VaCollector
Full time employment: Posting here.
- Joined
- May 12, 2007
- Messages
- 549
I had logged in so that I could see the pics and videos posted by others...and BAM....forgot to log out....and then Avatar (the movie) PULLED me in.....so here I am....
Thanks for the Welcome Back
....although I must confess that I never really left....I have found that I make a GREAT lurker 
and that I am NOT a good investor....and still feel that I have nothing (if anything) to add to the wisdom found in this community! (other than a sad story of what NOT to do...otherwise known as how NOT to invest 
)
OK....let's see what I can remember.....
I sold enough of my BAC stock to capture enough losses to last a lifetime....I was really hoping to buy it back at my sale price (or lower) but THAT didn't happen either....I really DO suck at this....
I'm still holding most of it in hopes that it just MAY come back within my lifetime .....or that they just may start paying a dividend again (my BAC dividends originally were 50% of my retirement income!)....with a basis for most of it around $55/share, my portfolio has recovered from the stock's low, but even that is still little comfort when I am still down over 70%. I have read that there are many on the board who have recovered (and even exceeded) their losses since the March 2009 lows and while I applaud them, I can't honestly say that it makes me feel any better....if anything....well....the word "dumbass" comes to mind.....
I've been living off of my last year's part time work and my eBay sales (uhhh....VaCollector....notice the collector part) as well as rental income that covers about 40% of what I need....and I still have plenty of cash reserves to last another year or 2.....plus my DW is still contributing to social security and covering our medical and (thank goodness) her financial needs
So while I haven't seriously looked at returning to the w*rk force, I have had to come to the realization that I MAY have to if at least some portion of my portfolio (real estate too) doesn't recover enough to make it at least palatable to liquidate.
Still.....I have to admit that once you lose $600K (40% of portfolio) in a matter of months...while doing everything that you were taught was right.....and come to grips with that fact....and then realize that you're not going to starve to death....and that it is really is ONLY MONEY....that those problems are nothing when compared to others who are dealing with health issues.....
My FIL has stage 4 lung cancer and I have been soooo fortunate to have had the time to be there thru radiation and chemo.....it has been a reminder of the importance of family and friends!
To summarize....not much has changed....still a dumbass investor....still lucky enough to have avoided returning to full time employment.....still lurking.....and now (maybe) posting every now and then
Thanks for the Welcome Back
....although I must confess that I never really left....I have found that I make a GREAT lurker and that I am NOT a good investor....and still feel that I have nothing (if anything) to add to the wisdom found in this community! (other than a sad story of what NOT to do...otherwise known as how NOT to invest )OK....let's see what I can remember.....
I sold enough of my BAC stock to capture enough losses to last a lifetime....I was really hoping to buy it back at my sale price (or lower) but THAT didn't happen either....I really DO suck at this....
I'm still holding most of it in hopes that it just MAY come back within my lifetime
.....or that they just may start paying a dividend again (my BAC dividends originally were 50% of my retirement income!)....with a basis for most of it around $55/share, my portfolio has recovered from the stock's low, but even that is still little comfort when I am still down over 70%. I have read that there are many on the board who have recovered (and even exceeded) their losses since the March 2009 lows and while I applaud them, I can't honestly say that it makes me feel any better....if anything....well....the word "dumbass" comes to mind.....I've been living off of my last year's part time work and my eBay sales (uhhh....VaCollector....notice the collector part) as well as rental income that covers about 40% of what I need....and I still have plenty of cash reserves to last another year or 2.....plus my DW is still contributing to social security and covering our medical and (thank goodness) her financial needs
So while I haven't seriously looked at returning to the w*rk force, I have had to come to the realization that I MAY have to if at least some portion of my portfolio (real estate too) doesn't recover enough to make it at least palatable to liquidate.
Still.....I have to admit that once you lose $600K (40% of portfolio) in a matter of months...while doing everything that you were taught was right.....and come to grips with that fact....and then realize that you're not going to starve to death....and that it is really is ONLY MONEY....that those problems are nothing when compared to others who are dealing with health issues.....
My FIL has stage 4 lung cancer and I have been soooo fortunate to have had the time to be there thru radiation and chemo.....it has been a reminder of the importance of family and friends!
To summarize....not much has changed....still a dumbass investor....still lucky enough to have avoided returning to full time employment.....still lurking.....and now (maybe) posting every now and then
