We were one of the first of my school friends to get a computer, and one of the oh so amazing programs was one that you could type a word into and hit the TRANSMOGRIFY button and - wait for it - it would magically TRANSFORM the font and you could print it out as a large banner. We were allowed to do this about twice before Dad realised it was going to use up all his ink and paper. However, since then, I've been super in love with the word 'transmogrify'.
Don't you just love the example sentence in the definition here? We've transmogrified many homes into hippy crash pads, that's for sure.
This week I've been thinking about transformation, change, and growth because I finally made minnow. It's not so much a magical transformation as such but the result of some hard work. Like the transformation of our garden below. When we moved here it was grass - now it's a jungle.
It's been hard work getting here and if you're not yet there, don't lose heart - effort really does bring reward.
I've also focussed a lot on all the positive things about this platform and I'm definitely around for the long haul. I've enjoyed it immensely. I have learnt so much on Steemit - not just the technical aspect of how this platform works, most of which is admittedly still a mystery to me, but lots of amazing content has taught me so much about all kinds of things from permaculture and land stewardship to vegetable gardening to greenhouse growing. I've also really valued the communities I've been welcomed into here such as @tribesteemup and @ecotrain, realising how valuable it is for teeny little fish to have the support of others around them. It's this that's the best development in the four months I've been steeming, because it's so disheartening when you post hard and get mere cents. The support of others can really boost you up and keep you going, even when you are ready to give the whole thing up.
Jamie as a young boy
Jamie as a (cough cough) young man toasting - um - life?
We obviously don't 'magically' transform from one state of existence to another, and there's a lot of people who supported us from being young in the hood to older and wiser in the hood. Little J. above couldn't imagine one day he'd be living in Australia with the woman of his dreams, and likewise, probably wouldn't have arrived here without said woman helping pack his bags, drugging him, and putting him on a plane (all jokes aside, he does thank me for this.)
Likewise, I can't thank enough the people who've supported me on the way. Sometimes I wasn't even sure what the support meant exactly. The generosity of my first daily upvote by @sjkennon of @steemspectacles was so exciting for me and it was the first time I thought my writing was maybe worth something. @choogirl's votes and @teamaustralia were instrumental in keeping me going too and I knew that if I posted quality content I'd continue to grow. Super early friendships have stayed with me since the first month - @mrprofessor where he found me on my shy introduce myself post, @mountainjewel not long after that. @artemislives, @holisticmom and others from the Ecotrain have also provided invaluable friendships and I'm sorry I can't namedrop you all, but you know who you are.
Sometimes I do want to take a break from Steemit, as I've heard that there is this thing called real life out there. Yet I miss so many people here when I'm gone. What's @digitaldan up to in his greenhouse? Where's @rainbowrachel's bubbly cheer? What amazing homesteading blog have @walkerland and @thelaundrylady come up with? What awesome anarchic thing is @movingman up to - is he giving away free food to the people on the street again or doing up another squat? What beautiful thing is @eco-alex doing for the community? What crazy wild story is @mrprofessor coming up with now? I literally had a nightmare that crypto was totes outlawed and Steemit went under, and I was so sad because I hadn't got any contact numbers for all these great people I'd met!
"What the hell have we done here?" pose
"Enjoying the fruits of our labour" pose
I was really impressed with @mountainjewel's efforts to help people make minnow and have been thinking alot about how I can help others on this platform too. She wrote (rightly) that one of the most amazing things about Steemit is it's ability to create abundance. Wren writes:
She continues:
I love her Starfish initiative and have been wondering what I can do to support Steemians to hit minnow. I'm no expert on how this can be done but I know there were small things that made a real difference to me, so please accept my very humble efforts.
My little boy at Glastonbury Abbey in love with King Arthur
My little boy in love with music and coffee and giving broody beardy looks
This brings me to this contest, where I'd really like to support someone transmogrify - or work! - to get toward minnow. I'd like for you to show me a before and after shot - of anything you like!! It could be any kind of transformation you like - your land, a community project, a renovation, a personal journey - as long as there's a few paragraphs or more of a story attached to it, and some photos to liven it up. I can't wait to see the magic of a 'before' and 'after' story and/or photo!
I'd also be more impressed with great formatting skills, and am more than happy to help you do this if you contact me on Discord too (I really do love helping people out!).
To enter, you must:
- have less than 350 SP
- be prepared to power up your steem and SBD to steempower to head toward minnow
- resteem this post
- drop the post link below as a comment
- refer to this contest in your own post.
- make sure all your work is your own
Prizes
I'm not a big player on Steemit by any means, but I'll offer what I can here.
The winner will receive 5SBD and upvotes from me for a month (one post per day)
2 other winners will recieve 2SBD each and my upvotes for a week (one post per day)
I might be able to offer a little more depending on where this post goes and how it's received. I'd love so much to hear your stories, no matter how insignificant they may seem, and I'm definitely not biased in any way about what form your transmogrification story might take.
So that's it - go for it!! Can't wait to see your magical transformations.
If you're already a minnow or can't participate in this contest for whatever reason, I'd dearly love for you to pass the word on about this contest in your steemstreams. Let's all do what we can to support the success of us all on Steemit!
