I’m quite sure we all shared a collective trauma when the pandemic happened, and I was no different. I truly believed at the time that the path I was on was bulletproof: a steady paycheck, a second degree almost finished, and a dream career ready to take off. Then, within three short months, everything crumbled.

Early in 2020 I was still amused, almost entertained, by viral videos showing people collapsing like zombies in streets across China (I think?). “Cool CGI,” I thought. “Is this a movie promo?” By February 2020 though, the videos began to worry me. Some higher‑ups even joked that they were fake and that nothing like that would ever happen here. In March 2020 everything stopped after the first COVID‑19 case was announced.

Some people were in denial, while others immediately limited outside contact. I was in the latter group. Following my university’s guidelines, I was suddenly expected to do everything through Zoom (you probably remember this too!). I lived in what was basically a student dorm (technically public apartments) but almost all the tenants were students. One by one, my neighbors went home to be with their families. Out of 30 rooms, only two tenants remained: another student and me. The silence was eerie in a comforting way. The streets, the pollution, the noise, gone. Respectfully, I lowkey loved it.

The quiet also affected my work, which was directly tied to my income. My wallet, and the banking app on my phone, were as silent as the hallways. No emails, no calls, no project offers. With what little I had in savings, I could last maybe three more weeks. “Okay, how do I survive?” The primal instinct immediately kicked in.

At first nothing seemed viable, but eventually I received medical and financial aid from my uni and other community movements. It still wasn’t enough, so I asked myself, “What else can I optimize? What else can I cut to keep living?” After hours of back and forth, I convinced my landlord to slash my rent by 50-60% for the next month (yay!), plus I still get the courtesy of breakfast, lunch, and dinner (istg my landlord is the nicest!)

Remember how the other students went back to their hometowns? I tried to stay civil, high morals and all that, I wasn’t going to take what wasn’t mine. But an unclaimed treasure was calling: the shared refrigerator! No one was around, and in this building everyone had always been so busy that we barely saw each other. I texted the only neighbor I knew:

“Bro, I’m starving and I just looked in the fridge. Is this yours? Can I have it?”

He replied, “Yeah, go for it! But I’m not sure if you’ll like it; it contains some special herb from my hometown.”

Alright! By that logic, I started foraging in the fridge for anything edible whose owner was unknown. Most items were two or three years past their expiration dates but a few were still good.

My reign as CEO of the fridge lasted about a month. Then I had to think ahead “How will I pay even the discounted rent?” That’s when the digital scavenging began. Social media was full of donation drives, giveaways, and government aid, yet I wasn’t eligible for any of it. I “Jon Snowed” my social home feeds as if I were guarding Castle Black from White Walkers, hoping I wouldn’t miss any opportunities to make money. I kept seeing words like stocks, trading, Bitcoin mining, and cryptocurrency people claiming these had saved them during the turmoil. “Okay…” I thought, “how can I get in on this? Should I tear my laptop apart and mine the parts?” I soon learned you need specialized hardware, and my 2-yo laptop wasn’t going to cut it.

There had to be another way. I’m no programmer, but I dabble in tech. I followed every breadcrumb: Gmail alternatives, privacy‑first services, PGP keys, the IndieWeb, decentralization and somehow, this notification resurfaced:

“You’ve been airdropped $20.52 worth of Stellar Lumens in Keybase.”

It was mid‑March 2020, but the email was dated September 2019. “Yo, what is this?” I muttered. “Is this real money?” I wasn’t really sure how I created a Keybase account in the first place or how I became eligible for the airdrops, but when I rechecked, there were these messages:

• “Hi Seth, those are free Lumens worth $20.52.”

• “Hi Seth, BOOOYEAH! Those are your free Lumens worth $45.43.”

• “Hi Seth, BOOOYEAH! Those are your free Lumens worth $15.95.”

• “This was the FINAL month of the Space Drop. Be careful, don’t give anyone your secret key!”

