I popped by a job fair, where only cryptocurrency and metaverse firms were hiring. I made virtual coffees for people who could not actually ingest said beverages. I went to a dance party at a virtual club, where dozens of people in the form of cartoonish avatars were bumping, grinding and throwing dollar bills in the air. In the metaverse, I saw things that were strange, confounding, depressing and intriguing – and once, even beautiful.