Greetings, Cloudheads! It was just so fortunate that Chapter 12 was my 2,000th post here on Steemit, as this marks the halfway point of the story. I'm not one for making milestone posts, so I'll just mention it briefly here. Since last week was a week filled with good vibes and gratitude, I've already thanked the people who've made my time on Steemit a lot of fun. @dreemit, @verbal-d, @meesterboom, @ryivhnn and all my constant supporters! If I could give you guys all the votes I would!
I know that the first 2,000 posts were quite a rollercoaster experience, so I hope the next 2,000 has already levelled out trending positive. @lukestokes had helped me realign my expectations, and my mind is in wholly healthier place now in terms of approaching the platform. This milestone seems like such a distant memory for many of the more prolific members here, but I'll celebrate it all the same. Celebrate the little wins in your life! :D
Onto the discussion!
This chapter continues the blissful ignorance arc that I've been trying to tell. Previously, Ledd encountered the mysterious kibo, now he's up against a more unwielding adversary, damaus.
Image Source
If it's still not evident, I love playing around with words and how they sound like. To someone who doesn't know what some thing is, the imagination tends to run wild when initially confronted with a foreign word. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. Try to think back to something in your childhood (or in your adult life) that turned out completely different from what you first imagined it to be.
If I were to list the ones I imagined having a different purpose, I would be writing all day, so let's just leave it with almost everything in my childhood.
I don't know about you, but when I first learned how to use a computer, the mouse still had the roller thing which gets stuck because of dust. My first encounter with a computer was magical. It was love at first sight. Previously, I had been using this mini Casio ... I don't even know what it was anymore. It's like a digital organizer that's way more advanced than a calculator. As soon as I tapped that mechanical keyboard, it's like my future flashed before my eyes. True enough, I've spent my entire professional life in front of one.
Image Source
When I first started using a computer, I imagined myself being this elite hacker that could get into any computer system he wants. Mind you, this was early 1990s, and we didn't even have internet back then, but a boy could dream. Sure enough, I grew to be someone who dabbled in hacking (the good kind, white hat only, I swear :/ ) but I'm far from elite and I couldn't get into any computer system. Just the ones that are easy to break into.
The wonder really fades when you learn more concrete information about something. It used to be that I was enamored about computers and the mysteries of the digital world. But, once I learned that it was all ones and zeros, my fascination depleted. Sure, I'm still amazed at the different algorithms used, but it's a different kind of awe. I guess the same goes for every other profession. Less woah, more oh.
The one exception that I can think of is writing, specifically fiction. It's true what they say about the imagination being its only limit. Since science still hasn't explained everything (ugh! what's with the delay, science?) there's still so much room for our imagination to roam. One day, future people would read our work and laugh about our simple-mindedness, but until that day comes, we can all bask in the wonder that our imagination can take us :D
With that being said, please support all the wonderful stories in the #fiction category. Comment on them, leave your feedback, show your support. During these turbulent times, interaction is key to strengthening that sense of community. Don't just reply on comment on your posts, branch out and drop a line on other people's posts. If people get discouraged and leave, and you'll be the only one left in the platform, what fun would that be, right? So, go out there and comment comment comment :D
Thanks for reading! Follow me, @jedau, if you want to live.
Leave this post a—
Halfway Point Hijinks
Ha! You thought the post was over, didn't you?? Some of you may have even already left. If so, please come back :'( I'll wait...
Since we're at the halfway mark, I wanted to give a quick analysis of the series so far. While I have the exact numbers, I'm not going to publish an in-depth analysis here. Originally, I plan to publish one after the very last payout, as a retrospect of sorts. I just wanted to use this opportunity to mention a few key observations.
@verbal-d's recent catch-up blitz allowed me to reminisce a bit about my journey with this story so far. SILVER LINING #7 set an unprecedented record of 637 votes, making it the most voted (and downvoted) installment of the series. Chapter 1 is the highest earning chapter, which ... I really don't know how to feel about that :/ Chapter 11 has the highest number of comments thanks in large part to @verbal-d's catch up. Since I'm replying to every comment, divide the totals by two to come up with the number of comments by other people.
I really wish Steemit would have an analytics platform, much like Medium's. Perhaps a future update? In any case, I really don't want to delve on the analysis and just enjoy and appreciate the support that I'm currently receiving. I don't know about you guys, but the people who comment on my posts are the friendliest and most awesome on Steemit :D They may not be whales, but they sure deserve to be ones, in my opinion.
Thanks for reading! For realz this time.
