October 11

Contributors Say (Quotes from Ed in Red)	Ed Says
Tuesday, October 20, 2009 Was Told Hello Mr. Seykota, I was at the local coffee shop here recently having a conversation with an acquaintance about trading and your name came up. I was told that you might have recommendations regarding exam prep resources. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you in advance.	You might consider re-writing your email in SVO-p. The SVO-p might help me to know who is doing the telling and who is doing the appreciating. Note: FAQ does not endorse people or commercial products. See Ground Rules. Exam Prep Resource Clip: http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/ images/34/2008/03/KristyHinze.JPG
Tuesday, October 20, 2009 Ready Hello Ed, As part of the Workshop application process, you ask participants to provide a one-half page essay outlining “A significant change I am ready and willing to make in my life” I am ready to end my need to sabotage myself. I am ready and willing to get in touch with my heart and not my fears... I am ready to acknowledge my doubts but not let them overwhelm me. I am willing to fully engage myself in the process openly, and with surrender to it.	Thank you for proclaiming your willingness.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009 Wants a Reference Hello again Ed, I'm wondering if you know any CTA's, or other trend following traders, around the [City, State] area who are willing to hire some part-time help. If so, I'm curious if you will be willing to share their contact information with me. I am feeling grateful for you and your sight.	You might consider compiling your qualifications and Right Livelihood statement into a resume and sending it to every firm in your area. Note: FAQ does not endorse people or commercial products. See Ground Rules. Now Hiring Clip: http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/ images/34/2008/03/KristyHinze.JPG
Monday, October 19, 2009 OCD Hi Ed; I experience some severe seasonal affective disorder over the last few weeks or just general depression and some OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) . I feel I may have discovered some of the causes and I will update you as that develops. It is a struggle to release deeply held false beliefs about myself. I feel I make much greater strides when in an ongoing tribe. I spend some very good time with my children and we have grown closer as a result of me just listening to them and receiving their feelings. My oldest son started drug rehab this week per his request. I listen to him a lot recently and requested that we get together to just talk or play guitar. The more he talks I sense he wants to grow closer with me. I enjoy time with the other children also and I have kept [Name] from swimming in the local lakes since the temperature has dropped here as well. I have thought about taking a swim in the pool but I suppose I should check to see if you are wearing the eagle pajamas so I will survive. I am not a fan of cold water so the chances are slim to none anyway. I feel a first step in living debt free is to limit using credit, so I contacted some of my banks that I have credit cards with and said adios. I notice as I limit any use of credit I stay much more in the NOW financially. I like this feeling and am going to continue cutting. I feel the connection between using credit and “waiting till the last minute”. I feel that if I want to spend the money NOW then I move the money from my trading account for the purchase. I find I evaluate making a purchase much more if there is no plastic involved. I am sad to say my big wave is turning into a big roll - around my waist. I seem to be medicating a lot of my feelings or depression with food. I have even been cooking special things to satisfy feelings of sadness, loneliness, anxiety or just general boredom. I got on the scales for the first time and I am at 235 lbs buck naked. I feel I may have to make a stronger commitment with the risk of humiliating myself by sending a picture if progress is not made shortly. My exercise routine is inconsistent also. I hope you have a great workshop upcoming. I enjoy the EcoNowMics pages a lot … great job Nick and Ed!!!	Thank you for sharing your process and for your support. You might consider taking your feelings about <OCD> to Tribe.
