I love stocks. I am not ashamed.

I believe stock picking matters, but I also believe in simple dollar cost averaging into low cost ETF’s. To each his own.

Today’s wonderful stock picking factoid:

Nike ($NKE) came public in 1984 at 22 cents (split adjusted). It is trading at the moment at all time highs of $58…up 265 fold.

I think the Company is just getting started (I am long) but as I write this it could be the highest price it ever prints on a long miserable road back to 22 cents. I have no idea what the P/E ratio is, never have. I can’t tell you their whisper number or their sales in China. I hear they have slave factories. They should have bought Oakley. They own Converse. I think they are a data/biotech company and the leader in ‘fashology’.

I have caught some major upside in this amazing company following just price, the products, some common sense and a bit of a plan.

How?

I read this today and loved it! The Future is here, it’s just not evenly distributed. I mean wow. Even though it was not written about the stock market, it is about the stock market:

Stocks and stock picking is not my hobby, it’s my business and career, but it can be anyone’s hobby. ANYONE!

I don’t understand how the markets can’t be everyone’s hobby. How can the best game on earth not be played by everyone.

If it is your hobby, it does not mean you should lose money. You will read about how big a loser you are everyday. YOU ARE NOT A GOOD INVESTOR. This post I trust it is FULL of true facts. Read it. Pin the blog post to your 4th screen devoted to penny stocks.

The world of finance is fascinated with returns and benchmarks. It’s all baloney for the 99 percent of us investing for ourselves.

You might not beat the markets and benchmarks but the benchmarks do not account for the journey. Roll up your sleeves.