Happy Halloween

I don't really celebrate Halloween - I don't have any Halloween decorations, I haven't been to a costume party for ages, and I live somewhere which fortunately doesn't get any trick and treaters.  I think Halloween is more of a thing for kids, so when you don't have any then it's a lot more difficult to get into the spirit of the day.  I think my only acknowledgement that it is Halloween is the fact that I've currently got a couple of Lego Halloween sets on display.  I hasten to add these are sets that I haven't paid for but have picked up over the years as free gifts.  I think the main horror show today was yet another Palace defeat.  We are so going down.

Company Stock

My company's stock price reached a new record high this morning.  As someone with a lot of company stock, this is obviously great news.  And, inevitably, the question comes up - when should I cash in and sell my stock?  While I'm still working, I doubt I will ever sell.  I don't really need to.  However, when I stop working - and particularly if I stop working before I reach retirement age, something which I think has a high probability of happening - then that is an entirely different situation.  This is when selling the stock becomes very important as it will be my only source of income.  And if the stock price continues to rise, then the earlier I can stop working - hooray!   

The Big Four

No, I'm not talking about the Big Four accounting firms.  I'm talking about the Big Four grunge bands from Seattle.  I've been living here long enough to come up with my definitive ranking of the bands.  So here goes:

1. Alice in Chains

2. Pearl Jam

3. Nirvana

4. Soundgarden

My only catch is that out of the four bands, I haven't heard nearly as much of Soundgarden as I have of the others.  That seems like something I need to rectify.

Work demoralization

Changes are afoot at work.  Organizational changes.  And I'm not thrilled about it.  I'm getting a new manager.  My current manager has been promoted, other people have been promoted, and I have - once again - been left behind.  I was asked today to provide a list of achievements since I was last promoted.  I couldn't even remember when I was last promoted.  Apparently it was 8 years ago.  Which is shocking.  It's not like I have had bad or even average performance reviews in all that time - they've all been good.  I think it's (a) a Chinese thing i.e. I'm not Chinese, and that will always hold me back working here (b) I just quietly get on with my job and don't have a big presence, and (c) I haven't, and haven't been given the opportunity, to work on anything high profile.  Anyway, what is the point of providing this list.  Nothing is going to change and I'm not going to get promoted anytime soon.  I'm not happy about it, but I have kind of accepted it.  And with that acceptance, comes a condition.  I am not prepared to take on more responsibilities than I currently have.  Perhaps that is also holding me back.  But I've taken on more responsibilities at times during the last 8 years, and not been awarded for it.  So why bother.  I don't need the additional hassle or stress.  They can suck it.    

Body Art

Should I get a tattoo?  I am certainly not averse to the idea.  It would have to be something meaningful, and I'd have to carefully consider the design.  I've already got several ideas.  But the permanency of it doesn't scare me.  I'd probably get it somewhere like my upper arm where it is not so visible.  But tattoos are so commonplace now, almost to the point of banality.  Yes, they might go somewhat against my natural conservatism - but I like the idea of self expression through the medium of tattoos.  I've got absolutely no idea how painful, how long, or how expensive it is to get a tattoo.  If I get one, I'd like to get a quality design - so I don't imagine it is going to be particularly cheap.  But my natural cowardice might be an obstacle.  We shall see.      

The Big Question

How much money do I need to have saved up before I can retire?  That's the big question on my mind right now.  I have peers on both sides of the Atlantic who are not working, albeit for varying reasons - and I am extremely jealous.  I don't want to work.  I want to enjoy spending my time however I want.  Ideally I want to take a sabbatical, but I'm not sure how feasible that is.  Mainly because I don't know if I'll ever be able to return to my existing job or a new job after taking a sabbatical.  Which is why I want to know how much money I need to never work again.  It's going to be quite a lot for me.  I never got onto the property ladder, so housing is always going to be a significant outlay.  And, at least in the US, health insurance might be even more expensive than rent.  Don't get me started on how ridiculous that is.  So, sadly, I fear I have to keep on working for as long as I can so I can keep on saving.  Even if I don't want to.  That doesn't sound fair.  I know some other biotech companies actually encourage their employees to take a sabbatical after they've been at the company for a certain length of time.  I really wish they did the same at my place.  

Boycott

I keep on seeing adverts on TV for Starlink - Elon Musk's satellite internet company.  The same company that Musk disgracefully used to hamper Ukraine's war effort.  Probably because Trump asked him to.  Because Trump is, as has been made abundantly clear in some of his recent actions, in Russia's pocket.  Well rest assured, wherever I am in the world, I will never resort to using Starlink.  In the same way that I will never buy a Tesla (and I will never give any driving courtesies to Tesla drivers).  And should I ever want to take a trip into space, I will never use SpaceX.  I don't care for Elon Musk, and I think the world would be a better place without him, his money, and his political influence.