6:20 a.m.
I fire up the TeleChart, download the previous day’s prices and review the major averages. One glimpse of the S&P, Dow and NASDAQ clearly shows me that we’re still in a nasty downtrend. Of course nothing changed from the previous day, but keeping this in front of me every day has been extremely helpful.

I begin with the S&P 500, and slowly go through each and every chart within the group. I note that financials like Citigroup, Goldman Sachs (GS) and JPMorgan (JPM) are trading below support and in no-man’s-land.

I see the metal stocks -- like Alcoa (AA) and Freeport McMoran (FCX) free-falling as well and make a mental note that no real support level is there and staying away remains the best option. I subsequently go through each component of the NASDAQ 100 and make the same notation.

In bullish times, I would finish with a special list of earnings winning stocks that may include another 500-600 names, however that list hasn’t been updated in months as the thought of going long for anything other than a scalp or extremely short term trade, has been obsolete. I comprise a daily list of potential longs and shorts, close up the lap top and grab another cup of coffee.

7:30 a.m.
After feeding and letting out the dogs, I make my way to the addition on the home that serves as my office. I click on the TV, quickly muting the sound, and fire up the 2 computers that hold 6 monitors that is my trading turret.

For the next hour and a half, I proceed with normal business odds and ends as I wear my operations manager hat. I answer emails, sift through accounts, and complete any odds and ends.

After months of searching, I have finally found a proper operations manager; however, he doesn’t come on board until after the first of the year; until then, I continue as a one-man operation, without the massive overhead that comes along with a monster staff. My clients don’t need a lot of tending to, and there are never any complex issues to deal with. The new operations person is coming to help with the overflow that is now coming.

I fire up my 3 brokerage platforms, make sure my iTunes has my trading playlist ready, and take a break from the screens only to grab one more cup of coffee.

9:30 a.m.
The bell rings, and all of a sudden, streams of information flood into the computers via my brokers as we settle into the trading day. I have learned over the years that the first 30 minutes to an hour of the trading day can easily be described as a bunch of traders standing in a circle, shooting at themselves. Rarely if ever do I desire to play in these circles, so, strange as it may seem, I opt to head back into the house for a shower and some breakfast. I have come into the day with a 98% cash level, so anxiety surrounding existing positions isn’t there.