Tues Mar 31 Trade Summary

20150331
Long 2 TF 1247.8, 1246.9, +0.5, +2.0
Long 1 YM 17767, +20
Short 1 TF 1250.1, -0.6
Short 1 TF 1249.8, -0.3
Short 1 TF 1250.2, +1.8
Long 1 TF 1249.6, +1.5
Short 1 TF 1251.0, -0.3
Short 2 TF 1251.1, 1250.8, +1.2, +0.7
Total YM +20
Total TF +6.5

Mon Mar 30 Trade Summary

20150330
Short 1 ES 2046.0, -1.5
Short 2 YM 17870, 17870, -7, -7
Short 1 TF 1246.0, -1.5
Short 3 TF 1247.4, 1247.4, 1247.9, +0.7, +0.7, -0.1
Short 4 YM 17898, 17898, 17897, 17898, +7, +10, +7, +10
Long 2 TF 1246.8, 1246.4, -0.7, -0.4,
Short 2 TF 1246.0, 1246.0, +0.4, -0.5
Long 2 NQ 4355.25, 4355.25, -1.0, -1.0
Long 2 YM 17870, 17868, +10, +15
Long 1 NQ 1258.75, +6.0
Total ES -1.5
Total YM +45
Total NQ +4.0
Total TF -1.4

Fri Mar 27 Trades & Journal

20150327
Long 2 YM 17582, 16584, +7, -7
Short 1 TF 1231.6, +2.0
Long 1 TF 1232.3, -0.5
Short 2 TF 1232.6, 1232.7, -0.6, +0.5
Long 1 TF 1233.2, -0.0
Long 2 YM 17538, 17538, +7, +20
Short 1 YM 17585, -7
Short 1 ES 2049.25, -0.0
Short 1 ES 2051.25, -0.0
Short 1 TF 1230.2, -0.2
Long 1 TF 1230.5, -0.0
Short 1 TF 1230.5, -0.5
Long 1 TF 1232.2, +0.9
Total ES -0.0
Total YM +20
Total TF +1.6

Each trading day provides a whole chapter in potential learning experience and lessons in trade entry and management. But sometimes it just teaches you humility that the the methods and models you use don't call every turn. Today, after yesterday's capture of some nice swooning excursions, I went again hunting for Rhino. ....only to come home having only bagged a few squirrels. And to prove me wanting not only in method but in patience, the market offered me the expected entry model minutes after I had left the screen near the end of the 1st Frame, having quit for the day. In trading, it's usually the missed profits that bother you the most, far more even than any losses accrued. Stay patient. Wait out the frame. It doesn't matter if the market turns or breaks out without you if those entries were not in your Trade Plan. What matters only is that you stick to your Plan. ...and a good weekend to all....

Thurs Mar 26 Trades & Journal

20150326
Short 1 NQ 4288.75, -2.0
Short 1 NQ 4296.75, 4297.25, +2.0, -1.0
Short 2 TF 1229.6, 1229.4, +4.0, +0.7
Long 2 TF 1224.3, 1224.5, +0.7, -0.4
Long 1 TF 1223.3, -0.5
Long 1 NQ 4277.25, -2.0
Long 1 TF 1221.5, -0.7
Long 2 TF 1220.9, 1220.7, +3.0, +0.7
Short 1 TF 1225.0, +0.5
Short 1 TF 1226.6, -0.2
Short 1 TF 1226.8, +1.0
Total NQ -5.0
Total TF +8.8

WorkDone is an important concept in trend excursion and reversal. Today in the TF contract at the 1st Frame lows is a perfect example. Price just needed to clip the Globex night session low, even by a tick, before the excursion of that trend test was finally rejected in favor of a larger bull correction to the recent decline. Stay focused. The market tells us where the best places to buy and sell every day, but as Heraclitus noted, "Fools, although they hear, are like the deaf." And market participants, although they see, always seem to remain blind to the messages given them every day at their own place of work.

