Rob C

Live trading summary for week ending 9/20/19. My best score card week since I have been tracking it at 91%. I took 9 trades with a win% of ~44%. Since I don’t look at my P/L anymore I am unsure if I am positive for the week but I think I am. I will look at it at the end of the month. Again I had one of those trades that would make my month and I stopped out early by pennies. I also had an issue forgetting I can take 3 trades per day now (with limitations). Though my partial profit taking is still too often the 1/8 share sell/cover button has helped mitigate some of the damage. I took some SIM trades (5/10/15min ORBs) which were pretty good. My trades this week were with AAPL and BABA. Both of their daily charts look interesting so I think there could be another week of trading them at the open. Back test data shows AAPL, BABA, and MU all in play at the open. So I have ample good stocks to trade at the open. Here is my plan for this week: P/L will be closed and not looked at until the end of the month to help focus on process and score card, not on W% and P/L AAPL and BABA both look good at the open. Try to look at both at the open. Keep a close eye on the volume with BABA. Wait for the 100k to arrive before entering a trade. MU is also still in play at the open. It can be become a primary focus if PM volume is there. Keep $30 risk per trade. Even though my score card allows me to increase to $42. I need to keep my risk more constant until I fix my partialling issues. Remember to take an aggressive partial profit if the price reaches the target. Try to exit at B/E after a 1st partial. Don’t look for the rebound. Keep trading 5/10/15 min on SIM Don’t add to any trade, even winners. Continue with the Van Tharp’s Peak Performance Course for Traders. Remember you can take a third trade in a day. Try and take partial profits on the way down as well if you lose faith in the trade. Instead all out at B/E or exit too early. You may take a live trade on a 5/10/15min ORB if you see a good setup.

Friday 9/20/2019 I had a well-being score of 7/10 this morning. I took 2 live trades this morning, with AAPL and BABA. So I am still long bias on BABA with its break out daily chart and good PM. I also have a small long bias on AAPL with its long steady move up in PM. Just before the open AAPL fell 50 cents on good volume. Then recaptured the 50 cents right after the open on enormous volume. The price broke the HOPM and stalled. I don’t take these trades any more at the open. They are essentially ABCD patterns using seconds instead of minutes. But the volume was so high I went long. My stop was an issue. There were two choices. 200MA-1min which was too far away or the 50MA-1min which doesn’t seem to have any strength in the first minute. So I did choose the 50MA but I went half shares because the stop is too tight and not strong. My target was the 222.50 level. The price did pop and I took two very small partial profits. I was waiting for the 222.39 daily level where I was planning to sell half my shares. The price just missed that level and retraced, just enough to stop me out. Then it sprang back and reached my target. Actually, with a little slippage on the exit I did get a tiny loss on this trade. As I said yesterday just a slight change in trade management would have made this slight loss into a solid win. What that change is and how do I get there I do not know yet. Though not right away, volume did arrive for BABA. The price moved up $1 and I was waiting for a pullback. It did arrive and I went long after the bounce from VWAP. There was no good target or stop. So I chose a long stop to the bottom of the previous candle since BABA usually doesn’t respect VWAP for a few minutes after the open. The price moved up and I took a very small partial at 183 and tried to take another partial at 183.20 but got a bad fill. So the third partial was just to make up for the bad fill on the second. But all 3 partials were very small. Then the price reached the 183.38 daily level where I took a large partial profit. Price dropped quickly after that. Then I saw a HUGE sell at the bid in the time and sales window and I exited immediately at 183, well above my entry. I took two SIM trades on MU. First one S/O and second one an OK win. So I am flat for the SIM trades. Score card (live trades). AAPL BABA 91% 96% What I did good today: Wow, really good score cards today. Good watching volume. What I am grateful from today? That time and sales signal on BABA really saved me from that big drop. What do I need to improve on: Nonlinear increase in partial size is working out OK. I just need to keep at it and improve on it.

Van Tharp Institute Peak Performance Course for Traders While I am trying to finish the monster chapter 3 in this course (looks like this chapter may take me a month) I will give an update on my goals. In a previous chapter the course asks you to sent up some short term goals with an ECD. Here are the goals and progress. 1) By end of September get a consistent 6.5 hours a sleep a night (with a min of 3.5 hours of deep sleep). Last week I obtained 6.35 hours average with 3.2 hrs of deep sleep. 2) By October 15 achieve a VO2 Max of 48. My VO2 Max was 44 at the time I set the goal and for the last week I hit a VO2 Max of 46. 3) Improve trading score card monthly average, every month to the end 2019. So far so good, but it has been a close one. 4) Spend 20 full days with family by EOY. So far I have spent 3 since the time this goal was set. But that is actually a lot for me and I am on route to accomplish the goal. 5) Finish the Van Tharp Course by before Thanksgiving holidays. I thought this was attainable until I hit one chapter that will take me a month. Now I am not so sure.

I am with Centerpoint but unsure if I can recommend them over IB. But you will learn more about your style of trading soon and then you can choose the correct broker for your style. SSR means it is restricted so can only short on an uptick. So if the price is dropping continuously will probably not get a chance to enter. I live in the US pacific time zone. So the market opens at 6:30am for me. So I can trade, drive my daughter to school and head to work.

Hey Vikram, glad to see you back.

