I have been told that investing in the stock market is like riding a
roller coaster except your emotions respond the opposite.  In other
words as your going up the incline you have a feeling of exuberance
but when you get to the top and start traveling downward instead of
elation you experience disappointment and anticipation of the next
incline. All I know is my roller coaster ride that started at the end
of October of 2007 has had many more valleys than peaks.
Early November of 2007 is when the results of faulty lending practices
made by financial institutions hit the market. As a result the level
the stocks I purchased in early November declined and just when it
looked like things were going to start to turn around in late December
when financial institutions were getting their houses in order along
comes January of 2008 and wham - more bad news - the unemployment rate
is at an all time high further indicating our economy is in a
recession - the result - whatever gains my stocks started to make in
late December have been wiped out and then some.
I would like to get off of this roller coaster until the layout of the
ride is redesigned but my seat belt won't release until I reach the
peak I started at in late October of 2007 and it is beginning to look
like that hill is a long way off