Why can't it just work?

We are still missing the dividends as of December 31, 2024 regarding BlackRock TCP Capital Corp. Common Shares (TCPC) in our endowment insurances at Nordnet AB. Even before we receive these, albeit small, dividends, it has been established that December is our best dividend month for all of 2024.

Needing the dividends worth a modest $79 before I can close both December and all of 2024 is incredibly frustrating. Hopefully I'll see a notification on my phone tomorrow when I wake up, otherwise I'll have to contact Nordnet.

AI generated image with Grok

I was like a bull in a china shop

When I enter work mode, I lose both space and time. Apart from having to manually enter each individual dividend into the correct cell and delete by hand them at the end of the year, my Google Sheet is fully automatic and calculates everything via connections between the different pages in my spreadsheet and Google Finance. Even if I could, I would never give Google Sheet access to our endowment insurances.

After being in my own world for almost two hours, deleting all the 2024 dividends and making some minor adjustments, I got a feeling that something was wrong, very wrong. And then it hit me, I had forgotten to make a copy and had made all the changes in the spreadsheet for 2024 and not 2025, meaning all the information about 2024 was completely gone. When I discovered the error it was 11:10 p.m. and the world's most perfect husband called it a night.

Which was good, because when I calmed down the next day, I realized that I should have been able to restore the document to before I made all the changes. Luckily, it was extremely easy to restore the document to the "correct" version and the only thing I lost was two hours of work.

AI generated image with Grok

The movements are too steep

For transparency and my own agenda, I strongly dislike our previous government, the Social Democrats with the support of the Green Party and the tacit acceptance of the Left Party, who ruled Sweden for 8 years. At the last election, I voted for the current government. I deeply dislike socialism, communism and wokeism.

There is an invisible pendulum that swings back and forth and if you are lucky you are in the "zero position" of the pendulum when you are in the hot spot. For example, I went to primary school in a municipal Swedish school during the 1980s when the pendulum was in the "zero position". During this decade, the Swedish school system was absolutely top-notch.

We had competent, qualified teachers who led the school classes with discipline and authority without hitting the children like the teachers did when my parents were in school. All parents received a letter from the Swedish National Agency for Education with instructions on which school and what time their child was expected to be present. The best part was that it was even difficult to find a bad or neglected school, whether in the big cities or in the countryside at that time.

In 1992, the independent school reform was introduced and the Swedish school system was fundamentally changed, and the pendulum began to swing. Today, it is up to each individual parent to ensure that their offspring ends up in the absolute best school. If you have a parent who doesn't care, you are guaranteed to end up in some of the neglected municipal schools.

The difference between a good school and a bad school is like night and day, even if it's only a 15-minute walk between them. Furthermore, discipline has long been gone and there are no longer any demands placed on the students. The pendulum has swung far too far to the left.

Since Mr. Elon Musk bought X, it feels like the pendulum has started to swing back and common sense is prioritized over having the "right" values. The process accelerated with the outcome of the US presidential election last fall.

I myself am incredibly grateful and really hope that everything related to woke is erased forever. However, I fear that the pendulum will swing far too far the other way, just as it did during the woke era. Imagine if we could limit the pendulum movements so we could avoid the absolute worst madness.

AI generated image with Grok

It is very easy to be wise in hindsight

The world's most perfect teenager has been reading aloud to me from the memoirs of a Norwegian/Swedish actor/singer throughout the winter break to expand his vocabulary with Swedish words. All on behalf of his current Swedish teacher who discovered this during the fall semester.

In my naivety, I thought Junior's Swedish was better than it actually is, I'm almost shocked at how poorly he understands Swedish words. He can neither read nor understand many words. It feels like I've been taken back twelve years to when I started teaching him to read.

We have always read books together, Junior and I, but always in English as we have always been told that since he has two 100% ethnic Swedish parents, he must prioritize English. I thought he would get the Swedish language "for free", but that wasn't the case. In retrospect, I realize that we should have read every other book in Swedish.

At first he read from a book his teacher had chosen, but if it became too difficult we were allowed to change. She said quote "The most important thing is that he reads, secondarily what he reads" unquote. After struggling with the origin book for ten pages, we had to switch to the autobiography he is now reading.

AI generated image with Grok

Fun causes time to vanish

The flu is finally starting to loosen its grip on me. The fever is down and the sore throat is almost completely gone. The only thing that really remains is the pain in the joints. The positive thing about being sick is that I have actually been "off work" for these three days. Apart from these sick days, I have worked every day, weekdays and holidays, between Christmas and the Epiphany weekend even though we were supposed to be off.

