I just turned 4

It is strange to look back at all the projects I was involved in 4 years ago and see that through four years of changes, I am still here.

I am still upvoting your great content and still meeting new wonderful people.

I realize that while it is good to have decentralized money, electronic currency isn't enough.

The fact that this blockchain sent me a happy birthday (thanks @hivebuzz) just shows how special this place is. Imagine a silver coin sending you a reminder that you've had the coin for 4 years.

Far more important than the decentralized digital money is the community and the way developers empower the community. This is the unique thing about this group. It is the reason you should be scooping up HIVE as often as you can because I believe HIVE's price doesn't reflect the value I see daily.

I see it with @hivebuzz, @nftshowroom, @splinterlands, and even @upmewhale when I need a break from posting.

I thought I would share links to things I was up to four years ago to reflect on where I've been.

I was very active with Neon Mob and in 2016 they were doing "NFTs" in a centralized way. Despite that difference, users were free to trade art as they wished and even earned grades based on how responsive they were. The image here is from a 2016 digital series I released called Gallaxelle (https://www.neonmob.com/series/gallaxelle-ngc-1500/).

Back in 2016, I was on the path to be a math teacher. I had passed my exams, and was lined up for my first substitute teacher gigs late that year.

My kids were 7 and 5 then. I remember picking up my daughter throughout the school year because she had half day kindergarten. I also remember going for very long walks in the forest just before picking her up. I had been married for 15 years.

I remember travelling to Portland, Maine with my family that summer and trying a maple bacon donut at Holy Donuts for the first time. Such lush experiences really are great to have with family and friends. I also tried OTTO pizza in Portland for the first time. At night, Portland had street performers and there was one who spun fireballs around. It absolutely captivated the crowd.