It seems the Hive has been very busy while the rest of the real world has been on a halt. What's up, Hivers/Hiveians!
I still have to post on @theycallmedan's initiative so it seems I have a lot of backlog to catch up. We are now on Enhanced Community Quarantine here in Cebu due to COVID-19, so I think I can be more active here in the coming days. I tried to sort everything out before the quarantine. Tensions and high emotions were also prevalent in the office before the lockdown so I was a little bit stressed this week.
I am really grateful for this challenge by @anomadsoul with the support of @blocktrades and @ocd. This feels like a second chance for me to introduce myself to the community. For those who have been on Steem longer than me, I guess you know how crappy my introduction post was. There wasn't even an #introduceyourself tag because no one told me there should be one. Now it feels like I should redeem myself through this introduction post in the Hive community.
So...
WHO AM I
I am Kim Ybañez and I'm from Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines. I grew up in Silab, Amlan, Negros Oriental, but we transferred here in Cebu when I was in second year high school. I graduated in the University of San Carlos - Talamban Campus with a degree in BS Chemical Engineering. I passed the chemical engineering licensure examination last May 2016 and started to work as a product engineer in a semiconductor company in MEPZ, Lapu-Lapu City last October 2016. I am currently a product engineering supervisor in the same company under Silver Plating Process.
That's basically my technical background. Now for my blogging background, I have been writing since I was in elementary. I remember I was our school's representative for district meets in feature writing contests and extemporaneous speaking contests. That continued in high school. While I had always been a constant school's representative in quiz bowls, I was also a contestant for feature writing under campus journalism and extemporaneous speaking contest. My background is focused mainly on writing, but public speaking was also included in my portfolio although one I could not be so proud of.
One of my greatest achievements was when I won third place in an on-the-spot essay writing contest that was initiated by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region VII. In other contests, I usually placed at the third spot which probably means I was not the best, but I was not tanking either.
All those writing gigs stopped when I was in college because chemical engineering was very demanding. I embraced the technical side of me as everything seemed to revolve around maths and engineering applications. But I guess I will always find myself writing because when I was graduating, I wrote articles for different clients as a freelancer on upwork.com. I earned a few hundred dollars there, but I stopped when I was scammed by a client who wanted to pay directly via PayPal. I wanted to bypass the upwork payment system becuase they would cut 10~20% of your earnings, which then led to scammers trying to exploit that vulnerability.
One of my dreams was to have a blog site of my own, but with the hosting fees that I couldn't afford, I set it aside before. As an avid traveller, I wanted to share my experiences through my blog, but I don't want the hassle of setting up a site even on free sites like WordPress or blogspot. Back in 2017, I was told by @legendarryll that there's a legit site where you can earn through posting and it was steemit.com. I immediately joined Steemit without any prior knowledge about blockchains and other stuff about how it works. I didn't ask any questions, unlike those I invited, because I saw it as an opportunity for me to set up a blog while earning at the same time.
WHAT I HAVE BEEN DOING
My registration was accepted at Steemit, which was synonymous to Steem that time, last September 25, 2017 and I would say that a lot of things happened since then. I have to say that the Steem community already hated Ned even before I joined Steem. I witnessed a lot of hardforks, but I didn't mind most of the time except the last HF21/22 and then this one, HF23.
I had no prior blogging experience when I joined so I just posted whatever I can think of. There's no niche so everything's chaotic. At this point, I would like to mention and thank @curie and its esteemed curators and reviewers. Without @curie, I would have left Steem a long time ago. I really felt that my posts were unappreciated, but when I received my first @curie upvote, everything changed. Curie has been my standard when it comes to quality content because it was really difficult to receive a curie upvote back then. Once upvoted by curie, it means your post is exceptional because it has been vetted, debated, and reviewed by the curators and reviewers.
Before curation was cool, @curie already cared about quality and rewards distribution when abuse was rampant on Steem. Bidbots, circle jerking, vote farms, and other forms of abuse made a lot of people leave Steem, but I remained faithful producing quality contents until it became hard to resist to abuse.
Good thing HF21/22 happened because if not, it's either I left Steem or I succumbed to abuse just like what others did. Post HF21/22, I have to thank @ocd, @ocdb, @curangel, @travelfeed, and @steemitworldmap for supporting my posts. I can say that I reached my current status not by the support of whales but by the support of countless curators from different curation initiatives.
I didn't leave Steem before amidst the internal squabbles and declining token value because I believed in the technology and the idea it brings - decentralization. When Steemit was bought by Justin Sun, I immediately knew he wanted to centralize the chain due to his press releases on Twitter. I just never thought he could get so low in his actions that brought us to where we are now.
MY PLANS IN HIVE
I have three travel/food blog series: Kim's Quest, Kim's Taste, and Definitely Cebu. Those series are aimed at promoting Cebu and the Philippines to the international community. Due to the immutability and resistance to censorship of Hive, I plan to continue them here. You can browse in my page if you want to see the previous editions of those three series.