Want to find more quality posts? Consider the #tribesteemup trail, and adding them to your autovoting along with #ecotrain.. Please ask if you're unsure what this might mean for you.
You can read about the 8 Pillars of TribeSteemUp here
Yaaaaay! This makes me so happy π€©π you are so cool! Hope this type of thing keeps catching and catching. Love your contest idea too! I wanna play! π
You can still PLAY babe!!!! xxxx I'm glad you are keenly passionately enthusiastically IN and thanks for the inspiration and being here and being a support to me and others!!! xxxx
Woohoo! What a fun contest! I hope I follow all the rules right! Haha, following rules is not often my fortΓ©! Love your garden transformations! Awesome πππ
Here is my entry! π€
WOW @yogajill ... that was SUPER fast!!!! xxxx I'm not a rule follower either, so don't you worry about that!!! Thanks so much for your entry!! xxx
Haha! There are some things i can do! And, i kike to. But, others.... like learning to get my tata doing dLive yoga classes .... it's rolling as slow as cold molassis! Great contest! LOVE it πππ
That sounds amazing, and I'd be up for doing a class with your tata!!! How cool would that be!! And slow as cold molasses is better than fast rolling lava, which can hurt a ton xxx
ππππ haha! In this case 'tata' means my ass!! Nuff said π€£π€£
ahahaha ... i'm communicating with people from so many different places in the world, i dont even know what's what anymore. How about we transmogrify your tata into a great DTUBE clip and you can become minnow in an instant :)
That's pretty funny!! LOL no kidding. It's on! Like Donky Kong :) And, great transformation in uour living space! Is that a bus? With a fireplace!! It looks amazing!
I'm very glad you're still here @riverflows. I enjoy your posts, even though I don't always comment. Mostly cos they go way too deep for me, and I have no idea what to say.
Aw.. me... deep? He he. Seriously appreciate your support xxx
deeeeep as the osh-eaaaan!!!!!
And as salty π
Such a great idea! What a perfect way to pay it forward and help more new comers on this platform. You are simply an awesome lady :D
Sweeeetheart ππππ thanks for the resteem Xxxx so kind xxx
Thanks lovely!!!! Let your peeps know if you can x
Thanks for the reminder. Totally forgot to resteem. I just resteemed.
i like this
Thanks. Hope you can enter. ππ¦
this is a great contest, look that word and the idea behind it, looking forward to seeing the entries, good job my friend, I have been wanting to do the same seeing as I am now in the same boat (and train and tribe) as you, just waiting for the idea to come to me xxx
Ah yes mine came through as I was looking at old photos of the house and garden. Yay.. we are minnows together too xxx How great is that word.. and I loved the example they gave haha. Xxx Be great if you could let people know about it if there's anyone you think might benefit. Xx π³π
for sure I will get the word out and resteem xxx
Ui aiai, this is fun and difficult! The biggest modification im my life is myself, and that is not possible to translate into photos.
Then I could talk about my transformation as a guitar player, but that is also not possible through photos.
I'll have to figure out something!
You don't really need photos - you can take new photos and use the words to paint the picture.
Ahhhhhhhh hold my beer then - I'm in!
I LOVE that word!! TRANSMOGRIFY. Haven't heard it in forever and feel like I need it tattooed on my forehead!! S weet insights @riverflows :)
Like insect sex hotels didnt make you weird enough hahahahahha xxxx πππ
I am in for this.
My formatting skills suck. And that is not because of a lack of knowledge but a lack of aesthetic sense!
I will though post about my magical pads (okay that sounds weird!).
Thanks for a contest which is different from the run of the mill.
And congrats on becoming a minnow! I don't know if it's appropriate to wish a woman to become a whale soon!
Lol... watch it you. Great... glad you are entering. How can I choose between you and Arthur!!!!
Arthur of course. He is a professor. I am just another monkey!
You both make me laugh alot....ππ€£
Here's mine: https://steemit.com/writing/@twowheeledmonkey/transmogrification-of-a-monkey-9395ee8075752
I know not what you wanted. But then i am not really a photo person :) And this wasn't being funny! It was straight from the heart
Thabks so much for your entry!!!! Fab x
Great initiative and well done for reaching minnow πππ I'm super grateful for our friendship on here and discord too! I'm looking forward to the day I can help more people out on here.
Resteemed so that more people can see this. And that word... That's the first time I've heard it and it's awesome! I shall be using it in some future posts! πππ
He he thanks so much for resteem.. it's a funny word but I love it.
I had so much fun looking through old photos of the garden over the last few years that I nearly didn't get this finished, thanks for such a great idea! Even if the post sucks, i had such a great time doing it πPhew @riverflows https://steemit.com/homesteading/@digitaldan/my-veggie-garden-before-and-after-transmogrification
Awesome thanks!!! Still another week to go... must send out a reminder post!!!
And it soooo didnt suck... πππ¦
Thank you!
This is my post https://steemit.com/contest/@lantracy/contest-by-riverflows-my-before-and-after-stories-94c8a626c4d72
Amazing!!!! Ill get back to it soon.. promise...π
great :)