January 11, 2026, Issue 19

Another Sign of Aging

Soooo…..here is yet another fun issue that nobody tells you about but confirms that ya, your best days are way behind you. Thursday night prior to getting into bed I started to see flashes of light in my left eye whenever I blinked. And although I have experienced floaters in my eyes for many years, the amount was suddenly concerning. I stood by the bed and mentioned these symptoms to Mrs. Dadsadvice, who immediately consulted Dr. Google. Now I know we have all searched up our symptoms whenever we feel off in any way. I also know that the good Doc Google will usually tell you you have mere minutes to live, thereby scaring the bejesus out of us. This case was no different. I wasn’t heading to meet my maker, but I was about to lose the sight in my eye due to a retinal detachment. While the Mrs. was insistent on heading to the ER, I was more insistent on heading to bed. Needless to say I slept like a baby, while the wife stayed up worrying about installing ramps in the house.* First thing Friday morning I got myself into my optometrist and was given the diagnosis of PVD or Posterior Vitreous Detachment. This fancy and somewhat scary term refers to the vitreous gel that fills the eyeball separating from the retina. It is common between the ages of 55 and 65, and usually harmless. No treatment is required other than another checkup in a month. We want to be sure that the retina does not detach. So, it’s just a matter of getting used to lightning bolts in one eye whenever I blink. Charming!
So, now let us recap. Dad is on pills for an enlarged prostate, cholesterol, urine flow, and now special light shows in the eye. All this while still 82 days shy of 60. But who’s counting? As I have always said, let’s keep the numbers getting higher, it beats the alternative! Stay healthy out there!
*Footnote to my buddy Drew

Venezuela, Minnesota, Iran

Just in case you thought that the world would be calmer in 2026, events have unfolded to put those thoughts to rest. No one should shed a tear for Nicolas Maduro. 7 million people have fled the country since he took control. Thousands have died in “Judicial” killings. The fact that his support came from China, Cuba, and Iran should tell you all you need to know. Neither was this move without precedent. Manuel Noriega was captured back in 1990 in an effort to combat drug trafficking. The real question is what does the US do going forward? Allowing the current regime to stay in power does not make sense. If the goal was simply to liberate the oil reserves, and President Trump has said he wants to see $50 per barrel oil prices, the oil companies first need assurances of safety, and of course, they may not find $50 an attractive price to begin to invest billions of dollars to drill. We will see where this goes.
Minnesota is another story. Certainly there has been fraud related to government programs, and they have likely cost the governor his job, the killing of protestors by ICE isn’t what the country needs. Somehow the USA needs to find leadership that has the ability to pull the country together. Sadly, I don’t see anyone on the horizon.
Finally, perhaps real change is coming in Iran as large swaths of the population protest everything that their government has done over the last number of decades. This would be a chance for countries around the globe to try to push for regime change in a country that fuels hatred with no care for humanity.

New Year’s Start

Now a week and a half into 2026, how are your New Year’s Resolutions? Did you make any? If so, are they still alive? Personally I am still self-impressed that my 2025 resolution is still alive and well. I have been a regular at the gym and running, and aside from the “minor” issues listed above I do feel like I am in good shape. So for this year I would like to home in on what my next chapter will look like. For 18 years I have been on the corporate treadmill. While it can be financially rewarding, it can also feel like running a marathon with a weighted vest. I still stare at the guitar in my closet every single day. One of these days I will pick it up and turn into the next Luke Combs. Or…just be able to play a few chords….like Luke Combs.

2026 in the stock market has started rather well. New highs have been achieved, and the good times seem to be continuously rolling. However, there is most certainly a change in the areas where investors are placing their money. The darling tech stocks are doing just fine, but there is a rotation happening into other parts of the market. Healthcare, financials, and industrials are waking up and people are noticing. I do not think this is the end for tech, far from it. I believe that AI and all that goes with that is still in its infancy. But at the same time, I believe that investors want to see how all the crazy spending on AI is going to pay off. How will these companies monetize their forays into this brave new world? While waiting for answers, people are noticing that banks are doing well, airplanes and defense companies are producing at a rapid rate, and healthcare stocks have been oversold. I also believe this is a time to look for dividends. With our appetite for growth so great over the last three years, we have forgotten solid companies that pay us to hold their shares.
With all of this in mind, we have taken profits lately (RDDT, DKNG), and we sit on about a 20% stake of cash in the portfolio. This is easily the largest cash position that we have held since we started this venture. We are taking a bit of a wait and see approach, while at the same time adding new names to our watchlist.

New Stocks to Watch

Here are some companies that we are watching with an eye towards starting a position:
Sabra Healthcare REIT (SBRA) – This company owns real estate property in the USA and Canada. It then leases that property to third party tenants in the healthcare sector. The parties it leases to operate nursing homes, senior housing facilities, and specialty hospitals amongst other health related businesses. It is profitable and growing and oh ya, it pays out a 6.22% dividend, making it even more attractive.
Capital One Financial (COF) – Astute readers will know I mentioned this one a couple of weeks ago. While I haven’t pulled the trigger yet, I feel like this bank is built for growth. With the acquisition of Discover, they have a large spot in credit card business as well as their own proprietary network. They continue to grow the physical branches, which double as coffee shops, and they pay a dividend of 1.5%
Netflix (NFLX) – Ok, I know this is back to the technology field. I just feel as though no matter how tough the economy gets, people will hang on to their Netflix subscriptions. We just finished Peaky Blinders (highly recommend), and there is a movie coming out in March. With so many actors and comedians under contract, I feel like it doesn’t really matter whether they win the battle for Warner Brothers or not. In fact, they may be better off without it. Having said all of that, the stock trades less than 10% above its 52 week low, it is wildly profitable, and we are itching to get in.
As always, we will inform you of any trades before they happen.

Thought of the Day

Back to the top of this newsletter. I try to think about aging well. I am scheduled to run a 10K in Toronto in May, one month after my 60th birthday. I do not take health for granted. Without it, nothing else really matters. I know that my readers range in age from early 20s to late 80s. So I am curious, dear readers. What have you found surprising about aging so far? What events have occurred that you never gave a thought to, but found out that it was normal for your age? Has anyone been caught off guard by something like my PVD?