I have done something similar to what you have done, but have used ocdb to help. I haven't invested one cent and never powered down either. I should reach this goal tomorrow after a 15 month struggle. I think you do appreciate this place and see it in a different way when you take the hard route and you will reach your goal and hopefully before August. Since the last hard fork curation did play a bigger role in the growth and it has made it slightly easier. Just keep doing what you are doing and you will get there in no time.