Thursday, September 25, 1997
Blind Hog Finds
Fooldom
by Robert E. Oberdorf
([email protected])
On April 4, 1997, I took an early medical retirement from a large government corporation engaged in delivery services. For about ten years I had been Foolishly investing in an S&P 500 index fund. I passionately avoided a special government bond fund (sorry, Bill) and a private sector bond fund. It was risky. I retired with a modest nest egg.
Upon retirement, my first priority was to get my money out of the clutches of the government. I rolled it over into a private investment company. I then purchased Zacks Analyst Service and subscribed to Mutual Fund Forecaster. Based on advice from the Mutual Fund Forecaster, I left Spartan Index and split my money among five mutual funds. They were good to me, but I yearned to be an active investor.
When it came to investing, I was basically a fool -- with a lower-case "f" -- and I proceeded with caution. They say even a blind hog will find an acorn. This hog discovered Fooldom.
Oh, I had heard of the Motley Fool... I just did not pay attention. Then last week I read my first book in years, The Motley Fool Investment Guide. I joined up at Fool.com on Friday, September 12, and I kissed my mutual funds goodbye. Today I started my personal Dow Four investment strategy. Twenty minutes a year is a perfect match for one of my character flaws.
I believe that I have the potential to be a successful Fool. Although I will admit to one foolish slip this week: I tried to buy 1,000 shares of the BoxHill IPO based on limited research and a "gut" feeling. I only got 200 shares. Who knows? It could be a f(F)oolish stumble or maybe a coup. (Did I mention the blind hog?) Anyway, I will be a full-fledged Fool yet. Soon I hope to be comfortable with some other investing strategies I'm learning about at the Motley Fool. Then I am going to expand my twenty minutes a year investment strategy and work on that character flaw.
Here's to Fooldom and Fools everywhere.
--LazyFool
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