Follow the weekly journal, the reasoning behind each decision, and the wider archive.
Greetings from Scotland! Over the past week, we've been making the most of the school break by travelling to this beautiful part of the world. We've explored Edinburgh…
As of October 16, 2026, our options-selling-powered dividend stock portfolio stood at $13,456, marking a weekly decline of 1.37% compared with the previous week.This…
As of October 9, 2026, our options-selling-powered dividend stock portfolio stood at $13,643, showing a decent weekly increase of +0.72% compared with the previous week.…
Portfolio Value: $11,210Weekly Change: +0.62%YTD Return: +7.69%Options Premium Collected: $171.20As of March 20, 2026, the stock and options portfolio increased by 0.62%, closing the week at $11,210.On a year-to-date basis, the portfolio is now up 7.69%, outperforming both the S&P 500, which has gained 4.72%, and NVIDIA, which is down 7.55% over the same period.Most of the week was relatively quiet. No major adjustments were required, and several existing positions continued moving in the portfolio's favor. On Friday, after previous positions expired worthless, I opened two new credit spreads to continue generating premium income.A Quiet Week Ends With New Credit SpreadsOne of the…
Portfolio Value: $11,141Weekly Change: -0.63%YTD Return: +9.09%Options Premium Collected: $77As of March 13, 2026, our options income portfolio declined by -0.63%, closing the week at $11,141.This marked the second consecutive week of declining portfolio value. However, the decline was driven largely by currency fluctuations rather than significant weakness in the underlying investments.Because part of the portfolio reporting is sensitive to the euro, movements in the EUR/USD exchange rate can have a noticeable effect on the reported value. During the week, the U.S. dollar strengthened against the euro, with EUR/USD trading near 1.14.Despite the weekly decline, the portfolio remains up 9.09…
Portfolio Value: $11,211Weekly Change: -1.16%YTD Return: +8.00%Options Premium Collected: $99.90As of March 6, 2026, our options income portfolio was valued at $11,211, representing a weekly decline of -1.16%.The decline was driven primarily by currency fluctuations rather than significant weakness in the underlying holdings. Because part of the portfolio reporting is sensitive to movements in the euro, the stronger U.S. dollar had a noticeable effect on the reported value. During the week, EUR/USD traded near 1.16 as the dollar strengthened against the euro.Despite the weekly decline, the portfolio remained up 8.00% year to date. Over the same period, the S&P 500 was down approximately…
I first discovered the Magalaant Church Complex a few years ago during one of our spontaneous road trips to Kavtiskhevi. No fixed plan, no strict itinerary - just a turn off the main road and the usual curiosity about what might be hiding on the hills above the valley. That’s often how the best places are found.Magalaant sits modestly on a hillside, overlooking the surrounding landscape with the calm confidence typical of old Georgian churches. It’s not a heavily commercialized site. No crowds, no ticket booths, no tour buses lining up. Just open space, stone walls, wind, and wide views.The complex blends into the terrain rather than dominating it. The church structure, built of stone,…
As of February 27, 2026, the portfolio closed at $11,343, gaining a modest 0.27% during the week.The year-to-date return now stands at 7.29%.This was NVIDIA earnings week, and as expected, NVDA had an outsized influence on both the portfolio and the broader market.Earnings weeks can create attractive opportunities for options sellers because implied volatility usually rises and option premiums become more expensive. However, the same volatility also increases the risk of rapid losses, assignment, and difficult trade adjustments.Rolling the NVDA Covered Call Up and OutEarlier in the week, I decided to proactively roll the existing NVIDIA covered call.The previous position was:NVDA June 2026…
Today we finally got it right — real Adjarian khachapuri at home. This was my second attempt. The first time I made the classic mistake: I thought regular cheese would work. It didn’t. The texture was wrong, the melt was wrong, and the flavor was flat. Lesson learned - the cheese is not optional detail, it’s the core of the dish.This morning I went to Goodwill in Tbilisi and bought the two essentials:Imeretian cheeseSulguni cheeseThat combination is what creates the proper creamy, stretchy filling. Without it, you’re just baking bread with melted cheese. With it, you get the real Adjaruli experience.Living in Georgia, we love experimenting with traditional Georgian cuisine — but some…