Wed Mar 25 Trades & Journal

20150325
Long 2 YM 17895, 17895, +7, -7
Long 3 NQ 4406.5, 4406.5, 4406.0, +2.0, -2.0, -1.0
Long 2 TF 1253.2, 1253.2, +0.7, +1.5
Long 2 NQ 4399.5, 4399.5, +2.0, -2.25
Short 1 YM 17887, -7
Short 1 ES 2082.25, -1.5
Short 1 TF 1256.2, +1.0
Short 1 ES 2083.5, -0.5
Short 2 NQ 4407.5, 4407.25, -2.0, -2.0
Short 2 YM 17909, 17909, +7, +20
Long 2 TF 1254.0, 1254.0, -0.5, -0.2
Short 1 TF 1253.06, -0.2
Long 1 TF 1252.2, -0.9
Long 1 TF 1251.5, -0.5
Short 1 TF 1251.1, -0.4
Total ES -2.0
Total YM +20
Total NQ -5.25
Total TF +0.5

When the bear is eager, care must be taken to recognize the Trade Entry Models quickly....and have the heart to stay with them. The early fades were certainly not working well as signals for a Persistent Trend Day Down began to appear, but when the key breakdown trigger appeared as a Failing Inverted H&S, I balked at the trigger because the action was a bit choppy. I let my frustrations dictate my trade action rather than the plan. I even called the short entry in the members chat room, and yet didn't follow through on taking the trade myself. Once the breakout occurred, I was left with trying to fade at the support zones below.... again obeying my frustrations at missing the breakdown dominate instead of acting on a Trade Plan. Thus, I was left little in hand for the frame. Look over all your Trade Entry Models each day before the action begins, especially note those you haven't seen in awhile, those in particular are more likely to appear now soon. When they appear, take the entries whether you 'feel' good about the trade or not ...and almost to the degree to which you are apprehensive about the outcome is the degree to which success is more likely to occur. Be the Trade Plan and no other.

Tues Mar 24 Trade Summary

20150324
Long 2 ES 2092.25, 2091.0, -0.0, +3.0
Short 2 TF 1259.3, 1260.1, -1.4, -0.4
Short 2 NQ 4442.25, 4442.25, +2.0, -1.5
short 2 TF 1260.5, 1260.5, -0.2, -0.2
Short 3 TF 1261.5, 1262.2, 1262.3, -0.0, +0.7, +1.0
Short 2 NQ 4453.5, 4453.5, +2.0, +2.0
Long 1 ES 2094.75, +2.0
Total ES +5.0
Total NQ +4.5
Total TF -0.5

Mon Mar 23 Trade Summary

20150323
Short 2 NQ 4445.0, 4445.0, +2.0, +3.5
Long 2 TF 1260.2, 1260.5, +0.7, -0.7
Long 2 YM 18092, 18092, +7, +12
Short 1 TF 1259.5, -0.4
Long 2 TF 1259.9, 1259.9, -0.1, -0.1
Long 2 TF 1259.9, 1259.9, +0.7, +1.0
Short 1 TF 1261.3, -0.0
Short 1 TF 1261.4, +0.6
Long 1 TF 1261.0, -0.3
Total YM +19
Total NQ +5.5
Total TF +0.8

Fri Mar 20 Trade Summary

20150320
Long 1 NQ 4455.5, -1.0
Short 2 YM 17992, 17997, +20, +17
Long 1 NQ 4449.0, +4.0
Long 1 TF 1257.2, -0.5
Long 2 TF 1256.0, 1256.1, +0.7, +2.2
Long 1 NQ 4453.25, -0.0
Total YM +37
Total NQ +3.0
Total TF +2.4

Thur Mar 19 No trades, away from market.

