Have Yourself A Merry Christmas...
Friday, December 21, 2007 at 10:27AM 
I stayed up until 2 a.m. last night making death threats to a guy who has just informed me that the Transformer I just paid $150 for will get here on the 27th. Unacceptable. First off, you should go to hell for buying sold out toys as a way to make a buck off of a kids holiday wishlist...and secondly, he must not realize that I don't work well in these types of situations. As a result, I had to buy a second one for nearly twice the price and offer up an unborn child to have it here by tomorrow. Someone is going to pay.
This experience was worse than the whole "Tickle Me Guido" debacle about ten years ago. Remember that? The silly little toy was sold out all over the country, and every kid wanted one. Riots were started upon hearing its name. For the record, I didn't play a personal role in getting one, but I was an accomplice according to local authorities.
On a lighter note, I was quoted via podcast yesterday as seeing higher stock prices heading into today's trading. Right, I know what you are thinking..."Podcasts were so 1990's..." I agree. Anyway, yesterdays trade ideas have provided some good profits to soothe my inner "inexperienced" online shopper. I'll quote Legendary Anchorman Ron Burgandy..."Don't Act Like Your Not Impressed..." with the gains in CNQR, ESRX, LEAP, NBL, TRA, and VMI. Not to mention the insignificant moves in CTRP, POT, GCI or TSCO. Hey, at least there were no big losses to deal with.
I also would like to hear that someone initiated some sort of spread on the Technology Trio...AAPL, RIMM or GOOG. If not that's okay. I guess it could be worse...it could be profits that I was missing out on.
Well, I have added a few symbols to my inventory today...MBI, ABK, XL, and SLM. A couple of these ought to look familiar as we caught massive sell offs in 3 of them over the last several months. However, I am tracking them together now for a different reason...which one will go bankrupt first? Stay tuned...
Well, it is Friday and my better judgement is telling me to delete my blog and go enjoy a vacation. While I will resist the temptation to delete, but I will go and get started on the Holidays. I have some last minute gift ideas for the wife, and an "apology" is on top of the list...followed by more Turquoise boxes from TIF.
In the meantime, I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, and thanks again for all your support.
Long: Excessive Action Figures, Revenge, and Alpha.
Short: Toy Manufacturers, Property & Casualty Insurance Companies, Christmas Bonuses, and Worthless Online Retailers looking to take advantage of people over the holidays.
PS- If you want a last minute gift idea for me for the holidays, e-mail the grinch who stole Christmas and tell him what a douchebag he is. He has decided to offer me back half of what I paid, plus a middle finger as icing on the cake. He also sent me a message telling me how happy his kid will be to open their Transformer on Christmas day.
mail to: greatdealsforyou@verizon.net
As my role model "The Fly" would say...this guy deserves an "Asshat of the Week" award.
Sincerely,
The Option Addict
Official "Jelly of the Month Club" member since 2003"
References (1)
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Response: EZ Credit Car LoansSome good information, we need in these economic times.
Reader Comments (120)
You never cease to make me giggle, Jeff. "First off, you should go to hell for buying sold out toys as a way to make a buck off of a kids holiday wishlist..."
Too funny...and true!
I must have missed something, what is a "fif?"
"fif" as in fifth.
Have you ever watched Chappelles Show?
No, I haven't seen that.
Dang! I thought I was so cool 'cause I can quote The Big Lebowski and Dodgeball. :-)
I looked on YouTube for the clip, but couldn't find it. Oh well.
Starting to catch a few fish with recent recommendations (JK's Christmas present to the rest of us)- hope I can keep them in the boat! Just landed 1/2 position on MON for + 94% - not typical of my recent performance. Watching MA closely to see if it will maintain bounce.
Best to all the OA's
Tom in SC
Jeff, I consider this blog to be one of my best gifts of the year! Thank you, thank you, thank you.
In the words of my husband... "Krystal, the blog is the best thing you've found since you started trading."
Ain't it the truth!?!?
Thanks Krystal, Happy Holidays.
Jeff, Thanks a bunch. Enjoy your Holidays with the kidos and wifie. I know how you feel about the gifts. I went on a stake out to find the Wii at Frys. It is well worth it to see their faces light up on Christmas day. Have a Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas Jeff. Thanks for all the great work on the blog!
Mike
Jeff-
That's weird I was watching that clip only about 2 hours before you posted it.
PS-Did you get my Email?
Merry Christmas Jeff, Thanks for the blog and all you do. It's like Christmas morning everyday for me on the blog. I run down the stairs to open it up and see what presents are there to see.
Enjoy the holidays OA's. 2008 is going to be spectacular.
