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Okay this is gonna be a long vent post because I am pretty frustrated and upset. I’m debating going up to CVS and going off on the lead pharmacist for not doing their job correctly.
Basically I was supposed to start this new prescription for my mental health. My doctor sent the prescription in at the end of March 2024. After this doctors appointment life got really busy, and I forgot about the new prescription until about two weeks ago. I checked my CVS app to see if it was ready and maybe I just missed the phone call where they tell you to come pick up your prescription. When I looked, it said “out of stock”. I thought “that’s weird” because I have never had a prescription be out of stock before. The app said when a prescription is out of stock they usually refill it in about 2-3 business days so I figured maybe they just hadn’t gotten it in yet. So I went on with my life. I am a very busy person and time gets away from me pretty quickly, so all of a sudden it was the beginning of May. I was starting to be a bit concerned. Fast forward to today (5/7/24), I got an appointment reminder for my next appointment with my psychiatrist which is scheduled for tomorrow. I thought to myself “shit, she’s gonna ask me how I like my new medication and I haven’t even been able to try it yet” so I decided to call the pharmacy. After going through 10 minutes of prerecorded options I finally got through to a human. I explained my problem, and they were super helpful. The pharmacy tech that I spoke to said “That’s weird. It says here we were supposed to receive the medication on April 1st but it never arrived”. I said “that’s weird” and she agreed. She told me I could call Central Fill which I guess is the CVS medication distribution center, and she gave me their phone number. I said thank you and hung up the phone. This is where this story absolutely blows my mind. I call Central Fill, and I just repeat the same thing to the support tech that I said to the pharmacy tech, that I had been waiting on a prescription for about a month now. The guy on the phone goes “A MONTH??!!” Very clearly shocked. I said “Yes, a month. The person at the pharmacy that I spoke to said they were supposed to receive it April 1st and it never arrived.” He is flabbergasted. He tells me that most likely what happened is that USPS lost the package in transit. CVS was supposed to wait a week after the date they were supposed to receive it, and if it never came they were supposed to report it to Central Fill so they could fix it. He apologized profusely and said he would call the pharmacy and advise them on the proper procedure because they didn’t do what they were supposed to. I said thank you very much and hung up. 10 minutes later I got a text saying my order was put in and I would be updated when it’s filled.
I am just beside myself. Thankfully it was a new med that I hadn’t started yet, and not one I was reliant on. When I stopped seroquel cold turkey last year I got very sick, I have no idea what this medication would have done. Not to mention, they lost a whole prescription in the mail. How does that even happen? Now someone out there possibly just has my medication… that’s crazy to me. I don’t work in healthcare, but I work in a heavily regulated industry similar to the pharmaceutical industry and if a product was supposed to be delivered to us and somehow got lost in the delivery process, there would be an investigation, someone would be getting fired, and people would be getting fined as well. Possibly even arrested if theft is involved. So the fact that my prescription went missing and unreported for a month until I, THE PATIENT, had to go and report it myself, is just insane to me. I want to go there and make them understand how serious that is, and how clearly they don’t care about their patients health and safety. I’m literally so angry, I don’t know what to do. Should I talk to the pharmacist when I go to get my prescription tomorrow? I just don’t understand how they didn’t report it.

I've seen a few posts floating around about moving to Wegovy for a period of time while we all ride out this dang shortage. I decided to make that switch, so I thought I'd do a quick post about my experience so far!
Background: I started Wegovy in February of 2023, and used it until November of 2023 when Zepbound became available. I was fortunate to be ahead of the worst of the shortages, and due to having to take a break to have an ACL/MCL/Meniscus reconstruction surgery in June of 2023, I was able to get a two box cushion in the fridge. I changed to Zepbound to try and avoid any shortages (oh the irony!) because I was ready to move to 1.7mg after quite a bit of time on 1.0mg, and could not find it anywhere. My insurance plan covered Zepbound, so it seemed like a no brainer to make the change.
Stats: Female, 36, 5'2, SW 260, Zepbound SW 198, CW 172
After waiting for that elusive May 1 date that we all kept hearing about with no change in status, I decided to go ahead and switch back to Wegovy, which my pharmacy has in stock almost all of the time. I was on 7.5mg of Zepbound, which really seemed to be the sweet spot for me, so this wasn't a decision I wanted to make, but I also didn't want to go without any medication and have to start all over at 2.5mg or deal with crazy side effects when I was able to get my next prescription of 7.5mg.
I moved to the max dose of Wegovy (2.4mg), and was a little worried about making the switch, but so far, it has been smooth sailing. I have had some very mild nausea, but it usually comes when I realize I need to eat and it has been very easily managed. My appetite is GONE. Food noise is GONE. I'm currently forcing myself to eat, which is one of the things I didn't like about Wegovy vs. Zepbound. With Wegovy, I have no desire to eat, no hunger cues, and am eating because I know I have to. With Zepbound, I still get hunger cues, I just fill up very quickly, so I was really learning to read my "full" cues and listening to my body. I definitely felt like I was eating a lot more intuitively, and in a much more sustainable way. However, I can live with making myself eat for now. I went back to setting timers on my phone to remind myself to eat, and I'm still eating 6-8 really small "meals" each day, with a huge focus on protein since I eat so little.
Insurance Info/Logistics required for making the switch: My Employer uses CVS Caremark for our prescription coverage, and I did require a separate Prior Authorization for Wegovy for this year. The PA was submitted and approved in about 10 minutes, which was also my experience with the PA for Zepbound. I called before getting the script and PA for Wegovy to insure that it would NOT mess up my PA for Zep, and I was assured that having a PA for two weight loss meds wasn't going to be an issue at all. I can also still fill my script for Zepbound when it finally comes in. My insurance does cover Zepbound, and it was costing me around $30/month using the savings card. The monthly cost for Wegovy is $24.99, however, the savings card drops it to $0/month, which is a nice little bonus. The price for Wegovy before was around $50/month with the savings card, so it has definitely dropped, which was a nice surprise. I'll keep that $30/month in my FSA for a few months while Zepbound is in shortage I guess!
Overall, it has been a smooth transition, and I'm grateful that I am able to stay on some form of medication in these crazy shortage times. I'm also extremely grateful and thankful for our insurance coverage, and I'm REALLY grateful for my PCP, who has been my #1 cheerleader and really supportive through all of this. And I can't talk enough about the team of rockstars at my Wal-Mart Pharmacy. Those folks are the real heroes here!!

