THANK YOU FELLOW STEEMIANS! "A Double Celebration!"

THANK YOU FELLOW STEEMIANS!

"A Double Celebration!"

I am delighted to announce that I have two very good reasons to celebrate and they happened simultaneously.

Firstly: It is my 6 MONTH STEEMIT BIRTHDAY!

and...……

Secondly: I have reached that much anticipated, highly valued and might I say, 'Hard Earned' 500 SP figure. Whoo Hoo! I'm also going to say that I am very proud of myself because when I first dived into this enormous pool of fish, (big and small) I found the water just a tad murky and more than a little overwhelming. If there was a wading pool for beginners then, I didn't see it to start with. However, I was very blessed to have the help of a group of friends I knew prior to Steemit who gave me much needed guidance and steered me in the right direction.

I've also enjoyed ongoing support from Teams and individuals, plus some awesome bonuses from Whale upvotes that have come along just when I needed them because there have been times when I've wondered whether to keep going. I love entering the various contests and have received reward for some of them which is always very encouraging. Since I've ditched my toddler training aids I've seen a few wonderful Steemians step up to the plate assisting the floundering minnows become confident in their own ability and talent, supporting them all the way. You guys are the crème de la crème of Steemit.

I'll be the first to admit; I'm an idealist at heart. Always was......and always will be. I'm also an optimist, despite experiencing some major disappointments during my lifetime and I've been around for ~#%!+%#^# years. That's a very, very long time when you're the age of my youngest grandson; a boy who is completely immersed in all things techno and digital and wonders how on earth someone as old as me has managed to survive so long without indulging in internet games at every available waking moment. (Slightly exaggerated.)

I've always considered myself to be a strong swimmer and even won a few swimming championships back in the day. I carved a path through the clear blue waters of our local Swimming Pool with my eyes glued to the wide, painted stripes at the bottom of the pool in order to keep me on track.

I conquered back stroke, breast stroke, butterfly and free style but when I willingly submerged my naïve, uneducated self into the sometimes swirling, sometimes stagnant, Steemit Seas I had to go back to the basics and learn how to tread water. Unpredictable crypto currents made me dizzy and I became sea sick as turbulent tides came and went. The incoming tides invariably washede some Steemit Sprats (and a few brats) ashore and there they stayed. Thankfully, the outgoing tide carried in new, motivated minnows who recognized a unique opportunity when they saw one and like me, strived to learn to swim with fish of all sizes from the seven seas.

The blue and green fish image below is how I viewed Steemit to begin with. (I told you I was an idealist didn't I?) Here we were; a big school of fish, happily swimming along in the same direction, all with similar goals and ambitions, getting swept along in the slip stream of Steemit stimulation and motivation. Big fish, medium sized fish and little fish.......we were all the same in my view, with regard to our importance in the overall scheme of things and the eventual growth of Steemit.

I believed that our combined goals to strengthen this platform using quality content and engaging with like minded people was the way forward. But, we don't live in an ideal world...….and the carefully constructed Steemit world is no exception even with all of us building on the strong Steemit foundation which was laid, back in 2016. As in life, there will always be those who choose to swim against the flow and make ripples which, if they had their way would gather enough momentum to create tidal waves of destruction in order to feed their unhealthy egos.

Having said that, I have found most Steemians to be a bunch of fantastic, caring, well intentioned people and I know, without a doubt that I would not have made the progress I have made without them. Of course my progress does not compare with any other persons progress because there are some here who have created outstandingly successful accounts in relatively short periods of time . I measure my progress by what I did yesterday and what I want to do tomorrow. That way, I only have myself to blame if I don't measure up to my own semi-relaxed yet always, growing expectations.

So, this post is to say a big,

……..to all my loyal friends, followers and supporters. I won't name any individuals or groups because it will take up too much room in this already long post. Hopefully, all of you I interact with know how genuine I am with my thanks and will also know how much I value your support.

Where do I go from here now that I have reached this momentous milestone of 500 SP? I have been asking myself, that very question knowing that I was nearing this goal. How can I best give back? Naturally it needs to be something I'm passionate about and something I think will enhance the overall experience of the Steemians involved. I've noticed that I've had quite a bit of interest in my Digital images and a few people have asked me how I create them. It's really a lot easier than one might think and there are a few editing sites available with which to achieve some very unique and contemporary works of art.

So, I thought I would start a contest using the tag I've used for a little while now for my digital images i.e., #dailydigital. How would you like to become an instant artist and produce art that you'd be proud to frame and place on your living room wall or in your office? I have compiled a couple of digital collages for you to give you an idea as to what you can achieve. The first one is a variety of animals and birds.

The second one is a small collection of floral digital art. I am by no means an expert but what I have learned I am more than happy to pass on for those of you who would like to diversify or add another string to your Steemit bow. Let's have some fun and see where this leads. I am presently working on the details of my digital contest, (it should be ready by the end of the week) but in the meantime, if you know any members you feel would be interested in joining the fun I'd really appreciate you sharing this post to get the word out.

THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN. YOU ARE ALL VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.