Self introduction to Hive and presentation of the blog

Cherry blossom in a park near Tokyo

Hello Hivers!

I am David, this is my first post on Hive and as tradition requires, I would like to introduce myself and my vision for this blog.
I've lived in quite a few places around the world and right now I'm in Japan for a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering.

But please don't run away already! I am not planning to post about complex science topics here but more about aspects of the Japanese culture and lifestyle that I find interesting :)

Plastic food to illustrate the menu of a restaurant

There is so much to say about Japan, and a lot of misconceptions as well!

For example, did you know that Japanese people just love food? They even go as far as looking at the regional specialties before deciding where to go on holiday!

Or did you know that you can work part-time as a Christian priest cosplayer for wedding ceremonies? (Yes, I just placed the words "priest" and "cosplayer" back to back in my sentence, and this is perfectly fine in Japan! ). Of course, there is nothing religious in these ceremonies and it does not concern the majority of weddings but it still exists!

If you are curious about these topics or others, feel free to tell me in the comments. And well, if you already know all of this I might have nothing new to tell you about Japan, but what about Tea and its culture?

Japanese incense ceremony performed by a tea ceremony master

I am passionate about it. I drink mainly Chinese and Japanese tea and the culture and history of tea are surprisingly rich. There are plenty of things to say and stories to tell about it!

All tea leaves (except herbal tea and rooibos ) come from the same plant: Camelia Sinensis. In remote mountains in China, some of these tea trees are now more than 2000 Years old! They were probably harvested by the locals millennia ago and some of them are still harvested nowadays.

Tea is even considered a "way of life" in China and Japan. A Way of life known as "Dao" in Chinese and "Dō" in Japanese is expressed in Bushido (The way of the Warrior), Kendo (The way of the Saber), and many others.

Credits to David McBee on pexels.com

Well, enough talking about Japan and tea (for now 😆), let's talk about serious business: crypto.

The first time I witnessed a crypto transaction was in 2012 between 2 friends of mine (who probably consumed illicit substances now that I think bout it). I did not understand the point of cryptocurrencies until roughly one year later when an anti-system friend explained to me how crypto could and should be used to claim back ownership of one's life.

It made me rethink a lot of things that I took for granted and this is how I was slowly converted to crypto!

Back then, I did not have funds to invest so I remained an observer until the rise of Defi.

Credits to Jievani on pexels.com

Defi is a bit like a hyperactive child, always brewing a hundred ideas simultaneously, for the best and the worst!
Yes, you cannot say you gained experience in Defi if you never experienced hacks, scams, or very pleasing surprises! And as I grew tired of it (yes, I am thinking bout YOU BSC !), I found Splinterlands.

Credits to well, ... Splinterlands !

This account was created 1 year ago when I started to play Splinterlands after being convinced by some posts on PublishOx and it was a fun ride! Well, I know it is awfully late to start my Hive journey, but hey, better be late than nothing right ? :)

Even though it won't be my main objective, I may post about Splinterlands or interact with the community since I am an active player. I genuinely enjoy the game and I ended up reading a lot of content on Hive about strategic tips so I might write my own if I ever get inspired!

To come back to Hive, I am very interested in the concept behind Hive blogging system, building a truly decentralized social network. When we know the tremendous power traditional social networks have in our lives and societies, it seems only fair that the governance power belongs to the community itself.

I will do my best to produce high-quality content with real utility for the community. I especially want to stay away from the "look at my daily reward chests" type of content!

I am looking forward to actively participating in Hive blogging, and as we say in Japan: 宜しくお願いします！ (Yoroshiku onegaishimasu )

Note: Yoroshiku onegaishimasu is often translated as "nice to meet you" when used at the end of a self-presentation. However, it is also used when asking a favor to humble oneself!

Thank you for reading my post! One more eye-candy picture before I go, enjoy!

Asakusa temple by night, Tokyo

All pictures are mine, except when mentioned otherwise