My Crypto Adventure: I've Sold My Ethereum

Well, I did it. After a week of humming and hawing, I finally pressed the big red "sell" button on my Ethereum (yesterday). For a while there, I was convinced I'd wait until September, but you know how it is. You start to feel the temperature rise, and not because you've left the hob on. The vibes... they just felt off.

I’ve been watching the crypto market like a hawk, and what I saw was a familiar sight: the classic signs of pure, unadulterated euphoria. 

Social media feeds, which for months were a sea of quiet technical analysis and sensible market commentary, suddenly became a bonfire of "to the moon" memes and fantastical price predictions. It’s the digital equivalent of a conga line starting at a wedding—fun for a bit, but you know it’s a sign that things are about to get messy.

And the charts? Don’t even get me started.

A quick look at the weekly chart for Ethereum revealed the Relative Strength Index (RSI) was sitting at around 73. For the uninitiated, the RSI is a momentum indicator that essentially tells you if a market is overbought or oversold. A reading over 70 is generally considered "overbought," a polite way of saying the market's been running so hot it's in danger of spontaneously combusting. While it can stay there for a while, it’s a big, flashing warning sign. A bit like getting a text from your mum with an excessive number of emojis—you just know something is up.

I might have gotten out a little early. The price could, and probably will, go up a bit more. But I’m more than happy with my profit, which was substantial enough to make me feel a little bit smug, but not so big that I'm now shopping for a yacht. I cashed out, took my winnings, and now I can go back to thinking about less stressful things, like whether I’ve remembered to take the bins out.

Speaking of winnings, a quick word for my fellow UK-based investors, because it's an easy one to forget in the excitement. Remember your responsibilities regarding Capital Gains Tax (CGT). For the 2025/26 tax year, the annual exempt amount is £3,000.

My own profit was comfortably within that limit, so HMRC won't be sending me a strongly-worded letter about my Ethereum gains. If your profits are higher, however, you'll need to declare them and pay tax on the amount over the allowance.

So, for now, I'm sitting on the sidelines, watching the fireworks from a safe distance. It’s nice to have a front-row seat to the show without the lingering dread of a spectacular crash. The crypto world is a rollercoaster, and while I love a good thrill, I also appreciate the simple pleasure of a nice, calm, flat stretch of pavement. For now, I'm off to enjoy a cup of tea. It's a bit less volatile.

• May 2026 should be very interesting...

Free Speech Crisis: Brought to You by JD Vance

Crikey, you have to hand it to JD Vance. The man has a cheek of solid brass. He's sauntered over to our little island, the land of tepid tea and queueing, and declared with a straight face that our free speech is on the blink.

Now, let's unpack that, shall we? This is the same JD Vance who, not so very long ago, was a self-confessed "Never Trumper," worried about the man's divisive rhetoric and all-round un-statesmanlike behaviour.

He even privately compared him to a certain 20th-century authoritarian. But then, poof! Just like that, he had an epiphany. The scales fell from his eyes, and he realised that actually, the man he'd once condemned was the very saviour of America. A magical about-turn, a total conversion, or perhaps just a very savvy career move? You decide.

This is the man who published a bestselling book, Hillbilly Elegy, that was lauded by liberals as a thoughtful, insightful look at the white working class. Now he’s the poster boy for the very politics he seemed to be critiquing. He’s gone from a venture capitalist hobnobbing with Silicon Valley types to a right-wing populist, railing against "elites" and "woke" ideology. He voted against his own bill because it was wrapped up in a larger aid package for Ukraine, a move that baffled even some of his own constituents.

And now he's here, telling us off about our free speech. This is the man who has praised Viktor Orbán, the Hungarian prime minister who has been widely criticised for eroding democratic norms and, you guessed it, free speech. He's here to warn us about a "dark path," which is rich coming from a man whose political journey has been one long, winding road of convenient U-turns and newfound allegiances.

In my opinion, he's a lizard reincarnated as a snake—a creature of pure opportunism, shedding its old skin whenever a more advantageous one presents itself.

So, JD, before you start clucking about our freedoms, maybe have a look in your own backyard. Or better yet, a look in the mirror. It’s all a bit rich, isn't it?

