THE FATHER BLOG

My days of the week are all off because of the MLK holiday on Monday but we can combine Booze Tuesday with Family Wednesday easily with the topic of “homebrewing”.

Many, many years ago I purchased a homebrewing kit from a BJ’s Wholesale Club (I think they still exist even though Costco has taken over) as a Christmas present for my brother. He was always interested in making his own beer and I figured why not?

The starter kits are quite simple. Literally just some plastic buckets/containers, some tubing, and a bunch of little accessories. I’ll never forget his first attempt at brewing. We tried it together in my parents’ kitchen over the holidays and did we ever make a mess and make the house smell like a brewery. Then we spent a long time trying to fill bottles and cap them securely. I’m sure Mom was thrilled. And did the final product actually taste like beer? Sure. Was it good beer? Not really but we were in our 20s then so we drank it.

Fast forward 30 years later. My brother has this homebrewing art down to a science. I can honestly say everything he’s brewed in the past decade he could easily package and sell if he wanted. They are that good. It obviously took him time to experiment, discover the right ingredients, etc. But I really look forward to each time he brews which is usually summer and wintertime around the holidays.

If you are interested in homebrewing, go for it! You will make a mess and make a half drinkable beer in your first few attempts. Maybe now that the internet is available (as it wasn’t when he started) you can even follow all the advice available and make a more drinkable beer sooner than later. Here is a site that lists some of the best “starter kits”.

https://www.foodandwine.com/lifestyle/kitchen/best-home-brewing-kits?utm_source=googlepaid&utm_medium=con&utm_content=Cj0KCQiAqL28BhCrARIsACYJvkcU878WGNS6NsiuEJ6EWh1GvjL2m7pbnaO4UNh3quPZ4409P64SP0EaApAnEALw_wcB&utm_campaign=commerce-dd-AllArticles_FoodAndWine_Combined_CommSEM_OrganicLP_DSA&utm_term=&kw=paidnoads&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAqL28BhCrARIsACYJvkcU878WGNS6NsiuEJ6EWh1GvjL2m7pbnaO4UNh3quPZ4409P64SP0EaApAnEALw_wcB

Or here’s another good overview:

https://www.morebeer.com/questions/239?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAy8K8BhCZARIsAKJ8sfTBrqdOZ1-kpg-63JXacLGKJGwnCqxSgAFHhQX4QLim9YiuZY9WxaYaAr0fEALw_wcB

Cheers!!

The inauguration of a president happens every 4 years on January 20th and that day was yesterday. How will that change in leadership effect the stock market in the coming weeks, months, and years?

A simple online search will lead you to a single conclusion…..that nobody has a damn clue. “Trump signals new tariffs…the market is cautious.” “Futures rise with Trump back in office.” “Markets wary as Trump returns to White House”. Which of these should you believe?? Here’s the answer…ALL of them. The market over the next 4 years, as it did over the previous 4 years, will go up and down. When you should invest for the long term? Now. And that answer will never change.

There are many great investments that can be made every day. The key is to invest early, be patient, and let your money grow over time. If you are thinking about throwing thousands of dollars into penny stocks and hoping to “get rich quick”, you are better off going to the casino or the race track and betting it there. Find some quality stocks, ETFs, put more money in your IRAs or 401Ks,…whatever you want to do. But that’s the way you increase your wealth.

For the younger people, you have it easier now. You can download the trading apps, link your bank account, and start buying stocks. Back when I was in my 20s, you had to have a broker, make phone calls, have them make the purchase, transfer money, etc. Not as simple. Younger people….start now! Invest early and there is no amount too small.

For (slightly) older people like me, and yesterday was my 51st birthday, you can still invest in long term growth stocks if you plan on working into your 60s. 10+ years of investing in the S and P 500 can still give you some amazing returns.

The S and P 500 a year ago was just under 5000 and today it will open over 6000. For those of you not interested in doing the math, that is a growth of about 24% YoY. Not bad for ONE year!

Do you research and invest today!

Here is the USA, this weekend is a holiday weekend commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. For us, holiday weekends in the winter usually means hockey tournaments and I’ll just happen to be in the city of Pittsburgh for a few days. Nothing like escaping the dreary, snowy cold of NJ in exchange for the dreary, snowy cold of Pittsburgh.

Either way, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention at least something MLK said during his time. One of his most popular quotes was “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character”. This is by far my favorite quote of his and words to truly live by.

I’ve always lived by the mantra of “treat or judge everyone as an individual”. I’ve never been swayed by race, religion, political affiliation, etc. I meet someone and give them a chance and I’m usually a very good judge of character pretty quickly. Now here’s the best part of living this way….I never feel badly for NOT liking someone based on those things either. An asshole is just an asshole regardless of their background and you don’t have to like everyone. If you’re not a fan of someone, still be respectful and limit your interactions when possible. But for the wonderful people you meet in life, keep them close and embrace the time you spend with them.

Thank you Dr. MLK for trying to make this world a better place. Give everyone a chance today. Happy Friday!