Jeff,
Happy holidays to you and your family! I want to thank you for all the time and effort you put in to this blog. I have learned so much from you this past year, and my trading has improved tremendously! Overall, it has been a great year and I actually can't wait until the holidays are over so we can get started on making next year even better!
Jeff,
If you're not yet on vacation, what do you think of TKC bouncing off support?
Thanks for all you do!
I have hunted, and hunted, till my toes bled for that very same transformer. My son asked Santa for it. I had to give in a buy a $20 cheapo one, and I also got Megatron (in a bigger one) to ease the pain. They are not easy to come by........Where did you find one to be delivered by tommorrow?
Jeff,,thanks for all you do for us,,,have the best Holiday with your family,,,oh,,I didn't do a spread on RIMM,,but I guess the Jan 105 calls I picked up on the pullback and subsequent triple digit gains safely banked,will have to do,,hope I live up to your expectations for us
Krystal,
nice to see you back
Jeff, Thanks for all you do for this group. It goes way beyond profitability (though that's an easy cookie to swallow ;). Enjoy your time with your family.
Krystal, I'm with Sue . .good to see you back.
VIP sure is behaving quite nicely this afternoon.
Lori
Right back at you everyone, Merry Christmas...
Poundcake,
Got the e-mail but haven't read it yet. Will do shortly.
dc,
TKC was a watchlist item early last month...so you already know what I think about it.
Jodi,
Ebay! Found a willing person to do some leg work for a nominal fee.
Sue,
I am even happier to see you bought calls. I just mentioned spreads to fit in with some of the sellers around here. Spreads suck.
Jeff,
Wishing you all the best buddy!! I hope we can all focus next year on TRADING!!! I had a good year % wise, but I want BETTER, I gave back way too much to the man when i was not focused, he don't deserve it!!! FOCUS is KEY!!!
VIMPEL, BABY!!!
Raimo,
I second that. This year was my best year ever and I feel like I am at the peak of my game. Let's knock it out of the park next year!
Krystal - is that you? Are you back? Or are you a new Krystal?
Jeff
Thanks for all you have taught me this year. Now if I can stay focused too,2008 will be a banner year.
Merry Christmas to you and your family
Sam H
"Krystal - is that you? Are you back? Or are you a new Krystal?"
Jodi, It's me. I never left... if you would be so kind... krystallwilliams@hotmail.com. You, too, Sean M.
sue, Lori, xoxoxoxo.
:)
Can any one tell me what they make out of the price action in VMW? I got in at 92..........and it is making me nervous. Jeff what do u think ? I mean down on a dow 200+ up day?
Dian,
VMW? I'm not sure why you took this one, but I stopped trading it in NOV when it broke its uptrend. Since it is trading sideways here...focus on support and resistance here (90-100).
Hi
I am new to the site...........can any one give me the link to Jeff's very first post on the blog so that I can read them during the holidays .Or some other way to navigate the previous posts. I plan to read Jeff's all archives during this 10 days. Thanks
Merry Christmas, Krystal. :-)
Dian,
Left hand side, "Archives".
I agree about focus. I too have had triple digits % year,but gave back way too much. 08 is the year to fix that.
Happy Holidays.
p.s. you know I couldn't do a spread on RIMM, hard enough to make my confession that I even entered. but 125% ain't bad for a beginer
Jeff,
Thank you for opening my eyes to a whole different approach when it comes to trading. I still have much to learn. But, all that you offer here is very beneficial and greatly appreciated.
Wishing the very best to you and your family and all OAs for a Very Merry Christmas.
beginner ..can't spell or type too fast.
Krystal,
Welcome back. I missed your musings. Merry Christmas.
I'm a pig in slop today,
take care all
Jeff,
Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Tell the wife and kids thanks for sharing you and your time as without support at home I'm sure it would be hard to contribute so much time and knowledge to the OA Family.
I appreciate the education and look forward to continued learning next year.
Thanks,
Denver
P.S. VIMPLE - WOW!!! thanks for putting that on my radar.
Well TRADERS,
And that is what we are...TRADERS!! Make a few or a lot, but trade we must. Take the trade then sell the trade.
Jef, thanks for the words of wisodom on The Cast last night. I am starting to understand that commissions must be paid just make sure they aren't the loss of the trade.
Lord willing, we will all have a Merry Christmas.
As he shouted as he rode ot of site "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a "good" night.
Bless you, Steve
Jeff,
Thank you for this site. Not many traders in my neck of the woods. Great to have companionship and someone to share ideas with.
I'm just finishing my first quarter trading and am up 14% thanks in large part to my long call in DBA (a MarketCast rec-thanks),which is covering my many other losses as I learn to read the market--hey, whoever said women were fickle never traded!
I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and thanks for not hitting the delete button.
Julia
Jeff,
Got a question on timing.
