I feel you on the explaining blockchain thing- I get frustrated having to repeat myself to people who have no idea what the hell I'm talking about. It also alienates you in a way because people think it is very fringe or taboo.
I mean do computer nerds go around explaining the mechanics behind PCs to the average person- not normally because people have just accepted the fact that you can use a technology without necessarily having to understand the inner workings. Another great example is smartphones - one of the greatest inventions of all time and almost all of the functions on it are one or two button commands. One button to turn it on and off, and one tap of the screen to access nearly any app.
We are a few years away from blockchain technology becoming this easy to use but things are slowly changing. Patience is definitely a virtue in this industry. For now all I can do is accumulate projects that I know will have longevity in this market and STEEM is definitely one of them.