While I subscribe to the theory that there are no stupid questions, some people seem bent on testing my resolve.

I am trying to sell my beloved BMW. Today, I talked to a potential buyer. Things were going well until he dropped this bomb:

Will you take a personal check and sign over the title tonight?

Why, yes of course, for there is no possible way that transaction could go wrong!

(This post is part of the 100/100/100 challenge)

A few days ago, two very large, highly-leveraged Bear Stearns hedge funds faced margin calls after sustaining enormous losses from the subprime mortgage collapse. One of the creditors, Merrill Lynch, seized over $800 million in collateral and began to auction it off.  As a result, the fund is near failure.

I hope this doesn’t mark the beginning of a hedge fund meltdown.  The private equity sector is looking a bit scary too, if only because of the unchecked hubris.

(This post is part of the 100/100/100 challenge)

I looked up and found the last light of the day burning the cauliflower clouds. To my left, a giant mushrooming cell. To my right, a massive anvil-topped thunderhead. Above me, open sky.

I’m glad I didn’t have a camera, for I would have ruined the experience by trying to capture it.

(This post is part of the 100/100/100 challenge)

I like to bake things. Cooking, not so much. But baking, oh yes.

It’s meditative. Mix, mix. Stir, stir. Knead, knead.

It’s magical. Pour in the batter. Put it in the oven. Wait. Out comes something so very different!

This evening, I made fudge as well as caramel brownies. Both turned out well, but my enjoyment is in the act of creation, not the consumption of the result. Therefore, I will be doing my part to fatten the office tomorrow.

The true test of homemade treats: how much time elapses before hungry engineers consume them all.

(This post is part of the 100/100/100 challenge)

I’ve always been shocked by how well SLR lenses hold their value. Case in point: Three and a half years ago, I purchased a Canon 28-135mm IS lens, hood, and UV filter on eBay for $385. Two years ago, I sold the package there for $399. Today, that set goes for over $400.

The same phenomenon is noticeable when comparing the prices of new lenses to those of used.

That price stability is bittersweet. On the one hand, it lets photographers acquire lenses without much financial risk. On the other hand, it makes it difficult to afford those lenses.

(This post is part of the 100/100/100 challenge)