Hi, Steemit!
My name is Dan. I grew up in West Texas, but moved to Oregon after high school in 1996. I was adopted along with 7 other kids by good Christian parents who had one son already.
I love them, but we didn't connect well. I was born three months premature and held in an incubator which I assume impacted my ability to develop healthy connections with others. I used to be terrified of people, but it's going away with age.
I dropped out of High School and ran away from home. Due to the trouble of my youth, I never went to college and have remained poor. I am a hard worker, though and support my partner and our fur kid who I call Cat. 
Most of my siblings have done my parents proud. My youngest brother was even in the NFL. I have another brother in solitary confinement indefinitely back home in a Texas prison. He's got about 30 more years.
I joined steemit about a month ago and thought at first it would be best to remain anonymous.
I joined because I want to blog my way back to mental health after living as a recluse for most of my adult life. I never set out to be cut off from the world.
I'm in a domestically violent partnership with someone who does not have the ability to empathize with others. He's insanely cruel and doesn't allow me to have friends in "real life," or go many places alone, or even feed the cat. I've almost lost hope of escaping.
One of my earlier posts was about why I don't just leave for good. It is absolutely insane not to.Figuring it out is what I hope to achieve here and taking bold action to reclaim my life.
We met when I was 21 and he was 25.
Today's his birthday. He's 44! I accidentally woke him up cutting empty pages from two of my books to have paper. I was going to make him a Birthday card, but he was so hateful about being woke up. (See previous post about feeding the Cat. Rofl)
So I made the Steemit sign first. And then I'll make his card. Hahaha. I can't help but love him.
I decided to introduce myself "for real," today, because I've got this one life and I am tired of hiding. I don't think I have a chance if i can't even put together a blog and sign my name to it.
My two main interests besides singing karaoke online (it's more fun in person! ) are making what I hope are funny Youtube videos, and learning Arabic from my best chat friend Fatma in Tunisia. She messaged me one day for help with English in exchange for help with Arabic and suddenly it's been five years that we've been chatting near daily. One goal I have is to sing Arabic songs.
I still have so much vocabulary to learn!
I also want to open an Emergency Room available to anyone regardless of money in any sort of mental crisis. That's my life goal.
Thank you so much and may you enjoy today!
Dan
Welcome to join steemit.
In addition to being a medium that can generate wages, here we can also share stories, life, experiences and other useful things, therefore we must support each other.
Since you just joined the steemit community, it will be difficult to receive many upvotes so you have to be patient with it and not stop to write.
Good luck here and continue to work. thank you
Hello Dan. Welcome, I'm @geechidan. LOL Coincidence huh? Sounds like you've been through hell man. I know what that's like. This would be a great platform to share your story but at the same time I woulldn't advise to let it all bleed here. Find some happiness and let it evoke here as well. Talk about what you love...Show it on here. I wish you all the best. Stay strong my friend, this "earth" is not the end. Secondly...well...hmm...not going to say that. I will say this though. You have one life as you said, and love is to be reciprocated. What's the point of being with someone if they're a complete asshole. I'd rather be miserable alone and left to find my happiness. Anyway I'm a hip hop head and a conscious conversationalist. Whenever you're down for it, come on over to my page and check out the music and the conversation. I get a little raw and consciously urban but it is all to make people question and progress.
Thank you, geechidan. I agree about not being all about misery. This blog is a bright spot. I can't wait to listen when I have faster internet.
Welcome to steemit @younitedstates, I hope we can share the experience here And dont forget to follow and vote me again :)
Thank you.
Welcome my friend..in steemit comunity...god bless you.
Thank you, irwanumpal. I've followed you and look forward to seeing your pictures and hearing of your travels. God bless you, too.
Hey Dan, welcome to Steemit :).Thanks for writing, you are being brutally honest. Please find someone with whom you can talk with in your area, you need help. God Bless-
Thank you, Hanni. God bless you, too.
Hello Dan,
I hope you can find some comfort here in Steemit.
Life is not perfect and nobody is perfect.
You are unique and beautiful.
Stay on the positive side and count your blessings everyday!!!
CAn a see a SMILING photo next time?
Sending you a sunny smile.
Cheers!
Welcome to family 😊
A new Steemian :-) hello @younitedstates I hope you enjoy your time here, its a great community ! Nice post, wish you much luck! I will follow your account. Don't hesitate to contact or follow me at any time :-) See you around @tradewonk