Pattern's Chemo-Electric Trading Journal

First in-depth is on my personal, everyday approach to money management. I describe it in general in this post.
Below is a journal entry I just made using this approach:

"08262010
trade 1: 1:34pm EST. I just earned $44.38 on my simulator.
If I earn $40, then I want to buy a (moderately expensive, semi-healthy snack mix). Okay, only $4 over $40. Maybe a soda for ___ and then a (cheaper, still-healthy snack) from the Dollar ___ store, if willing to go. No cash to go to bills -- Not enough.
trade 2: 1:44 pm EST. $20.99 earnings on simulator.
Forget it. Put it in that bank and fuggitaboutit. That's $65 in one day!! Put $20 into the gas tank.

net: $40. Pretty dang good.

trade 3: Lost the account. $111 gone. At least I got to spend a little.

Next time, I want to put what I lost this time as padding on my account, and ONLY THEN use SL's to protect my money.
That's +25% to earn first."

See the progression in my mm skill? And I'll DO it, because I put it in the language and emotion of my everyday activities. I want to protect my money, because I understand immediately and tangibly the value of doing so.

Continued:

"
trade 4: Won 1700 * .04 .
trade 5: Lost account: Lost 3600*.04, net 76.

Next time, I must accept close enough, because it's the emotional upburst that gets me that buffer.
It's now 63% BE.

1440
trade 6: won 1100 * .04 .
trade 7: losing 1600 * .04 currently, decide to sell a little and hope for return -- TL set did

well, only played through differently than I expected -- or take another loss.
A backup trading plan, angles and the general solidity of reaction to the TL set, worked and so I won 800 * .04 .

(Rounding all #'s to nearest 100 by dropping the two digits regardless of their amount.) "

I paid the price for letting go of profit, and now I ... wait, that's for the journal.

trade 8: Lost account: Lost 2200*.04, net of account -8 so 66% BE.

What now? There seem to be no guarantees. The reality sets in.

I try SL TL's and some kind of chart-study overview checking next.

trades 9 10 11 12: Lost account: Down to $105. 380% or bust.

Okay, reality check. 400% is my recent top score, reached only 3-4 times in the past few months.

It's very doubtful I'll get it on the fly.

I didn't install SL's as promised. I was too afraid.
I shouldn't stop now. Maybe this is all I get.
No, I'm not ready for an all-or-nothing account yet.
I throw away this account and restart with a pennies account. $40, or .004 of a $10,000 simulator account.
I buy gas, pay a credit card finance charge, eat out with __, and give __ the rest.



1513
trade 1: + 7.12 . This one was weird for me, because I, instead of jumping right in on impulse, waited until the pt line ran up 10 pips. It didn't, just went straight down; when price settled, I had a good hunch regular modulation through the entire course of the drop allowed price to return to its former position and then 10 pips above the spot I thought I would enter. So I entered here instead.Talk about a mind-bender.

trade 2: +2.08 . Took advantage of the last trade's return: put TP just above where 0 pips would be on the last trade. Did it almost immediately.
The last two trades, I felt comfortable without SL's. From here, I'd be better off, considering my mindset needs refreshing, using SL's at the latest TL.

1533

Hours later, different attitude:

1909
trade 3: +3.16 .
trade 4: +2.64 . That's $15. I want a snack. $1.75 + tax. $13.05 .
trade 5: +2.12 . $15.17 .
trade 6 to 13: 9.20 - 14 = -4.80 . 40 - 4.80 = 35.20 . Lost account, net is 35.20 .

trade 14 to 25: + 37.38 . Net 72.58 .
2022

Last account lost 2/3s, this account gained 3/4's.
Observations --
Too high a margin; if more even, then I could keep the same account and have made a tiny profit.
Also, concentration is a factor: Any improvement in increasing consistency in trade reason worth would help this.

Oh, and we get to eat out. 72.58 - 12.00 = 60.58 .

Utter failure again:

08272010

0512

trades 1,2 60.58 + 9.45 (NOTE each 780) = 70.03.

pragmaticism, impulsiveness --
A big problem with discretionary trading is that I foreshorten my reason from summary of several directions. I take the pragmatic view that, overall, it's going This way; maybe 80% of the time it will, only when I'm wrong, I lose all because of the pragmaticism. I need to dig in to all those moves I knew and skipped and see which ones I trust the most, before I enter at the impulsive moment the current one must always be.



trades 3,4,5,6,7
Was shy of looking at it all, somewhat opposite of pragmaticism: Too little overview and missed the point, rather than enough overview and blunted the point.



trades 8-13 and the rest
Lost account. 45.6% left, so 27.60 .

During the consecutive losses, reestablished an old pattern, bird o' prey, that worked for me. It's in the category of diff(erentiation). Pivot is more likely...no, it reacts like a cl or lc.

1101
trade

If the first trade apparently worked on a minor or simple reason, it's fairly straightforward to understand that, eventually, one can lose, unless one is adept enough to center with all reasons available unconsciously before committing to one of them. (No mean feat.)
A gap from this often forms in-trade drawdown; if the reason is sure and the DD greater, mc is more likely.

Lost the pennies account, since it went down to 40% again, which is 11.04, eerily matching what I did on the bigger account.
So it's not the size of the account that matters. It may still be the leverage size, only I suspect it's my negative reason-that-trade-on cycle between trades, sets of trades and accounts of sets of trades.
And it's my attitude, how I decide my life is going from the past few hours, that decides what I make.
1350
I'm not kidding. It literally is the last thing I said that makes or breaks my trades. And I've traded for 14 years, with lots of examples of this phenomenon.

______________________

The attitude that I decide after reviewing my entire life from information over the past few hours, changed along a cyclic graph and refreshed every new situation, dominates why I fail.
Side effects of an attitude inappropriate for trading include that I ignore perfectly good insight into the chart or overly depend on a reason to reuse or have large in-trade drawdown to use.

So my next purpose is to tap into how my brain chemicals may rush to my forebrain to think effectively after a good attitude (attitude defined above) or unwisely go to my limbic system to increase dependency on habit cycles of feast and famine type P and L.

