Preparing Society for the Future of Neuroscience Technology

Diary Entry – October 10, 2024 Today I ended up going to Southport on the bus. It’s been years since I’ve wandered those streets, but as soon as I stepped off, it was like I was transported back in time. I walked down the pier, past the fair, and along the promenade where all the arcades are, the same ones where I spent hours as a teen. Memories came flooding back of the friends I had back then, faces I haven’t seen in years, and I wondered what became of them. We were a wild bunch, always scheming and pulling little stunts, like selling tickets outside rides for quick cash, just to feed our obsession with the game machines inside. I still remember being hooked on that boxing simulator. I’d spend hours there, punching until my knuckles were raw, hands shaking like jelly when I was done. It felt like I couldn’t walk away, like I had something to prove to myself—or maybe I just needed the distraction back then. After passing the fairground, I headed down the promenade and into town, walking towards Churchtown, where I used to live in that kids’ home. My mind drifted back to 1996, just after I’d burnt the house down. That was a rough time, bouncing from place to place, but Churchtown is where they put me up in temporary accommodation. The old building’s gone now, demolished, with new houses standing in its place. Even though the building’s no longer there, the memories still feel as vivid as ever. I kept walking, carried by some invisible pull, until I found myself in the courtyard of the street where my old girlfriend used to live. She was my first love, though I was too young to understand what that even meant back then. I was reckless and didn’t know how to treat her, or myself, for that matter. As I stood there, memories of that time flooded in, like when I got trapped by that gang of kids and had to be rescued by the carer. It’s strange how certain moments can stick with you so vividly. I knocked on her old door. Part of me knew she wouldn’t be there anymore, but I felt like I owed that place an apology. Maybe it was more for me than for her. I carried that guilt around for years, regret for how I acted, for not being the person she deserved. I imagined what I’d say to her if she was still there. How I’d apologize, release all that shame, and finally make peace with it. I’m sure she’s long moved on, probably has a family by now, and doesn’t even think about those days, but they’ve lingered in my mind for so long. Today, I felt like I could finally let go. I thanked her, in my own way, for the lessons her presence in my life brought. And I left my blessings for her, wherever she is. I didn’t need to see her. I just needed to be there, to stand in that space, and let those memories fade into the past where they belong. It’s time to move on.

I fall so easy, I tumble right in, With a heart so pure, where do I begin? Love calls my name, with a sweet little song, And before I know it, I’m carried along! When I fall, I fall hard, no halfway for me, It’s all or it’s nothing, as deep as the sea. But I’ve learned a great lesson, through heartache and flame Not every love is worthy of the name. For I’ve danced with the devils, through fire and pain, And I’ll never go down that dark road again. So now when I love, it must be just right, An accented angel, a being of light. No more will I fall for just any sweet tune, For I’ve tasted the stars, but have crashed to the moon. I seek now the one whose heart’s just like mine, Who’ll love with a grace that’s truly divine. So I’ll wait for the angel, with wings pure and bright, Who lifts me with love, and fills me with light. No longer will I traverse hell’s heavy door For now, only heaven is what I’ll adore. Yes, I fall easy, that’s just who I am, But only for love that’s part of the plan. With a heart so pure, I must guard it well, For I will not again dance in the fires of hell.

There once was an egg, round and sleek, Who dreamed every night, week after week. By day, it was humble, it rolled and it rocked, But by night, oh by night, its dreams it unlocked! It dreamed of lands both far and near, Where the skies were bright and the stars sang clear. And as it slept, the egg would see, The wonders of all it could someday be. Dream One: The Egg of Light and Shade One night, it dreamed of swirling hues, Of black and white and cosmic blues. Its shell became sleek, its form full of power, Standing tall in a shadowy tower. It shimmered with light, both gold and grey, Balancing the dark in a mystical way. “Is this what I’ll be?” the egg did wonder, “A keeper of balance, of lightning and thunder?” Dream Two: The Egg of the Stars The next night came, and the egg took flight, To a land where galaxies gleamed so bright. Dressed in a suit of glowing beams, It danced on planets and bathed in streams. The stars were its friends, the cosmos its play, And Eggman shone brighter than night turns to day. “Is this my fate?” it mused with delight, “To roam the heavens, a star in the night?” Dream Three: The Fairy Egg of the Mushrooms On the third night, the dream was sweet, With rings of mushrooms beneath its feet. Egg fairies fluttered and whispered with glee, “Come join our magic, oh Egg of the Tree!” Its shell was adorned with colours galore, It sparkled and glimmered like jewels from the core. “Is this my destiny, oh what a scene, To be part of a world so fairy and green?” Dream Four: The Egg of Cities Afar Another dream showed Eggman a place, Of neon lights and a cyberpunk space. Its suit was metallic, its eyes glowed bright, As it soared through a city of endless night. Holograms danced, and Eggman was king, A ruler of tech and a futuristic thing. “Could this be me, so modern and grand, The Egg who rules this shimmering land?” Dream Five: The Egg of the Swirling Sky One evening, the egg dreamt of a land, Where the skies swirled wild, both grand and unplanned. It wore a suit of patterns divine, Its shell was a canvas, each line intertwined. The wind sang a song, the stars danced in kind, The Egg became art, a muse for the mind. “Could this be my calling,” it wondered with glee, “To inspire the world with creativity?” Dream Six: The Egg of the Crystal Spires The next night, the egg saw towering peaks, Crystals that glistened, and streams that speak. Its shell turned radiant, its aura aglow, It wandered a world where magic would flow. Egg fairies and sprites twirled all around, In this shimmering land where no sorrow was found. “Is this where I’ll be, a beacon of light? A guardian of magic, both ancient and bright?” Dream Seven: The Egg of the Neon City Another night, the egg did explore, A futuristic city with a cyberpunk core. Its suit glowed bright, with gears and steel, In a world where machines and humans feel. It soared through the streets on neon streams, A digital world born straight from dreams. “Am I destined to lead this tech-savvy sphere? A hero of progress, innovation, and cheer?” Dream Eight: The Enchanted Forest Egg The egg then dreamed of a forest divine, With mushroom rings and a magical shine. Its shell was adorned with moss and dew, A creature of wonder in a land fresh and new. Fairies giggled, and whispers were sung, As Eggman danced where mushrooms were sprung. “Could this be my path, to live free and fair, In a whimsical world beyond all compare?” Dream Nine: The Cosmic Egg of Stardust One night, it dreamed of the stars again, But this time, it travelled past worlds of men. It floated in stardust, a galaxy’s muse, With planets and comets, in shimmering hues. Its shell became vast, a map of the skies, Reflecting the cosmos in its infinite size. “Could this be my fate,” it thought as it gleamed, “To be the cosmos’ soul, as I’ve always dreamed?” Dream Ten: The Egg of the Fairy Ring The final dream was soft and sweet, A mushroom ring beneath its feet. Its shell turned golden, its heart aglow, As it basked in magic where dreams freely flow. It danced with joy in the faerie’s land, Where beauty and wonder went hand in hand. “Perhaps my destiny lies not in one sphere, But in dreaming and dancing with no fear.” The Morning Light Each morning the egg would awake with a start, Its dreams etched deeply into its heart. It wondered aloud, “Which path will I take? What kind of future will I create?” Though it didn’t yet know, one thing was clear, The Egg was a dreamer, with nothing to fear. For each new night brought wonders anew, A thousand realities, and each one true. So dream on, dear Egg, your time will come, To find the world where you truly belong. And when you do, you’ll look back and say, “I dreamed it all, and it started that day.” The End