Pūre Horticultural Research Station

19 May, 2025 | Shopping Venues | 26 seen

In mid-April 2025, we took an exciting step toward our vision of a Latvian craft cider brewery by purchasing several Antonovka apple trees and other varieties from the renowned Pūre Horticultural Experimental Station (Latvian: Pūres dārzkopības izmēģinājumu stacija).

This wasn’t a random choice. Pūre is one of Latvia’s most respected institutions in plant cultivation and horticultural research. With decades of hands-on experience in the Latvian climate, they offer proven expertise in selecting trees and plants that can thrive through our seasons — cold winters, unpredictable springs, and all.

Their staff provided solid recommendations not only for Antonovka, which is famous for its hardiness and perfect acidity for cider production, but also for several other fruit trees and shrubs suited for our longer-term expansion plans.

Antonovka is a classic Soviet-era apple cultivar, known for:

• Excellent cold resistance
• Sharp, tart flavor ideal for cider
• Reliable harvests in Baltic and Nordic climates

It’s no…

Week 6 / Doing Nothing, Gaining 1.98%: A Covered Call Strategy That Pays

16 May, 2025 | | 65 seen

In the world of trading, action often feels like progress. Placing new trades, adjusting positions, chasing setups—these behaviors can give us the illusion of control. But sometimes, the most profitable move is to simply do nothing.

As of May 16, 2025, our covered call stock portfolio was valued at $6,952, reflecting a 1.98% week-over-week gain (+$134.96). That’s a modest but welcome increase, especially considering that we didn’t place a single new trade this week.

Despite this recent uptick, we are still down -7.01% year-to-date, a reminder of the rocky terrain we’ve traversed in 2025. Yet even during this downturn, opportunities for calm, calculated growth remain.

This week, there were no covered calls expiring in our portfolio, and no new positions were opened. We’re currently focused entirely on a single NVDA covered call, with the nearest expiry on May 23—just one week away.

While it might seem counterintuitive, this narrow focus is deliberate. Rather than…

Samshvilde Canyon Hiking

12 May, 2025 | Living in Georgia | 49 seen

Our go-to hiking spot in Georgia has always been Birtvisi Canyon. With its striking rock formations, narrow passages, and unbeatable views, it’s a place we return to again and again. But last Sunday, we felt like trying something new.

So we picked a place we’d heard about but never explored properly: Samshvilde Canyon.

In fact we almost find it few years ago, but turned our car around because the road didn't seem proper. See: Hiking at Birtvisi Canyon.  This time we risked bit more. 

Located not far from the town of Tetritskaro, Samshvilde is known for its quiet trails and historic ruins, including the remains of the ancient Samshvilde Fortress. We packed up for a casual day hike, hoping for some nice views and maybe a peek at the fortress.

After a peaceful countryside drive, we found a small parking spot near the edge of the canyon. The trails were actually marked, which was a pleasant surprise — but we still weren’t entirely sure where we were going. With no detailed map and limited phone signal, we decided to follow a route that seemed to lead toward Pirghebuli…

Week 5 / NVDA Rally Forces Covered Call Adjustment: Rolling Up and Out for a Credit

9 May, 2025 | | 55 seen

As of May 9, 2025, our covered call stock portfolio was valued at $6,818, reflecting another  1.42% week-over-week gain (+$95.42). Despite the recent uptick, we remain down -9.63% year-to-date.

Currently, the entire covered call portfolio is allocated to NVDA stock.

With NVDA rallying sharply, our May 9 $107 call moved deep in-the-money. Although my initial plan was to let the shares be called away and then re-enter via cash-secured puts, I decided to roll the position up and out for a net credit instead.