Hello!
I'm reaching out on behalf of my wife, who has approximately one year of experience with my start-up (more of a side project, nothing overly serious). She's looking to transition to another company, so I've been assisting her in sending out CVs to various companies.
By the way, we're based in Italy, which I feel compelled to mention because the job market here can be challenging. Many companies tend to conflate graphic design with UX/UI, and positions that blend these skills are quite scarce, often attracting over 200 applicants.
Recently, she was contacted by a large company that assigned her a take-home project. While I typically decline such requests due to the significant time investment they require, I encouraged her to proceed given the competitiveness of the field here.
She dedicated five full days to the project, encompassing research, user flows, LoFi/HiFi wireframes, component design, colotypography tokens, and prototypes.
I must admit feeling somewhat disappointed when she only underwent an HR interview before receiving a rejection, without even an opportunity for a technical interview to discuss the substantial effort she invested in the project.
Now, onto the questions:

1. Can she publish a case study of her project on LinkedIn? Is it legally permissible, or could mentioning the company name pose potential issues? She aims to use it as an article to highlight her skills in the hopes of attracting potential recruiters.
2. Would it be appropriate for her to include the project in her portfolio?

I don't know if I'm allowed to share here the link of the Figma, let me know so maybe you could also give a brief look on it, I assure you it's a lot of good work
Thank you in advance for any insights!

Hey so I have been treating my fungal acne with oral fluconazole and selsun blue. I have been afraid to use my regular skincare products and I hope to transition to a fungal acne safe products. I think I am going to buy the vanicream daily facial cleanser but I am struggling to find a good moisturizer and sunscreen. Do you have any recommendations for a moisturizer for sensitive skin and a mineral sunscreen ? It would be great if they were readily available at places like cvs or Walgreens

Hi everyone, I’m Marvin 👋
Years ago, I faced significant challenges transitioning to remote work. I had to apply to over 30 job positions, using a Trello board to keep everything organized—it was overwhelming! 🤯
After much struggle, I finally landed a remote job. 🚀
I started as a Mid Software Engineer, then became a Head of Engineering in a startup, and most recently as Director of Engineering at the Linux Foundation and a Software Architect consultant.
This experience was so impactful that when I started on my solopreneur path, I knew I wanted to help others overcome similar hurdles. That's why I launched NextCommit. The platform supports tech candidates throughout their journey to find remote jobs, from analyzing CVs to achieving their ultimate goal of securing a position.
I’m constantly looking to add new features, such as job application tracking, automatic job matching, and CV and cover letter optimization for specific postings.
I invite you to sign up for a free account to explore and filter the most recent job postings and receive a summary analysis of your CV.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this tool! Feel free to DM me or connect on LinkedIn, X, or email—any feedback is highly appreciated! ❤️
Good luck and happy job hunt! 🍀
If you wanna know more about me, I’ve shared more about my journey in my newsletter here if you’re curious: https://se7entyse7en.beehiiv.com/p/jump-ball ✨

Hi everyone, I’m Marvin 👋
Years ago, I faced significant challenges transitioning to remote work. I had to apply to over 30 job positions, using a Trello board to keep everything organized—it was overwhelming! 🤯
After much struggle, I finally landed a remote job. 🚀
I started as a Mid Software Engineer, then became a Head of Engineering in a startup, and most recently as Director of Engineering at the Linux Foundation and a Software Architect consultant.
This experience was so impactful that when I started on my solopreneur path, I knew I wanted to help others overcome similar hurdles. That's why I launched NextCommit. The platform supports candidates throughout their journey to find remote jobs, from analyzing CVs to achieving their ultimate goal of securing a position.
I’m constantly looking to add new features, such as job application tracking, automatic job matching, and CV and cover letter optimization for specific postings.
I invite you to sign up for a free account to explore and filter the most recent job postings and receive a summary analysis of your CV.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this tool! Feel free to DM me or connect on LinkedIn, X, or email—any feedback is highly appreciated! ❤️
Good luck and happy job hunt! 🍀
If you wanna know more about me, I’ve shared more about my journey in my newsletter here if you’re curious: https://se7entyse7en.beehiiv.com/p/jump-ball ✨

Hi everyone, I’m Marvin 👋
Years ago, I faced significant challenges transitioning to remote work. I had to apply to over 30 job positions, using a Trello board to keep everything organized—it was overwhelming! 🤯
After much struggle, I finally landed a remote job. 🚀
I started as a Mid Software Engineer, then became a Head of Engineering in a startup, and most recently as Director of Engineering at the Linux Foundation and a Software Architect consultant.
This experience was so impactful that when I started on my solopreneur path, I knew I wanted to help others overcome similar hurdles. That's why I launched NextCommit. The platform supports candidates throughout their journey to find remote jobs, from analyzing CVs to achieving their ultimate goal of securing a position.
I’m constantly looking to add new features, such as job application tracking, automatic job matching, and CV and cover letter optimization for specific postings.
I invite you to sign up for a free account to explore and filter the most recent job postings and receive a summary analysis of your CV.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this tool! Feel free to DM me or connect on LinkedIn, X, or email—any feedback is highly appreciated! ❤️
Good luck and happy job hunt! 🍀
If you wanna know more about me, I’ve shared more about my journey in my newsletter here if you’re curious: https://se7entyse7en.beehiiv.com/p/jump-ball ✨

Hi everyone, I'm Marvin! 👋
Years ago, I faced significant challenges transitioning to remote work. I had to apply to over 30 job positions, using a Trello board to keep everything organized—it was overwhelming! 🤯
After much struggle, I finally landed a remote job. 🚀
I started as a Mid Software Engineer, then became a Head of Engineering in a startup, and most recently as Director of Engineering at the Linux Foundation and a Software Architect consultant. I’ve shared more about my journey in my newsletter here if you’re curious: https://se7entyse7en.beehiiv.com/p/jump-ball ✨
This experience was so impactful that when I started on my solopreneur path, I knew I wanted to help others overcome similar hurdles. That's why I launched NextCommit. The platform supports candidates throughout their journey to find remote jobs, from analyzing CVs to achieving their ultimate goal of securing a position.
I’m constantly looking to add new features, such as job application tracking, automatic job matching, and CV and cover letter optimization for specific postings.
I invite you to sign up for a free account to explore and filter the most recent job postings and receive a summary analysis of your CV.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this tool! Feel free to DM me or connect on LinkedIn, X, or email—any feedback is highly appreciated! ❤️
Good luck and happy job hunt! 🍀

