Math update

I almost forgot -- I've found a substitute for the math training software I was going to write. Speed-math.com sells software that helps you learn the Trachtenberg system of mental math. The story of the system's development is pretty amazing -- Trachtenberg developed the system as a way to keep from going crazy in Nazi concentration camps.
The software is reasonably well written, and I've already learned how to rapidly add huge numbers with it. The rules for rapid mental multiplication are somewhat more complicated, but if Trachtenberg was able to teach it to below-average nine-year-olds, I think I'll be able to figure it out.

Lessons Learned

1. Trading slow-moving, illiquid markets (like commodity currencies on Memorial day) is really boring.
2. If you're messing around with a mini account, it's not a good idea to trade currencies whose spread is nearly 5% of your total account size, no matter how good the trade may first appear.

Goal Review

Back on March 11, I listed seven goals for myself. With less than 90 days left until I leave my job, let's see how I'm doing.

1 - Learn basic accounting - this was already complete on the 11th
2 - Learn basic corp fi - I'm putting this aside for now, since it's requiring too much time for too little immediate return. I'll get the majority of this in classes anyways. OTOH, I did buy a set of Economic lectures from The Teaching Company, and I've been watching those daily for the past week.
3 - Write chess training software. This was going so well until my GUI developer went AWOL. I've got code for the actual chess drills, and I've even got a sourceforge project set up where the code is available, but there's no one who knows how to write GUIs. This is put on indefinite hold.
4 - Write math training software. I've made a little progress on this, and it's about to be come a much higher priority.
5 - Write an FX trading strategy. After doing a lot of reading on trading, I'm ready to make this one a higher priority now as well.
6 - Get in shape. This one has been going very well. I've been keeping to my exercise schedule, even when I'm traveling.
7 - Read aggressively. This has also been going great. My list of completed books includes:
Elder, Trading for a Living
Lefver, Reminiscences of a Stock Operator
Schwager, Stock Market Wizards
Schwager, The New Market Wizards
Paulos, A Mathematician Plays the Stock Market
Maiello, Buy the Rumor, Sell the Fact
Slater, Soros: An Unauthorized Biography
The Way of the Turtle (I forget the author)
Natenberg, some intro to options book that was really basic

Next on the list are Kiev, Trading to Win and Natenberg, Option Volatility and Pricing: Advanced Trading Strategies and Techniques