HELLO WORLD (of Steemit) - I'm Joe

"Hello World"....

... and maybe I follow that classic code reference with .... I wonder what is next in this brave new world of digital currency and content.

My name is Joe. Just an average Joe some might say. I've been interested in technology since I was a kid. Over the years, my interest grew in technology; every aspect of it really. From cracking open vacuum cleaners and TVs (just to see how they work) to programming lines of code on my computer.

Over the years I've worked at the intersection of business and technology. Basically I have clients that have “old technology” or processes, and want to improve them. It's been exciting for me to learn a seemingly endless amount of knowledge, and every day is just another chance to figure new things out. I use a bunch of different languages, but my go-to is .NET.

I also enjoy photography. I think of it as the yin to my yang of programming and logic; exercising both halves of my brain "they" say is good for the mind. So I have tried to create a sense of perception in my photographs; a different way of looking at the world. I try to find the interest and fantastic even in the simple objects or views we see every day. And with the advent of a phone in my camera, I can always capture *something.

Today, I am “figuring out” these relatively new concepts of cryptocurrency, blockchain, and STEEM in particular. It is very exciting to be a part of something that will certainly shape the digital landscape of the future. It can seem like the Wild West sometimes, but that is what makes it exciting. Always something new around the corner to learn and be a part of.

The thing that excites me about Steemit, is the sense of community. I think that over the years, technology has chipped away at the very fabric that makes us human – our ability to connect in a meaningful way to other humans. There are amazing things that it has done (the fact that I can order groceries online, the fact that it costs me $3 to Uber to the other side of town, and the list is endless). But there are also sides of it that has created somewhat of an isolated experience. Looking at studies (on this thing call “the internet” :) ), people are feeling more alone than ever. Online dating sites pop up and give the illusion of connection, but sometimes it becomes an endless game of “swipe – I wonder what's behind the next door” - in an infinte loop that creates a cycle of hoping for more happiness when happiness itself is a state of mind. I digress a bit, but places like Steemit allow people to come together to tell their stories to the world.

One other thing that I am hoping to achieve is using some of these new concepts of blockchain and potentially new types of community structures – to build systems that create a stronger community and help people creating stronger human to human connections. I've heard from several people (again, on this thing called the “internet”) that at Steemit, there is a great community. A community of people that care, and are excited about a new stage in our digital and cyber world; and hopefully a new stage in our real world where real connections are formed.

So that's me in a quick nutshell. Just a guy that enjoys technology and people – and hopes to build something to make the world a little bit happier.

Cheers to everyone here on Steemit. And I hope I get a chance to meet each one of you and share stories.

Until then, Steem on:
-Joe