I'm currently in the process of crafting a C++ Custom Module for Godot to harness some of OpenCV's functionalities directly from GDScript. While I've managed to successfully link the OpenCV library on Windows and utilize it for tasks like video capture and image reading from paths or base64 strings, I've hit a snag when attempting to replicate this success on Android.
​
On Windows, I've smoothly integrated OpenCV, enabling functions like video capture and image previewing within Godot. However, the transition to Android has been fraught with challenges. Despite achieving some milestones, such as printing the OpenCV library version using `get_opencv_version` and successfully reading base64 strings and previewing images in Godot using `ImageTexture`, I've encountered errors when trying to incorporate video capture functionalities.
​
Here are the specific errors I'm encountering during the compilation of my C++ Custom Module using SCons on Android:
​

ld: error: undefined symbol: AMediaCodec_dequeueInputBuffer >>> referenced by cap_android_mediandk.cpp >>> cap_android_mediandk.cpp.o:(AndroidMediaNdkCapture::decodeFrame()) in archive D:\OpenCV-android-sdk\sdk\native\staticlibs\arm64-v8a\libopencv_videoio.a >>> referenced by cap_android_mediandk.cpp >>> cap_android_mediandk.cpp.o:(AndroidMediaNdkVideoWriter::writeBytes(unsigned char*, unsigned long)) in archive D:\OpenCV-android-sdk\sdk\native\staticlibs\arm64-v8a\libopencv_videoio.a ld: error: too many errors emitted, stopping now (use -error-limit=0 to see all errors) clang++: error: linker command failed with exit code 1 (use -v to see invocation) ===== scons: *** [bin\libgodot.android.template_debug.arm64.so] Error 1 scons: building terminated because of errors. [Time elapsed: 00:00:49.527] 

Here is the full bug list: https://github.com/azoozs/opencv-godot/blob/main/log.txt
The errors primarily revolve around undefined symbols related to `AMediaExtractor` and `AMediaCodec`, such as `AMediaExtractor_new`, `AMediaCodec_createDecoderByType`, and others. These symbols seem crucial for integrating OpenCV's video IO functionalities on the Android platform.
​
Any insights or suggestions on resolving these linker errors and successfully integrating OpenCV with Godot on Android would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for your assistance!
​
Here are the complete files related to my custom C++ module:
https://github.com/azoozs/opencv-godot/
​
GDScript side:

extends Control var thread var opencv_module = opencv.new() func _ready(): if OS.request_permissions(): print("yes azooz4 grant permisions") else: print("no azooz4 grant don't permisions, I will try again") OS.request_permissions() func _thread_function(): opencv_module.set_video_bool(true) while(opencv_module.get_video_bool() == true): #print("true") opencv_module.video_capture(0) func _process(delta): $TextureRect.texture = opencv_module.get_frame() if opencv_module.get_video_bool() == false: #print("into process and false") $TextureRect.texture = null func _on_start_pressed(): thread = Thread.new() thread.start(self._thread_function) func _on_end_pressed(): opencv_module.set_video_bool(false) func _exit_tree(): if thread: thread.wait_to_finish() 

​

In previous months, I’ve been able to call pharmacies around my area and eventually find one with my dose of generic Vyvanse in stock. This month I haven’t.
I called my insurance and they granted me a temporary approval for the name-brand Vyvanse through September, but it still costs more than I can really afford out of pocket. I usually pay $10/month for the generic and now I’ll have to pay $80 this month if I can’t find the generic in stock somewhere before I lapse.
The insurance company warned me that if the generic is still on national backorder beyond September, they may choose not to extend the approval, leaving me on the hook to pay over $500/month if I were to continue taking Vyvanse. There’s no way in hell I could afford that, so I’d be forced to either stop the meds cold turkey or transition to another medication.
I’m dreading the thought of having to switch to a new medication. Vyvanse has dramatically improved my abilities to focus and complete tasks, as well as my anxiety and overall quality of life. I recently graduated college, started a new job that I’m doing l well at so far, and moved into my first home with my partner. I honestly owe part of my success to being on Vyvanse and I want to do everything I can reasonably do to stay on it.
Does anyone have any insight into when we can expect the generic to become available again?
Has anyone had any luck finding it? Are there any particular pharmacy chains that you’ve had better luck finding it at? (CVS/Target and Walmart pharmacies don’t take my insurance and I live in the DFW area of Texas.)
If Vyvanse has worked for your ADHD, have any of y’all had success transitioning from Vyvanse to another medication that’s more affordable and readily available?
I’m trying my best to remain positive and am prepared to bite the bullet for the name brand meds if I can’t find the generic before I run out of my current supply. But I can’t lie- I’m pretty nervous about the worst case scenario of having to get off of Vyvanse in October. Thanks for any info or support y’all are able to share about this!

AbbVie, a pharmaceutical company known for its immunology treatments, recently surpassed first-quarter financial forecasts, driven largely by its successful immunology division. This success comes amid speculation regarding the potential impact of Humira biosimilars on the company's revenue.
However, industry analysts suggest that these concerns may not significantly affect the company's financial performance and may already be accounted for in its financial projections.
Following the earnings report release, AbbVie's shares experienced a slight downturn, attributed to apprehensions about future sales of Humira. Yet, as market activity resumed, AbbVie's stock demonstrated resilience, climbing by 1.2% to close at $161.52.
Currently, the stock appears to be consolidating, with a potential entry point emerging at $189.82. This presents an opportunity for investors as the stock stabilizes within this range.

AbbVie's Financial Performance: Humira Surpasses Revenue Expectations

In the recent financial quarter, Humira, a long-standing product of AbbVie, witnessed a significant dip in sales by almost 36%, bringing in $2.27 billion. Despite the drop, this performance exceeded market predictions, which ranged from $2.21 to $2.24 billion, surpassing even the company's own forecast of $2.2 billion.
It's been over a year since Humira began to contend with biosimilar alternatives in the domestic market.
The CVS recently opted to exclude the original Humira from its covered medications, which came into effect at the start of April. Consequently, there was a notable uptick in prescriptions for Novartis's biosimilar, Hyrimoz.
AbbVie's market analysts, such as Joseph Schwartz from Leerink Partners, suggest that placement on formularies in 2025 will be critical for the company's financial health.
AbbVie's management has conveyed that the decline in U.S. sales aligns with their projections, citing pricing as the principal driver of this trend for the quarter. They also prepared for the restructuring of CVS's drug formulary within their yearly financial outlook.
Physicians are not universally transitioning patients from Humira to more affordable biosimilars. If a patient has their condition well-managed by Humira, doctors are hesitant to switch.
However, when management is less effective, other treatments with different mechanisms are considered, which could benefit two of AbbVie's other immunologic drugs, Skyrizi and Rinvoq, addressing similar conditions.
Skyrizi and Rinvoq have shown robust revenue growth, with increases of 47.6% and 59.3%, respectively, in the first quarter. Sales figures were $2.01 billion for Skyrizi and $1.09 billion for Rinvoq, both of which exceeded expectations.
Industry specialists anticipate continued strong performance from these drugs, with Skyrizi potentially surpassing Humira in profitability by 2024, boasting projected sales of $10.63 billion.
Check our related pages for these two stocks:

