Thank you ...
One year ago today was my first day here on steemit. If there were ever a green horn to come along to this place I was surely it. I didn’t have a clue and there weren’t many people handing any clues out either; but somehow I have managed to stumble and bumble my way through 365 consecutive days of writing and publishing the Daily Dose into the steem block chain.
I didn’t know what to expect when I arrived here and the truth is I still don’t. This last week I have looking back at some daily doses from when I first got here and it really is a miracle that I have done as well as I feel I have.
One thing for certain is that I am better writer today then I was 365 days ago, because I wasn’t a writer back then and I still don’t consider myself a “writer” or a “blogger” but as far as being able to put my thoughts and my stories into words I have surely came several rungs up the ladder.
Making it through one complete year here feels like I have won some type of award and this is my acceptance speech I am writing. I remember watching television years ago and it would never fail that an award winner started mentioning names of the people they needed to thank and then ultimately left out a very important one and made some people angry and also made the person doing the “thanking” look like a real jackass for forgetting.
There are quite a few people who I need to thank and you know who you are, so a sincere “thank you” to each and every one of you. You people are special to me and I enjoy the hell out of being able to inter act with you each and every day.
You didn’t think I would run the risk of actually naming names did you? Come on, you people know me better than that, I make a jackass out of myself pretty regularly and I’m not going to do it on this special day.
All of you people I just thanked I know well enough that what I am about to do isn’t going to make even one of you angry with me, and if it does, then I don’t know you as well as I thought I did. I am going to mention only one person by name and that is because he is the reason most of you even know me and he deserves a big “special thank you” and that is 
Ethan came across the Daily Dose back when I just came on here and he would stop in and make a comment pretty regularly and he offered some much needed advice and encouragement. I wasn’t active on steemit, I was just writing the Daily Dose and posting it and he extended an invitation to me to join a group called the Unmentionables.
I was excited and scared at the same time and my excitement over road my good judgment, which was to decline the offer. Even after I accepted the offer I started back peddling and he told me, “it is up to you, but I think you would fit in.”
Everything that Ethan had told me up to that point was correct and so I trusted his judgment and joined in. Without his encouragement and his belief in me I doubt that I would have ever joined any groups and I bring this up because there are thousands of people who come to steemit and then after a short amount of time are gone. If it hadn’t been for him, and my future grand kids, most likely I would have been gone too. He is more responsible than the grand kids for me having stayed, just to be clear on that.
We all need to do our part to help the retention rate when it comes to the new folks. Take it from me that support, advice and encouragement goes a long, long, way so; pass it on.
Thanks for allowing me to spend time with you.
Until next time,
