Behind the camera

We went skiing with our grandchildren on Sunday and Monday. I was utterly dismayed. No ski lift lines on Sunday. The area, located in western NY, was empty. Usually it is packed on a Sunday. It was a sign of the times. People are scared.

Driving back to Akron I found myself thinking about my boat. The snow was melting. Friends saw 6 robins. Time to look forward to sailing on the Chesapeake.

The following day I was at The Normandie in Annapolis. Jean-Louis is the chef and owner. I felt at home as the waiters recognized me. Terry suggested I go in the kitchen and say hello to J-L. He greeted me with a great smile as he was negotiating pans and various sauces. “Let’s have a glass of wine later”, he said with a strong French accent. The restaurant was full.

Suzanne, J-L’s wife, came to say hello. I did not recognize her in tight jeans and a youthful short haircut. Are you J-L’s daughter? She loved it. We talked about her children, Nick and Melanie.

I quickly moved behind my imaginary camera and recorded in my brain what was happening. Often we search for the meaning of life and we forget what we have. What I was experiencing was warm friendship. Good laughs.

Later, J-L invited me to join them after I finished my dinner. They were eating a new mussel dish, a recipe J-L had improvised. I sat at their table and started talking about France, Italy. The wine was good. A Key lime tart with pear sorbet, expresso, and cognac. What a delightful evening. It takes so little.

My camera was still rolling. The financial crisis was way back in my mind. We shared our passions. Why was J-L successful while others were not? Passion. Passion for cooking. My work, his work. We have no time to travel. For this reason, it is so important to always bring with you your imaginary camera because you never know when the next great moment will happen. J-L has a passion for what he is doing. So do I. This is the main secret of life. You need to have passion for what you are doing. Then joy de vivre will make things easier.

I will be happy to speak to your investment group on how the business cycle impacts investment strategies and the choice of asset classes.

To find out more about my in depth view of the markets and my strategy just visit our website https://www.peterdag.com/. You can review The Peter Dag Portfolio, free of charge of course. You can also call me at 1-800-833-2782 to discuss your specific money management needs.

George Dagnino, PhD