Just Keep Quiet and Squeeze the Damn trigger!

Noise is all about us this morning.  I just finished reading several essays published at  Seeking Alpha (www.seekingalpha.com) and the tug of words between the bulls and bears have reached the point of an Atlas Rocket upon take-off!  It's even worse than a 25,000 rpm router!

The steady hand of an investor or woodworker requires concentration.  It requires thoughtful analysis. And, it requires knowledge.  Our markets resemble a feeding trough with our cloven hoofed friends snarling at each other over the slightest morsel of new information.  The shop is so noisy from routers, planers and saws, that you can't even measure, let alone read your plan.

Here is the problem:  too much noise and not enough conviction to squeeze the trigger.

I've measured twice but I just can't bring myself to cut the damn wood.  I keep re-checking it because something just isn't right.  I'm feeling insecure.  OMG, I may make a mistake.  As a result, nothing gets accomplished.

I read the WSJ, SeekingAlpha, CNBC and MSNBC web sites.  The talking heads have me believing that I should liquidate this week before the S&P 500 falls to 900!  No, wait, I should be buying because the S&P 500 is going to break through the 1111 mark.., No, I should be in gold.  Well, what about the technology stocks?  Shouldn't I be in them since they will lead the markets?

Enough is enough.  You need to have a plan for the long term, not for day trading.  Wood costs money (why has a sheet of paint grade 3/4" plywood skyrocketed to $40 a sheet from $25 just a few years ago? Deflation-not at Home Depot!).  You can't afford to make a mistake.  Your portfolio represents your life plan and losses, especially those made later in life, can rarely be replaced.

Stick to your long term plan.  When you triage through all the noise and filter the stocks according to your goals, buy them.

Well, Sunday in the work shop was fun.  I completed another section of the counter and will start working on the next set of shelves.  I'd show pictures but the place is still a mess.  It drives me nuts.  However, it still looks better than my sister-in-laws kitchen or my much older sister's room!