Oof.
As we say here in Japan: Shouganai. "It cannot be helped."
As it is no longer feasible to support myself and my family via my work here on Steemit, I'll have to adapt and look elsewhere for now, in the interest of continuing to keep Voluntary Japan steaming on (real steam, not "steem").
I am currently building a part time schedule of other work, to pay the bills.
Once I power down to 7,000 SP (to think, I once held over 20,000), I will stop all power downs, and move my focus elsewhere. I will, however, continue blogging here, just perhaps not at the rate I have become accustomed to. It is no longer feasible for me to do so. The 7,000 will keep me from kicking myself too hard should this weird place I've come to love finally start to really go somewhere.
Some new platforms:
Thanks to my friend @crystalhuman, I am now on the waiting list for Narrative Alpha, a promising sounding site that looks like it will give content creators more control over the community aspect of their various networks, and keep influence organically spread out, to avoid things like the "pyramid of power" that seems to have developed here, and which has--along with state regulation killing the crypto markets--turned this platform (aside from the beautiful pockets of community which still remain here and there) into largely just a big infomercial on the web.
Do you guys know of any other promising blockchain-based social media platforms? If so, do let me know.
In closing.
I really didn't set out to write a "downer" kind of post here. I just need to think out loud, and type this stuff out to get myself more clear in my head. I know my objective now, clearer than ever, and nothing--not struggling markets or platforms--will stop me there. Never has, and as long as I can breathe, never will. Just retooling once again. No "plan B." Just new ways to make PLAN A work ;) Have had a great summer as a full time activist, journalist, Steemian, content creator, and unschooling/freeschool/community volunteer. Kind of fuckin' sucks that there was not so much traction. Fuck it. Not gonna stop. no matter what.
~KafkA
Graham Smith is a Voluntaryist activist, creator, and peaceful parent residing in Niigata City, Japan. Graham runs the "Voluntary Japan" online initiative with a presence here on Steem, as well as DLive and Twitter. (Hit me up so I can stop talking about myself in the third person!)
Gotta look out for your family, mate. I think HF20 has some good stuff in it; including the background prerequisites for SMTs which could land before the end of the year.
Marginal utility though; bills need to be paid today.
If we moon 7K SP is going to be serious money any way.
Let us know how the new platform treats you.
That would be great, man, if the groundwork starts to appear for the communities feature. Have been waiting and waiting, but wasn’t sure when the ETA was. Do you know when HF 20 is supposed to take place?
Thanks for the encouragement, too. I’m definitely not leaving but gotta make sure I can pay the bills!
;)
September 25 at 11am. They're rolling it out for witnesses to test a month earlier though, which is less than a week away. A few guys are saying that users are largely being ignored, and STINC's focus is on appealing to developers, who can make applications for users. Makes sense.
Cheers. This is great news man. Thank you.
Gotta do what you gotta do, Buddy. Don't feel bad about it. Hell, 7000 is still much more than me ;) (I'm intent on getting to 1000 before my 1 yr anniversary).
As my photography mentor always used to say, it takes a lot of peanuts to feed an elephant. I suppose that is true for any freelance, self-employed, non-traditional job, but boy is it ever true for photography. My income is nothing but peanuts. Luckily all together they add up to enough to support my family. Steemit is just one peanut. Go and find more, brother.
I am thinking the same way. I am starting to put together my website again and that will be my main focus, tho of course I will keep posting here. Partially that is because I feel guilty. I want to post more than 1-2 link posts a day but I am now on a few auto-vote lists and I don't want to take more than 1-2 upvotes from them a day, at least not for simple links. So my website will give me a place to do more of those, if nothing else. At one time I was selling ads on my website for $300 a week. Not much, but it was a nice peanut. I wonder if I can get to that again...
Sorry, rambling on. Anyway, do what you gotta do, my friend. Keep us up to date so we can follow you in new places—and best of luck!
(PS—I just signed up for Narrative Alpha too. I'm number 921 in line)
Thank you, man.
Means a lot, and I think you are right about the “peanuts.”
One thing that really irks me is the extortion fees I had to pay for my crypto gains last year. I paid 12,000 USD, which if I still had, I could continue in my work uninterrupted for awhile.
Ah well.
Yes. Just more peanut gathering. Have been hoping to offer my family a little bit more, but when I look at those even steadily employed around me, it seems everyone is struggling to save and “get somewhere.”
Hyperinflation/hyperegulation is a cruel joke, but nevertheless, we’ve got the right idea, so we press on!
I’ll still be fluttering around here I imagine, as I still want to save some Steem. And glad to be connected with you on Discord.
Cheers.
Wow, that is a lot of tax. One can understand why big investors pay so much to avoid paying tax. That would irk me too.
I get the same feeling as I look around—that everyone, even those with good "regular" jobs, is struggling. .
Anyway, I'm likewise happy we have been able to connect. Whatever may happen with Steemit, let's try to stay connected. I am trying to check in on Discord more often, so feel free to leave more messages in the room or by DM.
