It wasn't quite what I expected.
So after joining Steemit in late July last year, I rattled around for most of August, getting my bearings, looking at posts, writing some more of my own. Like most people -- most new people -- I was appalled at how much literal junk there was on Steemit. (Maybe that ought to be a tab -- along with "Hot" and "Trending." Thoughts? If there were a way of voting something into that category, we could save others the time it took us to realize what we'd just stepped in.)
The "New" page was a stream of constant drivel. The "Hot" page wasn't much better. The "Trending" page was no help at all. I truly did stop and ask (more than once) "What have I got myself into?"
Two steps forward, one step back
I went back to Google Plus several times, just for the comfort of something interesting and topical ... and literate ... because I sure wasn't finding that here. "Get out there. Be social." went the occasional piece of advice. Ok. Fine. First of all, that's not easy for me. Secondly, I have a hard time connecting with people who don't interest me ... or who write on topics that do interest me but that I'm not very good at myself.
It's hard for me to make up something to say, because it feels so forced. I'd just rather say nothing and move on. (I still do that a lot!)
I could see some of the automatic responses from others like, "Very nice job. I enjoyed this a lot." -- no matter how sincere they may have been were considered "spam" and didn't leave a good impression or get a good reaction either. So, I didn't do that -- even when I found the occasional nice piece of writing or interesting, informative post. I just followed that person and hoped for the best.
It's a skill you can develop ...
I will say Steemit has taught me how to schmooze better, but I still talk mostly with the friends I've made. Sometimes you have to understand where I'm coming from to appreciate what I've said, and that's not easy to ask of a stranger. Over and over people say the secret to success on Steemit is in commenting. Ok, they're right ... but even that is more complicated than it sounds.
Especially in the beginning, roaming around trying to find something worth commenting on is an unbelievable time-suck. Trying to contribute to the conversation is tough. Trying to contribute to the conversation and get noticed is worse. Before GinaBot, who isn't always reliable, notifications on Steemit were nonexistent, and searching through the "Comments" and "Replies" tabs was (and still is) grueling and tedious.
When you're small and new, you get blown off a lot. It's understandable. Your vote is about as welcome as ... nothing, 'cause that's what it's worth. And there's a 92% chance you won't be around in three months. Hardly worth precious resources best invested elsewhere. Still, the advice is spot on -- even when you think about it logically. Saying something is the only way to stop being invisible. If that's part of your game-plan, you need to step up.
... and you need to. Srsly.
That brings up another set of "unwritten rules." Different people have different preferences from their visitors -- and you have to take your chances to find out. Some want you to at least say "hi" if you stop by their blog. Some think if you comment, you ought to upvote them. (This means you could be limited to ten comments a day, especially when you're little.)
Just upvoting and moving on is probably both the most welcome and most invisible way to interact on Steemit -- and wouldn't you know, that's usually my choice. If I upvoted you in one of my several guises, I read your post. I liked it. I just don't have anything to add -- or more likely, I don't have time to do a comment that does your work justice.
My "wall of text" comments are famous among those who know me. I don't seem to find much of a happy center between "Very nice work." and something longer than the original post. (But I'm working on it -- with spotty results. I have gotten better at commenting in general though.)
But that's not as bad as it gets.
But before long I was handed another of those wonderful "Steemit experiences" that reveals ... character. I got a comment on a post that seemed nice enough ... even encouraging. I answered it ... and life went on. But since I'm OCD about my work (especially on the immutable blockchain) I'm always proofreading, checking, fiddling with my posts. (For that, I really like having my own site much better than Steemit. It soothes the control freak in me.)
A few minutes later I was back on that post -- and noticed something ... interesting. My commenter had upvoted his own comment for $.34. And that was all. Not one penny did he drop on my post. That wasn't the only time he did it. And I wasn't the only one he did it to. (And once Cw had someone buy a chunky upvote on his own comment several days after leaving it.) Proving that when there's $$$ involved, the sleazy side of humanity always makes an appearance.
If you want to make yourself memorable on Steemit, try that little trick -- or some variation. I promise, you won't be forgotten -- for a very long time.
About the art in these visual essays ...
Although sometimes the background pictures in our visual essays support the topic and text, they don't always. Sometimes the connection is clear. Sometimes it's symbolic and subtle. Sometimes, there's no connection at all.
The scenes depict landscapes and natural features, buildings and wildlife. They were chosen because they show something lovely or interesting ... or simply because the photo appealed to me.
Our spectacular and remarkable planet is changing at astonishing speed. Rarely are these changes for the better. Few people seem to know ... or care ... or have the will and power to do anything about this. It may not be long before the world humans have known and lived in for centuries is forever lost. We certainly won't be able to make repairs as fast as we destroyed it.
So a few years ago I began collecting pictures of the way things were ... and still are for now, a record of the beauty we have while it is still ours to love and honor.
The photos here are part of that collection, with sincere thanks to the artists who saw these moments ... and with their cameras ... preserved them. All of us in our small section of the planet are profoundly grateful to them for their generosity and skill ... and for the added grace, depth and dimension their art brings to ours.
Original images used under this Creative Commons license or this Creative Commons license and modified by added text.