I wish I had discovered the GetFolio site about two years ago ... your approach and common sense rings true with me. I am 39, ... had saved for years in CD's, Mutual Funds, buying tax liens, T-Bills, Bonds .... and then as a neophyte jumped into the market .... and made $12,000 dollars my first week ....November, 1998 .....looking back, probably the worse thing that could have happened ....I was hooked and worse, thought I knew what I was doing!

I have committed every mistake you mentioned in your site....and as a degreed Technical Analyst working at the------------------- for 16 years .... I always thought I was at least of average intelligence.

I have been decimated by the latest turbulence ... I was prepared for a 10-20% correction but when my fibre optic NAZ holdings of DIGL fell from 126 to 38 .......and FIBR from 144 to 64 (probably good blood in the streets candidates now!) ....well, for the first time I was margined (because of last years losses ... I was "doubling down") ....and my broker liquidated my holdings ....the shares are gone as is any hope of recovery.

So, I turn 40 next Monday ....and in two years of active trading (1.7 million dollars last year ...churning) I have reduced my cash nest egg from $70,000.00 .......to $30,000.00 !!!!. Out 40 Grand !!! Stupid! ..... The silver lining? My tax lady says I get to deduct a Capital Gains Loss of $3,000 a year for almost the next ten years !!!!!

Question: I am scared ... and temporarily defeated .... I feel like a little fish that just fed his house down payment to Wall Street to be used by some unknown "smart money" guy for Yacht fuel. I cannot afford to go lower or have no safety net under me .....

....adding new savings .....and hoping to come back ....wiser and more cautious ....and using GetFolio.com to only buy when others are selling and running for doors .....and selling when others see only more optimism ... in short ....deferring to people such as yourself .....who have much better track records than I .... and after dropping $40 Grand ....your cost will seem a modest cost for Long Term Growth ...Peace of Mind ... and hopefully a better future .... I know I am better off still than many .......but I feel BROKE ...... I would appreciate your thoughts on my current plans ..... and would greatly consider any suggestions you have time to give ....thanks in advance ....