HOW AND WHY I STARTED THIS BLOG

I never talked about how or why I started this blog. Let me just tell you before I go any further.

Many, many, many people have brought up this whole 'blog' thing to me since last year. Each time, I basically said 'No, what's the point?", or "I hate writing", or "It's going to take up too much time"...well actually the third one is still true, but anyway this went on for a long time.

In early August 2008, a friend needed some serious help because he was losing more money than WM, well maybe not WM, but he was losing heck of a lot! He told me that I'm really good at explaining and teaching things. That's really funny, because I never considered myself as a teacher, and teaching was never a career choice. Off topic, I think teachers in America are way underpaid for the important public service they provide. Education is way underfunded so it's no surprise that America is the way it is. Teachers have very little monetary incentive to do what they do, and I believe they do it because they seriously want to do it. I think they should get paid much, much more.

Going back on topic. My friend (and still several others) told me to start a blog. In the beginning, this blog was so new and there was nothing on it that if I saw this blog, I probably wouldn't have visited it myself lolz. Later on, I felt that there was a big need for a complete understanding of technical analysis because it is an art form that is misused, unused, and under appreciated. As I helped more and more readers, I got this overwhelming desire to help even further and share with the world everything I know so far. This is why I provide the "Reader's Request" articles. If you ask, so shall ye receive (or however that phrase is worded).

The newsletters that some of you receive (if you haven't signed up for it -- green box to the left) was the fruit of that desire above. I thought it would be great to provide a "weekly technical commentary" to people at the beginning of the week to help them prepare for what's in store. Since starting it in mid-August, hundreds and hundreds of you have signed up, and your positive comments and acceptance is what primarily drives me to write them now. They are free, so obviously, I don't get compensated.

In the beginning, I knew no one here. I have had the opportunity to meet with other traders and share ideas along the way. I also write for Seeking Alpha, Green Faucet, Grace Cheng, and Wall Street Survivor so far, so apparently, my "I hate writing" mindset has completely changed. I enjoy writing now that I think about it and I don't ever intend to stop blogging about trading and technical analysis.

So that's my story. Hope you enjoyed what I've presented so far. Thanks for reading.

-John C. Lee (WeeklyTA)