Recent Developments

"At night I dream of a golden child with the same face as me. Separated by the vastness of space I miss my Monchichi. I take solace knowing we see the same stars twinkling high above. Without question, the most dangerous drug in the world...is love."

2023 Has been full of surprises. The relief rally finally showed up and BTC is pumping up like a new tire. If the momentum continues 30K is on the way. As I said in a previous blog, I don't think the bear market is completely over. If the weekly 50 ema moves back above the 100 ema I call that the silver cross (like the golden cross), then I'll become a believer that the next bull run has begun. In the mean time futures trading the swings has been a wild experience. Talking about riding turbulent waves. 

The recent developments in the Celsius case have revealed enough information on insider corruption that it's hard to believe Alex Mashinsky won't go to jail. I never wish incarceration on anyone but some people really ask for it. I won't bore u with all the litigious details. The most criminal evidence presented during the court hearing was, that Celsius encouraged new members to deposit funds. Then, they would take those funds and use them to pay for other members withdrawals. Alex knew they didn't have the money and continued to take yours. 

The situation is just as bad as it looks when reading it. What was just described is straight up theft! Even when u take in consideration FTX's role in the case, the operators of Celsius are still guilty. I don't rule out collusion between the two companies. There was a lot of backdoor dealings and greed that resulted in our funds being confiscated. The money is currently being gobbled up by lawyers while we creditors wait for the crumbs. The way things look there are two outcomes. The first, is that a big company buys Celsius and possibly repays creditors between thirty and fifty percent of their assets back. This is based on the value of the assets at the time of bankruptcy. The second, which is least appealing is that no suitable bid is presented and the case goes into Chapter 7 which is liquidation. In that case very similar to what is already occurring the lawyers get paid and the creditors receive nothing. Case over. 

When comparing the two option neither is very appealing. Still. Getting something back is better than nothing. According to the hearing dates we will know the verdict sometime in the next six months. If Alex does go to jail he won't be alone. He can hangout with his old buddy SBF and trade investing tips. Not long after my last post SBF was arrested for his role in the downfall of FTX exchange. When the police showed up at his door I bet SBF was more nervous than a long tail cat in a room full of rocking chairs. You know he never expected to go to jail. Getting guys like them out of crypto is the right move for the industry. Now that so many big players are gone from the space a vacuum has been created. It will be interesting to see who steps in to fill it. 

One of my favorite places to create is ending next month. Bored.ai the place where I discovered digital painting and learned to appreciate the craft. They're closing the discord server March 15th. After spending the last year evolving with the system upgrades and running a community club...its a sad feeling for the journey to end. The upper management stopped providing funds for the discord but let the NFT project continue. Since the announcement several community members have put in bids to buy the server. It's a nice ideal but I'm not getting my hopes up. Digital painting is a great way to expand your vocabulary while exercising the imagination at the same time. Since learning "prompt engineering" (which is using descriptive words to generate an image.) I've found there are a lot of new AI digital painting companies.  Lucky for me a fellow club leader opened his own server call the the Alien Tech Club where I practice using many of them.

To be honest I haven't had a lot of time for painting, digitally or on canvas. Aside from doing some home renovations, and navigating difficult tax situations. I've been writing music and preparing for my show next month. I'm performing at the seventh edition of the RAHH (Raw Amsterdam Hip-Hop) event. It's the same crew, same place, dope beats and chill vibes. If you're in the area come through and party with us. 2023 has been keeping me busy and I'm enjoying the momentum. Hopefully things continue moving in a positive direction. 

Until Next We Speak, Be Well

Tha One an Only    

Strange Times

"In life sometimes events seem to be moving on the right track. In reality it's two small steps forward...one large step back."

Amber and golden leaves fell on the damp ground as I inhaled the cool autumn breeze. Summer is over. Winter is coming. There's always a sense of meloncholy when summer ends. Summer is the time to be outside with lots of festivals and cultural events going on. The lose of warmth and sunlight is the same as a spring love that's gone cold. My apologies for rambling...I sometimes get distracted when writing.

