In one of Schwager's Market Wizards books, one trader noted that people trade in much the same way they might buy a shirt. In other words, their nature and general thought process does not change. I thought that this was a fairly insightful comment. So, if a person does one thing sloppily, then he probably does other things sloppily as well. Not necessarily, but probably.
Hmmmm. Since I am not engaged in mismanagement insulting this week, I did not bathe from Sunday night until last night. Is that sloppy? I had hoped it would make me look like Viggo Mortensen. I was right. He'll look like me at 64: bald, fat and bearded in smelly old sweats, K-Mart slippers and a ratty frayed baseball cap. But I made money shorting when Neoxx apparently expected a long.
this is exactly my point. Why not take my post, get upset, come up with a non - sequitor and feel good about it. Spelling has nothing to do with getting what you want out the markets. It takes a certain type of person to adjust find an edge and then keep finding an edge. I made a good living for 5-7 years. Then I could no longer make the returns needed. Looking back - I would say I was just not willing to be a reversion to the mean trader. I was a bit set in my ways. I had another career to fall back on. I lost my nerve and my balls because I had little kids. I know writing computer programs can be useful and the type of person who complains about spelling could be very good at writing programs. But to write programs that work real time and trade them. Not the type of person who would complain about spelling. Imo. Trading well is special. Doing it for a long time is really really cool. (and takes a very interesting person.) I just can't imagine to many people who trade for a living caring about spelling on elitetrader.
Jem, thanks for sharing your story. Excuse my ignorance, please, but do you consider that we are in a "reversion to the mean" regime?
Shouldn't the period be INSIDE the quotes? (Sorry, couldn't help myself. ) Serially, the wun that rilly gits me is the afore-munched-on lose/loose. I swear it's spelled wrong 90% of the time. I, Jess, doughnut git that, Juan.
We probably reverted to the mean in terms of volatility. It was low and then popped. But, I think we just saw a period of time where many of the trend and momentum type strategies prevailed. I suspect - many computer driven arbs hedgers have lost their capital base and their leverage - so I would expect a good tug of war going forward. Only the the skilled and experience will be able to adjust quickly enough. I hope to be one of them. But, we shall see as I have to admit my skills have atrophied as I no longer trade nearly as much as I did.
This post (which is marvelous) created a sensation for me strikingly similar to when fingernails scrape down a chalkboard. Bravo and egads.