Thursday 9/19/2019 I had a well-being score of 6/10 this morning. Little bit of a scratchy throat. Kids are sick, so probably fighting off what they have. I took 2 live trades this morning, with AAPL and BABA. It is interesting to see this month and especially today that just minor nuisances can separate you from being consistently profitable and being flat. I control my risk. I keep to my stops and choose appropriate stops. I am usually very accurate with share size. I have been pretty good lately trading good setups and getting good entries. I have tried to focus on the process, I haven’t looked at my P/L all month. But, I have been flat for over 7 months and I can tell, without looking at my P/L, I am flat so far this month. I just need to improve on the trade management. Psychology of course is preventing me to perform the correct management. I have two major issues: 1. It’s difficult to admit that I am wrong a. So I take partial profits to early and often. Thus locking in a win. b. I don’t bail out of trades quickly with terrible fills (R/R is destroyed). Can’t admit I am wrong until I hit my stop. 2. Self sabotaging a. Do you realize how difficult it is to remain exactly flat for over 7 months? It must be unconsciously controlled. b. If I see 4 good days of trading and it’s all given back on Friday c. If I see I am very green after 3 weeks and give it all back on the last week d. The one month I was actually green (+5.6R) I had to trick myself by suddenly choosing to stop trading the last two days of the month to lock in the green month e. Guess what, the next month after my green month was my first red month since January. Guess how red? -5.8R essentially cancelling out the previous month keeping me amazingly walking exactly on a tightrope of being flat. The journaling of today will read the same story. So finally, the setup that I have been waiting for the past two weeks, with BABA finally arrives. In the PM the price breaks through the resistance level creating a huge wedge on the daily chart. I was REALLY long bias on BABA today. Any sign in the long direction and I was going long with BABA. BABA almost immediately created a small hammer with large volume, a few seconds after the open and I went long. Since it was so soon after the open I kept a reasonably large stop at the 180.41 daily level. There was no target. All tech levels were no below the price. The price moved up a little bit and I took 2 very small partials. The price dropped to test VWAP again and stopped at B/E. there was some slippage so I think this trade was a small loss. Stopping at B/E is in my trading plan now. I was giving my stops some room, if there was a strong tech level below it, but after collecting data for awhile it was deemed unprofitable. Now I try to keep the stop tight on B/E. The price bounced and I could have gone long again. I am not sure why I didn’t. I guess self-sabotage. I missed a 7R move. Later, after my AAPL trade, I took a 5min ORBU with BABA in SIM. I am allowed to take a 3rd trade live now, once certain criteria is met. So I could have taken it live. I have a post it note on my screen reminding me of this. I read my daily trading plan a minute before the open to remind me. So did I do it? Nope forgot again….. I told myself it was too bad I am at my limit of two live trades and I took it SIM. I had a long bias with AAPL today as well. I like that it created a hammer on the daily chart with the PM price movement. I liked it was opening just under PDC. I went long on a 2min ORBU when it broke the 50MA-1min and the HOTD. My stop was tight, so I took a lot of shares. Stop was at the 222.39 daily level and my target was the 223.04 daily level. I took 3 partials, all really small. The plan is always take a substantial profit (at least half the shares) if the target is reached. I didn’t and took another small partial at the target. The price dropped quickly after that. I also planned to start taking partials on the way down as well. I didn’t. And with a majority of shares still left the price shot through my B/E for another small loss. Score card (live trades). It is surprising to see how high the score is on BABA trade since it was such a disappointing trade. But, the real mistake was not entering a new trade after the S/O. BABA AAPL 95% 87% What I did good today: Recognized good setups and entered the trade right on time. What I am grateful from today? Seeing the bright side, that I am almost there. Just need to get over this last hurdle. What do I need to improve on: 1) Need to get use to keep partialing as you lose faith in the trade. I seem to always want to take partial profit only on a new high. 2) Remember you are allowed to take 3 trades if the criteria is met. Don’t forget! 3) Take a large partial at the target. Don’t forget. 4) Deal with the self-sabotage 5) A losing trade doesn’t mean you were wrong. It was a statistical setup with proper risk.

Your welcome. I am going to split the knowledge of getting shorts filled into to two time frames, pretrade and entering the trade. The reason I am providing a distinction between the two, is I know very little about the latter. As for the some of things to look for before the trade I know a little and will mention them here. I know at least short fills (and availability) will be dependent on: Broker, platform, clearing house, route, availability and restriction. From what I have seen IB and Centerpointe seem to be the best for short availability, though they approach it differently. IB has a lot of available shorts. Centerpointe splits their short availability into easy and hard. Their easy list is not impressive. Easy means you can just make a market order and short. The hard list means you have to use their hard to short app. This app takes a few more clicks and is not easy to use near the open. It also charges extra commission and has a 100 share minimum. But using the hard to short app will be bit better than IB for shorts. So if you want to short near penny stocks and are not rushed for time, that is the way to go. For me it killed me that one day I watched ROKU and CGC both taking a nose dive and I had no shares to short on Centerpointe. The platform can make a difference. Hopefully you are using DAS and checking the number of short shares available in the premarket. If it is anything but max I usually don't place it in my watch list. And I assume you already now about the SSR. The clearing house can make a difference in short availability. Please ask you broker about your options. Though some can be better with shorts it may have a trade off like overnight margin restrictions. The route can make a difference, again you can ask you broker for your options and which is the best for shorts. I am paying higher for a route that is very aggressive getting my fills since I trade at the open. Hopefully there was something useful in the list above.

Great trading day. Good discipline on keeping the number of trades low. Yes getting your shorts to fill is its own skill. If you wait for confirmation of the move there may not be any shorts to fill. It has happen a lot to me since I like to wait for confirmation.

