Traveling with a toddler to a Jungle (Costa Rica)

To give a bit of perspective...I'm a math guy who handicaps most every decision in my daily life (a habit that's been hard to break). So when it came to going on a vacation with my beautiful wife and energetic son, I was very excited to get-on-board!
Allow me to introduce our vacation destination...Costa Rica. A beautiful country consisting of dense jungle, beaches, cloud forests....and, uh, deadly snakes (vipers to be exact), ticks, spiders...and did I mention the vipers? I was about to learn a lesson of expectations vs reality......again...

So here's where the EXPECTATIONAL math rushed in my head.....
vacation + family + stress-free place = Awesome!

This is the REALITY that hit me....
vacation + family + jungle with poisonous vipers = super anxiety!

It took a number of days to adjust my expectations to go back to the Awesome! equation and calm way of thinking. Canyon helped me and it happened...eventually. Traveling with a toddler in a jungle where a territorial Fer-De-Lance or ticks can impact their health and well-being...an over-protective new Dad (have I introduced myself?) really needs to re-adjust expectations vs reality and work through it.
So my lesson on our family vacation...as is an important reminder for life...is to stay close with your family, monitor your expectations vs reality, take deep breaths to calm down.....put the toddler in the pack-n-play...and then go take a swim in the pool...(in the jungle).

Be cautious about rally in US housing as an "investment"

Prof. Schiller Yale University
He reiterates...buy a home because you love it, want to raise your family, and like to leave the toilet seat up all the time! Don't buy a home expecting long run investment returns with minimal risk. I enjoyed this interview...a perspective I share.

If link doesn't work, interview is from Bloomberg and called "Schiller no major rally in US housing market"

http://t.ritholtz.com/bigpicture/#!/entry/shiller-no-major-rally-in-us-housing-market,5117931cd7fc7b567023922a

The first time blog for me!

This is the first time I've written on a blog. As you'll notice about my poor and incorrect grammar and writing style, I'm NOT a writer by trade. I'm a math guy, a mid-30's (ok, upper 30's) energy trader working in Portland, Oregon. I have an amazing family that I am truly a fortunate guy to have in my life...my wife Canyon (who started this great idea)...and our son Finnegan.
I think I'll get better at this as time goes on....had to start somewhere!
I have investment themes, life views and thoughts that I'm going to throw out to the internet blogosphere.