You are making money and profit is what counts. I like your list of stocks. Anne Scheiber is an inspiration to me. http://faculty.seattlecolleges.com/dluther/annescheiber.htm "Scheiber had earned a law degree and passed the bar exam. During her career at the IRS reviewing other people's assets ..." I suspect Anne Scheiber examined lots of rich peoples' tax returns and learned what kind of trading makes real money. Then she became a professional investor, increasing $ 5000 to about $ 20 million. Leaving her money to Stern College for Women and Albert Einstein College of Medicine she might be sending a message to others: This is one way that it can be done.