NOTE This is all wild speculation. I observe what happens and, with very poor history of reading a couple of beginner's anatomy and alternative exercise books, use a system I made several years ago to think through what I need to do about my doing the right trade. I'm certain I could be corrected hundreds of times for my errors, concerning this topic I delve into now; I also know I have to delve into it and nobody else will do it for me. Thus, if I begin to have concrete results in my trading, anybody reading this may be advised to consider doing any of this only then.

-----

" reason-that-trade-on ":


0518 (real time)

enough detail, almost no overview: Led to highly accurate 'what' the chart will do, and wildly inaccurate 'how' the chart will do it.

'It's gonna fade fast', the chart was saying nearly from the beginning. A flat shape at 2300 to 2315, which is normal; then, disturbances relating to the TL ray 2315 to 0020; next, midlines around the TL ray to 0115; and, logarithm-energized lower-right-slanted round built on midlines above and then, in a condensed, logarithm-only shape, below the TL ray, completing at the first midlines' TL at 0150. This was a cl.

0542 (real time)

On the second trade in the pictures below:
This time, versus the last post's entry, I got the detail and overview, only I didn't link them, allowing mistrust and greedy / "always works" (10 pips above now) habitual rebellion to creep into my trade.




----------

This idea of spending the time to find and fix my reasoning errors for at least a few of each set of trades, seems a good way to reinforce profitable habits. It's definitely boring, though, so I'll occasionally pepper it with the money-spending and other stuff.

Thanks, CindyXXXX, for the vouch!

Your originality, intense fervor, and positive spirit bring much to the forum.

Time drawing devices are in several of your charts. I've tried several approaches to getting the idea of time -- Gann time, fib Time Series, news times, and sessions -- and I never really got it. Would like to, tho.
Military strategy and current popular music make a lot of sense together, trading-wise. In a cool way, naturally. I used to play instruments half my age ago, and was into the theory side of music for a while. Can't say the same for the former; will read up on how you use strategy, now that I've a connection to relate to.

------------------------------

you got the most unique outlook on charts analysis i ever seeen

are you finding you are now in the pure application stage of the studies?

Yes, well, close.
I trade line patterns on LFH simulator 1-5 hours a day (rate, about 10 an hour), and then add another described example to post #1.

Right now, post #1 acts like a line pattern category takes over an entire area; it's far more likely each category contributes at least a couple of TL's for a little while. What's important is that I pay attention to recognizing the basic patterns, which I think is my next rewrite.
Should boil down the whole process, as it's still way too confusing to read. I guess I'm still in the examples-building phase of writing the method, and am trying to break away from it.

In training, I don't use stops, and instead work for TP's with small in-trade drawdowns. Endurance is the name of the game, for if I miss one trade, I get a margin call.
When I can get through several hours of trades without one -- last time I didn't mc, I got through 1 3/4 hours -- I'll put in reasoned stops, because then I'll trust my plan enough to make safeties around its trade.
Problem, of course, is also the several accounts I mc between these -- Gotta stop that.

V interesting Thanks

this game all about finding our own style!

(post #1 dump)

LINE PATTERNS:

method activities

exercise, define, draw, select, review

After set up the chart with Attachment and its indicators 1,2,3,4 and maybe a template also with a few old drawn items,


ENTER THE SITUATION:
warmup-exercise on the simulator until one reminds oneself that it's the big 1-200-pip runs that control direction and the follow-along, commonplace 20-50 - pip moves that pay the bills, even if how the big runs go about are in the tea leaves of the latter. Go wrong with the former even once and you're fired; do the latter right and you can pay your bills.


Define the next 1'TF chart area
to address one's brain zooming in on a channel vs. a deviation that takes one's attention dramatically away from the current area, through regulating how one area connects to the next,
in a range from 0 simple to make and takes intuition to understand to 5 difficult to make and easy to explain rationally,
WITH TYPICAL # PATTERNS WHOLELY DEPENDENT ON FOR SIGNIFICANT MOVE.
The examples given vary in tradeability. I think '0' 's has the best, because of its high-grade TL's; representing each line pattern is tougher to catch at '0' level, though, since one pays more attention to said individually-lain TL's than
higher levels, with their grouping and standardizing of TL's with line patterns, do.
The applicability of a particular definition of a line pattern, however well-practiced, may constrain one's drawing versus a more universal '0'-type.
My second-favorite is '3' 's example.
.


Why area AND pattern, when the area is merely a pattern that works for the entire area?
Because one can easily understand a small portion of the chart and make a decent amount of cash, only to be hit when the dominant mover for the area runs the chart and one loses the account for not having figured this first.



The TL's one uses are described below.
Draw them to include the current situation in with the area view.


how to call a line pattern...Attachment




Why study inside a pattern, when a single line can explain the entire area and the area's central pattern is copied anyhow?
Because one can easily understand the entire area, only to fail to break down small portions of the chart and lose the change from one version of the same idea to the next and thus to be hit when this chain of events results in the dominant mover for the area that runs the chart changing direction.



Select angles and TL's with line patterns
(taking over things, including an entire area:
0, 2 weak, since involve small, isolated shapes that each have a specialized L:M combo;
3 okay, limited, since its medium-sized shapes band together with help of a proxy line, the type avoiding L:M altogether;
1, 5 strong, where 1 is midline over logr or visa-versa and 5 is one exactly vs. the other) :



Attachment





Review old perspectives found below to generate a collection of new ideas and thus to be ready during the next work session to slice a trade from the next results of the above.


pattern and TL's
type infinite #TL's thru division of types of TL's
area One may choose # 5 (high rank) to 1 (low rank), for entire area,
position center onto each position, that is, each consecutive micro-area, thru the line pattern type's # 3 (high import), 2 or 4, or 1 or 5 (low import), and noted for per-type separation with "i of area line pattern" (i.e., the micro-area is determined from a line pattern or group of same inside of it), "i>o", etc.
clarity graphic representation Thus a higher-ranking type of line pattern;
ease recognizing and imagining enough. a lower-ranking type to facilitate this.