Good luck!
Ditto...
....is the ONO site up and runnin' yet?
We all owe it to each other to keep abreast of other sites. Steemit doesn't own us..
If steemit isn't doing the job, someone else will (hopefully)....
Agreed.
Fair play to you, if you have to make a living from this type of game then you would be a fool to sit still. It will be a shame to lose your regular level of content from here, but all the best. I will try dig out a post from another guy who has departed. It is sports based but the guy says it is ran well. Whatever happens I will more than likely be here till the end, it has taken me too long to get this. I don't get involved in all the politics, so ignorance will have to be bliss for me.
Thanks, @article61. I will also probably be here until "the end," if and whenever that may be, and actually now am not even sure if my content production will decline that much (it seems like muscle memory and a creative expression I cannot truly live without), but yes, getting too attached (becoming religious) about any one approach can be detrimental in the long run, and strategizing with regard to the necessities of life is important!
I appreciate your kind words and support.
All the best from the UK to Japan, buddy.
Gotta do what you gotta do. There's a point where un-staking your SP is what this place was meant for. If you're gonna support yourself, you can't have all your wealth tied up in a 401k.
Nobody's gonna blame you for liquidating and supporting yourself.
Keep working plan A however it needs. Use this as social media. This is Facebook or Instagram or Twitter that'll get you a few bucks here and there. Not widely practical for folks that create content as a means of supporting a family.
I'm glad you found a more promising avenue to grow VJ!! That fact makes this post not a downer.
Thanks brother. Yep. Plan A is the only plan.
Graham!
Wow, hard times, hard decisions... How all too well I understand!
Supporting the family has always been my top priority. I went through a seriously bad year recently, and only in the last few months--thank God--have begun catching up.
I wish you the very best, one agorist/voluntaryist to another.
Though I wrote this a while ago, somehow the post did not go through... sigh... anyway, wishing you the best, my friend.
😄😇😄
Hey dude. I completely understand where you're coming from. I'm in a somewhat similar situation.
I also signed up for Narrative a couple days ago! It looks promising. I think Steemit will recover, but it's a matter of "when". This can be troubling for someone dependent on consistent purchasing power, like you or myself.
On the very bright side, maybe we'll both have two sources of crypto-income in the very near future! Best of luck to you. Cheers
Thanks, man. I really respect you as a creator here so it is nice to hear that I am not alone in some of these feelings.
YES! :)
Sad to see you go, but what needs to be done needs to be done. Hope you will finds some time to keep posting here at least a little.
Good luck with your new projects.
Ah, I’ll be here. And gonna stay active on DLive. Just maybe not for four or five posts a day anymore. Heh.
Thank you.
Hi,
I am sorry to hear your powering down and reducing your involvement in Steemit. Your achievements of Rep 74 and SP of 20,000 are very impressive. Your current SP of 7000 is still impressive. I am also writing to answer your question. I read an article by stellabella on a platform in China called Ono. I did some research and wrote several articles on that platform, which has graphic user interfaces in both English and Chinese. It is designed to be a Steemit style recreation of Facebook, home grown by the Chinese. I will Put some links to the articles by Stellabella and I below. I think Stellabelle was so impressed that she moved to China to work for Ono.
Take Care
@shortsegments
References for Ono
@Stellabelle :https://steemit.com/ono/@stellabelle/meet-ke-xu-creator-of-cryptodogs-ceo-and-founder-of- ono-soci
https://steemit.com/blockchainsocialmediacn/@shortsegments/this-chinese-entrepreneur-plans-to-radically-change-social-media-using-the-block-chain
https://steemit.com/update1/@shortsegments/update-on-ono-social-media-platform-the-rules-and-principles-of-the-ono-social-media-application-april-24th-2018
https://steemit.com/ono/@shortsegments/is-ono-the-new-social-media-platform-from-china-the-end-of-facebook
https://hackernoon.com/meet-ke-xu-%E5%BE%90%E5%8F%AF-cryptodogs-creator-ceo-and-founder-of-ono-a-social-network-launching-on-eos-dba1c7d02dea
References
1 https://www.acdog.hk
2 https://www.chinaz.com/news/2016/0310/511282.shtml
3 https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/34949024
4 Dan Rusnic: https://hackernoon.com/cryptodogs-proving-achains-fork-theory-882d0d06281d
5 @Stellabelle :https://steemit.com/ono/@stellabelle/meet-ke-xu-creator-of-cryptodogs-ceo-and-founder-of- ono-soci
Sorry, it posted twice, so I deleted it. If this is to much info for a comment, let me know and I will delete it. I have only been here three months, so I am still learning.
No problem whatsoever. Thank you for the info!
Your welcome.
I understand that you need to spread out your work, don't want all your eggs in the one basket, so to speak x it is hard seeing steem go down and less and less people being active on here, I am hoping in a while it will climb back. Really happy that you are not leaving totally, I sure would miss your wisdom and insights, but like you said you got to support your family and that has to come first. Wishing you success in all you do x
Curious about the Narrative Alpha, might have a look at it myself xx
Thanks always, @trucklife-family.
