What am I doing?

I was asked about my experience in trading and I figured I would write about what I am doing.

Back in the early 90's I decided I wanted to start trading.  I was excited about the prospect of trading.  I got interested in this from my 403b and watching it grow or not grow.  I was asked to be a part of the retirement committee for our hospital that I worked for.  That just got me going some more.  I really like the stocks and am not a mutual fund type person.  So I let the 403b run and put my efforts on stocks.  The account I opened up was with  a little known brokerage firm that would allow me to start with $500 or $1000.  I don't remember.  I must have traded this for about a year.  I remember having to write down all my trades for the IRS that year.  I wasn't getting anywhere so I decided to stop.  At that time FOREX started coming on and I found a place that would educate me and so I paid the $3 to $4000 for the week long class.  When it was done they wanted me to pay monthly for the charts to be able to trade.  At that time I started out on my own and decided that I would be self taught.  Well, that didn't go well either.  I was done.  I cancelled my account and just stopped all trading.

Here we are in 2010 and I lost my job.  I have always wanted to get back into trading.  I know I can do this.  During the off time of trading I was still on the retirement committee with the hospital and was managing my portfolio of funds by moving allocations and moneys where I believed they would grow.  I did well and when people one year talked about $30,000+ losses in their account mine was only down $3000.  I watched and moved and kept an eye on it.

I decided when the job was lost that there were two things I wanted to accomplish in my semi retirement.  Not a lot of jobs for someone at the age of 54.  I wanted to learn stock trading and get better at poker. 

The first one I got on the internet and started looking for ways to get an education.  I wasn't going back to college so it had to be something easier to accomplish in a shorter time frame.  I came across Online Trading Academy.  I read and reread their material.  I was not interested in doing something if I had to pay a monthly fee.  I then contacted them by phone and grilled them and they assured me they were not like that.  I decided to attend their one day class.  I knew they were also getting ready for their next two classes the next week so I took my clothes with me just in case I stayed for the next week in Seattle.  When I got through with the one day class I was satisfied with the information and what they were telling me that I signed up for the next two classes.  I was in Seattle for a week and a half.  When that class was over the next step for me was taking their 3 month class.  That is what I am doing now.  These classes I am taking are lifetime classes.  This means I can take them over and over anytime I want.  I may do this on a yearly basis just to keep learning and to see if there is anything new I need to know about trading.

Now you are reading the rest of the story.  I have also attended the WSOP Academy in Las Vegas for my poker playing.  That is a completely different story.  I have another blog that discusses that one.

I am excited to learn something new.  I also read a lot of information from the individuals in here and hope I can get some information as well from what this community is doing.  Stock trading is a lonely job and having like people communicating is good.

Having fun at 54.