I enjoyed reading all the personal posts highlighting the positive and meaningful impacts Apple’s rapid stock appreciation has had on our respective lives.

I’ve previously shared that when Apple reported earnings I was awaiting to hear my fate at a beach bar in Peru. Here’s a video link (below) to that moment in time for me ... The emotional release/relief I experienced was just after turning off the camera here… I will never forget where I was when Apple reported 37 Million iPhones…

What is your typical Apple Earnings Release Ritual? Where were you this time? Who were you with? What did you feel?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXLZCtJm49k&feature=plcp&context=C34cde3aUDOEgsToPDskKVp5jybW1JPsjiDNmhAWqP

My trusty iPhone is always close at hand.  For last-minute trades and mobile AFB discussion depending on where I am at the moment.

It was a nice mix of relief and vindication when I saw the fiscal Q1 results.  That and they were ridiculously astounding numbers.  There were some gambles taken although it wasn’t a all-or-nothing proposition (that’s not my style, others go about the investing/trading game differently). 

I’m now very fortunate to be at a psychological point where I neither need nor want (at the moment) to take _unnecessary_ risk to build the portfolio.  I can, if I choose, select more modest goals while I wait for a bigger opportunity to present itself, and/or trend towards setting up for farther-off targets (Jan 13/14 LEAPs or LEAP BCS).  I feel more in control now, and it’s a great feeling.  Also nice that I’ve recovered to the point where my portfolio is a good bit higher this February than I was last February (when I knew much less and just before things went into one heck of a stall).  Trading objectives-wise, it’s like I just needed an extra month or two to get to where I wanted to be in December.

Mav - 12 February 2012 05:10 AM

  Trading objectives-wise, it’s like I just needed an extra month or two to get to where I wanted to be in December.

This is true for me too.

I was at the office.  I take about 1/2 of earnings report afternoons off, and get home by 12:30 Pacific time, about a half hour before the market closes.  I was busy though, and stayed at work this time.

The iPhone number amazed me.  I was expecting around 32-33 million, so when 37 million hit the wires, WOW.

We’ll see what happens Monday morning.  After being just barely green for 2011, the IRAs in which we investin/trade Apple are up a bit over 80% YTD.  That makes the 2011 performance an outlier, as far as the past 3 years go.

Thank you iPhone number. Thank you Tim and Apple. Thank you to all the customers who bought more than 61 million iOS devices in FQ1.

I was here. Was not thinking of earnings day news while on the mountain but i remembered back at the Lodge. Beer and hot tub celebration.

roni - 12 February 2012 10:38 AM

Mav - 12 February 2012 05:10 AM

  Trading objectives-wise, it’s like I just needed an extra month or two to get to where I wanted to be in December.

This is true for me too.

I was at the office.  I take about 1/2 of earnings report afternoons off, and get home by 12:30 Pacific time, about a half hour before the market closes.  I was busy though, and stayed at work this time.

The iPhone number amazed me.  I was expecting around 32-33 million, so when 37 million hit the wires, WOW.

We’ll see what happens Monday morning.  After being just barely green for 2011, the IRAs in which we investin/trade Apple are up a bit over 80% YTD.  That makes the 2011 performance an outlier, as far as the past 3 years go.

Thank you iPhone number. Thank you Tim and Apple. Thank you to all the customers who bought more than 61 million iOS devices in FQ1.

I started investing in apple in late 2008- right before the crash to the mid-eighties. I faithfully followed the AFB threads here and lived in a surreal world where everything I could find said this stock should go to the moon, and the price and my portfolio kept plummeting. The recession was hitting full force, and my personal finances kept going downhill. I fought off the panic and kept my investment in Apple.

After losing 60% of my investment, things turned around. I had another dive in my portfolio and a winter of discontent last year. With the recent surge, my account is now up 700% from where i started.  I never would have stayed the course without the wisdom, humor and sharing on this board. You all have also taught me about hedging, seasonality, options, and the impact of larger forces, so I believe that I am less vulnerable to the tides than I was as was as a rookie.

I am at work when earnings come out at 4:30. I go back and forth to my computer and to my work. As my fortunes have improved, I will now start scheduling 1/2 hour or so to read results and share responses to it. Earnings has been a quarterly event that I look forward to with great excitement and a fair amount of anxiety. I am rarely disappointed.

My life is infinitely improved and I am very grateful to contributors here.

I was in front of my 27” iMac anxiously waiting for the numbers.  I had come back from the dentist with a very painful jaw.  I read the first set of numbers here and watched the TOS screen chart go up 15 min. later.  This place always has the latest news.

That day I realized we may have a real shot of breaking some amazing records in the next 12 months.  I was glad I bought as much as possible in the last 12 months and will continue to buy as much as possible until we get to $2000 a share.

This forum no doubt makes a great deal of impact upon my strategy for long term growth of the stock and company.

The next two questions should be:  Where were you when Apple announced a dividend?  Where were you when AAPL hit $600?