july done.
best trading month yet.
final numbers #
goal: +$3,500
actual: +$6,120
beat goal by: +$2,620 (75% over target)
account growth #
start july 1: $345,025 end july 31: $351,145 gain: +$6,120 (+1.77%)
monthly breakdown #
week 1: +$840 (3 trades, 3 wins) week 2: +$1,161 (8 trades, 6 wins, 2 losses) week 3: +$1,705 (5 trades, 5 wins) week 4: +$2,414 (7 trades, 6 wins, 1 loss)
total: 23 trades, 20 wins, 3 losses (87% win rate)
strategy performance #
mean reversion options:
- trades: 18
- win rate: 89% (16 wins, 2 losses)
- avg win: +$385
- avg loss: -$295
- net: +$5,570
vol selling options:
- trades: 5
- win rate: 80% (4 wins, 1 loss)
- avg win: +$420
- avg loss: -$340
- net: +$1,340
crypto: still paused (not restarting until rebuilt)
what worked #
1. walk-forward validated parameters
ran proper backtesting mid-month.
reverted to -150% stops (from -140% test).
50% profit targets.
edge is real. not curve fit.
2. async data pipeline
3x speed improvement on market data.
better fills from faster execution.
estimated value: $15/trade × 23 trades = $345
3. vol detection system
blocked 27 trades this month.
estimated 9 would’ve lost money.
saved: ~$2,400.
4. redis caching
99.1% cache hit rate.
sub-millisecond data latency.
best trade of month #
july 24: SPX put spread with A. watching
entry: $2.15 credit exit: $3.85 profit profit: +$680 (2 contracts)
not just the money. the experience.
A. watching me trade. understanding my work.
then celebrating after. perfect day.
worst trade of month #
july 10: IWM put spread
entry: $2.40 credit stop: -$3.36 loss: -$336
got whipsawed testing -140% stops.
lesson: don’t change working parameters without data.
4-month performance (since going live) #
april 1 start: $220,000 (after losing $180k jan-mar) july 31 end: $351,145 gain: +$131,145 (+59.6%)
monthly breakdown:
- april: break-even (learning live)
- may: +$22,740 (first profitable month)
- june: +$3,285 (consistency)
- july: +$6,120 (best month)
took 3 months of losses ($180k tuition) to figure it out.
now 3 months of profits ($32k total).
sharpe ratio #
july sharpe: 2.4
4-month sharpe: 2.1
solid risk-adjusted returns.
max drawdown #
july: -$544 (0.16% of account)
4-month: -$8,200 (3.7% of account, from april learning period)
risk management working.
personal growth this month #
relationship with A.:
- told her my fantasy (trading desk blowjob)
- she said yes, we did it, incredible
- asked her fantasy (watching me trade)
- she watched, loved it, understands my work now
2 months dating. healthiest relationship i’ve had.
therapy progress:
- processing parents’ death (7 months since NYE 2022)
- working on communication (proved with A. fantasy conversation)
- building confidence (stopped being scared to be vulnerable)
grief status:
mostly stable. occasional sadness.
not crying as much. healing slowly.
ex drama:
J. texted asking to get back together.
blocked her immediately.
A. handled it perfectly. zero drama.
august goals #
financial: +$4,000 (higher than july)
strategy: continue validated parameters, no changes
personal: keep relationship with A. healthy, stay in therapy
infrastructure: consider websocket feeds for real-time data
risks ahead #
1. overconfidence
3 profitable months ≠ figured it all out.
still risk of losing months ahead.
2. market regime change
strategies work in current vol regime.
if VIX spikes > 40, need different approach.
3. relationship complacency
things going well with A.
can’t get lazy. keep communicating.
reflection on july #
turned 20 this month (july 4).
first birthday without parents.
A. made it bearable.
trading crushed goal by 75%.
relationship deepened significantly.
therapy helping process grief.
life is working.
looking ahead to august #
continue what’s working.
don’t change winning strategy.
stay disciplined. stay humble.
keep building with A.
11:15pm friday. july done. best month yet. +$6,120. crushed goal. relationship with A. incredible. august target: $4k.
-AK