This was the correct trade for the days PA.

I will remember.

tderrick 

Thanks, Mike! But, Johnny gets the props for the Promo... I'll take the weekly goal juice, however !!

Sorry about the mix up

Mike

Big Mike 

Sorry about the mix up Mike

I'm amazed you don't get more stuff mixed up, with as much as you have going on!! lol

Wednesday 3-15-11 price at 778

Price crashed after I was finished yesterday and rebounded slightly for the close.
The Globex session saw a massive sell off of 25 points!!
Price stabilized at 445am cdt and was range bound consolidation until the opening bell.

Trade 1

Price was rangy at the open so the plan was pullback trades.
Bullish movement occurred at about 838. The second strong move up of the morning,
so I was ready to go long, but how?

I was waiting for a break of the initial bullish 5minute bar and then trade the PB.
Price broke through but didn't pullback nearly as much as I was expecting. In
fact this was the second PB to the 20EMA which is a sign of stronger trend to me.
(instead of pulling back to the 50EMA)

So I sort of played both... by the time I was convinced price was bouncing off the 20,
I was looking for a HH and since this was close to one of my SR lines, I placed a
buy stop 2 ticks above the prior swing high.

I was filled and I set a rather long target to the next SR level. The target was similar on
both charts, so I felt comfortable in letting it fight.

As soon as I had about 15 ticks I moved my stop to just below the entry
SR line. That would have given me a moderate loss if price went nuts.
I let it fight well and the target was hit almost to the tick!! These SR lines are
amazing in how price reacts to them. They visit this levels over and over again.

I just hope I have the guts to stay in when I'm live again!! lol


+31 ticks

Profit target exceeded.

I'm still unsure about pullback versus break out entrys. It appears with nice upward movement
like this trend either would have worked, but I still like the trend confirmation of the break.

I guess it just depends on how deep the pullback is... more screen time required.

Wednesday 3-16-11 TF 787

Well, this replay was a lesson in everything that goes on besides PA and pulling the trigger.

I've noticed that the data has been getting more and more sketchy over the last couple of days,
especially during the Globex session. Finally, this morning it hit me. Contract roll over time!!
This was the last few days of the March contract on TF! So I whipped out my trusty VolumeGraph,
and watched volume a bit. hmmmm. First 5min bar volume 272. Second, 90. OK, where was
everyone?

So I rolled over to the June contract, reloaded everything and tried again. Well, the 5min bars
looked better, but something was still up. Then I remembered that this may have been the
Wednesday for all the big Economic meetings and such. I think there were three things going on.

So this appears to be one of those days not to trade.

If anyone has any insight on the proper way to handle when to move to the new contract,
would you let me know?

The last couple of weeks of this test, I will going with live market data, when I am able, to get back
into the swing of watching for news releases - a big part of trading that is missing with Market Replay.

Has there been a cool news feed come on the scene since I have been away from live trading?

tderrick 

Wednesday 3-16-11 TF 787 Well, this replay was a lesson in everything that goes on besides PA and pulling the trigger. I've noticed that the data has been getting more and more sketchy over the last couple of days, especially during the Globex session. Finally, this morning it hit me. Contract roll over time!! This was the last few days of the March contract on TF! So I whipped out my trusty VolumeGraph, and watched volume a bit. hmmmm. First 5min bar volume 272. Second, 90. OK, where was everyone? So I rolled over to the June contract, reloaded everything and tried again. Well, the 5min bars looked better, but something was still up. Then I remembered that this may have been the Wednesday for all the big Economic meetings and such. I think there were three things going on. So this appears to be one of those days not to trade. If anyone has any insight on the proper way to handle when to move to the new contract, would you let me know? The last couple of weeks of this test, I will going with live market data, when I am able, to get back into the swing of watching for news releases - a big part of trading that is missing with Market Replay. Has there been a cool news feed come on the scene since I have been away from live trading?

If anyone has any insight on the proper way to handle when to move to the new contract,
would you let me know?

Hey @tderrick,

I load current month and foward month of the instruments that I trade into the instument manager. Then I periodically check the market analyzer for daily volume. When the forward month has more volume than the current month, I change to that. Always trade the month with the most daily volume.

Hope this helps,

Rick

trs3042 

If anyone has any insight on the proper way to handle when to move to the new contract, would you let me know? Hey @ tderrick, I load current month and foward month of the instruments that I trade into the instument manager. Then I periodically check the market analyzer for daily volume. When the forward month has more volume than the current month, I change to that. Always trade the month with the most daily volume. Hope this helps, Rick

I've never used the Market analyzer... Is there a trick to it?

tderrick 

I've never used the Market analyzer... Is there a trick to it?

No trick. Add "daily volume" to the grid and trade the month with the most volume.

Rick

trs3042 

No trick. Add "daily volume" to the grid and trade the month with the most volume. Rick

ooooo .... I gotta get me some of that. I'll fire it up next time I start up Ninja..

My reflection this week is of complete exhaustion. I don't know how many hours I put in the studio
this week, but it was certainly just next to the absurd.

The upcoming week may even be more hours. I am blessed for all the work and I'm truly grateful
to be doing what I love, but it is taking a toll on my trading.

I'm feeling a little down because I know I'm not putting in the screen time I know is required to be
proficient at this game.

So, for now, I will just pace myself and try to take at least one trade a day until the summer hits
and all the artists are on their tours. I will have a bit more free time then, I hope.

I'm certainly not giving up, just trying to accept that this road may be a little longer than I realized.

But it's all good, I took this on because I was, and still am, fascinated with trading and thought
that it would be the perfect second career for me. I love technology and feel so at home with
the trading software, I feel like I have been doing it forever, not just the 1 year that I have under
my belt.

So, I resolve to hunker down and get my mind right for the long haul. I'll get the screen time in when
I can and learn every single day.

I just get the sinking feeling that I'm missing out, watching you guys trade everyday.

The only bright side is that my trading account is constantly being increased, so I will be in very
good shape if or when my hearing blows up and I can't work on music anymore.

I am looking forward to my second career as a day trader. I have plenty of time. ( I hope)