• Abbvie stock prediction
• CVS stock prediction

Management of Humira's Biosimilar Impact

AbbVie is on course to witness a robust and sustained increase in its financial performance in the coming years.
According to industry analysts' forecasts, AbbVie's revenue is anticipated to rise from an estimated $54.85 billion to $73.47 billion by 2029, signaling a return to growth following a 6.4% decrease to $54.32 billion in the previous year.
During the initial year of facing biosimilar competition for its drug Humira, the pharmaceutical giant has reportedly handled the market challenges effectively.
This strategic navigation is coupled with bolstering their portfolio to significantly exceed performance expectations.
The company's shares are poised to gain from a series of pivotal events anticipated throughout the year.
​

• Potential approval of Skyrizi for treating ulcerative colitis patients.
• Expected endorsements for treatment options in Parkinson’s disease and a specific kind of lymphoma.

Furthermore, the company is looking to secure approvals for:
​

• A novel treatment aimed at minimizing frown lines.
• Rinvoq for treating giant cell arteritis, a condition marked by inflammation of large vessels in regions such as the scalp, neck, and arms.

Earlier had a customer come in. Wanted to send money. Asked if they had the app/account everything set up, how much money we talking about sending, usual questions. Customer didn't have app or account but was willing to download and set it up. Problem was, they wanted to send $1000. I said nope can't too much money. I know we can send $800 and receive $300. They left and came back asking if they can split the transactions. One $500, the second one $500. I still told them no.
My reasoning that I don’t know how it works for sure. I told the customer I wasn't positive there was a limit like Cash app has where you have a max to load up. Just for our store location though. I didn't want the customer to put that much money in the account and not be able to send it all.
Also didn't know what locations take the app and if it was just DG that had it or other stores. We don't have a Western Union in our area and limited stores that can send/receive money.
So questions being, what stores use the app? Does it have to be at DG stores? Can you split the transaction up or is there a limit per store? Will the app let you send split transitions if the total for both is over $800? Is it set up by location and amount like if you send 800 at one store, can you send more on a different transaction but using the same account/app? Can you pick up split amounts at different locations if the customer sent 800 but you can't have them pick up that huge amount at a single DG at one time. Could they go to another DG or Hyvee or CVS or wherever to get the rest?
We don't get a lot of Western Union transactions or customers that use it regularly. Whenever a new customer comes in, they are surprised every time that they have to download the app, so it makes it seem like our stores are the only ones to use it. On top of that, other businesses have put a limit on how much is sent or received.
I tried looking this up but the handbook has nothing about this. Looking it up online doesn't answer these questions. If anyone knows how this system works, or can answer my questions I would appreciate it.

I started working at CVS in the beginning of November 2023. Since I am a freshman in college on a pre health track, I thought it would be a good opportunity to get into that space and I could transitions from front store to pharmacy. And I want to preface this by saying that I’m really grateful for the experience and fully understand how privileged I am to not have to work a crazy amount of hours to make rent since I live at home.
At first, it was the only thing that really gave me the ick was my shift manager. He was known for making super unnecessary comments and telling extremely detailed accounts of his life (including things like intimacy). Then it became more obvious why people didn’t want to work here. My main manager is extremely hardworking and I really respect her for that. But she always makes the younger employees pick up the slack when the older adults don’t do their job. Even though kids come in constantly asking for an application, we are still short staffed. In my time working here, we’ve had 3 new hires, and all 3 of them left. The last one left (quit literally today) less than a month after starting, and now my manager will expect me to pick up the slack. My work bestie got injured and I have no idea when she’s coming back. The other girl I enjoy working with is moving away for grad school and is quitting in the following weeks.
The only thing that’s really kept me here is my shifts at the pharmacy. I really enjoy working there and my pharmacist is super kind. But just as I finished my cross training, I’m barely scheduled in the pharmacy at all. I feel like I wasted so much time and effort. I could’ve put that energy towards school instead of cvs. I feel like there’s no point for me to be there anymore.
I got accepted to a program over the summer (it’s six weeks Monday to Friday 9 to 5) to get a phlebotomy certification and after that a family friend offered me a job at their medical office. It makes sense for me to pursue that especially considering my family friend is extremely kind and will ensure that the work environment is safe and enjoyable for me. But I’m so afraid to tell my manager. I feel like she will try and gaslight me into staying since she just got me crosstrained. But there is no reason for me to be there except for the money, and I will get that anyways at my new job. How do you think I should tell my manager about my program and my new opportunity?

Hey all! I'm a college student who writes a free weekly newsletter on the LA City Council. The most important items from the first week of April are below. If you want this email newsletter, sign up here to get the newsletter in your inbox.

Los Angeles City Council Summary - Week of 04/01/2024

Tuesday 4/2 (1 hr 55 min)

• 13 Present
• 2 Absent: Blumenfield, Yaroslavsky

Wednesday 4/3 (1 hr 48 min)

• 15 Present

Friday 4/5 (4 hr 50 min)

• 13 Present
• 2 Absent: Rodriguez, Yaroslavsky

Note: The council was in recess during the week of March 25th
CF 23-­1022-­S2: Housing and Homelessness Committee Report relative to identifying Roadmap Agreement sites in each Council District that are slated to end and potentially demobilize in 2025; and developing a plan for extending necessary leases and contracts to enable Roadmap beds to meet the milestones for the LA Alliance Settlement Agreement (Alliance Settlement); and related matters.

• Discussion Highlights:
  
  • Blumenfield described the conflict with LA County over the servicing of the 6700 beds created under the Alliance Settlement. For the beds to count towards the agreement, they must remain operational until 2027. Moreover, many short-term hotel agreements will not count. Therefore, this measure sustains the beds that the City built and ensures services are provided and maintained by LA County.
  • Rodriguez reiterated that the City should hold the county accountable for providing roadmap services.
• Passed unanimously
  

CF 12­-1690-­S20: Housing and Homelessness Committee Report relative to improving the Augmented Winter Shelter (AWS) Program and better managing weather-related emergencies.

