Transcript from Interview with Charles Kirk Now Available

The complete transcript of my interview yesterday afternoon with Charles Kirk of The Kirk Report is now available for viewing here. We covered a great deal of ground in an hour (for better or for worse, I can type faster than I can think) and our conversation and reader questions spanned topics such as:

• my trading history prior to becoming a full-time trader in 2005
• some of my best and worst trades (I forgot to answer the part about lessons learned, but I will flesh that out on the blog)
• some of the factors that have contributed to my development as a trader
• how I approach trading now
• the role of volatility in my trading
• the value of combining volatility and volume
• some thoughts on how a beginning trader might want to make use of the VIX
• the value of VXX as a portfolio hedge
• what my proprietary market sentiment indicator (AMSI) is predicting right now
• some of my favorite options resources
• three “must read” posts on the blog, as well as my personal favorite

Thanks to all who participated. Some of the questions have given me ideas about subjects for future posts.

Finally, thanks to Charles Kirk for including me in his interview series. Charles is an invaluable trading resource for all of us, as well as an excellent interviewer.

Related posts:

• Appearance on The Option Block
• On Abnormal Returns TV with Tadas Viskanta
• The Education of a Trader

Disclosure(s): short VXX at time of writing

Charles Kirk to Interview Me Live at 5 PM ET Today

I am excited to announce that Charles Kirk of The Kirk Report will be conducting a live interview with me at 5:00 p.m. ET today for one hour.

The format of the interview is text-based and Charles typically includes a healthy dose of questions from the audience, so I encourage anyone who is interested to join us at this link – and bring along some questions in your back pocket.

Since I live only about five miles by kayak from AT&T Park, I am acutely aware of tonight’s World Series game, but I have it on good authority that our interview will not run into extra innings and put fans in some sort of Heidi Game dilemma.

So bring your questions and I will bring the lumber, dig in, and be sure not to take any pitches, no matter how far out of the strike zone they may be…

Related posts:

• Appearance on The Option Block
• On Abnormal Returns TV with Tadas Viskanta
• The Education of a Trader

Disclosure(s): none

Appearance on The Option Block

Yesterday I made a guest appearance on The Option Block, an Options Insider Radio program hosted by Mark Longo of The Options Insider. We talk a little bit about the history of the VIX and More blog, the VIX as a market timing indicator, the VIX as a hedging tool, VIX options, VIX futures, VXX, VXZ and some related subjects.

My interview comes at the beginning of the show, but I can heartily recommend the entire program, which delves into subjects such as currency options and some interesting options order flow in the likes of SKS, RSH, HRB, MOT, etc. and involves a top-notch panel of options experts:

• Mark Longo – The Options Insider
• John Grigas – optionsXpress
• Mark Sebastian – Option Pit
• Mike Tosaw – Know Your Options

Related posts:

• On Abnormal Returns TV with Tadas Viskanta
• The Education of a Trader

Disclosure(s): none

On Abnormal Returns TV with Tadas Viskanta

Just a quick note to let readers know that yesterday I spent a half hour talking with Tadas Viskanta of Abnormal Returns on Abnormal Returns TV.

We discuss a wide variety of topics, with an emphasis on the VIX, VIX futures, VXX, contango, futures-based ETFs, and related subjects. We also talk a little bit about the ideas behind my last three posts on the blog:

1. Diversification, Momentum and Sidestepping the 2008 Panic
2. VIX and Historical Volatility Settling Back in to Normal Range
3. The Education of a Trader

Thanks to Tadas for the opportunity to experiment with a new media platform. Going forward, I expect to be showing up in other corners of the internet not just in print, but also in an audio and/or video format as well.

Related posts:

• Diversification, Momentum and Sidestepping the 2008 Panic
• VIX and Historical Volatility Settling Back in to Normal Range
• The Education of a Trader

Disclosure(s): neutral position in VIX via options