Too rich for my (dog's) blood?

This is going to be harder than I thought.

I dorked out recently and subscribed to Smart Money Magazine. I did this for two reasons. First, I knew 2008 was the year of my economic stimulus and that I was going to actively invest. Second, I got an Amazon gift certificate from Cam (thanks Cammy!) and figured I already read people.com so much that I don't need to scan the rag in doctor's offices anymore.

There's an article in Smart Money's April issue titled Oasis of Growth that highlights a few good stocks to pick during a recession. The one that appealed to me most was Idexx Laboratories (IDXX). Like any animal lover, I would scrounge for loose change under sofa cushions everywhere to save my baby boy Sherman's life. (That's my "little" guy running with his cousin, Paulie.) Idexx is a medical equipment company that caters to vets (MRI equipment, blood work machines, etc.) and runs its own labs. The latter made me laugh because I run my own lab too (see picture!), albeit a black lab.

Anyway, the sad part? IDXX closed at $49.80 a share today. So with my $600, I could get a measly 12. Twelve shares is not the portfolio diversification I had in mind. Perhaps I should be a bit more frugal for starters.

The thing is I heard a while back that you should invest in something you care about. Not sure of this tidbit's source. Adam thinks it was Warren Buffett. I'm not up on my multi-billionaires so maybe. But I found something along that line from Peter Lynch as quoted in this Investopedia article:

"If you stay half-alert, you can pick
the spectacular performers right from
your place of business or out of the neighborhood
shopping mall, and long before Wall Street
discovers them."

Lynch's picks from the article are PepsiCo, Columbia and Whirlpool. Hey ... I have a Columbia fleece. Maybe I can get more out it than the warmth I count on in this cold house we're renting. Columbia fell 1.78 to 42.14 today ...
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