I Think a Turn is NEAR

Intuitions are not to be ignored. They represent data processed too fast for the conscious mind to comprehend. - Sherlock Holmes

Something changed, and it's not the season or the entire lineup of the future Avengers films. That being said, side note, not sure how I'll be able to handle not having Steve Rogers around. Digression aside, the stream of the windways feels altered. This is traditionally the moment in which I feel relieved that I made it through the turbulence, concluding I've put the brunt of the worst of it all in my rear view. I'm not making that mistake this time; dropping your hands gives life an openly clean shot at your jaw, as I've learned over the course of three and a half decades. No need to get ready for the next haymaker if I stay ready for it. From now on, until I can conclude that certain calm waters are ahead, I'm staying on the alert and on war footing. Still with me Nemo? No? perfect.

The Green is currently ramping up for this thing called EthDenver… What's that, some kind of DnD convention in Colorado? Kidding. I've actually attended it once, when I was much younger in the game of life and web3. On both counts, not SO young as to be totally unschooled in either. While eager to acquire more living and crypto knowledge under my belt, I certainly never did a bit of reading before checking it out first-hand. Now back to OFP. All hands are as you'd expect on deck. The chance to make friends, waves, and impact on those attending and watching/ listening globally is not to be mishandled. This also means that those not doing so can find themselves in empty rooms, or full ones, I've come to notice in my short time being a Forest-Lich. The former comes from the focus of all involved not having the ability to be as present as can be hoped, the latter occurs when inquiries are made while they are all pointed to the person who is the most available. Those fingers tend to direct at me. Which I gladly oblige; make no mistake I love this project, and continue to give of myself what I can because I believe in it. In my opinion I am not ever doing as much as I should to deserve my place, but it's a process of self improvement when I catch myself slipping up. Ideally that is. Good luck out in the mountains, everyone. Say hi to the Rockies for me, tell it I miss it.

Would you believe the publication DAO I'm a part of was so busy with IRL there were days of absence from each member? Crazy huh. For a group of comrades smaller than the average sports team starting line, we do carry on quite a bit in chat compared to others with much larger membership. With this fact, me coming to the recent chats and finding 2 days worth of nothing was mildly impressive. Over the past couple of days things have more or less returned to the usual, though we are catching up with what made us busy and reporting back… more than working together. One thing I did notice is they are formulating plans of attack for tax season, being we are all Americans. The Man is the scariest shark in the ocean by far, whoever tells you differently is lying hard through their teeth. Or ignorantly naive. You know, now that I think about it, I should start looking to get right with the system before it looks to get right with me first…

NEAR itself seems to be in flux, and no, not Flux Protocol. Chaos and dramatic shifts abound, which cements my sensation that the FUD tsunami that washed through the crypto world is ebbing away. In the aftermath of the cataclysm that struck us in that time, the markets and projects that overwintered to survive the downturn are emerging again. Friendly projects I looked into when I first joined NEAR are still kicking, along with some new faces I haven't looked into yet. One of them being a reward for a token I used to stake, however the farming logo isn't one I am familiar with. intriguing… I'll have to look deeper into that symbol when I have a moment later in the week. What even is pNEAR, every letter in the alphabet is getting used while my back is turned! Not that I mind, you love to see the web grow. I do mind it getting by me, I'll have to correct that weakness over the weekend.

My explorations into NEAR have also led me into deeper dives for my own understanding of things, which is more cliché of me than you can comprehend. See, I like to find comfort in the familiar. That means, in my case at least, that I immerse myself in my favorite things which I know better than I know my parents. A favorite TV show, book, movie, or even an album. All work to similar degrees of efficacy. That said, digging into this niche also finds you stepping into unknown territory paved by known guides. How does this apply to W3? It means you watch or absorb content regarding subjects you are somewhat versed in, by speakers whom you've likely heard voice their expertise at least once before. While you'd think this would be a disagreeable bore, I who can spend days watching Firefly on repeat while I go about my daily routines, enjoys the review. To me it feels like giving those whom I wish to learn from multiple opportunities to clarify their ethos. A big win in my book. The more clearly I see the picture we are trying to paint as an ecosystem, the better I can be of use to it.

With this in mind I was watching a stream by a few individuals whom I'd been watching for a while now. Hearing them banter and exchange ideals was refreshing, while also giving me plenty of things I already understood. I intend to finish that lengthy conversation promptly. The combo of reinforcing what I know with sprinkles of new, makes good food for the mind. I already subbed the channel the host was transmitting from, so I won't be far from the periphery when the updates come. As for the special guest, I've heard him do his thing many times. In those moments, he seems to have a large portion of it being fresh data on a consistent basis. His philosophy and his crypto-centric approach to things definitely speak to me, I guess that more than any reason. I knew he'd make the time I spent in it worthwhile, if only because I'd be gaining a newer look into what I do from their eyes. What do I do in it if they're my comrades to a degree?

Well …

Personally, I don't know. I mean I perform a lot of things on a daily and weekly basis. But if you asked me, I would draw a blank and simply utter "uhhh I'm a writer I guess…" with the same lack of confidence as when I started over a year back. Ironically enough, anyone else who "knows" me in NEAR would state a string of things that would potentially apply to me. Which is the most true? neither. Who I am isn't really that important. I just want to keep helping those around me get this machine rolling back to full steam, that way this awful turn that has swung many of us painfully off a ledge can veer back to better or at least safer terrain.

Signed,

Woodward Forest-Lich