“Whaaat? $81.90 USD in total 🤯” and “In this economy?” This phrase is relatable now, but also back then. My currency is weak even up til now, so that amount was more than enough if I could withdraw all of it to continue living. The question was, how could I do that? In the process of this withdrawal, I almost lost 30% of it! I didn’t know what to do or how to do it. I was frustrated; again, I’m no techie, but looking at how easy it is to transfer money right now, I have no problem funding my local crypto wallet (Pintu) from my digital fiat wallet (GoPay) and transferring it to my Farcaster wallet. Easy peasy! Back then, I had to specify some specific notes, aside from choosing the same ERC-20 network; otherwise, the money would be gone. I’m still not sure whether it was because of some wallet rules or if everything is relatively easier right now.

I was finally able to withdraw the rest of the airdrops and was able to live just fine until the funds ran out. I went back to my parents' house in mid-2020, so I was able to survive for four months because of the airdrop, covering rent, sanitary products, and extra food delivery whenever I needed it. When I got back home, I was faced with more problems; really, life just won’t give you a break 🫠 I went directly into a 5-year career break (7 years if you count the aftermath) but that is a story for another time.

I wasn’t able to use my computer much from 2020 to 2024. I was struggling with grief, depression, and a loss of identity. Looking back, I'm happy that curiosity and tinkering with things are ingrained in my DNA. I've been told this is a form of coping mechanism, but it also prevented me from entering a manic stage. Hey, it worked, didn't it?

I've had to rebuild myself, not from scratch but from the remnants. “What am I gonna do now?” With the loss of identity, losing interest in what you used to enjoy is also part of the equation. After I finished with my brain-rot activity, I finally crawled back to what I think I still had an interest in and never strayed far from: the internet. I surfed the web here and there, navigating the chaotic Twitter and the envious Insta-life, going down rabbit holes until I arrived at this gem, a thing called Perl. To my knowledge, it's a something-something-crypto-Web3 thing, something I've never dabbled in before.

Instantaneously, it invoked my Lumens Airdrop life-saving memory! “Perhaps this could be the start of something?” As you can see, to access Perl, you had to have a Farcaster account. “What's even Farcaster?” But I DM'ed Dan anyway and got access 5 months later. It was a surreal experience; the home feed was filled with lingo that I didn't understand but the most important thing here is that I feel alive again. It will probably take me years to catch up with crypto, but at least I'm making progress.

I am now 99% recovered from whatever life has thrown at me. It was a long career break, tho. I’m still using the same laptop; it’s 7 years old now. Sometimes, opening Farcaster makes it crash, and opening the Notion + Figma combo always makes the fan go turbo. Whoozzz!

That crypto life-saving story was truly magical. I honestly want to recreate that, whether on the giving or receiving end. The act of giving freely to those in need is just, I don’t know, superb? I might not be able to contribute directly as a mini-app developer, building something on top of L1, L2, or L3, but I think I can share my experience from my normie perspective by creating what I do best in many forms.

Till next time,
$$Seth$$
𝚗𝚘𝚛𝚖𝚒𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚒𝚗

** For my fellow normies out there:
In the context of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology, L1, L2, and L3 refer to different layers of blockchain architecture. I borrow these terms to illustrate progress in my life's timeline:

1. L1 (Layer 1): This refers to the base layer of a blockchain network. It is the main blockchain itself, where transactions are processed and validated. Examples of Layer 1 blockchains include Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Binance Smart Chain. Layer 1 solutions focus on improving scalability, security, and decentralization directly on the main blockchain.

2. L2 (Layer 2): This refers to secondary frameworks or protocols built on top of a Layer 1 blockchain to enhance its scalability and efficiency. Layer 2 solutions aim to reduce congestion and improve transaction speeds without compromising the security of the underlying Layer 1. Examples of Layer 2 solutions include the Lightning Network for Bitcoin and various rollups (like Optimistic Rollups and zk-Rollups) for Ethereum.

3. L3 (Layer 3): This layer is less commonly discussed but generally refers to application-specific protocols or services built on top of Layer 2 solutions. Layer 3 can include decentralized applications (dApps), user interfaces, and other services that interact with Layer 1 and Layer 2. It focuses on providing user-friendly experiences and functionalities for end-users.

