I regret very much to announce that effective immediately, I will step down as an elite of the elite, a tabbed blogger at iBankCoin.com. As everyone knows, iBankCoin.com is the only first tier stock blog on the internet. Having a tab on this site is no joke, it is a highly desired privilege. I was awarded a tab via a ducati blow up. We had a slight disagreement that led to a ducati resignation. The Fly believes in symmetry, and awarded me his place.
I was hesitant to accept the tab at first, given that my main base of knowledge is in Commercial Real Estate, and I’ve only been trading stocks for about one year. Once I got past the idea that I’m a greenhorn, I embraced the blog and in my humble opinion, did a pretty good job. Sure, I don’t have the technical analysis skills of Woodshedder, Ragin Cajun, and Danny, and I don’t exactly have the premier status, or the eloquence and level of humor as The Fly. But besides some valuable insight into Commercial Real Estate, what I think that I’ve been able to give is some confidence to the normal part time trader/investor. (And my music choices are WAAAAY better than the other guys on this site)
I have literally only traded for a year. I took my portfolio up 48% in one quarter. I have squandered a lot of it, but I haven’t hidden anything. I know the mistakes I’ve made. I’ve posted about it, and I’ve posted the lessons I’ve learned. Anyone can post on a blog and mention their winners, hide their losers, and be disrespected. Just like the quote I posted recently, “The problem with most of us, is that we’d rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism.” I have been really spreading that quote around lately. It means a lot. I hope that, even though I haven’t given all of you a string of massive winning stock picks, my blog has been enjoyable to read, you’ve learned something, and you can respect the work that I put into it.
Anyway, the reason I’m resigning is because I’m losing focus at my real job. I’m spending too much time on the internet, thinking about what to post, and thinking about what trades to make. It is causing me to underperform at both my real job and my trading. Although I enjoy it very much, and I think it’s a dumb move to give up my tab at this website, it would be a disservice to my career to keep it up. There is no chance that I’m going to start trading like a genius and have it take over my real estate career. Since there is no chance for that, the only thing I’m doing by blogging and taking up a lot of my day trading is hurting my progress in my actual work. I’m in an amazing industry, and it is one that I will spend the rest of my life in. But right now, as I’ve blogged about, it is very very tough out there. I need to give 100% effort to my company, and more importantly my clients. I’ve never been one to get stressed out, ever. I can’t remember a time when I was too stressed. But recently, I’ve been ignoring work that needs to be done, stressing about stock tickers. I can blame a lot of it on the status of the market that I’m in, and the fact that I’m on a string of losing stock picks. But I’m not going to do that. I just need to rebalance, and my blog is the variable.
I want to thank our fearless leader, The Fly, as well as Jeremy (the behind the scenes fuel of iBankCoin). Woodshedder, Ragin Cajun, Danny, and Adam: it has fun being your partners. I’m not going to disappear, I will continue to read and comment on all of your blogs, because they are all great in their own ways and they flat out help me make money. I will rejoin the constituent of readers, which really makes this site what it is. Without the readers, it’d be nothing.
But remember readers, the next time you decide to tell The Fly or anyone else that they suck and don’t know what their doing, that you’re the one that is taking the time to read it and comment on it, which takes no effort. It is not easy for these guys to keep up a blog that has this much traffic and opens themselves up to this much criticism. I do have to thank you though. There have been some great readers: boca, JakeGint, Dpeezy, alphadawgg, buylo, calvino, all the Peanut Gallery crew, and I think many others. Dinosaur Trader and Ducati even have read it from time to time.
I hope this isn’t coming out as being too sappy and lame. But the truth is, a very cool community has been established on this site. In some cases it also extends to the sites that we choose to link in our blogrolls, even if they all only carry third tier status. I deeply regret doing this, seriously. It just has to be done. It is also going to open up the opportunity for someone to step up and take my place. The Fly will be announcing this sometime soon. Whoever steps in, make sure you are in a better position to do a long term quality job than I was.
Ok, I’m sure I can come up with more to say, but I might as well end it. Until the next time I post in the Peanut Gallery, farewell, it has been a great time and I hope you’ve enjoyed it as much as I have.
I understand how consuming blogging is. However, I hope you will reconsider and perhaps post irregularly. Maybe 2x a month or ad hoc as news breaks? Your Re insight has been valuable during this credit crisis. You are better than you give yourself credit for. Thanks.
April 24th, 2008 at 9:39 pmI will continue to post in the PG about commercial real estate news. But I don’t deserve a tab for that. It will be better for someone else to take it over.
Thanks Boomer.
April 24th, 2008 at 9:41 pmFarewell, my friend.
You’ve done a fantastic job.
I hope you continue to post on the PG, once you regain some balance in your personal and professional lives.
April 24th, 2008 at 9:42 pmThank you for the insight you brought to this site. It won’t be the same without your commentary but I agree that your real career is more important.
April 24th, 2008 at 9:45 pmHey, classy exit.
I have a question though… I always thought “the Fly” took care of his tabbers, with health insurance and shit like that… is this not true? I mean, I always just assumed the tabbers didn’t need real jobs, because of the INO advertisements. Is this also not true?
And now “the Fly” is bullish again?
This has been a very confusing day.
Good luck Gunners. See you in the PG.
