Why I chose to create a Steemit Account

We've all heard, seen or read about the massive rise in value of BitCoin over the past year, as well as the dozens (if not hundreds) of ICOs that have dominated our social media feeds over the past several months. It has given people all over the world reason to pause and think about what could very well be the next big disruption in a digitally-connected world.

Sure I'm intrigued by the rise of Bitcoin and Ether, and still do not fully comprehend what blockchain technology is or how it becomes digital currency for its users. But when I first heard of Steemit, my first thought was to tell myself how I wished this was around years ago.

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My name is Patrick Vaillancourt, and I am a brand-new content creator on Steemit. I've blogged very extensively over the past 8 years, but given the volatility in the range of topics I choose to explore, I was never really able to stick to one blog or another. I now have a personal website where I keep all of my posts -- a collection of anecdotes, recipes, political rants and observations about, well, anything.

When I heard about this platform, I was intrigued not by the possibility of making money (although that was a consideration) but in being a part of a platform that has seemingly found a way to monetize and incentivize content creation, content curation and user engagement. Cloe, a friend and colleague, brought this up to me and I was immediately hooked on the idea of joining early and contributing to a revolutionary idea.

What I will write about I'm not yet sure. I think this venture into blogging will not be unlike the others, in that they do not have a singular focus. My audience will be exposed to a potpourri of different things, which, I hope, will allow people of diverse backgrounds and interests to engage with me.

My interests include cooking, writing, computer programming, travel, politics, philosophy and generally sharing observations and experiences I've been fortunate enough to live first-hand. I also have a deep appreciation for independent learning, and so I'm also active on sites like StackExchange and edX. I'm working on my writing with the hope that I can publish my first, full-length novel by the end of 2018, in addition to practicing poetry. I'm also well-travelled and have an interest in learning languages. I am fluent in English and French, while having a basic understanding of Korean thanks to my three years spent living in what has historically been known as the "Land of the Morning Calm".

In an effort for people to get to know me, I've included as my second-act an article about my time spent travelling throughout the United States. I hope you will engage with me, express your opinion, debate and challenge me -- but more importantly, I hope you will find something useful in what I have to say.

Photo Credit: Damian Gadal(Flickr)