@nonameslefttouse

I am so glad @nickyhavey called me over. Your analogy makes perfect sense - on so many levels. I confess I glossed over the maths - not my strong point - but the principles are spot on.

Actually, it's more than the analogy that resonates:

I joined Steemit two years ago this month. I was, I admit, lured by the prospect of earning, but as I'd been blogging elsewhere, I was under no illusion: like everything, it takes time to not just learn the platform, but also to build up a head of steam (pun most definitely intended). Although it took me a long time to work out what that meant. Once all that sunk in - after HF20, I began to get it.

However, by then, and in my own defence, I was staying on Steemit not because of what I could potentially earn, which at that point was (still is) a big fat zero, but because it provided a platform for me to share content and engage. It took me a while to work out that that is what curation meant.

No, I'm not good at reading instructions. I work better by osmosis. Often, I acknowledge, to my initial detriment. That said, I do learn from the lessons.

TMI, but

I am not able to invest fiat in Steem. Now, bar a couple of small delegations and payment for the hosting of my Steempress blog, all that I have earned, including SBD has been powered up or used to buy Steem. I will continue to do so because, after HF 20 and more recently, I realised that although I did come for the money and stay for the community, two things other things have happened:

1. With the advent of dapps like @steempress and @share2steem, I can continue with my WordPress blog and also Instagram. I’ve been blogging on WordPress since 2014, but for a number of reasons, including Steemit, I neglected that platform. I messed about on a couple of other interfaces, but none of them do it for me like these. It’s partly the diversity. It’s partly the market – your word: I already had customers (not a lot, but some) and they needed to be looked after.

2. with the appreciation of crypto currencies, including Steem, there'd be merit in hanging around and that my contribution to the platform would be creation and curation. I have long lamented the lack of time for curation. I had, however, begun thinking that HF21 presents me with more opportunity for this and your argument has solidified that view. Up to this point my strategy has been more puff posts and the odd longer post. Perhaps this can shift because the truth is, I like the creation process and I like the curation. Both, if done properly, take time. And I don't (who does?) have unlimited time to spend on Steemit?

So, in conclusion, your mall analogy for Steemit, jives with my view of it as a microcosm of the world or at the very least, a country; taking the view that one’s blog is a business, is exactly what I’ve begun to do over the last few weeks, and I am changing a few things that I’m doing. My challenge is that I’m not good at self-promotion and discipline balancing, well, everything.

So, having survived HF20 which was difficult, I am approaching HF21 with a different perspective, not least of which is to ride out the storm to see where it takes us all.

Thanks again
Fiona