Intelligent Investments

The second and final Action Project for my Economics class, appropriate named as such, has us making a business plan. This includes setting at least 3 SMART goals for yourself, which span across different set time periods. A goal you can reach in a single year is one of them, which would be the easiest to access but you would have to put more effort in since you only have a dozen months to reach that goal. Some goal that may take 5 years is the next level. And the final goal would be a 25 year one, which can take the most and least money over time. The initial money we have for investments is $49,128.87 and with that we are to explain our reasoning for choosing these companies. For me, a great challenge was finalizing which companies to actually invest in considering that all of them have exponential growth, but they are already expensive, so you'd have to go with where you'll make the most money rather than just go with the most expensive stocks. For this, you'd have to analyze patterns that match your set times for your SMART goals. If a company always has exponential growth seeming every 5 years or so, then that's a good choice to have a medium term investment in. With that, I'll elaborate on my process, actual goals, and even my investment philosophy.

So I suppose to start things off, I actually will go on about my specific goals that correlate with those set time frames. My first goal is to achieve a stable job, so for the sake of simplicity, I'll say that I'll be spending $11,000 on transportation costs from gas money coming to and from that job per year. The 5 year goal would be to own a house or rather live in an apartment, only worrying about food and a heating bill, which will cost me about $22,000 per year. Then the long term 25 year goal will be to own a franchise of animated characters that stemmed from my comics, which will be extremely costly in comparison, ranging from $2 million to $4 million depending on how the television series is scheduled.

Now my philosophy for investing is to be efficient but to not put all your eggs in a single basket. Choice what brings the biggest results and the safest risk. Speaking of risks, an online test gave out a quick assessment for my tolerance of risk. This quiz have me a score of 22/47 which just barely puts me at a below average tolerance for risk, which makes sense considering how I can doubt my own actions if I'm not brimming with confidence in that choice, causing me to rethink my decisions.

Risk Tolerance Test

So what companies do I have confidence in?

Well my first thought that Procter & Gamble would be magnificent due to how gargantuan they are, as a goods manufacturing company that has a name brand in every household tool, from Tide laundry detergent, Gillette shaving blades, Old Spice deodorant, Crest toothpaste, and even Bounty paper towels; this conclusion came to me because of just how many large brand names they actually own. They're a great choice with an economic moat of, well monopolization really. A P/E ratio of 24.57, a dividend yield of 3.08%, they are truly set for growth. That's why I'll be investing in them throughout the years, all the way through a quarter of a century. Just by looking at their stock growth, it's like every decade where they severely drop, they come back quite a percentage more valuable, so this pattern is optimal for long term investments. What also helps is how much the company cares for their reputation, so initially, growth is almost guaranteed to ensue over time. With an ROI (return of interest) of 9% that will stack up over the years providing a greater growth than already anticipated, so I wouldn't need to focus too much on dumping all of my cash in purchasing their stocks.

P&G Stock

The other company I have great trust in is Disney. Their entertainment and recent leap in value leads me to believe all it takes is a series of movies that they clearly went out of their way to make good, and considering how production for long awaited films such as Incredibles 2 has already been announced, you can tell that the effort will be great in that film. Due to that, there will be a great rise in popularity, thus increasing the value of the company. Over shorter periods of time, Disney as always quickly risen up above any drop in share value they've come across. Their economic moat would be consisting of pulling in a dedicated crowd, and it's that loyalty that ensures their safety throughout their years. They have P/E ratio of 16.84 and a dividend yield of 1.51% with an ROI of 12.5% and with a higher percentage than P&G, I'd feel more confident doing short time investments with Disney.

Disney Stock

My initial plan is to invest in Disney for 5 years and overlapping said investments with Procter & Gamble for 25 years. Since Disney will be my investment for a much shorter amount of time, I'll focus more on them up until the 5 years are done.

So now I have to worry about now how much I'll invest for how long. That's when a time horizon comes in, which is basically just a plan for your future. Taking into account that the 25 year goal would definitely be the biggest focus for money. I found myself putting $4,020.87 in for the first year, splitting it so a quarter of that goes to PG while the other 75% goes to DIS, which means that I can buy 32 shares of DIS stock and 11 shares of PG stock.

