the chances are that if you're reading this, you're already within my circle and somebody that I consider a friend
I can't believe my eyes and I'm beginning to believe in a kind of soul mate: you've hit so many points that went through my mind during my first "report" and which I deliberately dropped. There is a little diplomat in me after all and I would like to check out who (and there will be many...) from this "group", which I would like to see as a group (not a herd), I am stepping on the toes of.
Your criteria for someone you would like to follow are exactly those I would like to attach to a free, not insignificant delegation of mine. It seems to me that we sat in a room to work these out.
To answer your questions in summary: All is well, you as well as I belong here. I've stopped looking for new users, the same-old introductory posts are a farce. "In the old days" that would have left you a grey mouse on the Steem forever. And rightly so!
Do I trust new users? Not immediately. But I only start observing them when they stand out with individual posts or introductions (because of a resteem or by chance - or do you think I read SEC?). Well, there aren't many. But I'm not that sad because of my very clear feed... ;-)
Oh, how I love your introduction photo. One of the most individual ones I've seen here in years! You are truly authentic - a real gorilla.... 😁
I've been thinking about posting something along these lines for a while - Your report was definitely fresh in my mind as I wrote it. I wonder if subconsciously, I read between the lines and filled in the gaps of what you didn't say 🤣
In one of my replies, I said that I've recently found 2 users who look promising... both of which have just entered an Engagement Challenge rather than continue thinking of their own ideas 🤷♂️ Their posts are still probably very good but like I said... 🤷♂️ Hopefully they'll return to good old simple blogging and I'll take an interest again.
I think that my approach is similar to yours... I probably find people because of a resteem from within my trusted circle more than any other way!
Yes, that is how it looks in many respects. And I'm afraid we will continue to experiment quite lonely with it for a while. At least as long as even SR are still strongly supported for "this-morning-I-brush-my-teeth-postings"... 🙄
At least we have each other...
A true comfort!!! ... 😊