Why I Write

I was sad to discover that a fellow blogger had stopped writing.  He gave his farewell posting a few months back and I chanced upon it while I was just surfing around.  I am happy for him that he has decided that there are more important things to tend to.

Anyway, it got me questioning myself on why I even write this blog.  I have better things to do.  I have in fact too many things to do.  But writing is a form of relaxation for me.  A way to express myself.  A way to converse since I am not really gifted in talking (and there is nobody to talk to me in the real world).  Writing is my form of escape.  It is my way of voicing my thoughts.

Sometimes, it is good to just get something off my chest.  To know that I have voiced out my opinion on a matter and that somebody (whoever it is) is reading it.  And though I don't often reply to the comments that are left (sometimes, I just have no time to reply), I treasure each one deeply even as I read the encouraging words and thoughtful remarks that are left on this blog.

In a sense, this blog is like a living organism that has grown with me.  It contains memories and words that people have left, captured eternally on this faceless internet page.  And at the very same time, it is as if this blog reaches out to people and some how, probably in some small way, makes a positive impact on somebody's life.  I don't know.  Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't.  But the idea that such a thing can happen even without me meeting the person face to face is surreal.  It is like making a deposit in somebody's life.  Loving a person without actually knowing him or meeting him.

So I hope that you the reader knows why I write.

Drop me a comment.  Will love to hear from you.

GAMCO Global Gold and Natural Resources Income Trust (GGN)

Just bought another 200 shares of Gamco Global Gold and Natural Resources Income Trust.(GGN).  GGN pays out a monthly dividend of US$0.14.  The dividends have been paid out steadily over the years so I thought I should just load up more of it when the market is down.  Bought 200 shares at US$14.60 which is slightly lower than my previous purchase price.

Dividends and Passive Income for April 2012

Dividends and passive income for April 2012 was close to $600.  This was contributed mainly from selling off my Pacific Andes rights and collecting the dividends that were also paid out by Pacific Andes.  Pacific Andes is a stock that I have been holding for some time now but I just did not feel comfortable taking a bigger position so I did not subscribe to the rights issue.

The rest of the money actually comes from the monthly dividends that I receive from Gamco Global Gold and Natural Resources Trust (previously called Gabelli but now re-named as Gamco).  GGN (the stock ticker symbol) provides me with $30+ dollars per month.  That is after the 30% withholding tax deduction which is quite huge if you ask me.

Nevertheless, I am satisfied with April 2012's dividends and passive income received. May 2012 should also be a good month for me.

[17 May 2012 Update:  Actual dividends for April was actually above $700.  Realised that I underestimated the dividends and sale of rights arising from Pac Andes]

Innotek Dividends and Ex Dividend Share Price

I have been holding Innotek for a few years now and am pleased that it had recently announced that it would be paying out 5 cents in dividends per share again for this year.  Innotek has been paying out dividends consistently over the past few years that I have owned this stock.  Anyway, Innotek was trading at around 49 cents cum dividend but once it wend ex dividend (XD) yesterday, the share price fell by almost 7.5 cents to 41.5 cents.  This shows that it will be hard to apply any dividend capture strategy.

The Death of Reading

Reading is slowly becoming a dying hobby.  I am not surprised that many bookshops around Singapore have closed down.  First it was Borders at Wheelock, followed by PageOne at Vivocity and also Harris in Great World.  Will bookshops become a thing of the past?  Why are these bookshops not profitable?

These are questions that I ask myself.  And I have come to this slow realisation that people actually might be reading a lot less than in the past.  When I refer to reading, I mean the reading of physical books.  On the other hand, they are actually now reading more through sources like the internet which has become so accessible.

People are willing to pay hundreds of dollars for the latest handphone, but might not even spend that same amount on books.  They might love reading, but they simply do not see the need to buy physical books to read.  Even a person like me who quite enjoys reading seldom buy any books. Even if I do, my monthly budget or money spent on books is only around $20 to $50.  That is almost peanuts when compared to the amount I spend on food, transport, and other so-called necessities in life.  So I am not surprised in a certain way that the bookshops have closed down.  If even a book lover like myself is spending so little on books, how much money can these bookshops even make?

I also realised that time passes, I have set aside less and less time to read.  Work, the internet, distractions prevent me from reading a book in peace.  The latest book I bought still lies half read on my bedside drawer.  And yet, I have plenty of time to surf the net, eat, sleep and do so many other things.  Do I like reading?  Yes.  But I simply cannot afford the luxury of sitting down and reading like in the past.

The Street Light

Composed this recently when I was feeling poetic.

 The Street Light 
 The quiet street lies dead ahead,
And everyone is fast asleep.
The street lights shine up my bed,
blinds half shut, I'm wide awake.
 Still eyes shut, he sleeps.
Dreams of tomorrow,
what joys it might give or grave sorrows, who knows?
 And the light still assails, still shining.
Does the light come in or does it go out?
And makes the bedroom bare for all to ponder.
That someone is fast asleep at night,
dreaming, hoping, thinking.
 Still the street light shines ahead,
and everyone is fast asleep,
but everyone is fast asleep.

Britains Got Talent - Susan Boyle

Everyone loves an underdog story.  Just sharing some of my favourite youtube videos.  This videos shows Susan Boyle in her auditions where she declares that she wants to be like Elaine Page (to the sniggers of the audience).  The next video shows her singing a duet with Elaine Paige.