_{There comes a time in every human's life when they go to the mirror,} take a good, long look, ^{and notice none of those other damn humans said anything about the mustard on the chin.}

You and I, we're going to have a little talk.

Why?

^{Why didn't anyone tell me? Hmm?}

I don't know if you know this but you should know this:

---

I take great pride in the first few opening lines of my posts.

---

There!

^{I said it.}

Now, after all this time, why didn't anyone tell me the front end known as Steem Peak includes far more characters in the preview than something like Steemit, Palnet, or that awesome tribe everyone should enjoy known as Creative Coin where you can stake tokens and get paid to be entertained with the push of button?
^{(See what I did there?)}

I've been making an ass out of myself!

I had a look at Steem Peak today and noticed my post previews make me look like some kind of amateur who just emerged from the woods after spending a lifetime of hunting squirrels, digging wild roots with a stick, and socializing with wild cats all while wishing to leave the forest someday to become a blogger who sometimes writes incredibly long sentences that end with a laugh.

The classic @NoNamesLeftToUse post goes like this:

• intro/opening line(s) - always italics and centered
• first image - I call it the 'cover'
• then, hopefully, some kind of an article or blog post you shall enjoy
• credits
• publish
• Miller time

The intro/opening line(s) above the first image must ALWAYS fill up the ENTIRE preview section otherwise the potential new follower who will adore me forever if I make a good first impression will read something like this:

I'll never be able to understand why so many people fall for bullshit. I learned early, I can only trust myself but that doesn't mean I'll have it all figured out. The Drunken Clown Walks Home After The Bar As Usual I've spent more time producing...

That's Steem Peak's preview version of this:

Notice how Steem Peak's version makes me look like I'm of the short bus crowd or maybe like a... like uh — like a case of writer's block mid-simile?

The opening lines, name of the image, and first header; they all blend together and some of it is capitalized! That is NOT how one formulates a sentence and makes an intro POP, people!

I'm so embarrassed.

I demand industry standards!

^{Ha! I'm just messing around.}

I'm a busy guy. It took me this long to take a long look at how my blog appears on Steem Peak. I haven't had a chance to push all of the fancy buttons yet but I like it. Hopefully, moving forward, my previews won't look like a train wreck over there.

Gotta dress to impress.
^{Amirite #NewSteem?}

^{We interrupt this blog post with more of the same shit, unfortunately.}

I'm currently experiencing a battle with my inner beast.

^{I produce art but can't seem to art lately.}

These things happen. Sometimes the brain just needs a break from creating things and I don't feel like forcing anything I don't want to do, for fear of the fizzle pop sound my head makes when I overload the circuitry stuff.

I can still sit here and shoot the shit-post though. I don't mind.

It's this, or none of this.

I suppose I could be out curating...

Speaking of which!

^{I have some interesting news.}

In my previous post I had mentioned a few observations such as noticing more curators seeping out of the cracks to hit vote buttons again instead of getting paid to look away like crooked cops by selling votes, or getting paid to stare at themselves in the mirror all day, by self voting nonsensical shit posts used as filler to accumulate more of the thing they were attempting to lower the value of.
^Zing!

Getting paid to look, is sweet. Above, I said, "Get paid to be entertained." Does that line not trigger a few warm fuzzy feelings for you? That line is so much easier to sell than, "Get paid to create content," because:

1) Content producers get paid everywhere, that's what we do, we make content and get paid.
2) Where can you get paid to be entertained? Nowhere.

It's not a cold prickly!

^{And now I'll continue writing and explain why.}

Curators should outnumber content producers by one thousand to one, at least. Think of a theater. One on stage, many many more butts in the seats. Think of a Youtube video. One video, millions of views, thousands upon thousands of 'likes' or upvotes, and yes, a few downvotes. People also walk out of theaters and demand to have money back as well. Life.

Anyway, get paid to be entertained is an easy sell and that's not the first time you've heard me say that (read me write that).

So.

^{As I witness many content producers here freak the fuck out about lost revenue...}

I'm interested in finding ways to increase the value of that 50% cut. As I had mentioned in that previous post linked above, having more curators around will most certainly increase the overall value of a post they like or a producer they prefer to support consistently.

More curators helps, yes, and there's another way to increase the value of that 50%.

Curate

^{LOL! Hit the damn vote button, too!}

Seriously though. I did some calculations and I feel smart.

I currently have six posts published and waiting to be finalized after the seven day pay period. I selected the four posts with the lowest current values, because as a content producer, the lowest valued posts piss you off the most when half of the total is yours.

Utilizing my current Steem World statistics, I added up the current value in SP that is intended to be the curators cut of those four posts. 68.273 SP total, as of this writing.

With Steem World again, I hit the refresh button under the 'coming rewards' section, curation rewards department. 78.964 SP total, as of this writing, coming my way, because I consumed content and got paid to be entertained.

Bing bing bing bing bing bing bing bing!

^{We have a winner!}

I'm fine with that tally, especially after I had opened my big mouth long before the hardfork and these changes to say a content producer who powered up should be able to make up for some of those post losses, simply by curating. So it's not as big of a loss as it would superficially appear on paper.

Now, I realize many out there will want to look like the bigger person by standing up for the little guy and saying something like, "Now it's harder for them!"

I promise you, as someone who's been here for three years and has a decent pile of earned SP, it's a tough pill to swallow when you're about to take a pay cut. What's worse? Starting last month and taking a pay cut or being here for years and taking a pay cut?

It's harder for all content producers, so let's be realistic here, it's an equal pay cut percentage from top to bottom. Still far better than getting completely demonetized like some of those other folks who once enjoyed other places though.

Confuckingclusion

^{Once again, things I said long ago came true, today.}

I had said curation rewards would make up for post loss, and it's all on the blockchain. If you powered down and cashed out everything, and now feel like quitting, because you're earning less — please try to remember your own decisions led to that point.

When I wrote this post:

I was attempting to explain how for some, it's wise to run your blog like a business and be prepared for anything.

So now, as a content producer, maybe after you're reading this, you'll find a reason to hold on to a few more of those tokens and power them up, or stake them if you're doing the tribe thing. The incentive is there and if I'm not mistaken, finding ways to increase the value of these tokens was part of the reason we endured this recent hardfork.

Real Conclusion

^{Part two, of the end.}

It just came to my attention that the only reason this article was so long and informational, is because I'm sitting at the lake, drinking beer.

I had no idea what I was going to write until I started writing it and now we have this — plus I have a strong buzz.

I hope whatever the fuck I just did actually helps someone, someday.

And with that, it's time for me to go paddle out into the middle of the lake and just float there for a bit because that seems like a damn good idea right now.

I wish you all the best.

Have a nice day.

Credits:All art and images seen here were produced digitally, by me. ^{All content within this blog is 100% organic ACTUAL CONTENT and contains no paid vote additives!}
_{"If there's a typo, that's your problem. I'll be back to respond in a bit."}

^{© 2019 @NoNamesLeftToUse.}