May 23 ($551.29 loss)

12:27   Exited the final 1000 shares of TZA that I held from yesterday.  Loss of $551.29  I am now out of the debacle trade from yesterday.  What a rotten experience to put myself through.  This type of event is what turned me away from live trading and toward practice trading nearly 4 years ago.  Sad commentary that I am still performing the same way after so long.  The mental hurdle is exceptionally hard for me to get over.  It makes no rational sense to me.  It is not intellectual or based in reason, it is purely psychological / emotional.

Shares of TZA are rising now after my exit, so at least in the short term, it was a good place to get out.  At one point, just after the open, I was down $1,800 on this position.

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I am taking some time to replenish my mental capital.  Mrs. Bluecollar, who has a more free-spirited personality sat with me this morning for 2.5 hours and actually was up $350 in practice trading while I had only two stop-outs.  We were practice trading GMCR, a nice momentum stock.  She knows very little about trading except for the chart and momentum readings I was feeding her.  My charting knowledge combined with her free, easy, relaxed demeanor was a positive combination.  her gains came on one stop out and two winners.

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With Memorial Day market holiday coming, I am considering taking a four day weekend away from trading.  Probably just going to watch and practice trade the rest of today and tomorrow, unless there is something incredibly compelling that would warrant real money on the line.
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3:35   Saw a great scalping trade in GMCR but refrained.  I need to take some time to think about this whole episode.  Will sit with the market tomorrow, then look forward to a long weekend away from the computer.  Lots of yard work and maybe go to see the new Star Trek movie.  Mentally, I need to elevate my state of being... and to just lighten up.  It is not my personality, but it is necessary to be more flexible in my thinking while at the computer.