Hey Ross, do not worry about annoying me because you certainly don't annoy me at all... In fact I'm very happy that you explained your frustrations so that I may be able to give you some advice to help you.

First, you are doing better than you thought. You haven't even been on the system for a whole month and you are up to a 39 Reputation. As that gets higher, people will respect you more.

The fact that you are frustrated with the amount you are receiving per post is partly a consequence of you not understanding how the system works. It is a system that is built (ingeniously I might add), to do different things for different types of people. It is something that happens in the real world, and while you might not understand it (yet) that doesn't mean it is not "good". In fact, I would say what they are doing is great and it is giving people all over the world a chance to truly change their lives.

Next, you haven't converted your SBD's into STEEM yet (which I will be discussing over the next week). Its complicated, if you want to be a longer term beneficiary of the system, you will want to convert your SBD's into STEEM, and then "power up" that STEEM into STEEM POWER. This will do 2 things, it will give you more power behind your votes but it will lock you into staying into the platform longer. In other words, STEEM POWER is just STEEM that must be sold over a longer period of time. But if you plan to stay with them for a long time, then you would want to do that and I can show you how if you ask.

Next, I know you said you like to upvote people even though you read my article and that certainly is your choice. But you are going to continue to get next to nothing by do so. You are actually not helping yourself or the author because the author wants to see you as big as possible too (that way your votes WILL MATTER). So I suggest you follow my advice and let your Voting Power recharge and get it into the 80 t0 95% range and carefully monitor it. (I refresh mine after every vote.

Now you may think that the failure to upvote is being rude, but it is indeed NOT RUDE. Writing a nice sincere comment explaining your thoughts about the author's work is far more valuable to the author than the faceless upvote that us newbies have. Anyone who has been on this site for very long, DOES understand that. THEY want you to "engage" them by viewing their work, commenting on your thoughts, and when you feel it is great, then you can also resteem it.

You're going to have to trust me on that, just try to give comments instead of upvote and you will see what I mean. If you were going to give 50 upvotes in a day, don't give ANY but instead write 50 nice comments telling the author what your thoughts were. Over time, it will do several things, but it is a skill that will help you to meet new people.

Next, while you have 67 followers, and that is good. Don't be shy in following other people. If you are in a post where you like what they are talking about, follow the other people in that post that are there admiring the same thing as you. You have at least one thing in common, and probably many more. So again don't be shy and follow many people that you think will be someone you would like. (note: if you don't like someone, you can always unfollow them easily).

That is enough advice for now to get you going, but you are viewing your process from the wrong perspective. You are actually doing well and if you listen to the things I told you and do them, then I am confident that you will find much more success.

ps... one last point, the beauty of steemit is the opposite of what you allege. You don't have to put any of your money into them to succeed. I have not put a penny into it and plan to earn my STEEM POWER the same way you are. It takes time to do it right, but that is why it will be successful... Good things aren't easy, they just have to be possible to be achieved.

Take care and let me know if you want to convert your SBDs into STEEM POWER and I will show you how.