I know this makes no sense, this is just an observation, but the price behaves like this sentient being intent on screwing me over. Me personally, when I have very little money but this price just behaves, as strange as it seems, like it's out to get me as opposed to some rich person with lots of bitcoins and money. I've lost faith in bitcoins and won't be buying any till they come down to $3. I was planning on investing long term in bitcoins, but I don't plan on it unless it's $1-2 so I know it will finally stop dropping. No way I want it to take 50-99% of my money by crashing to nothing after I bought a lot.
No offense, but it sounds like you shouldn't play the market. I am in the same boat, although maybe for different reasons. Usually the market does exactly what I think it shouldn't. If I try to use that to my advantage, the market will double back and trick me again. So, I don't play the market.
Bitcoin is amazing in my opinion. I see a lot (A LOT) of people on this forum who are intent on trashing Bitcoin. I've never experienced anything like that before, and I don't know what to make of it either. I don't understand how someone (not you, I'm ranting at this point) who dislikes something so much manages to become a senior members on a forum discussing said thing. For example, I dislike Harley Davidson Motorcycles. Yet you will never find me joining a Harley forum and racking up 250-500 posts attempting to explain to the members how annoying and possibly dangerous their bikes are. But this is exactly the type of behavior we have with Bitcoin. Why?
Bitcoin was worth $0.40 when I first got involved. At the time, I started by mining. I am as excited about Bitcoin today as I was then. For what it's worth, I've never exchanged a Bitcoin for another currency. Sometimes I imagine how I could have sold at the peak, bought back now, and increased my Bitcoin holdings by a large percentage. But hindsight is 20/20 and I'm certain there is no way I would ever make money playing the market. I leave that to the pros. If you can make money timing the market, you deserve it.
Do I ever plan on exchanging Bitcoins for another currency? Only if my survival depends on it. Probably no. Am I a madman on a sinking ship? Perhaps, but I believe the ship to be sound and I stand by that.
A good amount of shit has landed on the Bitcoin community, yet the block chain itself is strong and continues on.