Be gentle, Stock Market is all new to me so I have questions:

[FirstLight]

I never had anything like disposable income, so playing the stock market was the last thing on my mind.

But my Dad, he was a saver...

So here we are, my sister and I splitting the stocks up after his passing. She was the main executor, so she handled it well and we both got in to see the broker last week. (so, yes, I plan on asking him questions too and not taking advice from strangers on the internet etc)

Now I am trying to "research" what I'm looking at and I honestly go blank like a deer in floodlights when I see all the numbers and graphs, LoL

The four specific stocks we hold are not doing well from what I can surmise. They have been consistently up and down - but more down - over the last year. (should I be looking at long haul numbers?)

BUT - looking at the general Dow, S&P numbers, everythnig looks like it is going up?

What's the economy *REALLY* doing these days? Will we continue to gain ground as we head into next year? Is it better for me to maybe 'diversify' and sell my crummy stocks for something flashy?
Better to get out now while the gettin is good and take my money and run?

I've always been kind of fatalistic, and seriously since COVID I think things are more likely to crash sooner than later. (And that means EVERYTHING, govt, money, society, zombies, etc)
SO my tendency is to think short term comfort and safety than long haul like retirement (Hell Im 53 and not looking at aging well either.)

SO ya, these are the disjointed thoughts of someone who has spent a lifetime AVOIDING looking at the Economy, etc... so if someone has a link to stocks for dummies...?