-DT
April 24th, 2008 at 9:49 pmGUNNERS, fare thee well and don’t forget to contribute, at least from time to time. You will be missed (not by me but by the other pilgrims, ahem readers) who have little to contribute due being rookies to the stock trade and basically ignorant. I was going to ask you to help me get better, but, alas, you are going. I have begged the Fly to teach me something, even offered him Roomanian goats as pay, but he simply has ignored me. His punishment, of course, has been his performance lately, which, no doubt, is still better than mine. Now that the Feds are investigating him for all his egregious short this and short that banter, I can see he is behaving only like a lunatic, rather than a psycho. In any event, Bayern Muenchen forever and all possible success and happiness in your endeavors. Best Wishes!
April 24th, 2008 at 9:53 pmEnjoyed reading your posts and feel I did learn quite a bit about the present state of commercial real estate. I know what you are saying about your real job. When I was practicing law and if I was in court I used to keep a Quotetrack (B&W screen-no internet then but worked off FM radio waves) in front of my briefcase on the table so the Judge couldn’t see me with it. When there was a recess I would run to a pay phone to make a trade (no cell phones).
April 24th, 2008 at 10:10 pmPut this man in the iBC hall of Fame!
Job well done my friend.
April 24th, 2008 at 10:14 pmHall of Fame, indeed.
Unlike Ducati (whose countless infamies are beneath the dignity of enumeration), Gunners will enjoy a seat of great distinction in the immortal “iBC Hall of Honour.”
April 24th, 2008 at 10:29 pmGunners, great job as a teb blogger. You’re a real pro. All the best with your RE endeavors. Seriously. I know we’ll see and hear from you still. Know that you are probably much wiser and smarter than those of us who have nothing better to do but waste time here, waiting for our stocks to go up (or down).
Btw, if something ever comes of the “stock market code”, I’ll be sure you give credit where credit is due—and of course, a set of steak knives. If not, it was all an exercise in asshattery.
April 24th, 2008 at 10:33 pm^I didn’t make any sense on parts of that^. Sorry. It’s hard to type and eat a jalapeno burger at the same time.
April 24th, 2008 at 10:35 pmA job well done, despite your sudden French-like surrender to meaningless things, such as “careers.”
You will be memorialized. This, as you will all see shortly, will go down in internet history as one of the greatest feets known to mankind.
Be well.
April 24th, 2008 at 10:42 pmYeah, like size 15 feets.
April 24th, 2008 at 10:43 pmGunners I’ve really enjoyed your posts and have learned a lot from you. Here’s hoping you’ll still keep us up to date on CRS and your trades. I totally understand the issues of working flat-out at your job and trying to keep up with trading and blogging. iBC Hall of Famer for sure!
April 24th, 2008 at 10:45 pmI thought I sensed a disturbance in the force.
April 24th, 2008 at 11:23 pmThanks for always being an excellent read.
And for the constant shout-outs.
And a soccer fan to boot! Keep in touch, Gunners! See you over at the PG…
April 25th, 2008 at 1:03 amGood speed Gunners!
You’ve always been a great read, and always honest. Thanks for all that you’ve done.
April 25th, 2008 at 1:24 amGunner, I enjoyed reading about your commercial real estate writings. Learned a lot. Hope to see you around in the PG.
April 25th, 2008 at 1:58 amDarn it, Tuco. You ran a good tab. Try to keep up with the commercial RE in the PG, if you can spare the time. Let’s keep an eye on GGP and SKT and MAC. This story is far from over and the cows need to be shown the way to the abattoir.
April 25th, 2008 at 2:09 am[...] memorial of Gunners, iBC [...]
April 25th, 2008 at 2:56 amGood Luck Gunners, look forward to seeing you post in the PG
April 25th, 2008 at 7:37 amhey, thanks, and best of luck.
April 25th, 2008 at 8:00 amhey gunners-
sad to see you go; your posts were top-notch, i learned a lot from you.
i will think of you 6 months from now when i am staring at the huge piles of cash generated by SRS
April 25th, 2008 at 8:33 amUnderstand completely. A tough but well reasoned decision. Will look forward to your occasional PG posts. Thanks for all you’ve done.
April 25th, 2008 at 9:34 amGun –
Sorry I missed all the commotion, and very sorry to see you going. I hope we can continue to talk about CRE and the REIT universe on either Fly’s blog or the Peeg.
You’re a good kid, and you’re going to do well with that sense of responsibility.
April 25th, 2008 at 9:49 amLike I said on your first post …Great Post..See you over in the PGhetto
April 25th, 2008 at 2:57 pmThanks for your time and valuable insight into the real estate markets.
April 25th, 2008 at 4:15 pmNice job Buddy, best of luck in your career.
April 25th, 2008 at 4:29 pmI wish you the best of luck, my friend.
Hugs and kisses!
April 25th, 2008 at 4:32 pmGunners:
May the spirit of Larry Silverstein smile upon you.
April 27th, 2008 at 5:03 pm[...] News analysis: Gunners, while his tenure at iBC was short-lived, did a wonderful job at patching up any “bad vibe” left behind by Ducati at his tab and grew to be much loved, as evidenced by the astounding 164 karma points handed out on his Farewell post. [...]
May 6th, 2008 at 4:30 pmhope to see you back one day, good luck
May 7th, 2008 at 1:35 pm