jpennybags

My experience has been that trading a single stock works best for me... several reasons: 1. The ATR, volatility, and liquidity mates up well with my trading system... once I have found that proper fit I'm going to trade it well consistently. Why trade anything else? 2. Trading the same stock day-in-day-out helps to develop a sense of "feel" for the way it trades. I notice that when I choose to trade something else that I will struggle for a few days until I pickup that "feel" again. 3. I may trade the same stock for weeks or even months. This cuts down on the amount of maintenance involved with trading from a basket... it's easier. Trading from a basket can put you into the hot mover for the day or week... I had some success with trading this way, but my earnings were streaky. I'm far more consistent and my trading is more relaxed... like carrying on a conversation with someone I know and like.

Hello Shane... welcome to TL. I wouldn't let a trade that went against me take me out of the day, but it's always prudent to reassess the situation. It really depends a lot on what just occurred as to whether or not I'll take another trade in the same direction or sit on my hands for a while. If price is showing some follow through after taking out a stop I would think differently about getting back on than if it just got touched and is moving my direction again. Sometimes its best to forget about it and get on the other way... There are some days that my trading system just isn't in sync with the market (sometimes it's just me that is out of sync... developed a wrong headed bias). I've learned to recognize those days early on... before digging a hole that I'll spend a day filling back in.

I was way up on 400 shares of KSU and it was starting to look toppy... time to take profits. I chose to scale out with 300 shares and let the 100 run a bit further. Keyed 399 instead of 300 and hit send.

Cutting myself loose from this post... cutting out the worthless emails from my life... get a grip guys... kiss and make up.

I've been in the right place at the right time, the right place at the wrong time, and the wrong place at the right time... all decisions that I made with full knowledge... no luck involved. If I have a really good week, or string together a few days that are out of the norm... was that lucky... maybe, but I don't look at it that way: just part of the give and take, and I'm pleased to be taking. The same goes when my fortunes are headed in the opposite direction: no big deal. Money management and sticking with the rules makes for successful trading... no luck there either. Not a believer in luck...

Association of American Railroads - time indicators report http://www.aar.org/NewsAndEvents/Rail-Time-Indicators.aspx

So... what's the subject matter of the ebook? What would be the normal retail value if purchased online? Please tell me more about your class project... sounds interesting.

2009 - dropped 50K in the market near the March low. Was fired from my job during a downsizing, and used the profits to start a career as a trader (not quite that simple): Lost money in the first nine months (how can one loose money in an up market?...I did it.). Year two was better, but with a few doubtful moments. Year three... it's been good so far.

I took one trade against the trend today. Looked right, smelled right, couldn't have been more wrong...

I would also express a bit of sadness when the Friday close rolls around… no more trading for 2 whole days. Time for family, friends, and other interests. Not a bad trade, but I wake up Sunday morning wishing it was Monday already.

My desk is located next to a south facing window. During the winter months I have the shades open. With the sunlight streaming in it's a warm place. I put my feet up, and turn my back to the window... always good for a 20 minute snooze.

It's a rainy day at my place today… rain is a good thing, but it always kind of puts me in a funk. I put on a short trade this morning and caught a decent move down, then the market went into stall mode… it's been a good day; no complaints. I'm curious what other folks do when watching the market is like watching paint dry… My list (in no particular order): 1. Take a nap… one of my favorites (I'm over 40). 2. Clean house… I can clean for a bit, then return to the desk. 3. Listen to music, read, or watch something on television (still at the trading desk). I kind of like the old movies on TCM… "shown commercial free; as it was meant to be". 4. Close the books and shut it down for the day to do whatever strikes me. 5. Take 1/1 trades and nickel and dime my way to success. I like this one, but i keep myself on a very short leash. 6. Sim trade some new strategy that I've dreamed up. 7. I'm the chef of the house… prep for dinner. Curious what others do...

