A Trader's Thanksgiving

Today is Thanksgiving 2010. I am of course thankful for all the usual things: family, friends, health, and just still being around for another year. But there's plenty to be thankful for as a trader too. The economy, while not exactly a powerhouse, is at least holding its own and it's looking less and less likely that the dreaded "double-dip" will happen. Next year is a pre-presidential election year and that is traditionally a good one for the markets.

I'm thankful for living in a country that gives us a marketplace where I can buy and sell all sorts of interesting things right from the comfort of my own home, and gives us the technology to do it. The computing power available to the little guy today would have made John D. Rockefeller's jaw drop. The financial and regulatory barriers to entry into trading are ridiculously low, compared to say opening a MacDonald's or an auto repair shop.

I'm thankful to blogspot.com for hosting my silly little blog for free, and very thankful that it has actually begun to attract an audience. To all my readers, thanks.

And despite all the moaning and complaining about how the market is rigged and how only the fat cats can win, it really is possible for anyone to make money trading. Of course you really need to know what you're doing, but the fact that the opportunity is there for anyone to take advantage of is something to be thankful for.

I am very very thankful for being profitable in my trading for two year running now, after a rocky start in which I blew out not one but two (admittedly small) trading accounts over the course of five bad years.

And finally, thanks to everyone out there who sold me their stocks just before they bottomed, and bought them from me close to the top :-) Now get off your PC and go enjoy some turkey!