I’m quite sure we all shared a collective trauma when the pandemic happened, and I was no different. I truly believed at the time that the path I was on was bulletproof: a steady paycheck, a second degree almost finished, and a dream career ready to take off. Then, within three short months, everything crumbled.

Early in 2020 I was still amused, almost entertained, by viral videos showing people collapsing like zombies in streets across China (I think?). “Cool CGI,” I thought. “Is this a movie promo?” By February 2020 though, the videos began to worry me. Some higher‑ups even joked that they were fake and that nothing like that would ever happen here. In March 2020 everything stopped after the first COVID‑19 case was announced.

Some people were in denial, while others immediately limited outside contact. I was in the latter group. Following my university’s guidelines, I was suddenly expected to do everything through Zoom (you probably remember this too!). I lived in what was basically a student dorm (technically public apartments) but almost all the tenants were students. One by one, my neighbors went home to be with their families. Out of 30 rooms, only two tenants remained: another student and me. The silence was eerie in a comforting way. The streets, the pollution, the noise, gone. Respectfully, I lowkey loved it.

The quiet also affected my work, which was directly tied to my income. My wallet, and the banking app on my phone, were as silent as the hallways. No emails, no calls, no project offers. With what little I had in savings, I could last maybe three more weeks. “Okay, how do I survive?” The primal instinct immediately kicked in.

At first nothing seemed viable, but eventually I received medical and financial aid from my uni and other community movements. It still wasn’t enough, so I asked myself, “What else can I optimize? What else can I cut to keep living?” After hours of back and forth, I convinced my landlord to slash my rent by 50-60% for the next month (yay!), plus I still get the courtesy of breakfast, lunch, and dinner (istg my landlord is the nicest!)

Remember how the other students went back to their hometowns? I tried to stay civil, high morals and all that, I wasn’t going to take what wasn’t mine. But an unclaimed treasure was calling: the shared refrigerator! No one was around, and in this building everyone had always been so busy that we barely saw each other. I texted the only neighbor I knew:

“Bro, I’m starving and I just looked in the fridge. Is this yours? Can I have it?”

He replied, “Yeah, go for it! But I’m not sure if you’ll like it; it contains some special herb from my hometown.”

Alright! By that logic, I started foraging in the fridge for anything edible whose owner was unknown. Most items were two or three years past their expiration dates but a few were still good.

My reign as CEO of the fridge lasted about a month. Then I had to think ahead “How will I pay even the discounted rent?” That’s when the digital scavenging began. Social media was full of donation drives, giveaways, and government aid, yet I wasn’t eligible for any of it. I “Jon Snowed” my social home feeds as if I were guarding Castle Black from White Walkers, hoping I wouldn’t miss any opportunities to make money. I kept seeing words like stocks, trading, Bitcoin mining, and cryptocurrency people claiming these had saved them during the turmoil. “Okay…” I thought, “how can I get in on this? Should I tear my laptop apart and mine the parts?” I soon learned you need specialized hardware, and my 2-yo laptop wasn’t going to cut it.

There had to be another way. I’m no programmer, but I dabble in tech. I followed every breadcrumb: Gmail alternatives, privacy‑first services, PGP keys, the IndieWeb, decentralization and somehow, this notification resurfaced:

“You’ve been airdropped $20.52 worth of Stellar Lumens in Keybase.”

It was mid‑March 2020, but the email was dated September 2019. “Yo, what is this?” I muttered. “Is this real money?” I wasn’t really sure how I created a Keybase account in the first place or how I became eligible for the airdrops, but when I rechecked, there were these messages:

• “Hi Seth, those are free Lumens worth $20.52.”

• “Hi Seth, BOOOYEAH! Those are your free Lumens worth $45.43.”

• “Hi Seth, BOOOYEAH! Those are your free Lumens worth $15.95.”

• “This was the FINAL month of the Space Drop. Be careful, don’t give anyone your secret key!”

