About Me

I think that it is fair to give some background about myself. I want to give readers an idea of where I am coming from. I am a 40-something engineer working in Silicon Valley (California). I started saving for my future shortly after finishing graduate school. My main focus then was getting the best savings rates from my bank. Even the concepts of 401(k) plans and mutual funds were something completely new to me. I did become seriously interested in investing a little less than 10 years ago. Like many people, I got caught up in the technology stock craze of the late 1990s. Working in the high-tech industry also fueled my interest in these stocks. I rode a few of these stocks down in the early 2000s. And, I would say that my portfolio hit bottom in 2002. Coincidentally, I was also subjected to downsizing not once, but twice, in the past five years. Any employee stock options that I had were essentially worthless at the time.

But, I have been resilient. Each time that I got knocked over, I have gotten right back up and redoubled my resolve to succeed. Since 2002, I have rebuilt my investment portfolio. Although I actually own fewer stocks nowadays, I am better diversified across industry groups. The economy has its ups and downs, and I've learned not to get too overconfident. I am always planning for the worst while hoping for the best.

On a personal level, I have been happily married for over eight years. My wife and I have one child. Recently, I have noticed a prevalence of "under 30" personal finance blogs on the Internet. I am no longer qualified to be in the under 30 crowd. Nevertheless, I hope that the under 30 bloggers would look to me for advice from someone who is only older. My blog hopes to share my experiences with others. On the other hand, I also hope to learn from those who have more experience than I do.

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