This is the first time since I became an official investor a year ago where the unsettling sight of red greets me when I load my portfolio in MS Money. I have not lost all gains over the past year, but am now negative for my year-to-date returns, and I must admit – not quite as much fun as it was when it was black. 
Fortunately, pay day was today, so perhaps I will get a little dollar-cost-averaging in for this pay period before things recover.
I also made my first actual stock purchase about two months ago, thinking I had a good idea, and so far – not so much. From now on if I make a purchase from my taxable investment account, it will be in the form of a mutual fund – either index or otherwise. Unless a company gives me stock as a bonus of some sort, I do not think I’ll be purchasing it again any time soon.
