Current Obsessions

- reading about real estate investing. I don't have enough capital to actually do it yet, especially since I just tied up about half my net worth in a 6-month CD in a spontaneous effort to a) earn a little more interest than my not-so-high-yield-anymore savings account and b) prevent myself from doing something rash with it, like trying to qualify for a loan on a condo when I know perfectly well that prices will probably be lower in six months.

- free TV. I love Joost (sorry, R), and Netflix on Demand (ok, not exactly free), and the way most networks are now posting scads of free content online, which makes it seem almost like I have a) Tivo and b) cable, even though I don't.

- trying to figure out some way to make positive returns in this almost universally crappy economy. My 35-year-old retirement plans are based on small, but positive returns!

- asset allocation. Which asset classes do I want to own? Which ones can I get in my 401(k)? Which ones can I cover in my IRA? Which ones are ok to hold in taxable accounts? If you had told me a year ago I would soon be making charts of potential asset allocations, I would have promptly fallen asleep.

- reducing the number of books I check out of the library at any one time. This may not seem worthy of obsession, but I'm starting to feel pressure to finish books in time for the due date (these are usually books that have already been renewed at least once). I think that means my library eyes are getting bigger than my library stomach.