The Definition of Occupation

This post is in response to all who doubt that my trading stocks is a legitimate job or "occupation", and also to those who marginalize what I do, and think it is in any way stupid. I am tired of defending myself to all of you individually so take a good read and hopefully by the end I will have changed your mind.

According to my good friend www.dictionary.com, "occupation" has the following meanings.

1) a person's usual or principal work or business, esp. as a means of earning a living
2) refer to the activity to which one regularly devotes oneself, esp. one's regular work, or means of getting a living.
3) An activity that serves as one's regular source of livelihood; a vocation.
4) the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money

Just to name a few.

What I am NOT are the following:

1) Professional: a person who is expert at his or her work
2) Trades person: some line of skilled manual or mechanical work; craft

Last time I checked, I used the dividends I pay myself to buy things I like, just like anyone of you haters use your paychecks to buy your own things.

I have heard an argument that what I do can't be considered a job, but moreso a hobby. WELL to you I say, "where in any of my definitions does it say that a hobby can't be an occupation?" But even MORE fundamental, "what makes trading stocks for real money a hobby?"

Again, referring back to dictionary.com, a hobby is:
"an activity or interest pursued for pleasure or relaxation and not as a main occupation."
By that definition, my stock trading WOULD be a hobby if I were doing it with monopoly money, but I am not, this is very real to me. I don't care if i have $1.00 or $1 million to invest in stocks, as long as what I do meets the "occupation" criteria, which it does, then what I do should count, and should not be marginalized by anybody.

While it is true that I am not and cannot be a "professional" trader, as I do not have my CFA certification, but that is why I must turn to a trained and time tested professional that we all know and love for advice (thank you JC). You don't have to be a professional to have a job, I am not, and I do. All those who question how much work actually goes into what I do should spend a day with me, perhaps that will change your mind.

To those who mock my dedication to the job ie. waking up at market open every day to follow the market I ask. "What is wrong with being passionate and caring about what you do?" Markets are changing every second, and it would be stupid to not be on top of things (unless I'm sitting in class). Not caring is like a factory worker without steel toed boots, or a goalie without a jock, and like a jogger without his/her ball chafe reduction shorts, not to mention that I love following the market. If any of you should be so lucky to land a job, any job that you love in the future, maybe you will understand.

Bottom Line:

What I do requires a tremendous amount of reading, research, and time before making decisions. It means something real to me as real money is on the line every second of every weekday between 9:30 and 4pm (except for american civic holidays, and other religious occasions). I am only being prudent by caring so much, and I do pay myself a portion of the profits to support my below subsistence lifestyle. So given that what I do meets the requirements of an occupation, WHAT THE HELL IS THE PROBLEM? get off my back or go to hell before the wrath that i will administer sends you there!

Angrily frustrated

Charles

PS. Thank you to all my supporters, and especially thank you to anybody who started trading stocks because of my influence. I would love nothing more than to know that people got rich off of my passion and their own ideas.