For many the draw of a quick win brought them to Steemit.

People come to steemit with ideas.

Some believe they will do a post or three and then expect a downpour.

They wonder why a magical Steeming pile hasn't fallen from on high, from the shiny orifice of a mythical beast. Raining down an endless fragrant bounty of floral scented flatus from the gods.

---

I was just writing a fun last minute rhyming rambling for @papa-pepper's Wild and Strange poetry round.

My childish rhyme about cows laying Steeming cakes of gold got me thinking about this process.

I was lucky to avoid the disappointment of steemit.
Not because I did well, on the contrary, my posts often yielded nothing. But because I was unaware of the lure of the cash.

I was looking for somewhere to document a recent trip, an epic trip actually, and my husband logged me on to steemit.

I did my epic post about my epic trip, for the purpose of having somewhere to host it to share with some friends, and I naively engaged with steemit expecting nothing.

It sounds absurd, but that is how it happened.
I was recovering from injuries that ended up revealing a chronic illness that has now reshaped our lives forever. But at the time steemit was rehabilitation central.

I scrolled around clicking on posts which seemed to be largely programmer and crypto based, and not of great interest to me.

Then I found the arts and contest communities.

I started having some fun.

I even wrote a very disjointed poem, it was absolute rubbish. I had never written a poem in my life. I struggled to spell at school and without technology to check my words I lost confidence to try very early on.

Papa pepper started on steemit not long before me.

Papa P is the Steemit contest king.

Undoubtedly!

One of the first contest I came across was his tattoo story contest. I entered a few times, yes I have some ink here and there.

That was many moons and many contests ago.

I inherited that contest for a short while, and learned early that steemit success takes a lot of work.

It didn't continue for long I'm afraid... I didn't have the staying power for it.

I wasn't here with a mindset to prosper financially, I was recovering from illness and kicking back at home.

---

I see many great ideas for contests popping up.

Some continue while most people give up.
It can be hard to find traction and disheartening when you don't see the results you expect.

But... I also see many people ask @papa-pepper what his secret to success is.

I'll tell you.

•Consistent hard work.
• Knowing who he is and consistently presenting that person.

You don't invest nothing when you come to steemit. You are the investment.

You probably also spotted that he gives.
He's a good guy yes, absolutely!
He is also a smart guy.

I personally know of his generosity better than most.
He has been a great support to me in spite of never actually meeting me in person.

The gift economy on steemit has been talked about a bit lately.

Steemit is unique and presents us with an opportunity to change the way we do things.

I'm not telling you to be like papa, quite the opposite. There are many ways to contribute. The only way to come back day after day and keep going is you.
Be you.

Bring yourself and bring what it is you have to offer.

Think about that word.

Offer.

What do you have to give?

Thinking how you can quickly gain, is the fastest route to giving up before you start.

If you know what that is already, you are doing well. I am just starting to figure that out 18 months later. But I don't feel like I've wasted a moment as I have been learning every day. Not just about the platform or about crypto currency, but about my possibilities and potential.

Like any relationship, be it social or professional, over time we establish ourselves. Through actions and interactions.

If you have an idea.

Do it.
Stick with it, work hard and keep giving to the platform.
Eventually people, the right people, and by which I don't mean fat wallets, but your people, will find you.

Anyway, that is my soap box rant for the morning.
I think I'll start an irregular Soap box serial presentation.

Epiphanies and mind wanderings of the one who was a girl before.

---

I wrote this "poem" below without an edit, straight into @papa-pepper's comments.

I am currently working on we engaging in a positive way and relinquishing some perfectionistic ideas and criticism about myself.

I could tell you about my circumstances again, the limits to my physical world or the problems regarding blah blah blah.

But let us rather, rhyme about some magical cow crap in a childish way instead.

The Emerald Dairy Queen, her Steeming Cash Cow and her Handsome Beau.

He scored a stunning date,
Then came a wondrous turn of fate.
The woman was a prize,
Of that no one denies.
What he didn't know
Was the cow pads they would glow.
Each cow pie that was laid
Steem came arising from the glade.
The vapours as they rose
A scented fragrance to the nose.
When he proved to be the one
She told him of the magic dung.
The enchanted story did get out
Like jack and his magic sprout.
Of the shiny golden eggs
That Lay at that cows hind leg.
Still wearing his black tie
He stacked up every pie.
The magic vapours never stopped
Each time the cow a plopped.
As the story grew and grew
So did desire for the poo.
They traded some for treasure
And live a life of leisure.
Everyone of them a winner
The cows avoided being dinner.
As each cake the cows do bake
More people line up at the gate.
They just can't get enough
Of the steem rising from the stuff.
The enchanted fragrant pies
And it's olfactory surprise.
Just matures over time
Like a limitless gold mine.
Huge boulder nuggets every plop
So they went to the bucket shop.
Now every evening they do stroll
Across the snowy grassy knoll.
Each carrying their buckets
To collect the juicy nuggets.
A gorgeous woman and her cows
Is such a pleasing sight.
In her gown of emerald green
She lights up the snowy white.
She has her castle in the cold
And each cow delivers gold.
With her chappy tall and lean
They're a winning Steeming team.
She takes a moment just to think
As she strolls through the fine stink.
Of the stroke of luck from flatus
That with work delivered status.

---

The first image in this post is a steemit collaboration I did recently with @littleblue. Our 3 yr old. We have just registered his account.