Wednesday 9/18/2019 I had a well-being score of 7/10 this morning. I took 2 live trades this morning, with AAPL and BABA. So AAPL and BABA were on my market open watchlist with MU, AMD, ROKU and FDX on my 2-5min ORB watchlist. Yes I am saying the same thing all week about the open: The setup is the same. The daily charts on both AAPL and BABA still looks interesting, maybe on the verge of a break out. I watched AAPL and BABA at the open. I had a small long bias on AAPL since it commonly has a ~60 cent pop at the open when it has some positive movement in the last hour of PM. AAPL opened above all the support levels and I was waiting for the hammer to form. I tried to go long the moment it turned white, but I saw the pop just after I clicked buy. The order delay cost me about 10 cents, but that’s OK. I already assume that slide and already added 10 cents into my stop when I calculated the share size. My target was the 222.39 daily level with the 200MA-1min as my stop. But the R/R ~3 which I know is a bit unrealistic at the open. But I like the strong levels just above my entry to help pull the price up. The price reversed immediately after I took the trade. But for 3 minutes the price held to a really strong support level above the 200MA-1min. Too bad I have a no add rule to my live trades, because that looked like a great ABCD setup. The price finally started to move up and I took very small partials at the first two levels HOPM and the 221.51 daily level. After that I tried just partialing at the 1min highs until I ran out of shares. BABA actually got volume at the open, but a lot of it was one big buy. I liked the first 1min indecision candle with good volume. I liked all the support levels were already below the price. I tried to go long when the 2nd 1min candle broke above the wick of the first candle, but I got a lot of slippage. But again this is OK I already assumed that in my share size calculation and went long with a 50 cent stop, knowing there would be some slippage. So my target was 180.41 daily level with PDC as my stop. My first partial was very small because it was out of nerves. My second partial profit was larger since it reached my first partial profit target. Then I took another small partial because I was losing faith in the trade. Exit was tricky because the price found support just above my B/E. So I want to make sure I don’t miss the bounce from support but I don’t want the price to fly through my B/E (like yesterday) and turn a small win into a losing trade. Looks like I exited OK for a small win. Score card (live trades): AAPL BABA 91% 91% What I did good today: Good score cards What I am grateful from today? Managed two trades at once at the open. What do I need to improve on: Getting better at the partialing, but need to get use to keep partialing as you lose faith in the trade. I seem to always want to take partial profit only on a new high.

There is a lot of good about your SNAP trades. The first one is a continuation of three red 5min candles and a test of VWAP break. And you took the trade on a reverse hammer with vol increasing. Your second trade is a long after the price tested VWAP at least 5 times and finding support. And absolutely great stops. With stops like that you can trade for years while you increase your skill level, with little impact to your account. The issue is mainly risk to reward. I only trade after 10am on SIM so I don't have too much experience, but the trades become much less tolerable to low R/R than the live trades I take near the open. For the short there was a strong level forming at 16.30 that really reduces your R/R. And for your long you already have the 16.42 level marked which also gives the trade a low R/R. In general your trades look like you are on track, just need some fine tuning. I would say it took me about 5 months of trading live before I reached your level.

Tuesday 9/17/2019 I had a well-being score of 7/10 this morning. I took 2 live trades this morning, with AAPL and BABA. So AAPL and BABA were on my market open watchlist with MU, AMD, SQ and KHC on my 5min ORB watchlist. Yes I am saying the same thing all week about the open: The setup is the same. The daily charts on both AAPL and BABA still looks interesting, maybe on the verge of a break out. I watched AAPL and BABA at the open. No bias on AAPL or BABA. Both were toying with red to green. So they either punch through for a long or find resistance for a short. Volume actually arrived at the open for both. Both went red to green and then rejected it. So both looked like a short. AAPL set up first with a nice reverse hammer. I shorted as it turned red. My target was the 219.32 daily level with my stop at HOTD~220. I did get 3 small partials though 2 were bad fills. Then the price spiked higher. I was worried about a red to green move and I got out quickly. The price flew by B/E with most of my shares. So this was a small loss. Then AAPL did setup again for another short but I no longer trusted it. Too bad because it did reach and go past my target. My second trade was with BABA. The price rejected the PDC strongly and made a nice 2min reverse hammer. I tried to go short when it broke down through the 200MA-5min. But, didn’t get a good fill but that is common on BABA. So I made a mistake from the beginning. Since I was watching BABA for about 20 seconds I lost track of the time and entered the trade at 9:31:59. I don’t like taking trades close to the end of a candle. If I saw that I would wait until the candle finishes and if the next candle breaks through the body, which it didn’t. So I was immediately stuck in a trade that wasn’t as good as I hoped. My target was the 175.30 level with my stop at PDC. After my bad fill my R/R~1.5. But I really like the 200MA-1min and 176.02 daily level are in the way making it a strong level to pull the price down for a partial profit taking. After 2 minutes I took off a little to reduce my risk. After 6 minutes the price did reach my first partial target, but I don’t like to sell/cover on BABA without checking the spread. But by the time I checked at the spread the price jumped back up. I think in this situation I probably should have just taken the partial. I held for awhile, then there was one last attempt to break VWAP and go lower. It failed and volume was gone so I exited early. Which is good, because I realized after the trade I took too large of a share size. So with the early exit I kept the loss to about -1R. What BABA looked like when I took the trade: The entire trade: Score card (live trades): AAPL BABA 91% 80% What I did good today: Exited early from a trade. What I am grateful from today? Stayed in a trade for 17 minutes. That’s really long for me. What do I need to improve on: Watch the clock and share size. These are tasks I usually don’t have to worry about, so always need to keep those near perfect.

