I talked about this when i first started Steemit and didn't really reach anyone so I wanted to share my story with you. My best friend from high school discovered Bitcoin in it's semi-early stages and acquired around 40 or so without investing any money into it. He would always talk about it and how he had a shit ton of money building up and I would repeatedly say that is fake, there is no way you can cash that in for real money or if it is real why aren't you cashing it? He was one of those guys who was in it for the long run. It wasn't until we both got into college that I started realizing Bitcoin was real as shit.
My friend was living in his own 1 bedroom apartment. He was attending a pretty well known college and he always had money for beer, food, utilities, pot, etc. I knew his family pretty well, being that we were best friends, and knew that his parent's were not funding him. I knew for a fact he didn't have a job because all he did was sit at home and play video games if he wasn't in class. Finally I asked him..Man how do you always have money for everything and you don't have a job? Are you a drug dealer or something? He then pulled out his phone and showed me his Bitcoin wallet and the amount of money in it. I was a little older now and a lot more willing to listen to what he had to say. We sat there and really discussed Bitcoin and what it was, how it worked. I was finally a believer.
I begged him to give me a bitcoin, this was early 2014 so I was very late to try mining it and I damn sure didn't have money to buy in. We were actually planning a snowboard trip at the time and luckily for me..he needed snowboard gear. I was a snowboarder already and had tons of extra gear. It was his first time ever going so we made a deal. He gave me one Bitcoin to let him borrow my snowboard gear for the week. Considering that would have costed him around $800, it was a fair trade because bitcoin was around $400 at the time. So we went on our trip and I finally had me a Bitcoin.
I held that sum bitch for majority of the year. It was so much fun watching the price go up and down. I had told myself that I was going to hold my Bitcoin until it was worth $5,000. I wasn't mining and I wasn't buying any. I was just sitting on my 1 coin. Looking back, I wish I would have slowly invested in Bitcoin, but I was too tied up going to school to be a graphic designer and partying that I never fully devoted myself to it. My dad on the other hand got super involved. He bought minors, bought and sold other coins and had made himself like 4 Bitcoin. I was happy with my one because I knew it would be worth a lot of money one day.
In the winter of 2014, I had graduated college and at the time had no job and my lease was ending. It was a bitter sweet moment because I had graduated with my friends but they were all moving off for jobs. I had all of my stuff packed into a Uhaul, preparing to move back home until I found a job. That was until I came across a studio right down the road from where my college was. It was a it pricey, but I was desperate. I knew if I moved backed to my home town that I would never make it out of there again. I had come to the point in my life where it was time to make a decision. it was either leave or take the risk and stay. Like i said, I had no job, so I had no money saved. To move into this apartment, I had to pay $600 for the deposit and then $600 more for the first months rent. I begged my dad to help me so I could stay. I promised I would find a job if he just helped me transition.
Keep in mind this is a Sunday afternoon, I had just graduated college on Saturday, the day before. My dad agreed that he could give me $400 if I could come up with the rest. I had one choice, to cash in my Bitcoin. I asked the landlord if I could have 3 days in the studio before I had to pay her and she agreed. That night, I cashed my one and only Bitcoin in for $800. I took the $400 from my dad and I had the first month covered. Having that one Bitcoin gave me just enough time to really give it my all and find a way to stay there. Two days later, I swear on everything, I got a job. Not only was it a job, but it was a job using my degree. I had a graphic design position. No, Bitcoin didn't help me graduate college, but because of the help from one coin, I was able to graduate college, get an apartment and get a job all in four days.
I worked that job full time for the next 6 months. I started saving a little money and was able to actually live comfortably. I had been dating the love of my life for 4.5 years now and finally had the money to buy a ring for her. I bought the ring and kept it hid for a few months. This past January, I had saved up enough money to take her on a snowboard trip. Remember, I got my Bitcoin for letting my friend borrow my gear! So here I am, able to take my girlfriend on a snowboard trip because I had saved enough money from working! I promise this is the last time I go backwards, but I was making this money because that 1 BITCOIN gave me just enough time to find a job!
So we went on our snowboard trip and I finally proposed to her. It was the same day as our 5 year anniversary. It was the best moment of my life. Everything prior to that had fallen perfectly into place. My degree, my job, getting the ring, saving money for the trip, even the weather was perfect. It was truly the greatest moment of my life. The snow was pouring down over us and the mountain was lit up by lights and it was absolutely perfect.
Sorry the sound isn't great, but this is the video of the proposal!! She thought we were taking a picture, but I had it on video :)
She said yes and we had the time of our lives that weekend. She was so great at snowboarding, even though it was her first time. She loved it just as much as I do and it was so much fun.
We returned home and spread the news of our engagement and of course everyone was super happy for us! Now fast forward to today. Today, I have been working a NEW job for over 2 months now. I am working as an in-house designer for the highest volume print shop in my area. My fiancee and I moved into our first house together la few weeks ago! Now we are taking it one day at a time and slowly planning our wedding! (Which will be next September) I also got my dad a job at the design firm where I am working as a wide format print specialist.
If you haven't seen my point, my point is this.. Even though I never had tons of Bitcoin, I had one. ONE Bitcoin started a series of events in my life. One Bitcoin allowed me to get a job doing what I love, it helped me save enough money to propose to the most amazing woman I have ever met, it helped me get a house for me and her to live in. No, it is not the the only reason, but it definitely helped spark my flame. This is why when my dad introduced me to Steemit, I decided to be fully dedicated to it. Bitcoin bettered my life from using it once. Steemit has already started changing my life. I have been writing constantly, sharing adventures that I have went through in my life and my thoughts as well as my feelings. I know that Steemit will be worth while. I will continue sharing my stories, regardless if I make money or not. Steemit made me realize that I really enjoy blogging and that I have a lot more to show/tell the world than I thought I did. So please, comment, follow me, ask me anything you want! I am Jay Piper and I am on STEEMIT!