We're living in strange times. The musical landscape has changed a lot since I released my first EP in 2002. Back then musicians could say some outlandish sh*t and it would be taken as art. We had freedom of expression and it's interpretation was never taken as literal. That is no longer the case. In fact over the last twenty years its become the complete opposite. It's like one of those B-rated sci-fi movies where the persons transported to a parallel world. A place where all the rules are reversed. In the age of "cancel culture," every spoken word, written thought, or musical composition can get u imprisoned. (Facts)

Now musicians are catching cases off songs. Art has become evidence used for persecution. This reminds me of the witch hunts in the 1800's. It's become such a serious matter that legislation has been drafted to stop the practice. The R.A.P. (Restoring Artistic Protection) act was introduced to the House of Representatives back in June 2021. The focus of the bill is to limit how an artists creative expression can be used against them in a criminal case. In a fair society legislation like this should never have to be written. Unlike other forms of music such as rock, country, or blues. The predominant type of artists catching cases off song lyrics are rappers. 

To keep it one hundred. Its different if someone is stating all the facts to a crime with details and locations in a song. That's self incrimination and they deserve whatever punishment is appropriate for the crime. Using circumstantial evidence based off song lyrics is a fear tactic that stifles artistic freedom and creativity. Let me get off my soapbox. I just celebrated another year above ground and it has me contemplative. My love of making music hasn't changed, but my motivation to release it has been somewhat daunted. I despise drama. Recently, I had a situation where my words were used against me. That's a story for another day. Because of that situation I'm more cautious with everything I write.

To keep the stress compartmentalized I've been creating art. Although I've enjoyed developing my digital painting skills at Bored.ai, its not the same as canvas. The biggest difference is when I paint on canvas (or draw on paper) I can taste the colors. Even without having a preset ideal of what I want to create. Just by blending flavors together the painting goes its own direction and the image takes form. With digital painting u have to come up with the concept first then use descriptive words to generate the image. Both styles have pros and cons but my soul resonates with exploring new flavors. One of these days I'm going to take pictures of the two new pieces and post them in the gallery. 

The Ethereum merger happened today. For all the anticipation in the crypto space, the outcome was quite anticlimactic. Most people were expecting the big pump up to 3k to begin. Instead the price dropped to 1450. Right now eth is struggling to get back up to 1500.  There's a chance we could see the bottom this month. If that happens eth is falling below 1k. Some people are saying this is a great place to accumulate. (not investment advice) 

Not me. September is such a volatile month I'm going to wait and see where the price is at the end. Its better to be a little late to the party then too early. I have a small dydx trade open with a liquidation point of 1340. If I lose that trade...I know were going down. Usually after we hit bottom the price goes sideways for awhile. That's the place I would accumulate. (not investment advice) I personally believe the price will rebound before the end of the year. We got a glimpse of the relief rally without any strong momentum. It's just my opinion but the charts are saying a pump is coming. So. I have my bags packed and I'm patiently waiting to board that ride to around 3K. You do what lets u sleep better at night. Regardless of the price action the eth merge was a success, which is a big win for crypto.

Until Next We Speak, Be Well

Tha One an Only

Fruits of Labor

"In life even the blind can have a vision. To manifest their dreams, desires and ambitions."

Yikes! Did u see that dip. It looked like btc took a long fall off a short cliff. As of now it's rebounding but could fall lower. Luckily paranoia prevented me from buying at 32K and I avoided the big drop. After experiencing 50% drops last cycle I knew better. For those invested in Luna...I feel your pain. Watching it fall to zero was a reminder that we are definitely in a bear market. I'm just glad I never got involved with UST. This is the first time I've seen a stablecoin lose its peg and drop so low.

In a previous blog I said I didn't believe btc could fall to 14K. That was stupid. Anything can happen in crypto. For the past two market cycles there's been an 85% drop during the peak of the bear market. That would put btc at around 10-14k. That my friends would be the bottom and would trigger a buying opportunity that would literally change people into millionaires. You will see the fruits of your labor before the next halving in 2024. If you're searching for a little light at the end of the tunnel. There's a possibility that we see a bounce back up before the end of this month. Basically that would make this a temporary bottom. The price could rise to around 50K then fall even lower. This is just looking at the history of the last two cycles. Adjust your portfolios and keep some stablecoins ready. (not investment advice)

Last bear cycle I was spot trading and fell victim to the crash. Now I know how to leverage trade. I'm no expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I can say that "shorting" everything has been very profitable. I know shorting is a taboo subject for many investors. It's basically making profit off the declining price of an asset. It's foolish to believe anyone (or group) of retailers shorting could effect the market. It's not possible. The real market movers are trading billions of dollars. Your short trade means nothing. I'm saying this because now is the time to make money. While everyone else sits on their hands praying the price goes back up (which it will) in a bear market u watch for the pump then ride the crash down. (not investment advice)  

I wish u all Health, Wealth, and Success

Tha One an Only 

Living Forever

"Most creatures aren't prepared for when they die. Come closer, I have poor vision ...said the spider to the fly."

