Yes, hindsight is not good to spend much time on. That's a lot of money - but money can't buy happiness. Though it can sure make life more comfortable! Wow, Apple. That would be one to kick oneself about.

That brings to mind a memory, not that I'm lamenting, but it was about that same time.

It was probably sometime around 1976 when I was a drive up teller at the bank, and I deposited a large check for Bill Gates, into his account. I didn't know him except that he was a drive up customer. He was beaming that day and made a joke to me suggesting I call on the check to make sure it's good, because he just sold some software to that company.

I can't remember the company, but I didn't know anything at all about computers back then. I didn't realize it was a joke. I replied "What is software?"" but I didn't really give him time to answer fully. So, I turned off the sound for the drive up window and set about calling the bank the check was drawn on to confirm the check was good. That took a few minutes, using the wall phone in full view of the cars in the drive up lane. I remember it so well because I ended up feeling really stupid about calling, once I turned back on the sound to the drive up window and it was apparent that he was joking.

Some time later I learned what software was and of course by then Bill Gates had become famous and rich. When I realized how stupid I must have appeared to him, I knew I had blown any chance with him, haha. I was a cute drive up teller and several of my customers actually sent me flowers and notes in the tube, asking me out, and I was likely his type at the time... except that I didn't get his joke and didn't know what software was. Haha.

Not saying I would have wanted to date Bill Gates, but kinda seemed a missed opportunity at the time, way back before any association with scandalous characters, etc. As it turns out I don't use Microsoft products anymore anyway - I do like Apple better. Darn it that I never invested in that company though.

Oh well, I'm not rich but I'm happy and that's all that really counts.

My two friends started a company called software.com.

One of them made $800,000,000
The other one made $400,000,000

They gave me a chance to invest very early.

I now take comfort in the fact that every other financial or investment mistake I have made is small compared to not investing in their company.

On the other hand, "investments" (read speculations) in crypto currencies have suddenly become remarkably good ways in which to rid oneself of any embarrasing surfeit of wealth.