area
inside -- As in, I'm so dang interested in these patterns, I'm going to tear them down into their components and then, more or less, interconnect the different pieces : from a TL, using midlines and logr's, and then include and interrelate shapes, or from a shape, from TL's being applied within each shape to represent that shape, and then include and interrelate TL rays
one -- Plainly, one pivotal shape OR one TL (set) each decently-sized area. If have both, then it's redundant. Also, a shape that MTF's with a higher-TF TL and later, on the lower TF, turns into TL's: %wise, one shape or TL each area.
several -- What you'd usually expect from using the line patterns table in the last post. Ranked and well-defined line patterns and their accompanying TL's. I don't really use an example from shapes, as the ones I've tried failed me; I guess you could use traditional patterns (triangles, bats, head-and-shoulders, and the like).
lots -- Kind of like one, only it's basically one idea that has some structure to it. The 'shape areas' idea in my Rookie Discussion thread is an example, from the shapes side of it.
infinite -- Angles and/or symmetric pattern - made line segments, or local and single-candle-derived line segments.


area

one of a series of areas
contrasting, flat areas
lots of big, plain shapes
a few big, plain shapes
lots of shapes, difficult to distinguish



pattern and area
type of symmetry in a general area, expressed with the chart area's central, controlling pattern; alternate order of line patterns
1 internal repeated-pattern -- only one simple, oft higher-TF, TL; continuous with only immediate control of direction
pivot, level, blur
2 repeated-pattern --TL's drawn with a proxy line discontinuous with a moderate control of direction
rep
3 rolling, -- Hi/lo, natural and literal mid's, and any logr's, with an ever-changing set for each portion of the pattern as one goes along the price-time line of the pattern; continuous with a proportional control of direction
diff, harmonic-rainbow
4 castle pattern off rolling, --Hi/lo, natural and literal mid's, and any logr's, with extra emphasis on small internals; continuous from one control and for a longterm control of direction
v.a.: one (symmetry pattern that defines a much higher TF's area)
5 castle-like --Hi/lo, natural and literal mid's, and any logr's; continuous control of direction
volatility area: symmetry (highlighting boxes, each typically around an overall shape of two opposing patterns with a centering pattern in the middle, and TL segments between them)

TL's and area
static (bunch/blur,) -- one TL, a small area or two (beginning the TL)
static-dependent (diff,) -- sev'l patterns all dependent on one line or broken-up line
proxy-static (rep,) -- a crossover of TL's with one a proxy line
multi-direction (pivot/one,) -- sev'l / fan of TL's
any-direction -- grid

Exercise to get an idea of the rest of the TF's:

1. Open a 5'TF chart, which I make sure is also effective for all the other TF's, with the template above,
2. circle each major pivot's pattern for a bunch of trends in a row,
3. open the 1'TF for each pattern to read the defining angles, patterns and TL's that define the turn,
4. and, after doing enough to feel comfortable with finding and interpreting them on the 1'TF,
5. run and trade a 1'TF simulator with this in mind.

A really nice example of how TL's are drawn with lots of support:
Attachment Attachment Attachment Attachment
These TL's pay attention to if high- and low-touch, if with-others grouped, if pattern-defined, how involved the most with balance at origin, and how purely or contrastedly relevant to next position.


types/categories of

angles warmup

The problem with trendlines is they HELP microtrend angles, so that you don't usually get the results of the picture above, a Gann Fan-like circle with three small line patterns that determine the rest of the trend for the day.
The relationship between angles and the trendlines that serve them, much more often, is obscure and overly variable.

The sheer number of microtrend angles increases the need to read them from experience and thus with intuition, creating a dependency on an irrational, unrecordable approach. This can lead to the psychological danger of using them on charts through applying through trying to resolve the energy from one's own life's situations. (NOT having these, or having an especially positive set of these, is in itself an approach to reading angles right.)

A technical chart approach to angles may be necessary to make sure one is thinking right about them prior to trading. Each of these suggestions is problematic -- Inexperience in, imprecision of, cross purposes from. Nevertheless, I suggest some ideas to warm up on the critical need to get angles right:

1. Go thru some old 1'TF charts and sightread the microtrend angles, being sure to change the number of angles included every so often.
2. Use a set of indicators especially applicable to reading them.
3. Keep a journal for each trade that is dedicated to figuring trend angles.
4. In each chart area, go through every line pattern category in detail to see if or how it projects or contributes to reading the angles there.
5. Use a chart drawing approach especially designed to identify (micro)trend angles, such as ones noted under the 0-type line pattern category.

(NEW to post #1):

I'm only on demo. My own trades, right now: Penny-wise, pound-foolish.

A 'pattern' is balance and balance, the start of a big move.
A line pattern is a 'pattern' from which one makes good TL rays and perhaps also TL's (line segments).
The number of line patterns per type is
0, which is 1, no TL ray, or 0, TL rays
1, TL rays ONLY; thus, a single, small balance pattern goes here.
2, makes one TL ray, once or a gathered several
3, a spread type, so that one line serves as the balance
5, several distinct ones that combine to produce one.
From this, the following chart is a 5:

-----------------
09112010 from the cauldron of failure, a balanced line pattern amongst grid stuff produces the most accurate tl
(yeah, I know... Inspiration. (No offense or opinion intended, just a segue into my own 14 of 17 margin calls in a row.))
From this, I drew my first accurate TL ray in ages, one I must grow to trust (the 2-width light grey TL ray; IGNORE ALL OTHER LINES COMPLETELY):

(post #1 dump)

A 'pattern' is balance and balance, the start of a big move.
A line pattern is a 'pattern' from which one makes good TL rays and perhaps also TL's (line segments).
The number of line patterns per type is
0, which is 1, no TL ray, or 0, TL rays
1, TL rays ONLY; thus, a single, small balance pattern goes here.
2, makes one TL ray, once or a gathered several
3, a spread type, so that one line serves as the balance
5, several distinct ones that combine to produce one.
From this, the following chart is a 3:

line patterns

0 attention: widespread, with low focus
angle and other potential symmetries inside small, either isolated or non-pattern-forming, shapes that have no real potential to form TL rays and instead depend on positioning to make a difference such as a major turn:

