Our Lessons

The big deal that I had learned in steemit for the few months of foraging, friend fathering, team buiding, community engagement and other various activities, I learned a few things:

We do not exist in isolation, this is a community of engagement and growth
When we can, we reach out our arms to other communities to lend support and cheer

The very reason why @perennial and myself decided to start our own community was because we wanted to take charge of our own effort and find a place where we can gather like minded people who share the same interest with us to grow with us. There could be pledge or promises of support but that often do come with a certain price and we believe that a relationship that is based on negotiated deals will not have a foundation as strong as one built on trust and confidence.

(He stares blankly because he is tired or sleeping with his eyes open)

Along the way, a few friends have left but the community remains. I personally know the plight of people who just started in Steemit because my posts were doing badly and I could not understand why. I started to engage with the communities around me and I started to improve on the quality of my contents. Then I realised one thing which I ought to have realised, Steemit is just like the real world. Except for a few communities, what matters first is whether you are their friend or a potential threat.

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I decided to leave that all behind and focus on my friends and my students and other individuals that found our community interesting to them and it kicked off pretty well. That was when there was slight recognition. With that in mind, I hate to see others falling into the same predicament was I was previously. People who used to sing the same tune as me as they grew suddenly changed their key and started calling minnows ungrateful, lazy and feeling entitled as their justification for withholding support. Truth be told, they are not your allies, period.

Communities that Made the Differences

It is a shame that strategic move takes precedence over talent and hard work. I believe that this platform is wide enough to cater for all and the cake can be shared. There are good communities out there that kept good people within the platform and they came in the likes of #curie, #ocd-resteem, #steemiteducation and now @sndbox. I believe that people in the same community has better appreciation for the work, effort and persistence of a minnow and that was why I choose community building rather than strategic alliance.

It is usually the abusers that pledge high moral grounds but lets look beyond that and focus our effort within our own backyard and front lawn.

Showing Support for #Steem-Music

The people behind #steem-music like @zhusatriani and @perennial are my long time buddies in steemit. I got to know @calebleejl recently but their effort struck a chord with me. I like what they are doing and they bring good music and positive vibes to the community. This is not senseless blabbing about why they broke up with their boyfriend or which superstar they adore, but real work put in to compose, refine their skills and perform. My utmost respect for these individuals.

The place was provided free of charge. The event started at 8.00 p.m. and with a slight introduction by a group of students in a movement called Small Changes Big Differences. Then the music started.

From the participation of the crowd, how can anyone ever say this community is not making an impact? The atmosphere was simply electrifying and I am proud to be part of it.

I believe just like art, music has an innate appeal to all walks of life. This community definitely deserve the fullest support that I can give.

The Second Community

The next community which I am proud to participate is the #Teammalaysiababes and their event was the next day. I had to convince and bribe my daughters and wife with the promise of taking them to their favourite restaurant in return for their consent. They consented and I sneaked out for a couple of hours. I had written about this meetup in my previous post so, I shall not elaborate further apart from sharing this...

I believe that in the entire group that consists of steemians, the most senior would have to be @coloringiship, @perennial and then myself. For that reason alone I believe they deserve the fullest support. We gave something that was rather simple and easy to provide but the cheers and gratitude from these women were amazing. They treated us with so much warm, respect and hospitality. This is what I love about community building and community engagement. Going beyond the boundaries of common alliances. Meeting strangers and recognising them for their struggles and worth.

My Contribution Maybe Small but I am Here

I may not be able to contribute much in terms of upvotes but we have all survived those period with #steem-cartoon. I cannot promise any substantial votes, but I am here...to draw you when you need, to talk to you when you are down, to assist you whenever possible and to motivate you when your consecutive posts did not hit past USD 1.00.

I believe that our contribution must be inclusive and not exclusive and this has been stressed many times by @perennial and we wish to at least show that we can walk the talk.

The new friends that I had met, the likes of @patlu, @angiechin28, @orangila, @khimgoh, @jessicania, @kaerpediem, @noriaakip, @natalielo and others that I didn't name, you guys are an inspiration. It is not everyday you see people overcoming adversities like you do or run mulitple businesses while preparing your kids's lunch. Your home cooked pasta and macaroni and the satay kajang that you queued to buy means a lot to me.