Combining their ROIs with what percentage of the money I dedicate to those stocks, then adding those 2 answers together, gives me the total ROI from both companies. Since that percentage is adding on the original number, you'll see that when the percentage is converted to a decimal, I added 1 or a 100% because that's how much money I already put in, so with the percentage increase, that (when multiplied with the initial input money itself: about $4,020) will give me my total earnings increase based on ROI alone.

We repeat this process for the 5 year investment plan, but I thought since this is when I'll stop investing in DIS, I'd put more a little more money into it. So now I'm putting 80% of this $15,035.88 into DIS and the other fifth to PG. With 128 shares from DIS, 34 shares from PG, and a total ROI of 11.8 percent, we bring that to the power of 5 because of the five years going us a 74.7% increase. This ultimate total becomes 1.747 multiplied by the investment amount ($15,035.88) becomes $26,267.68.

And finally, for the rest of those year, tallying up to the 25 year goal, I have fun 100% investments to PG with $30,072.12 (which buys me 346 shares) on an ROI of 9% for that quarter century. In other words, 30072.12 [1x((9÷100))]^25 which amounts to $259,311!

The Math

If you ask me, these 2 companies simply have the most beneficial patterns based on growth in the past for what I'm looking for. DIS works all throughout mass media entertainment, while PG works in the fields of every home item necessary for basic life, everything from diapers to vapor rub. The diversity Choosing these 2 will give me an advantage as the only things left out of the equation are food and educational programs as well. But there are some assumptions made when calculating all of this. These include assuming the value of these companies will follow a set pattern, and that Disney only have success in some form from their future films.

Sources:

- CSI Market, Procter & Gamble Co's ROI per Quarter, Accessed: Oct. 2016, http://csimarket.com/stocks/PG-Return-on-Investment-ROI.html

- CSI Market, Walt Disney Co's ROI per Quarter, Accessed Oct. 2016, http://csimarket.com/stocks/DIS-Return-on-Investment-ROI.html

- Google Finance, Yahoo Finance, MSN Money

- Procter & Gamble, Investors| P&G, Accessed Oct. 2016, http://www.pginvestor.com

The Power of a Smile

The second Action Project for my Journalism class has come around the corner, and it's requiring us to create our own podcast like recording, ranging from 3-5 minutes in length. Initially, we choice an iconic voice from the 1900s (the 20th century) and expand upon certain ideas of why we think they're so popular. My decision was to show just how influential Robin Williams can be, and his rise to fame as well as moments in fame were most prevalent in the 20th Century. However it was difficulty isolating which audio clips would be most effective, since he works very well with visuals alongside his acting, but initially, I'm proud of the outcome of this little podcast. You can have a listen for yourself, and just underneath the SoundCloud is its transcript. Thanks for reading!

Transcript

[Robin Willaims as Genie from Aladdin] [VG] [Robin Williams narrating a commercial for Apple’s iPad Air] [VG] [Williams] [(Zelda) Willaims] [Robin] [Zelda] [Robin] [Zelda] [Robin] [VG] [RD narrating] THE END

