Continuing to blog on all the fascinating aspects of my experience on our Steem blockchain, here is my sixteenth monthly update, for September 2019.
Since posting my introduction on 14 May 2019, these updates represent my "log" of sorts, giving my readers a monthly window into my "journey" through the Steemisphere - a new "virtual world" based on the creation of our Steem blockchain.
So ... "What are you doing 'in there' 
Let's find out ...
Status or "Executive Summary"
To begin, here is a brief overview to answer the "how is it going" question we should probably be "checking in" with ourselves and answering, from time to time.
Statistics
There is an old saying, "numbers don't lie." Yes, well, there is also an old joke about the executive asking the accountant, "what do the numbers say about how we're doing?" to which the accountant replied, "what do you want them to say?" ... 😉
Required to issue a monthly report for most of my career, with numbers to quantify progress, here are a few:
To date on my Steem "journey," these numbers are the most important. The first three quantify our influence on adding value to the Steem blockchain. And the second two, the actual work we are putting in to add value ourselves. Given all of our rich diversity, I trust we all have one focused objective in common - adding value to the Steem blockchain.
We want the value to go up!
How is that working for us? Well, you see here the market numbers, i.e. the "bottom line" of how our investment is doing. Down significantly over last month. Again ...
Although STEEM has again uhhh ... "outperformed" the market, at least this month it is a little bit closer to showing similar performance to BTC and the overall market.
I have been bringing you this "big picture" now for 5 straight months. And every month, STEEM has dropped in value. How has it done overall during this time?
In a declining market overall, BTC has increased its total market share, still losing a bit. And STEEM, by comparison? As I have said from the outset, STEEM lags the market. Full stop. Period. Not complaining. Not whining.
"Just the facts ma'am" ...
As I did for the first time last month, this month I am continuing to "spell out" exactly what the impact of this market reality is on this particular investor:
So ... In choosing to invest in the Steem blockchain in August 2017, over two years later no matter how you "slice" it, we do not have a pretty picture ... Ouch!
As stated before, only the value of interacting with others all over the world, the value of which I do not profess to be wise enough to calculate, provides some consolation ...
- Note: The image above only shows the most recent transaction history of what is fully listed in my Starting the New Year as a Dolphin! post.
🎣 "Fishing Season Almost Over ..." 😉
Here is what I said last month:
"Not to worry, dear reader, I am still "committed to the cause." At least somewhat. But life "on the outside" has taken a higher priority now for some time. That will not change for the month of September. While the "dust settles" from the recent HF
21/22 changes, seems like as good a time as any to be "dialed back" ..."
That pretty well sums it up. I hope I will have more to say, on a potential change in direction, on next month's update.
Engagement "Formula"
A steady work-in-progress, is attempting to maintain the following "rhythm" in the investment of my time:
- Engaging "down" with all of the many great Steemians steadily adding value and working hard, who have a smaller stake and doing what I can to encourage them.
- Engaging "up" and adding value, as much as I can manage, to the posts of those who may chose to ... uhhh ... increase my "influence" ... 😉 ... to help those in #1 ...
- Adding value by writing my own posts, so #1 and #2 have some idea of why they would want to hopefully "engage" with me ...
I don't have my stopwatch out or anything. I just try to be mindful of switching from one to the other. Part of the "flow," as I have written about elsewhere, is naturally regulated by your decline in voting power.
Awards and Accomplishments
In this section of my monthly update, I highlight anything which stood out to me in the way of an award or accomplishment. As much as anything, it's for my reference, when I look back over time and ask myself,
"Are you really accomplishing anything meaningful 'in there'
SPUD Time: Bought some more STEEM ...
Those that know me well are aware I am not easily impressed. While I have tried to maintain at least some realistic optimism about our Steem blockchain, from my perspective good news has been in short supply for some time.
This post from 
It was enough encouragement to me that, in spite of some things I have written over the last few months, I decided to buy some more STEEM and bring my overall cost average down even further (see last line item, in section above ...), as I was able to buy at an ATL for the time I have been associated with it.
Smart move? Wishful thinking? Well, we'll find out!
Followed by 
Earlier today, I got notification of this milestone in my almost 1-½ year "journey" through the Steemisphere. I have no idea what this might or might not mean in the future. But, it was very encouraging.
I don't know who or what is behind this encouragement, but I am certainly grateful for it. All I can say for now is you never know what might happen. Here is what I wrote in my True Story: Encouragement on our Steem Blockchain post, the story behind the single largest payout I have ever received on our Steem blockchain:
"You just never know where one click on an upvote, mention in a post or reply, entry into a community's latest inspired effort to help others (all of the above!) will lead!"
Publishing "Road to Recovery" Travelogue Series
Beginning with my Reflections: My "Road to Recovery" Trip post through to my Recap of "@roleerob's excellent adventure!" In winter ... post, I wrote 28 posts in a little over 5 weeks, including my current record of posting 15 days in a row!