“Whaaat? $81.90 USD in total 🤯” and “In this economy?” This phrase is relatable now, but also back then. My currency is weak even up til now, so that amount was more than enough if I could withdraw all of it to continue living. The question was, how could I do that? In the process of this withdrawal, I almost lost 30% of it! I didn’t know what to do or how to do it. I was frustrated; again, I’m no techie, but looking at how easy it is to transfer money right now, I have no problem funding my local crypto wallet (Pintu) from my digital fiat wallet (GoPay) and transferring it to my Farcaster wallet. Easy peasy! Back then, I had to specify some specific notes, aside from choosing the same ERC-20 network; otherwise, the money would be gone. I’m still not sure whether it was because of some wallet rules or if everything is relatively easier right now.

I was finally able to withdraw the rest of the airdrops and was able to live just fine until the funds ran out. I went back to my parents' house in mid-2020, so I was able to survive for four months because of the airdrop, covering rent, sanitary products, and extra food delivery whenever I needed it. When I got back home, I was faced with more problems; really, life just won’t give you a break 🫠 I went directly into a 5-year career break (7 years if you count the aftermath) but that is a story for another time.

I wasn’t able to use my computer much from 2020 to 2024. I was struggling with grief, depression, and a loss of identity. Looking back, I'm happy that curiosity and tinkering with things are ingrained in my DNA. I've been told this is a form of coping mechanism, but it also prevented me from entering a manic stage. Hey, it worked, didn't it?

I've had to rebuild myself, not from scratch but from the remnants. “What am I gonna do now?” With the loss of identity, losing interest in what you used to enjoy is also part of the equation. After I finished with my brain-rot activity, I finally crawled back to what I think I still had an interest in and never strayed far from: the internet. I surfed the web here and there, navigating the chaotic Twitter and the envious Insta-life, going down rabbit holes until I arrived at this gem, a thing called Perl. To my knowledge, it's a something-something-crypto-Web3 thing, something I've never dabbled in before.

Instantaneously, it invoked my Lumens Airdrop life-saving memory! “Perhaps this could be the start of something?” As you can see, to access Perl, you had to have a Farcaster account. “What's even Farcaster?” But I DM'ed Dan anyway and got access 5 months later. It was a surreal experience; the home feed was filled with lingo that I didn't understand but the most important thing here is that I feel alive again. It will probably take me years to catch up with crypto, but at least I'm making progress.

I am now 99% recovered from whatever life has thrown at me. It was a long career break, tho. I’m still using the same laptop; it’s 7 years old now. Sometimes, opening Farcaster makes it crash, and opening the Notion + Figma combo always makes the fan go turbo. Whoozzz!

That crypto life-saving story was truly magical. I honestly want to recreate that, whether on the giving or receiving end. The act of giving freely to those in need is just, I don’t know, superb? I might not be able to contribute directly as a mini-app developer, building something on top of L1, L2, or L3, but I think I can share my experience from my normie perspective by creating what I do best in many forms.

Till next time,
$$Seth$$
𝚗𝚘𝚛𝚖𝚒𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚒𝚗

** For my fellow normies out there:
In the context of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology, L1, L2, and L3 refer to different layers of blockchain architecture. I borrow these terms to illustrate progress in my life's timeline:

1. L1 (Layer 1): This refers to the base layer of a blockchain network. It is the main blockchain itself, where transactions are processed and validated. Examples of Layer 1 blockchains include Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Binance Smart Chain. Layer 1 solutions focus on improving scalability, security, and decentralization directly on the main blockchain.

2. L2 (Layer 2): This refers to secondary frameworks or protocols built on top of a Layer 1 blockchain to enhance its scalability and efficiency. Layer 2 solutions aim to reduce congestion and improve transaction speeds without compromising the security of the underlying Layer 1. Examples of Layer 2 solutions include the Lightning Network for Bitcoin and various rollups (like Optimistic Rollups and zk-Rollups) for Ethereum.

3. L3 (Layer 3): This layer is less commonly discussed but generally refers to application-specific protocols or services built on top of Layer 2 solutions. Layer 3 can include decentralized applications (dApps), user interfaces, and other services that interact with Layer 1 and Layer 2. It focuses on providing user-friendly experiences and functionalities for end-users.