I think its this one. But I haven't watch it yet. Though I definitely plan to. https://bearbulltraders.com/lessons/week-12-thor-price-level-breakout-strategy/

I have actually forgotten how many 5 day losing streaks I have had since I have gone live. And I have had at least two 10 day losing streaks. What I realize now, it was only small nuisances in trade management causing my losing streak. ROKU always has chopped me up. I see other traders making good trades, but I was just getting chopped. I am still trading ROKU SIM only. Only once I get profitable with a stock I take it live. I am finally getting better with ROKU. But I really needed to watch the spread. Sometimes it explodes without warning and I get a bad entry. Then I usually get wicked out right before it pops/drops in my direction. So I do give it a much larger stop now. Once I was patient enough to wait for the wick out, then I entered the trade. It seems to move after it wicks out the weak handed like myself. Still trading it in SIM but getting better at it. Last year a BBT member wrote up a good analysis on stocks that the "C" in the ABCD pattern can get too tight and it is actually a reverse signal not an ABCD. Though I am terrible at reverses so I have not used that info as an entry signal, it has kept me away from taking some ABCDs that reversed just after I would have entered. Your AIMT trade reminds me of one of those examples. The 5 minute chart was staying in a tight range and the last three 1min candles got REALLY tight. So there is a chance it found very strong support and may reverse back to VWAP enough to stop us out. I will try and look for that post, it was really useful.

Monday 9/16/2019 I had a well-being score of 5/10 this morning. Two nights of poor sleep and caffeine withdrawal headache. I took 1 live trade this morning, with AAPL. And 3 SIM trades. So AAPL and BABA were on my market open watchlist with MU, AMD, ROKU and SLB on my 5min ORB watchlist. Yes I am saying the same thing all week about the open: The setup is the same. The daily charts on both AAPL and BABA still looks interesting, maybe on the verge of a break out. I watched AAPL and BABA at the open. I had lots of bias on AAPL. I like when AAPL drops >1% in PM then recovers at least ½ of it before the open. It tends to pop up the remaining part of the gap at the open. I also liked the last 5min candle before the open was a nice hammer. So any excuse to long I would take. AAPL quickly created a small hammer and I went long the moment the hammer turned white. PDC was my target and the 200MA-1min was my stop. R/R~2.5 which is perfect. R/R>3 don’t seem to work at the open. I took my first partial at the HOPM/Daily level, but then the price started to stall so I took two more partials before the price dropped. I have been burned lately hold to B/E as the price seems to accelerate through my stop and I turn winners into losers. Since I still had a lot of shares left (43%) I exited when it broke through the daily level. I forgot about my plan to partial half my shares and hold to B/E. In the middle of a trade I always forget I am trying to optimize my exit. The price bounced before my B/E and made it to my target without me. The second trade on the chart above was on SIM. My wellbeing score was low, so I was happy to call it a one trade day. The candle bodies made a nice wedge and I went long on the break to the PDC. I also took 2 SIM trades on BABA and yes I forgot about the spread on the first trade and was chopped up. Then I remembered and took a winning trade. Score card (live trades): AAPL 95% What I did good today: Really good score card. What I am grateful from today? My AAPL long bias was correct. What do I need to improve on: Need to remember my trading plan. Exit only half shares if still not near B/E. And watch the spread on BABA and ROKU.

It's funny I have heard wedges discussed in both directions. As for the example you shown above I have read that type of wedge as buying pressure tightening the wedge as buyers are winning. Or as sellers are holding the resistance and sooner or later they may win. Honestly I am not experience enough to know. So I take wedges like pendants and wait for a break. If the break is in a direction I had a bias from other technicals, great and I would trade it in that direction. Aiman and Thor has created a video on that topic. I haven't had a chance to watch it yet. I am sure its more informative than anything I can bring to the table.

I tried to use the word pendant instead of wedge. Wedge gives some increase in probability of direction. It could represent upward/downward pressure. Pendant just shows consolidation and you have to wait for the breakout of the pendant to know which direction. You can see a pendant on the 1min, 2min and 5min chart. The top part of the pendant is pretty clear, the bottom is more subjective here. So it could be drawn differently.

