And Down Again!

That's how stock market is. One day it goes up, another day it goes down. As long things are not terribly bad or excitingly great, I will try to monitor it in silence and go on with my business. Anyway, Asia Pacific markets were mostly in red today, with arrows, of course, pointed down!

Final presidential debate tomorrow morning here.

It's Up!

Source: Huffington Post

It should be a good day for the stock markets today, Wall Street was in happy mood last night, Dow Jones went up by a hoopla 11% after Asian and European markets rebounded joyfully. But I am not feeling too well, no wonder my nose was acting up yesterday, I am officially under the weather. Awful. It's hot and humid but I start shivering when the air-con is on. The medicine has been popped in and it should does wonder in 30 minutes.

Looks Like We'll Be Going.....

A plan to stay back during the break was just a plan. I woke up one day and thought that I needed to have more photographs of things, different things than what I have been photographing almost on daily food. I thought I needed to get away from this place again. We have talked before about going to either Beijing or Shanghai. We have also talked about having two girls that are going to be busied with their study during the break. At the same time, I also thought of the break that we all need after nine weeks of school and many months of stressful work situation. A change of location will be refreshing, although the problems will remain problems until the they are tackled and solved and exams will have to be taken until they are over.

I wanted to go to Shanghai, DH felt more for Beijing. I do feel that it is a good opportunity to see Beijing and its Olympic facilities while they are still quite recent, I can visit Shanghai some other time. I love to re-visit Great Wall, only to find out later that the children are not too thrilled about going there again. I am happy to pass on the gigantic complex of Forbidden City and Summer Palace. I don't mind Hutong and Tiananmen Square. Shopping or window shopping will be on the to-do list too. The weather, will be much cooler than here. So it's all good.

We only had less than two weeks before our departure date, so we needed to act really fast. By evening, we have checked out the flights and the hotels. By the following morning, the flights and the accommodation were booked. We also began to process our visa.

Then, the stock markets started to crash and the "economy in crisis" thing seemed to get much more serious than ever. I started feeling bad about my own idea. I began doubting whether we made the right decision about going away. To make it simple, I left the decision to DH, the rests of us are quite indifferent about going or not going. We'll go if he can make it, we won't go, if he can't make it. DH reckoned that we should try to go mainly because we will be having one adult daughter in college next year and traveling together will be harder to do then. I guess, that's the priority! If he says so, indirectly.

The visas have been obtained, the flights and the hotel rooms have been booked. Looks like we'll be going in nine days. I can't see Russia from here but I saw some greens and arrows up today. They may not last long, but again, it's always nice to see a good change. Hoping to see more greens tomorrow.


Source: Yahoo Finance - 9 Oct 2008

Red And Down

All are red, arrows point down. A summary of what's happening on stock market around the world today. What a day it has been here in Asia! Panic selling everywhere...


Source: Yahoo Finance - 8 Oct 08

Are heading to recession? I hope not, we do not want that to happen, but all the signs point to it. The dark sky, lightning and thunder this afternoon made the day even worse than it already is. As we're speaking or writing, we are also witnessing European markets spiraling down. People feel helpless everywhere......

Go Ahead, Amuse Me!

I need an extra large dose of comedy central today. Thank goodness that the US election especially Ms. Sarah Palin, has provided the players with so much material to work with. My being on the ledge is not attributed primarily by what's happening in the economy and seeing Dow Jones heading down.



It's not also by the fact that a good boy David Archuleta was photographed kissing Minnie Mouse. Mind you, he's not even 18 years old. And Minnie? We all know that for so-so-so many years Minnie has been together with Mickey. Doesn't that constitute "cheating"? Helllooooo....... Miley Cyrus' pictures in her underwear circulating around the net? What's the world come to?



Nahhh...those are nothing compared to living with two teenagers who have listening and seeing problems. They look healthy, but for unknown reasons, are not able to hear instructions, rregardless how many times they are repeated and keep on failing to see pens, papers and things that fall or are dropped intentionally on the floor. They forget a lot as well.

And they just love me so much to keep me going by constantly providing treasures to hunt around their rooms. {treasures=dirty laundry, snacks, books, wrappers, papers, pens, pencils and many others} They must think, mommy must be so thrilled to find treasures in unexpected places, for example, biscuits in the side drawers, two empty cups in a room that have resided for many days, math papers in between Chinese papers, my novels on the floor of the room, dirty clothes on the floor and clean clothes on the floor too. What's the laundry basket doing in the corner? It is to stand elegantly as part of the room decor.

So, no, life is not depressing and I shouldn't be jumping off the cliff. My life has been kept so intriguing by my two girls. My experience in heading a research department was not as challenging as being a mother. Hear me, I am determined to keep the little one! And I still need clips from Jon Stewart, David Letterman and Jay Leno! Saturday Night Live too!