What would u do if u could live forever? Think of the vast amounts of knowledge and wisdom one could acquire with a long life. The key to immortality has been coveted by mankind since ancient times. The oldest story I know of is the "Epic of Gilgamesh." It's the tale about the king of Uruk who went on a quest to become immortal. The story goes back to 2100BC. The funny thing about Gilgamesh is that he gets advice from an immortal being on why he can't become immortal. The underlying message in the story isn't that all humans die, which is what most people say. What I got from it is that Gilgameshs' punishment was dying. The technology used by the beings he called gods which made them immortal could've been used on him. The reason they weren't sharing it is because, he terrorized the villagers and destroyed a bunch of stuff. 

The Sumerian Kings list has the names of rulers of ancient Mesopotamia who lived long lives. Some of the rulers in the list lived thousands of years. This seemed like science fiction to historians in the past, but as our technology advances the question of "can we live forever," is becoming a reality. Research into the subject over the millennia has ended in rumors, legends, deaths and mysteries. If u look back at the history of people who researched immortality either through alchemy, science or medicinal plants. Most of them had unusual circumstances surrounding their demise. The fact is, investigating how to live longer can shorten your lifespan.

To know if immortality is achievable we have to look at nature. Are there any creatures in the animal kingdom who aren't marked by death? The answer is "yes." I present to you Turritopsis dohrnii, more commonly known as the immortal jellyfish. This incredible creature cheats death by reverting back to a juvenile state once it grows old. In layman's terms this Jellyfish has a real case of Benjamin Buttons. Right now I'm sure you're thinking... No way a creature exists that can live forever. You would be incorrect. Aside from dying by predation or some other external means the immortal jellyfish could theoretically live forever. Research into their genetics and if the secret of their cells can be applied to primates is still ongoing. 

The whole concept of mortality came up in conversation when I was talking to my dead cousin. I had recently heard about this machine called the Integratron which was designed to make humans immortal. The machine was created by a ufologist named George Van Tassel. His story is quite interesting because he got the schematics and design for the machine from extraterrestrial sources. They gave him the knowledge on how to build the device because they felt that human lives were too short. For mankind to reach higher states of consciousness we needed to live longer. Aside from the unique properties of the structure which was constructed entirely of wood using no metal or nails. It was built in a location that maximized the Piezoelectricity from the earth around it. Unfortunately George died when the project was ninety percent complete. All his research and some parts of the machine were confiscated by the government. Rewind...let me give some context to that initial statement.  

My cousin Andrew Ghomes (rest in power Andy) died at the young age of thirty-eight, February, last year. He was like a little brother to me when we were young. Around the time he died my ability to process emotions had already ceased functioning. I understood the words that he was gone but the mind didn't acknowledge it. My rapacious hunger for wealth and knowledge kept me trapped in a vicious cycle of trading and creating. Those two activities consumed my every waking moment for months until I would fall into a dreamless sleep. Not anymore. 

Now I dream. Usually I don't remember my dreams and the ones I do remember are fragmented pieces. Recently I had this dream that was unlike any I've ever had before. I'm walking through this store named the Burlington Coat Factory shopping with my cousin Andy. Normally in dreams I can't read writing on the walls or tell time on a clock. In this dream everything was technicolor clear. I could read the name of the store clearly in bold, black letters on the wall. This place had levels like a mall with escalators that looked like they reached the sky lights on the ceiling. There were departments for clothes, shoes, coats, and all types of accessories. 

Andy and I walked down different aisles talking about various items we passed. My mind was distracted by the size of the store. As I was formulating the question of what store location we were in. Andy asked me "What's the use of making a lot of money if you don't live long enough to spend it?" I said, "leave it to your wife, family or kids."  We laughed as we made our way to the men's clothing. Andy was looking for jeans to go to a birthday party for a friend. Along the way he told me the story of a guy in New York who won a million dollars on a scratch ticket. Then he died of cancer one week later. After Andy finished we both agreed that "health is wealth."  

