Harness that STEEM—convert it to SP!
I’ve heard this many times since joining Steemit. And I don’t disagree. But what if cashing out is how you buy groceries that week? Or pay an electric bill? I’m one of those people who doesn’t have the luxury of investing. At least not right now. Maybe Steemit will change that. Right now it's keeping me alive.
I’ve never been wealthy. Always blue collar, always flirting with the poverty level. Five years ago, I spent my life savings to start a nonprofit rescue for animals in one of the most economically depressed and morally bankrupt regions of the U.S.—Central Appalachia. I operated on the assumption that eventually the community would recognize the benefit and step up to support our cause. I was an idiot. Not only did that not happen, but the community proved to be very hostile toward “intrusive” efforts to change the social and political climate. I wrote articles about this you can read HERE and HERE. So I won’t go down that road again with this post. Instead, I’ll talk about how different my experience with Steemit has been, and why I’ve dipped into my earnings hard.
I spend most of my online time at the Fiction Workshop at the PALnet Minnowsupport group on Discord. I don’t advertise what goes on in day to day operations here at home, other than those posts I linked above. Yes, I’ll talk about it if it comes up in conversation. No, I don’t solicit charity for these homeless animals from fellow Steemians. Yet more than once, I’ve received notification of SBD floating into my wallet, and when I ask, the giver simply says, “just because.”
This is so different from the everyday world I live in that it can be startling. I am the same person at Steemit that I am “in real life,” and on other forms of social media. Just as outspoken, just as likely to bully a bully, and very talkative. Currently, I hold server ranking #6 at the PALnet Discord group out of a field of more than 3,600 members. I’m not exactly a shrinking violet.
For every personality trait I’ve been punished for on home turf, I’m rewarded for at Steemit, and at PALnet. This is a game-changer for me. But here’s the clincher: taking my Bitpay VISA into a local grocery store and purchasing a week’s worth of food for myself and these animals is life-saving. Before Steemit, I have literally not known where my next meal would come from, or how I’d pay that month’s electric bill. Mind you—I’m still not making huge money here, but for someone with nothing at all, a little can go a long way.
I have big dreams about using Steemit earnings to fund the rescue, to build fences and repair the facility and pay for spays and neuters. Part of my payouts will always convert into SP because that’s how the system works. But don’t expect my SBD and STEEM to just sit there and accumulate when there are very real needs in this 501c3 public charity that aren’t being met by my real-world community.
I can promise you that I will produce good content, work day and night to help fellow Steemians write well and maybe even publish novels. But Steemit is survival for me. It’s not a hobby. I joined out of desperation, out of knowing I was one month away from losing everything, including the animals I’ve worked so hard to save. I had no idea if I’d make it a week on this platform, let alone a month. But I’m still here, and still holding my own. So here’s hoping for another great month! And by the way, if you write fiction, come join us at the Fiction Workshop. Find us HERE. We'd love to talk to you!
we should be able to play minecraft with each other on steem.
You do great work, both on and off Steemit. You are the most generous person with their time that I have ever met, and am I ever pleased to have met you? Yes, yes I am.
I feel the same way about you. Geez, every time I turn around you're doing something nice for me or for somebody else. :-)
Muxxybot approves....*....@Rhondak you are the most generous person I've ever encountered online. Hands down. I've seen this community do amazing things for people with medical bills and trouble on the horizon. I would love to see a ton of resteems on this post. I'd love to see some whales come by and slap it with some serious up vote power.
You give so much time to the Fiction Workshop, and I never ever see you turn away a request, despite basically wrangling a ranch single-handedly half the time. I wish I had more than a nickel to give you here, but I'm going to hope that my resteem will help.
Steemians! Do it for the PUPPIES before I get Sarah McLachlan up in this joint!
Look, that even scares the dogs
@jrhughes, now I'm all watery eyed and sniffling. Headed back to the workshop to thank you in person. . . .
ALL HAIL GREAT RHONDAK!