Friday 9/13/2019 I had a well-being score of 5/10 this morning. My daughter woke me up crying last night at 1:30am, so I am a little sluggish today. It was an interesting day. Centerpoint did send out an email stating they had IT issues yesterday. So I am assuming my order cancellation issue yesterday was due to that. I took 3 (yes 3) live trades this morning, with AAPL and BABA. I hand wrote my plan for today to help stick to it. So AAPL and BABA were on my market open watchlist with MU, AMD, and ROKU on my 5min ORB watchlist. Yes I am saying the same thing all week about the open: The setup is the same. The daily charts on both AAPL and BABA still looks interesting, maybe on the verge of a break out. I watched AAPL and BABA at the open. I had no bias on AAPL. I have seen it pop or drop with this same PM action. My premarket plan specifically stated no pullback trades on AAPL in the first minute. So I waited for a hammer. So a very powerful hammer was being formed in the first minute with AAPL. I was waiting for the hammer to become white so I could go long. Or finish the 1min candle and take a 1min ORBU, Then, while there was still a little red left, a large ask appeared about 5 cents above the current price. So I went long. My target was the $221 dollar level with a stop of 219.59 PM level. The price moved up a few cents then quickly dropped and I was S/O where planned. I probably should have been more aggressive with the S/O. Once it was apparent the 2nd 1min candle was not going to make a new high I should have exited. But generally I thought this was a good trade. Yes without the L2 signal it was a B setup. But I think with the L2 signal makes it into an A setup. For my second AAPL trade, AAPL dropped and hit support on the two daily levels. Then started to stall, making a mini ABCD. I really liked the R/R~3 so I shorted with the 218.16 daily level as my target and 219.59 PM level as my stop. The price quickly dropped and I took a small partial. I was hoping this would run so I was not in scalping mode. Then I waited 3 minutes and saw SPY really starting to spike up. So I took another small partial profit. Only took a small partial since the 1min chart the candles were making LH/LLs. Then the price rushed up quickly. I exited when it broke the 219.32 level. There was a bit of a slide, so I think this trade was a loss as well. I didn’t consciously take a third trade. There was no internal fight or revenge, I just didn’t think about rules at all I just took 3 trades. Since they all were overlapping in time it might not have felt like it at the time. I remember taking each trade, but I was surprised to see 3 live trades were taken at the end of the session. BABA was interesting. It dropped for 45 minutes in the PM then only the last 10min it popped back up. The price went higher at the open. Then 25 seconds after the open a HUGE buy order went through: What was interesting is the market really didn’t care and the price started to aggressively drop. So it felt like the sellers were in control if they were ignoring such a large buy. So I took the lack of interest of the huge buy as a bearish signal. I could be very wrong, since I have never used that signal before. There were lots of levels below the current price. But I thought if it could break through them all (all the MAs including the 200MA-1min, VWAP and the 173.02 daily level) I would go short. The price did and I went short. I took half share size since I never used a signal like this before. My target was PDC with my stop at VWAP. I also liked the daily level in the way so it could help pull the price toward it. The price dropped a little, not enough to take a partial. The next 1min candle was an inverted hammer still giving me hope. Then the price made a clear break of VWAP and I got stopped out. If you have any insight on this trade let me know. I am still not sure how wise it was to use the large buy as a bearish signal. Then I over traded in SIM. I am left with a bad feeling about my trading session because of it. Score card (live trades): AAPL AAPL BABA 91% 90% 91% What I did good today: I really like my three live trades I took today. Since they all were losses it has left me wondering if they were really good. What I am grateful from today? I kept my eye on the tape. What do I need to improve on: Take less SIM trades. I think I will lock myself into 3 SIM trades max from now on.