Blessed with this wonderful opportunity to both relive and create lifetime memories, I made the most of it. These posts are an important part of both capturing and preserving these memories. Others seemed to enjoy them as well, as the awards I collected represent the most recognition and support for anything I have written for the Steem blockchain to date.
For new readers of my posts, I would like to have this achievement easily accessible to them, for their reference. To let others of my fellow Steemians know about some of the work I have put in here ...
Publishing my Steemisphere Posts
Until further notice, these posts are what I consider to be my greatest accomplishment in contributing to the Steem blockchain. Why?
Here is what I said in my introductory comments:
”You are reading what I would like to have been quickly introduced to, when I was where you are right now.”
I wanted to help others avoid what I had been through, as much as possible.
Designed to be complimentary to each other, here are the two posts created:
- Welcome to the Steemisphere! Getting Off to a "Flying Start," Version 1.0 – Covers the full spectrum of what a new Steemian needs to know to get off to a “flying start.”
- User's Guide to the Steemisphere, Version 1.0 – Covers the recommended apps and tools a new Steemian needs as they begin to engage with our Steem blockchain.
Those are the highlights of my main contributions to adding value to the Steem blockchain over this last month.
What about the contributions of others? I cover that next ...
Monthly Highlights
Beginning with my first monthly update post, in this section I was inspired to try to capture "the good, the bad, and the ugly" every month. Specifically focused on my interactions with others on this "social network."
So ... What do we have this month:
👍 👍 Two Thumbs Up 👍 👍
Working with ”systems,” as well as managing the work of others, for much of my career, I have always emphasized ”people” over ”process” believing that is the right priority. From a lot of experience, I know the best systems are greatly diminished, if not ”manned” by competent, engaged people. A great team will always solve the problem of less-than-ideal systems. I have never experienced the reverse to be true ...
This section, then, will always be about the people I “meet” in our Community. Specifically, those who have had the greatest impact on my "journey."
In spite of my limited time on our Steem blockchain recently, I am still "around" literally almost every day. I have two of my fellow Steemians who I would like to recognize for this past month:
: As I have written before, many of the best associations I have formed with others here on our Steem blockchain has been through my support of the PIFC Community. Continuing to be a supporter, through them this month I "met" a gifted writer from the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico.
He has artistic skills I make no claim to having any of, but can admire "from a distance." He is also a very engaging personality and, by all I can see, doing an excellent job of adding value to our Steem blockchain. I think he will continue to do well and I am sincerely looking forward to our future engagement.: The founder of the
program made a favorable enough impression on me months ago that I elected to invest into his new program - "to provide Daily Upvotes based on a fair model that is proving to be sustainable and scalable over time." While this Belgian gentleman has very different interests than mine here on our Steem blockchain, I admire his skills in putting this program together and the steadfast character he has demonstrated in faithfully keeping it going month after month.
This last month, though, he "went to another level" in adapting the program to the unforeseeable effects of HF21/22. So ... Definitely felt I had to give him a genuine "shout out" in this section of my monthly report where I consistently attempt to provide some encouragement to others.
Note: He will (understandably) likely think it odd I am encouraging him with SBI shares, but I think it is all in good fun and uhhh ... "friendly competition" ... 😊 👍
If you are not yet familiar with the
In the marvel and wonder of how diverse we are as people, each of these fellow Steemians is unique in their own special way. If they are not already familiar to you, I would encourage you to "get to know" each of them. And then seriously consider following them and supporting their work.
Closing
So, overall a quiet month for
Together we can hope this long-awaited functionality breathes some new life into our Steem blockchain. And attracts a mass of brand new content creators, community developers, business entrepreneurs, etc.
Thank you for reading my monthly update. I trust you have found something of value in it and hopefully even some encouragement.
Until "next time," all the best to you for a better tomorrow, as we all work together to build up our Steem Communities and increase the value of the Steem blockchain! 👍 😊
Posted using SteemPeak and “immutably enshrined in the blockchain” on Tuesday, 1 October 2019!
Interested to read more of my monthly updates on my Steem "journey"? Great!
- Update, Month 1: Engaged with a 4-Figure Stake in the Future
- Update, Month 2: Still Engaged with an Increased Stake and "Growing" ...
- Update, Month 3: Still (Somewhat) Engaged with an Increased Stake and "Recalibrating" ...
- Update, Month 5: Still Engaged with an Increased Stake and "Doubling Down" ... - Won
's #1 "Truffle of the Day" award!
- Update, Month 6: "Fully" Engaged with Increased Stake and "Resolute" ... - Won
- Update, Month7: 🐬 Starting 2019 as a Dolphin! 🐬
- Update, Month 9: Safely Home and "Working" on the "Next Chapter"
- Update, Month 10: 🥛 Glass Half Full? Or Half Empty 🥛
- Update, Month 11: Bogged down "out there" ...
- Update, Month 12: 💥 Annual Highlights Edition! 💥
- Update, Month 13: Slow start to Year 2 ...
- Update, Month 14: 🎣 "Gone fishing ..." 😉
- Update, Month 15: 🎣 "Still fishing ..." 😉
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