Six Months on Steemit-- Status Update-- A Personal Journal Entry

in #steemit7 years ago

2017-01-29 22:11:57

That's the time my Steemit account was created, according to Steemd.com.

I'm not a fan of self-congratulatory and self-indulgent milestone posts-- however, I'm "borrowing" an idea from @lukestokes-- basically using the fairly permanent record that is the blockchain to chart my progress, as a sort of personal journal entry.

This post is as much for myself-- to mark a moment in time-- as it is for anyone else.

I write this on August 2nd, the 6-month anniversary of my first post.

I didn't think this would work

Sunset
Northwest sunset

I'm skeptical. Skeptical and jaded. I arrived here, skeptical and jaded.

Having been part of 50+ user-generated content sites across almost 20 years... and having watched every single one fail... I came here with a bad attitude.

No, seriously. A bad attitude.

Here's a line from my original "introduceyourself" post: 

"I find myself slightly hesitant to even write and post these words, as history shows that I represent what many have come to think of as a "trailing indicator." That is, if I'm onboard with something and think it has potential... that's the inevitable signal that the venture in question is old news and about to fold up its tents and vanish."

So far, I have (thankfully) been proven wrong.

Has my skepticism left the building? Not exactly... but I'd say I've moved from the ranks of "skeptic" to "realist."

By The Numbers:

In six months, I have managed to publish 275 original blog posts. I feel sort of self-congratulatory about that... this is the first time since the "Xanga days" (2002-05) I've actually managed to "stick to" a general blog. Woo-hoo, go me!

Leaves
Water droplets on leaves

5846 total posts. I guess persistence and consistency pays off... somehow, I've managed to squeeze into the top-100 most active posters, according to SteemWhales.com. That wasn't really intentional, but certainly testament to the fact that Steemit has a strong sense of community that invites engagement. Farcebook bores me far to much to invite that much engagement. People here actually interact. What a concept!

6426 Steem Power-- that's another pleasant surprise for me. There has been so many content sites over the years that promise "rewards" and you bust your butt for two years as a thank you for which you end up with $2.12. 

Tsu comes to mind, as do a few others. What makes me happy about this is that I was able to do that (I hope!) largely on merit... not because I'm some semi-celebrity with with two million followers on YouTube. Of course, I was also consistently powering up while Steem dropped to 10 cents and many were ready to just quit and go home. Maybe it sounds like "quite a lot," but I'm actually only ranked #1083 in this category

1369 followers. To put some perspective around that, it has taken me almost ten years to get 1546 followers on twitter. So that's pretty impressive... in some sense. Rank: no. 520. Thanks to everyone who has found my rantings and ravings worthwhile enough to warrant a follow. I hope I can continue to earn that trust.

Reputation: 67.9... which is probably pretty good, all in all. Top 300-ish... will keep working on that, although it remains somewhat unclear to me exactly how it grows. It seems to be logarithmic-- the higher it gets, the slower it grows.

Bitcoin, Cryptocurrencies and this thing called Steem

Thistle
Thistle

When I got here, I knew about Bitcoin. I also knew that Ethereum was a Bitcoin alternative, because my friend Ben worked on it. Otherwise? Cryptocurrencies... what's that? I've learned quite a lot since then.

It's odd, and interesting, and a little weird to get rewarded in something that fluctuates in value... but I am pretty content with this system-- it's a bit like being paid in stock options. Or stock. And I'm good with that.

Just to record this, Steem is trading at $1.27 on Bittrex, as I write this. In the past six months, the price has fluctuated between about 9 cents and $2.00+ 

The Good Bits

Definitely the level of engagement and intelligence I see here... especially among those who have been using Steemit for a while. Some of the "challenges" are great too, as community building tools.

The friendships-- to the degree you can call them that-- are great, too... probably the most connection since Xanga. So that's super cool.

The fact that the site is not uber-cluttered with ads is a definite plus, too... which leads to another "definite plus" which is that Google looks very favorably on web sites without ads... meaning that my context ranks well. Which is more than can be said for other venues.

