Tuesday Notes - Rebooting the Soul

It's been about two years now since I chose to open up my life & trading journey via this online journal to those who happened to stumble across these virtual pages. 

In doing so, I made a commitment to use this journal to document my innermost personal thoughts, as well as share them openly to try to provide inspiration, while trying to tear down some of the hidden curtains of an industry which is all too often clouded by smoke and mirrors.

And so it's in such continuing "diary" mode that I share my preparations -- and admittedly some trepidation -- for this coming weekend.

btw, disinterested onlookers can change the channel now.  As always, this remains my personal diary and no one is forced to read it :-).

As I've referenced lately, from this Thursday at 4:30pm to Sunday at 7:30pm, I'll be escaping most of the tangible aspects of this world to strengthen and renew my spiritual walk.  During this time, I'll be without access to a car, computer (including my Sony Vaio!), phone, the internet, my family (except for an emergency if needed), and even a clock.

It's called the "Walk to Emmaus", with which I imagine many of you are familiar.  I'll spare the details of the effort, which you can check out via this link if you're so inclined.

Anyway, this 49 year old Type A trader/educator/parent/husband is about to shut himself down in many ways for the first time in -- well, his adult life.

And I admit I'm a bit apprehensive about it.

But there's no doubt -- no doubt at all -- that I need it.

Why?  Let me count the ways.

First, I stink at shutting down, and this will force me to do it.

Second, I'm tired. Like many of you, the last few years of balancing a family, preparing two children for college, and working (in my case, trading & teaching) has zapped some energy.  And I never did fully recharge after the fifth Jellie effort.

Although I find it interesting and highly ironic that the lack of complete phsyical/mental/spriritual energy isn't reflected in my trading results, as to use a baseball analogy, all of the pitches currently look the size of watermelons.  That's not usually the case, although I have let a few trades slip that I don't normally miss.

And given the last few weeks of intense college searching and this last week of repeated London flight cancellations/rescheduling and mentoring two devasated daughters, it's clear I need to recharge.

btw, Deb & Chelsea never made it to London to visit Courtney -- after having planned the trip for months, so they're going to West Palm Beach for four days on the beach to at least try to salvage some of the vacation week.  Call it improvised Plan D after A through C failed.  Remember, I'm a trader, and thus the words "Give Up" aren't in my vocabulary.

Third, I need to recenter myself spiritually.  I've never been a "going through the motions" type of guy, and that's how I feel I've been living the last few months.  And like many, I fall into the trap of seeing and thinking only from an earthly perspective, and inappropriately focusing on things that will be someday be gone in the blink of an eye.  Lest we forget the Svithjod Rock post! 

And as I rapidly approach the half-century mark, it's time to recapture the energy and passion I had for Christ that I had that one summer some 36 years ago.

So there it is.  Many of you have been screaming at me since late 2008 -- and some as early as 2003! -- to completely shut down for a bit to restore the soul.  And while I admit it will only be for four days, those that have been through the experience tell me it will feel like weeks ... in a good way.

So I'm finally listening.

And as I take this brief break, I'd like to remind everyone that there are two years worth of trading babbling contained in these virtual pages, including the key posts listed in the lower left.  Frankly, there's probably not much more that can be said that hasn't already been said.

Consider it reruns ... until next Monday.

And in the words of Arnold ... I'll be back.

Please note that between Thursday and Monday, I won't be able to respond to emails or blog comments, or process Webinar orders, but will respond either before I leave or when I play catch-up early next week.