Wed Mar 18 Trade Summary

20150318
Long 2 NQ 4349.75, 4347.75, +6.0, +3.0
Long 2 TF 1230.4, 1230.5, +1.0, +2.5
Short 1 NQ 4357.0, -0.25
Short 1 NQ 4357.0, -2.0
Short 1 TF 1236.0, -0.2
Short 1 NQ 4358.5, -0.25
Short 1 NQ 4358.0, -1.5
Short 2 TF 1236.0, 1236.3, +0.7, +0.5
Short 1 NQ 4360.75, +8.0
Long 2 TF 1234.6, 1234.8, +0.5, +1.3
Total NQ +13.0
Total TF +7.0

Tues Mar 17 Trade Summary

20150317
Long 1 NQ 4353.0, +4.0
Long 1 NQ 4352.0, -3.0
Long 3 TF 1230.3, 1230.3, 1229.7, +0.7, +0.7, +2.0
Long 2 TF 1230.7, 1230.5, +0.7, -0.4
Long 2 TF 1230.0, 1230.1, +0.7, +1.5
Total NQ +1.0
Total TF +5.9

Mon Mar 16 Trade Summary

20150316
Long 2 TF 1233.5, 1232.4, -1.4, -0.4
Short 2 YM 17846, 17846, +7, -10
Short 2 NQ 4342.75, 4343.75, -3.25, -2.5
Long 2 NQ 4342.0, 4342.5, +2.0, +7.0
Long 2 TF 1232.3, 1232.1, +0.7, +1.5
Short 2 TF 1235.3, 1235.1, +0.7, -0.7
Short 1 NQ 4352.5, -2.0
Short 2 TF 1236.1, 1236.1, +0.5, +1.4
Long 1 TF 1234.5, -0.3
Total YM -3
Total NQ +3.25
Total TF +2.0

Fri Mar 13 Trade Summary

20150313
Long 2 TF 1228.8, 1228.7, -0.8, +0.7
Long 2 TF 1226.9, 1227.0, +2.0, +0.7
Long 2 TF 1226.0, 1226.1, -0.0, -0.0
Long 1 TF 1226.0, -0.7
Long 1 TF 1226.3, -0.0
Long 1 TF 1226.4, +1.0
Total TF +2.9

Thurs Mar 12 Trade Summary

20150312
Short 1 TF 1232.3, +2.2
Short 2 NQ 4327.25, 4327.25, +2.0, -2.0
Long 2 TF 1227.7, 1227.7, +0.7, -0.0
Long 2 NQ 4317.5, 4318.0, +8.0, +2.0
Long 1 TF 1225.4, +1.2
Short 1 TF 1224.7, -0.3
Total NQ +10.0
Total TF +3.8

Wed Mar 11 Trades & Journal

20150311
Short 3 TF 1210.0, 1211.0, 1210.6, -0.0, +1.6, +0.7
Short 1 TF 1211.7, -0.4
Short 1 YM 17722, +20
Short 2 TF 1213.4, 1213.4, +0.5, +1.6
Long 2 NQ 4328.5, 4328.5, +2.0, +6.0
Total YM +20
Total NQ +8.0
Total TF +4.0

Trading is not based on which way you think the market wants to go....it's based on the models that appear at the right edge of your video screen. Today I shorted the market at the highs of the 1st hour. I was pretty sure it was going higher and I was about to get stopped out. So tickled was I to be making some profits as it fell that I settled for a simple mechanical profit. I was wrong about my opinions but I still took the trade. The model was right and I was wrong. Trade your models. We don't predict, we position. Get in the trade, and manage the outcome. Except the outcome. That is all we know in trading, and all we need to know.

Tues Mar 10 Trade Summary

20150310
Long 2 YM 17820, 17822, -10, +7
Long 1 ES 2058.75, -1.5
Long 2 TF 1205.0, 1204.3, +0.5, +2.0
Long 1 NQ 4366.75, -1.0
Long 1 TF 1204.8, +2.0
Short 1 YM 17801, +20
Short 1 NQ 4367.25, +6.0
Long 1 NQ 4358.5, -3.0
Long 2 NQ 4352.25, 4352.75, +3.0, +2.0
Long 1 NQ 4347.0, -2.0
Long 1 NQ 4344.0, +8.0
Total ES -1.5
Total YM +17
Total NQ +13
Total TF +4.5

