Cheers nostr:nprofile1qqsqfjg4mth7uwp307nng3z2em3ep2pxnljczzezg8j7dhf58ha7ejgprpmhxue69uhhqun9d45h2mfwwpexjmtpdshxuet5qyt8wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnswf5k6ctv9ehx2aqnz0fd0 for the awesome reflection back on 5 years since the Covid lockdown, you’ve smashed it, as with halvings, thought I’d see what the last 5 years were like for me.

5 years today since my first onchain transaction (block 6252XX). At that time, block reward 12.5btc, price around $6620, 20 sat/vB, block subsidy and fees $85k(🤤). Middle of lock down, home school, actually amazing time with the family, work was shit, just doing what was needed, before they really started to squeeze that extra bit of juice out of everyone.

Looking back, it’s been quite a ride, shit coined like a retard, but I used this failure as an opportunity to learn (post rationalising is all I have). Sorted my finances out, now no mutual Vantard funds, no work pension, and anything that is out of reach is in mstr, so pension is now pretty much sorted. FYI colleagues, it is not a “good work pension”, it is the chains they use to keep you from looking elsewhere.

While in irl bitcoin connections are yet to start, have worked with nostr:npub1z74dj8y9xgq3lmz3eyvarzmwxwllhuzewz2exwz5j57tf6jssmss9pd4yx , open dialogue and Mr. Porter! So maybe if I went to an event someone might say hi to me (as long as I where my Dug mask).

After my initial “learning period”, actually got into learning bitcoin in late 2022 and started writing, which was always going to be how I was going to “give back” to Bitcoin (PSA, don’t put off reading the white paper). So, some Bitcoin magazine articles, a response to an EU document (cheers nostr:nprofile1qqsg7etgmmkqzg9vk2jdre8rz8ygr5cxcwt2j2ytpgrl2exjpuvxy6qpz3mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerpd46hxtnfduq32amnwvaz7tm9v3jkutnwdaehgu3wd3skueqshmps0 ), one long and one fun piece for bpuk , 2 peer reviewed articles, 4 response articles to hack academics (Alex de Vries is such a prick, but I also feel sorry for him in a weird way, he is truly a shit/malicious researcher), a few other academic pieces in the works, a book 🫡🙌 and a very unfortunate boating accident 🤦‍♂️, or was it an unfortunate trip to the tip?!?!?.

Half a decade can be a long time, but the fam has survived some rough patches, schooling has been and is a bit of a bitch (prepping for a solution), but the girls are awesome and deal well with their Bitcoin dad/husband. I’m in better shape than I was in 2020, even with a busted collarbone during this stretch, you can’t spend your time or your money well if everything is painful.

So now, half way to a decade in Bitcoin, where will I be then? Well, if I’m not 100% out of the fiat mine, I must have found something amazing to work on, so cool, but otherwise I hope I’m freed from the fiat routine, in a place with good biking on the door step, and a few more contributions to “what Bitcoin is” under my belt. Definitely need to up my irl game, either that or just get a Bitcoin dog (border collie nostr:npub1qkl3mdr672ph7zc75qh5evr92atcqxazn23h4csww2zv20ahr33sla0cpf ), then I won’t need any Bitcoin human friends. 🫡🙌