B(l)ack

I will be writing under a new blog in future:

Insipid Investor

As it will totally be unrelated to forex, I decide to give a new name, for pure leisure writing.

Miss those days!

Poker vs Trading

Interesting article about poker and trading statistic here.

Jack of all Trades, or Master of One?

I use Grammarly's plagiarism checker because I like to know the fact that I'm unique, no one is trying to be me, and it improves my writing for my readers' readability.

After last year's trading here and there, I have stopped forex trading for quite a long while. Partly due to the reason that I have busted my account, and my wedding proposal in April which added a doggy into our family (proposal gift for my wife), and then my 12 hrs job, which leads 12 hrs in a day working, 6 hrs sleep, 3 hrs taking care of the dog, and the remaining to job hunting. I can't explain how much I'm dying to leave the first trading firm.

my dog.

Finally after so much interviews, I landed into another trading firm, where people there appreciates work-life balance, and great opportunity to learn. And my wedding preparation began then, for my big day in mid-December. Blink of eye, I'm a married man. Our house key collection date was 31-December-2013, and now we're busy with the renovations and stuff.

 pic from HDB wiki.

In my country, many couples apply for a HDB flat first before the guy's proposal, which leads to women in my country complaining we're unromantic. (Because applying a flat together means both must be married by key collection date!) I admit the fact though, but what to do, we have to wait about 4 years for the flat to be ready after the application. By the time men in my country serve 2 years of national service (military) and then join the work forces, and by the time we save enough money to propose and then apply a flat, we would be 30+ by the time when the flat is ready.

 pic from mothership.sg

Even for my case, after my wedding and renovation, my savings will be *WHAM*.. back to ZERO. Property here costs about $300K SGD, for a 4-room flat 92sqm. Don't tell me about how much your country's property cost to make me feel depressed, don't tell me about how much your country's vehicle cost to make me feel upset. My wife and I planned for a very very basic renovation because we're hoping not to borrow renovation loan, and all in all still costs nearly $30K including furnitures, HMmmm.. where do we find the money...

So we gamble.

Two new casinos here in Singapore? No, I don't got the balls and capital to pay $100 levy for every entry. If they are so restrictive about local going to casino, they should do like South Korea do, ban the locals from going in COMPLETELY! I believe there are so much trouble brought to us than the economic benefits the casino has brought to us.

I gamble with them in another way, though. I bought Genting SP shares last year, I held for a year before selling them. Gaining about 10% of my capital invested in it. I have to say I am a lucky ass because the share plummeted right after my exit.

Yes, I have stopped forex but trading shares instead because of time commitment. Trading requires time to monitor but investing in shares does not require that much of a screen time. The time I used to use for screen time now becomes daily dog-walking routine haha. It is my responsibility but it really brings joy to the home.

I recently applied for an IPO and balloted two lot of shares for OUE Comm REIT. Not going anywhere but holding for long-term.

My latest paper win now is Suntec REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust).. currently up about 7.8% profit.

I have stopped forex due to time commitment but my appetite to gain financial freedom do not stop. I am not closing my forex account and just looking for good opportunity for a come-back, after my home renovation. And probably starting my own business after that. A come-back like in poker, which I now takes it casually. But do we still need to do all these if we're earning quite adequately in our full time job, like many of my friends do?

Great run this afternoon though.

To be a jack of all trades, or a master of one?

Black.

PokerStars - Raise Money for the Philippines Typhoon Relief Fund

I'm sure most of you have read the news of the devastating typhoon that hits Philippines. We may not be able to help them personally there, but your funds and donation will contribute to their shelter, clothing, food etc.

PokerStars will match total amount raised when you donate thru' PokerStars client. << click here

..a little contribution from my sis and I.

Else, you may contribute directly here.

Please help.

Thank you!

Black.

Judgment Call

Gbp/Usd: Short trade.... long yellow lines are my imaginary support and resistance lines. Consolidating for a while and pooof.....