Mon Mar 9 Trade Summary

20150309
Short 1 TF 1220.2, -0.5
Short 1 TF 1221.7, +1.7
Short 1 TF 1221.8, +1.2
Long 2 TF 1218.0, 1217.5, +1.2, +0.7
Short 1 TF 1219.5, -0.3
Short 1 TF 1220.1, +1.6
Short 1 TF 1219.8, -0.1
Short 1 TF 1220.9, +1.6
Total TF +7.1

Fri Mar 6 Trade Summary

20150306
Short 2 TF 1229.0, 1228.6, +1.8, +1.4
Short 2 TF 1232.3, 1232.0, +1.0 +1.6
Long 1 TF 1227.8, +1.7
Total TF +7.5

Thurs Mar 5 Trades & Journal

20150305
Short 1 NQ 4454.0, +5.0
Short 1 TF 1227.1, -0.4
Long 1 TF 1230.6, -0.5
Short 1 TF 1230.2, -0.7
Short 2 TF 1233.3, 1133.2, +0.7, -0.7
Short 2 NQ 4463.0, 4453.0, +2.0, +5.0
Short 1 TF 1233.5, -0.3
Long 1 NQ 4458.25, +3.0
Short 1 ES 2002.0, +0.25
Long 1 TF 1232.7, -0.5
Long 3 TF 1231.6, 1231.2, 1231.2, -0.0, +0.5, +1.5
Total ES +0.25
Total NQ +15.0
Total TF -0.4

On some days, the best trades are not fading price extremes, but the inflections that take price to them. And the filters for knowing which breakouts to take and which to ignore can be a subtle and elusive formula. Only one was clearly a model in my Trade Plan's current litany, but there is much to learn from every day, as the market always tells us where the best places are to enter, if we would be only listen... stay focused...

Wed Mar 4 Trade Summary

20150304
Long 2 TF 1223.9, 1123.4, -1.1, +0.7
Short 1 NQ 4428.0, -3.0
Short 2 NQ 4431.5, 4431.0, +3.0, +5.0
Short 2 TF 1226.5, 1226.4, +0.7, +2.0
Short 1 NQ 4427.25, +3.0
Short 1 TF 1224.8, -0.2
Short 2 NQ 4435.0, 4435.0, -0.0, +6.0
Total NQ +14.0
Total TF +2.1

Tues Mar 3 Trade Summary

20150303
Long 1 TF 1234.2, -0.6
Long 2 TF 1231.8, 1231.8, -1.4, -1.4
Long 3 NQ 4456.0, 4456.0, 4456.0, +2.0, +3.0, +5.0
Long 2 TF 1229.2, 1229.2, +1.4, +3.2
Short 1 TF 1232.8, -0.5
Long 2 TF 1233.5, 1233.5, +0.5, -0.2
Short 2 TF 1133.8, 1133.7, +0.5, +2.0
Long 1 NQ 4552.25, -0.5
Long 2 NQ 4550.25, 4550.75, +2.0, +6.5
Long 1 NQ 4449.25, -0.5
Long 1 NQ 4445.0, +5.0
Total NQ +22.5
Total TF +3.5

Mon Mar 2 Trade Summary

20150302
Long 1 TF 1232.3, +1.2
Long 1 TF 1232.4, +1.5
Short 1 TF 1235.1, -0.1
Short 1 NQ 4468.75, +0.25
Short 1 TF 1236.0, -0.4
Short 2 TF 1240.8, 1240.6, -0.3, +0.7
Short 1 TF 1241.0, -0.7
Short 2 TF 1241.6, 1241.6, -0.3, -1.4
Short 2 TF 1243.1, 1243.1, +1.0, +1.0
Long 1 TF 1241.0, -0.2
Long 1 TF 1239.4, +0.7
Long 1 TF 1239.4, -0.5
Total NQ +0.25
Total TF +2.2