Questions and answers frame the intent of this column, but the heart of it is you, the reader. The questions asked reflect individual interest, my answers reflect my interest, and the comment section reflects your interest (the reader). Each of us doing our part makes this work …
The framed wall waited for the window. The remaining task was to rip down the wood frames to hold the window, and so I began the tedious task of cutting the 1.5 x 1.5 strips on the table saw. One after the other I ran the strips through, one after the other …
I looked down at my bloody hand. The saw blade had raked across three fingers and ripped through my thumb. It’s odd, but at that moment, I felt no pain. I just stared at dripping blood and the pulpy masses the cuts created. Then it began, burning, searing pain, and an instant of hyper-fear—oh my god, what have I done? …
The surgery went well, or so I am told. I haven’t actually spoken to the doctor since the accident happened 10 days ago. I go in to see the doctor this afternoon, and then I will find out how all this will ultimately shake out. From what I gather, and how my hand feels, I believe all will turn out okay for my hand and me …
Yes, my friends, stupidity and carelessness reign in my life right now. I caught my left hand in a table saw blade, and that is that. This fact, however, is not the point I want to make here. It is the context of a more community-serving point I want to make, and that is this …
I awoke from surgery groggy, disoriented, and slightly nauseous. “C’mon, it is time for you to go home,” the nurse said. And so I did. I arrived home sometime around eight in the evening, took my pain pills and went to bed …
The next morning I awoke with a start. Still somewhat loopy, my first thought was the column. Would I be able to write the column? I had to write the column, but not right at this moment, not right now. I turned over and slept some more. An hour or so later, I awoke to the same thought—I had to write the column, but could I? My hand ached and my groggy mind lacked focus, however my commitment to do the column simply outweighed my personal considerations. So I sat up, pulled my laptop onto the bed, and tried to type with both hands. My bandaged left hand produced a screen that looked like a five-year-old child had some fun pecking at the keys, so many mistakes. “I can’t do this,” I thought. Then I tried typing with one hand, and that, improbably, seemed worse. Sitting there, determined to get the job done, I wondered how could I do it? And then it occurred to me, turn a pencil upside down, stick it in the crotch between the aluminum cast and my thumb and tap the keys lightly with the eraser end …
It worked, more or less, and I was able to get the column out that day, and every day since. Rather than rolling over and giving into the desire not to write, I wrote, and I did so because of my commitment to write this column. It is important to me, and judging by the emails I get, it is important to many of you.
As I said, earlier, all three components of this column have an important role to play to make it all work. The questions keep coming, and, as I have demonstrated today, the answers do as well. The one part that is lacking is the contributions coming from you, the reader, the quite voice in this affair. Yes, some have commented, and I thank you all for your insight and willingness to share, but, aside from that, I hold the dream that this column will become an interactive dialogue between the questioners, myself, and you the reader to the benefit of us all.
You see, learning is about sharing what we know with each other, and I absolutely know there are enlightened voices out there that have not spoken up, that have not shared their wisdom in this column, or, for that matter, anywhere else on this site. With an upside down pencil stuffed into my left hand, I am doing my part, and the readers who are sending me the truly great and heartfelt questions are doing their part. My request is that those of you quiet ones who are holding back, for whatever reason, please consider commenting on this column, future columns, or on any other commentary on this site. Keep in mind as you consider my request that the purpose of this column, as well as TraderPlanet itself, is to educate, to make us all better traders and better people. Keep in mind as well that what you have to say is equally as important as what anyone else has to say in this column, on this site, or in this life.
I thank you all …
Trade in the day; invest in your life.