Our conversation continued for what felt like hours.  We chatted about growing up in the projects and how different things were as adults. After Andy had picked out a few pairs of jeans we started making our way to the checkout register. Outside the store window I could see snow on the ground. Andy's voice had become white noise in the background. Above the window was a black and white analog clock. At first glance the hands read three o' clock. After looking at the snow for a moment trying to gauge how deep it was from how high it was against the car tires. I looked again at the clock and it read seven forty. My legs moved on autopilot walking beside Andy as my mind tried processing what happened to the time.

Before my brain could form the right question, Andy's voice commanded my attention. It was like he was speaking through a megaphone. I focused on his face and noticed we had stopped walking. He asked if I was alright. I mumbled something about being distracted while noticing we were in a different part of the store. I was lost. Behind us was a wall sized window. Outside the parking lot was full of cars and shoppers hastily trying to escape the cold. Andy gazed outside at the snow and said "New Year is right around the corner. I got big plans for next year. What u got going on cuz?" I also looked out the window while he asked the question. As I pondered how to explain venture capitalism and crypto to my little cousin. An alarm bell went off inside my head. There was something wrong with this place. 

We walked for a long time but were no closer to the registers. There was snow outside and we were supposed to be in South Carolina? How am I in South Carolina? I fell asleep in bed. Did it snow in Holland? Is Andy in Europe? Where are we shopping? Then it struck me like a bolt of lightening. I was in a dream. I turned and looked at the side profile of Andys' face. He remained staring out the window at the ankle deep snow. My thoughts were racing like a hamster on a wheel trying to figure out how to articulate the words. Finally I just blurted out, "Cuzo you're dead." His head turned slowly as he smiled and our eyes locked for a moment. It appeared as if Andy was about to say something...then I woke up. I don't know if it was a result of unprocessed emotions, eating nachos to close to bedtime or a goodbye from a family member. Whatever the cause, that dream got me thinking about how most people don't plan for death. I've seen a lot of people die. In almost every one of the cases, those people were planning for a tomorrow. The reason many people don't make a Will is because they don't want to think about dying. 

What would u do if u could live forever? I would learn languages, travel to tropical places, get immersed in exploring cultures from around the globe. That's what would be written on paper if it was an essay. The truth is I would spend the first hundred years or so satisfying all my vices. Then my focus would be on accumulating opulent amounts of wealth. That's necessary to finance language interpreters to help me collect artifacts from remote locations on every continent. After a few thousand years of learning, adventuring, and exploring the far reaches of the planet. I would want to know what's next. Where were all the people going who passed on as I continued my endless existence? In this life I've been afflicted with a terrible incurable curse. It's plagued the alchemists and sorcerers of antiquity and it has been passed down through the generations. I'm afflicted with the obsession to know the "origin of all things." The (root) source of life, consciousness, evolution, interstellar travel, and what makes up the very fabric of reality. 

In Tibet there is a meditative technique that allows one to reach a state of higher consciousness where the physical body disintegrates and turns into photons of light. It's called the rainbow light body. This practice goes back thousands of years. According to the local Tibetans the knowledge was given to them by extraterrestrials. I watched the episode of Ancient Aliens (I love that show. They always propose interesting alternative theories to conventional archeology and history.) where they show photographs of the last practitioners final moments. The monks body shrunk down in stages until it was smaller than a doll. After that his entire body disappeared. The last photograph is of a beam of light shooting upward where his body used to be. Once disciples achieve this state of enlightenment their consciousness can travel to any of twelve star systems where this ritual is taught. 

What that teaches us is that there are other levels of reality. Some can be reached while in physical form. While others seem to require a transcendence to a spiritual self.  Don't get it twisted I plan on living a very long life. I workout and eat fairly healthy to ensure I live long enough to reach enlightenment. Still. The ideal of being stuck in a meat suit for all eternity and never allowed to explore other dimensions would be a punishment. If I were given the option to take an elixir of eternal life. Or use the Integratron immortality machine when they get it working. There's no question that they have the schematics and materials. Whose to say that it already isn't being rebuilt and tested in a hidden location. Some rich people with enough money, power, and influence want to live forever. Those same people are spending fortunes to make that desire a reality. I wouldn't want to be immortal. To me death is not the end. It's the answer to another unsolved mystery. One that allows me to get closer to the source. And perhaps see some friends and family members along the way. 

Part of the beauty of life is that we never know when its going to end. Therefore if u live every day as if it was your last. You can die with fewer regrets. Food for thought.  

