We'll hold on to what we have and probably be adding to our positions over time. This is a stock that you want to own longer term.

I think, you know, you're going to have these crosscurrents in place here for the next few months where investors will be reacting to slower spending, but also the likelihood that interest rate hikes are going to be behind us. But because we think the economy is slowing, we think a better place to put your money going forward are in some of the sectors where growth rates will hold up somewhat better.

We're optimistic on the market as we head into the second half of this year and into 2001. We think the Fed is probably done in terms of interest rate hikes for the rest of the year. At most, we could see another 25 to 50 points [in] hikes. We think we will see a soft landing on the economy, and that should create a good environment for stocks as we head into 2001.

I think investors are somewhat nervous about the economic data coming out. Once investors do become more convinced that we are near the end of the rising interest rate cycle, the market will turn around.

Financially, we're more stable than we've been in many, many years.

transient, adj.

In school, the year was the marker. Fifth grade. Senior year of high school. Sophomore year of college. Then after, the jobs were the marker. That office, this desk. But now that school is over and I've been working at the same desk for longer than I can truly believe, I realize: You have become the marker. This is your era. And it's only if it goes on and on that I will have to look for other ways to identify the time.