- an empty space later filled in at same price;
- a big area 'surrounding' a later small area;
- angle opposition; (example, with symmetry)
- a logarithmic curve / Gann Fan (which tends to note top and bottom only, without subdividing -- compare to midlining -- and to exaggerate a trend); a spreading fan or a set of deviations, for instance, can form a Gann Fan, and thus create very different purposes
- any nonlagging indicator that can take pattern interpretation, such as DutchCandle (with my proposed shapes: solid, spike, logr-curved ramp, flat ramp, flat, mountain, valley, and plateau; consider bull, bear, or bull-with-bear symmetries)
- midlining (which tends to subdivide evenly and, overall, mute a trend);
- logr vs. midline;
- a shape's next repetition . ;
- a compromise of price that next pivot has with respect to two prior high and low simple, pivot-like shapes it refers to;
- how, with a grid, price flips from multi-trending vertically to horizontally;
and, other ways how two shapes compromise their various microfeatures, especially when they're very similar, to make a third shape with a different energy and/or direction

NOTE about type 0
The sheer number of microtrend angles increases the need to read them from experience and thus with intuition, creating a dependency on an irrational, unrecordable approach.
This can lead to the psychological danger of using them on charts through applying through trying to resolve the energy from one's own life's situations.
(NOT having these, or having an especially positive set of these, is in itself an approach to reading angles right,
and helps create the 'widespread'ness of the type.)

in with other line patterns --
a series of pairs of trends' angles for each pivot, modified between each pair of angles with line segments that help select which pair is the most vertical and contrastively or purely symmetric;
or,
especially relevant TL's (each pays attention to if high- and low-touch, if with-others grouped, if pattern-defined, how involved the most with balance at origin, and how purely or contrastedly relevant to next position) without any pattern anchoring the idea of them;
or,
symmetry patterns (or area-wide ones), trend angles (or contrasting-symmetric deviation lines) and which one the condensing is on and in what shape to center the price-time line, including old Gann Fan use to connect the areas together, providing distinct area boundaries and interlinks,
or
another deviation-filled area, this one with type 5's trend centerlines to make one and a triangle to make a pattern's internal angle's expression of a deviation within itself and projected forward in a retrace trend,
or,
a third deviation, this one simpler because the deviations are small and angle-like patterns that eventually express the pressure that goes forward, with a GF for redundancy

1 attention: all now, with mid-low focus
grid --

1. anchored, a single pattern within which is a crucible of directions both major and adjustive to decide the next major direction;
2. or, midlines, parallel lines that price either stays with or touches and goes from;
3. or a mix of both, such as a single pattern anchoring two trends ninety degrees from each other and which one may subdivide evenly for further trending,
4. or such as a three-sided box with tiny adjustive candle variety within and just before the pattern that says an extra-strong direction will be next
5. Another grid approach resembles type 5 a little, in that it may include a logarithm / Gann Fan. It involves the use of 45- and 90-degree angled trends. The former may be strictly or Gann Fan - progressive parallel;
6. the latter may have a 45-degree angle trend with another trend that has an angle 90 degrees that is connected to it, and then a 0- and 90-degree pair of lines nearby, the choice and clarity of each trend deciding what relation will predominate to declare direction.

in with other line patterns --
measuring deviation of an area within each shape
to highlight
a single symmetric pattern that runs
the center
i
ii
iii
A
(another: only from a single symmetric pattern;
another, this one with very strong undercurrent of grid setup TL's 'pattern', and thus with a convoluted feel to it, stretching the boundaries of being without a series of several types of line patterns),
or
a grid (that is, a very big single pattern) with subtle opposing deviation lines in the middle and with most of the area being devoted to grid;
or,
a balanced flat-side pattern,
two small opposing shapes that also create horizontal tension,
and a later horizontal balance pattern with two levels,
each have a 45-degree trend after itself,
after which a higher level is sustained with it being a self-involved midline side and lasting for a while,
and finally, a grid is formed just enough to return from the self-involved midline side
to a TL that originated in a significant side area before and with a near-vertical run up to the three balance patterns noted;
or,
a circle which empowers a horizontal channel to hold price in place and then to make sure it doesn't escape the duo's power for long

2 attention: variable and subtle, with medium focus
blur, that is,

1. similar shapes on either side of a TL to set it,
2. or shapes such as orbs, boxes or triangles, all considered from the inside and each instance of the latter
3. perhaps only with a defining feature (midline with box, logarithmic curve with triangle, and the like), that create a TL
4. -- a TL which begins from a midline within a shape/pattern, or a bunch, that is, a TL between two consecutive, scribbled-in boxes;
5. considered from the outside -- Typical regular shapes and their purposes are:
   1. circles with an anywhere line from its center;
   2. squares for symmetric
   3. and/or opposing-symmetric patterns;
   4. expanding triangles (that is, Gann Fans)-- THE MOST LEVERAGEABLE OF ALL --,
   5. pairs of line segments,
   6. and triangles for angles ,
   7. a compromise position between high- and low- patterns,
   8. and ledges;
   9. and, thin rectangular bands that are horizontal for support-resistance
   10. or vertical for mid-symmetry breaks.

in with other line patterns --
with two conflicting shapes defining each area off an overall underlying TL, cleanly between flat, repeated areas
(another example),
conflicting regular shapes defining an area with a deviation line changing the underlying nature of the regular shapes' TL set's effect,
or one regular shape that subdivides area into two directions for price to work within
,
or
a subtle use of opposing-single-spike bunches and their crossovers

3 attention: partial, obscured and divided, with medium high focus
rep, that is, repeated patterns grouped together (with a no-read proxy balancing line going into the past, present or future, and the patterns themselves functional or actual repeating) -- ex. (functional) in 2nd,3rd charts;
or, a rep with a past proxy line AND a derivative rep with a present proxy line

in with other line patterns --
as an adjunct to a repeated pattern only several TL sets reveals the complexity greater than a simple between two conflicting shapes
(another, using a channel (line) and a fan from rep);
or,
a rep with a past proxy line AND a derivative rep with a present proxy line, and, later on, with one extra TL that levels as a midline so that the next cycle from it midlines and turns the entirety into a run,
in two pieces;

