I understand your frustrations and I also took some time off Steem now because with the amount of work and time you put in just doesn't make sense.

I have always said that if you engage, put out good content and be in communities the chances of getting more support would be better.

In a way it was but then I got distracted, life caught up and I couldn't spend the 6-10 hours in Steemit and doing my job and living a life and so I saw myself needing to choose and lately that choice was to not get so involved in Steemit.

Like you sometimes it a luck of draw with those whale votes. So I am just thankful that I get the. From time to time.

Like you I wanted to be in sndbox and know how big a help it would be to me if I got in. Yet things are not over. You still have a lot of things going for you.
Maybe dtube is the answer and these vlogs of your which is true and raw and you.

Hope for the best for you and don't fret too much on your growth.