Hey hey, Hivers! 🙋‍♂️ It's been too long!

Taken on July 28th, 2024 after writing this post, coming at you from small town Missouri, USA 😎

I suddenly realized how much I missed the creativity and engagement I found in this community. It brought out the best in me, eventually elevating my professional life to new heights and earning a career that I couldn't have imagined when this web3 journey started some nine years ago.

Maybe there's a wave of nostalgia going around, but even with a quick glance around, I've seen others reappearing who seem to have been gone for some time as well. What's the deal with that?

For me, Hive was a creative springboard. The empowerment of monetized creative writing and sharing opened my eyes to an entire world. I began to believe in web3 platforms as a way for people to work for themselves, converting their time and energy into not necessarily a living, but something. As soon as I learned to squash the expectations of getting something for nothing, it turned into a living.

Now as an experienced web3 creator, I've seen plenty of people on both sides of this realization: It's not about what web3 can do for you - It's about what you can do for web3. Before that realization, people tend to get burned and jaded. After it, they build and grow, accumulating valuable experiences and making connections that if properly nurtured, can last a lifetime.

This blockchain reminded me how to work hard toward goals that were important to me, and my family is still enjoying the fruits of that hard work.

I’m ridiculously grateful for this community and all the amazing people I’ve met along the way.

This is me from around the time I started blogging on Steemit - I had the moves 🕺

Steem

When I look back at the journey, I'm still thinking of Steem in the days of watching awesome videos from @suppoman and @jerrybanfield, who (among others) helped educate a naive pot-smoker into the world of cryptocurrency. 👏

Heading to a roaring twenties party in Crestone, circa 2015

Steemit Open Mic

I wrote dozens of songs for Steemit Open Mic. While I was hoping at the time for a few dollars in upvote value, I ended up with a catalog of original music (mostly comedy) that surprises me and delights listeners whenever I pull it out for some nostalgic laughs. @carrieallen was kind enough to keep my chord sheets organized, and while I rarely remember exactly how the songs went, I can stumble through them with ease.

I never considered myself a songwriter, but I do now. @meno even graciously hooked me up with a sweet acoustic guitar so I wouldn’t have to keep strumming a ukulele. 👐 You rock, sir. These days I'm jamming on a sexy rosewood Taylor GS-Mini-e. 🎸

The Playhouse

Carrie and I used to host radio shows on Discord. She was more into it than I was, but we had an absolute blast performing radio comedy sketches with members of the audience (bravely cold reading). To this day, the song “5000 Candles in the Wind” from Parks and Recreation has a special place in my heart as the closing song for our weekly Saturday night show.

There are some recorded episodes out there somewhere, but the sound quality sucks 😅

Shoutout to Playhouse regulars @sircork, @paintingangels, @enginewitty, @r0nd0n and @littlescribe. 😎

Splinterlands

This game straight up changed my life. Before the updates got away from me, I battled more than 25k times. My collection is huge and I’m as bullish as ever on this amazing game. @aggroed and @yabapmatt took a chance on my strange creativity and gave me a job writing content and I’m proud to say I played a substantial part in the creation of the game’s early lore and first editions of cards.

I have nothing but good things to say about Steem Monsters/@splinterlands, the original legends of web3 gaming. I hope to get back in the game soon if I can find the time to catch up on all the updates.

I loved making Splinterlands content! Shout out to @reseller for the awesome early print cards!

Here’s to the Future

With so many awesome memories alive and well on this blockchain (that’s the beauty of blockchain after all), I’m tempted to regret being away for the last three years.

I’m still extremely full time as Gala’s Written Content lead, writing articles, press releases, emails, ad copy and web copy like there’s no tomorrow. But in the meantime, I hope to spend more time sharing little bits and pieces of myself with this community once again.

I miss writing songs and poems. I miss telling stories.

Hive was the place where my creativity found a home once upon a time. Coming back after more than three years, I’m happy to see that through the power of blockchain, everything is exactly as I left it. Still, somehow I see a blank slate and unlimited potential. I see stories waiting to be told and I hear songs that haven’t been sung yet.

Anyway, Hivers… I’m glad to be back. Thanks for all the memories.
I think I’ll do this more often. ♥

God is good!