Farmer or Hunter?

Once again, I was at Panera Bread, battling the endless war on assignments and labs ladled upon me by my professors (Did you know this is supposed to mean "for knowledge"? When did it become "for work"?). I hear this booming deep voice from the other side of the half wall of my booth saying, "Do you never want to have to worry about money again?" My immediate thought was, "Another shyster trying to hawk his get-rich-quick schemes on some unwilling, yet caught in the fly trap of hopes-and-dreams, victim."

Then his voice went low, talking urgently about something that I couldn't hear over the background noises and music. "What an actor," I thought, "he must be a great salesman because he plays on their emotions as if they were instruments." Then he laughed a booming laugh that drowned out all the background noises and the victim laughed weakly along with the guy. I thought, "Take it easy, you're losing that fish!" Then they finished their meal and walked out of the establishment.

Now, I didn't really think these words, but the disgust I felt mirrored the cynical words I used to describe what I felt (I did think that fish line though). As much as I dream of financial independence, I do not long to throw away what I've earned on some risky venture that will do nothing but get that salesman his commision and me flat broke. I'm a farmer, not a hunter. (In fact, my family comes from a long line of agriculturists.) What I mean by this is that I would rather have a consistent but gradual increase in my harvest, in this case, financially. I'm not into the big catch or feast followed by famine prospect as a hunter would be.

No major losses (dot com bubble anyone?) and no serious killings. Yeah, I know that's an investment strategy of someone more than twice my age, preparing for his or her retirement. And the guy who has a hunter mentality will likely be romanticized for his (questionable) skills and receive all the glory during his feasts. All the while, the farmer sort of fades into the background with his inglorious and common labors. (I suddenly have this light going off in my head and I see that there is a horrible sense of irony here. Perhaps, I need a huntress in my life?)

What type of investor/personality are you? A Farmer, reaping consistent gains, or a Hunter, looking and searching for each big killing (s)he can make, and then when the pickings become lean, reminisce about the good old days? *cues in Sinatra's My Way*