My Crypto

I recently joined the “crypto” scene.  My first experience was a coworker running around asking everyone if they wanted to buy a Bitcoin.  A Bitcoin for 500-700 dollars he wasn’t sure.  Then the next week he said well maybe a thousand.  Looking back, I never wished I would have bought that coin.  Nothing in finance is my scene. 
            One day I was bored and clicked on the Coinbase app.  I watched the videos that got you free coin.  I loaded $8 dollars and ended up with $28.  Throughout the day I moved it around from company to company.  It was fun and interesting buying and selling, reading about the new NFTs and the decentralized well I’ll say banking.  I cannot imagine any government or bank liking the idea of creating a new monetary system.  That’s what has happened though.  All people wanted was digital money and the system didn’t give one.  A need is always filled as if everything has a life of its own survival.

            I was excited about Crypto.  I messaged my dad and he said it’s not backed by anything.  Then that whole conversation happened.  It is backed, Visa this and debit card that.  You know the more I think about it money is a belief.  When enough people believe and agree something has value simply put it does.  For example, if I had five carrots and there were ten people in the room…let’s say 7 believed the carrots had value and they were willing to trade valuable items for the bigger carrots: less valuable items for the smaller carrots.  It’s no different than money.

            Realizing I had made a profit.  Small, very small.  To most people it’s laughable.  I had about 26 dollars.  A 225 percent profit on my 8-dollar investment.  Cashing out felt just as good as if I would have bought that Bitcoin and made 40k…well to me anyways.

            The smallest ripple or flap of a wing can change a course.  I was done trading.  I retired…lol.  I was definitely going to take advantage of the free Visa debit Coinbase card though.  What was I going to do with all my money?  Was I going to buy some jerky?  That stuff is spendy.  I didn’t know.  Rather, I’d just sit on my wealth and bask in it.  That only lasted so long…

Ring ring…Hey how’s it going.  Well, me and my girl are back in the same position.  She kicked me out.  I have no place to stay, just my car.  You think you could borrow me 200 bucks? 
There went that jerky money.  200.  That was a big ask.  I had $26.  And Facebook Pay.  When your friend is sitting by a lake contemplating life “stock” money becomes less important.

            My friend got some gas with my Crypto profit and found a free hotel room for the night.  Sounds like a waste I know but the story doesn’t end there.  The way we value life and choice is perceived differently by every one of us.  There was one friend of mine I really wish would have called me for $26.  Looking back at these moments in life… when we have these choices… while people are still in our lives.  We long for them to come back to happen again.

            I’ve had that moment.  A few times in life.  This was one of those moments.  My friend called back the next morning.  No one was telling me he was dead or in jail.  He told me he talked to a guy who had a big house for him to stay in and remodel.  He still had himself.  He was ok.
            Looking back, I would have never had that 500–700-dollar investment to buy a Bitcoin when Crypto started.  It’s just not who I am.

            Think about it “If” I wouldn’t have watched those Coinbase informational videos that turned into gas money for my friend.  Would I still have my friend?  Life is a strange painting.  You always wonder why you’re looking at it and can never figure it out, but you can’t stop looking at it.  Then my friend tells me “If” is just an endless word with lots of possibilities.  Ya it is bud…ya it is.