5 attention: captured, violent-response to, area, with high focus
diff, that is, differentiated patterns with one feature tying them together enough that their reaction to it 'creates' the price-time line.
This is the most structured of the five categories of line patterns, organizing an area at a time before a big move.
(cl (another one, with consecutive shapes and big move medium-size consecutive l then m pairs of shapes, with the big move possibly in the middle, described in terms of area type 1: Gann Fan-fading trend centerline grid with idea copied from last area and its midlines )
or lc (the former "condensed-logr", a tiny shape of two shapes, one L and one M, the tiny shape being part of an area that, in one instance, has some mix of distinct L and M pieces where there's a middle M line with ordinary M / balance shapes below and L shapes above, and in another instance, has a logarithm react to midlines strictly controlling the space befor and immediately around the tiny L:M shape
which is one tiny pattern with condensed frame below and one-sided triangle of a logarithmic curve pattern above (or visa-versa), exciting into a wave and trend;
and, the latter "logarithmic cycle", a large pre- subarea that is circular or framish in dealing with an unseen L and M, then horizontal midline underlying a bunch of logarithmic shapes which is a series of patterns acting logarithmically to and calming down onto a horizontal line and/or a horizontally-inclined midline, balance point, or similar stability area, which then drops suddenly into a trend) : contrasting features, such as midlines and logarithmic curves with cl (which makes of medium or big size the resolving rendering) / lc (which makes of compact or small size the same), which have the ability to make a chart area of several different shapes and then resolve the group with an underlying rendering of the features being contrasted)
a fourth type of diff is a bird o' prey, one shape and its dual-L and -M pieces, with area around it that, before, explains, and, after, uses the central shape from here and more examples; it is similar to a cl, in that it is one pattern; unlike cl, though, which depends on having a condensed pattern within its area of influence, the bird o' prey is only a pattern and is one that can be bigger or smaller, though a bigger one may lead to midlines contracting the effect of the pattern. It's less predictable in making a big move from it, at the same time it makes more reliable TL's than a couple of the other type 5's.
The bird o' prey, or bop, is a slanted top (or bottom) line TL line segment and a spike, given to be two opposing logarithmic cycles or a shortened one, which the noted line segment ends at the middle of. Often, the midlines multiply around the right edge and so negotiate how much of a jump there will be in reaction to the bop and thus whether a reversal after the jump happens. So I guess there is an entire area for the bop, even if only through the bop's affect. Also, there can be another bop soon or immediately after the first one, and thus the area of a bop is more flexible than that of a cl or, especially, an lc.
A fifth one is an l and an m area shape, equal-sized shapes in large area formed exactly with those two shapes that is, one distinct logarithmic shape in a sub-area in which it is well-developed, followed with one distinct midline-ish shape in a sub-area in which it is well-developed, the two areas working off each other on opposing sides of the (several-screen) chart and where one is dominant over the other. It's kind of a cross between an lc and a cl, where the shapes are of the same, very large size, so that any space between them must act like one or the other. One could consider it as a 2, except for the area covered.

in with other line patterns:
multiple, significant and ranking/overlapping areas of patterns from the list and from which one elucidates angles and TL sets;
a logarithmic cycle that uses grid stuff efficiently, plus rep thrown in to shape the lc's trend centerline (in light blue) progression








Myths

1. Read 30' of the 1'TF, same symbol, same time, and every day for hundreds of times, and you will get that first trade.
2. 10 pips is always achievable, given enough in-trade drawdown allowed.
3. The Sunday gap covers 80% of the time.
4. A super-important news 1' candle with super-high volume is always returned to.
5. That 150-pip run will turn, it's just too much anyway.
6. The wierdest shape is the most significant.
7. Gut instinct stares at the place you want to go, and price will eventually catch up.
8. A really good TL will be returned to.

Reality:

1. evidence-supported e
2. -e reason,
3. max pct loss, and
4. stop and
5. limit.

The truth is, it can take an hour or more to figure what's going on; once one gets an area, though, it's extremely rewarding to see how one's skill put this area to rest with one's line patterns. Patient, inspired work for skill to get the truth is the only way.




______________________________________________________________

(another post #1 dump)

In this method,
patterns are found to serve TL's,
and TL's found to serve trend angles. Two types of groups of angles in particular that play off each other are Gann Fans, which build and breakdown direction, and grids or midlines, which sustain direction.
Types of patterns, called line patterns for angles, or line patterns:

1. single pattern,
2. grid with pattern,
3. a shape or a partial pattern on either side of each TL or similar,
4. several copied patterns making a TL set with a dummy TL,
5. or a bunch of distinct patterns aligning their angles with one pattern or TL

I've just found your journal and I have to say that it really shows some intense thought and purpose. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

All the best!
Brent

Thank you for your kind words.

Thank you, Pipmutt, for the vouch.
It's great reading your sensible debates, that I read to be consistently unchanging from day one. A rare person.



--------------------



Added short deviation lines in with Gann Fans / logr cycles / logarithmic curves, because they add or remove tension instead of, as with midlines / short flat lines / grids, going for a steadiness.
Categorizing the pattern this way returned a sense of angles to me, so that I could make weeklong holds for >100pips another time on demo simulator.

Another ex.: One where an especially large deviation worked as expected and then was reacted to in its own right and in the direction it originally went.
Precision increased dramatically on this one, at least for the area I understood; hope it holds.
Likely not. Understanding in general and specifically is very gratifying, nevertheless.

yet another: As one gets into deviations, patterns sometimes make good deviations from their overall direction being contrary to the general trend (thus, the definition). It then gets mind-expanding and difficult.

a fourth: Now it's combinations of patterns, complex multi-peak patterns, and the kitchen sink (no...), anything that makes a reasonably good deviation. So, deviations won't cut down on my study time; still, they maximize reliability.

A fifth: Pivotal deviations may be creative; at least, there is ample precedent for looking where it is. (Grid runs most of chart area; thus, a deviation specialized for grid turns chart to run for hundreds of pips.)
Chosen from this series:
Explains it?
Maybe not.
I struggle with interpretation, which probably is not good for trading a chart study. I was thinking of adding in more symmetric areas 0-5 from the old examples, to see if it'd help; then again, I got too far away from the point, that of understanding the flow of angles.