•So tell me, when your life passed in front of your eyes, did you go “I’m not that interesting”?... I would’ve done mouth to mouth but I don’t find you that attractive. -I bet that made you laugh a little bit, didn’t it? And if you were angry at something before, you’re probably not as mad now, right? That’s the power of a smile. *sentimental music kicks in* -See, the thing is, a smile works wonders. Especially when you make someone smile. Robin Williams was a person who knew that well; he tried so hard to spread joy because he understood what miseries could come to an individual when they’re down and really felt like they just got hit hard. He actually dealt with many problems himself, so he knows from experience the kind of suffereing one can go through. His passion for only being an entertainer goes so far as turning down most opprotuinties to advertise something. As a matter of fact, when Disney used his voice to sell Aladdin merchandise, he was furious, stating, “I don’t want to sell stuff. It’s the one thing I won’t do.” And as an apology, Disney sent him a Picasso painting estimated to be around $1 million. Yet ironically, he has participated in 3 advertisements, one for the Apple iPad Air, where he goes on about unity, clearly spreading a well intented message, and here’s part of it. He never advertised something if he didn’t believe in the positivity or potential for a product. *music fades* •We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. -And the only other 2 times, in a more relatable situation, he advertised his absolutely favorite video game series on 2 occasions alongside his daughter, who he has named after the series. The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventure had a special deal online and the commercial featured a multiplayer session featuring Willaims and his daughter, should he loose, he shaves the beard, which was sold as unexpected based on Zelda Willaims’ reaction. The next heartwarming advertisement boasts of the games ingenuity, but rather it refers to any hardships and challenges as a personal experience that Robin goes through for his very own royal destiny. •The first time I saw you, I knew we’d be Linked forever. For you I’d travel to the four corners of the world, I faced adversity. I became a hero. °Dad. •I even saved your kingdom-- °Dad. •Yes, Zelda? °Are you mixing me up with The Princess again?... •...Hard to say, you’re both pretty magical. *a slow calming piano tune is played* -Robin always wanted to make people laugh, and feel good. And for the most part, his roles in movies exemplified that, like in Patch Adams, or Mrs. Doubtfire. Willaims truly was an entertainer, whether it was utilizing stand up comedy or merely improvising in the recording studios or on set. *the piano fades* -And Robin wasn’t just loved by his audience, but the people he worked with too. His power to make people smile brings energy to any set he comes to, and many praise his uplifting nature that invites all to be at least a friend to him. But even so, you didn’t need to be right next to him for him to have an impact on your life… This story is one of a simple viewer’s, whose life was essentially saved by Robin’s impressively hilarious antics found. This is Suzanne’s story. ∆Growing up as an only child, in a very poor and severely abusive household –in the 70s and 80s– the only laughter and joy I experienced was when I was allowed to escape by watching my favorite television show: Mork & Mindy. I was particularly captivated and mesmorized by the then young actor potraying Mork, Robin Willaims. Whenever I watched his on-screen antics, I was able to forget my pain and fear and escape into each 30-minute comedic journey. Afterwards, I would gaze outside my bedroom window, wishing and hoping aliens really exsisted and ould some day whisk my away from my painful and lonely existence. I continued to seek solace, strength, and laughter through his numerous roles in what I consider to be the best feel-good movies of all time. Through his comedy, Robin taught me how to laugh and smile, chasing away the hurt, hopelessness, and helplessness I felt every day. I’m sure I’m not the only one who was saved by this comedic genius, and his death has left me feeling as if I lost my own chlidhood therapist and hero. Thank you Robin Williams, for being so instrumental and helping me to grow into the strong happy and sucessful woman I am today, and for bringing so much joy and laughter to the world. There will never be another, rest in peace, o’ captain, my captain. -A smile has a lot of power, and Robin Willaims was one of the many sources in the world. But he was the only few who wanted others to smile more than him. His passing is unfortunate, but a legend lives on in all of our hearts.

Citations: Music use • First track, "Wind Waker - Title Theme", Koji Kondo, Nintendo, 2002-2003 • Second track, "Ocarina of Time - Title Theme", Koji Kondo, Nintendo, 1998

Photojournalism

This new Senior year in GCE Lab School also means that of course the students experience new courses. This Journalism course is self-explanatory, as it revolves around journalism (the act of bringing news to the people through media of some sort). That being said, our first Action Project in this class revolved around writing out about 1000 words going off an interview with someone about the meaning of life, which is complimented by an image of them. Initially, the project gave me a bit of difficulties when coming up with questions, because I know that if I was asked one question, I would just go on and on explain as many points as I could, rather than allow for a question to ask for details. Of course I did manage to overcome this and provide you all with an article I wrote out here showing you what one my colleague's thoughts on what the meaning of life is. I hope you enjoy!

What is life? Or more specifically, what is the meaning of life? That’s quite the question, isn’t it? We can infer this in a multitude of ways; what is our purpose in life? Well that’s the question I asked to my good friends and cohort NVA. And after some time, and a lot of thought, he managed to think about an answer that satisfied him. So after taking an image inside of GCE, we went off to enjoy lunch at a nearby Mariano's. That’s where we conversed.

The way he went on about it was unique, the opposite of those who have existential crises. As my fellow senior classmate, our conversation was quite casual and relaxed. That is why I shall paraphrase much of it, but of I won’t distract from the main meaning of his sentences. He’s an only child who was actually adopted from Bulgaria, which is partially why I wanted to interview him specifically. Growing up –and still young– he’s had a much more unique experience than most others I know. His outlook on life would vastly differ from mine, for sure.