Monday, October 19, 2009 Sticking to the System Dear Ed, I'm operating my first futures trend following system using custom software in which I codify "The Essentials". I recall struggling, feeling frustrated and confused while developing and testing the system trying lots of things, many that don't work. I persist, my system evolves towards what works and what fits me and I gain confidence. The confidence is not in knowing what will happen, but rather in establishing that the system (and I) can handle not knowing what will happen - and still win. With two months of live trading now, the system seems to be working pretty well, with an expected bumpy ride - an account peak equity gain of 42%, a subsequent 25% drawdown, and a recent new peak of +47%. At the end of each trading day, I run software to automatically generate a set of stop orders. I post the orders and leave them set. I stop in. I stop out. I take losses. I ride winners. I manage risk. I follow the system. The process and structure I have in place facilitates sticking to the system and includes regular tribe work. I'm grateful for my tribe where I can safely experience feelings and work on my issues. With some of my k-nots untied, I see my relationships improve, I'm physically fit, I'm having fun, I'm serving others and I'm on a path that fits me. Thank you Ed for sharing TTP, your trading and personal insights, and for your kind help and support.	Thank you for sharing your process.
Monday, October 19, 2009 Wants a Trainer Dear Sir, I have read a few comments from you on the internet, and I felt interested by technical analysis, trading and investments. I write you because I know you have a big reputation in the investment world, and I would like to know if you could recommend me a trainer / teacher in technical analysis focused to trading. Although not focused to get a job, maybe from this perspective, it would be more rigorous.	You might consider, in your searching for a teacher, to look in the mirror. Note: FAQ does not endorse people or commercial products. See Ground Rules. Now Training Clip: http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/ images/34/2008/03/KristyHinze.JPG
Monday, October 19, 2009 Accumulating Desirable Images Dear Tribe; My account is slightly up- which just means I'm getting back to my original amounts. It is nice to see all the green- but it does not really mean I am making money. Here is the picture I could not send last week. I hope you think my Big Wave is big enough. I hope it comes through this time. I went to a gun training class- lots of fun, in preparation for getting my CCW (concealed carry weapons permit). I have been recording my eating, in preparation to dieting. The dieting comes naturally when I do a food diary. I'm still closing. I am not completed everything - but I am moving forward. I also realized that I don't surround myself with enough of the things I like to create a paper snapshot. So I have decided to subscribe to magazines about things I actually like, instead of things like the Wall Street Journal and car magazines (my husbands car magazines). 4 days gym 5 days EcoNowMics 3 days travel	Thank you for sharing your process.
Sunday, October 18, 2009 Snapshot Magic Ed, We give and receive feedback on our snapshots in the [City] Tribe last night. The feedback I receive helps me notice that many of the goals in my snapshot are grievances about what I don't have in my own childhood. I notice that for many years I suppress my feelings about not having enough stability, parental involvement and material comfort. I want to take these grievances as entry points to the hot seat. I also notice that in some ways, I am following an "anti-pattern" of what I learn from my father. When I am young, he is always away on business trips, and then my parents divorce when I am 5. After that, I see him only when my mother is away on business trips and he "substitutes" for her. I notice that I am out of work for my daughter's entire 6-month life. I am around to love her and support her every minute of her life. I know when she laughs and I know when she cries, and I get to hold her when she does either, and I get to tell her every day how lucky I feel to have her in my life. I don't remember feeling closer to anyone in my life than I feel to her now. My result=intention is to put my daughter first and work second. I wonder if noticing this may help me turn my cash flow positive without giving up my family life. I notice a glimpse of magic. Part of my snapshot is "I run a profitable business. Customers find me." Tonight, an email arrives from a person I don't know who asks about licensing my ... software.	Thank you for sharing your process.
Saturday, October 17, 2009 Beating His Own Drum Hi Ed, I notice a trend in the [City] Tribe: members bring drums to the meeting instead of relying on the tribe leader to provide them. I follow the trend and construct my own drum. I recall that in the Star Wars universe, constructing his own light saber is an important milestone in a Jedi's growth. I notice that when I beat on my own drum in the Tribe, I feel more intimate with the process, and somehow closer to Right Livelihood.	Thank you for sharing your process.