Don't Leave Home Without a Map and Compass!

This evening, I had a chat with a walker on the Wainwright Coast to Coast route. The route, from St Bees to Robin Hood's Bay, passes right through my village. He was a friendly chap with a Yorkshire accent, but was completely lost. He was walking in circles, looking for a shop that he thought was a marker on the route, and he was convinced that once he found it, he'd be able to walk to Dent Fell.

The problem was, he was in the wrong village. He'd been so convinced of his location that he hadn't thought to check a map or use a compass. I was happy to point him in the right direction, but it was a stark reminder of the importance of carrying a map and compass.

It's a common misconception that navigating the fells and other wild spaces with a compass is difficult. In reality, with a little practice, it's easy to learn the basics and stay safe. A map and compass are essential tools for any walker, and they can be a lifesaver in an emergency.

How to use a compass
A compass is a simple tool, but it's vital for finding your way. Here's a basic guide to get you started:

• Orientate the map: Lay your map out flat. Place your compass on the map and rotate the map and compass together until the red magnetic needle aligns with the north-south gridlines on the map. The red end of the needle should point to the top of the map (Grid North). Your map is now "orientated" and reflects the features around you.
• Take a bearing: If you know where you are and want to find a specific landmark, place the compass on the map so that the edge of the baseplate forms a straight line between your current position and your destination. Ensure the direction-of-travel arrow points towards your destination.
• Read the bearing: Rotate the compass housing until the orienting lines are parallel with the north-south grid lines on the map and the orienting arrow points to Grid North. The figure on the rim of the compass dial at the index line is your heading.
• Follow the bearing: Hold the compass in front of you, turn yourself and the compass until the red end of the magnetic needle lines up with the orienting arrow. The direction-of-travel arrow will now point towards your destination.

Triangulation
Triangulation is a brilliant technique to pinpoint your exact location when you're unsure of where you are.

• Identify landmarks: Look around and identify at least two, but ideally three, prominent landmarks that you can also see on your map. These could be hills, buildings, or other distinct features.
• Take bearings: Take a bearing from your location to each of the landmarks.
• Draw lines on the map: Place your compass on the map with the edge of the baseplate touching the landmark you took a bearing to. Rotate the compass and map until the orienting lines are parallel with the north-south grid lines and the orienting arrow points north. Draw a line from the landmark, back towards your position.
• Find your location: Repeat this for at least one more landmark. Where the lines intersect is your approximate location. If you used three landmarks, the lines will create a small triangle; you are somewhere inside that triangle.

Remember, technology can fail, batteries can die, but a map and compass are always reliable. Don't leave home without them!

Crypto: The Case for Ethereum's Long-Term Potential

It's easy to get swept up in the frenzy of the cryptocurrency market. My own journey began with a curious dabble in Bitcoin, a small £20 investment in Litecoin, and a modest £6 profit that was hardly going to change my life. I've always been more of an observer than a gambler, and the promise of astronomical, overnight gains hasn't been enough to sway me. After all, a 10% gain on a tiny sum is a world away from the same percentage on a significant investment.

My head was turned not by hype, but by technology. Around 2021, I made my first investment in Ethereum. I had delved into the workings of various blockchains and came to a firm conclusion: Ethereum, with its vision of becoming a "world computer," had far more potential than its older, more established sibling, Bitcoin. Its roadmap to reduce energy consumption also resonated with me.

I began buying small amounts on a weekly basis, a strategy aimed at cost averaging. The crypto market, as it's known to do, soon entered a downturn. Yet I held firm, continuing to buy even as the charts began to resemble a scary fairground big dipper.

Eventually, I stopped buying and have been sat on my Ether for a while, a passive observer in this volatile landscape.

My plan has always been to cash out this September, following a cyclical 5-year liquidity chart. However, the temptation to stay invested for longer is strong. The reason? It’s a compelling technical analysis that points to a future where Ethereum's value isn't just tied to market cycles, but to a fundamental shift in the global financial system: tokenisation.

Maybe I'll cash out in the next few days, and then re-buy when the inevitable crash occurs. 

Update (14 Aug) - I sold my Ether.