Why I blog

My blog and some BS about me
Actually since the inception of this blog I've never really introduced it properly in so far as describing exactly what this blog is or my motives. This is a forex trading blogspot obviously and it's primary emphasis/motive has always been to keep my nose in trading when I'm not in a trade. It is nothing more than my own personal blog and trading experiences. My trading diary if you will.

Initially I started the blog just to keep track of market movements. As I gained more knowledge of trading I began developing products which I decided to sell through my blog - which was actually not a plan of mine and I don't really make much doing it. The blog is just to keep myself actively involved in the business. Weather I sell a product or not makes no difference to me but I have made a few pennies selling products which I do not deny.

My primary emphasis however is to make money trading. The blog is simply my experiences, to make myself more knowledgeable, and meet other traders to share a common interest. Another motive is to keep myself from over-trading and kill time between those empty moments of just staring at a chart when nothings happening - but you just never know so I like to stay by the computer, watch the charts, and blog.

If I can make a marketable trading product that is a bonus and makes me a more competent trader (a professional) with a greater edge because I can put forth something "in the trade" that is worth something other than just making a fast buck with my skills in the game (which is also great! I'm just saying, you know I can have a name for myself because someone might say down the line I helped them which is something to feel good about). It's just another way of seeing it in that aspect that my imprint will go down in history if I end up helping other traders and prove that there is enough money to be made in trading that we don't have to fight over it - we don't have to be enemies just because we're trying to get a piece of the same pie. The way I see it is if I get to into one of those big penthouse condos overlooking the beech I don't want to be the only one there.

Every now and then I like to put up some great charts and show off my charting skills as well. In fact if there was no money in trading I like the mathematical aspect of charting so much that I would do nothing but post chart patterns all day and explain the theories as a hobby. I would be like one of those weird little kids you sometimes hear about that have a butterfly collection to find them sickly fascinating. In other words I'm someone that can find something that most people would find utterly boring and turn it into an interesting science. So if you think I'm just some greedy financial person I would gladly study things (most others wouldn't) just for the betterment and greater good of society. That is if society didn't revolve around money but unfortunately it does.

I'm never one to be shy about talking about the markets, charts, making money, or forex. I don't really like to talk about individual companies though - that is just too yuppie for me. I could care less about big names like Exxon Mobile, Goldman Sachs, or Google. My quest is a scientific one that revolves around the inner aspects that are mathematically based.

Forums were a learning experience but not for me
Ironically (and what actually brought me here) I'm actually well known in some trading forums which I don't frequent as often anymore but will drop in from time to time just to see how many originals are still around. I left because I got sick of the arguments (although I'm actually well respected by most), newbies that think they know everything - are very annoying to say the least, and the rampant unprofessionalism of many of the posters that is often a constant theme (with the exception of few select posters that are consistent and serious).

So I decided although everyday is a new learning experience to me that I would much rather write in my quite blog without the abstractions of meaningless jabber mixed with a few sporadic but worthy post that you have to fish for in those large forums that are open to the public. When I have something to say people will find me if they are interested in the same topics rather than those crowded forums that are often filled with trolls that make post after post just to hear themselves talk - honestly I think half of them were market makers because they often try to run you off if you talk too much sense.

Blogging for me is a more focused and a thought out form of logging my trading experiences without all the attitudes online.

Outside of blogging...
I like to read books on trading. One of my favorite books in trading is Remnants of a Stock Market Operator. I think it's because it was one of the 1st books I read from cover to cover in trading. I got addicted to that book - I mean addicted. I was in St. Augustine, FL reading that book over and over by the beach while taking a little vacation.

I actually had a beautiful girlfriend there and I didn't even want to see her I would rather read that new trading book about one of the orginal heavy hitters in thrading. I got it at the local Barnes & Noble (I think I read it a few times there too over some cappuccinos) and headed over to the beach. You know I read that book through several times in a day. I would get up again and go to the beach and read it a few times more - so much so I thought I was the great trader Jesse Lauriston Livermore. I think I must of read it from cover to cover 10 times in a 3 day period.

I used to carry books around with me about trading to bars, the beach, on walks, the hot tub, you name it lol - where ever I would go I would have at least 1 book about trading. I would meet some pretty interesting people that way and they would want to discuss trading with me - it wasn't a great way to pick up girls though but it was my passion. Some would ask totally lame questions but every now and then I would meet some very interesting and knowledgeable people that could hold a descent conversation about trading or the financial world.

With my extensive knowledge I called a massive bottom in gold back then and predicted the big recession when the market was at a peak. People looked at me like I was nuts when I said there would be a big market crash and possibly a recession or the fact that gold would go much higher than $600 (at the time was in the $500's). At the time I predicted it people were raking in the cash in real estate - I warned people who ended up losing big but no one would listen and now they won't even talk to me because I warned them and unfortunately for them I was right. It's too bad they didn't listen to me because although I seemed crazy then I was offering them very rational sane advice but they didn't want to listen.

So anyway that is the story of my life and why I blog. My blogging style has changed considerably since I first started blogging. I'm more into trading topics rather than market events.

By Neal Vanderstelt
Forex Trader, Market Analyst, Trading System Designer