Oooh look a super long, wandering, and opinionated post. 🙄 --- The negative energy bubbling up around NDC is unsettling. Imagine what it looks like to people outside the ecosystem... I understand some things may seem/feel egregious, but we all care a lot about this ecosystem. So, let's keep it above board. Especially when posting on X or other public forums that reach audiences outside the fam. I'm not in a position to pass judgment on what's right or wrong, fact or fiction. But, for whatever it's worth I do have a pretty good "cringe-o-meter" and it's definitely been rising as of late. This goes both for people I voted for and for those I didn't. Yes, transparency is good. Just remember that the tech we're all here for is making waves. And we've got eyes on us right now. Those in power elected to their seats would be wise to opt for prudence in their actions first and foremost, but also in their interactions with each other and with the broader community. Despite some bickering the general ecosystem-wide momentum we've had and continue to build is insane. Our relatively small community is shipping like monsters at every level of the stack. Coordination is strong and it only feels like it isn't sometimes because we're all pulling so hard. This is a good thing imo. It's the end of a 90min expert-level hot yoga class and we're pushing through the sweat in our eyes. It stings. Just gotta keep breathing steadily. Growing pains are called that for a reason and true progress doesn't come easy. We all know this and it's why we're still here. It's inspiring to witness and to be a part of. This is my third year of NearCON FOMO. I'll be at home building and honoring commitments I made earlier in the year. Even though I won't be attending, I'm incredibly proud to be building in this ecosystem both for how far it's come and for how much potential is still left in the roadmap. Keep doing the hard work. The open web is here and it will continue to sprout from the seeds of our most human qualities. The desire to be seen, heard, and respected. Not only within the systems we operate but also in the relationships we have with other operators. We can lean into what unites us and bridge divides we thought couldn't be bridged. It's happening. Celebrate how far we've come since first landing on the mat (and don't forget to post about it on near.social!). Or just go for a walk and touch some grass. Thanks for coming to my pep talk. ✨ #NEARSTRONG #BOS #OpenWeb #BeastMode #SWEAT