A TL set is
angle->pattern->TL set

An angle is all-important and difficult to define; a pattern is easy to define and difficult to rank in importance; and, TL's are either difficult to define and rank in importance, or easy on both, depending on one's selectivity.
When the relevant TL is difficult to spot, a correct angle reading will give a general direction, in which case a trailing exit works.
So, what do I describe? The easiest and most obvious, of course.

A set of angles (that is, a pattern) represents to some degree an entire chart area with its TL set --

 

1. Gann Fans, which are patterns and areas, and i.e. logarithmic curves also called logr cycles, whose angles build and breakdown direction, including deviations (which, while flat, add tension to the area);
2. grids, which are patterns and areas, and i.e. midlines also called (trend) centerlines, whose angles sustain direction; and,
3. a symmetry that balances the other two in their simplest form (logarithmic curves and midlines, respectively) and then redoes the combo into a new relation, and thus whose angles act as a kind of pivot, unless they repeat, in which case they are more like what they combine, types of line patterns with more area structure (grid or Gann Fan)
   patterns:
   1. regular (polygon) shapes
   2. ones I like
      Attached Image

      
   3. traditional ones

-- , and the TL set, to simplify the area into directions,

 

1. pieces an area, tying the pieces to a permanent logr-midline contrast neatly divided or centralized in a big-small, small-big or averages way;
   5 ways patterns:
   . a big piece of a grid or Gann Fan that is symmetric and whose purpose is to underlie small pieces that express the opposite (midline or logr, respectively) nature, to contrast logr and midline obviously and subtly (ex., l.c. or wide-base c-l);
   or,
   . a small piece that is a symmetric pattern and whose purpose is to underlie a big piece that is either grid or Gann Fan, to contrast logr and midline subtly and obviously (ex., c-l);
   or,
   an average-sized pattern that brings both logr and midline into one complex symmetry pattern,
   . centering (ex., bop),
   . dividing in half,
   or
   . alternating in small sections the area to contrast the surrounding area with logr and midline subtly or obviously
2. levels it, which makes an overall structure with an underlying, permanent effect
   Several patterns connected with one of their TLs being to the others a
   . proxy (one of the patterns' TL acting as 'balance' when aligned with old or new patterns or vertical to current patterns' being (impliedly) horizontal),
   with using from a separate pattern a feature of it as a
   . screen ((, to patterns' TLs' horizontal (for example), vertical) midline or logarithmic curve)),
   or with using its own TLs' later interactions (intersections, distance between, etc.) for a
   . derivative (a TL set from a TL set from patterns)
3. trends the area, which makes an overwhelming structure from threads of underlying, permanent effect while, in the majority of area around the threads, effect is fleeting; or, visa-versa
   2 ways patterns:
   . from within a shape itself and where shape overtakes, or
   . between repeated shapes
4. anchors an entire one, which makes an overall structure from a fleeting effect
   1 way pattern,
   . anchoring or not
5. deviates it a bit, which makes a fleeting structure of any size, thread or overall
   0 ways bumps along an unnoteable path, and thus no ways to reveal an overall structure, which is perfect for usually uncertain lesser items such as angles and short line segments to be visible and turn useful

Here, I had a little fun and put the entirety into a formula:

"S" is balance
the handdrawn spike is an almost vertical spike on the chart, which I consider the 'blank' start, since it resembles the beginning of a grid and of a Gann Fan and is the most wanted if you get the right direction
":" is one vs. another, proportion, repetitions, perhaps regularities in the sense they are symmetric, or, sideways, two separate entities or time positions on the chart, etc.
"<>" is one direction or the other, or, up and down, an increase or decrease in a certain property or category
"H" is a stretch of chart time, or, I suppose when up and down, chart price
The relation, as the blurb on the picture says, is a (poor) mimic of the idea of derivative in calculus, where you keep measuring little portions of the chart's price-time line until you get a reasonable approximation of its spaces' volume.
Thus,
for balanced (or symmetric, and not grid- or logr-only) patterns categories 0 to 5,
record the new amount of each opposition/repetition/regularity on the chart,
until it approximates the real history of the stretch of chart time (or price).
Then tack on projected angles, patterns and trendlines, and trade them.

(revised)
_____________________________

arbitrary patterns

a discretionary charting practice

Begin with a sketch of common, effective chart patterns upon which one applies TL's, TL rays and angle measures...

my own patterns ( ]), traditional patterns, regular shapes, grids / midlines (line segment with a point at middle), and/or Gann Fans / logarithmic curves


...and modify them...

[center] In any one area, a line pattern
has ................... is (a(n))
_____________________
center.................anchor
proxy..................deviation
copy...................derivation
layer...................viral



...until you capture and project the trend angles' flow of the area.


_____________________________

(revised)

_________________________________________________

arbitrary patterns

a discretionary charting practice

Begin with a sketch of common, effective chart patterns upon which one applies TL's, TL rays and angle measures...

my own patterns ( ), traditional patterns, shapes with 0-4 sides, grids / midlines (line segment with a point at middle), and/or Gann Fans / logarithmic curves


...and modify them...




...until you capture and project the trend angles' flow of the area.


___________________________________________________


So now, I study my mistakes.




-- three mc's in a row. I theorize going only to define a 'proxy' in 1st, forgetting the shown pattern as a deviation in 2nd, and treating the task too lightly in 3rd, did me in, respectively.

In this one, I didn't ignore the huge gridlike formation earlier. (Trade from bottom right price to current price line. (Simulator's green TP line hadn't erased yet, since exited before limit.)) Complications may set in after such an easy run brings hope.



Here, I acted as if I wasn't in control of exiting my position early, when really it was my ego saying 'You can get that exit limit', causing me to dilute my original reason to exit and lower my per-hour profit rate. This initiated greed, when I reentered afterward.
A series like this, because I had confidence carried from reading ff's finer opinions and chart studies and formulas others recently posted and from keeping the same my own chart study description, can lead to greed's opposite, fear, if too much unknown appears and I have to deal with it through intense instead of diluted-reason-dependent study.
The good thing is, I left plenty of room for the last two trades to go through and they went through early. So, there's an additional thread of confidence that counteracts my ego selfishness and greed.

