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My blogging journey would be so much more fun if someone read my posts.

That was the first thing I saw in my Twitter feed this morning and it made me really sad because not only is the individual who said it a Hive (and old Steem) member, but has been one since August 2017!!! Nobody that is three years into their blogging journey should be feeling the need to express such a craving for simple appreciation of their content. If the content was really bad, I might understand the lack of engagement, but the thing is… the content is actually REALLY good in this instance and seeing that statement made with a link attached to one of their posts inspired this post.!

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I have been writing and blogging for years. Not as many as others, and I may not be as good as other writers out there either, but my point is – I have been in this “arena” for some time now… long before I joined this blockchain, which was over three years ago and let me tell you… it is no easy feat! People seem to have this preconceived idea or notion that much like being an “influencer”... becoming a “blogger” is this rose tinted 21st century way of life where you sit on a beach watching turquoise ocean waves roll at your feet with your toes buried in white sand whilst you drop words onto a page, dollar signs rising as each character lands.

I am incredibly grateful that I am now able to put my energies full time into this space, but let me just say… achieving anything of consequence as a blogger (other than the personal satisfaction of sharing your hobbies and thoughts) is actually incredibly difficult… in many ways, almost impossible.

I recall YEARS – yes years, where getting so much as ONE comment on a blog post was something so exciting I would be willing to crack open a bottle of wine for it! Ok, we all know I am talking shit… I crack a bottle of wine open ANY TIME… so let’s change that to Champagne shall we?! Haha! The point I am attempting to make, remains unchanged though. And let’s add a little reality to that equation, because as a blogger on your own independent platform, that “one comment” does not pay you anything…. So unless that individual spent 6 hours on your site, clicking every Google ad you have floated about and clicked every single affiliate link – you are still going to be pretty screwed come month end.

Blogging is HARD WORK!!!! Anybody who tells you otherwise, is LYING TO YOU!!! - Even when you are well established, it is STILL hard work – but it will be hard work that pays better lol.

BUT…

…and it is a BIG BUT – isn’t it always! I have been saying this SO OFTEN lately… (but nobody listens to me, lol!) - No, that was NOT the “BIG BUT”… THIS IS: Blogging does not have to be hard!!!! Getting recognition and appreciation for your work doesn’t either – in fact, unlike ANY independent blogging domain or social blogging space… WE, (yes us) hold a KEY! - A key that has the potential to change that for everyone in this space. What’s the catch? There isn’t one. Like ANY recipe it has ingredients… that being your passion, dedication and talent and then there is a method… and that is where the magic happens! What is the method? Simple! Two words… WORKING TOGETHER!!!!!!!! I honestly cannot say it enough!!!!! If ANY of us want to make a success of our “blogging journeys” as well as of this Hive Space” we like to call home… then we cannot continue as islands.

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There is conversation about on boarding, adopting the masses and shouting out loud to the world… but nobody is looking at what we ALREADY HAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Fuck it people! The individuals that are already a part of this space are not bloody statistics!!!! They are people who came here, to give this space a chance… but I beg the question, would you want to carry on if you were receiving not a single bit of engagement on your posts – especially after three years?! I know I wouldn’t… and that was why I left the “independent arena” of blogging… because my journey as a writer was simply not being fulfilled there…. But the thing is, there are A LOT of people that are feeling that way, right here in our space.

We have the most phenomenal community… but if ANYTHING is going to change, then the fragments (the you’s and me’s) need to unite. I spoke out of turn during a witness chat once… apparently I was not “allowed” to speak – well, I seldom listened to my parents, I NEVER listened to my teachers and I am not about to start listening to a bunch of strangers who REPEATEDLY prove that they live in little boxes with one dimensional thought processes. I made mention of “the powers that be” and how they could get involved in making things easier for those newer to the blockchain by incorporating “basic directional links” in their footers… ie. to places like @steemterminal and such because people who are new to this space look to the “top earners” blogs as examples and generally follow them. ALL they heard in that was the phrase “the powers that be”. They immediately started talking about how there are no “people in control” because this is a blockchain space… bla la bla…. They missed the point entirely. I followed this response by clarifying what I meant by that phrase and also added that unless they started to look at things from a “laymans” perspective, things here would never change… and you know what – things have not changed and I often wonder if they even want them to!

