Last week I spent time in Minneapolis speaking to the local CMT Association chapter and while I was there we had the opportunity to interview and speak with some prominent technical analysts. One individual we got to spend an unforgettable afternoon with was a friend and personal mentor of mine, Ralph Acampora.

I have a secret. I love video games.

One of my favorite games a few years back was a game called Batman Arkham City. It was a childhood dream of mine to BE Batman and fly through Gotham City, fighting crime, helping the police, and chasing the Riddler – and this game allowed me to do exactly that.

When I first started to learn how to fly an airplane I very quickly learned the value of checklists. You don’t just take the plane out to the runway, and fly. There are a hundred odd meticulous steps you must go through individually to ensure that the mechanics of the airplane are fully functioning, and the safety gear is also ready to go.  While a checklist does not minimize the chances of something going wrong, it certainly lessens the probability.

My favorite pair of dress shoes are cordovan, which is a deep reddish tone.  I love these shoes because it’s a color I don’t see around too often, but also because I ripped them the first day I wore them.