R+0: Some Apprehension Creeping In

Definitely some wariness coming in this week.  Not felt myself since a last weeks row with good friend. Mindset definitely off,  certainly not thinking in probabilities.

EU Obs:  Scared myself out of this. My mindset should have been that this is a high prob long trade and if my ISL was taken out there would be great probability that the next level of S (Y Lo) would be tested making a great SAR. Which is a far more positive attitude than saying "what if" all day!

R-1.4 Wrong ISL? or Wrong Trade?

Could argue that getting short into an.00 level and YTDs Lo was not the smartest move but this trade would have worked had I got my ISL a little wider (still a technical level)...

UPDATE: It think this was simply wrong (too tight) ISL, should have placed it a Range highs not last high that was a bit lower than the range high.

EJ Trades...

No Setups in my Shorter Than Usual Session

Flat maintenance.

18th-22nd August : R+1.4

Monday: Simple with trend trade (short) off multiple R

Tuesday: Another simple with trend trade (short) off multiple R

Wednesday: Again another simple with trend trade (short) off multiple R

Thursday: Stinking hangover: fight with an old friend, interestingly he's also a trader. Don't know if this is going to effect my trading. I don't want it to.  There could be an element of wanting to do better than him to" rub his nose" in it, despite the fight having nothing to do with trading.

Friday: On Holiday

Psychology: Should mention I've been working the LOA (law of Attraction ) before starting trading each day, basically making sure I feel good before I start.  This has meant that my start time has varied a lot as I will lie in if I feel I need it, or will spend longer on certain exercises until I feel good. But clearly this has not had a negative effect on my PL, or may be more to the point..."clearly this has had a positive effect on my PL".

Summary:  Getting head feeling good before I start, makes trading the plan easier. I didn't do anything other than read PA, wait for it to PB/RL and trigger as my plan states but the results have been complete different because I'm more relaxed!

R+0.8: Simple Fast Trade Off Plenty of R

EU Trade: Got Short the EU from 20ema+PC+.00, hit PT in 14 seconds. Love it when this happens.

GU Obs: Avoided a GU long as the trigger was a large one making PA far too near to prior high (&240ema)  for it to work as a good 1:1 PT.

R+0.2: A US Session Setup

This AM just couldn't find a setup that met my critera or that I liked the look of.  Eventually took a trade this PM on the EJ.

EJ Trade:  I was only ever going to trade this into the prior low, but was surprised that it didn't go lower considering all the Resistance, maybe a case of less volume in the US session?

EU Obs: Technically a trade, an ugly looking trade.

GU Obs: Annoying but this wasn't my setup so had to avoid.

R+0.4: Short Off Multiple R

EU Trade:

11-15th Aug 14: R-1.4

Monday: Following the rules. First trade worked out.

Tuesday: Missed a simple trade because too caught up on one pair (not having enough fun).

Wednesday: Perfect read and trade, discretionary early exit.

Thursday: Good trade went against me, but I didn't SAR to limit loss!

Friday: Again a good trade went against me, but I didn't SAR to limit loss!

Summary / Next Week To Do's:  
1. Must continue to have fun. 
2. Must not exit a trade until it hits my ISL or (is very near my) PT.
3. Must program SAR trades at same time as taking trend trades. 

R-1.0: Keep Failing To SAR

So GU was the only chart to give me a valid setup this AM.  A short at the 20EMA, R level + 240EMA (plenty or R),  looking to hit 50% level of yesterday's range (prior low) was a realistic move and a good trade. Just should have SAR when my ISL was taken out! ;-) Been failing to do this all week/month.

Got to program trend and counter trend orders on entry. As when ISL gets taken out it can be to fast for a market order!

GU Trade

R-1.0: Missed One (Nature Called), Then Played a Large Trigger

Focusing on EU and EJ today , although at some point all charts looked promising.

EJ Trade: Got to be wary of large trigger's because they eat profit potential!

EU Obs: avoided a trade as unsure whether R level was strong enough to trade, it wasn't :)

R-0.1: Perfect Read but "Adapted"

Been seeing a therapist recently.  Got chatting about trading, particularly how I either do all the work but don't enter a trade or cut the trade short. Yes this is basically fear. But more interestingly he said that I'm very adaptable in everyday life and that probably carry it through into my trading. For example i f I'm having chat with someone I measure their mood and will often adapt what I say depending on how I find them.  I might want to tell them some home truths but if I find them depressed I will often abandon the plan. And this "abandoning the plan" behaviour I very likely carry through into my trading just like today.

