Juiceman,
I have noticed your mention of your interest in Lean Hogs and Copper. And I hope you continue to do well with both, because I know they each could yield big cash!
You chose to name the 2 markets that have devastated me worse than any others in my 14 years of trading.
In 1997, I think it was, I put on a ratio spread, buying a 96 cent Copper call and selling 2 102's---and the market, within a long arduous month went to 113, which was a pretty big number in that time frame. That very ill-planned trade whipsawed me so bad and the options got so volatilly-inflated, that I could not extricate myself. I attempted a futures day -trade a couple of times, and that never recouped what I needed. Oh, forget the thought of breaking even on this one! I was just glad when the final day of my options came. I had elected to just eat the loss, whatever it was, at that time. And the taste was very bitter.
Next installment I'll tell you about an even worse-- the worst of all-- Lean Hogs trade of the record low-priced Winter of 98-99. Some harsh lessons have been learned, hopefully we have gained wisdom in our experience.