Quote from stonedinvestor:
I feel naked without my money. I never realized it meant so much. I have spent my life on the outside hating the rich. hating pro athletes and movie stars for all their easy money. There was a lot of hate. Perhaps I hated myself too, it's hard to tell, I was having such fun. I've always not been able to come to terms with the nine to five, even the nine to four, I don't mind working all day but I won't congregate with large groups on the Subway or in the train at eight in the morning. I've always liked to work out around 10:30 so that's a problem too... so obviously being a stockbroker came to mind but I hate them so. Again with the hate. If I had to do something real what would I do?
I've been around a long time folks. Over twenty years Investing, every day. I've traded my way through every downturn, every year, that has always been my style. I make double ups on the bounces and thus when the dust settles, I actually broke even on some of the worst years without ever going short. Try that at home... and that was the idea- to work from home... daytime baths... great Bravo TV & the Military Channel, lunches out. Alas this time the monster got me. I have no one to blame but rich white men and one black one so I do. These crooked high paid no good bastards have stolen what truly matters to me my money... but I never knew it mattered till it poofed away.
There is a big debate in family land about sons like me. Do you give someone $2K a month for a number of years so he can be a production assistant on film crews a DJ a videographer, etc... or do you kick them to the curb and say earn it... and get an eye doctor back. Depends what you want. If you want a sturdy soul to carry on the family name, maybe you don't give them any money. My grandmother did just that leaving a Generational Skipping Trust that was to ignore my dear father and furthermore me. My mom has been there for me with that $2K and at the ripe age of 44 I still count on it! Pathetic me. With no obvious talents- I don't do Word or anything not Mac,
I'm fearful of technology, don't interact well on jury duties obviously I turned to the stock market to make money. Thank goodness I have a knack for it... my Grandpa Jerry played the stocks with a ticker in a small office in the North Fork LI long ago and I happened to be a very good stock picker too, over the years I worked up a large account, I felt somewhat invincible until now.
Now I miss that damn money. It gave me status enough to meet the doorman's eye and not feel embarrassed that I don't work. Now I'm shifty and nervous someone will take my weekend house away. Retail was great for ten years but like the Mob you can never go back, it's brutal... I'm focusing now on my child and really staring at him a lot at night when he sleeps- he's so innocent, he knows not a whiff of high finance and what money is. And maybe I don't either. It's truly different this time and this market of stocks is really nothing more than paper. There is a huge feeling of disjointedness, of the world is on an edge... I'm at a tipping point, where I can't take losing any more. 40% to %50 cannot become 60% if you know what I mean... so undoubtedly the market will take me there and wash me on the rocks and all you smart ass, small time nickel and dime day traders who hold no damn risk overnight; all you unencumbered wise akers with no idea how to build a portfolio much less seven... all of you will do just fine... It's me and others like me that I'm worried about.
We had faith in the system, we were not so cynical. We thought ten years or longer you could leave some stocks and not do a round trip. The end of buy and hold, a fragmented choppy market that always goes down. There's no fun in that. I can't stand the fake inside jargon and the relentless lower S&P targets. You know what? damn it... do you notice what is NOT happening in this bounce?... Not a soul has come on and called another bottom. Like me BURNED too many times, that's of course is when bottoms can be made... so think about that. And I will too. ~ stoney