The Crabs Keep Pulling me Down

As you may have noticed, I'm often amazed by how, as Einstein once said (loosely paraphrased), "we do the same thing but expect a different outcome".  It really is insane.

That brings me to an observation about the economy based upon the wisdom of my mother-in-law.  Her Korean ancestors taught her this:  why is it that when crabs are in a clay pot, the ones at the bottom always pull the one near the top down?

Is there something about human nature that simply abhors success?

The stock market fell today based upon nothing that was new: seriously, there was nothing.

Did anyone NOT think that the Fed would continue QE 2? Did anyone believe that global growth would exceed 3%?  Or that China could continue to report extraordinary results?

I continue to invest expecting a different outcome when the crabs on the bottom keep pulling me down.  I'm either insane for expecting something different or my crab pot roomies are just plain evil.

The key to success in this turmoil is to break the cycle through capitulation.  Once the bottom crabs realize that life can be better at the top, they will create ladders, leaving only a few behind.  The market volatility is temporal and necessary.  It creates time for others to learn.  I'm adapting and changing my expectations.

I visited my all time favorite lumber store, Austin Lumber in Santa Ana California.  It's a terrific store with several employees who have been there for 29 years!  They know what they are doing, always offer help and would never live in a clay pot.

I needed some 6/4 and 4/4 cherry.  Steve, their guru of wood supply, immediately brought a fork lift and lowered an entire pallet of stock for me to choose from.  Can you imagine a fellow investor doing that for you?  No way-they are too busy pulling you back into the pot!

Business was obviously slow for them.  Construction has dwindled to nearly nothing.  But of course, that shouldn't be news to anyone.  So, what did Austin do?  Nope, they didn't charge me retail-they gave me the contractor's discount!!!

Thanks Austin for lending me a helping hand out of the clay pot.