Shining in the Darkness... and the Markets


Here's your weekly helping of interesting investing information and insights.

Opinion


"All the best games are easy to learn and difficult to master." — Nolan Bushnell, founder of Atari

Around 1991, I was hooked on a SEGA game called Shining in the Darkness, a dungeon crawler. The concept was simple — go in, fight monsters, find your way out. But getting to the next level? That was a whole different story. I drew maps by hand so I wouldn't get lost making the same wrong turns twice. I compared notes with friends. I tracked down magazine articles with tips and tricks. And when I finally beat it, it felt incredible.

But there was nothing to show for it. Just the satisfaction of knowing I did it.

Then I found a better game: investing. The basics are easy to pick up — you have money, and you put it somewhere you hope grows into more. But the deeper you go, the harder it gets. I still get stuck. I still lean on people who've been playing longer than me. I still write down my mistakes so I don't repeat them. And sometimes, no matter how prepared you are, you turn a corner and find yourself low on resources, trapped in a dead-end corridor, face to face with a Kaiserkrab.

(SITD fans, you know.)

You can't always avoid those moments. But you can prepare better for them. That's what this newsletter is about — learning the game together, sharing what works, and hopefully helping each other not get wiped out in a dungeon we didn't have to enter in the first place.

Warren Buffett has said that what worked for him 50 years ago wouldn't necessarily work today. The levels keep changing. But the core gameplay never does. That part is simple. Mastering it? Probably impossible. And honestly — that's exactly what makes it exciting (and frustrating) and keeps us playing.


Now I want to hear from you — what was your favorite video game growing up, and does this whole "investing is a game" thing resonate with you? Drop it in the comments. 👇


What I'm Reading

If you invest in BDCs, this unlocked New York Times article is worth a quick read. BDCs lend to many of the same risky companies that private credit funds do, so when Wall Street starts throwing around words like "cockroaches" and "Wild West" to describe that market — it's worth knowing why the concern is growing and what the warning signs look like before they show up in your portfolio. [Link to article]


Video I'm Watching

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A deep dive on Nintendo from our friends at We Study Billionaires is a MUST listen for anyone who loves video games. I especially loved the history of the company and the future revenue shift.


Podcast I'm Listening To

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15 Lessons from 15 Years of...
Mar 11 · The Dividend Guy Blog Po...
45:34
Spotify Logo
 

Mike Heroux aka The Dividend Guy, drops 15 lessons he's learned from 15 years of dividend investing. Tons of wisdom with a bit of humor!


Disclaimer: This is not investment advice. Do your own research before making any investment decisions.

😁THANK YOU to all who responded to the last newsletter!!

Check out the portfolio on Blossom, the podcast, or see what’s cooking on YouTube.

And now, here is this week's portfolio activity...


Dividends Received This Week ~$147.15

  • Kinsale Capital (KNSL) | $1.00
  • ExxonMobil (XOM) | $45.32
  • Main Street Capital (MAIN) | $39.00
  • Agree Realty (ADC) | $61.83

Dividends Received 2026 (Schwab Only)~

$760.82


Stocks Sold (AVERAGE)

None.

Stocks Bought (AVERAGE)

  • 6 Ares Capital (ARCC) | $17.95 / I'm adding dribs and drabs of Ares when it falls below its last reported NAV (Net Asset Value) of $19.94.
  • 5 Amplify Intl. Dividend Income ETF (IDVO) | $39.77
  • 1 Kinsale Capital (KNSL) | $357.50
  • 1 Schwab US Dividend ETF (SCHD) | $30.78

💰 GOING EX-DIVIDEND THIS WEEK 💰

  • 3/16 Lamar (LAMR), 4.77% | 60S
  • 3/16 Merck (MRK), 2.94% | 90VS
  • 3/16 T. Rowe Price (TROW), 5.87% | 80S
  • 3/16 Public Storage (PSA), 4.03% | 96VS
  • 3/16 Meta Platforms (META), 0.34% | 70S
  • 3/17 Prologis (PLD), 3.25% | 61S
  • 3/17 Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), 1.31% | 89VS
  • 3/19 VICI Properties (VICI), 6.33% | 50BS
  • 3/20 Walmart (WMT), 0.78% | 90VS

🎦 If you missed it, we were joined by dividend expert Kelly Green, who shared an 11% yielding stock she's buying right now.

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🔥 Seeking Alpha Sale 🔥

I use Seeking Alpha to research stocks and find new investment ideas and right now they're offering $30 off Premium!

Premium: $269/year (save $30) + 7-day free trial

Get access to stock ratings, data-driven insights, and institutional-grade research tools.

*This is an affiliate offer, and I will receive a small commission at no additional cost when you buy a premium annual subscription after clicking the image above.


🎶Random music from the Dapper Dividends Jukebox🎶

Morrissey - Ouija Board, Ouija Board

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🎙️Check out the Dapper Dividends Jukebox!🎶

Are you cursed with too much money? Consider my TIP JAR as a last resort before lighting it on 🔥!


Hey, you made it to the end of the newsletter!

Congratulations!

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That said, have a WONDERFUL week, and I'll see you in the next one.


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Dapper Dividends

Each week you'll learn how to be a better dividend investor and follow the journey of a welder with a passion for passive income to $1,000,000 and beyond.

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