• Discussion Highlights:
  
  • Raman said the measure helps improve the efficiency of the winter shelter infrastructure and resource allocation. She described the logistical inadequacies of the program. She communicated that LAHSA faced significant challenges in providing an adequate amount of hotel vouchers, and she said the hotline only serviced five thousand calls out of thirteen thousand received.
• Passed unanimously
  

CF 24-­0002-­S2: Resolution (Yaroslavsky – Yaroslavsky – Hernandez) relative to including in the City’s 2024­25 State Legislative Program support for Assembly Bill 1956 (Reyes) ­Crime Victim Services Stabilization Act.

• Discussion Highlights:
  
  • Yaroslavsky said the resolution expresses support for the CVS Stabilization Act. She elaborated on the severe lack of funding from the state to provide social services to survivors of domestic violence. She noted only 10% of survivors can access a dedicated shelter bed, and only 9k survivors could access beds last year. Moreover, a planned 30% reduction in funding for social services from the state will exacerbate the problem.
• Passed unanimously
  

CF 23-­1338: Trade, Travel, and Tourism and Planning and Land Use Management Committees’ Report relative to reporting on the progress, community engagement, and planned steps to complete the Van Nuys Airport (VNY) Vision Study.

• Discussion Highlights:
  
  • Padilla explained the measure will ensure accountability to and engagement with the community in the development of the Vision Study.
• Passed unanimously
  

CF 24-0002-S3: Consideration of Resolution (Blumenfield - Price) relative to including in the City’s 2024-25 State Legislative Program support for Assembly Bill 3085 (Gipson, Muratsuchi) which would seek to update existing State laws pertaining to criminal street takeover activity in order to effectively deter illegal street takeovers, protect public safety and save human lives.

• Discussion Highlights: The motion was first substituted by a unanimous vote before the final vote to pass it took place.
  
• 10 Yes
  
• 2 No: Hernandez, Soto-Martinez
  

CF 23­-1098 and CF 23­-1098-­S1: Planning and Land Use Committee Reports relative to CEQA appeals filed for the Sportsmen’s Lodge Project.

• Public Comment: Laborers from the Western States Regional Council of Carpenters spoke in support of the Sportsman’s Lodge Project. They opposed the CEQA appeal. They argued the developer and union laborers have met CEQA requirements, and the project will create hundreds of jobs.
• 13 Yes
• 1 No: Soto-Martinez

CF 24­-0195: Energy and Environment Committee Report.pdf) relative to the support and achievement of the Clean Energy Partnership (CEP) 2028 Roadmap targets including virtual power plants, distributed energy resources, and related matters.

• Passed unanimously

CF 23-­0172: Housing and Homelessness Committee Report relative to developing a local zoning ordinance for affordable housing development on sites owned by religious institutions and properties owned by faith-based institutions located in Council District 5.

• 13 Yes
• 1 No: Park

CF 14-1763-S3: Communication from the City Administrative Officer relative to the Tentative Agreement and Amendment No. 3 to the Memorandum of Understanding for the Police Officers, Captain and Above Bargaining Unit (MOU 25) for 2019­-2027.

• 8 Yes
• 3 No: Soto-Martinez, Hernandez, Raman

CF 22-­0761-­S3 (CD 12): Motion (Lee – Blumenfield) relative to funding for additional police services within Council District 12.

• 11 Yes
• 2 No: Soto-Martinez, Hernandez

CF 24-­0352: Motion (Padilla – Park) relative to funding for additional police services in the Los Angeles Police Department's (LAPD) Mission Area for the North Hills Park in Council District 6.

• 11 Yes
• 2 No: Soto-Martinez, Hernandez

CF 05­-0686­-S5: Motion (De Leon – Lee) relative to funding to facilitate construction for the Go For Broke affordable housing project (1st Street North housing project) by reconfiguration of City Parking Lots 2 and 7 whose spaces and operations will be impacted by this project.

• Passed unanimously

CF 24-­0010-­S3: Motion (Harris-Dawson – Blumenfield) relative to an offer of a reward for information leading to the identification, apprehension, and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the death of Angelica Maria Gutierres on Thursday, October 29, 2020.

• Passed unanimously

18-0244-S3: Communication from the Los Angeles Department of Transportation relative to transit driver wage increases.

• Passed unanimously

Presentations & Proclamations

• Hernandez recognized Second Chance Month with several formerly-incarcerated people and the Deputy Mayor of Public Safety, Karren Lane.

Resources
If you have any questions or feedback, please email us at [info@purplely.org](mailto:info@purplely.org) and we will get the answers to your questions. Sign up here to receive this letter after every City Council meeting.

Hello! I’m moving to Hartford soon to start my new job at CVS/Aetna. I’m moving from Atlanta and having moved to the US <2y ago I’m a little worried about the upcoming move.
Where do those of you who work at Aetna (specially the young professionals) live mostly? I was looking at places in Downtown Hartford (Sage Allen, Spectra Pearl, etc.). Should I be looking at West Hartford (I know it’s a different town) instead?
I will be mostly walking and taking public transit for the first few months at least (might get a car later). I love cooking and it looks like groceries are a bit of an issue. Does Instacart work well? What if you need international ingredients (Indian, Asian etc.)?
My biggest worry I guess is about having a social life. Are there regular events or classes where I can meet people and explore hobbies?
I am fairly aware of the risks that come with living in a downtown but I always went out with a friend or two, moving alone to and living alone in Hartford is a little bit intimidating.
Thanks for reading!!
TLDR: moving to Hartford, need all the suggestions I can get.

I am about to turn 30 this year, currently doing an MA in Economics and expect to complete it in a year. My undergrad is in the humanities so my MA is in itself a huge field shift. I made a good choice studying economics as it has made me (re)discover my strength which is the maths or analytical and logical thinking in general. This is probably the reason why I didn't find it hard to transition to Economics since I'm good at Math. I used to be good at math back in high school too but I didn't pay attention as I found it easy and boring back then.
Now, I fell in love with Econometrics (Statistics in general). I have a burning desire to deepen my understanding of statistics at the theoretical level so I find myself gravitating towards Applied Mathematics (particularly Statistics) more and more, than Economics. Right now, it's what sparks my imagination and I'm quite excited to delve into more advanced courses in those fields. I'm considering to pursue a second Master's this time in Statistics or in Applied Mathematics (to have the possibility to take subjects in Optimization/Operations Research too). But I'm worried about my age if I am to shift fields again, especially if I plan to enter academia eventually. I look at CVs of lecturers and professors and, at this age, they have had a few publications already, presented papers, done lots of projects, etc. So it somehow makes me think it's probably too late to go this route. Any thoughts and advice?
Note: I'm not from North America or Europe where I know it's relatively more difficult to enter academia. I'm from a developing country and I wish to teach in my country.