When this coronavirus is all over, I will definitely travel more. I am actually considering to resign from my job and focus on travelling, but I have a lot of factors to consider. Since we're on quarantine, I will be more active here.
As I have said in the past, I will go wherever the community goes and I proud to be part of this community. I just hope that the original ideals of Steem will not be lost as time goes by. Whatever happens, I know that the community will survive because we have survived an attempt to buy us into bowing a central entity.
I will continue to climb mountains and share my adventures here. I don't want to promise, but I will just do my best to continue posting quality contents. I see Hive as a repository of my life's significant moments so I want to package my posts in a way that the memories are best preserved.
I will try to reach out more and make friends with everyone here. I just to let everyone know that I really appreciate every upvote, comment, and repost that I receive. While I don't seek validation, it warms my heart to know someone appreciated my post.
REQUEST
Steem has been very technical and the learning curve has been very steep. I just hope to lessen the technicality because majority of the possible new users don't care about the technical stuff. They just want the experience. I think it's difficult specially that we're dealing with money and economics will always come into play, but let's try anyway. I hope that anyone with knowledge about how this thing works will not hesitate to help those uninitiated.
I guess that's all for this introduction post. I am just happy that I'm part of this milestone. This will go down in history as the triumph of the community over a shill dictator.
Steem is dead. Long live the Hive!
Kim Ybañez
Welcome to Kim's small corner in Hive. He is a chemical engineer by profession, but a blogger by passion. He is a wanderlust and an adventure seeker. Join his quests as he visits secluded destinations, climbs mountains, tries new and exotic dishes, and explores his country (The Philippines) and the rest of the world even if he's still a poor corporate slave with tons of bills to pay and two siblings to support in college.
Great re-introduction, yes I remember the days of the platform we do not mention, it was demoralizing to any new blogger thankfully with Hive, the community committed to creating a better landscape for/serious bloggers and quality alike and has done a great job ever since. We all live and learn. I remember you from before when you were newer and you seem to have done well since. I get to be a newbie for the second time and I have to say my experience is much different now than back then thanks to all the various curation teams that formed.
I was wondering if you were still here and hoping to find you again since you do have a great blog and Cebu is just gorgeous and then you stopped by my post paying it forward and now I can follow you again. Thank you and I'm glad you persisted.
You sound like you have done well for yourself outside of blogging, Product Engineer, that's pretty top notch and takes a lot of dedication to even get there. I'm sorry your country still has to deal with C-vid stuff. You seem to take it well enough transferring your energy to your beloved online community. Thanks for sharing your story!
Every time you put money and people in the same concept, yes it gets a little complicated.
I initially thought your post was too good to be true, so I did some digging and found out that you're @ladybug146. I remember your gorgeous posts from before that indeed, your posts are too good but also true. We have an agreement with the curators of pinmapple to not to feature the same people in the Top 3 more often. It's to spread the love around and encourage more travel bloggers. But I notified them that I made your post in Top 1 for today's digest even if you were featured 3 days ago. Not featuring your post is a disservice to what the digest is for. So I had to defy the rules. It's not that often that we find top-notch content.
I'm flattered that you remember me from the previous chain. I'm a fan, no bs. I'm glad you're back here in Hive.
LOL Yes, you figured me out!!I had a little set back but I'm back!! I just post for the love of it but I'm glad you decided to break the rules on my behalf, I wasn't expecting it but still pretty cool and can't complain on any support😍. Yeah having a certain standard to show the community as to how to improve content is a benefit to the community as a whole along with the chain, it gives us all a reason to exist and help draw in new Hive subscribers even if they are readers. The better the chain content is, the more outside eyes we can draw in on this neat little project we call home.
I like to post mine in off chain social media or send it to friends when they ask for tips, it saves me from repeating myself over and over again and they get to see what it looks like before they decide. so I do stuff that's not going to get me torn apart on facebook, we all know how hard it is to please that crowd.
Someone pointed me to you ,I don't remember who because it was so long ago. You were excellent even at the beginning. Cool that we are fans of each other and I'm glad that you have done well here since, you worked hard, quality deserves to be seen and rise.
Glad that you're back! You will surely elevate the travel posts here.
Hi, I'm planning to create my own introduction post. How can I use the HIVE Badge from @nateaguila , whom should I ask permission to? Thank you so much. Your introduction is awesome!😍 More power!!
There's a Discord channel for Hive. Maybe you can ask someone there. Here's the link: https://discord.gg/p5QHU2BfEa
Feel free to use it! It's made to be used!
Can i Use your badge?
WE welcome you in the hive and we will also wants and pray for the progress of hive . We will also be the part and will work hard for the success of the hive community . Thanks for joining the hive.
It's good that a lot of community members are working hard for the success of Hive. Let's keep the spirit. Hive on!
