Once again, being random, having a twisted train of thought, that squeezes me in area’s other people do not go!

Sometimes people are just different, that is good because everybody being the same, VERY DULL.

As you may have read in one of my previous Blog Posts, I started investigating the crypto world about a year ago. Did not look at anything besides Ripple / XRP.

Twitter, did not use it a lot before, was for me the place to get ALL the knowledge. A couple people were talked about and also talked about a fellow Dutch Guy. Started to follow him and he followed me back. Nice! Then we had the Amsterdam Money 20/20 meet up with Ripple and it became clear to me: If David Schwartz wants to meet this guy, he must be a great guy...

So who is Wietse Wind, and more important, is he a good cook?

"Hi Wietse, I have this awesome idea for a new blog". That is how our telephone call started. Hearing my story, Wietse liked the idea, so we had to arrange a date for our cooking together. Do I know how to cook eh, a little, so I hope the inventor of the XRP Tipbot can show me some tricks.....

I will come up with the dish – ingredients and the cooking has to be done together. While we are doing this, let’s have some fun and do some questioning the good man. The dish I chose was "Geschnetzeltes" - a Swiss dish I picked up when I lived there.

So last week it actually happened, Wietse showed up with his wife, lovely experience as the two are expecting and the due date is approaching. We had nice conversation about a lot of things, children, traveling, do's and don’ts about life and when we moved to the kitchen ...... topics were started dealing with Blockchain / Ripple / XRP!!!

Wietse, thanks for this great opportunity to get into your life and see a couple other things we normally do not see from you:

Let’s start off with a simple question: A car travels from A to B at the rate of 40 miles per hour, and then returns from B to A at the rate of 60 miles per hour. Is the average rate for the round trip more or less than 50 miles per hour? Great answer, only took you ………. a day (gave you this question, the only one, yesterday and via Max Verstappen (Formula 1) you gave me the correct answer.

So we need to start with the mushrooms, cutting these in nice little parts, like a crypto coin, not looking at the whole but at .... the drops of it.

Time to fire the second question: so when did you get involved in Ripple / XRP, Wietse?

It was after watching a video with David Schwartz and I do not totally remember what video it was but it opened my eyes and I wanted to learn more about the company Ripple and ......

NO WIETSE, that is NOT how I want to have the Mushrooms!!!!!

Continuing backing the meat, has to be tender, so cannot bake too long on too much heat ..... Behind us we heard chatter about children, birth and all those kind of things...

Can you please show me your driver license Wietse ........ No peeps, he really is Wietse and not Satoshi....

So Wietse, what has been a highlight for you in the year 2018?

Too many things to mention, because when you look back, the year has shown us so many things, more exchanges, more understanding, Coil, the XRPCommunity, but the most important would definitely be 'the divorce' between XRP and Ripple. Understanding it is NOT the same!

While talking we toasted, with sparkling water, on a great evening, a great cooking and a great year to come, next question and the air friar for the Rösti was started (potato).

Wietse, this year has also been big regarding the group of 'the Twitter Investors", the so-called XRPCommunity; why is this so strong with this Crypto Currency? Why do you think it exists and why do people want to share? I have invested in Stock, Options, Futures, Pork Belly, Wine, never saw this strong feeling wanting to be one ......

I believe that the community is just a group that does the same, invest in a financial vehicle that is still in its early stage. People share the same vision. People that do not know XRP well enough, and trolls, force 'the group' to defend itself and that gives 'the family feeling'. Fighting together for adoption, trust etcetera. G R E A T Community.

Keep stirring Wietse, if you want me to talk positive about you as a cook, you need to act like one..... Yes that is it! You still like it..... Good that is what I wanted to hear :-)

I do want to add, to your answer Wietse, what we spoken about offline.... I really think we also have to thank people like XRP Trump, Tiffany, Hodor, Matt, and all the other Community Members not getting a mention, for sticking into it, fighting and educating the rest. This of course with the help of Ripple Icons like David, Ben, Stefan, Nik, Cory and others. It is all the transparency, what CAN be shared will be shared and IS shared. We are in an immature market and knowledge is power.

Oh that was the Air Fryer, time to get the potatoes in, we need to work on adding the cream with the mushrooms.

What will be the catalyst of the next bull-run? Will it be FOMO, Blockchain acceptance, big partners, regulation or Rob Le's tipping?

That is a very difficult question. Of course regulations but all the others will definitely help getting the price up... Acceptance and Rob Le are definitely helping; I'd rather NOT see FOMO; better to see the price grow gradually...

Okay, the food is starting to look really nice. Be patient, stay close to it, meat needs to have less heat... keep concentrating Mr. Wind....

We had to touch it sooner or later, but where did the idea of a tipbot come from?

It started with Reddit Gold and Reddit Grammar Bots. Few people thought it was a good idea, but when the idea was introduced on Twitter, it just went viral.... within the XRPCommunity. That is where it was started and it was nice to see that people were picking it up.

From XRP Tipbot, it moved to XRParrot, where is this going?

From the looks of it, at the moment, nowhere. It is exactly what I wanted it to be. If it is growing bigger, more international, we are talking more licenses, lawyers, regulations and that is not what I want, I want to program. For new people in the industry it lowers the boundaries to buy, when you live in Europe; you can automatically buy, make it a monthly transaction, in order to do something with your average price. The way how it is working now..... is exactly what I want it to be. (I also asked Wietse how you pronounce the product.... It is XR-Parrot.

Okay, ladies, time to set the table, WE GUYS are getting to a stage that we are convinced we are getting the food in a state that will make you smile from ear to ear. (and yes there is already a little present for the little Wietse)

So Wietse, what is next, what are your plans, any new ideas?

Enough, with all the ideas I get from the community, I could work for the next 4 years. The input is so plenty, that I have to make choices.... I have a clear vision in what direction I want to move; the next two years are clear, and 'pretty' clear for the coming 5 years. 4 Big projects on the agenda, that will be central and I will work on those together with @baltazar223 and @thisistriss (please follow these guys).

Okay ladies, ready ..... because we are. Dinner is served, oh and Wietse, what about online advertising, will that disappear with Coil/ micro payments knocking on the door?

Difficult question, it all depends what will be seen as an additional feature. Who will adopt first, the content creators or the platforms that offer content?!? Or maybe platforms are going to offer both or the choice... Maybe platforms will offer it themselves. Show content WHEN you have Coil, or we show ads..... who knows world is still young, so online advertising still has a long time before it will see competition and/ or will be replaced.

NO MORE XRP / Ripple, dinner time...

The final words can be made by me... I had a good time, talking with Wietse about his role, about Ripple, about XRP and do it in a little different style

I think we served the four of us a great dish, that maybe did not get enough words. Dinner was topped by great tasting coffee, with even better tasting chocolates. I do have to give my wife credit for those.

Great experience and I wonder if there is another great cook among the XRPCommunity that will be asked to show his/ her skills.

Thank you Wietse and lady Wietse..... Now it is all time for the birth of your little lady ....I got the present laying here, will send / give it to you for a birth card, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!