Until Next We Speak, Be Well 

Tha One an Only

Rampant Xenophobia

"As the world falls into its winter slumber, my mind burns with the heat of summer."

I'm not the most intelligent of people. I'm skilled in many things...but a master of nothing. My grades were average and I was never the top of my class. I say this because although I have a rudimentary understanding of the mechanisms that move a society. There are still many things I can't decipher. For example, in modern society all races, skin colors, genders and ideologies (minus the hate) would be appreciated. This society would have problems like most civilizations but be inclusive for everyone. 

What I'm seeing happening in the streets, on the news, on the internet, and around the world, is extreme exclusivity! Again let me express that I'm not the smartest person. Therefore perhaps my perspective is a bit askew. It's just that what I've observed is the rampant spread of xenophobia moving faster than the pandemic. When this all started the former president (whose name I won't mention) was calling it the Chinese virus. All around the world people started discriminating and in some cases violently attacking people of Asian decent. It didn't matter if they were from China, Korea, Japan, or any other part of Asia. If they were perceived as being Chinese they were a target. 

Then for a while there was a claim that migrant's mostly from Latin countries like Mexico were causing the spread of the virus. This was of course later disproven since its completely false. It didn't stop an increase in crimes against migrants. Currently I'm seeing Africans (anyone with dark skin tone) are being blamed for the spread of a new variant. Some variant was found in South Africa. Now there's a travel ban for the world to and from there. With each new variant there seems to be racially charged rhetoric accusing a specific group. On top of all this there's a global division between those who have taken the vaccine and those who chose to stay unvaccinated. 

If you're wondering if I'm a conspiracy theorist. The answer is, "No." I'm not like them. I'm a whole different breed of animal. While they would be sitting around with their tin foil hats arguing over who shot Kennedy or if there really was a spaceship at Roswell. I would be in a different corner with two electro-magnets (mini Tesla coils) attached to my tin hat with a cord ready to be plugged into the wall socket. I would try testing the Philadelphia Experiment on myself to see if I could teleport out the room. The whole time I would be hoping the hat didn't fuse to my skull when the cord got plugged in. I don't waste time on hypothetical scenarios. I'm a man who likes to test things out first hand with data. 

To test if race was really part of the pandemic dialog I asked people. First I started with the woman who braids my hair. She's from Nigeria. When I talked to her she thought it was spreading from China or India. She said both places are over populated. Then I asked some friends, colleagues, then random people on the streets and on public transportation. Everybody associates some race or the unvaccinated as the cause of the spread of the virus. The effect is fear mongering and extreme xenophobia. Everyone is scared of each other. To see this happening in what's supposed to be a civilized society is disturbing. 

For me racism is real insanity. Not ignorance. Racism. There's a difference. When I was in Marine bootcamp. I met a guy who had never seen a black person in real life. He told me that he heard from his grandmother that black skin washed off in the shower. He was curious about us and asked questions. Some of them were ignorant. Later we became friends. The guy who called me a "dirty ni**er," outside a bar in Alabama. He was racist. The difference is the intent behind the interaction. If someone is asking questions (even if they're ignorant) to learn more about a group or culture, that's positive intent. If a person only cares about pushing stereotypes and prejudices on u that's negative intent. 

All around me I'm seeing, hearing discriminations and prejudices with no scientific evidence to support them. I hope that with the coming of the new year governments can get their collective act together and start using data to calm the fears of the masses. Based on the current track record I'm not getting my hopes up. Even if society doesn't get right, you the reader can. If u read this blog that means two things. One, how u think probably pushes the boundaries on what is accepted as "normal". Two, science, technology, art, literature, and other information about the world are of interest to you. So I request that starting this moment, you the reader stop helping the fear mongering. If u don't have the facts, then don't spread the rumor. That's all.

Until Next We Speak, Be Well

Tha One an Only 

Creative Storms

 "As I sit, calm as a breeze across the sea...storms of creativity rage within me."

My time is split between working on various projects, trading, and planning for the future. My mind lives three years in the future. Because I'm always focused on what's to come it's hard for me to sustain personal relationships in the present. I've been trapped in a creative storm that shows no signs of letting up. 