At the start of 2026, we spent 2–3 nights at Lemon Tree Premier, Malad, Mumbai while returning from Goa to Tbilisi, with a stopover in Mumbai.We were looking for a practical option rather than a luxury experience. The price made the decision easy: we paid around $250 total, roughly half of what many central Mumbai hotels were charging for similar dates. There was a reason for that.The hotel is located in Malad, which is about an hour’s drive from South Mumbai (Colaba, Marine Drive, Gateway of India area), depending on traffic. And in Mumbai, traffic is not a minor detail — it’s a factor you must price in.If your plan is to explore central Mumbai extensively, this location isn’t ideal. But…
Portfolio Value: $11,312Weekly Change: +2.20%YTD Return: +6.91%Options Premium Collected: $21.90As of February 20, 2026, the portfolio gained 2.20%, closing the week at $11,312.Trading activity was relatively quiet this week, but the portfolio continued to make steady progress. While much of my attention was focused on NVIDIA ahead of earnings, the position that ultimately required action was Pfizer (PFE).That is often how options trading works. The positions you expect to demand attention can behave exactly as planned, while seemingly quiet trades require adjustments.Adding More McDonald's SharesEarly in the week, I added another 0.1 shares of McDonald's (MCD) to the portfolio.Over the…
As of February 13, 2026, our covered-call stock portfolio declined slightly by -0.33%, closing at $11,069.Since I had already rolled my NVDA credit spreads out to the February 27 expiration, there were fewer opportunities for weekly premium generation. Rather than forcing trades, I decided to revisit a familiar name: Pfizer (PFE).Why I Added Pfizer Back to the PortfolioI view Pfizer as a potential long-term dividend holding rather than a short-term trading vehicle.After closing a previous Shell position, some capital became available for a similar-sized setup. Instead of chasing another speculative trade, I deployed that capital into a company I already understand and would be comfortable…
I first noticed ETH Chipmunks toward the end of 2025. They kept popping up on my radar via Luma links Ethereum meetups, hackathons, small community events in Tbilisi. I applied several times. Each time, something got postponed, rescheduled, or quietly disappeared. Timing never worked.That changed in early February 2026, when the Tbilisi ETH Hackathon (Season 2 or something) finally happened—and I finally made it.I showed up prepared. Laptop in the suitcase, a few rough AI-related ideas in mind, and at least a vague intention to build something. Reality, as usual, had other plans.The event itself was solid. Well organized, relaxed, no unnecessary hype. A real hacker crowd. Most people were…
As of February 6, 2026, our covered-call stock portfolio increased by +0.51%, closing at $11,106.While the portfolio posted a modest gain, the broader market environment was anything but calm. Technology stocks came under pressure, cryptocurrencies experienced another sharp decline, and volatility returned across several asset classes.This week reinforced one important lesson:Avoid excessive leverage whenever possible.During the same week, our separate Ethereum strategy suffered a significant drawdown, eventually forcing us to exit leveraged positions. While painful, it served as another reminder that preserving capital is often more important than maximizing returns.Actively Managing NVDA…
Some places just stick with you.The Fisherman’s Wharf in Calangute (Goa) is one of those restaurants we keep coming back to and not by accident. We first discovered it during our first India trip in 2023/2024, when we spent a few days staying in Calangute at Hotel Renest (seems I have forgot to review it here)Back then we were exploring the area, trying different food spots, and The Fisherman’s Wharf instantly stood out, also it was closely located to our hotel.On our most recent trip, we once again made a stop at The Fisherman’s Wharf and this time it was perfectly timed.After spending a few hours shopping at our favorite boutique shop, Boutique Eternal, we were hungry, tired, and ready…
As of January 30, 2026, our covered-call stock portfolio has once again increased by +2.43% and closed at $11,050. For the first time, we’ve cracked the $11K milestone. Awesome. Interestingly, we kept activity minimal this week the only new trades were BMY credit spreads opened today. Despite that, the NVDA-centered portfolio is clearly outperforming the crypto portfolio, which suffered another sharp -30% drop this week. Definitely worth noting.This week, I also published an article explaining our NVDA strategy - you can read it here: How the NVDA Strategy Became the Backbone of Our Stock Portfolio.Our covered call portfolio is up 3.71% YTD, slightly outperforming the S&P 500…
