Intro

Hi World. 

I'm iTo. I've never been much for writing - though considering what I do for a living that's some what of an irony. Perhaps what I mean to say is, I'm terrified of sharing my thoughts, my ideas and my past with the world wide web. The digital you. It's kept me away for may years in fact, but I hope no longer. 

Tonight, I lost, who was perhaps my favourite person in this life. My Gran. ( 20th - 21st May 2017 )

As I witness BitCoin passes $2,000 USD for the first time, a message intrudes on my thoughts of the new highs. "Gran's Passed". 

It's now 4am here in the UK and she lies, lost to me in a hospital bed some 11,ooo miles away in Cape Town, South Africa. 

With a loving wife and two beautiful children sound a sleep a few rooms away, I'm finally writing that all important first letter. To you. The world gone digital. Perhaps I should be thankful. If it were not for that message and half a bottle of a 42 year old Glenlivet, ( exactly half her age ) I'd probably not be writing this. 

Who Am I

One of many, one of you, a drop in the ocean that is a sea of people. Though perhaps through my writings, we may discover an entertaining, if not a unique perspective on life. Or at least I hope so. 

So what makes me unique? What makes you unique? ... Our experiences are perhaps the best place to begin.

Well. Looking back on my mere 35 years on this blue planet. There are three turning points so far worth mentioning: My birth. My 'death'. And Cancer. These three events have shaped my life, my views and values. During the course of this new venture, I will share some of these turning points with you. 

Finding You!

Looking back on how I stumbled upon Steemit and why I created this account... Well, professionally; I'm a UX Architect. ( For those not familiar; UX stands for User Experience ) So I'm naturally interested in 'the digital space'. But the propensity to look for alternative sites like Steemit? Well... that takes me back to my beginnings. 

Unlike most in our world, I can honestly - or at least 'believing-ly' - say that I was not born 'on' this planet. But rather 'above' it. 

Far fetched? 

Nonsense. 

Tierra Del Fuego

'As its been shared with me.'

With the land of fire as our backdrop, a helicopter fly's at speed through the air. It's occupants; two pilots. A captain and his second. A woman and two nurses. 

She's in labour. The placenta has separated from the utiran wall and she's bleeding out. It's 100 miles to the nearest city and hospital and if she's not treated soon; both will die. 

The blades beat the air. Hot knives slicing through a buttery sky. It's 7am and the sun's colours are bursting through the horizon. Blood reds, dazzling oranges and fire yellows. A fitting sky for the land. And the moment. 

"I can't stabilise her, there isn't time. I'm going in!"

... 

The helicopter lands. Black rubber reunited with ancient tar. The blades beet their dut-dut-dut through the air. A sound that calms me till today. Yes, I was born. Not on land but in sky. 

Fantastic?

You've not heard the best part! ... the woman. Obviously my mother. The captain? My farther. 

( Back row, third from the right. Can you find him in the first photo? )

Joao Manuel Da-Chuna Lourenco. ( What a name, just rolls off the tongue! ) 

A Capitan in air rescue and occasional air-chauffeur for Shell - transporting personal from Rio-Gallegos, Argentina to the oil rigs off shore during the early 80's. Yes. My farther piloted the helicopter that airlifted my mother to the hospital in Riao Gallegos, Argentina. January 1982. Before they landed. I was born. 

What a beginning to live up to... 

Crypto?

Well. The story doesn't end there. 

I may have been born over South America, but I didn't stay there for long. In-fact, a few interesting facts about my life; 

• Before my first birthday, I'd spent over 400 hours in helicopters,
• By my 12th birthday, I'd traveled - and lived in - 5 countries on 3 continents,

In my 3rd year. I arrived in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. ( Any dot's beginning to connect? )

Looking back over my last few months in Bulawayo, I now understand the preparations my parents had been making. The sale of things and the more than usual number of 'business' trips. 

Until one night I was woken by a warm hand on my shoulder. My farther, "We're taking a short trip, help me with your brothers". It was late, dark and dead quiet. Not even the crickets were playing their song that night. Still dressed in our pj's we drove at speed towards the South African, Zimbabwean boarder. 

Having entered South Africa, we couldn't have stayed 24 hours before flying out to begin a new in the UK. 

At the age of 12, August 1994. Without knowing or notice or opportunity to say goodbye to family, friends or animals, I fled Bulawayo. In '96 - 'everything' hit the fan...

On both sides - My family has built and lost fortunes during their lifetimes. My grandfather on my farthers' side, built an empire in Angola making Rolex watches. Only to loose it all during the Angolan war. My grandfather on my mothers side, built a clothing manufacturing empire in Zimbabwe. Making clothes for the likes of Billabong, Pierre Cardin, DKNY and many others. In its height, the factories had some 15,000 workers. Sadly in 2012, it too was lost to a government insistent on looting the businesses foreign currency accounts. In the end, it was simply impossible to maintain operations.  

Naturally, knowing the stories of my heritage and living through the crisis of Zimbabwe via those that stayed behind, I've become skeptical of all forms of power and keenly observant on their forms of control. Jumping to today, it seems to me we're heading for another Zimbabwe like event. But back to my immediate point...

Wealth Protection! 

When BitCoin made its entire on the world stage, crypto became an obsession, not simply a fascination. Hence my propensity to finding 'alternatively-minded' circles.

Purpose & Proposal

BitCoin wasn't my first route into wealth protection, the metals were, but discussing these in detail isn't what I'd like to offer here. There are plenty more informed individuals than I who offer these roads. 

As a professional, I am an observer. I'm paid to observe actions, intemperate behaviours and establish patterns. I find and challenge trends. I project into the future and I act to protect the longevity of the project at hand.

In my writings, we will be exploring and discussing our favourite topics; the metals, crypto's and perhaps even a little UX. But from a behavioural perspective, the mindset of the crowd and those influences on their minds.

With that, I hope you will join me in these explorations, enabling me grow and develop, as I hope to entertain and inform you, my first readers. 

Now, I bid you farewell.

Best

iTo