I am not one to get involved in the politics here, but I will have my say when I feel it warranted. Let me give you an example of “the powers that be” around here… This is not the first time that this has happened and it is also not unfamiliar territory/experience to ANYONE who has been around here for some time. I wrote a POST the other day and I got a $7 downvote on it from blocktrades and purely because they clearly have someone else on a downvote trail. Fair? No. But life isn’t fair a lot of the time… so it is up to us to make the best of it! “The powers that be” may have dominance in many respects, but we have the real deal! We have the numbers and if we stand together, we can change shit like this!

SIDE NOTE: ... oh, and FUCK YOU @blocktrades for downvoting my two posts to recently hit trending. I work hard in this space you asshole and EVERYTHING I write is worthy of it's fucking UPVOTES! I also like to provide for my child and eat you selfish DIPSHIT! Go and find someone worthy of a fucking downvote to pick on please! You are "someone" that so many respected... but WTF?! - You are proving to be part of the problem - and on that note, a VERY BIG thank you @appreciator (@bluemist) (interestingly enough, someone who far less people seem to offer respect and is often shunned) who is actually moving with the times and supporting the people who warrant it. You are proving to be part of the solution!!!

If we ALL made the decision to become a united voice with a respect for individuality, we could seriously shake shit up! Perhaps I will only ever make a dent in this endeavour – but a dent is better than nothing.

If we really want people to be enthusiastic about this space, this blockchain and the community… then we need to work together so we can make this abyss a little shallower… one person at a time! We have so MUCH at our fingertips... if only we all saw it and made the necessary efforts to change it!

You cannot expect people to go around praising the ship they are on, flying it's flag... when they are locked in the hull! Nor can you expect an investor to put money into a project or business that is shadowed by greed and divided by fear!!!

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We have already been tainted by SO MUCH, yet here we are... the problem is, now it is just that little bit harder to convince the outside world - as WELL as the newer users on the platform which means we will all have to work THAT MUCH HARDER!!!!!! Simple!

@theycallmedan recently tweeted the following:

We already have the platform - We already have our voices! ALL we have to do... is use them ALL TOGETHER in HARMONY!!!!!!!! NEVER underestimate the POWER of the PEOPLE and the CHANGE possible through their PASSION UNITED!!!!

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I am no whale... but I love this blockchain - especially the community that lies within! - Fucking hell, why else would I have stuck it out for so long?! But I am getting tired of "downvotes for nothing other than politics" and I am also sick of hearing the desperation for direction and cries for engagement from users. Yes, everything is a two way street, but there are simple fundamentals that can be MET by people like you and me and it is up to us to do that if we want to see any major changes - because it is abundantly clear that none of "the powers that be" EVER will!

To the "powers that be" that CONTINUE to ignore the input and common FUCKING SENSE of "ordinary people" like myself who (believe it or not... have skill sets too)... FUCK YOU! - We won't do what you did... (talk talk talk)... Action is where it happens! - And action it we shall!

That is all....

except for this....

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Remember this....?

_{THANKS GIPHY}

“He who masters the power formed by a group of people working together has within his grasp one of the greatest powers known to man.” ― idowu koyenikan

A little over 5 months ago myself and the PHC community came together to make some waves... We LOVE making waves, especially the kind that y'all can surf ;) - so if you are keen jump on board!

Well, we are doing it again!!! If you are a PHC member and have not popped into discord of late... PLEASE DO! And if you are NOT a member yet... jump in and on board! We would LOVE to have ALL of you involved!!!!!

JUMP ON BOARD HERE

Everything is easier when you work as a collective

“A choir is made up of many voices, including yours and mine. If one by one all go silent then all that will be left are the soloists. Don’t let a loud few determine the nature of the sound. It makes for poor harmony and diminishes the song.” - Vera Nazarian