At least until there is absolutely no choice (maybe I don't even believe in such a situation ;)) I am going to keep putting out content and expressing myself here. Almost like muscle memory at this point, and without the community and self-expression, I will definitely feel stifled.
Really appreciate you. Gonna battle this out. Just needed to kind of begin to work out my game plan and acknowledge some unpleasant realities. I am sure there is a big positive under all of this, but I am learning that that is part and parcel of embracing and feeling the negative feelings and realities as well.
I've never heard about this new platform..
does it have the same principle as Steemit? Payments for content?
I hope you'll be successful there as here and even more!
you're full-time steemian, and it's hard times for cryptos now, and of course, you should seek for variants..
But I am glad you don't leave at all!:)
Yes, payments for content. I am still not very well-informed as to how it all is supposed to work, though.
Thank you!
Yes! There is no way I could ever abandon this place or good, really. The community is too neat. Vaccine injury awareness, anarchy, and people who genuinely care, such as yourself. All a big gift and blessing to me.
just the same feeling - this place is already not only a way of earning money, it's a part of life, and some people here are really so dear to the heart;)
My sons and I own 4 niches over at Narrative. It does look promising. I will not be abandoning Steemit. I will be working on two platforms. I have a lot of mouths to feed and Steemit right now can't do it alone. We gotta do what we gotta do to survive.
Right. I hear you loud and clear. I am not thinking of abandoning the outlet for creative expression (a redundant phrase?), the community, or the innovating and groundbreaking concept I have found here! Not even possible to do so, really.
But yeah, we gotta think smart and play the game with a solid strategy.
Cheers.
I understand you gotta do whats right for your family man. I want to let you know I got a lot out of your posts like with the circle of noisemakers and all of your great motivational voluntaryist content. Thanks again and keep in touch.
Thanks very much, @mwojteck. I’m definitely not leaving, and plan to keep the CON network updated. Just need to re-tool for a second here.
I heard about this project some time ago. It's the only other social media project that I didn't get bad vibes from. Most social media on blockchain projects are unfeasible. Some idiots are even building social media on Ethereum which is nothing but cringeworthy.
I specially love that the project's focus on niches which is closer to what "communities" is attempting to do. Don't forget to check out https://steemit.com/steemhunt/@vimukthi/why-you-should-log-into-https-steemhunt-com-right-now-hunt-token-analysis which is a project I have some good faith in. I've already collected over 3K tokens and I do believe they could be very well worth 10 cents.
I might eventually join Narrative. I'm currently on a waiting list. It'll take some time before I invest some serious money. Sad to see you selling while STEEM is at such a low price. I still think STEEM could realistically hit $100 (which would still be less than 30% of current BTC marketcap and STEEM is 200 times faster and has Zero Fees.
Wish You Best of Luck in Whatever You are Doing!
I hear you. I kind of feel the same way.
You're telling me! Haha. No real choice at this juncture, however. At least it sure seems that way.
Is that we assume the end of steemit? Gradually everyone is leaving ....giving the small minnows no more hope to survive...may be that is the indication of steemit powering fown too.....btw ono is on roll in case you would opt for other..i heard of it..but waiting for its english version to launch..
Ah. Ono is not an English site?
Sadly, Steemit investors have not taken much care with their money to make sure quality work is rewarded.
As per my last update not yet released in english though stellabelle is in charge of english app. Currently it is in chinese and launched only in china.....
I am with you on your concern the investor have no more concern on steemit
I put myself on the waitlist: 912.
You could try buying a vote or two to see where that gets you.
After reading the title I thought you were leaving us completely. Glad you'll still be popping in. Hope to hear how things go in other places.
Nah, I don’t know if leaving Steemit is even physically possible for me. Too much good here. Just need to take care of some important things.
I am user 100007712
Here is my ONO if you would like to have a friend. I ran across your post as a resteem. I am very sorry to hear you are leaving. Have you checked out the @comedyopenmic discord room? They have a promote ONO room called #promono. They also host a fun weekly comedy contest if you would like to partake in that also. It has many prizes that are paid out weekly and everyone has a blast doing it.
Here is a link to their discord
https://discord.gg/H2nkfd
just stop in and say hi and I can make you an honorary joker and you can get access to a few more rooms in the place. If you enjoy what we are doing over there I may even ask a favor of you to possibly cast a witness vote for them so that we can continue to help the community while you are away exploring alternate platforms. If you need an ONO invite let me know and I will get on my phone and try to hook you up.
Edit: i added the invite code once i got on my phone.
@kafkanarchy84
I liked that meme picture, is that text a quote from the movie?
Not sure. Just really identified with both the picture and the quote ;)
Nice post friend thanks for share.
.
Signing, not "singing," you dumbass. Fucking spam ass bullshit.
Were you waiting for STEEM to go under a dollar to start your power down?