Long post. First post. 49M sharing dividend investing journey.
This week is my 5 year journey with dividend investing. I have built my portfolio from 6 core holdings and $470 annual dividend income to 35 positions (12 core holdings plus 23 other holdings) and $3,300 annual dividend income. I wanted to share my journey in case it is helpful / encouraging to others.
*** Getting Started: Why dividend investing and the initial investment strategy ***
There were two main reasons I wanted to get started with dividend investing. First, I was starting to look ahead to pre-retirement and was thinking about ways to generate passive income in case I want to retire earlier. I did realize that this would mean a sizable investment, so I wanted to get started in my mid 40s with the hope to grow the portfolio to a large enough size to be worthwhile.
Second, I wanted to gain confidence in individual stock investing. Up to this point, I had only invested in index funds and mutual funds. I was focusing on maximizing the amount of money I was investing in retirement funds, college funds, and personal savings for short term goals (home remodeling, etc.). We were on pace with all of these goals, which gave us the luxury of being able to experiment with other ways to put our money to work.
Based on these two reasons, I made several decisions early on:
- I chose to set-up my dividend portfolio in a traditional brokerage account, which meant the dividends would be taxed. However, it was a key factor too in getting my wife to support. We agreed that if any emergencies came up that required access to money, then this would be the first account we would liquidate, which meant the brokerage account needed to be outside an IRA for easy access. Therefore, while the hope for this account is that it will provide pre-retirement income, we could easily cover unexpected medical costs, shortfall in college savings, or some other unforeseen financial issue. Got to keep the family peace ;)
- I wanted to buy and hold investments over a long horizon, and was not interested in short positions or any other more advanced investing strategies. This buy and hold strategy had served us well in our retirement funds, and was also a way to keep support with the wife (she is very low on risk taking, and it would go against how we had approached investing over the last 20 years). Therefore, I wanted to get started by building out a core group of long term holdings, and then adding to the portfolio as I was able to save additional funds.
- I wanted to make sure that this portfolio did not completely sacrifice capital growth for income. Given my longer time horizon, I wanted to have it all. Therefore, I set some goals of having a yield of at least 2.5% and of trying to track the performance of VTSAX, which is Vanguard’s Total Stock Market index.
- I chose to not set-up DRIP, but I do reinvest all of the dividend income in the portfolio. I wanted to have the freedom to choose which investments I wanted to add to and when.
- I chose to go with Vanguard for my brokerage account. This is the one decision I made that I wish I would have spent more time considering. I chose Vanguard because I was using them for my other investments, and at the time, I felt their transaction fees were reasonable given my plans to buy and hold (it is hard to recall that 5 years ago most brokerage accounts had trade fees!). However, now that I have been using the platform for a while, I do find it limiting. Some things I wish the platform had: better reporting for income, fractional shares, more intuitive user interface. Switching costs are high, and I am not sure if I would have made a different decision, but I do wish I would have spent more time on this aspect of getting the account set-up.
Now, I was ready to put my initial investment to work.
*** Selecting the first core holdings (and where are they at today?) ***
I spent about a month researching how to pick the best individual stocks to include in my portfolio. I was lucky to have $15K to start with, and I wanted to make sure I was diversified but still had enough of each investment to make it worthwhile.
I decided to start with 6 companies, investing ~$2500 each. My stock picking list was centered on the Dividend Aristocrat / King list, as I wanted stocks yielding at least 2-2.5% (keep in mind interest rates were really low back in 2019). I also wanted the stock list to reflect companies I believed in, and that I believed would grow over the next 5-10 years and aligned with my goal to buy and hold for the long term. Therefore, I avoided some industries (like oil and traditional banking) due to perceived future decline / volatility.
I felt really good about my initial portfolio. Really good. I felt these were all strong companies with impressive reputations, good investor sentiment, and great dividend history. I was confident this initial basket would be the right foundation to build my portfolio around, and would sustain for at least the next 5-10 years.
Things did not quite work out that way. Here is my initial core portfolio, and what has happened in the past 5 years (from most successful to least successful).
#1:
TGT
Initial position: 30 shares @$82.79
Current position: 29 shares, return of 52%, avg basis of $110.58, $391 in dividend income
I chose Target because it was a Dividend King and because I was a strong believer in the brand and the e-commerce growth. I have held this stock throughout the last 5 years, but did sell about half my position when the stock shot up (including a couple of shares at $249, which is close to the all time high for the stock). I have since added to my position, especially when the stock was beaten down in the Fall of 2023. This remains a core holding for the same reasons as when I initially bought it, but also due to their increased focus on creating a membership model. Lessons learned: don’t be scared to sell a core position when it runs up, but don’t sell too early and be ready to buy back when it goes on sale again.
#2:
KO
Initial position: 50 shares @$47.74
Current position: 75 shares, return of 11.5%, avg basis of $53.97, $351 in dividend income
I chose Coca Cola because it was a Dividend King and it just seemed like one of those legendary stocks that should be in your portfolio. I also am a Coke guy over Pepsi, so I was a believer in their product. This has remained a core position, but I did detour for a period where I wanted to diversify by splitting 50% of my KO to PEP to make sure that I was splitting the risk across both companies (I took this same approach w/ BEPC and CWEN, T and VZ). However, I did not like the increased size of my portfolio, and I preferred KO’s business model (consumer beverages and much larger B2B footprint) than I did PEP’s focus on snacks. So, I have sold all of my PEP and now am back into KO. Lesson learned: diversification for the sake of diversification does not always yield better results, sometimes just stick with a proven winner.
#3:
SYY
Initial position: 35 shares @$69.83
Current position: 35 shares, return of 9.6%, avg basis of $69.99, $264 in dividend income
I chose Sysco because it was a Dividend Aristocrat (now King), and I liked the exposure to transportation / B2B / food industry. However, over the past 5 years, this stock has just been mediocre: never fly high enough to consider selling, but also never dropped low enough to consider pruning, and the yield is average. The dividend increases have been lower since COVID. I have sold some here and there to fund other purchases I wanted to make, but have also repurchased shares when they are on sale. I no longer view this as a core holding, but there is also no pressing reason to eliminate this position from the portfolio. While I try not to manage the portfolio based on loyalty, I think I have some fondness for this stock being one of my 6 ‘OGs’, and so I will likely keep this position. Lesson learned: core holdings can become mediocre over time, keep an eye on them and be ready to sell and move on when the time is right.
