I just got another slippage lesson. The order book looked pretty deep, but once I pulled the trigger, I still got swept for a chunk. The bottom line is that you can’t judge the cadence of large orders by the mid price alone—you have to factor in both the thickness of the resting orders and how fast they get filled. Sometimes you stare at that bit of funding rate and think it’s safe, then when you place the trade, your order ends up near the end of the block, turning into someone else’s MEV fuel. Retail complains that the order is unfair—there’s some truth to that—but we also can’t just blame the environment. I’m more like a sweeping monk than a gambler—data gives you probabilities, and discipline is the seatbelt. Thinking back, if that trade had been split into batches, or if I’d waited for liquidity to replenish before moving, the outcome would’ve been different. Anyway, if you lose, just treat it as tuition—next time, just don’t trip over the same stone again.