I have been a successful professional short term trader of stocks and options for over 30 years.I have traded in all types of markets,from the upside explosions in the mid 80's to the crashes of 1987,1989, and 2008. I am constantly modifying my short term trading style,adjusting to the ever-changing market conditions.After starting as a clerk on the CBOE in 1983,and teaching myself how to trade,I took a $200 gift for a plane ticket,and used it instead to trade options.After 1 year and $20,000 later,I bought a seat on the CBOE in 1985 becoming a market maker in the IBM pit. After trading there successfully for 8 years,in 1993,realizing that electronic trading off the floor was the wave of the future,I became a trader/manager/trainer for a New York trading firm in Atlanta.I was in the top 5 out of 800 traders for all 9 years.After the firm was taken over,I continued to daytrade stocks,futures,and options. I continue this trading style now from Jupiter,Florida.I also consider trading and investing as a hobby,and have collected over 300 books on the market,some dating from the 1700's.Some of my other interests are baseball, golf, football, movies ,comedy, computers, rock collecting, music and traveling.