Who Do I Follow on Steem & Why?

Like many, I am going to respond to the challenge of @theycallmedan, and his 'Who Do I Follow on Steem & Why?‘ incentive.

But first here’s a small personal message to @theycallmedan.

I spotted you at SteemFest 4, in that night event place where one could have been murdered while trying to find it.

They say a picture paints a thousand words, so I mean ‘this place.’

You were sat facing @starkerz looking especially dark and brooding with visible storm clouds gathering around your head.

I wanted to shake your hand and say, ‘thanks for all you have done’, but couldn’t bring myself to do it.

…’this guy is going to bite my head off and it eat it whole if I get too close'…

So I’ll say it here. Thanks for all you have done; we all notice it, and I’m not saying this just to win your vote.

I do well enough here, so please help the others who need more encouragement and more so, help to increase that 'middle class'. That is more Dolphins, Orcas, and investors.

So let's get down to the people I like and respect the most on the STEEM blockchain.

@steevc

There could never be a shadow of a doubt that this guy would be my number one most respected Steemian and now someone I call a friend.

I don’t think I have ever met a more selfless person in my life, though I did once challenge him with the question, ‘would you do all this if there were no rewards or financial gain’.

His response was, 'probably not'. So he is like most of us but to a much lesser degree.

There was a time I was on the brink of bailing, powering down and selling my STEEM. I have tried to find the conversation, but it's not on one of my posts.

My comment was quite negative and outlined the flaws of the system, many of which still exist.

I expected the negativity to be returned but was surprised by a retort of support from @steeve and @heymattsokol (who has sadly left).

...'despite my massive self-vote this was almost another $0.00 post effort if @steevc had not saved it again'...

It was my early days and I was getting little support, besides @steevc who single-handedly kept me motivated at times.

He commented on my terrible early posts and inspired me to be what I am today. I can't thank him enough.

@steemflagrewards

Not a person but the first real community whom I interacted with.

Not surprisingly it was @steevc who introduced me to people such as @anthonydavisii, @iamstan, @lovenfreedom, @enforcer48 and the rest of the team.

After some persuasion, I delegated 1000SP to @steemflagrewards but at the time was rather reluctant to do so. This was a decent chunk of my SteemPower and there would be no return from it.

Nevertheless, I did it and gained other things other than 'the return'.

Respect means a lot to me and can often be a greater reward than a few dollars.

I joined this 'Discord' thing, added myself to the community and was encouraged to start flagging the crap, shit, and abuse that was happening at those times.

It gained me short-term enemies and retaliation flags, but most of it was soaked up by members of the community and I need to mention @freezepeach and @r0nd0n.

I also have to point out the help of @redpalestino and @tonalddrump did not go unnoticed during those times.

These guys were heroes to me and lifted me from my temporary deflated state when one of these dickheads started doing retaliation flagging.

You have to remember in mid-2018, there was no separate downvote pool and it came from our general pool.

I am still an active member of this great community and it feels like family to me now. Long may @steemflagrewards live on to fight the good fight.

@meesterboom

It took me some time to find this bespectacled large cat, and that was my first impression. Who the fuck would put glasses on a lion?

I had to take a look at what he was doing and noticed a daily stream of parody. To be honest it didn’t hit me from the first day, as I read a ‘Thursdays with Uncle Boom’ story.

Was he another @dickturpin whose articles I had read in the last few weeks and were somewhat similar?

Not realising this was a series, and I had meandered into the middle of a long-running story didn't help.

I left @meesterboom alone for a while but then noticed a weekend beer review.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=12&v=2ZpypLtGl-A&feature=emb_logo

This guy can write and he can entertain too. Just take a look at the YouTube reviews of the strangest beers know to man!

There’s no fannying around with him. If the beer is shit then it’s shit and there’s no telling us anything else. The number of times he has had me rolling around in stitches is countless.

To me, The Huel 'review' was one of his finest moments, especially as I was personally experimenting with this the ‘questionable powder’ at the time.

So there’s my THREE. I could add several more but this is getting to be almost 900 words plus and @dismayedworld is yet again griefing me to go out and fetch her a McDonald's wrap and coffee.

So I now face Storm Ciara with floods, howling winds, thunder and lighting which is currently raging outside. Do wish me luck!