EU Trade.  Looking to short into 0.50 level (a test of prior low) saw "W" and during the making of entry bar it formed a HM momentarily so adapted plan to just get out BE.  Just as in life I've got to stick to the plan!

R+0: Waiting On Clearer PA

So was looking to get short either the EU or EJ this AM. Favoured the EU as its PA was more orderly initially.  Placed some orders but they didn't get filled, then the 8/20 XO so nullified any further short trades, despite it still looking promising to the down side. This is when I should have swapped over the the EJ to get the short at "B".  Oh well an active day and still a good read.

EU Obs

EJ Obs

R+0.6: Playing (not trading) By The Rules

Saw a trade on the EU first however PA just wasn't as nice as on the EJ, so waited for that instead.  Actually both would have worked, but EJ was clearer and therefore more fun to play.

EJ Trade:  Short, stretched the ISL a little to prior high.

EU Obs:  would have been a short, ISL would have needed stretching to prior high also.

4th-8th August 2014 : R-0.9

Monday: On Holiday

Tuesday: Rusty and too intense a mindset made process unenjoyable and probably lead to missing a trade.

Wednesday: Correct trade, slightly incorrect ISL placement. Main fault not SAR when 1st trade failed. Serious mindset continues, not enjoying trading.

Thursday: Again Correct trade, just should have SAR'd when it failed. Mindset still too serious.

Friday: Correct Trade, read chart well. Mindset was one of "play" rather than "trade"made process far more enjoyable.

NB: Going to continue to "play (by the rules), not trade (as a job)" next week. 

R+1 : Having A Bit Of Fun

Personal Note:  Yesterday I mentioned wanting to have some fun.  Today was far less stressful /  intense,  I found myself chatting to myself a little about the markets ("what's going on here?",  "don't like that" etc), first signs of madness I know. But it felt lighter, more enjoyable and fluid. As I entered I noticed 136 was just below the trade so stretched my ISL wider to avoid an early stop, which this action did.  Don't know if i would have been so fluid had I not been having fun, in fact I probably would have scraped the trade and beaten myself up for taking it. So at the moment I'm happy to embrace insanity.

EJ Trade:  A nice trade and nice reactions, stretching the ISL on realising 136 just below.

R-0.9 : Correct Trade, Should Have SAR'd For BE

Personal Note:
I'm not enjoying my trading,  I don't mean the results (although they're not exactly making me smile) I mean the actual process.  I wasn't before my holiday and thought a break was all I needed, apparently it wasn't.
Trading feels like a chore: something I've got to do,  rather than want to do. I guess it feels like a job, when I want it to feel like a vocation. I've mentioned this in my other blog today and ultimately have come to the conclusion that: I need to stop trading and start playing. I need to treat it like a game to find the joy in it again. I've got to play, play by the rules, but nonetheless play and have fun!

Trading:
Today was racked with apprehension. I'm reading Bob Volman at the moment and this line seemed to be waiting there for me. "Even slightly favourable odds should theoretically pay off in the long run". Which is something I often forget, that a single trade is immaterial, it is a number of trades viewed together that is tells the truth. And I need to get those numbers up.

GU Trade: Correct Trade, just should have SAR'd when I got stopped out.

EU Obs: "Ummed and Arrrhed" over this trade,  eventually skipped it because of the HL prior to it. However price was at 2 levels of R and the 20ema  making this a strong setup.  So think my observation regarding HL's weakening short setups (and LH's long setups) yesterday might not have much weight.

R-1: Perhaps a New Rule To Be Implemented

So shorted the EU but price had previously made a higher low and it quickly got stopped out and reversed on a SAR of the trade. Al Brooks was always saying how you have to stay with the trend despite your doubts because when short the last low will be tested (high if long).  However when price makes a HL (like in my trade) this shows definite weakness from the bears and is perhaps a strong enough reason to pass on the with trend trade.
Possible Rules to add... We'll see..
1. in a downtrend stop taking short setups when price makes a Higher Low
2. in an uptrend stop taking short setups when price makes a Higher Low

EU Trade

R+0 Only One Trade Available But Missed It

UJ Obs:  Silly miss as there was such a convergence of S.  Oh well, back from hols and still warming up.