Saturday, October 17, 2009 Donchian Rules Ed, For the past three months I've backtested about 100 different trading systems (some classic, some newer) and compared the results to the basic Donchian 6-Month-Rule System. I'm amazed that nothing I'm testing seems to beat Donchian. Some markets seem to like shorter look-back days (especially on the buy side), but the basic Donchian principals which generally lead to only a couple of trades per year appear extremely solid. Would you be willing to share if your most current thinking is consistent with these results? Having contributed to a tribe for a couple of months now I'm feeling excited to step into the water and begin trading. Interestingly, I feel I might be the only one in the Tribe at the moment committed to using backtesting results to form the basis of unambiguous trading rules. I guess I'm sitting on the edge of the cliff looking for a nudge of confidence to fully trust what appear to me to be a solid set of such rules.	Thank you for sharing your process. You might consider taking your feelings about <wanting someone else to give you confidence> to Tribe.
Saturday, October 17, 2009 Fear see: previous Dear Ed, Thanks for your advice. I realize that I have tremendous resistance to change my fear based perceptions. I am using my current circumstance as my excuse to allow myself to continue to live in fear which originated from my childhood. I feel comfortable with fear because that's all I know. I am grabbing on everything possible that's attached to my fear index. When I first saw my email and picture on your FAQ, I was shocked to see myself airing my dirty laundry to the wild world. I feel vulnerable. The strong image I have tried to build all my life was destroyed on the FAQ. I am a lone person and don't really like people to know me, never mind telling people that I am not doing well at this moment. I shouldn't write back to you either. I have no control of this email once I click on send button. You might post it on the FAQ again. But your comments are exactly what I needed. I want you to know that you are pointing me to the right direction. Happiness in life is right in front of my face behind a thin curtain. It doesn't take more than a pinky to lift that curtain. Trading is really easy when I am in tune with the Universe. I see good trades all day long. I pick the marginal trades but let the winners go because I hang on to my fear. I don't allow myself to win. I want fear, I want stress and those are exactly what I have now! I will try to be a better mother, a better wife and a better person to the Universe.	Thank you for sharing your process. Per your separate request, the picture is no longer on-line.
Friday, October 16, 2009 Liking and Having Hi Ed, Thank you for giving me a big Aha. "When you like what you have, you have what you like."	OK.
Friday, October 16, 2009 Wants to Join IV Tribe Dear Ed, Half a year ago I visit the Reno workshop. Here I meet [Name], who becomes a good friend. Back in [City] we re-start the local Tribe together with the local chief and [City] workshop graduate. Meanwhile 2 more people are joining us. I start to get the hang of doing hot seats. I also seem to get the hang of managing other people's hot seats. While managing other people's hot seats I drill into feelings of my own that I didn't even know exist. I intend to explore further both managing other people's hot seats and my own feelings while doing so. As a workshop graduate I would like to visit the IV Tribe and learn TTP from the best. I need to plan a little bit in advance. Is there a possibility of visiting you and your Tribe one or two times somewhere in the first half of (the imaginary year of) 2010?	I am considering hosting another 10-week IV-Tribe series as well as a Breathwork Weekend.
Friday, October 16, 2009 b\c Hi Ed, You may or may not remember me. I attended one of your seminars in 1990 or 1991 in [City, State]. You introduced me to [Name]. I remember b/c I walked around [City] and they hadn't repaired the elevated highway yet, and I remember him telling me how he had had a very close call on the day of that 89 quake. Anyhow, I have often thought of you, and have read and re-read your interview in the first Market Wizards. I ended up coming to [City] and trading for the last 15 or 16 years. The floor trade I knew and loved is history, and for the last 8 months I have been trading from home. Profitable, but re-learning discipline of trading infrequently. In any event, I wrote this on the chance you may remember me. Would love to touch base with you, as I go to [City] a couple times a year to golf w/ my college buddies. I recently started a blog, which you may want to look at. I am interested in starting a tribe here in [City], mostly b/c not being on the floor has been an isolating experience, and I have decided that I want to change that and get back to a core of traders to bounce ideas off of. I would be so psyched if you looked at it and left me a comment.. If you like it, you might want to mention it to some of your trading friends as well. Looking forward to hearing from you. However, I realize that you probably get tons of emails and may not even read this personally. Your phrase, every one gets what they want... has proven itself, oddly, in many ways for me over the years..	Thank you for the update. You might consider going for a week or two without using the words b/c (because), why, or other "causal model" terms - or references to the past of future.
