Rough Opening

The markets opened poorly but managed to recover ... mostly. It was a good day if you owned DIOD NTES SNDA FTO EBAY RBCN ESV AHS RVBD VECO or UA because they gained 4% or more.

Trades:
I bought more ENTR call options as the stock was bouncing around today's bottom. I'm done dollar cost averaging until this stock shows some strength.

I bought GTLS shares based on this Mad Money snippet sent to me by John.

My break-even limit order for my Feb VECO calls triggered (+13.54%). One minute I'm trying not to lose all my money on an out-of-the-money call that expires in 6 trading days, the next I'm whining because I didn't double my investment. I can't win with me.

Reversal alerts: ESV FBNC LFL LFUS SORL & VPHM.

A Good Day to Buy?

85% of my watch list is red. The good news is that RBCN and MIPS are coming out of their bases, and CF is hitting new highs. ENTR needs to get some traction.

Trades:
I bought stocks CF, RBCN, and VSH.

I bought calls options for Ford, ENTR, VSEA, and VSH, and rolled the short call higher for the IMAX spread.

Reversal alerts: (5) - nothing compelling.

+ RBCN, ENTR, F

I bought RBCN stock and call options for ENTR and Ford.

I rolled the short calls on the IMAX spread, buying $1 of intrinsic value for $0.60.

There's an limit order in place to buy VSH calls.

Nice Run

Except for the morning dip that kicked me out of WLL, it was a nice run today. DNS +72, +13, +6.

Trades:
I bought some protective puts on DRYS.

WLL dipped and tripped its 5% TSL. (+4.59%)

Seller's Remorse:
CSTR UA MCP WFR & BRKS.

Reversal alerts: t2: none. hlr: CBD LGL & SO.

Good Start

... too bad it didn't keep going. DNS +69, +15, +8.

Trades:
I bought XLE and CF shares for small accounts thinking these are good buy-and-hold stocks.

SSW was headed down toward it's trailing stop so I moved the stop up (non-trailing). I wished I'd checked my cost basis because it sold later and I took a small loss (-0.29%). I could have sold a bit higher.

I bought some Feb VECO call options, thinking they might beat estimates.

Reversal alerts: (10). Unfiltered ...  t2: CBKN CCOI CHRW INFY & SCRL. hlr: LFL MBI PCG RBCN & SBIB.

Holdings

FWIW these are my holdings. Obviously I've been buying a lot this week, and a number of those stocks were at relative lows. I'd love to see them pull up but the market hasn't been cooperating. I figure I'm well positioned to either make a lot of money, or lose a lot of money. Funny how this investing stuff works.

Falling Knives

I could write a chapter on how I mishandled CSTR when it gapped down Friday. I could have left the trailing stop in place and sold at the bid at the open. I could have put in a tight trailing stop loss order at the open and sold near the high. I could have not sold near the bottom. I could have not bought and sold call options that cost me even more money. I misread the tea leaves at every turn. There are times when you execute moves like this brilliantly and look like a genius. This was not one of those times. Stock -34.4%, calls -25.1%.

Value sales portfolio, +52.4%

I bought Feb and Apr call options on AEIS. One was a standing order that filled at the open, the second was me trying to buy a good stock at a discount.

I bought ENTR shares.

Reversal alerts: (11) of which F VLY CISG BWA BCH WX SIGA MASI & LUV have some redeeming quality in addition to their chart.