Once pushed to your limits, you'll realize you don't have limits. ^{Fuck the self-help guru spew. Everyone knows life's hard. It's nothing new.}

_{On my first day, I thought this would be easy; just like so many more who came after me.} ^{But whoever is saying that "easy" shit is just being sleazy.}

This all began long before it started.

^{The Legendary Walk.}

But first: An intro

Hi. My name is @NoNamesLeftToUse. You might remember me from that post you read the other day, or maybe something I did three years ago, or maybe you know me from all those little things I did along the way.

I am the mind behind @NoNamesLeftToUse The Writer/Artist Himself, Mr Himself, and This Man, to name a few. Browse through my blog someday, you'll see what I do.

I have a real name and a real face but I also have this:

_{In other news. I got nothing to lose, I ain't singing the blues, I'm not looking for clues and I don't have tattoos though I could use new shoes but they won't be KangaRoos because pardon my views, those are much like dog chews and I don't like to spend money on bloody refuse!
Entertainment's my game. I don't do it for fame, that's why you don't know my name. Those folks all act the same. You might think I'm insane but I do have a brain. I don't like to complain because I feel that's just lame and there's nothing to gain by being the one to blame when the shit hits the fan because of all this disdain!
Not jealous of those fellas who buy votes to tell us their next greatest plan isn't just overzealous for a change but I rage at that damn trending page when they act like they got to thee biggest stage based on how the rest of us actually gauge awesome work in this blogging for crypto age!
That was pretty cool and I'd take them to school but they don't allow drool only thee sharpest tool in the shed gets to rule not your typical ghoul who just acts like a mule swimming in the big pool of this new crowning jewel of the internet, fool!}
^1/29/2018

They'll call it a "journey."

^{They'll say happy things.}

I have no problem with the opportunities this platform brings. Three years ago, I signed up. Maybe I did well but I'm nothing without, you.
^{Respect and a thank you.}

Even if you're an asshole who just wants to be a dick. Maybe you're a fake and I thought you were a prick. Thanks. You gave me something to write about. You added fuel to this fire and it gave me a chance to entertain all those who would choose to admire.

A journey for some.

^{So let's talk about that legendary walk.}

It was a long time ago. Two years and one month shy before I thought I'd come here and be this guy.

Even before that, I was sick of the grind. I hit the reset button. Struggled for the life I would eventually find.

Found myself in the big city, knocking on doors. Wanted to be an artist, fuck all the nine to five chores.

So I walked inside the room that would offer my first trial. That woman there, she was in denial. I saw a price tag for some paint. 1000 bucks for something yellow. I could do better. She wasn't mellow when this fellow asked about digital art.

Snotty voice:

If you want a poster you can go to Walmart and pick one up for a buck.

Well, what the fuck...

^{I'll never forget her.}

I wasn't a customer. I was just some guy, trying to find my way inside. I walked out of that shop knowing it would have been pointless to try to explain how I'm a digital artist, people seem to be enjoying my work so far, I'm wondering if you'd sell my prints.

My broke ass walked out and walked home. Pissed off. I had one bus ticket to my name, no money. I needed that bus ticket to get to work so I walked, forever, feeling bitter, just to get home to the nothing I had.

I decided that day, as I kicked stones, while my mind went astray: This big city art clique doesn't want me. I either quit now or wait for the perfect opportunity to do things my way.

And just like you'll read the signs saying where to cross and when, I spent another couple years, paying attention.

I had to move away.

^{I was nearly homeless, bumming change just to get through the day.}

Correction: I was homeless but I wasn't fully on the streets and sleeping on park benches. I had nothing I could call my own, and this was only three years after putting a life of success behind me, so I could try something new, something I wanted to do.

Back in Saskatchewan. There's only one million of us. I was living a life, trying my best to not fuss. Had a job and a roof over my head but every damn day I lived, I felt dead.

Wake up, work, home, beer, Youtube. Wake up, work, home, beer, Youtube. Wake up, work, home, beer, Youtube. Wake up, work, home, beer, Youtube.

I had those videos on auto-play. Whatever comes next, I had no say. I was out of the room on that day. I walked back inside after a smoke and they, were talking about you.

There was no such thing as coincidence in my life back then. I was paying attention to the signs at all times. Those dudes, I can't remember who, were talking about this platform, and what we do.
^{I didn't find this place. It found me.}

"Links in the description."

^{I clicked that shit faster than you can say, "Chicken nuggets."}

Bookmarked it. Steemit.com. Went back to drinking and smoking on the lawn. All fucked up, decided to be someone. Signed up and that was that. I think it was the next day they said okay and I was ready to bat.

I knew nothing.

^{Didn't know a soul.}

But that didn't stop me from botching my intro.

It took days and days of posting all the time before I finally saw that first shiny dime.

Yes, I came for money (I heard we got paid!), but I also came to say a whole lot a shit I had hoped would make your day.

It took a long while before I could gain traction and be on my way.

Was it just luck I grew up knowing hard work is what leads to making a buck?

Hell no. I grew up on a farm. By the age of ten I was scooping shit out of the barn and driving trucks bigger than Ozzy Osbourne.