Didn’t have any experience in writing such a long intro or everything but I remember when I’m in my 3rd yr high school my terror teacher always want us to write on a 2 pages yellow pad paper back to back, 😴 maybe if our teacher told us that we might get paid (in dollar baby ($0$)💲💲💲) in writing such as like this maybe I pursue on that dream. Oh i also remember that on that class I always skip classes and going out playing Ragnarok Classic if anyone here know that game back then 😅
Shared to Twitter: #posh
Hive on!
Indeed! Hive on!
Good to see you on Hive as well. And in case you're not aware the SteemitWorldMap moved to Hive to continue support the travel community on day one. We've rebranded as @pinmapple on Hive, come and check us out, and maybe you'd like to join our contest to take Mr Pinmapple out on a trip 🍍
Hi! I'm aware of @pinmapple. Cool re-branding by the way. I think I'll join the contest. I'll check it out. Since we're on quarantine, maybe I can post my latest travel here in Cebu a week before the lockdown.
Looks like we joined around the same time! Awesome to read through this and have you as an early adopter on Haveyoubeenhere too! 😄
Wow! Thank you for checking this out! It's my pleasure to help? More like be helped. Steemitworldmap and now pinmapple never fails to feature my travel posts. Thank you for that. If I can help with haveyoubeenhere, it's my way of giving back.
That's because your content is always on point! 😄
Thank you! 😊
Lol.. I have always been confused if you were a guy or a girl but this post just answered my question.
It's good though that you stayed back active on Steem and also got curie support. On my own, I joined June 2018,then left Oct 2018.. I didn't understand a thing and my posts rewards was not encouraging.
I came back to Hive june 2020 still having my account with a Hive Power of 3 HP. Since then, I had remained focused and being active here and even buying Hive with my real money which is how I am able to be holding a stake of 7700 HP now. I still believe there are more great things ahead especially this new year 2021.
😆 I'm confused too... Sometimes. 😂
Yes! Great things ahead this year. Let's claim it!
Yeah.. Claimed 🤗🙂
Look at you now with stake of 15k. You dey motivate me.
How much po reg fee?
So much memories came to my mind with your narrative, Kim. I'm excited to read your adventures again. Too bad for me, I'm a bit late in trying hive now. Just crippled by quarantine plus work from home loads.
I am happy, Kim for what you have become now here. You deserve all of these. ❤
I miss the old days (but I'll just let the bygones be bygones) but I am excited for Hive's future.
It's not too late for you to start again though. Hive will always be here if you will try again.
Thanks, Kim.
good post !
Hi, I saw your comment on Sushi's post about introduction and just checking this out. Great to know you're from Cebu too. Would love to get started posting soon. Lol thinking what introduction should I do. But thank you! 😅
Bro! Glad to see you here, another Filipino:) I think I will also make about this one, are you the one who commented on my dbuzz post?
Your course is cool but tough, I hate Chemistry but currently taking Civil Engineering course.
Beautiful, very good introduction, I will write my intro soon. @fionasfavourites thanks for letting me know about this.
I came for the curiosity to learn so i can make a good introduction post and I got emotional reading all this for some reason. Awesome post!🌼
Yay! Thank you! I had fun writing this post.
Hi Kim! Same as you I've been here for a long time. Your story is something to be proud of. You did well online and offline.
I am here in your profile as I become interested in knowing you. I didn't know that I am already your follower. But, I wasn't able to follow your journey here. Until such time that I meet Laica for the very first time in Moalboal. We have talked about hive and she introduced her Hiver friends. You are one of the person she is telling to me. Now, I become interested of following your hive journey. I really like your travel blogs as I scroll down your profile. Daghan ko ani makat-onan nimo.
Di ko Keri ana klase na imo mga blogs. Hehe
Congratulations to you and God bless you all the time. 🙏
Thank you so much! 😊
You are most welcome! 😀
Quite impressive introduction with this I should be able to draft my own introduction
I encourage you to create your own website. I use WordPress. I earned through Google Adsense but not as much earnings here on Hive. Because people will use the Google search engine. I maintain my website for SEO purposes. :)
I don't see the need to have my own website when I have Hive. In terms of advertising, I prefer word-of-mouth over internet searches.
Ah ok. It's fine. Different preferences. Although having my own website helps me as a freelance VA.
I see. That's indeed a good way to advertise if it's in line with your work. I'm all Hive since 2020. I can't seem to start with another job.
Yeah, I will use Hive for personal narratives. The main travel blog is more on SEO purposes. It's a passive income though not much.
Great redemption intro post!
I enjoyed reading every bit of it. It took me back to the days of lockdown. May we never ever experience anything of such again.
Good to know more about you Kim, I am truly amazed with your story from Steemit to Hive. You are indeed an inspiration for all us who are just new to the community. I am proud also to learn more about you as a person and the best part is that you are from Cebu, my home province also.
Thank you for sharing your adventures and for posting quality contents here on Hive.
wow! you've been around a long time already. how's life? I hope you had lot s of travels already
Welcome to Hive!
Waow this is awesome Kim, Although I joined Hive last month and have not found my way here..but after this your introduction,I got really inspired and motivated. Keep it on Kim