#4:
T
Initial position: 65 shares @$30.58 ($23.37 adjusted after WBD spinoff)
Current position: 140 shares, return of -24.8%, avg basis of $21.95 (adjusted), $848 in dividend income
I chose T due to its yield. It also seemed to be a stock that every dividend investor in 2019 had as a core holding. This was my smallest position of the original 6, and for the most part, it is one of the few positions that I have not sold. However, this stock has been a hot mess over the last 5 years. While it has done its job on dividend income, I am -$750 in the hole. Part of that is because I bought the stock on its journey from $22/share to $13.50/share, but I bought too early on this journey. Also, the corporate spinoffs, strategy shifts, and other poor business decisions have shaken my faith in this stock. The dividend yield is still high, but there does not seem to be a commitment to grow the dividend. I have thought about transitioning these shares to VZ, but also not sure about them either. For now, I have removed this as a core holding, with plans to enjoy the income for now and hope for a rebound in the stock price. I have also considered selling to offset capital gains, but will wait until later in the year to make that decision. Lesson learned: don’t be too impulsive to buy when a stock is in free fall, sometimes you can’t get a good tradeoff between yield and capital.
#5:
JNJ
Initial position: 20 shares @$138.52
Current position: 0 shares, $342 in dividend income
I chose JNJ due to its status as a Dividend King, and its diversified product lines in CPG / medical exposure. I also viewed it as a trusted brand. However, the stock performance was mediocre over the period I owned it (sold all of my positions throughout 2023), and I lost faith in the company when they decided to use corporate smoke and mirrors to try to shield themselves from lawsuits. I felt this was a drag on their brand, their stock price, and my loyalty, so I decided to take my dollars elsewhere. Lesson learned: companies need to keep earning your trust, and if they falter on that, it is ok to take your money elsewhere. (Note: I could see this returning as a core holding with a change in leadership / legal issues behind them).
#6:
DIS
Initial position: 20 shares @$135.10
Current position: 0 shares, $35 in dividend income
I chose DIS due to its brand name. Also, they were just getting into Disney+, and I was excited about this being a potential high growth tech stock. This was the only non Dividend Aristocrat / King that was an original core holding, but I felt strongly that they would grow the dividend and that there would be growth in the stock price. However, COVID really rocked this stock, and when they announced the dividend cut in 2020, I sold all of my positions. The mistake I made is I bought back into the stock during the Disney+ mania in 2021, where my FOMO took over and I thought I was ‘getting in early’ and wanted to anticipate a future reinstatement of the dividend. I bought the stock near the all time highs in the $170-$200 range, and then the stock tanked due to missed expectations, leadership changes, and public backlash against the company. Lesson learned: keep the dividend portfolio to dividends, and don’t let FOMO guide your buying decisions.
Like I said, when I picked these six stocks, I felt very good and felt these would all be long term positions. The reality is that 33.3% (TGT and KO) of these remain core holdings that I plan to keep and add to, 33.3% (SYY and T) are in my portfolio but I do not view them as core holding / may sell them, and 33.3% (JNJ and DIS) are no longer in my portfolio.
*** Current portfolio ***
My portfolio has grown and evolved significantly since I started back in 2019. I now have the following numbers:
- Portfolio value: $115,921
- Total investment: $79,937 (includes initial invest of $14,773)
- Total dividend income (reinvested): $10,266
- Total (unrealized) investment gains: $25,718
- Total holdings: 35, 12 Core and 23 other - Core holdings are prioritized for future investments
- Annual dividend: $3,309
- Dividend yield: 2.85%
Here are my current holdings:
* Core holdings (50.5%) *
My core holdings strategy has shifted. Five years ago, I picked exclusively from the Dividend Aristocrat / King list. I now have a greater mix of Dividend Growth stocks. I think this strategy shift has been critical in being able to have both capital growth and yield in the portfolio. Core holdings have a dividend yield of 2.5%. I would like to grow this part of my portfolio to 60% of overall holdings and these are the prioritized stocks I will add to in 2024.
COST
6.1% of portfolio, 10 shares, avg basis $439.26, annual dividend $46
Unbelievable dividend growth, special dividend, and still untapped opportunities in ecommerce / store growth.
MSFT
5.9% of portfolio, 17 shares, avg basis $202.90, annual dividend $51, This was good before AI. Now it is an even more interesting tech play. Strong potential for dividend growth.
O
5.7% of portfolio, 125 shares, avg basis $56.91, annual dividend $385, This was a smaller part of my portfolio before rates went up. I love the yield, and I love getting monthly income to buy new stocks ($32/month but plan to keep adding). I know this is a hotly discussed stock on this subreddit, I am long on this holding and will continue to add while it is <$55 per share and hope to get my basis below $55. (I have added 20 shares this year).
TGT
4.2% of portfolio, 29 shares, avg basis $110.58, annual dividend $128, OG Core Holding, See above
BEPC
4.1% of portfolio, 215 shares, avg basis $27.31, annual dividend $305, I am long on renewables, despite this sector going out of favor. Planning to continue to add while prices are low. I recently sold all of my BEP and moved into BEPC to avoid having to file the K1 for my taxes, which is why my basis is higher here.
HD
4.1% of portfolio, 14 shares, avg basis $262.13, annual dividend $126, I am big on Home Depot for both its retail performance, focus on building contractor network, and for a proxy for the housing market. The dividend growth is outstanding as well.
CAT
4.0% of portfolio, 13 shares, avg basis $148.13, annual dividend $68, I added as a Dividend Aristocrat, and to get more industrials exposure. The stock has performed well, and the dividend growth has been strong.
KO
3.9% of portfolio, 75 shares, avg basis $53.97, annual dividend $146, OG Core Holding, See above
AAPL
3.8% of portfolio, 27 shares, avg basis $107.84, annual dividend $26, I added this to focus on capital growth of the portfolio, and it does pay a small dividend. They seem to have a large moat, and I would expect growth to continue for the foreseeable future.
PG
3.8% of portfolio, 28 shares, avg basis $143.92, annual dividend $113, I added this due to its status as a Dividend King, and during a dip when I was starting to lose faith in my other CPG stock, JNJ. Adds in CPG / steady business model into the mix.
V
3.5% of portfolio, 15 shares, avg basis $227.93, annual dividend $31, I wanted more exposure to finance without investing in brick and mortar banks. While the current yield is small, the dividend growth has been strong. I also like V’s willingness to try new things via acquisitions.
WM
1.4% of portfolio, 8 shares, avg basis $206.45, annual dividend $24, This is a relatively new addition to the portfolio. I really like this stock due to its solid business model, and emerging focus on renewable energy. I have taken an initial position, and will likely hold for a while until there is a dip below $200 (the stock is near all time highs).
* Other holdings *
