Fund manager; statistical arbitrage in the volatility space and with a global macro component. I stare at squiggly lines all day and read private intelligence/analysis reports.
I remember looking at charts and the screen all day. Worked on the equities floor at PSE. Big positions, very short term. Pretty solid stress levels. I liked the money, but I didn’t really like the job. That was long ago, in another life, and the PSE is now gone as well.
You’ve been at this for quite a while Rdodson. You must be one of those guys that doesn’t really feel much stress, ever, or figured out a way to master it. All the guys I know that kept at it, look 25 years older than their actual age and all have a number of stress related health issues. I’ve seen your guitar videos and you don’t look like the guys I know that kept at it. Well done sir! And you still achieve tasty licks while playing some bitchin gear. Keep me in mind. If you ever let go of that killer Charvel employee guitar.
To me, the money they’ve made (stock longhaulers I know) would not be worth the issues they are now dealing with. They constantly have to spend time at the doctors office. They take many medications, have uncomfortable and irritating procedures, and have to do all manners of therapy. They have to do this just to manage borderline to questionable health. I can’t imagine them pulling out of their ill health and ever becoming, “healthy,” again. All their time is spent, “managing,” these heinous issues and they never focus on getting rid of them. I don’t want to trade in any of my years for money, no thank you.
The older I got, the faster time passed. This was an alarming revelation. That’s when I realized, that time, much more than anything else, is the most precious commodity. Remember being in grade school and looking back on life? It seemed that you’d been alive forever at that point. But then, at the end of high school when you looked back, you thought, “hmmm, this seems to be passing a bit faster than I previously thought!?” And then, when you turned 30, and looked back, it was more like, “HOLY SHIT! This is PASSING AT AN ALARMING RATE, and I DON’T LIKE THIS ONE LITTLE BIT!!!”
It hits you, time is immensely precious. I wanted to maximize everything I could like joy, pleasure, contentment, fulfillment, fun, and do whatever I had to in order to achieve this! Nor did I wish to have any regrets. I decided to do what I wanted regardless of others opinions. If I had to take a chance I would do it. I remember looking back on high school and regretting not asking this girl out. Why? I was a wimp, the thought of the unknown or rejection overpowered any potential future good times.
Things that mattered intensely to most people no longer mattered to me at all. The clothes I wear were now are chosen based on comfort, and I arrived at the adidas track suit, Russian mafia members the world over will attest to this. Running shoes are the height of comfort for one’s feet. I no longer care if I am sporting cool or bitchin threads. Although, I do like cars, so I must have a car I enjoy. Guitars and amps became very important to me as they are the tools of my enjoyment. And I do like good food. So as long as I have a car I like, some awesome guitars and amps, and I don’t have to make myself dinner every night, I am totally content. I’m not talking 4 star dining and sports cars. But I am talking about Friedmans, Charvel Custom, Andersons and PRA, Bogner cabs, and a few tasty and choice pedals to maximize my tonal enjoyment and increase touch sensitivity, tighten up the amp while adding a little articulation and clarity.
Ok, I’m rambling like a lunatic. I will stop now. Well done Mr. Rdodson. You seemed to have mastered a good life.