I closed the trade 10 pips short of my take-profit.. and one of those times my gamble is correct. The further it went was 5 pips short of my take-profit.

Orders for Aud/Usd at 1.0200 did not hit.

Very tired from work..

Black.

Lucky but Backside Itchy

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Cockteaser Part 2

Usd/Jpy current position.. another cockteaser which frustrates me a bit.. 5 pips away from take-profit and by the time I checked back it went far away. Manually trailing stop at the moment. 

Stop-lossed Eur/usd last week at -61 pips. Bad bad.

Might close out positions before NFP.

Black.

Cockteaser

5 pips shy from my take-profit and off it went, there goes my 100 pip profit. It happened when I was still busy in the office and did not realise, until the FOMC statement this week reversed the fate. Closing this position out at -30 pips.

Current position: short Eur/usd.

Gbp/Usd

Been watching the drop for a while but didn't have the confident to enter trade. Came back home "early" after knocking on Tuesday for U.S market. "Felt" the fall of this pair might reach it's "max", there long this pair and closed my position during Asian market today when it hit the 20 SMA. Took this trade & closed it out solely on daily timeframe. Bagged a +220 pips, so happy for a come-back trade!!

As you can see this pair is continuing to go up, which gives me an "urGhh.. what if I held!?!" feeling. But feels good to be back in action especially winning. Memories of previous trades were all losing lol.

Been away for quite some time as like I said previously, I'm still working in this brokerage firm. Working almost like 11-12 hours per day. I'm tired to the max after knocking off. Went home bath and slept. Basically there goes my trading days.

What to do, need to earn to make a living. Cost are rising, monies are depleting - part of the reason why some of us are here too. Time to turn in, have a good weekend people!!

Black.

The Mental Game Poker 2

Came back to blog just to update you guys on the sequel of this wonderful Mental Game of Poker by Jared Tendler.

Here is my review of book 1

http://blackbottleforex.blogspot.sg/2012/01/mental-game-of-poker-book-review.html?m=1

I have pre-ordered for a signed copy already here

 http://jaredtendlerpoker.com/thementalgameofpoker2/

CAnt wait! :)

Btw, Im long Gbp/usd... Back in a bit of action after ages..

Black

They call Slim Shady...

..I'm back, I'm back.

Hell of a ride this gold trade. Been holding losses until election day saved my day. For a disastrous trade like this to turn into (even) a small win is fortunate enough. A double top formed, and the momentum looks towards USD, prompting me to close it. Further short this pair hoping the momentum continues. Also short Eur/Usd, which I'm hoping it continues its way to the next support (my target).

My new job has been super busy. Basically working 11 hours a day. Travel 2 hours a day. Well, basically home and I knocked out, in fact I'm feeling tired now that I think I make this a short post. Hope to squeeze out some time to continue updating this blog.

Good luck. And congrats to Obama!

Black.

Black to Work

Just started my new job this week, am feeling really glad. So sudden as it was quite an immediate position, in a local securities firm, which I am quite happy. Although I am not working as a trader or remisier like that, but handling backend processes of equities. Hope to learn as much as possible and then we'll see. So far so good.

Will be trading and blogging less from now as learning curve is steep and I need to adjust my sleeping time earlier instead of 3am during unemployed days. Though if I happen to learn to trade some shares in the future I might be posting them up too.

Gd luck people on your trading, this blog is not dead yet we'll be back any moment!

Black.

Some Hope

Held this trade more than 2 days, bagging 145 pips to end the week. Went to 2 job interviews this week.

There is hope after all.

Black.

The Art of Trading

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?

..another painful [sniper] stoploss. Tell me stop-hunting does not exist. It feels exactly like when in poker you flop the nuts and gettin' rivered.

Speechless.

Shut Up & Take My Money!

Its very tiring posting such things over and over again 8 out of 10 posts.

