I find it easier to watch the market all day the longer I trade. Just when you let your guard down is when an opportunity appears. Its hard to stay focused for several hours but its like anything else, it comes with practice.
Sometimes it can be very boring. I don't know how other traders do it on some days, but if I ever do this full-time (all the time), then I'll probably make a trade and set my stops and go out jogging or something. Sitting in front of the monitor is something I'd like to minimize any way I can.
You're not gonna make it with this attitude I can assure you. You need to put in some serious time on that 'puter watching the ebb & flow of the market, anything less and you're toast (if active trading is your goal). If you're bored now you are beat before you've begun. Am I right to say this traders??
Aphex, why don't you just go back to your day job and give up trading for awhile. I see from your profile that you like to hustle, gamble and play the casinos. The stock market is NOT a casino. It will eat young-un's like you alive. You post here incessantly expressing your opinions, opinions based not on experience but on guessing and idle musings. You have no idea what your'e talking about. leave the posts to the people with experience, winners or losers, at least they TRADE.
Jasper is the name of a front-end order entry system that aphie was developing to use with TWS. He's mentioned it a number of times over the past month or so, and posted a few pictures of it in early stages of development.
Speaking of Jasper, I was tweaking it and accidently went short on a YJ contract and by the time I realized I was in the market, I was out $50. I think I'm going to take a hiatus from this board and concentrate on my trading. I obviously can't do both at once and I'm only hurting myself by not paying attention and doing something half-ass. Sorry, but I didn't realize trading would be this hard.
I will be back soon, but I need to stay away from ET for a week or two and clear my mind of a lot of the negativity that I see going through this board. There are a lot of great people who give great support, but just as many selfish assholes who really don't care about anyone else but themselves. Here is the current screenshot of Jasper. I'm going to work on it for the next week while paper-trading and injecting another $1k into my account. I'll be around for those who want updates on Jasper, etc -- just PM me or e-mail me. Thanks for all your support. I'm taking a little vacation from ET.
At aphie's request this thread is being temporarily closed since he will be taking a short hiatus and not posting a journal.