I don’t have a particular strategy for adding to / selling my other holdings. These are all stocks that I like for right now, either because of yield, growth potential, business model, diversification, or loyalty. I may add to some of these if they are on sale, or may sell if I would like to free up some cash for other purchases / to have in reserve.
AVGO
6.2% of portfolio, 6 shares, avg basis $410.26, annual dividend $126, This is my top holding. I have recently sold 2 shares. I added this as a high yield tech stock back in 2020. It was a pretty quiet stock until the recent AI hysteria. I wish I could say I foresaw the growth, but I really liked the yield. I GOT LUCKY on this one. I will likely sit on these 6 shares for a while, but I have already tripled my investment and if the stock shoots up much higher I will likely take profits.
LLY
3.8% of portfolio, 6 shares, avg basis $575.02, annual dividend $31. I bought into the hysteria on this one - a dividend growth play with large potential. My average position is $575, so I have some room to watch this one for signs of trouble. If this stock meets its growth expectations, I will likely move this into the core holdings. For now, I am happy to hold this one and see what happens.
STAG (2.9%), IBM (2.8%), IRM (2.6%)
I bought all of these for yield, and have been adding to STAG when it dips. IRM and IBM have had nice growth in stock price recently. I do not plan on selling any of these any time soon.
ABBV (2.4%), CVS (1.9%), PFE (1.8%), MDT (1.0%)
With LLY, this is my basket of medical / pharma stocks. I feel this is a difficult industry to buy individual stocks due to the reliance on drug pipelines and the volatility there. I do plan to add a little more PFE, but then plan to hold these stocks.
SBUX (2.4%)
This stock has been troubled. I am a big believer in the brand and plan to ride it out for now.
ADP (2.3%), SYY (2.3%), HON (1.8%), UNP (1.4%)
These are all stocks that I have been excited about at one time or another. They deliver average yield, and have grown as well. These tend to fly under the radar in my portfolio, but I don’t see a reason to sell.
VZ (2.2%), T (2.0%), MMM (1.0%)
Some of the biggest losses in my portfolio, but also some of the largest yield. All are troubled. Should I wait until the dividend gets cut, or keep enjoying the yield?? Unclear which direction I will go on these.
ALLY (2.1%)
I really like this company and their consumer facing products. I struggle with the focus on auto lending, but they are trying to diversify. The stock has had mixed performance, and they have stopped growing their dividend. That said, I plan on holding and watching this one.
DKS (2.0%)
With 3 kids in sports and the athleisure growth, I bought this stock some time back. I have been pleasantly surprised with recent growth in the stock price, and the doubling of the dividend. Will watch this one for a bit longer.
PHM (0.8%)
I have wanted a home building stock, and I chose Pulte due to its more national footprint. I don’t think home building will slow down anytime soon, but not sure I want to keep this as part of my dividend portfolio. Watching.
F (0.8%)
I bought this for exposure to electric vehicles and bought it on the higher side (>$15/share). Ford has done a nice job with profitability, and I think they are well situated for growth. They have not been growing the dividend, but did pay a special dividend recently.
AMT (1.9%), BAC (1.0%)
I plan on reducing / eliminating both of these positions over time. I can’t really figure out AMT, the stock price fluctuates much more than I prefer, and the last dividend was a surprise cut over the prior dividend (from $1.70 to $1.62, first time that has happened). For BAC, I bought at a low, and have been able to make some money on the stock. I still don’t really like the brick and mortar banks, so going to take profits and reinvest elsewhere.
Stocks I am watching closely to add (again): NUE, SHW
*** Wrapping it up, a few learnings ***
Over the last 5 years, I have gained the confidence for individual stock investing. While I have made lots of mistakes, I have met most of my primary goals, and now have a strong portfolio of stocks that are delivering a strong yield and strong capital growth on pace with the market.
A few final thoughts:
- This is a big mountain to climb. My goal to generate more passive income is a great goal, but I look at my current passive income and it is $275/month. That would cover a couple of nice dinners in retirement, or a Tim Horton’s run every day, but certainly is not close to paying for living expenses. For now, I will carry on with my goals to see how far up the mountain I can get!
- The elimination of transaction fees has made trades almost too easy. I had intended to buy and hold, but there is very little friction now in buying and selling. I feel I am now making multiple transactions per week, which I had never intended when I started this portfolio. Overall, I like the elimination of transaction fees, but I feel I need to have a bit more discipline on when I buy.
- I have lost my way multiple times, getting caught on in stocks that do not fit in with the goals of this portfolio. At various times, I have bought ARKK, AFRM, NVDA, RKT, COIN and others that fell outside of the core goals. I am getting better at focus, but FOMO can be a real thing with stock picking.
- I still don’t have a good handle on when to sell a holding you like. I do believe you should ring the register now and again, but I feel my timing is inconsistent. Would like to improve here.
- This portfolio takes a lot of my investing mindshare, but it is one of my smaller accounts. I feel it has become a hobby in some ways. That said, I would never want to transition my larger retirement and college accounts to individual stocks and much prefer the index fund approach. I have however converted part of my Roth IRA to individual stocks, putting many of my core holdings plus some growth stocks without a dividend into that portfolio: NVDA, O, LLY, SHOP, DIS, ABNB, AMZN, TGT, PG, KO, MSFT, COST, GEV, HD, ALLY, F, BEPC. Pleased that I had the confidence to take that step in my Roth IRA (about $19K, rest is in index funds for now).
- I have been reflecting on diversification lately. Given this is a small to medium part of my overall investment portfolio, I have been debating how diversified I need to be for this portfolio. I have been trying to make sure I have representation across all industries, but maybe I don’t need that given the goals of the portfolio. At one point, I had 45 investments, and have pruned down to about 35. I would like to keep focus on my core holdings, and will need to figure out how large my other holdings should be.
- Tracking tools that get me the information I want seem non-existent. I have developed my own spreadsheet based tracker, but also use Google Finance and Vanguard reporting. The spreadsheet I have developed takes a lot of time to maintain, and I wish there was more open source information out there not behind a pay wall, or presented in an easy to download format.
Last here are a few charts I will include:
Current portfolio (courtesy of Google Finance)
​
Portfolio by annual dividend
​
Monthly dividend w/ trendline
Good luck to everyone on their journeys!

Feeling a little burnt out in my current position and I have an interview for clinical specialist position. This is for a nonprofit healthcare insurance plan in the same system I currently work, which is awesome. Also a fully remote position.
Most seem to have experience in for-profit managed cares (CVS, etc) but can anyone give insight for clinical pharmacist positions for non-profits? Or anyone who has made that transition from ambulatory care to managed care?
Position duties include: MTM, clinical policy development, specialty care coordination, drug utilization work, educating providers, population-based disease management.
Thank you all in advance for any insight!!