Last Sunday we did a hiking trip to Turtle Lake, starting from the stairs on Polikarpe Kakabadze street. I’ve been a big fan of hiking in Tbilisi for a long time. More than ten years ago, we used to do hiking trips almost every weekend, something I’ve written about on the blog many times. Back then it was routine.Last chance workout on the trails around Turtle Lake before Tbilisi MarathonHiking trails near Turtle lake, Tbilisi in WinterRemote and Abandoned Hipster Party Place with Great views of Tbilisi (Hiking near Turtle Lake)and moreRecently we moved to a new apartment on Pavle Ingorovka Street, and from our window we can clearly see hiking trails cutting through the hills. That alone…
As of January 23, 2026, our covered-call stock portfolio has dipped slightly by -0.43% and closed at $10,788.The previous week was highly turbulent. As the market opened on Tuesday, NVDA briefly dipped below my call strike levels. Given the elevated volatility, I decided not to wait and took an early roll, pushing the position several weeks (February 6) out to reduce near-term risk.Volatility remained elevated throughout the week and only began to ease after President Trump’s speech in Davos, which I followed closely on CNBC. Once he stated that no force was planned to be used regarding Greenland, both equity and crypto markets reacted positively and turned green again.That relief, however…
Greetings from Tbilisi. After more than three weeks in India, we are finally back—welcomed by temperatures below 0°C and already missing Goa and its +31°C.Last week, we also held our annual office party (Caucasus Translations) at Babilo Music Hall, enjoying excellent Georgian cuisine, wine, and traditional Georgian dance. I skipped the food due to intermittent fasting (no eating after 14:00), but it was a great evening nonetheless.As of January 16, 2026, our covered-call stock portfolio has increased again by additional +1.71% and closed at $10,835.It has been an excellent start to 2026, and we are positioning for further growth while remaining cautious. A market correction around earnings…
Greetings from Mumbai, India. For the past three years, we’ve spent our winter holidays in India, usually traveling to Goa via New Delhi. This time, however, we arrived and departed through Mumbai and had a few days to explore the city. I’m genuinely impressed. Mumbai is definitely a city where I could imagine living long-term. Beyond that, it stands out as one of Asia’s major financial centers.One thing that really stands out when traveling around India is the prevalence of billboards advertising investments in mutual funds. Likewise, when visiting libraries, it’s not uncommon to find educational books on options trading. This suggests that India’s retail financial markets are not only…
Greetings from South Goa, Palolem Beach, India. I hope you had a great New Year’s party - we certainly did.As of January 2, 2026, our covered-call stock portfolio has decreased slightly by -0.84% and closed at $10,607. For the sake of transparency, it’s worth noting that the slight decline is due to USD/EUR exchange rate movements. The U.S. dollar appreciated modestly against the euro, which reduced the total value when expressed in EUR and back.This marks the first options week of 2026; however, all position adjustments were made back in 2025.One of our short- to medium-term goals is to grow the portfolio to $25k using options trading alone. With a systematic approach — and some…
Greetings from India. This holiday season we’re in South Goa, staying near Palolem Beach — our third year in a row returning here. With temperatures above 30 °C and Kingfisher beer under $2 per bottle, the place is hard to beat. With a portfolio our size, one could comfortably enjoy life here living off options income alone.That said, As of December 26, 2025, our covered-call stock portfolio has grown by an additional 2.21% and reached $10,696. As this is the final options expiry Friday of the year, I’m pleased to be closing 2025 with the portfolio above $10k.One of our short- to medium-term goals is to grow the portfolio to $25k using options trading alone. With a systematic approach…
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport is the international airport serving Mumbai, the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the second-busiest airport in India in terms of total and international passenger traffic after Delhi, the 14th-busiest airport in Asia, and the 31st-busiest airport in the world by passenger traffic in 2024.I first arrived at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport at the end of December 2025, flying IndiGo from Tbilisi. We stayed a few days in Mumbai before continuing onward to Goa with Air India.Mumbai’s airport has a long history. It was originally built in 1942 during World War II and has since evolved into India’s…
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