Screw people over

Ten years ago I worked for an insurance company here in Zürich and they had a generous policy, invest a number of K a year, the company will double it, and ten years later you can cash in. I worked there for three years, and I invested in the most risky fund. It is now ten years later and my own investments have gone up 40-60% whereas their fund had until last year lost money. How is that possible? When I recently contacted them, I all of a sudden got a statement saying that the fund has increased with 6%. In ten years! Friggin amateurs. My feeling is that they’re screwing former employees.

I base this on the fact that I bought my apartment back in 2009 and signed a mortgage with the same insurance company. They presented themselves as being “like a bank” at the time. When I quit I got a badly written letter saying that they wanted their money back. It wasn’t said how or when. Fortunately my bank laughed at them and promptly gave me better conditions on my mortgage and took it over.

So fuck you Zurich insurance!

Airbnb experience

Since June I’m a host on Airbnb, and so far I’ve had 20 guests. Sometimes one, sometimes two, almost always pleasant people. The best one was an Italian guy from the US who booked and paid for nine nights and never showed up! But seriously, most of the people are really interesting and mindful that they stay in a private home.

Some of them keep to themselves and only want a bed for the night, but many of them want to chat a bit and I always learn something new. They come from all over the world, so far I’ve had people from India, UK, Germany, Qatar, US, Holland, Austria, Israel and even Switzerland.

I only had one bad experience, and that was when I was in hospital and got a booking late afternoon for the next day, and I have had one checking out the same morning. No way could I clean and make the room and bathroom ready for the next day, so I had to tell him no. The money had gone through though, so when he didn’t want a bank transfer for me to pay him back I had to send cash in an envelope and that didn’t arrive (at least he said).

Now I have updated my profile to say that you have to book at least two days in advance, or I have to approve the booking.

But all in all, it’s a pleasant experience and a way to utilize my guest room and meet some interesting people on the way.

The good and the bad (nothing ugly)

Lately I’ve been good and bad.

Good in going jogging 3-4 times a week, enjoying seeing deer, squirrels and other so called wildlife. Fortunately no bears, elks or other dangerous species, which makes it even more enjoyable.

Bad with regards to reducing smoking. I go jogging in the morning, and on the way back I go and buy a pack of cigs. Which doesn’t always last the whole day. But I’m trying.

Sun in Zürich

We have fantastic weather for the season here in Zürich and today I took a stroll up the mountain.

Was sitting on a bench enjoying the sun and the view, sipping on a glass of wine. An approx. 3-year-old came up to me demanding to know what was in my glass, and I responded ice tea. Ha, he said, “that is wine, yikes”. I so wonder how he would know!