Unfortunately, weekly expiries offered unattractive premiums, so I rolled into the May 23 expiration:

• Bought back the May 9 $107 call for $10.62
• Sold the May 23 $108 call for $11.03
• Net premium collected: $0.41 per share
• Break-even price: $103.9

While the two-week premium of…

How I Upgraded XTRF on Ubuntu with PostgreSQL 14 (and Fixed Every Broken Dependency)

6 May, 2025 | Servers | 42 seen

Upgrading an XTRF instance—especially one that has aged alongside older OS and database stacks—is never a walk in the park. In this article, I’ll walk you through the real-world path I took, upgrading from Ubuntu 18.04 all the way to 22.04, aligning PostgreSQL to a supported version, and overcoming the nuanced issues involved in deploying XTRF on Jboss. Most importantly, I’ll highlight how AI—specifically ChatGPT—helped me tackle the hard problems, including log file analysis and patching .war deployments.

XTRF is a popular Translation management system we use at our Translation company in Tbilisi

Our system was running on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS with PostgreSQL 11, which shipped by default with that version. This setup had served us well in the past, but it was becoming increasingly clear that support was fading and incompatibilities with newer XTRF versions were stacking up. I had already encountered an unsuccessful upgrade attempt in the past, so this time I decided to take a much more structured and cautious approach.

Now, if you already have system all up and running, you could simply run:

sudo apt-get install xtrf10-full

David Baazov Museum of History of the Jews of Georgia and Georgian-Jewish Relations

5 May, 2025 | Museums | 88 seen

Tbilisi is a city full of hidden corners, rich history, and quiet treasures, one of which I recently discovered: the David Baazov Museum of History of the Jews of Georgia and Georgian-Jewish Relations.

Over the years, I've gradually learned that Georgia has a deeply rooted Jewish presence. There's even a Jewish Quarter in Tbilisi, which I came across during my many walks through the city's charming old streets. Historically, Jewish communities have lived in Georgia for centuries — a fact that, at first, surprised me. My curiosity about this history grew even stronger after meeting a Georgian Jew during a visit to Israel, a moment that further highlighted the global and interconnected nature of this community.

Although Tbilisi has several synagogues, I must admit that I haven’t visited any of them yet. They are on my list, of course. Wandering around Tbilisi one afternoon, I happened to notice a modest-looking building tucked into the urban landscape — the Jewish Museum. On a whim, I decided to pay a visit.

The David Baazov Museum is not large…

Week 4 / NVDA Covered Call Strategy: Earning $83 This Week To Pay of Margin Debt

2 May, 2025 | | 48 seen

As of May 2, 2025, our covered call stock portfolio was valued at $6,722, reflecting another strong 4.85% week-over-week gain. However, we still remain down -11.61% year-to-date. 

Our covered call portfolio at the moment is centered around NVDA stock exclusively. 

As of today our covered call position was in the money and, I decided to roll forward this position, 

Here is the trade setup:

• Bought back the May 2 $107 call for $7.75
• Sold the May 9 $107 call for $8.59
• Premium collected: $0.83 per share
• Break-even: $104.29

I initially wanted to roll this position up and away, but since it was already deep in the money, doing so would have required either choosing a different expiry or paying down debt. I preferred not to do the latter, as we’re using margin to finance the NVDA trade. One of our main goals is to reduce margin exposure as quickly as possible. That’s why I decided to stick…

April 2025 Stock Portfolio Update ($6,629)

1 May, 2025 | Stock Portfolio | 29 seen

At the end of April 2025, the total value of our stock portfolio stood at $6,629 (€6,594), down from $7,124 a month earlier. That’s a -6.94% decrease in portfolio value, or -$495 in dollar terms.

Yes, it stings — ouch — but it’s also part of a larger strategy pivot. We’re confident that with the NVDA covered call strategy, we’ll not only stabilize but begin generating consistent returns starting May.

April was a transformative month — both financially and personally. While our stock portfolio took a hit for the second month in a row, we made meaningful changes that lay the groundwork for a more strategic, income-focused approach. Meanwhile, on the personal front, we spent about 10 days in Latvia, enjoying springtime and putting serious work into our frame house project.