Recently I learned a long time friend I haven't seen in years was in town for a short visit. I didn't see him. A different friend is in the hospital with a brain condition. (beterschap Gekke C) I didn't know about it. An old business partner lost his business and was forced to move his family back to Greece last month. I learned about it yesterday. People are going through real life problems and hard times have lead some to depression. I sincerely hope that everyone reading these words has the love and support of a community around u to help during these difficult times.

I'm no stranger to depression. If you're dealing with depression and are looking for ways to change your mind without paying for external therapy. I have a few pieces of literature that can help u on your journey. Before I get to the books let me say, talking to someone u can trust about your problems is always a good idea. Other people can give u a different perspective on the issue.  If u don't have a support system, or prefer self sufficiency (like myself) then continue reading. 

The first book is named "The Science of Happiness" by Stefan Klein. This book is an exploration of what makes human beings happy. What generates the feelings and emotions of happiness at the neurological level? How do we stay happy? Can we be happy all the time? If so what are the steps? This book investigates these questions and provides solid scientific answers to them. It's easy to read and skips a lot of the scientific jargon to give u a story on how all of us can learn to be happy. 

This second book is more of a workbook. It's titled "The Feeling Good HandBook," by David D. Burns. I can say this book is great for dealing with depression. Aside from depression it provides step-by-step exercises to help dealing with OCD, different types of phobias, and anxiety disorders. He also provides accompanying knowledge on the drugs administered by fellow practitioners to treat these conditions. The techniques used by Dr. Burns are groundbreaking because unlike others in his field he provides drug free treatment for depression. I loved this book. If you're currently experiencing constant negative emotions and want to change what your brain is thinking about, try this workbook. 

Let me be honest with u. While most people's moral compass may not point true north, it generally points in a northward direction. The last book is, " How to Change Your Mind. The New Science of Psychedelics," by Michael Pollan. This book is a wonderfully written account of the history of psychedelic's. Also how they can repair and improve overall brain function. The author uses gonzo style journalism to entertain while educating on the medicinal and mind altering experiences had with psychedelic's. 

I have tried both LSD and Psilocybin mushrooms in the past. Personally I prefer psilocybin. It's all natural, has scientifically proven to induce the growth of new brain neurons, and its consistently effective. LSD can have side effects. Also, unless you're creating the doses each tab can vary in strength. This can be a problem if you're using the tabs for microdosing. Regardless of what method of treatment u chose to take. As long as you're taking steps to get better, you're moving in the right direction. 

I wish u all health, wealth and success. If u like the books or know someone who needs help, spread the word and tell a friend to tell a friend. 

Until Next We Speak, Be Well 

Tha One an Only 

 

Served Cold

"As the body withers with age and memories grow old...revenge is the dish that's best served cold." 

Yesterday I attended a gathering at a bar in north Amsterdam. The place was a mix of off work professionals, students and locals. I didn't want to be there. An acquaintance asked me to come so he could get some crypto advice. I found this proposal interesting because this same person had told me back in 2019 that crypto was a bubble and a waste of money. He was heavy into the equities market (stocks and bonds) and didn't consider crypto a real asset class. For identity purposes I'll call the acquaintance John. 

When I arrived at the bar John was already there with a group of people I didn't know. After greeting John and getting introduced to a bunch of faces with names I didn't bother to remember, I grabbed a drink at the bar. I asked for a vodka with apple juice and that's what the bartender said he gave me. John appeared at the bar beside me and began talking about his life. I tried to pay attention to his words but since I had no emotional connection to them my mind began to drift. In between Johns' sob story on how the stock market may crash and worries about having to move back to Seattle I caught bits of other conversations. There were several people discussing whether it was acceptable to wear socks with sandals. A man and woman sitting at the bar to my left were chatting about feeding their cat chocolate. People behind John and I were arguing over if Punk was dead or not. 

I finished my vodka apple juice and felt no effect. John finished his story and had a perplexed look on his face. I realized that a response was necessary but I hadn't been listening so was unaware of any question. My mind had been occupied wondering if the bartender had given me apple juice with no vodka. Everyone around me seemed like babbling village idiots. Perhaps my alcohol was defective. John said, "So can u do it?" Instead of asking him what "It" was? I said what I was thinking. "I think my alcohol is defective. This happened to me once when I was in South America. I need to talk to the bartender." John seemed confused then he laughed. I didn't. At that moment three other guys came over and blended into our discussion. Luck was on my side because John filled in the conversation gaps. 

