Given that I was flat today, I had a hard time deciding what music to post. I didn't lose money, so I can't see punishing myself with something I totally hate, but then, everyone banked big and I didn't, so I can't reward myself either.
So I post a good song from a band that I generally think is very overrated. They had some good songs, but they all seemed to be ripoffs.
Umm... completely ridiculous. The RO is making too much money and I can't take it. I finished the day flat. I just couldn't get it together.
But when you see numbers like this, it gives you an idea of what kind of potential is out there right now.
Out of 26 traders, 23 were positive, or 88%. I was number 22 of 26 today, so yeah, I was just positive. Still, I won't be celebrating with good music, because I can only look at my performance today as failure. It was a good day and I should have made good money, especially after my confidence building day yesterday.
Here's the top 3:
1. $38,879
2. $23,987
3. $18,557
And the bottom:
1. -$4865
2. -$1941
3. -$137
Also, 6 traders finished up over $10gs each, and 14 finished up over $1000. Crazy.
(I've decided to chop this post into 2 parts, since it's kind of long...)
This past weekend, Judy and I took a road trip to visit her brother, who lives in the "cradle of civilization," Staten Island, New York. Staten Island is a classic place, and worth visiting if you miss the 80s.
Bring your "wifebeater," sweat suit, and hair gel.
Anyway, on our way home, I decided to be a good son and stop at my mother's house. Shortly after we arrived, the skies darkened, winds turned the leaves on trees, and a bizarre light suffused the area. In a matter of minutes, the power was out and we were in the basement rummaging for candles.
All weekend long I felt very in touch with my mortality. Perhaps it was because we hadn't seen Judy's brother in a while and his hairline had receded a bit, or perhaps it was because when we sat down to play Risk we found tallies of games played years ago. I don't know exactly. But for whatever reason, I had this feeling that my daughter was growing quickly, and that people I love were getting old while I wasn't paying attention.
I felt the power of time.
And on another level, thoughts of my own mortality paid me a visit as I lay in bed unable to sleep at 2am on Saturday night. The bedroom window was open, and sitting on a concrete wall in front of the house, a girl spoke on her phone.
Her half of the conversation went something like this:
"He will be WASHED. I'm gonna WASH his ass!" Pause. "BITCH, I already been in jail so don't think I fucking care. He's gonna git WASHED."
I crept over to the window holding my breath, and looked down. She shone yellow under the streetlight, her back to the house, hand waving in the night, alone, yelling into her phone. I was waiting for a gunshot. I was hoping her mother would come and find her or something...
So the thing is, once the power went out at my mom's house, I suddenly felt the urge to "stock up" on supplies. To get stuff. I said to Judy, "Let's go shopping." I don't think I've said those three words, in that order, to Judy, ever. She looked at me as if I was about to die or something. She was seriously concerned.
"What's wrong with you?" she questioned.
"Nothing," I said. "Let's go get stuff."
"What stuff?" she wanted to know.
"I dunno. I just feel the need to get some stuff. I'll know what I need, when I see it."
And so 15 minutes later, my mom was flashing her "membership card" at some 90 year-old security guy, and we were strolling into a Costco.
Great song, but I have to say, the dancing girl with pigtails is mildly annoying at least.
It was a good day for the RO. I only have approximate numbers, since there's a problem with the software that generates our report. I also don't have up/down percentage... and that sucks, because it's my favorite number.
I had my best day since January today. But I was way down on the office list, as many traders made good size.
Here's the top 3:
1. 18k
2. 15k
3. 15k
And the bottom:
1. -$10k
2. -$1,500
3. -$1,000
As for the Costco post, I'm still working on it. Instead of editing it today, I got my haircut, where I witnessed two septuagenarians duke it out...
One guy was there just to get his mustache trimmed, and when the barber asked the other dude to just wait 1 minute for him to trim the dude's mustache (who arrived after the other dude, so he was technically behind him in line) a yelling match ensued. As you can imagine, I had great fun with this even though I pretended to be very interested in a 2003 issue of National Geographic. People are just silly.
As for the market, it's on crack.
I'm very happy with my trading performance today. Yesterday was my worst day of the month, and I started today in the red due to early losses in CAM and an ill conceived short in CQB.
CAM was an HCPG play that chopped around, and CQB was a short based on the weakness in FDP, which got "destructed" after it reported earnings.
So after getting "smokeled," I cut my size and made good decisions to get back to green and then make up my losses from yesterday and then some.
First, I caught a short in CF after he couldn't regain his high and made a little over a point.
