perfect

I got out of BTJ at almost the exact low: $14.15

Well, actually, I kept 60 shares, but I sold the majority.

Always cut losses at 8%!!!!

CTRN out of the box

I know it's wrong that the 50day is below the 200, but I'm back in CTRN
at 35.00. Money is flowing from commodoties into other sectors, and I
think falling gas prices make retail one of those sectors. We'll see.

cramer on commodities

"But what you need to know, though, is that there is no bottom to a
commodities stock when the commodity peaks," he continued. "They will go
down and overcorrect to the point that none of you listening will be
able to take the pain of the decline."

Hrm, that does not bode well. Still, BTJ is holding the 50dma so far.

BTJ line in the sand

Well, this is it. BTJ is right up against the 50dma at 14.79. Low of
the day so far is 14.76. A close below this and I'm gonna have to get
out and admit to a 20% loss on this badboy.

another rule broken

After BTJ closed above 20, I was up 10%, but didn't put a stop in for
breakeven. I also didn't sell part of my holdings, which I thought
about, but greed said, "Hey, why sell now? It might go higher."

out of btu

I sold it Thurs at open as it didn't look like it was holding support.
It went on to lose almost another $1.

Lesson: don't buy if it's not at a proper buypoint

back with SIM

After yesterday's breakout, I have new faith in SIM. I bought some
today at 14, which is what it closed at yesterday. Another buck or two
and this will make the IBD 100 as well. I just have to weather the
pullback.

The bad thing about this is that I've now used most of my (diminished)
cash resources, leaving me helpless to buy other breakout stocks, unless
I dump something. Of course, the way BTU is performing, that won't be
long.

BTJ breakout

After making #3 on the IBD 100, BTJ came roaring out of the gates today
to make a new all time high and break through the resistance at $19.48.
After it did so, I put a limit order in to buy more at $19.55 while it was bouncing
off of $20. I came home to find that it was now at $20.49 and my order
had filled! Sweet.

It closed at $20.35.

out of IMKTA

After the selloff on Friday, I decided to exit this, so I sold at open.
Of course, it's up $0.89 on the day, but I don't feel bad. I did what I
should have done. It's not if it went up or down, but that I made the
right trade at the right time.

2006.09.01 update

Just a note for myself here. My acct balance as of right now is -15R.
Is that bad? Is it good? I dunno, but I can't change it by worrying,
so it just is. I cannot sit obsessing about the money, instead I should
concentrate on making good trades and the results will follow.

I might try and recap my trades from Aug, if I can define which ones
those are (ones starting in Aug, closing in Aug, open, closed, etc)

I had a losing trade on CTRN of 2R. That was big and dumb. Did not buy
at a proper buypoint. I tried to average down, but also got shaken out
before it recovered.

IGT I had a small loss of 0.15R from a proper buypoint.

SWN was a momentum play that turned bad. Lost 1R in 2 days. It was
not at a proper buypoint but a speculative Nat Gas play that didn't
work.

TRMB lost 0.5R off a proper buypoint and watched it go up 5% before
that. Should have maybe upped my stop to breakeven in this tough
market.

SIM lost 0.36R on a speculative play on a volatile stock. Bought right
below the resistance level of a new high and it bounced back down.

GE short lost 0.8R
PZZA short lost 0.5R
LEV short improper buypoint. Lost 0.9R

So I closed out 8 losing trades and no winners with a loss of 6.21R. At
the moment I wave 5 open longs: BTJ, BTU, FUEL, WEBX, IMKTA