Jan 13, 2026

 I played a round of golf with Nick, my accountant. He was very happy to see me and very warm! It was good to see him and he paid for the round! I played terribly. Only one good hole where I chipped in for a birdie, 2nd this year! The whole family has been great! I talked about stock and RE investment with Jim, and play golf with the senior. They got me into two RE deals with $100k+ in profit! Their fees are a little more than my previous accountant who was not slacking off big time, but well worth it! I was planning to see them at the pier this Saturday. Hopefully my sore throat is not going to get worse. Xiao Tan is coming all of a sudden (surprise, surprise:)

The Siberian winter is over. I still have a lot of unanswered questions, but they are unlikely to be known. It is a little unsettling with these mysteries to be buried. "天涯何处无芳草". Too much investment and little return:(. Loss cutting!

I was experimenting exiting incremental investment with little losses, but there is too much noise to make this an effective strategy. I bought LULU at $208, then the stock tanks to $202, I sold 1/2, then the stock rallied back to $209. Should I buy back the sold shares? I think it might be better to set an exit point at the significant point in the chart? 

I randomly encountered a video on value investing channel discussing the concept of compounder where a company, which may not be a high grower, yet can still produce mid-teens or 20%+ rate of return per year! There are numerous great companies like this: AXP, which grows revenue in single digits, but their earnings are either returned to back to shareholders thru DVD or buybacks, or reinvest in their own biz with high returns (returns on invested capital). Their EPS almost tripled in the past 10 years, stock up 500%+ returns! Consistency is important. Even Apple, a mature co with about 7% rev growth, still managed to more than triple its EPS and 11x in stock price! A boring co does not mean boring returns! Here a example video on Apple: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6c_5yK69pQ

There are many stocks like that: CPRT, V, MA, HCA, GWW, DBOE, AMP, GOOG, META, HD, IBKR. This is especially great for people at or close to retirement! Power of compounding!!!

I have been a growth chaser all of my investing (or day trading) life. You can do well, but the risk profile is different! You can achieve great returns but you dont have to! 

I am waiting for the Electrician to get his work done at Redington shores. 

Waiting for Romeo, whom I just called and he needs a little push. 

Waiting on Chris Teeter who is drawing up plans for Grove St - a drawing can cost $10k extra work and headaches.

Jan 9 2026

 Switched auto insurance from geico to State Farm, saving $2k/year. 

Trouble in NJ: the inspector noticed someone (Andres) living in the fire-damaged building:( The inspector demands an inspection. Why are they so strict?

Rafael the renter in Hudson backed out:( Needs to find new tenants. Should I reconsider resuming airbnb?

Start working on selling two rentals in PA!

Raise cash for renovating the Grove St! Sell some stocks. 

Jan 8 2026

 Tie Tie is 2 today!!!

Started a small position in COPART (CPRT). Heard great things about this co. AMP chart gives me a buy signal as well. starting a position later! Another great compounder. 

I also need to have a closure to the Russian cold winter. I am in FL, a tropical paradise. Dont want be prisoner in siberia! 

Jan 7

 I was at the Hudson Apts. My broker was very sure that we found a good tenant for the left Apt. No deposit and 1st month rent so far. 

My broker also told me about an off market duplex, which has similar size as mine, that is looking for a buyer. It sounded very appealing on paper, only asking for $250k, with potential income of $3k per month. It is water front too, next to my current duplex. I offered $230k. They told my broker that they already had a $250k offer with mortgage. I countered $250k contingent upon inspection. I demanded to see the property. They wanted me to sign the paperwork thru email. When I read it on my email, it turned out they are a wholesaler whose name sounded Indian (all of my bias bells started ringing:). 

Saw inside, a disaster. Only 1 bedroom apt on each side, not like 2 bedroom apt on mine. $1200/month on each side. Even a $150k offer + $80k renovation cost ($230k, my 6 months worth of work, just for $2400/m?). It does not work! Pass. Plus, I cannot trust the wholesaler, who apparently don't have solid backup offers!!!

The stocks that went up on Venezuela kidnapping, came back down! The VP did sound very cooperative. The US only accomplished the kidnapping only, nothing else, no regime change, no oil?

In the past, I add more shares to an existing position when there is a breakout in the chart. However, if the stock came right down and go lower, I may choose not to do anything in the past. This caused more losses because the position size was so much larger (after additions). I decided to sell out the added shares if the stock failed the breakout. In other words, the added shares have a different stop loss price than the original shares. We will see if the improvement helps the portofolio. 

Jan 5 2026

 First day of trading after venezuela's kidnapping of her president Maduro. CVX/SLB incating higher because they already have some presence in the country

Real Estate: I need to meet Yury for some remaining jobs, needing to be at Hudson to cleanup and make sure it is ready for the new tenant. I should go tonight! 

My investment return in 2025 was unsatisfactory: single digits vs. almost 20% for spx and more for ndx. 

Here are some of the key reasons: 

1) Overtrading! - need to study my trading patterns and reduce mistakes.

2) bought at the high and sold at the low: When the vix index jumped 2 pts, I usually reduce exposure, but failed to increase exposure on the rebound. What was worse was: effectively my max exposure at the market peak and lowest exposure at the market bottom - worse timing! 

 bought CNQ because it came down 6% due to invasion of venezuela (over done). The co has a long history of increasing dvd and long reserve life. 

added 200 shares of vitl at the support level. If it breaks, I need to unload these and more. 

added small PBR, which only came in 1.5% on maduro. 

Happy New Year

Random thoughts : 

• Trade reviews
• Strategy reviews - Value?
• Think more and react less
• Deal with my biggest enemy - myself

Spike Option Strategy

 I would venture to set up this type trade in the beginning. 1. Set up a straddle (or buy stock and put position delta neutral). 2. When it is reaching a frenzy, sell OTM put position (GME case sell $250 put for $120 for instance). 3, sell the stock and call after a climax top (tricky here), exit the put positions at the same time ?. 4. after the collapse, add to the call position