Van Tharp Institute Peak Performance Course for Traders Vol 3: How to Control Losing Attitudes Chapter 3 A monster chapter. Huge exercises. It took me almost two weeks to finish half the chapter. The course asks for you to start writing a psychological diary. Which should include the following information: 1) What was the trade: Bought/Sold – Opening/Closing 2) Specific info about the trade 3) % of your capital invested 4) Was it on margin 5) What kind of leverage was used. 6) Record the reasons you took the trade 7) What were your thoughts when you opened the trade? Self-talk? Feelings (mental/physical)? 8] What technical factor were there to support your decision? 9) How does the trade fit into your goals for the week/month/year? 10) Are you currently experiencing anything emotional outside of the markets? 11) For opening trades, comment and rate on your expectations. 12) For closing trades comment on how you gained or lost money. Did you follow your system? 13) What was your reaction to the win or loss 14) Why did you make the trade? How did you know it was a good risk? The course asks you to take a DT test. I will not place my answers here, because the evaluation will be in the next chapter. So I will list it there. Then the course asks to lists what money means to you. Then make a list what people commonly tell you about money. Though the discussion of this exercise will be discussed in chapter 8 I have the list I created below: Money Self worth Providing for my family A limiter for my goals Something that removes my focus on the things that matter Something I work for that removes time that I could be spending with my family Security Stress A barrier to the life I wish I had Intrigue Fascination An insight how the world works What other people often tell you about money Defines success Separates the halves from the halve nots Root of all evil It's only money Can never have enough You must have money to make money Don't throw money out the window Then you are asked to take a Values Self-Test. First list 3 things you look for when you buy a car (my list below): 1) Do I like the look of it? 2) Is it the correct size for its intended use? 3) Reliability Then asked to list your three most important goals in life (my list below): 1) Give my family a better life 2) Have a useful life 3) Don’t waste time Then finally asked to list what you would look for in a dog: 1) Is that breed cute 2) Do you like the dog’s personality 3) Is that breed trainable Luckily I didn’t read ahead so I didn’t know how this was scored. But you give all comments that were positive a +1 and negative a -1 and sum them up. Surprisingly I was positive. With that info you will analyze the next 3 exercises differently Next is the start of the first monster exercise. First, you list 10 things that are essential in your life. This was already concerning since after I listed them I saw I clearly did not have most of them. Then you order them in priority. Then for each thing on your list you list 10 things explaining what you value about that essential need. So you end up with 100 words/phrases. Then you prioritize each under each category to have a prioritized list of a 100 values. Then for each of the 100 values you answer, “when do you know you have it and when do you know you don’t.” So you end up with 300 phrases. This took quite a bit of time and that is all I finished in the chapter so far. Next I will work on the 300 phrases of things that are essential to avoid in your life. Then you take the two lists and compare them. Actually that’s when things get interesting. But so far I have only finished the first list, which is below. I hope it looks as time consuming as it was. Value How do you know when you have…? How do you know when you DON'T have…? Family Love Feel alive Void Spending time with them Feel the bond You feel the bond with them slipping Watch them grow Catch the milestones Miss the milestones Happiness Look forward to the day Dread the day Make your child laugh everyday Best sound in the world I can tell there was something missing that day Trust Run to me when they are upset Avoid me Vacations Immediate increase in bond Burn out Reading to kids They look forward to it If you haven't read to them in awhile its awkward Traveling The kids talk about for months afterwards They will ask for it everyday Help kids with homework They are less stressed about school work They are stressed since they feel like they are on their own Adequate Sleep Safety for other drivers Stay alert while driving Risk of falling asleep while driving Safety for my passengers Stay alert while driving Risk of falling asleep while driving Safety for myself Stay alert while driving Risk of falling asleep while driving Memory strength Surprise people with my memory Forgot why I walked into that room Work effectively Stay ahead of the game Seems like there are not enough hours in the day Keep up with the kids They tire first I tire first Don't fall asleep while standing - I hate that I don't dose off during the day Fall asleep anywhere Prevent dizzy spells No dizzy spells Almost faint during the day Strength to exercise more Exercise more than 3 times a week Unable to exercise It would be nice to yawn again. You body turns that off during long extreme periods of sleep deprivation. I haven't yawned in 10 years Yawn like a regular person Forgot what it was like to yawn Money provide for family They go without wanting Cutting expenses Sustenance Pay the bills Loss of basic necessities Better secondary education for my kids Kids happy with their school Not happy, poor scores compared to national level Intrigue Enjoy learning about the financials Not even knowing the Nasdaq current level Need Have the materials to function Don't have the basics, effects work Financial freedom Able to pursue more interesting work Work for a paycheck self-worth Feel good about yourself Feel the stress of not providing as much as you should College fund Staying with the needed savings plan Worried how we will pay for it. Limiting my kids choices Success Created more than enough income Not even following the right path to succeed Fascination with markets Eager to trade in the morning Dread trading Career Livelihood Job more than a paycheck Just a paycheck Life Goals "Never work a day in your life" Job inspires no goals Challenging Creates interest to learn and adapt Robotic Fulfilling Job fills at least one goal Job does not fulfill any goal Responsibility People trust that you will complete the task Checks needed for you Role model for my children You inspire them to do something they love A job is just money Team player No one has to fight for credit Free for all Make use of education PhD = Doctor of Philosophy PhD = Pizza Hut Delivery Part of something big More like a quest Just see the day to day grind Pride Proud to say what you do Refer to yourself generically as an "engineer" Sense of importance Feeling needed People depend on you every day Your not missed Trusted Answers/tasks are accepted without question Always questioning you Valued Fell irreplaceable Easily replaced Missed They feel glad when you returned They had not noticed you were gone for a few days Respected Your opinion matters Your thoughts are not worth anything Self Esteem You simply feel good about yourself You feel like a disappointment Achievement Something recent that you are proud of If you have to go back far in time to your last achievement Make a contribution Feel that others benefit from your help Doesn't matter if you were there or not Knowledgeable They seek out to answer questions Your opinion does not matter Helpful They expect that you will offer help and are grateful Intellect Creative Positive responses for your "new" ideas Rehashing old ideas Continually improve The world opens to you Same old, same old Read Every day (audio books) <4 a week feels like I am no longer reading Learn new Learn something new everyday Can't remember the last thing learned review old Almost always recall useful info Always unable to find useful info not recently learned Increase understanding Instinctively always want to know the "why" Learn enough to finish the project New skills If you are struggling, you are learning something new Everything is too easy Learn Day Trading Improving each month Stagnating Stay with new tech You find yourself teaching other on the new tech You see others using new tech and you have no idea how to use it Keep a good memory Surprise people with my memory Forgot why I walked into that room Exercise De-stressor Tolerance for stress is high Easily set off Hobby Working out is fun Hitting the gym is a chore Keep fit You can feel fit You can feel out of shape Improve sleep Deep sleep more than half the night Light sleeping only Improve mood High tolerance Short fuse The great Outdoors The reason I moved to California What a waste moving to California Time to myself Then like to spend the rest of the day with people Feel claustrophobic Push myself Proud of the workout Felt like I wimped out Time in the sun Good day sunshine Vampire I want to climb Mt. Whitney Ready for Whitney in 2021 Will I ever be ready for Whitney Peace Calm Zen On the edge of a mood swing Mediation The skill is getting easier Not seeing any progress Contentment Living a worthy life Going to die with lots of regrets Quiet Hear the roosters and cows Hear only shouts Time for myself Take the short way home Take the long way home Interim between stressful events Back to norm before the next event Fires keep building on each other Music Listening to my daughter play piano The day just doesn't seem as harmonic Walks Listening to books or bonding with my son The bond with my son seems to drift Pets Unconditional love Like something is missing Sleeping child Nothing more peaceful I miss not seeing them sleeping in the mornings

I am not an expert in that time frame (actually not an expert in any time frame), so you may take my comments with a few grains of salt. First the good: The price was holding VWAP in multiple time frames. The 1min and 2min charts the candles was creating a pendant. You went long on a white candle You stopped out right where you wanted (that is a skill that took me awhile). What could be better. Of course this is easier to see in hind sight. I would have likely missed them as well. Volume died down Entered the trade in the middle of the end of the pendant. Usually you want to wait for the break of the pendant to know which direction the price will move. Risk to reward seemed low. There were three tech levels above the entry. The first was highly respected on the 1min and 2min chart and one candle on the 5min. The next 2 levels were respected once on the 1min/2min/5min chart. So unsure of your target. If waited for an entry for a clear break of the 28.35 level (by 3 or 4 cents) the strong tech level would have been cleared and the pendant broken. R/R would still not be too good with a target of the 28.44 level with VWAP-5min as your stop. But you could plan to take a partial profit at that level in hopes of reaching the 28.51 level. At least if that was the plan, the trade would not have been taken. Again not an expert. But hopefully you can find some use in my comments. Rob C

