Oakfield My View House from Balcony

Sometimes, I Feel Like I Live in Oakfield from Fable II (or “The Utility of Home Ownership”)

In the most recent Berkshire Hathaway shareholder letter, Warren Buffett remarked that the three best investments he ever made included his home in Omaha (the other two were wedding rings).  He conceded that he would have had more money if he had instead rented and invested the cash, but the utility of the home far outweighed the opportunity cost. Now that I am in my late twenties, I understand what he meant.

Berkshire Hathaway Stock Investment

Berkshire Hathaway Shares Are Trading at the Lowest Valuation In Nearly a Decade

Berkshire Hathaway shares are now trading at around the lowest valuation relative to earnings and assets that they have since the dot-com bubble in the late 1990s. How is that possible? As the famed holding company of Warren Buffett has added businesses such as Burlington Northern Santa Fe, the stock price has treaded water so each dollar invested at today’s price represents more profit and equity than it did in the past.

Brut Cologne Products

The Smell of Brut Cologne Reminds Me of My Grandfather

Tonight, I reorganized the master bathroom at home and came across several bottles and products of Brut.  The company, once a luxury brand, has become one of the cheapest two-buck-chuck colognes in the United States and sells for a couple dollars at Wal-Mart.  Although I’m normally known for my obsession with high-end fragrances, even going so far as to special order scents from overseas and paying hundreds of dollars per ounce just to sample a new perfume house offering, this infamous brand still sits proudly on my shelf along with the most expensive and exclusive fragrances in the world. Why?  Because it reminds me of my grandfather.  It was his cologne of choice and the moment I smell it, I’m instantly transported back to my childhood.