How awesome is it to participate in a social network that doesn’t feel like a chore?! Most of my experience on Facebook, Instagram and the rest of the time-wasters and brain-washers was fueled by either a feeling of obligation, FOMO (fear of missing out), or just plain apathy.
I’ve always been a Maker.
Making food, making art, making stories, making messages in matcha!
Let me bring you back to my elementary school days. My FAVORITE part of the day was Show & Tell. Showing something awesome I had made, or found, and telling the class why it was awesome. It’s kind of the original, mini-human elevator pitch when you think about it, and when it was my turn, I was LIVING.
I took my show and tell day very seriously. In fact, one day, I brought my pet Bull Frog, Hopper, whom I had caught with a net while swimming at the local lake that previous summer. I have no idea how I convinced my parents to let me bring a live frog to school, but without boring you with the details, let’s just say, at about mid-day, his carrier got knocked off my desk, he made a dash to the front of the classroom, everyone was screaming bloody murder, (poor frightened thing) and an 8 year old Dayleeo, with a backwards Yankees cap, and denim overalls (like a freaking female Dennis the Menace) sprung into action, lept from her desk, dove stomach first, as if she was sliding into home plate, and managed to catch him.
There were no more animals allowed for Show & Tell after that day.
I’ve always believed that sharing is-in-fact, caring! Or rather, if you care, you share! Why wouldn’t you share something you’re passionate about ??
So imagine my dilemma, fast forward a few decades, and here we are in the age of (as @teamhumble calls it) being social WITH your media. Ok easy! I've got media! I make things, I’m good at documenting processes and sharing with passion. COOL, I’m going to LOVE this social media thing!!!
. . .
If you’re here on Steemit you probably know how that story ends, because it’s probably part of WHY you’re here. Being washed down the almighty timeline by algorythms that don’t favor what you have to share because you’re not paying to promote posts, half-assed or no comments. No “engagement” or real feedback from anyone who wants anything other than to increase that little follower number next to THEIR name.
All I ever wanted was to connect. All I ever GOT was frustration.
And so the game became to keep “feeding the beast” as we called it. Consistent posting, quality content, more more more, harder better faster stronger. Then maybe the algorithm Gods will favor my post just once, and it’ll catch enough eyballs that a small percentage of them might want to stick around to hear the rest of what I have to say...
Ah but not TOO much honesty. Remember, if you’re having a bad day, or feeling down or struggling best keep that to yourself. Those things don’t make folks feel good, so best to stick to happy shiny people things. Like cute animals, and “Top 5 things you didn’t know you could do with BACON!”.
I got tired, and when, in a lot of ways, my life fell apart, I couldn’t deal with it anymore. So I retreated. I never stopped making, but I stopped sharing. And that hurt! It felt like there was this incomplete part to the creative process, not because I wanted recognition or praise for what I was making, but because I was excited about it! And when you care you share!
And so now, I’ve found a beast I don’t mind feeding. The Steemit beast is a kind one. One full of loving and accepting folks, one who I know will keep all my words, thoughts and memories safe and secure, and one whom, every once and awhile, if you rub his tummy just the right way, he’ll spit out a few coins for your efforts.
I like this beast, I’m glad we found each other…
 |  |   |
|---|
