of 2:57, which is one min better than my last one and a PR for me. Didn't find you out there in the crowd at 19 but there were a ton of people! Boston is awesome, so much great fan support for this race!! Now to rest those sore legs and blistered feet... had my fill of meats and cheeses already, and even my order for ALK was filled!