CL Redux

Quote from schizo:

When I was trading ES, I thought being glued to the computer for 6 1/2 hours was too damn long. CL lessened that burden by 1 hour. Now that I'm flirting with other commodities, particularly ags which trade for only 3 1/2 hours with some wild intraday volatility, that burden has been significantly reduced. Although I'm not actively day trading them yet, I can understand why ag traders tend to look down on their oh-so-fashionable ES and CL brethren. :eek:
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The human body and mind cannot function at a high level while remaining on high-alert for long periods of time. We are not designed for living with a steady drip of adrenaline, long term. It breaks us down physically and mentally sooner than later.

That's why high stress careers such as police, active military, doctors, firefighters have such high percentages dysfunction: alchoholism, drug abuse, suicide, divorce, blood pressure and heart issues. Those individuals are in careers that demand they function above the stress threshold human bodies are capable to sustain long-term.

Anyone who thinks for one moment that short-term trading ain't stressful does not have real money at work in the market. Never mind the fear of loss aspect: focus and concentration required is very demanding, and the win/loss competition factor with ourself, for others, against others, etc in our own mind is stressful alone.

Short-term traders function at optimal levels for brief stretches of time... just like any other adrenaline - cortisone based profession or pursuit.
 
Totally agree with AustinP's comments. In the FWIW and everyone likes to watch a train wreck. I thought I would share my experience trading CL over the last month.

Mid Feb with democracy breaking out in the Mid East I decided to look at trading the CL. ES has been in a really boring grind and having been consistently profitable for the past several months I had confidence (cocky) I could perhaps successfully trade the CL.
(inc comish)
2/13-2/20 small scalps for +575
2-20-2/26- got interesting...went to bed with a short clJ woke up deep red...yikes. Didn't want to sell so I went long CLM and over the week scalped my way out of the red
+107
2/27-3/8 with just a couple of weeks to CLJ exp still bullish but with losses on the short side ...3/2 sold a 98.5 P for 2.19 ..I was bleeding with 1 QM short as well
(371) net
3/7-3/12 still bleeding on my scalps losing hundreds daily decided on 3/7 to sell the 106 call @2.62 creating a strangle which if it pays off compensates me for all my losing scalps(and big loss in QM)
+412
3/13-3/16- Expiration week...BTC my 106 call and held the 98.5 thru some pretty tense days..but finally decided the prudent thing was closing it for 1.05
-1287

conclusion-- don't need the ulcers..trading is difficult especially with a different product. BTW this was with money not sim. My hat is off to all you good people. Best and best of luck/skill in your trading!

sorry included ES trades and only up to 23rd...playing around with paint...will try and clean it up
 
Trading need not be stressful after a certain amount of the learning curve has progressed.

Truth be known, trading can be rather relaxing when the person has control of the market instead of the mkt having you under control.

Switching instruments is like switching girls, no two are alike, always some stress in new relationships, just be who you are and everything will be fine.

Stress can be a motivator, depends how the individual is wired, no two individuals are alike, thats why we are called "individuals".

Pigeonholing all traders alike is a mistake. Negative thoughts in a game of probability is a scary thought and we all know trading scared is a death wish.

Personally i want stress, boredom is a drag, that is the killer, not stress.

Face the truth, playing in a game that offers such high kick ass rewards is NOT SUPPOSED to be easy. That is the secret to the rewards........many losers are needed to keep the risk transfer alive and well.

STRESS..........Bring it on all !!
 
Quote from bighog:



Switching instruments is like switching girls, no two are alike, always some stress in new relationships, just be who you are and everything will be fine.


STRESS..........Bring it on all !!
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:D

well too much stress is NOT a good thing!!!! at least for this dude..I have pretty good tolerance for pain/stress so if QM starts to offer options then I'll tip toe back in.....
 
Quote from EON Kid:

can you believe these new BS regulations

They got wind of Nodoji's Bot :eek:

http://www.ninjatrader.com/Advisory/Advisory1.php
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Well, other explanations are available ... including the crackdown on HFTs (by charging them non-member rates or requiring memberships from all individuals involved in the development would end that cottage industry in a... flash).

Alternatively, regulators may try to learn precise origination (risk attribution) of all trades, regardless of the server colocation to disentangle counter-party risks of TBTF entities, as they pledged to do so following the 2008 collapse of interbank lending due to fear of counterparty risk...

but I digress. I'm holding CL accumulated around 87. I added more QMs this week at 96-8 (using QM which improves entry diversification, to offset the current vola. Always close half at B/E after averaging down). I plan to add even more if and when the 'ridiculous' 107 dollars becomes cheap, i.e. around 112. One CL position is hedged with Brent short I bought above 115 (the current cap imposed by the Saudis should not let it exceed 120 before they equalize Brent with WTI). Mostly inflationary trade, the war is a distraction here... not a bet. I wish the UN imposed basic personality disorder screens on all country leaders...
 
There was a Doctor who treated Vietnam Vets with ptsd by getting them jobs as runners and clerks on the floor of the Chicago exchanges in the 80's. They had a great deal of success functioning while in the program and many described it as the closest experience to actual combat they could achieve stateside. The elevated stress and adrenaline is like a drug called Charlie Sheen, most who try it will have their face melted off!

I'll try to find an article on this, I only know of it personally from my relatiionship with members in the early 90's.

Quote from austinp:

The human body and mind cannot function at a high level while remaining on high-alert for long periods of time. We are not designed for living with a steady drip of adrenaline, long term. It breaks us down physically and mentally sooner than later.

That's why high stress careers such as police, active military, doctors, firefighters have such high percentages dysfunction: alchoholism, drug abuse, suicide, divorce, blood pressure and heart issues. Those individuals are in careers that demand they function above the stress threshold human bodies are capable to sustain long-term.

Anyone who thinks for one moment that short-term trading ain't stressful does not have real money at work in the market. Never mind the fear of loss aspect: focus and concentration required is very demanding, and the win/loss competition factor with ourself, for others, against others, etc in our own mind is stressful alone.

Short-term traders function at optimal levels for brief stretches of time... just like any other adrenaline - cortisone based profession or pursuit.
More...
 
Quote from startraitor:

There was a Doctor who treated Vietnam Vets with ptsd by getting them jobs as runners and clerks on the floor of the Chicago exchanges in the 80's. They had a great deal of success functioning while in the program and many described it as the closest experience to actual combat they could achieve stateside. The elevated stress and adrenaline is like a drug called Charlie Sheen, most who try it will have their face melted off!

I'll try to find an article on this, I only know of it personally from my relatiionship with members in the early 90's.
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adrenaline - cortisol becomes an addictive, self produced cocktail drug. Many traders wonder why they take boredom trades, fade their own systems = rules, etc. It all centers back to needing the action more than needing the profits.

That's not at all what most active short-term traders want to think or hear... we all naturally want to trade every possible moment and be in a live trade at all possible times for the fun of it.

Goes back to the fact that successful traders eventually figure out they can never have what they inwardly want. Which is why the mass majority who persistently try to get what they want out of the market, fail.
 
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