Rose
Rose & beetle

I really love the idea that this is potentially a "gift economy" where everyone can benefit from a pay-it-forward type od system. That really IS a game-changer!

The So-So Bits

Whereas I'd love to think Steemit is a meritocracy, there are some limitations on that.

Like almost all sites "of its ilk" there's a definite "elite" on Steemit... but I don't gripe too much about it. People who own 50 million shares in a company generally have more say at shareholder meetings than those who own 50 shares. 

Unfortunately, it results in occasional skirmishes and localized power struggles. I guess that's normal, as writing sites go... but it doesn't look really good to potential newcomers.

Like the old Tears for Fears song goes: "Everybody Wants to Rule the World."

Another so-so bit is the organization of the content. There's no accurate or efficient way to look at (for example) just travel articles, or just psychology articles. Tags are only minimally useful in that sense... besides, a lot of creators "mistag" to get their work into popular categories.

Ugly bits and concerns

Marigold
Marigold

Almost as soon as I started here, I started warning anyone who'd listen about the imminent inflow of huge numbers of spammers and plagiarists who would pick up that there were rewards here... much like a hound picks up the scent of blood.

I'm not surprised... but I was largely stonewalled with "Oh, that won't happen here" or "it won't be a problem."

Well, now we're sitting here, and it IS a problem: Vote-for-vote begging, follow-for-follow begging, self-upvoting, botnets, paid upvote services that mostly serve to fill the pockets of those who already have full pockets.

Some people are starting to pay attention but will it be enough? And in time?

Some like to point to the fact that since Steemit isn't paying with fiat money, there's no "going bankrupt." Absolutely true... but if Steemit becomes known as the world Spam Headquarters, the price of the Steem token will soon enough head south. 1/2-cent Steem, anyone?

But that remains to be seen. However, unless something is done, there will be no more Steemit, as we know it. Been there, done that. 

Goals?

Not really planning to set any goals for the next six months. Just want to keep creating good content... and to support the part of the community that's focused on creating and promoting quality content. It would be cool if I could continue building to 10,000 Steem Power by next February 1st... but not holding my breath on that one.

And that's sort of about IT. Going to commit this little screed to the blockchain for safe keeping... and move forward with the next six months!

Thanks to everyone who has supported and followed me! I appreciate your confidence.

How about YOU? How long have YOU been on Steemit? Has the experience been mostly positive, or more negative for you? Some of each? What do you see as the major problems facing the community? Do you think they are solvable? Where do you think Steemit-- and the price of Steem-- will be, six months, a year, five years from now? Any personal feelings about Steemit you'd like to add? Leave a comment-- share your experiences and feedback-- be part of the conversation!

(As usual, all text and images by the author, unless otherwise credited. This is original content, created expressly for Steemit)
Published 20170802 18:12 PDT

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Hello, my name is Enjar and I’m a steemholic. I have been here for 50 days.

enjar822017.png

What I love

Thankfully I love most of the people on this platform. I think that’s a good start to a social platform like this place. I like it more than any other platform I have tried like twitter and facebook where I really just could care less about using them. It's fun, I get to learn lots of things. There are so many amazing people I some times don’t know why they even let me in.
Experimenting and changing things up a little here or there. I just love to try different things and Steemit is such an easy going and liberating place that I can just do that. I make small changes and then see how they play out. Do I like keeping my voting power at 80? Can I give away 5 SBD, can I comment every day. Can I blog every day? What happens with I disagree with people? Writing different things. Commenting on different topics that I have no clue about and surely will get my butt kicked if someone replies back “what do you mean?”

Problems

I happen to agree and been noticing for a while the spammers and beggars need a heel to the face. People just always can’t help themselves. Here they are with the perfect opportunity for them to speak and have a voice and they choose to beg and spam. I just can’t in good conscience give someone an upvote that is so lacking in seeing the opportunity they have here I almost feel compelled to go out and just start flagging every single last of them. It's like the beggars on the streets when you offer them a job and they laugh at you saying “I’m not taking a pay cut and paying taxes” whuuuut??? Your place in our civil society is to begging and that your lifelong dream?

