RealMoney's Best Blogs

My story continues from there and I won't bore you with more details, but I think I can say, without any danger of overstatement, that the stock market has been extremely good to me. I never dreamed that losing my hearing would turn out to be the catalyst for something so positive. But if it hadn't happened, I'm sure my life would not be nearly as positive and satisfying as it is today.

All of us face our share of problems and challenges, and it is extremely important to keep in mind that life has a way of working out if you don't give up. The fact that some deaf guy who couldn't get a job at a fast-food restaurant ended up getting rich in the stock market is a pretty good example.

Don't forget to give thanks this Thanksgiving.

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Cody Willard's Blog: As Good As It Gets

Originally published on 11/21/2006 at 4:24 p.m. EST

It was another in a long line of steady days in the market, extending the steady rally mode that's existed for months. I'm uncomfortable being bullish when things are this good. How good are they?

• Yesterday, David Merkel cited a streak of 91 consecutive days (now 92) without a decline of 1% in the S&P 500. That's a pretty mind-blowing statistic.

• The volatility index is at record lows and trying to get into the single-digits for the first time... ever.

• Big-cap tech is on fire, with the highest-profile names of Microsoft (MSFT Quote), Apple (AAPL Quote) and Google (GOOG Quote) all at 52-week highs.

• Metals are in bull mode.

• Bonds are rocking and rates are low.

• Spreads on corporate bonds are low.

• It's more surprising when you walk into your office in the morning and don't see an 11-figure private equity deal taking supply out of the market.

• The permabears are even finally starting to get a little red-faced.

If the permabears would finally try to get long for a trade or two, this market might really be in trouble. My guess is that when the market does finally turn, we'll get the classic "flip it" setup, as bulls panic and permabears try to grab some long-side trades -- basically what we saw back in late spring and into the middle of the summer. It's almost enough to make you feel bad for those doomsdayers. Almost, but not quite, right?