thanks to everyone. I have decided to just invest in the coin and not worry about mining. it seems to be falling now so I might wait a few weeks. hopefully i can pick it up at $100/each.
Investing can be fun! Have you thought about trading in altcoins? I have been and it's kept me entertained seeing the prices go up
I use Vircurex and have this Referral Code that gives you 10% off fees + extras if you want to give it a go:
Referral Code: 534-2017
More info:
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=287997.0