What Steemit has done for me...

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(Edited)

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Photo by me

My time here

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Let me start this off by saying that this is not a farewell post, but more of an appreciation post. Appreciation for the platform and community as a whole.

I joined Steemit 609 days ago and it has been pretty awesome being here. Many people join this platform for different reasons, and I think the main thing that draws people in is the monetary factor, but over time, I think that becomes less of a factor for some of us as we begin to really explore what Steemit as a whole has to offer each of us.

My Main Reason - Memories

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For some of you that know me on a more personal level and know a bit about me, you know that I have some injuries that affect my brain and my memory. I am losing my memory more quickly than others and I am expected to develop early Alzheimer's or dementia.

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Photo taken by me @derangedvisions

Knowing that I was going to be losing my memory, I picked up the camera a few years ago and began learning as much as I could about photography. Most people do not know this, but I have only been a photographer for a little over three years now. I have just dedicated a lot of time to techniques and going out and applying those techniques to get to where I am today.

So where does Steemit fall into all of this?

Steemit has given me a place to record all of my memories and has given me a reason to do so. Without Steemit, I would have never decided to write anything about my photos or even push myself to become a writer. I have never thought of myself as a writer, but when I first joined the platform @snook pushed me to write more, so she has been instrumental in making me the writer here on the platform that I am today. She really doesn't even know how much of an impact she was during my early days here.

So being able to have a place that I can come and record my memories, knowing that they are going to be stored on the blockchain, is a pretty awesome thing for me. I have gone through some of my older posts and reread some of them and had no recollection about writing them or what they were, but once I started reading them, the memories started to come back to me, and that is priceless for someone going through what I am.

Community

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They always say you come for the rewards, but stay for the community. This is so true. I have met some amazing people from all over the world here on Steemit. It is pretty awesome to read their stories and to see pictures from all over the world each day.

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Photo taken by me @derangedvisions

Last year I had the opportunity to attend Steemfest in Poland and meet some of the coolest people. In a little over a month, my wife and I will be in Bangkok for the first time ever and we will be at Steemfest again. It is going to be so cool to see some old faces there and to meet some new people that weren't there last year.

One of the greatest things about the community here is the talent. They inspire you to push yourself to be better at what you do and I have learned so many new things from people here as well. I have come across some of the most talented artists and photographers I have ever seen here on the blockchain.

So that's it

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Steemit has done a lot for me since I started here. I have grown as an artist, writer, and a person in general. My eyes have been opened more to the world and I really appreciate that. I love that I will always have a place where my memories are stored so that as my mind fades away, I can return to my old posts and relive all of these great memories that I have shared here with all of you.

Steemit is a great place full of amazing people. Keep being awesome.



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45 comments
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This fully made me teary at it is only 6 am... I didn't know about your memory issue nor that you have only been taking photos for 3 years! It gives me hope I can learn too with my Dads camera before he dies to make him proud (not that he isnt already lol) whilst feeling sad for your memory losses and happy you have a place to record them and share with others. Thailand is going to be awesome... no wonder you are so keen to go! You have even more of a reason. Steem has really helped many of us in all kinds of ways. Was really touched by this post. Xxx Much love.

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Thank you for the great comment. I hope that you pick up your Dad’s camera and start learning as much as you can. Photography has been a great tool for me in dealing with everything that has been going on. Not only am I able to create memories for myself, but I have been able to give other families memories that will last them a lifetime as well.

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This is the way you put the immutability of blockchain to a really good use. So long as the lights are on on Steem, you and everyone to whom you are important can come and read your thoughts.

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I know a few people that have been posting stuff here for their children to read years down the road and I have always thought that was a really cool idea.

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Respect. You appeared on one of my Steemfest³ videos for a second. We were next to each other at the group photo. Too bad I can't make it to Bangkok, but I wish you all have a great time and stay safe there.

Cheers!

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I wish that I was able to have spent more time getting to know everyone at Steemfest last year. There were so many people there it was hard to get to know everyone. I’ve gone through some of the videos I have seen that people have made of Steemfest and saw glimpses of myself and it was pretty funny. Too bad you can’t make it again this year. It would be cool to get to know you more.

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Have a wonderful time at steemfest and I look forward to the pictures.

Your story with steem and your personal journey is amazing and touching. Resteemed

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Hugs for you! I can't be at SteemFest this year but I'm glad for you that you are going - it's basically where all our feelings about this crazy community can be shared and enjoyed and celebrated :-)

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That sucks you won’t be able to make it this year. So many people that were there last year won’t be there this year. I wonder how many people are going to show up this time.

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I know - I'm wondering the same! There's a few that are going that I spend a lot of time with last year but most are not. Maybe some 'last minute' attendees? I'm really curious about the amount of people attending this year and if the Asian or Australian communities are compensating :-)

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My thing is that I meet so many new people here that I wouldnt of met if I wasn’t here... and that to me, is value 🤑

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Exactly. There a so many cool people here. There are a handful of weirdos as well, but that’s life.