I have questions, but a little backfill is required before I get to it… Over the past 9 months I've made the transition to day trading. I was a "long only" swing trader, and to date, I'm a "long only" day trader. I would now like to include the short side. I've spent the last 3 months sim trading on the weekends… it's pretty much all I've gotten done. For the past 4 weeks, I've set aside 1 day per week to sim trade real time. I'm to the point that I feel comfortable with the mechanics of shorting and my trading rules. I would like to take it live with reduced position sizes, and I don't expect to get beat up too badly (we shall see). I realize the pitfalls that go with sim trading, but I'm "strapped in" during a sim session the same way that I am trading live… I take it seriously. It may be that I'm over thinking the process, but it seems to me that there will be some differences in trading short that one would never see while sim trading. 1. Having shares called away… does this happen frequently? 2. What would be a reasonable expectation for the availability of shares? As an example: The brokerage lists 600,000 shares available for a stock that trades an average volume of 4,500,000 shares per day. I want to short 1000 shares… would it be reasonable to think my order would get filled? Is there a percent of daily volume on shares available, or some other formula that would indicate a likely fill? I realize there may be price levels when everyone wants to get short… 600,000 shares could be gone in seconds (less), but it seems there may be a general rule that could be applied. 3. Is slippage on a market order greater for short trades than long trades? It seems reasonable that there may be a slight difference. The difference that I've noticed in sim trading and live trading (long only) is something I've taken into account, but I'm wondering if I need to allow for more on a short fill. If there's anything else that I need to consider, please give it up… Thanks.

Somehow, I doubt this is a photo of the same woman mentioned, but the photo was used in the article... A northeastern Pennsylvania woman is suing a South Jersey-based maker of frozen treats and other snack foods, claiming that she was wrongfully fired because she wore a prosthetic manhood to work. Pauline Davis, 45, wore the device to the J&J Snack Foods plant in Moosic, Lackawanna County, while she contemplated a gender change, according to a federal civil-rights complaint filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Scranton. She confided in several co-workers about the device, and someone told management, according to the complaint. She subsequently was fired from her job as a packer/line inspector. Her termination, she claims, was discriminatory because a male co-worker who wore female clothing and prostheses and took hormone treatments was not fired nor disciplined. Further, argued her Bucks County-based attorney, Lalena J. Turchi, her fake wiener was concealed and “in no way interfered with her ability to do her job.” Davis filed a complaint in March 2010 with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission office in Philadelphia, claiming gender and gender-identity discrimination. She is seeking back pay, damages for suffering and humiliation, and punitive damages, according to this week’s lawsuit.

Party on!!! Woman #1 may live to be 140, but dang... who needs that?

A 32 years old fisherman Chito rescued a dying crocodile from a river in Limon Costa Rica years ago and now he astonishes tourists by wrestling with and hugging the 450kg animal in the water. According to the fisherman who is now 52, his croc named Pocho and he often wrestle in the water as a regular routine with his best friend never attacking him back. However he strictly warns the tourists to refrain from water as the strong jaws of the croc might bite off a piece seeing the sumptuous flesh of a stranger.

Yea, it took me a while too. This may help...

I received this yesterday from my sister... a comment about blondes. I didn't get the joke straight away because I was looking in the wrong place.

The "do not laugh at the natives" sign was easy... took about 15 minutes. Some humorous signs become a part of the community and culture; an object that garners some affection. People post about it. The best place to start when searching, is to enter the text of the sign. If someone knows where the sign is, you will usually find a clue on the first page of the search. If you must look further it's probably not known.

I run disc imaging software on my trading computer which runs backup to an external SSD every other day. I keep tax and account records, and a trade journal with screen prints on my trading computer. Like you, I could probably get by with monthly backups, but disc space is cheap and I don't have much data. My MacBook is used for everything else, and I don't run backups... anything I want to keep gets saved to a flash drive that is on my key chain.

In reference to the posts 134 and 135 the sign is located just north of Idaho Falls, Idaho. Attached is another view of the sign. A google map search for "4828 N. Yellowstone Highway, Idaho Falls" will take you to the exact location of the sign. The buildings in the background are along Telford Rd. to the south of the sign.

I thought the FED was the only one with a bazooka...

When first reading this thread, I answered the poll as "don't really care"... though there was a time that I would've answered differently. As a newbie CNBC was on all day long. It didn't take long before I started turning it off when Larry Kudlow and the mid day crew aired (wow... what BS). Then I started turning it off when Cramer came on... then I dropped the "fast money" crew. Now, CNBC is relegated to "sound off... through the economic numbers"... then the TV is shut down for the day... listen to music... some days silence feels good... just me, the chart, and my money. I must admit to some irritation at hearing catch phrases such as: "risk on / risk off". I get the same notion of bruised sensibility when hearing politicos speak about "jobs, jobs, jobs". Although; the latter probably irritates me more.