Something about a pending new year that makes us pause to take a look back and think about the year to come. It’s like wiping the chalkboard clean and starting anew.

2017 has been a year of hills and valleys in many areas of my life. For the most part, I live a pretty simple life. Until I start to look at it and then it’s not so simple.

If you know me at all, you know I’ve been deeply involved in volunteerism for decades. Volunteering can be both deeply satisfying and soul destroying. Over the course of 2017 I’ve experienced both, at times, simultaneously.

Challenged But Not Destroyed

When a group of people come together with common purpose, they don’t always have to agree. They can work out disagreements, find compromise and move on. Introduce into the group people who don’t share the common purpose, that seek only to have their personal wants fulfilled and poison enters the system.

Over the last year, this has been taking place. Those who seek their own selfish wants set out to not only thwart the work of the group, but to personally destroy and push out those at the centre of the group. I was one of those at the centre of the group.

I do what I do for the good of the whole, not the individuals. That has always been a guiding principle for me. It’s not that I don’t care about the individuals, that principle allows me to not take personally when individuals are toxic.

That principle was sorely tested this year. I’m not a person who throws up my hands and walk away. Ever. My belief in the group remained solid. My belief in myself started to waver until I started to wonder if it was time to just walk. Let the chips fall where they may. I had other things to do in my life.

From other outside sources, two awards came my way recognizing the decades of volunteering I’ve done and the positive effect it has had on the community. They were like a lifeline to my staggering soul. I’ll continue on but scaling back. I’ll ignore the selfish and support the group.

Health Challenges

I’m generally a pretty healthy person. At one time I struggled with chronic bronchitis but in the last several years I’ve managed to keep that out of my life. I’d not been near the medical system in seven years. For a person in her late 50s, I was pretty proud of that.

Then, in May of this year, I was feeling not well. For about three weeks I treated it as I’d picked up a bit of a bug and life carried on. It’s how I roll. Well, until I can’t.

Ten days in hospital in mid-June and weeks of recovery would follow. My health is pretty much back at this point. I have a pending issue with one kidney not functioning but it’s under control. Life’s good.

STEEMing On With Steemit

Scaling back in one area has allowed me to focus more strongly on the Steem platform and my presence on it. There’s some great people on here that I have the pleasure of knowing, some better than others.

People like @battleaxe, @teemsteam, @ats-david, @frystikken, @sircork, @whatsup, @rhondak, @gmuxx, @sgt-dan, @seablue, @crimsonclad and many more. They are people who work for the good of the platform in large and small ways. I’m richer for knowing them.

I’m particularly pleased to be one of those supporting You Are Hope, a blockchain based charity started by @sircork. In just two months of operation he’s been able to use donations provided to @youarehope to provide other Steemians in impoverished areas of the world with funds to carry out assistance direct to those who need it most.

Imagine a future where charities are able to get assistance to those most in need without huge layers of administrative costs. With donations and disbursements transparently available on the blockchain. That future has begun today.

The Steemit Ramble

In my little corner of the Steem world, I’ve been continuing on with the little series I began in 2016, the Steemit Ramble. A periodic publication featuring manually curated posts on a range of topics across the platform.

During 2017 I continued combing the platform for quality posts to share. I started taking part in the many communities forming on Discord. In September I formed the Steemit Ramble discord community.

Originally it was intended to be a place where people could nominate posts for review for the Steemit Ramble. It still is that. I welcome nominations.

Pimp Your Post Thursday

In October I added another way for people to get some notice for their posts. Pimp Your Post Thursday was born to invite people to come onto chat and share their posts with others. The chat was an opportunity for people to network and share. It was also fun to do.

@SirCork supported the project from the start and added it to the lineup of the fledgling SteemStar Network radio station, broadcasting both sessions that now takes place in the Steemit Ramble discord.

The Writers’ Block

Through the networking on PYPT, I was introduced to @thewritersblock, a discord born on the PAL network which had moved into its own space. A group of really great people not only dedicated to writing, but, dedicated to helping others hone their craft. For writing is a craft.

Notwithstanding my mother’s belief that writing as a source of income for me was just ‘pie in the sky’, writing has always been something I wanted to do more of. The very fact that I’ve managed to make some money here on Steemit has helped to strengthen my belief that I can and should become a better writer.

I’m thankful to have found @thewritersblock.

Here’s to 2018

Having been through STEEM at 10cents, seeing where STEEM is sitting at the end of 2017 reinforces my faith in the platform. We’ll see some ups and downs, just like in life, but I think we’re at the start of something that will grow and develop. Maybe not a fast as we’d like, but it will come. Patience grasshopper.

As for me, I really want to develop as a writer over the coming months. These Random Ramblings will be a new addition to my writing. I am going to be working toward not only publishing them regularly, but to produce the Steemit Ramble more often.

PYPT will continue on Thursdays. Someone asked if I am thinking about doing them more often. I’d like to but there is still only 24 hours in a day and I need to sleep. It might be possible to form a team of hosts to add to the schedule. That’s something I’ll think on.

Life’s seas can get turbulent at times but, as long as we don’t let ourselves fall overboard, we’ll come through.

Have a safe and happy new year!

Until Next Time — Just Steem on

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