Good news?

I can't believe it.. some of my stocks actually went up, at least that is what my March 31st statement says. Not that I have a lot of stocks. I had a great idea one time, and that was to buy one or two shares of each of the Dow Jones picked stocks, the ones that give us the average each day. So, of course, these stocks go up or down in line with the market fluctuation... and in the last year, their value has taken a nosedive. But, since some of these have now gone up slightly in value... maybe the downturn is over. Maybe.

But actually, it doesn't really matter. With my small portfolio, even if the prices went to zero, I would not jump out of a window. Its just fun to follow the market, a little.

Twenty or so years ago, my late wife and I belonged to an investment club. It was a lot of fun. I think it cost us $30 a month. The club met 12 times a year to decide on which stocks to buy and sell. However, after a while, when some members started to take it all too seriously, the club disbanded and we sold off the stock. We made a little profit, which our Uncle Sam got a big cut of.

With hindsight, we should definitely have held on to a few of the stocks, which have continued to pay nice dividends, even in this recession.

One of my stocks, which I bought in the teen $ range, is now selling at 6 1/2 cents a share. Since the stock is related to the auto industry, I thought that it might jump in value as the US auto industry comes back to life, as I think it will. Anyway, I tried to buy a bunch of it .. 300 shares would only cost a little over $21, and even if the stock ever rose to at least $1 per share, I would anticipate a couple of hundred dollars profit when sold.

My computer, very grouchily, informed me that they would not handle a purchase of penny stocks. So now I will have to learn about how one does buy stocks like that. I have a lot to learn even though I was in that Investment Club.

Everybody tells me to buy bonds issued by municipalities. The subject of bonds has never been able to penetrate my brain. I have bought US bonds in the past, and I understand how they work, but how the other kinds of bonds work is a mystery to me.

Isn't this a wonderful world?! There is so much to learn and experience. It gives me great pleasure to follow (from afar) the activities of my grandchildren and great grandchild and feel (vicariously) the excitement as they learn new skills. And I learn new skills every day.. this is one of the reasons I bought a new laptop and an upscale cell phone.. and joined Facebook and Twitter.. and joined a new genealogy group and a new Civil War History group.. etc etc

I believe it was Robert Louis Stevenson who said: "The world is so full of a number of things, I'm sure we should all be as happy as kings!"

And of course, my old standby paraphrased saying of Auntie Mame: "Life is a banquet and most people are starving to death."