Realizing after the fact this trade was too close for comfort, I see a need for my brain to 'bounce off' concepts, conditions, etc., more than I suspected. That is, my exit was too high. I also could have used an extra reason to lower the entry point. And, with the extra reason, I would have lowered my exit.
Of course, bringing in an extra reason multiplies the risk, so I usually avoid it, unless an extra reason is borrowed from a former trade and thus the reason is 'proven'; only, I believe I avoid bringing in a fresh extra reason more than necessary.
The chart study itself looks fine. The stop line in light blue matched having only one reason without dealing with its issue noted above.




Captured a "'at least I'll learn something' speech to unconscious brain" - trade, an underhanded way to keep trading and yet lose my account. Also indicates extreme laziness disguised as hope.
What bothers me is that, in the last trade (above), I was getting it somewhat together.
Anyhow, I learned another way to view angles, one tieable to the older devsym angles approach presented in one chart picture a while ago.





Lazy -- "Testing mode" for the idea above, I guess I'd answer. I do this, when I've got nothing of practical value to contribute. Ego again, as noted at the finish of the last post, in skipping a bunch of chart to complete a reason:




Scared -- Opposite of holding too long. Just as dangerous, since increases myopia and then even less prepared for a big jump distant reasons show.

Stubborn -- Based on the above, and the fact that, in my brain, I consciously thought price may go up and then avoided the thought until it went into full, short consciousness after the trade, I yet again traded with one reason that had a big in-trade drawdown.
On the positive side, I made progress on layering more than one reason for a trade in and doing both consciously with only one trade.




This one, I brought an attitude to, built on and from the above. Like I'm better than a 2nd reason. I need to break this, and realize how a 2nd major reason increases profit more than the extra work involved. Sometimes it may even work withthe first major reason to create a frame to work trades in, within which one may set up test reasons to see if the 2-major-reasons frame still holds -- at least until the first reason is hit. This matches my ultimate purpose, to "capture and project the trend angles' flow of the area " (from post #1).





This one made it plain: I have to revise 'patterns' into trend angle sets. These trend angle sets involve, in one impression, kinaesthetic attributes -- (below) energetic midlining static that points toward a hyper logr, its opposer; (above) a large, floating compromise of radii as midlines that is a circle, that stops along the circle and breaks down into one horizontal midline over levels that logr's gently span; and, others, such as the devsym angles chart picture. I suppose I have to write something like this down in the pretrade plan, to guide how to read the TL's I can already choose or perhaps forget to include.
' kinaesthetic size,shape and motion patterns that shape energy into direction ' need an extra reason sometimes, because the mind will react to them as if each one is a real physical motion and then treat the traded kinaesthetic pattern that is traded as a reaction pattern, rather than the original action pattern one ignores. Action-reaction loops work in layers or levels -- you know, the boss wants you to do some things and you react through doing it -- along positional space (increased size: position and relate set of reasons; that is, a kinaesthetic pattern with potential energy) and in order of time (increased motion: action and reaction set of reasons). Thus and for example, a kinaesthetic pattern may set up an area, and thus a reason, for a series of position-dependent reasons to work.

here's a new one -- I thought it'd go up, then only a little,
then thought I'd better go down to close and double
the gap. What happened? I had some kind of synaptic
jump that "forgot" this and mistakingly I averaged
the weight of each idea and went long with what've
been doing, taking half a trade with large in-trade drawdn's.






______________________________


an update of post #1, ssm patterns now included:

arbitrary patterns

a discretionary charting practice



trend angles: To help figure direction of a group of them, picture in one's brain (experience with doing a size-shape-motion snapshot of a set of real life objects) --
LOTS path or field
FEW connect =,+,-,~ (balance), or <> (maturity / degree of copy or cycle)
ONE dominance-echo from or submission-layer onto

patterns:
my own (condensed ssm; )
traditional, regular

trendlines:


review:
Use and continue to make posts like #215-7, at least one each trading cycle.

mm:

1. make one reason each for exit, in-trade drawdown to manually stop trade at, and absolute physical stop, changing entry if in-trade drawdown is unworkable
2. match leverage to stop, and 1/2 lvg to stop 1st trade after hit absolute physical stop
3. compound each trade
4. chase goal of 10%/h during a cycle of a # of trades

________________________________________________


Changed pip from unlimited to 75 pips. This'll hit a lot of trades I've been doing. Thus, I now have to measure the stop, limit entry AND limit exit for trade reliability, which triples my work. That's okay, it's for real this time. And, I do get some breathing space in the new stop to get the big moves.


loose

Lost seven times in a row, almost. KNEW price would go up to twice the lower half to the other half above a side pattern. Unconsciously also knew price would drawdown within 250 pips to do so. Only, cut stop to 125 then 75, both invalid stops for this idea. A WASTE.


* Must match stop to reason. Used to for a little while, found it boring and still got mc's. *

solution: Match ANY stop to its reason SET. Some stops need more. This is the way it's done everywhere.




If confident enough, doesn't matter if put appropriate stop on; thus, must measure own reliability through gut feeling/instinct in this cycle, which goes to the heavy influence of nontrading situation's 'trend angles' affect upon gut's balance. So, current-situation studying with trend angles to get own reliability, with object(s) being (including) gut feeling/instinct.



a sure thing over a reasonable percentage, beating the stigma of trading horizontal lines





_____________________________________

(post #1)

review:
Use and continue to make posts like #215-7, at least one each trading cycle.
This is the simple version, the ssm (view of) patterns, which kind of represent physical exhaustion (after one physically does one),
and also the attitudinal impression of the effective attention to the chart, which carries a set personal approach to doing something after concluding to do it from a representive sample of all other situations between this and the last time did the action (trading) being prepared for.

mm:

1. make one reason for exit, in-trade drawdown to manually stop trade at, and absolute physical stop, changing entry if in-trade drawdown is unworkable
2. match leverage to stop, and 1/2 lvg to stop 1st trade after hit absolute physical stop
3. compound each trade
4. goal, 10%/h during a cycle of a # of trades

ability*:
To guide the ability to trade, in-between where one's feet go to (help) form the ssm pattern and what, above oneself, one's attitudinal approach fits with,
I use them from the post's review, using this

representation of how one views (a chart), with three psychological energy barriers --

