harder to want to actively participate or even to cheer for UP if you either 1) have no coins or 2) almost no coins or 3) you are feeling insufficiently prepared for up...

Doesn't seem to be a healthy place if you are hoping for either down or sideways.. unless you might get lucky, and I suppose that your odds are not exactly lopsided.... I would imagine passage of time just results in cashflow DCA back into a position, but still takes a while to establish a position.. took me a year.. and if you don't have a lump sum ready it could take 5 years or more, no?  I suppose that is the perspective... just slowly DCA back in, no matter if the price is up, down or sideways.