Hello there Steemians!  My name is Jake and I'm from the USA.

Perhaps I need to learn how to resize photos.  I even freaked myself out with that.

What led me to Steemit?

One of my best friends told me about Steemit.  He was trying to talk me into investing in cryptocurrencies for a year and half and Steemit since last year.

I met my friend 10 years ago on a hitchhiking website of all places.  We spent the bulk of our 20's hitchhiking around America and riding a few freight trains.  I recently spent 13 months living in Hanoi, Vietnam and just got back to the USA in June 2017 when he was talking more and more about the crypto world and Steemit on occasion.

Unfortunately, sometimes in life we wait until things are too late.  I made my first investment just before the start of the recent bear market, and 2 weeks before my friends death.  So I'm here, like he wanted, but just a little bit late.  Or right on time, depending on your perspective.

A bit about me

I love traveling.  Thus far, as I said above.  I've only hitchhiked around some of the USA off and on over 6 years and lived in Hanoi, Vietnam for 13 months.  I traveled around a little bit of northern Vietnam, but mostly just enjoyed my time and new friends in the city.

During my hitchhiking days I spent the bulk of my time living outside and out of a backpack.  Sleeping where ever I could find a spot I wouldn't be spotted.  At first with a tent, but then slowly moving towards just sleeping under the stars unless rain was likely.  Although there was one time in Eugene, Oregon that a guy let my road dog and I pitch our tents on his front lawn.  His roommate was pretty upset when she got home the next morning.

I spent several winters living in the southern California desert underneath a few different trees.  This was at a place called Slab City.  A few of those winters I spent volunteering at a camp called East Jesus.  There I built a little shack into the growth of one of the trees on the grounds, and made myself a little home away from home away from home(not a typo).  The other years I would just string up a tarp to sleep under.

So, I've eaten out of dumpsters, slept under bridges, walked miles and miles alongside the road in hopes of a ride, rode a few freight trains to various places around the US, worked odd jobs/labor jobs here and there, lived out of my mid 90's Geo Metro for 1 1/2 months while traveling the northeastern US and then 4 1/2 months working at a warehouse in Kentucky.  Then flying over to Vietnam(my first country to visit outside the US).  Landing with no plan other than to visit my American friend Mopar(AKA "Wizard"), which is a whole other story, and I ended up living there just over a year and falling in love with the place, the people, culture, most of the food(Not big on dog or shrimp paste.  I haven't tried cat yet.).  And also discovering that I really dislike teaching English....and I really don't know much about my native language and that you don't just snap your fingers and become a teacher.  Part of why I'm back in the US working in a labor type job I hate.  What's the definition of insanity again?

Current Plans, Hopes, Steemit desires

I am saving money to head back to Vietnam via my current warehouse job.  Already have my one way ticket back for May. 

I guess my Steemit will be part travel blog, part me writing out my thoughts on life, occasional rant, journal entry, not sure.  I'll go from having these (in my mind) grand adventures to sitting on the computer for months and not getting out.  I'll flip flop between adventurer and hermit.  I'm just looking at this as a way to put myself out there and see what happens.  Maybe make a few friends in the process.

I almost forgot.  Chào các bạn của tôi.  Tôi xin lỗi tiếng Việt của tôi không tốt.  Tôi đã lười học hỏi ở Hà Nội.  Tôi sẽ học thêm!  Cố lên!!  :D

If I would compare this hello post to anything, it would be sticking my thumb out.

I am starting to feel that I've run out of things to say.  I look forward to meeting people on here, doing some writing, and discovering how the hell to use this site.  As of late I've been thinking to myself more and more about life, the world, humanity, the future of humanity.  I apologize if this is all over the place...but I am all over the place.  Physically and mentally, but mostly mentally.  Imagine the Enterprise warping around the galaxy at random, and that pretty much sums up my head.

Thanks for reading this.  I never thought I'd do something like this, but I'd like to dedicate this first post to my good friend and long time road dog Adam.  I'm going to miss you a lot buddy.  Thanks for everything.