Thursday, October 15, 2009 Math Dear Ed, 1. Teaching math in 1970 A logger sells a truckload of timber for £100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit? 2. Teaching Math In 1980 A logger sells a truckload of timber for £100. His cost of production is 80% of the price. What is his profit? 3. Teaching Math In 1990 A logger sells a truckload of timber for £100. His cost of production is £80. How much was his profit? 4. Teaching Math In 2000 A logger sells a truckload of timber for £100. His cost of production is £80 and his profit is £20. Your assignment: Underline the number 20. 5. Teaching Math In 2005 A logger cuts down a beautiful forest because he is selfish and inconsiderate and cares nothing for the habit of animals or the preservation of our woodlands. Your assignment: Discuss how the birds and squirrels might feel as the logger cut down their homes just for a measly profit of £20. 6. Teaching Math In 2009 A logger is arrested for trying to cut down a tree in case it may be offensive to religious groups not consulted in the felling license. He is also fined a £100 as his chainsaw is in breach of Health and Safety legislation as it is deemed too dangerous and could cut something. He has used the chainsaw for over 20 years without incident however he does not have the correct certificate of competence and is therefore considered to be a recidivist and habitual criminal. His DNA is sampled and his details circulated throughout all government agencies. He protests and is taken to court and fined another £100 because he is such an easy target. When he is released he returns to find Gypsies have cut down half his wood to build a camp on his land. He tries to throw them off but is arrested, prosecuted for harassing an ethnic minority, imprisoned and fined a further £100. While he is in jail the Gypsies cut down the rest of his wood and sell it on the black market for £100 cash. They also have a leaving BBQ of squirrel and pheasant and depart leaving behind several tons of rubbish and asbestos sheeting. The forester on release is warned that failure to clear the fly tipped rubbish immediately at his own cost is an offence. He complains and is arrested for environmental pollution, breach of the peace and invoiced £12,000 plus VAT for safe disposal costs by a regulated government contractor. Your assignment: How many times is the logger going to have to be arrested and fined before he realizes that he is never going to make £20 profit by hard work, give up, sign onto the dole and live off the state for the rest of his life? 7. Teaching Math In 2010 A logger doesn’t sell a lorry load of timber because he can’t get a loan to buy a new lorry because his bank has spent all his and their money on a derivative of securitized debt related to sub- prime mortgages in [State] and lost the lot with only some government money left to pay a few million pound bonuses to their senior directors and the traders who made the biggest losses. The logger struggles to pay the £1,200 road tax on his old lorry however, as it was built in the 1970s it no longer meets the emissions regulations and he is forced to scrap it. Some [other Country] loggers buy the lorry from the scrap merchant and put it back on the road. They undercut everyone on price for haulage and send their cash back home, while claiming unemployment for themselves and their relatives. If questioned they speak no English and it is easier to deport them at the governments expense. Following their holiday back home they return to the UK with different names and fresh girls and start again. The logger protests, is accused of being a bigoted racist and as his name is on the side of his old lorry he is forced to pay £21,500 registration fees as a gang master. The Government borrows more money to pay more to the bankers as bonus's are not cheap. The parliamentarians feel they are missing out and claim the difference on expenses and allowances. You do the math.	1970: пr² 2009: пr round; gingerbread are square.
Thursday, October 15, 2009 Checking In Dear Teacher, Once again thanks for everything. I wish you a happy Diwali (Festival of lights). May everyone on this board and universe enjoy a beautiful happy year ahead. My thanks to you again for everything you do and confidence you inspire in me. I honor you by living your example. I am going to see you one day and give you a big bear hug.	Thank you for your support.