Thursday 9/12/2019 I had a well-being score of 6/10 this morning. Wow, what a bad trading day. My head is still spinning a bit. I took 2 live trade this morning, with AAPL. So AAPL and BABA were on my market open watchlist with MU, AMD, ROKU and BHGE on my 5min ORB watchlist. The setup is the same. The daily charts on both AAPL and BABA still looks interesting, maybe on the verge of a break out. I watched AAPL and BABA at the open. Same thing happen, the volume immediately arrived for AAPL and as usual not BABA so I was highly focusing on AAPL. I had no bias on AAPL. My premarket plan specifically stated no pullback trades on AAPL in the first minute. Hammers are fine in that time frame. The <1min pullbacks did work well for many weeks but they now have too low of a success probability. So of course that I took a <1min pullback and instantly regretted it. The price broke through a strong PM level on good volume and held the level. After, what I thought was enough time I went long. The target was the $226 level with another PM level (224.80) as my stop. Wow it instantly reversed after my fill and I stopped out seconds later for a full-1R. At my stop it now created a very nice hammer setup. The ones I like with a strong level ahead of it to pull it a bit. Essentially the setup I said to take in my morning trading plan. So I flipped my position. The order did not go through and I was left with a hollow triangle. Out of frustration I tried the short again and was given a horrible fill 30 cents lower than expected. According to the trading logs I see a 30 cent difference in the accepting price and the execution price. As usual I am stuck in my worse trade where personality flaws does not allow me to do the right thing, which is to just bail out of the trade. I even made a rule to give myself another trade (I usually have a 2 trade limit) if I exit on a bad fill trade. Bad fills happen. I need to be able to handle them efficiently. Instead I first got really irritated that if I got the original fill I would have been nearly 1.5R in my favor already. Then I got worried about the open order. I really didn’t want a pull back trigger another short, so I cancelled the order. Nothing happen. I tried cancelling 5 more times with no effect. I wasn’t even paying attention to the trade. 28 seconds later the cancellation went through. Why did it take so long? Does anyone know how that happens? So what happens, is what always happens. I get stopped out at my originally planned stop out level. Which of course is now twice as large. Then I took a really bad revenge trade (-3R), thank goodness I switched to SIM before I did that. That two trade limit is really forged into my brain. But I still shouldn’t have done it. I don’t want to reinforce new bad habits. I already have enough of those. Then I calmed down and took two solid winners on SIM. I am not looking at my P/L this month, but I really need to know if I hit max loss. I have a rule not to trade the following day. Plus, I never reached my daily max loss in the last 7 months, I really needed to know. It looks like I had -3R loss today. So I looked at my account balance for today (not the month), which is kinda breaking my rule, but I felt better than looking at my P/L and some how I was a few dollars under my max loss. Not sure how, but I felt a lot better knowing I didn’t break it. Score card (live trades): The first trade score wasn’t as bad as I thought, since I did manage the trade very well and it was a really good <1min pullback. It’s just I didn’t follow my morning plan so I took a -15% on that. The second trade was of course painful and I destroyed my whole months score card. Which was >90% before today. I added my scoring criteria today for reference. AAPL AAPL AAPL AAPL Setup 35% 47% 85% 67% Entry 20% 5% Partials/Exit 20% 5% Share Size 10% 10% Total 85% 67% What I did good today: The first trade was at least managed well. What I am grateful from today? I didn’t hit max loss What do I need to improve on: Here is the plan: 1) Increase market limit order range. It was originally set a long time ago for stocks like MU. These higher price stocks need more space. But I have been trading AAPL for months without issue. Now I am having order fill issues. Today was not the first time recently. 2) Will post, in my journal, parts of the next days trading plan that I already know. To help with accountability. 3) Investigate why it took 28 seconds to cancel my order. Would the order gone through, in those 28 seconds, if the entry price was reached? Is that a concern? 4) Will try adding lots of visual cues about exiting trades with poor fills. I haven’t used things like posted notes and signage in months. I will create one. Trading plan for Friday 9/12/10: 1) Don’t trade the pullback setup < 1min on APPL 2) Don’t try a 1min ORB, on AAPL, if the body of the first candle is >60 cents 3) Watch the spread on BABA and ROKU. 4) Partial in scalp mode, if the trade is taken <1min from open. 5) Watch the opening volume on BABA 6) Bail on trades with poor fills. The trade per day limit will increase to 3 if exiting a poor fill trade is performed. 7) Take half shares since it is Friday

Wednesday 9/11/2019 I had a well-being score of 5.5/10 this morning. Having caffeine withdrawal issues. I took 1 live trade this morning, with AAPL. So AAPL and BABA were on my market open watchlist with MU, AMD, ROKU and PLAY on my 5min ORB watchlist. The daily charts on both AAPL and BABA still looks interesting, maybe on the verge of a break out. I watched AAPL and BABA at the open. Same thing happen, the volume immediately arrived for AAPL and as usual not BABA so I was highly focusing on AAPL. I was long biased on AAPL. The scenario I was hoping for was a slight pull back then a hammer would be created and I would go long when it broke the 218.16 level. That price was really respecting in the premarket. And this scenario did occur. But while I was waiting for it to unfold a big ask appeared in the L2 and I immediately went long. I still can’t believe how fast I took the trade. Sorry if it sounds like I am boasting, but I am really proud of myself. I keep watching the video. I guess you can really train your brain like a muscle. Now after almost 1 year live I guess my brain is starting to function more efficiently. Within one or two clicks of the clock, the big ask appeared, I saw it and recognized it as a go signal, I decided to take the trade, I recalculated my share size based on the better entry (something I messed up on recently) and pressed the correct buy button. Holy smokes!! So I went long on the ask signal with 219 as my target (very few levels above current price now). With 217.50 as my stop, which was respected in premarket. I mentioned yesterday that I shouldn’t use the new 1/8 partial on these opening trades since they are more like scalps. But when the price reached the first tech level, this was the entry I was originally looking for. So why take a substantial partial on a candle that looks like an entry? So I did take a couple of rapid fire 1/8 share size partials. Still too many but now less damaging. I took my first big partial at 218.75. I did take a couple more partials after but I didn’t have too many shares left. I don’t look at my P/L, but eyeballing the trade it looks like I made my 2R. I then took 4 SIM trades. Two on BABA. First one I forgot about the spread and only broke even. Then I watch the spread closer and made a small profit on the second trade. Then I took 2 SIM trades with ROKU and immediately forgot that ROKU’s spread and price action is even more volatile than BABA. I took a short without looking at the spread (with too tight of a stop) and got a horrible fill so I immediately got out with another horrible fill. I was -3R in seconds, wow. Then I carefully watched the spread and took another short with a good run, but likely my profit was less than -3R. So definitely need more SIM time on ROKU. Score card (live trade): AAPL 93% What I did good today: I really like the quick entry decision on AAPL What I am grateful from today? That my ROKU trade was on SIM not live. What do I need to improve on: Keep working on the 1/8 sell/cover button usage.

