Well price did make the +30 ticks but it took a while. I am still content with my +10 with 3 contracts though.

This has to top it all. A friend of mine was robbed sometime back, had his computer stolen and his identity as well. Needless to say, "It was a real mess for him." So recently I decided to secure my trading files on my computer in an encrypted vault. After some research, I downloaded Veracrypt, set up my vaults on the computer and moved my trading files into them. You can probably guess where this is going. I created some files with instructions on how to access the vault once I dismounted it. Everything was going great while I kept the vaults mounted but I said to myself, "What good am I doing if I leave the computer on and have the vaults open." So I dismounted them and now somehow I have messed it up and can't get the vaults mounted and open to where I can access my files (Almost 1 years worth of trade documentation, hand typed and ready for taxes, etc) is currently unavailable. My mind is fried! I have spent hours trying to access these files. I'm leaving it alone and will attempt again tomorrow.

That is horrible!! I hope tomorrow finds a solution for you.

Danny

I thought I would see if I could catch a quick scalp near the market's open tonight. I decided to go with the ES with 2 contracts for just 1 point for a quick $100 to start the week. As usual I picked the wrong market to focus on. 6E is moving nicely and the ES is dead in the water. It has hit my target 3x but no fill so far. I am hoping the next one will do it and there it goes as I type this. Alright, nice way to start the week!

Were you able to get your files from the encrypted vault? Nice start to the week! Thanks for the journal

Quoting 

Were you able to get your files from the encrypted vault? Nice start to the week! Thanks for the journal

Thank you! To be honest I was so mentally fried I decided I was going to enjoy the weekend not think about it and try again after I'm done trading on Tuesday. I will let you know what happens.

wow - I missed some really good movement in the 6E already tonight - I am trying this counter-trend trade after price has reached the 3rd support pivot, had a double bottom and an 2L entry. My entry is actually late and 2 ticks higher than the actual trigger but I took the trade anyway. My target is 10 ticks and my stop is 6 ticks. It is a lower percentage trade because price has not even moved 13 ticks away from the LOD. I prefer to see price move 24 or more ticks from the LOD before I take this type of trade setup. Also, I was experimenting with a much fast time frame on this trade. The trade itself is in my TST account and not my live account.

I was stopped out after price formed a tripple bottom and failed to hold by 2 ticks. Lost $112.50 on the trade. I am down $12.50 overall since the $100 earned yesterday will be reported at EOD tomorrow due to the holiday schedule. It looks like price may have just needed to make 1 final push down, I will wait, see and be a little more patient this time.

BoltTrader 

This has to top it all. A friend of mine was robbed sometime back, had his computer stolen and his identity as well. Needless to say, "It was a real mess for him." So recently I decided to secure my trading files on my computer in an encrypted vault. After some research, I downloaded Veracrypt, set up my vaults on the computer and moved my trading files into them. You can probably guess where this is going. I created some files with instructions on how to access the vault once I dismounted it. Everything was going great while I kept the vaults mounted but I said to myself, "What good am I doing if I leave the computer on and have the vaults open." So I dismounted them and now somehow I have messed it up and can't get the vaults mounted and open to where I can access my files (Almost 1 years worth of trade documentation, hand typed and ready for taxes, etc) is currently unavailable. My mind is fried! I have spent hours trying to access these files. I'm leaving it alone and will attempt again tomorrow.

I'm not clear on all this Bolttrader (the dismounting of a vault) and there are a lot of tech savvy people on the board and this would be a good question for the Question Box - home page of FIO.

My initial thought is to do a system restore to an earlier date - either to when the "vaults where mounted" or prior to installing Veracrypt. (you can undo a system restore).

Assuming you get them back I would suggest something else.

I put my tax return data on a memory stick which I keep at home and not with my laptop.
There is nothing that identifies me in my computer, or on the memory stick.

(my trade data I download from IB after year -end and you can download many years. For Ib there is no need to build a spreadsheet for the trades because they summarize them for you .)

When I get up from my laptop at the coffee shop I "lock" it - meaning I hit windowskey+L. So if a person steals it - or if I lose it they need the logon password to get in. Also I tape a "please return to ...." sticker on my laptop so if a kind soul finds it they can call me or email me and easily return it.

Hello All,

No charts in this entry just a summary update. I still cannot believe it! Somehow, last night, and I don't know how, I left an open order on the chart. When I finally realized it, I was so far down I couldn't believe it. Instead of taking a huge loss and following my plan which would have kept my TST account alive, I elected to add to my "losing trade" in order to lower my entry price and attempt to minimize my loss or hopefully get out at breakeven. In frustration, I said to myself, "I will either save it or blow it." I left the computer and if any of you saw the 6E last night it just tanked and along with it my Combine. So I restarted the Combine this morning while I was still on "tilt". Of course, NOT being in the proper mindset yet, made me the "fish" in the market today. So, while I was still "angry" and with no "common sense" I entered a trade and immediately lost. Then with my revenge mindset still in charge, I immediately entered another trade and was down almost instantly. However, some how at this point, I finally came to my senses, closed the trade, took a small loss, left the computer and stopped trading for the day. Now, I am down about $240 which is nothing and I will live to fight another day.

Being honest, my mindset is still not where it should be, so I am going to spend some time with the Lord, relax and not think about trading until the morning. I will also catch up on reading everyone's journals then, when my mindset has been totally rebooted so to speak. I hope everyone else had a "Great trading day!"

If you learn anything from reading this brief post at all, it should be that the most important ingredients to being successful in trading are your mental outlook or mindset as well as your discipline to follow your plan and not your emotions. Really, reading the charts is the simple part of trading in my humble opinion!