And so it begins: Scott Minerd, Guggenheim InvestmentsWho could predict the exact chain of events set off by the coronavirus that leads us to the circumstances that we face today? Besides the public health and economic crisis, would anyone have considered that this would also turn into a geopolitical crisis? Russia is attempting to use this critical moment to its own advantage, and the collapse of the Russian-OPEC alliance—precipitated by Russia’s goal of killing off the U.S. shale industry—has turned into an all-out price war that is causing chaos in the energy markets.
. . . yeah. I'm in the process of spring cleaning to destress. The markets had an upswing this morning and now they're back down and I'm just uncomfortable so I'm trying to control what I can, which isn't much. I consoled myself this morning, that if I don't find a new job, I'll keep this job and then start slamming money into my 401k when the market recovers. Which is saying something, cause I think they're fed not by markets, but misery, including mine. But if I'm gonna be miserable, might as well make money off of it. I'll fight for every hour, every penny I can, just to feed it. Two anecdotes. On Saturday I was talking to a friend of mine who's just past old enough to drink, telling them I've been doing math trying to figure out how I'm gonna be able to survive 60plus financially, if I even live that long. They asked if I figured anything out. I said "Yeah, I should have started when I was your age." The other day, I did a checkup call on my mother. We were talking jobs and retirement and she said I shouldn't bother, because by the time I'm her age nothing will be worth anything. She was joking, of course. Then Friday and Monday and Today happened and suddenly my mother's joke isn't funny anymore. Nero fiddled while Rome burned. I don't have a fiddle or a city-state to look after. So I guess I'll shred junk mail and chastise myself for buying more fabric than I'll probably need for the next five years. I found a really crappy jacket though, all torn up, I might turn it into a project, so I have that going for me.