Yay, RhondaK! Until now, I hadn't grasped how desperate your financial situation really is, or how you drained your personal savings and every penny that comes your way to take care of the homeless, unwanted, abused, neglected, or rejected wee beasties. (Some not so wee - a pig! a goat!). You are the best!!! You neighbors may take you for granted (the way Jesus noted that a prophet is never accepted in his home town), but you are gaining a foot hold. You'll be like able to relax, like the lilies of the field, and that "Consider the sparrows" parable.
Oooh, when that day comes to relax. . . . :-)
I would feel so much more comfortable if you were being a total asshole saying that. But you're not. You're one of those people I'm talking about when I say Steemit is so DIFFERENT. Now, I know we're having a good time with this in Fiction Workshop, so I hope others know I don't think I"m "great." For crying out loud. But I DO think people like you are great, unprovoked, and that novel of yours. . .just. . .wow. :-)
You are awesome!
No, YOU are awesome!
I got a bellyRub and this post has received a 40.78 % upvote from @bellyrub thanks to: @unprovoked.
It is definitely easy to just take a quick gander at someone's wallet here on steem. Sadly, humanity judges far too often and is incorrect in its judgement nearly 100% of the time. I completely understand withdrawing steem. Besides, you have already proven your worth to the community. There will always be naysayers, but their words can be great fuel to the fire of our motivation. Let's...Build...Worlds!
Let's...Build...Worlds!!! I LOVE THAT! :-) I just got chills, @nexusfyre. Thank you for the upgoat! LOLOL! You are awesome.
It's amazing that the things we've been told all our lives are detriments are actually strengths.
It's funny how impressions can be so wrong and so right. I looked at you as a successful, wealthy, fiction writer. Little did I know, always flirting with the poverty level was your reality.
Thank you for always being the humble gifted you, regardless of the daily struggle!
Oooh, Kubby--thank you so much. And for what it's worth, I aim to make you right about that "wealthy fiction writer" soon enough. :-)
Yes ma'am, you have a huge community behind you, believing in you, supporting you every step of the way!
I usually tell people don't forget us when your a superstar, but I know you'll never forget :D
I don't know about superstar, but I do know about not forgetting the people who've been placed in your path for a reason. I believe all of us at MSP have been brought together to do great things. I just don't believe it's all a cosmic accident. :-)
It's all for a purpose. I agree with you on that. We are like seed planters growing a garden :)
YES! Oh, that's perfect. :-)
Thank You for caring for the critters! I also have many dumped here that find their way to my place, attitudes of some of the neighbors are not friendly and more than a few I have found killed by them so I do understand the struggles to get fenced and feed...Sharing to help spread the word!
Thank you so much, @weetreebonsai, for what you do to help them, too. :-)
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STOPCongratulations! This post has been upvoted from the communal account, @minnowsupport, by rhondak from the Minnow Support Project. It's a witness project run by aggroed, ausbitbank, teamsteem, theprophet0, and someguy123. The goal is to help Steemit grow by supporting Minnows and creating a social network. Please find us in the Peace, Abundance, and Liberty Network (PALnet) Discord Channel. It's a completely public and open space to all members of the Steemit community who voluntarily choose to be there.
If you like what we're doing please upvote this comment so we can continue to build the community account that's supporting all members.
This post received a 4.0% upvote from @randowhale thanks to @gmuxx! For more information, click here!
Thank you for sharing your story. followed and will continue to enjoy reading your post :)
Thank you! :-)
Enjoyed the post, Rhondak. I hope you continue to earn enough for your non-profit and yourself. Wait, let me change that, I hope you start earning more than enough.
Cheers
Hey, I like that "more than enough" idea. :-) Thank you!
This post has received a 2.08 % upvote from @booster thanks to: @unprovoked.