My guys are sad for me that I'm sick but at the same time happy for themselves because they got some free time from their wife/mom who always wants to do something together as a family. Tomorrow is our "last day off," but we have to go to the store to compile all the products in advance because the plumbers are coming at 7 a.m. on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, I have to take the time to answer all the questions the accounting assistant has about this year's audit. I really have to muster all my available patience to answer all the irrelevant questions, after thirty years I still haven't met a single accounting assistant who asks relevant questions. I hate playing this game.

AI generated image with Grok

Morse code

The world's most perfect husband and I are incredibly in sync in most things, except for one thing.

When I was growing up, electricity was expensive, so my dad always made us turn off the lights when we left a room. This has resulted in me walking around our apartment and turning off all the lights while my husband is the exact opposite. His dad also nagged him to turn off all the lights during his upbringing, but in his case it has resulted in him wanting our entire apartment to be flooded with light.

So when he leaves a room without turning off the lights, I go in and turn them off. And vice versa. From the outside, it must look like we're sending Morse code all evenings.

AI generated image with Grok

Let's hope the failed rally isn't an omen

The Santa Claus Rally failed this year. Despite the failed rally, I believe the US stock market will perform well in 2025, perhaps mainly at the expense of Europe. Regardless, our portfolio managed to finish at ATM in both SEK and USD.

AI generated image with Grok

He may be a mutt, but he's our mutt ❤️

Since the world's most perfect teenager only has 3 semesters left in high school, more and more people are starting to ask him if he plans to continue his studies at university or college. Exactly every single person Junior has talked to about studying to be a chemical engineer has said that it is a great education with excellent job opportunities. But in the same breath, the same people have also said that it is one of the absolute most difficult courses you can choose. I really hope he has the will and strength to pursue his dream.

We must have raised him well because he doesn't always agree with us and doesn't hesitate to stand firm. Initially I wanted him to study economics, but I am very grateful that he chose to disagree with us and decided his own path. Just like when you breed a new breed of dog to get special characteristics, it may be the same with people. If you mix an economist with a plumber, you might get a chemical engineer.

AI generated image with Grok

Can't come fast enough

There are still three smaller dividends remaining for 2024 before the year is completely over. This time it is Nordnet that has not paid the dividend for

BlackRock TCP Capital Corp. Common Stock (TCPC)

Capital Southwest Corporation Common Stock (CSWC)

New Mountain Finance Corporation Common Stock (NMFC)

Even though these dividends combined are less than 1.5% of the total dividends for the month, my OCD prevents me from closing the month. The knowledge of having intentionally ended a year with incorrect information would haunt me forever.

Hopefully Nordnet will get the ball rolling and pay out these dividends right after Epiphany. 2024 became our second best dividend year ever and if all goes according to plan, 2025 will surpass 2019 and thus be our best year ever!

AI generated image with Grok

Going backwards in time

Fifteen years ago, when I worked at my dad's large construction company, we had a job applicant who refused to shake hands with me, who was the CFO, and my younger sister, who was HR, when we greeted each other. He explained himself by saying it was for religious reasons. My sister and I entertained his wish and reconnected with the person in question after a couple of days and said that unfortunately we had no vacant position to offer him.

Recently Stockholm's public transport denied a Muslim man a job interview because he refuses to shake hands with women for religious reasons. The man in question applied for a position as a security guard in Stockholm's public transport and was first called for an interview. Before the interview, he informed the employer that, due to his Muslim faith, he does not greet strange women by shaking their hands. The recruiter then canceled the interview. Now the company is being criticized by the discrimination commissioner, who says it was wrong not to let him come for an interview, reports the Swedish newspaper Expressen.

I cannot understand how a secular country like Sweden allows women to become "second-class citizens" in this way.

AI generated image with Grok

Sad news 💔

Late the night before yesterday, my mom called me, which NEVER happens. Unfortunately, my uncle, my dad's youngest brother, had passed away. Even though my uncle has been frail his whole life, including having his first stroke more than 20 years ago, it feels unreal. My dad is the only one still alive from his "original family".

My granddad passed away thirty-four years ago, while my grandmom and my dad's oldest brother passed away at the end of 2020, just a month apart. Both of my dad's brothers turned almost exactly the same age.

Just an hour before my mom's phone call, I had come down with the flu, so unfortunately I couldn't go to my uncle's nursing home yesterday and say farewell since I didn't want to risk infecting the other residents. My mom, who is the youngest of her siblings of three, has both of her siblings still alive, a sister and a brother.

