hanktanson, I will continue to hold a big slice of NCM because...

hanktanson, I will continue to hold a big slice of NCM because it is the biggest. As with other shares I hold, I feel I should have a mixture of blue chips, mid tear produces and explores. I suppose more for psychological reasons than anything else, blue chips provide some stability that allows me to sleep better at nights (ie. lower price volatility), mid tears provide better price movement when times are good. Explores provide that blue sky thrill if they take off, they also tend to move based on their exploration activity, not so much on general market movements, which keeps the interest up. Of all my stock, I love my explorers (except for the ones that went broke) very satisfying keeping up with their activities, blue chips are dead boring.
Whether most people admit it or not they are in the stock market because of a jackpot mentality. For instance you can make 20% per year in the stock market with very little risk. Simply, wait until there is a correction (usually at least 2 at 10% per year) buy in, wait until prices recover and sell out. Has the advantage that if there is a big crash you are not in the market. As markets drop quickly but turn back up more slowly its relatively easy to pick when to get back in. I did this for a year or so and it worked but I couldn?t stand it, it was too boring and I had overpowering urges to trade in between.
Having a balance of different shares works for me??it does bother me however, that I am so heavily into gold (65%) if it free-falls I will be in a bit of strife. But I suppose there is comfort in the fact that most of the world is a debt spiral.
I also hold explorers, CGM, NMG, PEX.