Hi @resonantpeace/Darryl! Welcome to (what I believe will become) the best social network on the internet! I know it seems like a like a lot to learn at the start, there are a couple of things you can do without much effort to start getting your followership up quickly. That way your great content can be seen by more people!

First, make sure to follow @bot-helper so you have a better chance at getting some exposure on your content. You can check out what I mean by taking a look at this link. Also consider following @minnowsunite and @minnowsupportproject

Next, take a look around the Steemit community and check out the chat rooms. You want to start getting known, so take a little time to chat with others and promote your introduction link (in the #postpromotion chatroom)
Finally, check out some of the tags and topics on the right side of the dashboard. Find a topic you are interested/knowledgeable in and start commenting. The more great comments you make, the better chance you have for people to start following you! Feel free to follow me as well (@randomness) so we can go on this journey together!

Good luck getting started and just remember to take it a day at a time. Rome wasn’t built in a day!

P.S. - You mention how the fates have been leading you in your current direction and I can't help but see a similarity there. I wish I could see the fate's design...not that I would be able to fully comprehend it, anyway. But it'd be great to know all the struggle was worth it in the end. Anyway, thanks for sharing and I'll see you around the boards!