Added HOT puts.... Position Summary

(3:44 p.m. EST) HOT aug35puts@.89: my last position i really wanted to snag... will find out how it goes tomorrow

My other positions bought today are small:
AAPL: sept175call@5.7 (12% gain) hope this niche rally continues
USO: aug100put@4.1 (17% gain) riding it down.

Held:
RHT: jan12.5put (-25% )
YHOO: jan32.5call/aug15puts (worthless strangle)
SNDK: aug22.5call (basically worthless from strangle)
JBLU: aug5call (small 83% gain)
EMC: aug15call (small 155% gain)

Sold:
JBLU: dec5put@1.15 (about 12% loss)
EMC: sep12put@.36 (about 50% loss)
ETFC: sept4put@.75 (breakeven) tried to cancel trade, shoulda been a profit

CASH: 15% of portfolio...

significant after market moves were generally split. if not uneventful

Gut Instincts realized

AAPL fell despite another record quarter... its the guidance... otherwise i do think in a couple weeks (maybe days), the buyers will be back when they digest the significant shift towards Macs & iPhones, iPods are now an afterthought. They cant keep enough iPhones in supply... but you have some people planting a few seeds of doubt in the stock with questions about Steve Jobs health and the next CEO. What a nice set up for bulls... i say over 200 again in January... possibly October... ha! I would be surprised if i get my $ back on that Oct250call.(update: to clarify i was tossing some sarcasm) but i think there is HUGE upside... just not in the near term

SNDK: fell like a rock. finally a put in my favor... mind you its been over a week since i grabbed a real winner.

AXP: my suspicions were incorrect, i missed the put of the day.

Buys...

Bought:
SNDK october17.5puts AND aug22.5call (bear bias: didnt want to buy calls, just covering my butt)
YHOO aug15puts AND Jan32.5call (long bull bias, buyout merge spec)

Held:
RHT jan12.5put

chicken to trade: AAPL (i think it goes up +10) (update: bot Oct250call who knows, but i think they will surprise, its just the crazy guidance they keep giving usually stinks, i think AAPL is undervalued)

Waiting patiently to trade: HOT (i think it goes down -6)

Next On Deck...

AAPL: i am hoping the thing sells off prior to earnings... then i will buy a call... maybe a put on the side... they have the potential to surprise... upside... this gets the headlines that GOOG did AND the option premiums are difficult for a small player like me. (mind you i got whacked this past week: USO somewhat, HOT late exit, GOOG... ouch)
AMX: huge Latin/S. America telecom... toss up...
APX: V and MA get the attention...
BAC: the govt manipulates too much. not worth it
BSX: medical devices, may be worth a strangle
SNDK: this may be worth it... one put please...

This week was nonetheless instructive.
-the big names may reward big, but the premiums are prohibitive
-BIDU mirrors GOOG and the options were cheaper.
-any of the 4 horsemen would have been a way to position for GOOG
-MSFT was looked over... they are huge, but played second fiddle, BUT rewarded way more than GOOG. cheap puts + huge returns = happy individual investor. i am hoping that SNDK will be that on Monday.

NO time to hang my head. I almost expected to lose... sad... will get back to the disciplined trading that made me basically double my meager accounts. worked hard and stayed out of trouble...

props to GIO on overstock.com... btw, i bought a put myself today...