Greetings All!
Good news... I'm finally publishing my Steemit #IntroduceYourself post!
I joined Steemit a few months ago after a friend sent me a YouTube video about Steemit, because he thought it would be the perfect platform to blog my next creative project.
I was skeptical because new social media sites come and go all the time. Some last, some don't, and I didn't want to invest time and effort into a site that might not be around in another year or two.
But there was something different about Steemit.
I found its concept unique and intriguing in a handful of ways, and I was eager to see how my ideas would benefit from this new approach to blogging.
I signed up that same evening, intending to dive in as soon as I received my login credentials. But while waiting for my account to approve, life happened, forcing me to put my plans on hold for a few months.
Now that things are getting back to normal, I'm ready to launch my experiment and become an active member of the Steemit Community. But before I do, I'd like to talk a little bit about who I am and what I'm doing here.
So without further ado, allow me to introduce myself, and welcome you to join me on my latest creative adventure.
Who Is This Guy?? - A Brief Bio
The few who have kept up with my blogging activities pre-Steemit have come to know me by a couple of handles and noms de plume; the most prominent being "Person Zero".
Most refer to me as 'Zero', but if referring to me by an alias is weird or off-putting in any way, feel free to call me Ra or Raymond. All my friends do. (If you want to know the story behind the fake name, just skip down to the very bottom of this post. Spoiler: It's not much of a story.)
Not me. Just a photo by Todd Quackenbush
I'm 36 and currently label myself as a casual blogger, enthusiast-level investor, website creator, and former business owner. (This changes from year to year.)
I live in West Palm Beach, Florida, but lately, I've been spending a lot of time in Atlanta and Chicago. My mother lives in Atlanta (I call her Mum), and she's been having a hard time the past few years. Things got particularly bad this year, so I suspended my creative projects to be supportive and help her out.
And then there's Chicago.
We've been to Chicago twice this year already. Planning for another trip this November. (Credit: Lance Anderson)
The better half and I are extremely enthusiastic about Chicago. We've been a number of times and we've always found the people to be friendly and welcoming, it's clean, the architecture and culture (museums, performing arts, etc) are lovely, and there's plenty of entertainment. On top of that, it's a very affordable city. Not sure if we'll move there to live, but for now, it's an excellent place to visit.
And speaking of traveling...
In case you're wondering, the reason I'm able to travel so frequently because I don't have a regular job as most do. Instead, I earn my living doing support and low-level customizations for WordPress sites, playing the markets (a combination of day and swing trading with a long-term portfolio on the side, as well as dabbling in FOREX), and some peer-to-peer investing.
Recently, I tried my hand at flipping real estate. The first flip didn't go so well, and I lost a little bit of money, though I don't see it as a total loss. Sure, the money is gone, but the lessons learned from the experience will prove to be invaluable as I plan and better prepare for my next investment. Whenever that may be.
Before this, I ran a commercial brokerage helping independent merchants source and liquidate inventory for their online stores. Before that, I ran a small network of e-commerce sites, and before that, I worked for Walmart at the store level.
I worked at Walmart for 13 years. I learned a lot from the company. Particularly, the value, power and importance of good service and being customer focused. (Credit: Bloomberg)
While I do enjoy what I do (love it in fact), I wouldn't recommend it to just anyone.
The entrepreneurial/self-employment/non-conventional path isn't for everyone, nor is it as easy as some people would have you to believe.
It takes a lot of discipline, sacrifice, and commitment. Not to mention a serious investment of time, patience, and sometimes, money. It's not always ideal, but it is definitely worth it if it's the path you desire to pursue.
But enough about that, let's get into some of the more personal stuff.
A Little (More) About Me##
I love Colombian roast coffee, dutch chocolate ice cream, Nike running shoes, treating friends to dinner, frequenting Barnes & Nobles, and taking walks through the city--especially after it rains.
I’m very much a private person, an introvert (an INFJ/P depending on the test), and a bit of a loner--the good kind.
It's not that I don't enjoy being around other people, because I do. I just don't feel the need for everything--every outing or adventure--to be a group affair. Many times I'll plan entire days with the intention of flying solo for most if not the entire day.
One of my favorite things to do is camp out at an all-night diner or cafe to write, read or watch movies on Netflix. Photo by Brooke Cagle
I'm quite comfortable being by myself, but I'm far from anti-social.
I love attending events and going to places where I can meet new people and make a few friends.
I love connecting with people who are positive, eager and open to trying new things, serendipitous, and who aren't afraid to let their imaginations run a little bit wild.
On a whim, I once went to an India Color Festival by myself. Great Experience! And I met some wonderful people I still call friends to this day. (Credit: Shubham Sharma)
Let's see, what else?...