Tuesday 9/10/2019 I had a well-being score of 6.5/10 this morning. I took 2 live trades this morning, both with AAPL. So AAPL and BABA were on my market open watchlist with MU, AMD, ROKU and F on my 5min ORB watchlist. The daily charts on both AAPL and BABA looks interesting, maybe on the verge of a break out. I watched AAPL and BABA at the open. The volume immediately arrived for AAPL and as usual not BABA so I was highly focusing on AAPL. AAPL made a strong solid white candle with volume and was threatening to go red to green. The price didn’t bounce off the PDC but hovered below it. I really liked the strong tech levels 30 cents above it that would pull the price toward it so I went long before the PDC break. My target was the 214.91 daily level and my stop the 200MA-1min. But realistically the 214.45 level was really strong and I knew it could bounce hard from it. But because it was so strong I was confident I would reach it. So the trade looks good so far but this is where I made the mistake. Today was the first day I have access to a low partial shares button (1/8 shares). I tested on SIM yesterday and today is the first day I could use it live. I guess I was too gung-ho to use it. It was good I used it on my first partial which is taken off of nerves. But my second partial (at the 214.45 level) should be heavy, at least half my shares. But I just instinctively took another 1/8. The price did bounce hard from the level and I stopped out below VWAP. Sadly for a small loss due to my small partial. The price quickly bounced on volume with an ABCD setup and the same red to green. I went long again with the same target and stop. This time I would partial heavy at the 214.45 level. I did get a small partial in but the price reversed. I then noticed SPY was really dropping so I got out when it broke VWAP for a small loss. I then took 1 SIM trade. AAPL was setting up for nice short with a reverse hammer and SPY dropping. But by the time I switched to SIM, I thought I was chasing it, which I wasn’t since it fell hard. But, BABA¸ was still setting up. The 1min chart had a really nice ABCD setup and the 5min chart had a 5min ORB setup. I first only shorted half shares since the price was still well below the 1min VWAP and may retrace to there. It did and I shorted with my other half of my shares. Then BABA fell 7R. The 1/8 partials really helped on this trade. On Friday I caught a 8R drop on BABA and only made a painful 1R. Here I made 4R on a 7R move. Much happier. Though I didn’t look at my live trade P/L I need look at my demo account so I could immediate critique my trade. That’s how I know I made 4R. Score card (live trades): AAPL AAPL 89% 93% What I did good today: Stopped out early and was correct to do so. What I am grateful from today? Took a really good SIM trade helping my confidence. What do I need to improve on: Now that the newness of the 1/8 sell/cover button is over I can use it more appropriately.

I like your last two MU trades and would have taken the same ones. The first trade was a nice ABCD pattern and you went long after a confirmation 1min candle with volume. Your short was good after a false VWAP break after a 40 minute down trend.

Great trades. Amazing stops!

Monday 9/09/2019 I had a well-being score of 6/10 this morning. I took 1 live trade this morning, with AAPL. So AAPL and BABA were on my market open watchlist with MU, AMD, ROKU and T on my 5min ORB watchlist. AAPL daily looks interesting, maybe on the verge of a break out. I watched AAPL and BABA at the open. The volume immediately arrived for AAPL but not BABA so I was highly focusing on AAPL. AAPL created a nice hammer and I went long the moment the candle was no longer red. I also like a hammer that the bottom is created by a major tech level like this one. The 214.91 daily level was a concern, but I Iike entering a trade, near a tech level, in the first minute. The level seems to draw the price to it. Though you must take a partial there. The 215.18 level is not a serious one. It was somewhat forced because I really needed another level. So my target was 216 and my stop was the LOTD. The price immediately went against me, but I had a reasonable size stop. Then the price headed up and I took several small partials. I was just about to take my first large partial, near 2R, but the price retraced before it got there. Though I have been thinking of a new procedure of selling/covering half my shares and letting the last bit run until B/E, it is not a rule and I didn’t even think of it. The price made a new 1min low and I exited. Later the price bounced off of VWAP, above my B/E, and rebounded and reached my target of 216. Where it found resistance. I then took 4 SIM trades. 2 winners and 2 losers. The winners were much larger. I tested the new 1/8 share partial button in SIM. Score card (live trade): AAPL 91% What I did good today: Was careful to watch volume. What I am grateful from today? Nerves a little high today, but recovered fine. What do I need to improve on: Start using the 1/8 sell/cover button where appropriate. Think seriously of partial exits and let the last bit run.