Exanple: OXY broke out of its ascending triangle today on nice volume. As I understand it, you favor entering break-outs at the end of the day. Considering how far this traveled by the end of the day, would you still enter or would you pass and wait for it to retrace?
PS. Elvis may have a Blue Christmas and Bing may have a White Christmas ... I'll be having a GREEN Christmas this year, thanks to you.
Have a Happy Holiday and a Peaceful and Prosperous New Year
SueD
Jeff,
I am up pretty darned good, but it shoulda been more!! And I must say, some of our older bloggers that had REAL CONTRIBUTIONS are gone, and I for one don't like it. And they have not come back. Postive feeds positive. Crap feeds crap. I hope THEY will return. Next year, for me, it's all about MAKING MONEY! PERIOD!!!!!!!!!!!
To: Jeff and all Option Addicts
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!
This blog is awesome! Period!
Raimo,
I am not gone, but having been in a real trading slump the last month, I haven't had a lot to contribute. I've been spread trading like a fiend, just trying to get my bearings back, stop the bleeding in my account, and learn how to trade again like i used to.
I have to admit, it sucks watching the stocks take off with only a spread on, but i'm using this time to get comfortable again with how the stocks act once i'm in a trade and spread trading actually forces patience, something i found myself lacking. Hopefully, at the end of January, I will see that I still know how to trade.
I hope others use me as an example that if your trading style isn't working in a certain market climate, or if YOU aren't working your style properly, cash out and do something more conservative. I could have easily jeopardized the nice profits i had for the year, my account as a whole and even my career. Please don't do that. I heard a great maxim the other day: "There are many princes in trading, but no one stays a king." Jeff being the notable example, remember this the next time you have a huge week.
I want to personally and publicly thank Jeff for once again rescuing me from the throes of despair. This is the 2nd time you've pulled me back from the ledge. The last time, I went on to great success. This time, I just hope to get back on my feet and go on from there. Thanks for always being there for me, even when you didn't have to be.
I meant, jeff being the notable EXCEPTION. That crown is permanently attached to his head.
JK,
Congrats on having your best year ever! That's awesome....
Looking forward to buckling down and really focusing on the trading in the new year...
Raimo,
You never know, maybe some of our old contributors will come back for the new year. I do miss the EB and the insight he was providing. And I have to say I miss the dynamic duo on the market cast. Eric's macro-economic insight was awesome. Maybe Jeff is cooking up something good in that regard, as he has hinted at in the past??? We can only hope....
Jeff
Thanks so much for the gifts you've given so freelly! ! and a very Merry Christmas to you and all those you hold Dear!
Norm
Brett,
Thanks. Don't worry...the mental exercise you are working through right now is just what the doctor ordered. You will be back tenfold for the New Year.
Start cashing those checks...
Jeff,
Thanks for all the information and the Christmas Gifts. I didn't even get my kids the gifts you gave me this last week. I have learned alot over the last year trading real money since July. The emotional game is leaving and the charts and formations are starting to pop of the page. I look forward to 2008. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Brett
Thanks for sharing your recent experience. Being a newbie, it's helpful to know that at any given time there are some successful traders whose results are down while others are up.
#11 in Jeff's "15 Common Sense Rules.." says "having a series of winning trades early can be more hazardous to your account than a series of small losses". That's me! But thanks to all that Jeff and OA's like you have shared, I am surviving and gaining the confidence and discipline needed to to make it.
Merry Christmas
Norm
Jeff and all OA's - Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Thanks to all who contriubte here and to the master OA'er Mr. J. Kohler himself for all he does for us! I wish you all the best in 2008!
Brian
Brett,
You have been a contributor to this blog for as long as I can recall. The contributions you have made, experiences you have shared, are missed, but not forgotten, certainly not by me. And I know you will return.
I have seen bloggers come, and bloggers go. I know who the real deal is, and who is not. I know who is here to make money and who takes this trading business serious. I also know first hand what you are going through, from being there myself, and because I know you on a personal level. I too have been on the very same ledge, and I bet every trader has been there, or will be there.
The ledge is not a bad place to be Brett. It is a place that will separate you from the lackys and un-successful. Some will jump off the ledge, some will fall off. Some will deny even having been there. But some of us will stand there, look around, get our act together, grab on to the rope, and climb off of it. So don't sweat it, you'll be back, and you'll be that more seasoned for the long haul. Not many can say the same.
And like you, I'd like to thank Jeff publicly as well...he was the guy that threw me the rope when I needed it.
So if anyone thinks that I come off a bit "tough". it's because losing money sucks, and I am here to make money, not give it away, and I get FRUSTRATED TO NO END when we lose both money and solid contributers!!!!!
Brett, I admire your candor. Best of Luck in the coming year.