One of the biggest challenges I have been giving myself is to disagree with people a couple times a week. People hate it. They get so pissed, and oh “I’m the one with issues.” They have no idea I wrote my comment in a way to invoke a response to get some kind of dialog and encourage people to not always be “yes people.” We can’t learn in an “always yes” society. Sure, I pick to be a bit outrageous sometimes and people get so defensive, and insulting to me and try to be little me. Perhaps I have to think about a better way of doing it. Not sure yet still a goal I am working on. It's just interesting to say the very least. Maybe I’ll write a blog or just scrap it all together it's hard to tell if I’m just being over bearing in it. Saddens me the most I can't even reply most of the time from the response it's just like “well that’s not someone I want to talk with or “learn” from my lack of “understanding.” Then again, it shows I still have room to grow on having thicker skin.

I don’t think these things will be something that Steemit will forever solve. There will always be people looking for “easy” handouts. People will always have issues with others disagreeing with them. Nothing we can really fix on Steemit end. Something that needs to be worked on as a society.

Goals

My goals are simple. Have a good time. Try not to anger too many people. Increase my writing ability. Meet cool people that also challenge me or the way I think to help improve myself. Make a little bit of money for my time and maybe buy a camera. Lose some weight and live a better and happier life style all thanks to Steemit and the things I choose to share or do on it.

Price

As far as the price. It’s a bit tricky. I don’t think we have enough decimal places for it to be crazy high. I think at some point Steem will run away from sbd and Steem will be very expensive for people to power them selfs up with. That will be good for those who are already wealthy. Ok for those that have a little. bit. I would be happy with $5 Seem in the next year. Maybe in 5 years, it could be 25 IF a lot of the current projects like steemgigs, and some other stuff makes such an impact they are hoping. I think we still got some stuff to work out.

Hello @enjar, the time traveling cat. Nice of you to join us!

You may be "only 50 days" old on Steemit, but you're already building a reputation for leaving some of the most stellar comments Steemit has ever seen. Which is quite an accomplishment for someone who claims to (at least formerly) hate writing.

been noticing for a while the spammers and beggars need a heel to the face.

I never really expected I would, but I have been burning some voting power on handing out flags to some of the worst copy-pasta offenders... anyone who puts the same "beggy comment" several times in the comment stream of someone else's post deserves to be flagged in to oblivion, sorry... I just really like this platform and do NOT want to just stand by idly and watch it fall apart.

Life is just funny like that in a cruel way. I love math but I’m rather bad at it. Hate writing yet here I am being paid in upvotes for writing. I must be living in some kind of bizarro world.

It’s like the site itself has been under attack for the month of July onward by spammers. Every time I look they joined—July. Most also seem to be claiming to live in similar region but I really can’t hold that against someone. We really need whatever that twitter part of Steemit is to be out already. They can go spam to their hearts content on that. I’ll be here leaving my comments of excess.

From one "Skeptical and jaded" honcho to another: Congratulations on your 6 months of blogging.

Coming from bitshares, and being a backer of Dan Larimer projects since before there were any, I knew about Steem before it launched. But I didn't get an account until April 2016 because I was not a miner or technical person. So I was unable to take advantage of the heads up Dan gave me.

Missed out on the earliest gravy train, the one where accounts were mined into existence. And whales were made.

My feelings about steemit are that it completely changed my life in one way.

I was an extremely private person, had never been on a social media, and carefully guarded my online identity. I would have been shocked at the very thought of posting a photo of myself online.

Well, that doesn't work on steemit. Something had to change.

Me.

And I did.

Thanks @onceuponatime, for sharing your experience here.

It gives me a measure of comfort when I see someone like yourself who "follows Dan" staying here and being an active part of the community. I see a lot of wrangling and infighting among some of the early adopters... and it can be hard to "read between the lines" of what's really going on. But it also seems to me that the "quite followers" would have abandoned ship if there really were something to be concerned about...