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(Edited)

first night at steemfest3 ending up at that table by a fluke but it turned out to be an amazing dinner with even better conversations
It was my pleasure meeting you and sharing that experience and the camp as well...

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Ya, that dinner was a pretty great introduction to the whole event. It was cool getting to know you during that week and hike we were there.

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You use the word steemit but you mean steem.

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Well I was referring to the Steemit platform. Not necessarily the Steem blockchain.

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Steemit platform? Like the website steemit.com? .... doesn't even look like you use steemit anymore.

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I do whenever I forget to use Steempeak. You guys have done an amazing job with that.

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Yours is a very touching reason to post on Steemit. I have had a lot of the same feelings about it. I didn't know anything about the blockchain until my husband set up an account for me and nagged me for months until I finally started posting. Now I have friendships all over the world, I have gone from taking random snapshots to actually trying to make my photos into art, and I have a wider experience of the world than I did before I started. Your post was resteemed into my feed, so I haven't run across you before, but I will go check out some of your work. Thank you for sharing your story!

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The Steem experience is pretty incredible. I haven't had the pleasure of meeting my fellow Steemians in person, but I hope to one day. Glad to see you in chat and hope to game sometime!

Also, People.

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Wowza @derangedvisions. If that one in the top picture of this post is you. And since no one else has mentioned this in the comments before. I'm gonna say it. I didn't know you were such a young handsome hunk my friend. But by your username I guess I should've known this better.

Yeah, I didn't know you on a more personal level. Hahahaha

Well, I am totally straight & heterosexual. An utmost macho through all these decades you could say. But I suppose that at my current age, I have now the license as to shamelessly say what I've said without much fuss. Heck, yes, I even could be one of those handful of weirdos you told to Charles must exist around here. LoL

I wish you a great memorable time in SteemFest Bangkok buddy. :)

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lol, ya that is me in that photo. It is a self portrait I took in the studio a while back. I appreciate the compliment.

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I appreciate the compliment.

Haha, my plesure mate!!

Since no one had mentioned it previously, it had to be me who pointed out the obvious. :D

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Not easy to be so "open" about your life and problems... deep respect for that. I wish my English was a bit better to be able to engage more in conversations here on steemit... but know that a lack of regular responses doesn't mean I don't read the posts... (well, at least from certain people 😉)
I really wish you and your wife all the best and... enjoy steemfest! 👍 (hope to be able to go to one too in the future so... I'm a bit jealous 😊)

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Thank you. I appreciate it. I hope that you are able to attend Steemfest one day or that I am able to meet up with you at at some point so we can grab a beer and some delicious food.

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Thank you for inspiration and sharing this. As I read your story, I really related to what you said, I felt like I already know you. That is the same reason I picked up a camera (after a head injury to keep my memories). I have had my Steem account for awhile, I just started to use it for the same reasons you have. I had no idea I would ever want to write, I just thought I would posting my pictures. I've only posted 3 post, so far. Though I have enjoyed so much the interaction and sharing that I couldn't wait to read others post. That is how I found you this morning. I'm so glad you wrote this. And that you have had such a great experience here. This has been Perfect timing. A Win Win! Thanks again, Cindy

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I am glad that my post was good for you and that Steemit has been a place where you can record your memories as well. I hope that you keep taking pictures. When you are making posts about your photography and stuff, you should use the #creativecoin tag as well. That is a tribe that I am a part of that we set up to reward all of the creative members of the Steem blockchain. You can also use the #palnet and #neoxian tags for any of your posts, they dont have to be creative or photographic posts, those ones are general use tribe tags.

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Sweet. This year we are going to say hello in Bangkok. Appreciation is the right word for finding what we are doing here, Take loads of snaps so we dont forget how much fun we had. Take care dude!

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I cant wait. It is going to be great to meet new people and to see some old friends there. And yes, I will be taking lots of pictures.

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Well, your story was more interesting than I expected..

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I am glad. I like to think that I have led an interesting life thus far.

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You are one of the greatest writers, curators I've ever met on this blockchain community. Yet, I would say you are a good person and a friend. I appreciate the way you taught me how to write a post with photos and you welcomed me warmly in a discord channel, even trying to write my name in my language. 록엽정. You wrote 락옙정, though. You are a good man. Thank you for contributing to this community. :D

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Thanks for the great comment. I really appreciate it. I try and do what I can to make a meaningful impact here on the blockchain and to help people the best that I can. This place is full of amazing people, each with their own stories to tell. I consider you a friend as well and when I am able to come visit Korea again it would be great to be able to meet up at some point.

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What an awesome and inspiring post and sorry about your memory issues.

Heres to.hoping that all the drs are wrong and you have one of the best memories of a 90 year old.

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Have a wonderful time at steemfest! stay safe, bring back good memories and account.

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We are sorry to hear that you lose your memory one so often at still such a young age.

As senior citizens, Philip and I tend to let our memory trail off and our daughter has to end up reminding us and writing notes on fridges and sticky notes on walls.

Philip has more memory laps than I do recently, but we are enjoying reading and watching beautiful pictures.

All the best in your memory diary in Steemit.

Best wishes,
Rene

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