Shit Posts

^{Few and far between.}

Since the moment I stepped foot in this door, here, I didn't want to fail, so I screwed up more than some have even tried, and I learned the hard way as I went along doing my thing, even if it hurt my pride.

I hope I made you laugh more than I made you cringe, but either way, at least I did something.
^{No ragrest.}

According to my previous post, those who think you need to lick balls and kiss ass in order to get anywhere around here can lick my balls and kiss my ass. That's simply not how it works here for the majority and that attitude needs to go away.

People today grumbling about downvotes and saying downvoting will scare people away don't even know about this:

The biggest account on Steem tearing a strip out of my ass, twice, didn't stop me. I wrote a joke. Some other dipshit spent hours calling me a lowlife. I didn't walk away. If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen. I wrote a few posts talking about how pointless it is to push away the arts since it generates billions annually, talking about how comedy sells out stadiums, then made some money, moved on, and helped open the doors here a little wider for those seeking the path of arts and entertainment.

You're welcome.
^{And so am I.}

I can see how a few downvotes might scare away some no-talent hacks with their shit posts and paid votes. Good.

Bye-Bye!

^{They weren't cut out for this business anyway.}

They watched a Jerry Banfield video and became 'experts' at failure overnight. Those were dark days.

The best thing that ever happened to this place, in the three years I've been here, happened only a couple weeks ago.

On my two year anniversary of being part of this chaos, I didn't think I'd be saying, "I think they finally pulled their heads out of their asses," on my three year anniversary, which is now.

How do you like them apples?

^{The number of those experiencing positive change grows by the day.}

It's one thing to see others moving up and getting somewhere, finally, after all that bullshit. Experiencing it yourself, feeling that wave come and smack you in the face; I bet that feels good.

So I wasn't just spending my time here being an artist and entertainer. I did my best to encourage some of you folks to carry on. I told you the truth. If you buy those votes, I'm not going to vote for you, and even if you do gain some visibility, there's nobody left who can vote, once you pay them to NOT VOTE.
^{That was common sense.}

So now, those who put up with the bullshit and carried on organically are seeing improvements. Those who bought votes knew all along nobody would give a crap about their work, so they quit. Good. This place is better when more high quality performers do their thing and get paid while the spammers, charlatans, and shit posters get nothing.

We didn't need a hardfork.

^{We just needed people to stop being foolish.}

And I'm not going to apologize for being honest.

If you wanted to come here and make money, why are you paying people so they make it nearly impossible for you to see a profit from your hard work?

All you had to do was STOP paying people to NOT pay you.
^{Seriously. Then, if they want to make money, upvoting your work for free is the only option you give them.}

And now many can see how, once you stop paying people to not vote, more votes trickle in, post values increase, and even with a 50% cut, many come out on top, earning more than before. That was the plan all along.

If they try to convince you to buy their votes again, just raise your middle finger. If curators get a share of 50%, they can bloody well work for it, myself included, since I have over 28000 SP and enjoy the benefits of owning stake and being rewarded for contributing to the curation process.

So glad the madness is behind us.

^{Yet there's still room to improve.}

Today is my three year anniversary here. As I write, this happens:

I'm Grateful

^{And happy things are changing for the better.}

Is this place perfect? No. I'm seeing improvements though and I'm glad, after three years, I can once again begin to feel confident I'm not wasting my time.

It was much easier to sell this platform to those outside when I published my brand here and earned an account value worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. It became nearly impossible to sell this platform to those on the outside when majority of the rewards were fake and only worth 10% of face value on a good day to the content producer who was literally posting trash nobody cared about.

Producing content and converting that effort into money is normal. That's just how it goes. Not everyone will be successful. That's normal, too.

What's unusual about this platform is the fact content consumers can get paid to be entertained. Since the recent hardforks, my unusual brand of art and entertainment has generated over $250 worth of rewards that all went straight back into the community. Getting a post to trend organically turns out to be one of the most generous things a content producer can do now.

If I was vlogging and this was Youtube, that $250 would go straight to Google, making a few wealthy, while the consumers get nothing but a mind jammed with information they'll forget by the end of the week.

Getting paid to be entertained.

^{I've been saying that for months. It's an easy sell.}

Having large investors around intent on creating lasting value is good.

Attracting millions of consumers content with earning a few points in the form of cryptocurrency — that could then be converted into cash and from there transformed into a shiny new device or a night out on the town after a few years of consuming the things they'd consume anyway — would be great.

Nearly everyone on this planet is a consumer of some form of information and/or entertainment. That market and those potential billions of dollars spent on entertainment annually would be a joy to tap into. This platform has had a severe shortage of paying consumers since its inception.

No rush.

^{This platform isn't quite ready.}

Development is in full swing. The community is slowly and steadily getting their act together. All these pieces of the puzzle are starting to fit. Good stuff.

I don't mind being a lab rat. I've been a part of this experiment now for exactly three years. Been through all the highs and lows it can throw at me. Smashing those curve balls over the fence some days and other days taking them straight to the nuts. Whatever.

Three years.

^{And I guess I'll do three more.}

Thanks.

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!}
_{"TL;DR? What the hell am I paying you for?"}

^{© 2019 @NoNamesLeftToUse.  All rights reserved.}