NVA's Cam Time, VG, 2016

The image (just above) as you can see is a picture of him fiddling with that there camera, which I found ironic considering the photojournalism taking place soon after. The image aligns with his affiliation to possibly work in either film or create street art (something that can only really be captured by a camera). The image itself was adjusted with the camera on my phone (the Galaxy J7) with a higher aperture (duration of the shutter staying open) so the image would appear brighter with less shadows. Having a clear picture that displays my interviewee as if they were simply standing there really brings out the more down to Earth thought process that doesn’t overcomplicate things, yet still deeply contemplates solutions and paths for the future. I didn’t ask him to pose or anything; he actually didn’t notice me taking a picture in the moment, and for me, that’s far better than staging or posing for a picture. To be yourself when a picture is taken of you is to be natural, organic even.

So that was the first question I asked. “What is the meaning of life?” and in a swift response, he answers, “Well, I think it’s to capture the good moments and enjoy it while it lasts.”

To me this was a more unexpected response considering his initial personality. I would’ve expected a more unsure reply, so I asked him to elaborate; he explains that “life is limited, so you have to at least enjoy yourself as you go on through it. It would be pointless to make yourself feel bad, so in a way, everyone’s purpose is to make themselves feel good. That’s basically the meaning of life.”

This response incidentally went great with the image I took before the interview, as he’s holding a camera, which can easily represent that photographers (and with him desiring to go into the film industry) capture and immortalize the best of moments in life. The main idea I got from that one answer is that you only have one life, so don’t worry and don’t waste it; make the most of what you have.

As the inquisition continued, I asked him whether or not that’s been his constant definition of life, as in whether or not it has changed over time. His initial reply went along the lines of “Well I guess before I used to think think it was much simpler, just don’t do bad stuff, like hurt anyone or lie. It sort of did evolve I guess.” The commotion at Mariano's provided a relaxed atmosphere as we ate lunch. I continued with a couple more questions, next asking “Well, how do you find purpose in life?” & this one proved a bit more difficult to answer. He addressed the question as being a bit redundant, but went on with answering claiming that “A purpose is never really defined, it’s only what your goals are aimed to be.” By this, I understood that he was claiming that purpose is an individualistic motivation that varies upon people. For example, someone’s purpose in life could be to eat the great food from the hot bar, or perhaps even to care for someone endearing.

Asking next about his beliefs, I asked if he found all life to be equal, and he swiftly gave and answer, stating that a life must be tainted in order to lose value. Next I asked of his morals, or more specifically, whether or not they’ve changed; as he thought, he soon replied saying that the only things that have really changed are his ideals about honesty, since the world can benefit from a small white lie every now and again. I followed up with asking if there was anyone in particular that influenced him –in other words, who/what would have been the thing to change said morals– and his response merely denied this possibility, stating that nobody specifically changed him, his mind merely evolved as he grew.

The next question I asked was “How have you solidified a purpose in your life; when was it that you came to an epiphany of such?” And so he went “I honestly grew over time, there was maybe a certain day or 2 where I realized that life wasn’t so simple and easy, but it was a very long process. I didn’t really see too much of my potential until I thought about entertaining others, which is why I’m doing my art with graffiti and potentially diving into film studies. I kind of just looked at what I was good at and said that it would be a great thing to focus on for my future.”

As the time for lunch came closer to ending, I prepared my last 2 questions for some exercise, as we started to walk back to the school. One of said questions asked about how he came up with that initial view of life, not necessarily the process, but the moments that helped him realize it. The reply was once again something more indirect, saying that not a singular thing was noteworthy enough to consider it commendable for influencing him. I actually can admire that about his outlook on life, because I always prefer to look at things from a neutral perspective myself, and for him to essentially say that life simple moves and you learn as you stride forward says, to me, that he doesn’t exaggerate or see only a black and white side to every situation, but that’s merely my interpretation.

True Cost Of College

So rolling into my Senior year of high school, here at GCE Lab School, one of my first projects to complete is one that revolves around my future. The assignment was to create a slideshow that depicts your future decisions for a career and college, displaying how much of your salary would be dedicated to paying off your tuition, etc. For me, the biggest challenge in making this was trying to find solid information I could base this off of, because as an artist, your job earnings are completely unstable and interchangeable... However the actual productivity of doing this Action Project was very useful as a reference for the near future. Attending my first college of choice would leave me poverty stricken for the next 18 years, but if you want to know more about that, there's a 60 second SoundCloud recording followed by a detailed slideshow just below. I hope you enjoy.