Either the price touches my stop loss exactly and retraced, or it comes 3 pips before my take profit and retrace.

Hey market, why don't you just..

Stop-Losses Prevail

Sniper Stop-loss

Last week's trade.. sniper stop-loss.

Very quiet market since London session, basically the whole day. It's Labour day in US, so it might continue to be like that. 

Currently on long Eur/Usd. 

Black.

Came Across This...

Came across this the 1Lot Trader's blog post on The Trading Precipice.

I definitely feel for him for what he is going thru' now. Its a good read and lots of great advices from experienced traders in the comment section which I recommend traders to read them too.

All the best to us and don't give up! :)

Black.

Chicken Pox, Poker & Trading

It's been a month! So fast. Just a quick update on what's up with us. I am still jobless, spending hours every day job searching but outta luck (sad). I been on poker bug once again for the past month. I withdrawn most of my bankroll out of stars and left a bit for leisure grinding. But I still got stuck, busto and decided for the firstime in my poker career to go on a infinite hiatus. 

I been neglecting this site, trading and Bottle for some time.. leaving the lone spartan fighting against the armies of Xerxes himself. We still catch up every week, Bottle and I, he is still actively trading, but I caught chicken pox a week back and had been stuck at home miserably. Yeah, what an age to get infected. I'm sure most of you don't even remember the time when you had it. I've seen the western doctor and they gave me anti-viral pills and didn't mention about not eating anything. 

My mum, on the other hand, is a classic eastern style believer. During my days of infection, she said I was not allowed to eat chicken, beans, nuts, egg (yolks), and seafood!

Not sure how closely I obeyed, but I just tried. Can't wait to go to seafood buffet soon.

Anyway regarding poker, I think spreading my focus between trading and poker is not working out. Poker, recently to me has been tedious experience. Making it short and simply, the joy of winning could no longer compensate the pain of losing. When that happens, that's when I think it's time to move on from certain venture.

I have neglected many books and I am going to catch up with them too. We have recently stopped Diablo 3 for a while, but will be bringing ourselves back together soon. I have decided to take these time clearing my books. Some have already grown mold before I even started reading. Recently found an app TED.com, they have it on android and iOS devices, on many insightful talks from experts of many fields. Very interesting.

Finally break my losing streak (8 straight losses) with a very small win. Nevertheless, still a win. Booking a small win during losing streak is a necessity to slowly build back your confidence and focus. I have to admit the previous trades were reckless. There are many habits of me that does not fit a trader, I'm sure I'm not alone, and that is what we are trying to change.

And that habit, comes from your mind. Whatever you punch into your keyboard, the words, the lot size, your take-profit and stop-loss, whatever you think the market is doing, comes from your mind. You think you should execute the trade now, you think you should book the win, cut the loss, the let loss run (familiar) because closing it means surrendering and admitting your defeat.

From my experiences of trading, gambling or poker (there are similarities and difference between them in certain aspect though), trying to win every single hand/trades (battle) ironically, causes the (overall) defeat in our war. I am a very good example. 

Previously, I can't go to bed with a loss (sometimes even now). I don't stop trading until I have a win. And 8 out of 10 times I drag even more losses trying to do it. And ironically, the 2 out of 10 times you succeed in trying so, spells the doom to your next trades. Because you think that since you succeed in trying to force a win, you can do it again. And every 10 times you do it, you will fail most of the time trying to do it, but your mind keeps flashing back to that only few times you succeeded. So you keep doing it, still. Just like a lottery.

As I always have the [loser] habit of abandoning my trade journal during losing streak, I now plan to write more regularly and simply add into the comment section of myfxbook.com for every single trades. I still love the detailed and service myfxbook provides and its free. I'm not endorsing it, but I think it provides more extensive information than any brokers' statement themselves. Usually for such service in the poker industry costs you money. 

It's Friday now, last trading day of the week. Good luck if you're trading, if not, happy weekend!

Black