...then a Creamy and Delicious time was had by all!
I just arrived back in the USA yesterday, and not a day too soon. Life was so exciting back in Portugal there really wasn't much time for me to get any work done. So, I'm glad to be back home, getting ready for the winter and trying to figure out how to cover this event.
I definitely wasn't prepared, having only a month to get ready from the time @mikepm74 entered me into the @firepower contest. However, that's how life is, isn't it? I'm never really prepared for anything until I've already experienced it. Leading up to the fest, I prepared mostly by continuing my work in Steem. I finally decided to pack everything up the morning before my plane left. Somehow, I managed to not forget anything important.
Once I got to Lisbon, I checked into my hostel and spent a bunch of time learning a few simple words and phrases in Portuguese, while getting to know many amazing people from around the world.
To this point, I haven't gone too much into my personal life, here on SteemIt. Part of the reason for that is that I've spent much of the past 10 years of my life hitch-hiking, and vagabonding across the USA, and developing a few unhealthy habits. I'm working hard to move away from that lifestyle, and slowly learning how to have a "professional" life. For this series of posts, I will have to "break character", and share a bit more of myself. I don't see any other way to fairly represent the fest, and my experience there.
As fate would have it, I started off SteemFest in the Gonzo style. The day before the Hackathon a few friends from the hostel were wandering around Feira da Ladra, a big flea market in the streets of Lisbon. I reached into one of my kilt pockets and pulled out a piece of paper, which concealed a small white strip which I knew contained LSD over a year ago. The kilt had been through the wash since then, so I knew there wouldn't be much left... but I had faith in the paper it contained. It still worked... maybe a little too well.
I showed up super early, after a night of no sleep, and a lot of confusion trying to find people and the space. I was wearing these huge wild pants made of silk that looked like a skirt (which I bought there at the market), and I was definitely out of it.
The first person I met was @sneak, and then @roelandp came in. I was super nervous, and smelled of alcohol. This was my chance to make a connection with some incredible and influential Steemians, and I was totally blowing it! Quickly I asked Roeland if there was something I could help with. He gave me name tags, a hole punch, and some lanyards. I was relieved to have a simple task to keep me out of the way for a bit while other festeemians rolled in.
After the awkward introduction was over, everything started feeling better. Everyone was super nice and awesome. It's truly a testament to our community that such a diverse group could come together and co-exist peacefully for 5 days. A great time was had by all. The Steemit Inc dev team represented so well, they all were very cool and approachable. It was a complete 180 from the feeling of disconnect the community has experienced online. @lukestokes has already spoken on this subject very well, so I will defer to him.
"What we perceive is only a glimpse of reality. Our strongly-held position can change in a moment with more information and a new perspective (if we let it)."
@roelandp you are a masterful host, and an incredible organizer. I am overawed at you attention to detail, and your discretion in choosing venues. I look forward to seeing you at SteemFest3, and can't wait to see what comes next!
It's really difficult to know how to cover such an amazing event, but I can assure you that I will be rolling out some detailed coverage in the days to come. I'm trying to catch-up with the #steemfest tags, and the rest of my posts will be in my traditional style of detailed and well sourced, with a sprinkling of the gonzo reality which was my time there.
I hope this introduction to the series will whet your appetite, for the moment, and prepare you for the type of content which we've come to expect from @inquiringtimes.
Looks like a fun time, great photo's of your trip, loved the video, Creamy and Delish!
I so enjoyed hanging out with you at SteemFest. I'm glad you're taking the risk to open a bit more to the community about you as an individual. That's what people connect to and that's what people value. I hope it becomes a wonderful experience of self-discovery and growth. I'm thankful for the many book recommendations you gave me as well to expand beyond my comfort zone also.
you are definitely in my top favorite people I met at steemfest, there are so many... I'm going to try hard to not leave any of them out, but I'm sure that's going to be a difficult task, so, I'll take it slowly on that front.
Have fun reading that stuff... wowza, talk about a rabbit cavern. Look forward to meeting again!
awesome post, so good to have to back, have been missing your posts and activity on discord.
So a bit of lsd then heheheh your absolutely nuts. I do hope it was a good one and more excited to find out more about you then steemfest
Great to mentally interact on many levels! :)
I look forward to having an opportunity to hang out with you again sometime!
Same here!
Welcome back. Can't wait for all that material to find its ways into posts.
Wow...thats great one. you want change ur life.
Glad to have you back dude, I look forward to your reports :)
You have to enjoy travel. It's pretty beautiful.
awesome sauce! glad to have you back ya crazy hippie.
It's great you liked Portugal! Which is so much more than Lisbon.
It packs into a small place a huge array of scenarios, monuments and stunning views.