Why?

AJ here….sharing thoughts and ideas about trading, investing, technical analysis and anything else that comes to mind…in my mind, though, it’s all trading

The intent of this blog is to provide myself with notes, ideas and opinions, and then have others comment and critique them. I’m trying to sharpen my thinking in areas such as technical analysis, chart reading, volatility, and market sentiment. While I’m doing that, I’m hoping others can learn, read and joke with me….trading is a lonely business. You can track me down in most chat rooms, clubs and memberships under the handle “ajayvee”. You can email me: AJVasaris (at) gmail (dot) com.

My tools? I use Tradestation as my trading platform and broker. I also use TCnet to scan the market each evening looking for chart and candlestick patterns. I’ve recently also started to play with StockFinder, a sister of TCnet. I hope to blog about my trials and tribulations with it as well as all the software I play with. I hope to explain a lot of specifics on the “How?” pages. Here’s a pic of my war room….

I use the resources at many trading sites and blogs. Review the “Check’em Out” section to see the different websites I visit often. I’m putting together a “How?” page to show examples of how I do some of the trades, go over indicators and more detail on some of my scans and stock-pickings.

In the beginning…

I am finally making some money in the stock market. I got here after making every conceivable investing mistake known. This was in spite of all my research, studying, workshops, subscriptions and chat rooms. Yes, I lost money taking this trip. I am neither wealthy nor, as it turns out, highly intelligent. If you gave me a list of five stocks and challenged me to pick one that would double within the next twelve months, I would, after all is said and done, pick the biggest loser.

So how did I turn this around? First, and I think the most important, I stopped looking at the stock market as a way to get rich but rather as a way to make a living. When I started, I set to replace my job income with stock market gains. It didn’t work out that way, because I didn’t know how to control my losses.

Second, I now go for singles rather than home runs. In the beginning, I held out for the big money, and often watched them dwindle away to nothing, and continue to watch them become losses. Now, I take small gains everday, $50 and $100 is ok, and watch them accumulate. It seems small gains add up rather fast, and the rapid turnover provides cash that would otherwise be tied up, watched and not working. Oh yeah, I get pissed when I take a 50 cent gain and it turns out to be a two dollar gain without me, but it looks like if you’re not leaving money on the table you’re taking too much risk. And yes, I do hit the home run now and then, and occasionally a grand slam! More later…

I also must mention Annabelle, my on-site stock reporting cat, because if I don’t, she’ll come and sit on my keyboard when I’m about to pull the trigger on a buy or sell. You can probably see her better if you click on the image.

Thanks for stopping by….and please leave some comments. Annabelle and I would appreciate it

All content on this site is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended as advice to buy or sell any securities. Stocks, options, currencies and commodities are difficult to trade. Anyone wishing to trade should have their head examined. Please do your own homework and accept full responsibility for any investment decisions you make.

WORD TO THE GULLIBLE… OR THE IRRESPONSIBLE…
TRADING OPTIONS OR FUTURES OR ANY INSTRUMENT INVOLVES THE RISK OF LOSS. PLEASE CONSIDER CAREFULLY WHETHER FUTURES OR OPTIONS ARE APPROPRIATE TO YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION. ONLY RISK CAPITAL SHOULD BE USED WHEN TRADING FUTURES OR OPTIONS. INVESTORS COULD LOSE MORE THAN THEIR INITIAL INVESTMENT.

My attorney makes me say this stuff.