I use ThinkorSwim to do a lot of my marketing. As I look at the options that are available on my screen, I find it to be rather strange. For example, a while back I decided that I wanted to buy some calls to protect myself from having my short futures contracts eat my lunch on margin calls. So I bought some $7.90 September calls at I believe 12 cents. Right now, as I look at that month on my screen it says:

So if I were using the right terms, would this be me saying I bought a September call because it says "SEP 12" or does it mean that I bought a Dec call because it says "1/ZCZ2"?

I assume the 64 is the number of days until the option expires.

Why is it not set up so that a September call corresponds to the month of September and a December call corresponds to the month of December? For example, I cannot even buy a call that is labeled, "DEC 12". The order goes SEP 12, NOV 12, FEB 13.

So as I've typed this out, I've developed an opinion on why it is the way it is. The "ZCZ2" specifies what underlying commodity you are buying an option for. Then the "SEP 12" and the (64) is telling you how much time you have before that expires.

So when someone says, "you should buy a Dec 13 put to protect the bottom side on your 2013 crop", they should really say, "you should buy a Dec 13 put with a November expiration". As I typed that, I expected to see an option for a Dec 13 put with a September expiration like I see for 2012, but I do not see such an option. Does the September expirations not start trading until you get closer to that time period? I am quite confused. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks.