This isn't actually my first blog post on Steemit; it's my fourth.
Hi Steemit, my full name is Benjamin Jay Akrish. I grew up, and currently live in, a suburb of Seattle called Kent, Washington, raised by a dysfunctional couple that divorced before I was in the third grade. I was left with my single, middle-class father who supported my brother and I with a warehousing job. My house was constantly the scene for many arguments; my father is not easy to please. I would often be made a witness to screaming lasting multiple hours, generally targeted at my brother. My dad does not like anything to be out of order; he is obsessed with controlling our actions, and is quick to deny any offer or request that doesn't benefit him.
We were given very little room to do what we wanted. I remember a time as a child when I had to write hundreds of sentences as punishment for simply stepping a few feet off of a main path into the dirt one time (seriously). We were also both forced to see a therapist for about 8 years, despite my not having any mental conditions besides ADHD. My brother has ADD and Asbergers, but functions very well and is very smart. Neither of us ever benefited from the therapy, and instead we were left thinking something's wrong with us (something my father also seemed to believe strongly, implying it but never being explicit, specifically in regards to my brother).
None of my friends ever went to therapy until I was an adolescent. This, among other things, made me feel very out-of-place.
My Family
My family is anything but normal. My paternal grandparents both descended from Jewish families that migrated from the island of Rhodes, both 2nd-generation Americans. My grandfather dropped out of high school, and yet throughout his career owned a gas station, a boat dealership, and a used car dealership. My grandmother was an incredible artist that produced countless works over an incredibly long career. Just one Google search of "Esther Akrish" reveals photos of her beautiful canvases; here are a couple.
My grandfather passed away in early 2016. Leading up to his death, my grandmother began to become increasingly anxious. After his death, her anxiety went off the charts; she could commonly be seen cleaning dishes before meals were even completed when company was over, among other oddities. She was rarely at peace in her later days. She passed away before 2016 ended as well, in the month of December.
My father converted into Christianity before I was born, and married my mother, a Christian woman. According to the laws of Sephardic Judaism, I cannot be considered a Jew, because my mother is not Jewish. My grandparents, in life, often called my brother and I "Half-Jewish."
My mother can be seen as a polar opposite of my father. She is always cheerful and loving, and cares for everybody she knows deeply. Born to two deaf parents, she learned sign language before English; this has a small, but noticeable effect on her speech. She managed to utilize her bilingual skills throughout her life, as she has become a professional interpreter, and remains as my only method of speaking to my maternal grandfather.
My only remaining grandfather: Buno. A deaf man living alone at the top of a hill in pretty much the middle of nowhere. And yet, he has a quirky personality that is absolutely lovable, and an incredible mind. When looking at him with his scraggly white beard and cane, you may not expect it, but he made millions on the stock market.
He uses his banana peels as compost to grow raspberries. He has random fruitful plants scattered across his large property. The individuality of the way he decorates his property is absolutely charming; license plates hung on a tree, empty glass bottles cleaned and placed outside in a beautifully planned way as decoration, and his selective reuse of materials create a strong feeling of uniqueness surrounding him. He remains one of my idols.
Music and Crypto
Music is one of the most important things I've ever used to help myself find purpose in life. I first joined band in the sixth grade, and remained in my school's band program through my sophomore year in high school.
I always excelled in every subject in school. I never did homework, but still understood almost every concept put forth by my teachers. I remember sleeping through the majority of my classes and still passing every one. I would average around 95% to 100% on tests, though my unwillingness to do homework drove down my GPA to 3.0.
This didn't matter, however, because I dropped out of high school this year in February. I quickly attained my G.E.D. shortly after. Leading up to this decision, I spent roughly a month skipping classes; during this period, I began to realize that the world offers much more than schooling for the acquisition of a job that can support retirement. I saw the lifestyles of those who made tons of money, and was envious. I came to the realization that there are people who make a full-time income from simply producing content, and these people can travel the world while doing their work, instead of trading time for money to an organization.
Owning a business requires no formal education. Actually understanding the significance of this is what made me drop out. Though I do plan on going to university soon, I have been convinced that the best life skills are attained through experience and personal research.
Cryptocurrency is something I've been following for a while now; Bitcoin first caught my attention in 2011, and I had a small amount invested until this year, when I put in a much larger amount of capital and began to take my investments much more seriously. Now, I have investments in over 50 different blockchain technologies.
Around the time I dropped out, I began to question my true purpose very strongly, and found that music helps me greatly to both vent and create a story. In fact, I've now found that nothing has ever provided as much justification for my existence as the music I've created. Nothing I ever accomplished in school made me feel as warm inside as the sound of my first completed song. Nothing makes me feel better than just a single heartwarming comment regarding my music. Even if my content isn't the best, I see myself continuing to produce music for a long time. I hope one day to create something that is loved by many; I'm getting better and better.
Art seems to be woven into every aspect of my life. My goals become larger and larger every day. Now, I'm in the early process of starting a curb painting business that could allow me to quit my two jobs.
I've made posts online before about finance and saving money, along with many other topics. I'll continue to do so on Steemit, and hopefully earn a few loyal followers along the way. I don't want to post about just one thing; I have a very diversified interest.
In 20 years, I honestly see myself as the CEO of my own company. I want to help create a world driven by artistic vision and compassion rather than greedy business.
For now, expect me to make posts for the general betterment of the public, offering useful help to everybody. I'll also post a lot about my own experiences, important news events, and simple thoughts. Expect me to only curate content that is truly deserving: the kind that comes from the heart.
I'm sorry for the long post. I really see myself becoming a great part of the Steemit community, and nothing would make me as happy as having a decent sized following to appreciate my work.
Are you an artist looking for a feature on a track? I'd love to help.
Please follow me on social media to help expand my audience. Don't hesitate to send a private message about anything, I love meeting new people and making connections.