What a beautiful, inspiring story. I am inspired by your determination to follow what you believe in even on the bring of poverty. My upvote isn't worth much so I'm following in hopes that in future I will be able to provide a little more to you for your generous care of animals in need - and of course yourself. Blessings to you Rhondak - may you soon see a place where you have more than enough to meet your needs - much more!
Thank you so much, lindasymonds. :-) Better believe I'm following you, too!
@nexusfyre got you a $2.13 @minnowbooster upgoat, nice! (Image: pixabay.com)
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Here have my 100% vote. Just because :)
Actually because you deserve it. Writer, editor, and animal rescuer. I sincerely hop that Steemit helps you in all the ways you dream and imagine (and more). I'll do what I can, in my own little way.
Thank you, @naquoya! :-)
Thanks for this post, @rhondak! It's awesome that your talents and personality are being appreciated here. I'm finding a bit of the opposite...that the rules of my real life seem to be aligning with Steemit. I have a hard time interacting socially in the real world, and I find myself completely at a loss in all the chat rooms I've tried :(
Innerlight, I have to agree with you about most chat rooms. I don't do well in many of them, either--perhaps for opposite reasons. That's one reason I'm so pleased with the Fiction Workshop. It's a whole different thing. I don't know if you're a writer, or what your interests are. But I agree that good online communities are hard to find. So we protect ours like mama and papa bears. :-)
I have tried out some fiction writing in a few posts and have seen the fiction workshop room on Discord...I'll pop in and give it a look :-)
Awesome! We'll keep an eye out for you. :-)
Just hang in there, stay focus and just do everything you feel is right. Life wouldn't live you, you will live life and help other!
nice post :) are you exchange vootee foollooww with me
welcome to @farhannaqvi7 .always be happy friend i uppvote you .
here have some SP
Nice Post @rhondak
Follow me For latest Updates About Steemit and Tips
Thank You @sitara12511
Hi friend, very good !!!!!
You would help me with a vote in my post., Thanks !!! ;)
Great article, and i believe many of us have falling into that trap of imaginative community support when doing things to the others. The fact is that you should still do it, just you learn not to expect nothing in return. Then you are not disappointed at least, and feel great for doing what you like. Community will only support when you succeed and they can benefit from you. Well... in most cases, there are always exceptions.
Charity organizations do succeed in other parts of the world. Few succeed here. It isn't just my group. :-(
Keep trying, one day you will break the ice!
My love and respect for you just went up a notch @rhondak! You work so hard and so selflessly, that sooner or later there will be returns, long, hard and coming in fast. Pretty much like the awesome Sft work you are now snowed under. You are a wonder woman in my eyes Rhonda, and will always be. I wish you all the very best! Big, big bear hug! <3
I'm resteeming too. I want more people to know you! :)
@sandzat, the love is mutual. I think soooo highly of you. Every time I bump into you on Steemit or on Discord, you brighten my day. :-)
Hey Rhonda, you are one of the most genuine and caring people I've met here and there are many great folks here. Your tireless work is very much appreciated and won't go unrewarded.
I've hit you up with a 100% vote as always.
You're amazing babe.
I hope I can keep giving you a few laughs to brighten your day.
Keep your eye on STEEMLORDS I'm going to be writing as many of the 'girls of discord" in as possible.
Steem on and never change.
STEEMLORDS is hilarious. You have found a great niche with those stories. :-)
You rock, tremendouspercy!
You deserve every bit of value being derived from your work here and with PALnet. No shame in dipping in, and I have no doubt that you'll get yours in due time.
Much ❤️ @rhondak
Thank you, @tayken. That means a great deal to me. :-)
Beautiful story @rhondak, great to be part of a sharing community like this. Look forward to reading more of your posts!
Thank you, @youareyourowngood! :-)
Bless you for helping the animals! Upvoted, following and re-steemed!
Thank you! :-)
Keep fightin the Good fight!
Your efforts are inspiring.
Keep writing, posting and living your highest truth!
@rhondak Your story is inspiring and the fact that you stuck with it, it will help lots of people persevere. 🤣