1011 is B in binary ASCII encoding.
What does that mean? I don't know, but it is the number of followers I had at the time I started writing this. It has been 9 months since I joined Steemit and it has taken me a long time to get to 1000 followers. For me, it has never been about a follower count but the quality of follower, and I have some pretty awesome followers from all kinds of backgrounds. This was my aim.
I joined from a referral from someone that knew I was having a hard time financially because of some health problems in my family and also knew that I have some writing ability. He asked me to check it out even though he himself was not on the platform at the time, this was my brother 
Early on, I started writing and posting thinking that just maybe it would be able to provide a little relief and breathing room for my wife and I by covering a little of the formula our baby needed. At that point it was almost 700€ a month and had ripped our savings to shreds after some birth complications. Yeah, Steemit was definitely not a fast financial fix for me.
However, in the time I was building my content and exploring the site and people, I found that I didn't want to take the sweat equity I had put in to Steemit, out. At least too far out. I quickly realised that there is so much potential here if this is the Beta and I have a chance of being more than a person that makes a little money for baby formula.
I have learned a lot of things I had no idea about before and took some earnings out to learn how the trading works too. All that I have learned has come from you guys, the community and I am very grateful for all of you. As part of the return, I try to at times add content that may help people develop their own position and connections within Steemit and further strengthen the chances of long-term success for us all.
As far as my writing has gone, it keeps ramping up and I am trying to get it to a point where I can spend more time being a part of the community. The last 6 months I have spent every night writing between 6 and 10 hours a night after my daughter goes to bed. I do have a normal job too. This has been quite physically hard but, mentally it has been freeing in so many ways and I have learned a hell of a lot about myself and how I think and work. I have never gone to therapy of any kind but I imagine that the time spent writing dwarfs the results that any psychologist could offer. I recommend everyone to spend time exploring themselves through writing.
What I have tried to create in my own blog is a place for people to come and think about things they may not have considered before or slow down enough to take the time to consider the things that life covers over with day to day demands. I hope I have been able to somewhat achieve this and maybe helped some people find a better way within themselves with which to interact in their walking life. I don't always get to comment as well as I like but I read all I can and do my best. There are some very knowledgeable and clear thinkers that take their time to respond and am grateful for them and their minds.
Lately, I have been hanging out in steemit.chat and have met some very fine characters and people that I can joke around with and get teased by. This is a little community I treasure for many reasons and has the feel of family at times. If you come and say hi remember, no post promotion in general.
I am hoping that in the future this site grows into a community that is filled with all kinds of diverse talents that get rewarded on their merits and the effort they put into their crafts. There are many already and it would be great if they got the support and recognition they deserve as finding and promoting them reduces the return for those looking to fill the system with trash.
Anyway, I just wanted to write a little post to say thank you for burning all of my evenings and giving my mind a home. My last hope is that one day, the little girl in the picture may find somewhere with a diverse, talented and free community she can call home too.
Thank you.
Taraz
[ a Steemit original ]