Right from the start. New year's eve I got very sick and had to stay home. Few days later our office was flooded and even now is not fully restored, we still operate from a temporary facility. About a week later my car, with me in it, was t-boned by a large pick up truck, lending me in a hospital for a few days. Two days after I had left hospital, there was some snow. Somehow I managed to slip, fall and dislocate my shoulder. Back to hospital. Trading has been in shambles, the worst period I had in ages. And scores of smaller calamities.

Does it mean this whole year is going to be down the drain? Or, perhaps, all the bad events piled up at once and are done with, leaving nothing but smooth sailing for the rest of the year? I hope the second possibility will prevail.

Financial markets in general have been very volatile, which should be welcome by traders, since the moves are large and fast. One has to be, of course, correct on the direction in order to profit. That's another matter altogether...