So if any of you could read my mind or worked with me you’d know that I’ve been studying the stock market as of late. I started investing when I was fairly young. I think I took some of my high school graduation money and I put it into a mutual fund that I still own. It’s not worth much but its given me a small profit. I bought another mutual fund and started a ROTH IRA (if you are into investing and don’t have a ROTH please smack yourself up side the head for me!). Into the ROTH went a few stocks. The first stocks I purchased. I bought one that never amounted to much (it was more of a buy that amounted to “I want to have a stock”) and then I bought General Electric (GE), Schering Plough (SGP) and Nokia (NOK). When I bought SGP and NOK they were probably at all time highs and then the market crashed. So I got screwed. I have held onto them until now. I sold NOK first thing on Monday and if SGP doesn’t come around (I think it will but probably never as high as what I bought it at) it will get the axe as well.

Part of me wants to put the blame on the broker, but that would be unfair. The market crashed right as I got in to SGP, NOK and GE. There’s no way he could have predicted it, but honestly I think the signs were there. GE has pulled around but the other 2 haven’t. Regardless, at the first of the year I’m going to take some money and invest it myself and see how it does. I’ve set up a simulated stock account and I’m up in only 4 weeks worth of trading. I’m not up huge numbers, but even the small amount that I’m up would be better than what I have with the broker (it’s a big fat negative right now!). If your looking to get into the market I highly recommend anything by Jim Cramer. Guy knows his shit and he’s as honest as he can be about stuff. Most of his picks have been dead on. The one’s that haven’t been dead on I haven’t done my homework on (which he totally advocates) I’ve lost a bit in my simulation account, but other than that I’m up about 20pts in one stock and a few others are up a few dollars here and there.

Enough stock talk. I could go on for awhile.

I got a panicked call from the wife at 9 this morning. Apparently the hot water heater was spewing water out of the escape valve. After talking to her I decided that it was best to head home. We’d never had hot water heater problems so I didn’t know what to do. I figured there was a way to turn off the water but I wasn’t sure where. I got a phone call when I was more than half way home (just as I suspected!), but continued on. I turned the heat up on the heater this weekend because the shower water wasn’t as warm so I suspect that’s what did it. Why it decided to spew today I have no clue, but it did. I stayed home and watched it heat back up and fill and all is running well. We’ll see how the hot water heater works tomorrow!