"u(c)" is lack of conscious awareness,
with --(>) a straight line segment with an optional vector carat that makes it an arrow,
and with .|_ the corner a box(ed-in area) and the dot representing something being (possibly) outside of the box;
"-> ei" overwhelmed attention (literally, too much of an energy spike from impulse to ecstacy),
with . , | anchor or logr and reframe or midline, both being balanced, that is, ~'ed;
and, "_/_/" brain speed to currently being used to deal with lack or overwhelmed state, thus indicating a possible mismatch of own energy's application to effecting purpose within senses' range at any one time
with +- valence of plus and minus, and <> maturity or more or less. (Note: I read a junk science book once that generalized serotonin / cortisone with delta, GABA / glutamine with theta, acetycholine / endorphins with alpha, and dopamine / adrenaline with beta. Thus, one doesn't literally have to be in one brain speed to use the common attributes each chemical plays in the mindbody. Oh, and dopamine / beta is fastest, serotonin / delta slowest.
The p.m.'s summarize definition well enough beyond this for any of the three psychological energy barriers.


* NOTE on "ability:"
I am an amateur playing with this. The description is for entertainment purposes only.



________________________________________

Second time I did this, first unrecorded: I draw something slightly wrong, a misinterpretation, and then, with bad gut feeling about it, trade it.
This time, I draw something right, interpretation included, and then, with the interpretation 'floating' in my brain,body separate from the actions I take to trade, trade it as if trying to force the idea to bend against my will or opinion.
Both mc'ed.

I do a short psychological review now before every trade to keep my mind going, mostly recording how I stack up against the nearest psychological resistance and then bouncing off this to draw my chart study.
From this, I skip pursuing a simulator account after I hold a trade too long -- instead, I work on my reflexes in an online game -- and then, below, draw an especially good drawing off a 2h group of 1' candles (all I like to look at; keeps me sharp) that exactly represents the deviation of the next few days.
I didn't catch onto this latter point, however; one burst of smartness and I was a gonner.
the resistance, pre-trade:



the symbology in the picture above, what I studied for below, is "think", the mixed-up lines in the box, and being flipped in my gut as if something really bad was going down, the horizontal line segment and the curved down vector running through it, the latter feature saying that the former feature (in this context) is wrong through being challenged. I had the opportunity to gain a slight advantage that offsets how much of a bad thing my unconsciousness perceived.



Another new thing about this trade was, the exit WAS another reason tacked on. It fell short a bit and never turned around. I suppose it was a Gann Fan, approaching the proposed exit.

The real point of noting this trade was that I increased my intelligence in response to a perceived attack from the nontrading world on how I did my trade. Read again: I increased my intelligence in response, DIRECT response, as if I can control how much intelligence, and thus in a sense how much money, I can have. It's a start, in learning to be a discretionary trader.

-----------------------

the psych symbolism:
Two frames of context vie for attention: One already has a point and much thought, and another (that of the current trade) may possibly, through the influence of this point, create a point to lead action that is outside / harmful (negative) to its frame of context.




result:
Sharpness of detail and precision in first and second trades, having recognized even-handedly the possibility of another context frame's influence and thus giving a boost to the ego to borrow from the positive of that other context frame, balanced with a fading of that same detail and precision in the third trade, as if interaction with the first context frame was done and thus doing detail and precision in the second trade was unnecessary. An absurd and callous notion: Nevertheless, the one I carried through with.


_________________________________

Reduced and rewrote post#1 again, after more use of it.

----


arbitrary modification

a discretionary charting practice


preview*:




My habit is to, before each trade, describe with the regular-sized-print symbols my mindset as it is influenced by the situation and different roles in place just before the trade. Describing me deep inside moves me into more proper action, when I also describe how I want to relate to what I face when I trade.
After describing the potential trade as noted, I do the chart study and then the trade,
and finally get an emotion-laced impression of my trade that I print with the most relevant portion of my chart study.
The circles and text in the picture above portray a visual field diagram I found long ago, and the rest each have a higher, described in small print below, and a lower, described in regular-size print below, that are, to me, a person's boundaries to reasoning and trading a proper chart study.
"u(c)" is lack of conscious awareness, either literally and of anything or ranked into threats, missed material and the like; it is
with --(>) a straight line segment with an optional vector carat that makes it an arrow,
and with .|_ the corner a box(ed-in area) and the dot representing something being (possibly) outside of the box;
"-> ei" overwhelmed attention (literally, too much of an energy spike from impulse to ecstacy),
with . , | anchor or logr and reframe or midline, both being balanced, that is, ~'ed;
and, "_/_/" brain speed to currently being used to deal with lack or overwhelmed state, thus indicating a possible mismatch of own energy's application to effecting purpose within senses' range at any one time
with +- valence of plus and minus, and <> maturity or more or less. (Note: I read a junk science book once that generalized serotonin / cortisone with delta, GABA / glutamine with theta, acetycholine / endorphins with alpha, and dopamine / adrenaline with beta. Each brain chemical gives a person certain abilities that are then more or less used in a situation. Thus, one doesn't literally have to be in one brain speed to use the common attributes each chemical plays in the mindbody. (One could go further and use serotonin in the stomach for gut instinct.... Got to stop somewhere.) Oh, and dopamine / beta is fastest, serotonin / delta slowest.
The first and last higher symbols usually offer too many choices, so I concentrate on the middle higher symbol and draw the preview with the lower symbols.

* I am an amateur playing with this. The description is for entertainment purposes only.




(chart study)



patterns:

1. condensed ssm (size-shape-motion still frames, abstracted from memory of past events and used to group trend angles with)
2. traditional; common (triangle, ellipse, frame)
3. Attached Image

   
   and line patterns

modifications:

-- I usually modify the price-time line with TL's, rather than spend time with patterns.




(trade)



mm:

1. make one reason for exit, in-trade drawdown to manually stop trade at, and absolute physical stop, changing entry if in-trade drawdown is unworkable
2. match leverage to stop, and 1/2 lvg to stop 1st trade after hit absolute physical stop
3. compound each trade
4. goal, 10%/h during a cycle of a # of trades

----