NEAR to an Origin Story

History never repeats itself. Every single historical moment is distinct from those past. However, we must learn from our mistakes so that we do not run the risk of repeating them. - Winston Churchill

It's been more than a handful of years since I became nearly enmeshed into the world of Web3. Much has happened since those days alone in the mountains, quite unable to do much of anything save read up on what I was behind on and then consume articles regarding current events. I had a book that was sent to me, and that history tome became my first true instruction on the subject. I had already made a full conversion to audiobooks(long story) by then, but so committed I was that I devoured it as quickly as I could. For years prior to this, I'd heard stories and reports of crypto in general: a digital only token that could be traded to others(usually on the darkweb), using a wallet that was likely extremely tricky to keep track of.

While I could see a lot of value and even greater potential in it, I was hesitant to opt in. One good reason was because I rarely have any disposable income to risk losing in the creation or investment of the wallet and the currency. Bearing that in mind, I was fully on the “in favor” group of the lines being drawn on it. I used to say something along the lines of me finding the introduction of it not only meritorious but its possible inception being an answer to the tech and living element within the corruption of global systems. I still recall that being the idea that turned me onto the W3 game in the first place, the blockchain tech proper. The idea of this ledger that everyone has a copy of, and access to, which allows one bad actor(or a group of them) to be forcefully kept honest was inspired. Doing this via the majority to cross reference against incorrect data, it was as if someone took the idea from my mind. If every other person but the hypothetical actor is demonstrated to have the “correct” blockchain ledger, then it can only be concluded that outliers exist and are anomalies to be corrected for one reason or another.

How did I go from there to here? well I went to EthDenver for one, many years back as I've said before. Seeing the idea made manifest into a full blown convention was quite a feast for the eyes, I was enraptured. My contact within the gathering was also the reason I got in, at the time they were sharing their project Giveth with the guests. I'm not ashamed to say I knew little and there was a vocabulary curve I needed to catch up with. I didn't keep up, full disclosure; what did occur was inspiration. There were certain conclusions I had made that day. First of all, this was real, arguably also legit. The tech was becoming less encrypted, as the vectors of its use(and use case) expanded. This Rampant Growth(yes I play Magic) made the book I read feel like a historical text, something the then current state of affairs had clearly outpaced. After that year, the Chain has sprinted further still. That was the better part of a decade back now.

What have I done so far? Honestly, not much. To me anyway. I've written some stuff, narrated them, interviewed less than a handful of subjects, and hosted a gathering for the second half of it. I've spoken aloud in front of a large group, both digital and physical… I've even been compensated on occasion for these things too. I have temporarily given of myself to projects, and lanced rather freely in my limited time truly participating here amongst the Chain. I've joined more than one project, DAO, and now I'm still in one or two of them as we keep striving forward.

OFP is one facet of which made me realize the time had flown as I stood witnessing it. It feels like yesterday my contact within NEAR, Grace, made the introduction to my contact within the Green. Unsure of what to do or even say, I simply nodded (digitally) and kept letting myself be taken on the journey for as long as it would last. After a brief exchange on a chat, filled with my most polite texting in years prior, I was asked to RSVP(again digitally) to a meet using Google. I had never used Google Meet before, Nemo, but you know that. Feeling the nerves creeping up as they tend to on occasion, I was put at ease quite soon after. He was a vibrant and personable individual. We began to banter about the state of crypto and his project, we discussed at length what was needed of me should I join, ending with a mutually agreeable and pleasant farewell. There was a short pause before I received a notification for the next meeting I was to attend for the followup step in my entry. That was more than a year ago.

What now? What's next? Despite my penchant for wanting to see things coming I shudder to admit I'm far from clairvoyant. On paper I tend to miss quite a number of shots I take, sometimes by a hair. They say you miss all the ones you never take though, and I suppose that is the greater crime? I'm not certain if that's true at all, I tend to loathe mistakes I incur entirely too much to agree. I will concede that inaction can sometimes be as disastrous as wrong action. It's true, I guess that's what risk is at its core. The very basis of what crypto is founded on: hope meeting opportunity sprinkled with random chance, I suppose I should learn to get more used to it. maybe one day, despite how little of a fan of it I am.

I guess I'll see you around the spring of the impending crypto Winter's thaw…

Signed,

Woodward Forest-Lich