November 25th

My first foray into the markets this week. Day job and fall projects are keeping me busy and away from the markets more than I'd like.

Still, my enthusiasm hasn't dampened and I still know that trading is my future. When... I'm not sure.

I did a little of the "What's Familiar" on the chart of FAS. Doji's and near-dojis, close of 5-min candles at their high or low: all familiar signs of reversal.

A good Thanksgiving to all... and for those who are not from the United States, I wish the spirit of our Thanksgiving to you. I know that I have much to be thankful for.

November 20th

Got two chances today to look in on the markets and have some paper-trade fun.

Nov 16th - Nov 19th

I haven't had much time this week to pay attention to the markets but I had some paper-trades since Monday on FAS that have paid some paper-bucks. I logged in today just to cover my FAS from a short last night at the close. I missed the low of the day but I can't stay to watch the close today.

Good trading to everyone, real or paper!

November 12th - No trades today

Very busy day-job today so no trades... not even near a computer to have a look.

November 11th-Veterans Day paper-trades

Most of the day I was away for day-job but I had a chance for a few paper-trades. Up $170 on 5 for 5 winners.

Veterans Day

It is Veterans Day. Take the time today to thank a veteran of the Armed Services for their service and honor them for their sacrifice. Without them, this great experiment called the United States of America would never have been possible nor would it have survived.

I salute my late father, Henry Patrick, United States Navy, SF2, 1944-1946.

November 10th

I was out on appointments until 12:45 but had a chance to liquidate some FAZ from last night. Then out for more day-job appt's and back about 3:30pm. It was then that I found Monsanto just past the peak of the day. Wow, what a beast! I had some fun scalping it EOD.

November 9th

In the market briefly, I made a quick trade from my live account and scalped a $25 gain out of SKF. Out too early though, I missed another possible 16 cents before the 10:05-10:25 pullback was complete. Too bad, because the 10:20 am candle was one which ended at the high for the 5-min timeframe; a sign of impending reversal. That would have been a great exit point, only 5 cents from the eventual top. Further, a short there would have given me an entry within 5 cents of the highest point for the rest of the day! The first close above the 7 EMA would have been at 1:20 pm at 24.73. This ideal trade would have yielded a gain of 30 cents ($150). The first close above the 17 EMA was at 3:30 pm at $24.50. This perfect trade would have yielded a gain of 53 cents ($265) and would have taken the most of the days move in SKF.

Lots of hopeful thinking! But, I laid the foundation for these two great trades. It just takes forward thinking and an adherence to the rules I've learned from FNG and Robert Deel's book. It's encouraging to think about what might be someday...!

Best to all of you!

November 5th

Scalped a few paper-trade bucks out of SKF ($140) before going back to day-job stuff. I'd stay next to the computer the rest of the day if I could!

November 3rd

For a while, I tuned in to the markets and scalped about $100 in paper-trade bucks.

It is time for reflection though, as I am starting to fall back to a bad habit that I thought I had eliminated. I am still compelled to average a better price by adding to losing trades instead of stopping them out and starting fresh. That stops now.

I'm done today... I cannot take the whole day to watch the charts, as much as I'd like to do it!

November 2nd

I had a chance to break into the markets today for a short time before going on to regular daily duties. The first chart is my live account, first time since August(?) that I have traded it. Picked up about $50 before I shifted over to the papertrade account (see chart 2). I traded SKF and ended up with a paper gain of $170.

Today was not a day to play my "What's Familiar" game. Many false reversal signals out of SKF with regard to dojis, near dojis, and 5-minute candle closes at the top or bottom of the candle. It was that kind of day...