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Howdy!
Two days ago marked 29 months of my participation in the PRIME study using the @neuralink chip. I can’t say it’s been uneventful. This has quite possibly been the most exciting change in my life since I discovered Tim Tams and fairy bread. It’s been a while since I gave an update, so let me fill y’all in on what I’ve been up to these last few months.
I decided to take a break from school this semester because of all the traveling I was doing, which would’ve had me missing far too many classes. That’s an issue I am actively trying to figure out because I doubt my speaking engagements are going to lessen anytime soon.
On that note, in my last update, I mentioned traveling to appear in a @MrBeast video as well as attending the World Governments Summit in Dubai. Since then, I have been to Detroit to speak at a special education and support services symposium, which was absolutely fantastic. I went to Boston for a robotics summit, which has led to some very interesting opportunities and possible collaborations. I made it to Canada to do some filming for a project that’s in the works, managed to worm my way into the inaugural @StrikeFtrLeague E-gaming competition in Las Vegas, spoke at my community college here in Yuma, made an appearance on a local radio station, and had some folks from Australia come to my house to do some filming. I’ve also booked out most of the rest of my year with other speaking engagements, which should prove to keep me very busy. But I’m not complaining one bit. I’ve always loved to travel, and being able to do that while speaking on things I’m so passionate about has been an absolute blessing. I honestly couldn’t ask for more.
I’ve been approached with a few collaborations that are in the works, and hopefully I’ll be able to share more on those soon!
Neuralink has definitely been kicking things into high gear lately. It seems that not a week goes by without hearing of more minio–I mean participants joining the ranks. It’s awesome to see the different niches we’ve all found for using the device, and I’m constantly blown away by the things they are doing and creating. It really does point to an exciting future when this is more readily available to the masses and when we can see the new potential unlocked by other people’s imagination and drive.
I’m still working on my book, and I’m making steady progress with a ghostwriter. It’s a strange experience, seeing your life written out before you. It’s been oddly satisfying, humbling, and surprisingly cathartic retelling some of the most impactful moments of my life. I’m having a lot of fun in the process, though some chapters have been harder to relive than others.
In my downtime these last few months, I’ve been putting quite a lot of time into some video games that I’ve been meaning to get around to, and I’ve been listening to a ton of audiobooks. I think in the last two months I have listened to about 30 or 40 and counting. I’ve also started taking my Japanese learning more seriously, and one of my best friends and I have private tutoring lessons once a week. Although, my tutor is set on us learning to write out the Japanese scripts, which has proven to be…entertaining…at least for them. Apparently drawing kanji with my thoughts isn't what i would call "in my wheelhouse." My plan is to take the N5 this December, and I am confident I will pass with flying colors. Probably. Maybe. Hopefully. I should probably go study.
Oh, I was also in our relationship for about eight months. Surprise! Honestly, that one surprised me, too. It was an amazing experience with an equally amazing woman, and even though it ended, I learned so much about myself and what I thought was possible as a quadriplegic. The worst part is that I can already hear the cacophony of "I told you so"s coming my way.
Finally, on to the last thing I want to talk about and the reason why I wanted to wait until today to post this.
Today marks 10 years since I had my accident: June 30th, 2016. Every year, as this day approaches, I find myself contemplative, reflective, and generally quite sad. The first few years were much harder than the past few, but without fail, this season seems to find me reclusive and closed off. I’m not sure when it will ever stop hurting.
I tell you this because the last six months have been particularly difficult. Maybe it’s the realization that it’s already been 10 years, or that it’s essentially a third of my life in which I have been lying in a bed. Maybe it’s the fact that I miss the things I lost, or that I may never have any of it again, or even just that all of this is going to continue on. Truth is, I don’t know, but the lead-up to this day has been somber nevertheless. I haven’t wanted to engage as much. I’ve spent time away from social media, and when I’m not traveling or working, I have kept to myself. As much fun as I have had, and as much as my life has changed for the better in these last two and a half years, being paralyzed still sucks. I would give just about anything to change that.
But tomorrow is another day, and with that comes another opportunity to see all that I have been blessed with. I am so thankful for my family, who have cared for me in a way that nothing short of the deepest love could explain. I’m thankful for my friends, who have stood by me since day one and never treated me differently. I’m thankful for @elonmusk, @neuralink, and @BarrowNeuro for giving me the opportunity to regain independence and find joy in an incredibly bleak situation. I’m thankful to this community and all those who have supported me for standing by me, taking an interest in my life, and helping me through good times and bad. And finally, I want to thank God for, well, everything. All that has happened, is happening, and will happen is according to His plan, and I want nothing more.
Y’all have been great, and if you’ve read this far, I appreciate you humoring me.
– Noland and Eve
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