Thursday, October 15, 2009 Joins a Tribe Dear Ed, I wanted to let you know that I’ve been in contact with [Name] who has helped me join the [City] Tribe. My first meeting was last night and fortunately I was able to observe an intense Hot Seat experience. The group was extremely welcoming and genuinely interested in helping me learn. I excited to be a part of this and I want to thank both of you for the guidance. I’ll be in touch.	OK.
Thursday, October 15, 2009 Wants to Commit - And Can't Dear Ed, I have been a fan of your Trading Tribe website. I appreciate and understand the process you established to help people who commit to excellence, personal growth and supporting and receiving support from each other. I want to commit to the process to improve all aspects of my life, but I can't! To make a long story short, I have created a big drama for myself that is affecting my financial security and safety. Instead of focusing on trading, I am constantly distracted by the unfolding of my drama. I am a mother of three beautiful girls. I love my girls with all my love and I would do anything to provide for their security and safety. I am writing this email to you asking support in the Universe. I believe the Infinite Intelligence in the Universe is listening, guiding and supporting me at every moment. I am positive you will read my email and support me. I am a very talented and intuitive person. I grew up in a medicine family in China. So I know a lot of about eastern medicine and I can heal a lot of body pains through acupuncture. I was accepted into a prestigious University when I was only 16 years old to study math in China. In 1990 I was accepted into Florida State University graduate applied math program. I graduated with my Master's degree in applied math in 1992. I worked in the Information Technology field for about 10 years then I stayed home for a few years to be a mom. While I enjoyed the motherhood, my husband went crazy with the real estate game in Florida. At the end of the game, all our liquid cash are locked into the dead, non-moving illiquid assets. I plunged into trading full time since the beginning of 2009. I learned the [Name] cycle trading software very well. I can't trade well yet because I am so deleted psychologically by the unfolding drama. I can't stop worrying about the next meal for my children. Ed, do you need a research assistant? I am very analytical and technical with computers. I am very good at the cycle theory. I just need some time to repair my psyche to become a good trader. Of course I would love to be able to work with you and learn from you. All things are possible and I am optimistic.	You have a notion that you want to commit and can't. I wonder how this notion serves you and how you you feel this might be a valuable on-the-job resource. You might consider asking less for the universe to support you and asking more what you can do to support the universe. If you wish to do research for me, you might consider mastering the TSP and EcoNowMics exercises. The Universe The yoo-hoo you yoo-hoo is the yoo-hoo you get back. Clip: http://larvalsubjects.files.wordpress.com/ 2008/12/universe.jpg
Wednesday, October 14, 2009 Happy Re-Birth Day Dear Ed: Wave: My girl and I are in LOVE ever since our first sight. I hope you are all well. I am writing to follow up on my Big Wave Progress. I wanted to thank you for your feedback on previous report. I had some aha moments from your response and lots of changes occurred since then. I am attending upcoming workshop and I wanted to write up this report so I have opportunity to get some feed back before the meeting start. Unfortunately my snapshots of sending email with my girlfriend's picture is not manifested yet. However today is my birthday and my friend brought his family to my apartment and celebrated birthday for me. I feel very happy now and it's a great start for me. Relationship is very tough for me however it is showing tremendous improvement. I enclosed the picture of my cake on this email. (I haven't had a birthday cake in god knows how long) My Mom send me a card and gift as well. Some other friends sent me wished as well. So to me this is a great improvement in my social life. Since my last report I had a volatile and reckless love wave with my sales assistance. It was a great experience and lots of Aha but unfortunately I had to put a stop because ship was sinking fast. It was a rough departure but I feel grateful for her for sharing feelings. I am impressed how quickly I recovered from the loss though. (some medicinal behavior with woman came back as well: I am not impressed about that) I am looking forward for