Over the course of 10 days, we focused on our wooden frame house, making significant progress. One of the biggest accomplishments was installing large 3x3 meter panoramic windows — a major improvement that enhanced both the functionality and aesthetics of the home.

We also got our hands dirty in the…

Postcards from Marseille

29 April, 2025 | | 32 seen

It’s been nearly two years since our last trip to Marseille, a sun-drenched jewel on France’s southern coast that left an indelible mark on our memories. That summer of 2023, we set out to explore the city’s vibrant beaches and winding old town, arriving and departing through the bustling hub of Marseille St. Charles train station. 

As I sit down to write this, the sights, sounds, and scents of that journey come flooding back—postcards from a city that effortlessly blends grit, charm, and Mediterranean allure.

Our adventure began at Marseille St. Charles, a grand station perched atop a hill, its wide steps offering a sweeping view of the city sprawling toward the sea. The station itself was a whirlwind of activity—travelers hauling suitcases, the hum of announcements in French, and the faint aroma of espresso from the nearby cafés. Stepping off the train, we felt the warm summer air wrap around us, a promise of the days ahead. From there, we descended into the heart of Marseille, eager to uncover its treasures.

The beaches were our first stop. Marseille’s coastline is a patchwork of rocky coves and sandy stretches, each with its own personality. We spent…

Fish Market near Gori

28 April, 2025 | Shopping Venues | 34 seen

This Fish Market is located about 2 kilometers outside Gori, right off the Tbilisi highway, that we hit up at the end of March 2025. Me and a few friends drove over from Kabitskhevi because someone swore the smoked fish there was worth it. Spoiler: they weren’t wrong.

The place isn’t hard to spot—just a little setup with a fish farm, a small shop, and a restaurant tucked in there too. We didn’t wander in by accident; we came straight for it. The shop was packed with good stuff: smoked fish that smelled amazing, jars of salmon caviar, some local nuts, and—get this—frozen octopus. I don’t even know where they got that, but we bought it anyway.

The smoked fish was the main draw. Tasted fresh, smoky, perfect. The caviar was a bonus—bright orange, salty little pops that I’m still thinking about. We grabbed some almonds and peanuts too, because why not? The octopus was a wild card; it’s still in my freezer waiting for me to figure out what to do with it.

There’s a restaurant there too,  but we didn’t eat there. Instead, we took our haul back to Gori and went to Erisoni Restaurant. That place never lets me down.

Honestly, that little market’s a gem. It’s…

Week 3 / How Weekly Covered Calls Are Funding Our NVDA Position

25 April, 2025 | | 49 seen

As of April 25, 2025, our covered call stock portfolio was valued at $6,411, reflecting another strong 9.76% week-over-week gain. However, it still remains down -15.87% year-to-date. 

Our covered call portfolio at the moment is centered around one stock only - NVDA. I'm selling 1 covered call only, with average buy price at $118.22 (using margin), while thanks to premiums collected in previous weeks, our current break-even price is $106.53

On April 25, our covered call position was slightly in the money and, I decided to roll up and away this covered call position:

Here is the trade setup:

• Bought back the April 25 $106 call for $2.12
• Sold the May 02 $107 call for $3.54
• Premium collected: $1.41 per share
• Break-even: $105.12

Week after week we are improving our cash balance from collecting solid premium. It also incrementally moved me toward my target of owning shares outright, funded by option…

Plage des Catalans: A Shrinking Memory in Marseille

22 April, 2025 | Tourism objects | 40 seen

Plage des Catalans, a sandy crescent tucked along Marseille’s coastline, holds a special place in my travel tapestry. I first visited this beach in the summer of 2003, a carefree stop during my early adventures in the city. 

