My small investment in Hong Kong stocks

I sold my shares in July/August of this year as I fear a correction is just around the corner. Wrong timing! Stock prices even built up momentum and many shares even tripled in prices. So I really felt bad looking at the Hang Seng Index moving up to 26,000...27,0000....28,0000 and then to more than 30,000!!!! Thinking this might be a continuing trend I went back into the market. Unfortunately stock prices began falling especially after China's President Hu Jintao made a statement that the express train for China investors to directly invest in Hong Kong shares will have to be postponed for further study. What?!

At last week's IPO of Alibaba.com (1688) I bought 1,000 shares at HK$39.25 per share. Yes, I've gone crazy as my colleauges exclaimed, buying very close to its highest price! At its opening I tried to buy at HK$33 but I took in my colleagues' advices that the price is too high. Price continued inching its way up while I was itching to get my hands on this share so I took all my courage to buy anyway. Ooops! Very....very...wrong. I would have earned about a thousand Hong Kong dollars if I sold these the following day at auction price of close to HK$41. But I did not! So here I am with 1,000 shares of Alibaba.com now worth less than HK$30 each. Whaaaaaaah!

But this did not stop me from buying the IPO listing of 3800 on Tuesday. I bought again at its highest HK$5.40! I tried buying at HK$5.25 but price is moving up every second. I saw the prices on screen going up to HK$5.57 and then sliding to the time I bought at HK$5.40. But my golly the price dived down to less than HK$4.50! I was still hopeful though and in the afternoon trading session it went up to HK$4.90 and then closed at less than HK$4.65! My! My! It may not be possible for it to gain a dollar today. I am still trying to be optimistic as whatever little savings I have are in the stocks now and I do not want to realize any paper loss! I understand though this is a natural result with me being an emotional investor. Today 3800 dived down to HK$4.26 but closed at HK$4.91. I could have made some money if I bought this morning!

Chocolates: love it or hate it

Boss came back from Europe on Tuesday and brought back with him six boxes of chocolates courtesy of his friend there. I set aside two boxes for Big Boss as she really likes chocolates. So there were three boxes for the ten of us to share at the office. Missing one box? Hmmmm....One box was immediately set aside by a colleague for her to take home. I felt uneasy about this as it was supposed to be shared. Anyhow when the other colleagues saw the chocolates, B reacted quite naturally with a "Wha! Yum! Yum!". A exclaimed "Why did they sent these and not the Mozart chocolates?". Now I dislike this kind of reaction. I think we should just be thankful we were even given these presents. Like it or not, it's the thought that counts. Well A ended up not even having a bite because she believes she is now allergic to chocolates. C did not even look at the sweets as she is being careful with her glucose count. So the colleague who set aside one box for herself ended up regretting not getting two boxes instead. What????? Two boxes!!!! I can't help myself but commented to her not to be greedy and one box should be enough. She argued no one is eating anyway and besides she is giving it to her friends and not for herself really. I commented you don't expect everyone to finish all three boxes in one sitting. I mean one or two pieces of chocolate a day should be enough. The chocolates were especially sweet anyway. As for me, I had five pieces in one sitting. I love chocolates, the milky, creamy and sweet version. Probably not good for your health but should be fine when eaten occasionally.

Deadline: 30 November 2007

I fear the deadline for my first Tutor Marked Assignment (TMA1) is just two weeks away. I am just half-way through the first unit of study when by this time I should have read three units. I understand I should be able to answer everything in the assignment when I have understood everything in the three units. Time is running out and I can't seem to find time to do it. Yes, I have time to blog, to read free newspapers and magazines in town, watch tv till late but can't squeeze in even a page of the three units I have to read. I can't put into words this dreading feeling! But I am feeling restless just thinking of the deadline. I am still being optimistic though. I figure I will read all three units this weekend and do the assignment next weekend! Great plan! Yipee! Still have enough time! I am crossing my fingers!

TVB Jade Series Shoot Sighting

Turns out the very short shoot I saw on 06 October 2007 along Jaffe Road in Wanchai is for this 8:00 p.m. series on TVB Jade. I just saw it shown last night.

On 24 December last year, near Star Street also in Wanchai, I saw another shooting. It was for the recently concluded TVB Jade: 9:30 p.m. series "Drive of Life".

Sorry, I forgot my wallet.

Last Tuesday, I went for my Mandarin class and took the tram to Central. At the Landmark stop, one guy in a business suit got off the tram without paying. Well, he did tap his Octopus card but the value is negative already so no amount can be deducted. The motorman did not shout after the guy to get him to pay and just turned his head left and right. At least to me it did not look like the guy did not pay intentionally.

On my way home, a nice, simple and young lady is sitting across me dressed in a very lady like office wear. I noticed she has a very nice Tod's leather orange bag. She even checked her blackberry phone as well as a Prada mobile phone. She got off at my stop however she did not take out her Octopus card or her wallet. She had this conversation with the motorman in Cantonese:

Lady: Sorry, I forgot my wallet.
Motorman: What?
Lady: Sorry, I forgot to bring my wallet. (She then got off the tram.)

No word or reaction from the motorman though. I guess he is used to this kind of situation. Now I have a few questions in mind: how did the lady went to work that morning? Someone picked her up that morning? She did not have lunch? There was no need for her to spend even a few dollars until her way home? Or was she just going to work at 8:45 pm? This situation made me think I should have two wallets otherwise I would not know what to do if I left or lost my wallet. Would anyone travel an hour to spare me some money? Aaaaahhh! I hope I will never be in that situation!

100% Pashmina

Although I have received scarves as gifts, I have never used one. So when my boss requested me to buy pashmina scarves, I said ok even though I have no idea where to buy. I have heard and read about pashmina but haven't seen one. Maybe I did but don't know that for a fact. Since I need to buy two pashmina scarves as requested, I reckon I surely will get the real thing at Sogo in Causeway Bay. It would be embarrassing to give someone a fake pashmina scarf when the real thing was requested. Although I have four colors as guide, turns out new arrival scarves come in two-tone so it made buying a lot more difficult. Would the receiver prefer a single colored scarf or a two-toned scarf? Hmmmm.... And the weaving comes in different patterns! It took me 30 minutes before deciding which color to buy. I am glad the saleslady was very patient and cheerful even though she should be rushing as her shift is about to end. She even helped me settle for one plain pink scarf and one two-tone red/fuschia pink scarf both in diamond pattern. Plain red, orange and black were requested but are not available. I hope the recipients will like their scarves. And at a steep price of more than a thousand each, the scarves must be 100% pashmina!

The following day, I went back to buy another one in black.