AI generated image with Grok

We have created a food monster

2024 was the year when the world's most perfect teenager's taste buds became more adult than mine.

For a short period in middle school, my then-school teacher forced me to stay in the school cafeteria until everything on my plate was eaten, which never happened. Instead, it always ended with me throwing up. When my mom found out about this, she wrote a certificate to the school exempting me from school lunch. Instead, I was allowed to go home and eat. Since then, I can't force myself to eat something I don't like.

I've hidden this as much as possible so Junior doesn't pick up on my behavior. Last year it finally paid off, he now eats a very diverse diet. Last year he developed a taste for both lobster and salmon roe, if this continues he will have a very expensive taste.

AI generated image with Grok

I hope for hidden treasures

With any luck, we will get the last dividends for 2024 today.

We are still waiting for dividends from

Ares Capital Corporation Common Stock (ARCC)

BlackRock TCP Capital Corp. Common Stock (TCPC)

Capital Southwest Corporation Common Stock (CSWC)

Gladstone Investment Corporation Business Development Company (GAIN)

Guggenheim Strategic Opportunities Fund Common Shares of Beneficial Interest (GOF)

LTC Properties, Inc. Common Stock (LTC)

New Mountain Finance Corporation Common Stock (NMFC)

NexPoint Residential Trust, Inc. Common Stock (NXRT)

Oaktree Specialty Lending Corporation Common Stock (OCSL)

OFS Credit Company, Inc. Common Stock (OCCI)

Oxford Lane Capital Corp. Common Stock (OXLC)

Simon Property Group, Inc. (SPG.PRJ)

Sixth Street Specialty Lending, Inc. Common Stock (TSLX)

Tonight, the world's most perfect husband and I are going to compare every entry in my Google Sheet to every holding in all of our endowment insurance policies because my husband sometimes makes small acquisitions without informing me, which means there may be hidden assets in our actual holdings compared to my Google Sheets.

AI generated image with Grok

Are they completely tone deaf to all criticism?

Several hours after a criminal blew up a Tesla Cybertruck with the intention of causing damage, Expressen a Swedish newspaper still has a misleading headline quote "here the car explodes outside the luxury hotel" unquote. There is nothing in the text that confirms what NBC News broadcasted more than 5 hours ago where Sheriff Kevin McMahill of the Las Vegas police announced that the Tesla Cybertruck instead saved lives by containing the explosion.

Clearly, the agenda for Legacy Media has become more important than protecting its own brand. If this dishonest media reporting continues, the number of visitors to their platforms will continue to decline, which will reduce the number of customers and ultimately lead to bankruptcy. It remains to be seen whether the owners will find it worth the price.

AI generated image with Grok

Always this double standard

If Argentina's current president, Javier Milei, who took office in December 2023 promising to cut public spending to bring down prices and close a large deficit, had been a leftist, Legacy Media would have praised him every day for his impressive work on Argentina's inflation. Argentina has struggled to bring down what has been the highest inflation rate in the world, peaking at nearly 300% per year.

Although President Javier Milei can boast of having stabilized Argentina's economy, it is always mentioned that this achievement has come at a high price for large sections of society. Even a recognition from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that he has achieved macroeconomic stability in a short time does not give President Milei favorable media coverage. The IMF also predicts that, unless something dramatic happens, Argentina's economy could grow by 5% next year.

AI generated image with Grok

He makes me proud to be Swedish

Pole vaulter Armand Duplantis and gymnast Simone Biles were voted by 518 journalists from 111 countries and regions to be the 2024 AIPS Athletes of the Year, the International Sports Press Association (AIPS) announced yesterday. As a Swede, I am incredibly grateful that Armand Duplantis chose to compete for Sweden.

AI generated image with Grok

My dad, the workaholic

I've been nagging my dad for the last 15 days that he needs to invoice everything related to 2024 before December 31st so the interim booking will be as small as possible. Yesterday, New Year's Eve, he finally managed to compile some of the unbilled assignments he has. While I was working on my dad's accounting yesterday, one of the restaurants that hires us called about plumbing problems. One of their customers had destroyed the toilet seat in their only accessible toilet.

Even though our store has been closed since December 21, 2024, I have been working every day, Christmas Day as New Year's Day. We don't open until January 7th but I can already hear customers saying "what a time off work you've had" even though in reality we've been working every single day.

AI generated image with Grok