Back then, it felt like a haven—close to the bustling port yet offering a slice of Mediterranean calm. When I returned 20 years later, in the summer of 2023, I was taken aback by how small it seemed. Had my memory inflated its size, or had something changed? I stood there, puzzled, wondering if I’d mixed up the location or if real estate projects had nibbled away at its edges. Over two decades, it seems the developers have claimed their share, shrinking what once felt boundless.

Our latest visit came straight from an unexpected detour. After accidentally disembarking at Aix-en-Provence station (thinking it was Marseille), we ordered a Bolt ride and asked the driver to take us to the nicest beach he could think of. Plage des Catalans was his pick. Arriving from the inland station, the sight of the sea was a relief. The beach was okay—smaller than I recalled, hemmed in by buildings and a volleyball court—but it did the trick. We cooled off in…

Georgia Almond Farms: The New Frontier for Agricultural Investment

21 April, 2025 | Real Estate | 1,144 seen

As an expat who has called Georgia home for over a decade, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing the country’s agricultural landscape evolve in fascinating ways. From fish farms to cow farms and the aromatic allure of lavender oil fields, Georgia’s farmland investments have always piqued my curiosity. 

But in recent years, one trend has stood out above the rest: the growing interest in nut farms, particularly almonds. This shift has turned heads, and after a recent encounter at an almond farm near Kavitskhevi, I’m convinced there’s untapped potential here worth exploring.

During a spring road trip to Kavitskhevi resort, not far from Tbilisi, we pulled over to capture the season’s bloom—almond trees awash in delicate pink and white flowers. 

The farm, I later learned, spans an impressive 580 hectares. While snapping photos, I struck up a conversation with a guard who proudly shared that this operation grows almonds primarily for medicinal purposes. 

Intrigued, I dug deeper after the trip and discovered that a single hectare of almond trees can yield between 2 to 3 tons of almonds under optimal conditions. That’s a figure that sparks the…

Week 2 / Covered Call Portfolio Update: $146 in Premium, 11.9% Week Over Week Growth

17 April, 2025 | | 68 seen

As of April 17, 2025, our covered call stock portfolio is valued at $5,841.36, reflecting a strong 11.92% week-over-week gain. However, it remains down -23.42% year-to-date. 

Despite ongoing market volatility and macroeconomic headwinds, I’m doubling down on a focused strategy centered around selling covered calls on NVDA stock to stabilize returns and drive long-term growth.

Our average buy price for NVDA stock is $118.22 (using margin), though thanks to premiums collected in previous weeks, our actual break-even price was significantly lower at $107.98.

On April 16, the day before our existing options expiry, I decided to roll up and away this covered call position:

• Bought back the April 17 $105 call for $1.32
• Sold the April 25 $105 call for $2.81
• Premium collected: $1.46 per share
• Break-even: $106.53

This roll gave me more breathing room in case of a bullish move in NVDA while still collecting solid…

From Paris to Marseille by High Speed Ouigo Train

15 April, 2025 | Travel guides | 39 seen

Traveling from Paris to Marseille is a rite of passage for anyone craving the thrill of France’s high-speed rails. Twenty years ago, in the summer of 2003, I first made the 900-kilometer journey by TGV, marveling as the countryside blurred past in just three hours. 

That memory—of speed, comfort, and the promise of Marseille—stuck with me. So, during our latest trip to France in the summer of 2023, I suggested we relive it. This time, we snagged cheap tickets on Ouigo, the budget-friendly arm of TGV, and set off from Gare de Lyon.

We arrived early at the iconic station, where I did my best to navigate conversations with the French personnel—my rusty language skills put to the test. Boarding went smoothly, and we settled into what we thought were our seats, ready for the ride. Then came the first stop—likely Marne-la-Vallée (Disneyland)—and chaos erupted. 

A wave of passengers stormed aboard, approaching us with furrowed brows. “You’re in our seats,” they declared. I offered a hopeful, “Can we just swap?” but the response was a firm, indignant “No way, go out, you stupid tourists.” Turns out, our actual seats were six cabins away. Problem was, Ouigo’s…