Steemit has definitely changed my life, as well... I abandoned "social blogging" and keeping a "general interest" blog like this when Facebook (and to a lesser degree MySpace) stripped the "social" from blogging. Sure, I continued with niche blogs... but they lacked the engagement we used to have back on Xanga (and a few other social blogging platforms during the "golden years" of 2002-06) so my enthusiasm was lackluster, at best.

Now I am writing regularly-- and having fun-- for the first time in 12 years!

Here's a slightly "funny" thing: In the six months I have been here, I have had to "unlearn" writing like a cold academic, to become more "personal and engaging" again. So that's a change, as well.

Anyway, thanks for your ongoing support... I really do appreciate those who "mostly curate," and it's not always easy to reciprocate... but I appreciate it.

It seems to be logarithmic-- the higher it gets, the slower it grows.
something like that. It's taking as long to gain _one tenth of a point for me now as it did to gain a point back when.

I think I'm about to tick up a point... and it has been about 40 days since that last happened.

lookit steemnow, which shows your rep in 1/100ths.
I'm at
Moving up from 71.77 to 71.78 took as much effort as moving from 60 to 61

Yes... you are right :)

Nice to learn more about your Steemit journey denmarkguy!

There are some issues with Steemit, but I really hope those issues are just regular startup bumps along the way. I love hanging around on Steemit, consuming all the great content and to socialize with interesting people like yourself.

Did you say you had a friend working on Ethereum in the early days? That must have been an exciting time for him!

Thanks @ronni! One of the things I remind myself of-- each time I start to get impatient with the "problems," is that little word "beta" under the Steemit logo at upper left. This community is really NOT in wide release yet, a lot of kinks and bugs still being worked out, a lot of features still to be added.

My friend did OK for himself... but ended up one of the people who was "ethically invested" in Ethereum Classic, which didn't turn out so well as most of the support went behind the fork that is Ethereum today.

Been here for a month now and the experience is great everybody's friendly and helpful. Anyways congratulations on having so much followers in just six months...you're one of the few people here who I try to look up to..

Thanks for the kind words @mhel... hopefully I can continue to create content that will keep you coming back!

you're most welcome :)

I've been on steemit for almost a month now, and the experience was relatively positive, In my opinion the only bad thing about steemit is spammers, I just wish that they'll all be banned from steemit. I just wish that someday steemit could surpass reddit but that's getting harder and harder every day because of spammers.

I have only been on a week, but was wondering what you consider spam? I write original articles and use original pictures most of the time unless I can not find a specific species of plant that I might be writing about and them I site it. Is it the youtube stuff i see with no writing?

Spammers go to other people blogs or posts, and write the same things over and over again, Example: things like 'upvote me sir because i upvoted you' or 'Follow me i followed you'. They think steemit is just a fast way to earn cash while steemit is all about sharing ideas.

Thank you for that explanation . I really appreciate that information and will make sure to ignore them. I have not had any that I can think of, however I am new and have not had that many comments on my writing. All Good things to you and yours!
Melissa

I think it's definitely a case of "short term gains" vs. "long term building."

There are quite a lot of community members working on that, now... first giving newcomers a chance through education and explanations... and if they blatantly continue to spam and plagiarize, they do tend to get flagged into oblivion. Which is really what an effective system of "peer curation" should be able to do.

I've been in steemit for about a month. Nothing much happing at my end and I'm still trying to figure out exactly what steemit is. Thanx for giving a little perspective.

Have patience-- be persistent! Find what moves you, as far as sharing content goes... and stick to it. The beginning can be tough... but hey, I also spent 2 hours making a post that made $0.00!

Congrats on your milestone. I am skeptical too being a newbie. I hope things can get better for me.

Patience, @jocool. It takes time... I remember spending a couple of hours or more on a post that made... $0.00. And I had many in the early days that made just a few cents.

Those who succeed here make up their minds to do so. They publish consistently and engage others. In time, 5 cents becomes 50 cents becomes $2 becomes $5 until one day you realize you actually have a dedicated following of people WHO CARE about your content.

Wow! That is good to hear. Thanks for the motivation @denmarkguy. I will be sticking around.

Congrats on 6 months! great job

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