the new love signal and wave. (I am hoping for big long term wave) I also had a great hot seat experience during this event which contributed to a transformational relationship with my mother. I shared my feelings re my early childhood experience to her (I was very scared to do so but) and my god she received me so well. She shared her feelings about the incident and also shared with me something I had never knew about her and her marriage. I told her that I feel I have mother for the first time in my life. She was so happy about that. It's a great feeling. After my sales assistant's departure, I attended to various single events to meet someone but was not flowing with it at all. I decided to let the flow take care of it because all the meaningful girlfriends I had in the past I met them accidentally. So I like that and I am sure I would catch another signal. Other developments since the April Workshop- My foot injury have completely healed and I am back in Jujitsu Dojo!. I am in great shape and shed few pounds. I really enjoy the sport. My crave for drinking is completely gone (this is a proof anything is possible!!) My crave for potato chip is completely gone (another proof anything is possible!!) Trading is very profitable. (Market keeps going higher and I go with the flow!! I got my stops in though) Purchased [software] a few months back but I am not flowing with this software at all. I have not touched yet. Feels like a drama. It's like you bought a bike and never rode on it and sitting in the basement. Well I guess that is about it. I thank you for reading my report. Any feed back will be greatly appreciated. Birthday Cake	Thank you for sharing your process and for inspiring others.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009 Positive and Negative See Previous Hello Mr. Ed Thanks for your comments. I note the TTP approach of looking at +ve intentions of all feeling. I need your guidance: 1. What if an unnecessary trivial thought (of no real importance) is bothering someone? If one is unable to find any +ve intention behind it what shall one do, where to look for it? 2. Envy & Jealousy: Could you please elaborate on what +ve intentions these feelings might indicate? 3. By the way, slightly off the topic query if you don't mind: Are you a religious (ritualistic), agnostic or a spiritual person? My goal is becoming a better person and getting wiser each day. I wish to learn from you hence these questions.	1. I wonder how you know an "unnecessary trivial thought" from a regular one. 2. You might consider taking your feelings about <envy> and <jealousy> to Tribe. 3. I'm not sure what all your labels mean. 4. The term, hence, indicates operation within the causal model. Some People Make Up Labels as a way to avoid intimacy. Clip: http://www.dubrightmedical.com/cw/cw2/ assets/product_full/handiMarkLabelMaker.jpg
Monday, October 12, 2009 Checking In Dear Ed and Tribe I made a picture the screen saver on all three of my computers. I am the Big Wave there. I have been having a good week. I always seem to be up on Friday and then down again Monday morning. I did gain something like 0.5% last week. This morning I'm up 2%. I've discovered the forum on [website] lots of helpful comments. It has helped me answer a lot of simple questions. It also helps me to understand all the things I am able to ignore- that is very helpful. No days Travel 6 days gym. I feel that I should get serious about a diet - so I have been focusing on my feelings when I eat and when I am hungry. This week I commit to writing a food diary. There will be three days of travel, so this week will be difficult.	OK.
Monday, October 12, 2009 Gold Hi Ed, Gold is at new highs within a strong multiyear long trend and after some headlines no one actually seems to care about it. Perfect! I could built up a nice GC 12/09 long position below breakout. Stops are in, there's nothing to do. When I watch the chart I see a stronger trend than in the 70´s. I wonder how my strong conviction with this trade will evolve during time. - I'm up 55% equity since June 2009 with actually about 15% equity at risk. - I had a big "Aha" in Tribe about my delaying / shutting down behavior. Childhood can be a dangerous time. - After each tribe meeting I take more care about how to interact with my daughter. Have a good time Ed! I hope you receive me in one of your 2010 workshops.	OK.
Saturday, October 10, 2009 Good Catch Ed, In your answer of the message of 1st October, I wonder if there is a catch. "Like Ed, you get the trading results you get". I wonder if it is "the trading results you want"??	When you like what you have, you have what you like.