Then, I bought some AKS on the strength in X and made a little over a point. Also, the whole time I was riding BEAV down. It was the first time in a while where I had a few trades all working out at the same time and it felt great.
Still, volume in the market is light today, so I'm not pressing my luck.
In the summer, when the volume is low, there's a different flow to the market. Trade the morning, take the middle of the day easy, and then see how things close.
Trade Mondays very lightly (volume is always very low on summer Mondays), get a little more aggressive Tues-Thurs, and then trade Friday morning and take off in the afternoon.
Save your energy for this fall and give your eyes a rest. Enjoy the summer weather while you can.
To go along with a really annoying song, is this music video, which I've hated since I was 13.
It was a crappy day for the RO. When's the last time I said that? Never. Oh, and check out that volume, below 1.2 billion... there's the correlation. Low volume=shitty trading environment.
Contrast that with the VO. Damn the VO is lame. You guys see what I did to that Jorge guy? I washed him. He's done.
Anyway, out of 26 traders, 13 were profitable, or 50%. I was #20 of 26... so if you're doing your math correctly, you know we have some bad music coming.
Here's how the top three finished:
1. $3922
2. $3810
3. $975
And the bottom:
1. -$4271
2. $-4237
3. -$836
See you manana, with my "Costco post."
Good morning little bunnies.
-you, July 28th, 2008
I just called you a bunny, and you're helpless there, staring at the screen.
Anyway, I had an odd weekend that involved my first-ever trip to Costco, a semi-tornado, and the "cradle of civilization." I am processing all that happened and will have an appropriate post up about it all later today or tomorrow... or whenever I recover.
Great song. Give it 3 listens if it's not your style and you'll be hooked. Unless you're a zombie. I can't help you fucking zombies.
I have a nightmarish weekend ahead of me. Mainly because I will be forced to drive, twice, on what is perhaps the worst road in the United States.
Coincidence or not, the road leads to the region of the world in which "the Fly" abodes. It is littered with Dunkin Donuts and other "big box" retailers. It's also filled with "gypsy cabs" and the dreaded "female driver in large white SUV."
If I survive the ordeal, I will write a post about it.
The good news is that on the other side of the road, is my brother in law, who is a formidable Risk opponent. I love the game of Risk. Mostly because it allows me to proclaim my dominance over other people, in a friendly way.
Anyway, trade was wild early for me, as I played a retracement in CPHD.
Before I made money, I lost a lot. Clearly, not an HCPG type trade. Given the volume in the market and the ridiculous money being made by my office mates, I have decided to suspend my laser-like allegiance to the HCPG method. I'm still making trades according to it, but I've opened up my market strategy a bit, to take advantage of the volatility.
Anyway, I'm green again. I've had a good streak, and think I deserve a half day. So I'm outta here.
Enjoy your weekend.
Not sure if it's just me... but the blog list thing sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. So I'm getting rid of it and going back to a regular blogroll.
I also think it's been fucking up the "recent comments" widget.
So far, no update... should the report come through, I'll update this link.
I had a wild day. I was actually having a bona fide "good day" and kind of fucked it all up. I still ended nice, but way off my highs.
Importantly, I've gotten a bit of a "taste" again, and am thinking more aggressively. Aggressive trading is what this current market is all about.
Check back in a bit...
UPDATE: 4:48
Here we go. Out of 27 traders, 24 were positive, or 88%. I was #16 of 27.
Here's the top dogs.
1. $13,110
2. $9,493
3. $9174
And the bottom...
1. -$1,959
2. -$1,098
3. -$445
Good music drops with the sun.
-John McCain, pictured here enjoying a swim, in 1978
A day after John McCain says that George Bush deserves credit for causing the drop in crude (from $140 to $125... let's forget about that rise from $40 to $140) it seems that the cause may be just another failing company.
When it goes back up to $140 in a few weeks, who will we have to blame? Obama?
If we started getting rid of landfills, I imagine half of New Jersey would disappear. Or does it just smell like that?
Anyway, turning garbage into fuel may not be too far away anymore.
First the idiot SUV drivers in their monsters got their comeuppance via $5 gasoline... and now, annoying cell phone yakkers get theirs via brain cancer!
YAY!
Okay, I kid... brain cancer isn't funny. Even if Dennis Kneale got it, it wouldn't be funny. Actually, that'd be tough to call.
Oh, and let's all shed a tear for Ford and their 1983 world outlook. Sorry about those truck sales, guys.
