Sorry, d&b, I appreciate what you're saying about the money but it'll never hold up. The fact that it is your money and you always had full control over what happened to it makes you bear most of the burden for the outcome.
Trading? You should try it some time. You'll feel dirty and cheap at first but then, once your conscience is scarred, you get used to it. LOL.
Actually, I believe every good transaction in life is a trade. What do I give and what do I get. The best ones rarely involve money.