By the way, don't worry if the people I'm writing about will be offended. Let me let u in on two little secrets. One, none of those guys like to read anything they don't have too. "If it's not in video or audio format then it's not worth knowing". That was a quote from one of the guys. I have a higher chance of being hit by a comet, being ridden by a two foot tall, green, Martian, wearing leather chaps and a cowboy hat, before any of them read my blog. Two, these are facts.

John and his friends wanted me to teach them about DeFi. Traditional markets are looking grim and crypto is showing bigger long term gains. Some of his friends had dabbled in crypto but none of them trusted or knew how to interact with smart contracts. They were semi-drunk so some of their questions became long stories about how the pandemic changed their lives. I gave them a brief summary on DeFi and some of my wins and losses in the space. After answering some crypto questions I excuse myself and went to the end of the bar by the entrance to speak to the bartender. Right after I gestured for the bartender to come over John appeared beside me. Alcohol makes people emotional. His eyes were glossy like he was on the verge of tears. He apologized for comments he had made about me losing money in crypto. Then he went on to say he understands if the reason I didn't say yes to his question is because I was still upset. What he was describing is petty revenge. 

Lets take a moment to discuss revenge. For me there are different types of revenge. First, there's the vengeful type of revenge. Second, there's the improve yourself and let your success destroy your enemies ego type of revenge. Last, is petty revenge, or commonly known as a grudge. This type never involves physical confrontation. Petty revenge is where u are in a position to help someone who wronged u in the past. You refuse to do it to get back at the person. For all types of revenge emotional attachment to that moment or experience is the driving force behind your actions. I feel nothing.   

The truth was I hadn't heard his question. My attention was focused on getting to the bottom of the vodka mystery. After his emotional display and my cold response John asked what was up. I seemed really relaxed for a guy who had recently taken a loss. I seemed calmer than normal. I could've told him that by changing my leverage trading strategy to 3x for Alts, plus a generous DyDx airdrop, I recouped everything I've lost over the last two years. Instead I just said, "I got it back." Then he asked if I was still trading? I told him, "I'll never stop trading." While we were talking people kept coming over and interjecting tidbits into the conversation. Another of John's friends had been standing by and said, "If u won everything back u should be celebrating. Why do u look so serious?" I replied, "I lost my emotional attachment to things." They all laughed. I didn't. Some more words were exchanged which disappeared from my brain like smoke in the wind. My concentration was on getting the bartender. 

Once again people had been talking to me but I missed the discussion. One of Johns' now completely inebriated friends said, "My man, it sucks that u lost feelings where do u think u lost them?" To my astonishment and utter disbelief, someone standing adjacent to me actually said, "Good question." In my mind it felt like I had been unwillingly transported to the high council of babbling idiots. I remained expressionless and replied, "I think they fell out my pocket on my way to the bar. I'm going to look for them on the way home. " They all laughed. I didn't. While they were still having bellies full of laughter and liquor, I returned to my quest for the bartender. This time I finally got his attention. The bartender was in front of me, John to my right, and one of his drunk minions to my left. The rest of the group had migrated over to us and were standing behind me making noisy monkey chatter. 

I introduced myself to the bartender. We exchanged pleasantries for a few moments, then I asked if the vodka was defective. They all laughed. I didn't. From the stoic expression on my face the bartender knew I was serious. We talked for a minute about different liquors while John and his friend made random shot suggestions. Since I was only drinking white liquor the bartender recommended I try some Jenever, a Dutch Gin. We drank shots of different Jenever brands. The bartender had taken half shots with us and had become talkative. It was a short time after that he bounced off to change the music. People were dancing by their tables and the mood was quite festive. 

As I sat on the bar stool listening to what was once mindless chatter trying to keep my thoughts from sinking below pristine white waves of liquor. I came to a realization. Either all the conversations around me had suddenly became scintillantly interesting or...I had become one of the babbling village idiots. Regardless of the answer, it was fun. After that I shared some DeFi resources with John. It took some time to convince him that his past words meant nothing to me. The brewed spirits helped insure my statements weren't taken offensively. Later, I conceded to the bartender that the alcohol wasn't defective. They all laughed. I did too. It was a nice night. 

One thing u want to always keep in mind. The people u pass on your ascension to success in the journey of life. Are the same people watching as u descend. If you show love to them along the way. They will often extend a helping hand to stop your fall. Food for thought. 

Until Next We Speak, Be Well 

Tha One an Only