Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho.

Well, I don't often tell about my stories from work. I feel like no one wants to hear about the chaos that is the stock market, and all of it's many roller coasters of tales. But, this is my blog, so I better talk about something!

My boss and I have always have always said we work in the "investment entertainment business". We even had a client that brought him a business card with "Investment Entertainer" as his title. I have so many stories that I could make up my own Soap Opera. Dad once said that we work in the garbage business. All people are buying are tickets that go in the garbage. You really don't end up with anything tangible, (unless you order out the certificate... which, who does that anymore???) only numbers that, at the end of the day, you hope is making you money. I have to agree with dad... because at the end of the day, all the tickets, papers, faxes, everything that we do ends up in the garbage. (well, shredder)

All that being said, it has been chaos at the office lately. Sometimes I dread going there because it has been so busy. Boss and co-worker keep telling me that the days I'm not there are unbareable. So what exactly is it that I do all day? Surf the net? Sure. Talk on the phone? Absoutely! I even have my very own headset. Most of the time I don't even hang up the phone, I just answer another phone call. Faxes coming at me from the right, phones from the left. Emails one after the other and Boss handing me stuff from the other side of the room. (okay, so the room is only 12 sq ft, but hey!) People buying, selling, transferring, bringing stock in, making sure so-and-so is sending in stock to them, making sure we are sending out stock to so-and-so. Giving people quotes on stocks, options, the Dow, NASDAQ, tomato, tomotao. Putting in at least 100 trade tickets into trading from customers. Most of which are "yeah, right.. good luck trying to get THAT price for the stock" tickets. Getting yelled at for not getting a better price for the trade, getting yelled at because they didn't want their order to go to XYZ market maker, or because they don't see their order on their screen (which both of those are arbitrary because it's not up to the customer anyway!) Making sure that the trade actually gets put into the account. Having a heart attack because I just wrote GE on the trade ticket instead of GM, and making a $100,000 mistake. (yeah, let's not talk about that one.) Making sure clients PAY for the stock they buy, and wiring out money for the stock that they sell. Telling the SAME customer for the hundredth time today how much stock he has, what orders he has in, how much money he has to play with, all because HE WON'T WRITE IT DOWN!!! sorry. Make sure customer has all necessary paperwork to accompany said buys-sells-transfers-deposits-wires-changes-eat-sleep-shower... Okay, maybe not the last 3, but I won't be surprised when the SEC makes it so they will need it. Since 9/11 we have 100% more paperwork/interrogations for customers. We have to make sure no one is a terrorist! Making money to support their terrorist plots! No more paying in cash. This one, I actually have to thank them for this rule. No more nice lady customer coming in, taking sweaty money from her bra to pay for stock. Why did she stuff it in her bra? Well, probably because the leopard print spandex didn't have pockets. HA! Super nice lady! Love her, miss her. (not so much the sweaty money) Come to think of it, I really haven't heard from her since the no cash policy! HA!
Well, better get some rest and take some Valium because next time we'll just have to do the same thing and tell the SAME guy what he owns. Maybe I'll send him some sticky notes. I have a few extra laying around. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt5JCSRYEtk