What goes up always comes down

In the past few weeks I've been aggressively setting into motion a plan for retirement. I've been adding to meet my 2005 IRA contribution, studying up on and purchasing mutual funds, and playing a bit on the stock market. What I've concluded is that this is really fun. Who'd have ever thought that the once party-boy who lived to "make the entrance" at the bars has now traded in all his drink cards for the madness of investing. There's something quite addictive to watching the market in live stream. Every few seconds there are thousands of people buying and selling all around the world. Prices go up and down as frequently as I take in and let out breaths and it's just so fascinating to me.

Medical & pharmaceutical companies seem to be the safest and most profitable investments in the long run. Face it, the need for anything surrounding medicine & healing will always be there. As our bodies wear down there will always be companies scurrying to invent, market and sell us something to make us all better.

Infrastructure comes in second as far as a secure investment for me. No matter the condition of the current and future economy there will always be the need for building & maintaining our roads and utilities.

The ultimate goal is to retire in 10-15 years. I'd like to keep the house we're in (which will be paid off in 7-10 years) and in the meantime find a small place in a yet undiscovered lake community (yeah right) with a much cooler climate. Florida with it's hurricanes and humidity is getting old fast. The summers seem to get longer and hotter. I love the community we live in and have made some lifelong friends so leaving here for good doesn't seem like the long term plan. But I want the option available just in case. Right now the area I live in is steadfast liberal and quite Democratic in nature. But that could change. I can safely say that I will not live in a Republican dominated area. That said if the little blue spec in Florida's sea of red ever disappears I am so out of here.

I guess this surge of planning for the future has something to do with my recently turning 40. My worst fear is to be an old gay man trapped in a Republican community that despises me and no funds to get me out of here. I absolutely refuse to grow old and live in fear or misery. It's just not going to happen.