Greetings, Steemizens!
It's me, Hugo - really me...
Thus far on this site, I've had a really good online buddy post some content for me. On a regular basis, he would tell me "hey, you should get onto this Steemit thing..." "Hey, Hugo, I really think Steemit could work out well for you" and "Hugo, what the hell is wrong with you? Steemit is right there, set up and ready to go... and you're not using it??"
But unfortunately, like the bozo that I regularly prove myself to be, I didn't jump on what has proven to be a truly excellent opportunity until now.
Well, all that is changing, folks. I've been watching from the sidelines for a couple of years, and watched a bunch of tutorials, and seen that you guys have basically gone and created the Future that Jaron Lanier posited as a completely necessary antidote to the Zuckerverse over at Facehuggerbook.
So, to answer his question... "Who Owns The Future?"... it seems that YOU do! (And I'd like very much to join in with that Future Owning biz). I'm not claiming I fully get how this all works... but it evidently does. And instead of spending any more time trying to 'get it', it's way past time just to learn by doing.
So, just a little about me by way of formal introduction. I'm originally from the UK, but nowadays, I live way down in the Southern Hemisphere, fairly close to Antarctica, in a rural part of the state of Victoria, Australia. I call myself Hugo The Poet online, as I like to create rap/poetry pieces - often with videos - and post them out to the cyberwebs. I was involved with the very successful show Juice Rap News on The Juice Media back in the day, but for a number of reasons that I may one day go into, I had to leave that show and go solo.
One of the main reasons I started that show was so that The Juice Media could gain the prominence it evidently deserved in the world. And that has most assuredly happened - that channel continues to grow and go from strength to strength, which is fantastic to see.
As for me, that move to go solo has worked wonders, in the sense that it has enabled me to step away from what little limelight I was in, express myself fully creatively and learn some of the requisite skills to produce the content I want to put out there... or gather trusted capable folk who can do it for me!
On the other hand, there is no doubt that I have not achieved anything like the prominence of the show I was previously involved with. I've made peace with that, and also with the fact that it has meant shifting focus. My wife and I moved to the countryside, and started a family, and as soon as that enormous lifechange was on the horizon, and it was obvious that my creative endeavours were not going to cover the bills etc. I set out on the mission to find work that would.
I found it by working in a Youth Prison, teaching on the music program. I mentor the young men in lyric writing and recording. I do this for half the week, and for the other half of the week, I'm a stay-at-home dad, while my wife does kindergarten teaching.
All this background on me (apart from being no doubt utterly scintillating reading for strangers online!) is a way of saying, between parenting, working, and housekeeping, time is ridiculously tight these days! I don't have a heap of spare minutes for personal creativity.
Nevertheless, it is my intention to change that, and begin engaging with my creative projects again very soon, and posting them here on Steemit with exclusive previews for this forum (like I do for my beloved patrons on Patreon)
In the meantime, I intend to engage as fully as possible with this Steemit platform, and contribute, curate and craft what content I can for you guys.
I love the idea that this is a platform that pays users for their work - because it IS work - providing content and curating the content of others.
I'm more than a little impressed - overawed, even - at what you have all achieved.
I know I'm a little late to the game, but I'm ready to start playing.
If you guys who have more experience than me in this can offer any advice as to how to maximise my efficacy around here, I'd super appreciate it. Also if anyone can chime in on what content from me you'd like to see, that would also be extremely useful.
Well, that's it for me for now. As I said, I'm going to be learning how to use this platform, so see you guys in the threads!
Much gratitude
Hugo
for anyone who wants to check out my work on other forums, I'm on:
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/jonathanswift
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hugothepoet/
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/hugothepoet/memberships
Bandcamp: https://hugothepoet1.bandcamp.com/
Website: https://www.hugothepoet.com