Reflections @60: 60,90 or 120, Take Your Pick

This is my 52nd of the 60 planned posts of reflections @60. Thank you for your time and feedback.

Reflections @60: 60,90, or 120, Take Your Pick

No, I am not talking about any liquid measures, it is something more solid. In the first year of my college, my brother returning from Japan, got me a tape recorder. It was a first-generation player that did not even have auto reverse feature. Those days cassettes were a rare commodity in India available mainly through tourists or visitors returning from Singapore or from the large number of Iranian students in Bangalore. 

Available in three variants 60, 90, or 120 minutes duration, being quite greedy I picked up the 120 minutes cassette only to realise that maximising is not always good. Carrying a heavier load, the tape would frequently cut into two requiring patch work of sticking the two odd ends together. A small incident, I think it made a lasting impression as I have most often opted for optimising, when given the choice of maximise.

In trades, despite following the principle of buy-low and sell-high in my professional career in foreign exchange markets, in my personal life I have sold before the peak at predetermined levels, without any regret I must add. Likewise, in most other choice of home, career, and comfort, I prefer to optimise, in the firm belief that I am maximising my wellbeing.  

Looking back, I would say my principle of picking the 90, has served me well, when given the choice between 60,90, or 120.