This is a teeny bit weird isn’t it? I have been grappling with whether or not to resurrect the Bodhi Tree, but you know, walking onto the Nomura dealing floor on Monday after the obligatory induction process felt like coming back into your house at the weekend after some difficult guests have left. That sense of relief and cosiness I wish to impart on you.
So, where was I? Before delivering all sorts of added value in the form of investment ideas and research, I was probably telling you about Hen. Things are likely to be a bit quiet on the front. Let’s just say she is finding herself, but she insists she is keeping busy. Here is one of a three ridiculously detailed doodles she sent me the other day.
Read into this what you will. Budding psychoanalysts amongst you, I would like to hear from.
You may think I too would have been gallivanting around these last three months, but, apart from a three day jolly to Marrakesh on which more anon, I have basically, with varying degrees of success, been gardening and trying to keep our children on the straight and narrow. I will not bore you with it all, but aside from Hen, daughter no. 2 is set to end her school career in just a few weeks time “gated” having turned up at an official drinks party the other day already three sheets to the wind. She appears not to be unduly concerned about this, the principal sanction being that she is required to return home each weekend. And in comparison with her last brush with the authorities – which in fairness to her was three years ago – when, again the worse for wear, she threw up outside her chemistry lesson on a Friday morning, I suppose this latest incident was a relatively minor one. She at least seems to have knuckled down to A levels so pleased about that. Bob, who I managed to nip off to Meribel with for a few days skiing ( nearly forgot about that little excursion ) has lost none of his bloodlust. I doubt many people skied Les Trois Vallees this season with a large knife and a selection of wire snares in their jacket pocket just in case the opportunity of trapping a mountain hare presented itself. He did however send me an email the other day insisting he had turned over a new leaf at school, tidied his room, put loose papers in relevant files and generally focussed on being organised. Not for long was I reassured by this. I think it was the very next day his tutor told us he had been put on report. Bob didn’t seem to see the irony in the text he subsequently sent me proudly proclaiming he had jumped 1.62m and won his high jump competition. He’s in for the high jump next weekend let me tell you.
Anyway my return to work was going very smoothly. Warmly welcomed back into the fold by colleagues and even a few clients alike and, what’s more, my commute had proved surprisingly painless. That was until this morning. Took three hours door to door. And why was this? I kid you not……”Greater Anglia apologises for any inconvenience but services have been severely disrupted after a train hit a pigeon.” And when they eventually managed to come to grips with this disaster and a train eventually trundled by I found myself squashed in a carriage next to a guy drinking out of a cheap bottle of cognac with the word HATE tattooed across his knuckles.
On the bright side how chuffed was I once I eventually made it into the office, and I have smartened my act up these days sitting here, even on a Friday, in a suit, buttoned up collar and tie, when one of my new colleagues, an Aussie no less, wandered past and told me he admired my shoes. £45 from a shop in Marrakesh. Drop me a line and I’ll point you in the right direction. G’day mate.
As some of you will already have experienced I am still re-acquainting myself with the systems here, but in all seriousness the reasons I joined Nomura first time around, back in 2009, are even more intact now. As I wrote in my first email this week there is much we can learn from Japan. Not least the benefit of patience and forbearance a little more of which I wish I had had 18 months ago. We have a fantastic Japanese product and great Asian research with analysts who talk to each other. My job is to get this message over to you so let’s talk and please use us. Oh, and if you could see you way to paying us so much the better. Domo arrigato gozaimasu.