I'm OBSESSED with tea, and my all-time, absolute favorite meal in the world is a medium-rare burger with a side of fries and a cold beer. I believe in the concept of soulmates, but not in the romantic sense.
I used to play the saxophone (alto), once tried to develop my own RPG (role-playing) video game, and I know what it's like to lose a sibling to suicide. My absolute worst fear is that I'll fail at fatherhood.
And while I'm being honest, I absolutely HATE writing about pages. I never know what to say, and I always worry it comes across as incoherent and paints me as a boring bloke.
When I'm not trading stocks or building websites, I spend my time reading, practicing archery, binge-watching television shows on Netflix with the better half, refining my culinary skills (what few there are), learning Vietnamese (trying to, anyway), and taking on the world of fiction, one story at a time.
I LOVE to write. Hell, I just love exercising my creativity in general. (Credit:
Brent Gorwin)
Which brings me to my next discussion point...
What I Will Be Posting About
While this isn't my first attempt at blogging, it is the first time I've done so on a platform powered by the blockchain. I'm not sure how--if at all--that will impact the experience, but I'm looking forward to diving in and figuring it out.
Most of my content will center around my creative writing, specifically, my latest passion project.
You see, I have this crazy dream of becoming a master storyteller, and publishing a fascinating collection of stories. And by "fascinating", I mean stories people find intriguing, satisfying and a joy to read.
But I'm afraid that 1.) my ideas are embarrassing, 2.) no one will feel any sense of enthusiasm for my work and I'll be ridiculed by readers, critics and "real" writers alike, 3.) there is no market for my ideas, and 4.) I will be ignored. By everyone.
Me, stressing over my work. (Credit: Ali Yahya)
So, to help manage my fears and push myself toward my goals, I'm going to share samples of my work on Steemtit.
My hope is that by putting myself out there I will be able to:
- Swallow my nerves and squash the fears associated with my writing.
- Gauge reader perception and gather feedback, which in turn will help me improve my craft, develop my voice, and become a better storyteller.
- Better understand the elements of fiction and how to use them.
- and if I'm lucky, grow the audience for my work.
Along the way, I'll share my experiences and thoughts about things like creativity, the writing process, as well as discuss how I'm handling the adversity, disappointment, and fear associated with making things, writing fiction, and sharing one's work in a public forum.
Also, for now, the only "rule" I'm setting for this idea is that each piece must be at least 750 words. It doesn't have to be a complete story, but it does have to be at least that long.
As time progresses, I'll build a better framework to keep from growing complacent. Giving myself that constant nudge to try harder and go further.
I won't limit myself to any particular genre or style because I want to dabble in a lot of different things, but the majority of my work will be third person speculative (science fiction, fantasy, superhero, supernatural, horror, etc).
Hopefully, as time goes by, this blog will serve as a guide or source of inspiration to someone. Whether they're looking to become a better storyteller or to simply find the courage to share their work.
And if not, well, at least I will have had fun writing and sharing my ideas with the world.
In the not-so-distant future, a curious Steemian marvels at my wall of work. Photo by Brandon Lopez
In Closing
In the future, I'll revisit this post to update its content as needed to keep all who are interested abreast of my current happenings and dealings, but that's it.
That concludes my introduction.
If there's anything else you'd like to know, feel free to ask. I'm an open book (about most things) and I love hearing from people who are working on their own passion projects--whatever they may be--as well as other makers and creative types, people with an interest in my work, or anyone looking to engage in a bit of friendly conversation.
I'm looking forward to getting to know my fellow Steemians. To connect and learn more about your interests and experiences on Steemit.
Thank you all for listening and reading. It is exciting for me to finally share this post, and feedback is appreciated.
Talk with you soon!
What's In A Name
Okay. About the pseudonym.
Honestly, there's not much of a story behind it. In fact, there is no story at all.
I started using a fake name in 2012 as a way to separate my creative projects and blogs from my business/professional endeavors.
At first, I chose the name 'The Curator' because 1.) it sounded better than 'The Writer', and 2.) I felt it had a kind of mysterious and enigmatic energy about it.
I continued to blog as The Curator until 2016, after extending writing privileges to a handful of readers of my marketing research blog (now defunct). It was then I adopted the "Person Zero" pen name, as a way of identifying myself as the blog's original contributor and content creator.
Despite having used an alias for the past 6 years, I've never really considered myself to be an anonymous blogger. In fact, the only personal information I've yet to share on my blogs are pictures of myself and my family. Not that I have anything to hide. I've just never felt doing so was pertinent to the objectives or success of my projects.
See, I told you. Not much of a story to tell.