I am ready to pull up anchor on my mutual funds and invest (foolishly) myself, since the "professionals" helped me to lose over $5,000 this year.

Question: You say in Fool School that typically you buy the stocks in January and check them once a year; can you start in any month? Why is January necessary the best time? I 've always read that most big mutual fund managers typically sell whatever they will for the year by Nov.1, so wouldn't Nov. or early Dec. be best while stocks are presumably at their lowest due to dumping by the big mutual funds?

Oh foolish one (or two,three) please respond.